A Casual Remark Dispelled My Doubts

"Resemblance, such a striking resemblance."

Inside a private room at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry Potter was bewildered by the turn of events. He had just watched his door swing open to reveal two wizards stepping inside.

One was a tall wizard wearing a hat, whom Harry had seen several times before. His name was Kingsley, an Auror from the Ministry of Magic.

The other wizard, trailing behind Kingsley, looked haggard. His face was marked as if by the claw of some wild beast, and his hair was streaked with gray.

The moment this second man entered the room, he fixed his gaze on Harry's eyes and hair, murmuring about the resemblance.

His tone was gentle and filled with pity.

Though Harry did not know him, he could sense the man's goodwill.

He felt like an elder he hadn't seen in a very long time.

Harry Potter didn't quite understand what Lupin meant, so he tentatively asked, "I'm sorry, sir, but what do you mean by 'resemblance'? Resembling whom?"

Dewey, disguised as Lupin, felt himself slipping into character.

He shook his head and said kindly, "No, it is nothing, child."

He reached out to pat Harry Potter's messy hair. Harry felt a flicker of resistance, but he didn't pull away.

Kingsley stood to the side, making no move to intervene. Knowing the history between Lupin, James Potter, and Lily Potter, he allowed the gesture to continue, only stepping in to introduce him once Lupin had finished patting Harry's head: "Harry Potter, this is Professor Lupin, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this coming term."

Harry Potter felt a strange sensation.

He sensed that this teacher held a unique kind of affection for him.

It felt like that of an elder.

It was more than just a simple teacher-student bond.

Just as Dewey was about to speak, a voice drifted in from outside the door before the person had even appeared.

"Harry!"

It was Hermione's voice.

Dewey immediately guessed the identity of the speaker.

Hermione?

Thump, thump, thump.

Footsteps approached.

Dewey turned his head to look at the clever young girl appearing in the doorway. She wasn't particularly beautiful, though she wasn't plain either; with brown hair and brown eyes, she looked as though she hadn't yet fully grown into her features.

His first impression of her wasn't bad.

But it wasn't exactly stunning, either.

So this is Hermione?

Dewey looked at her and offered a gentle smile.

There was no need to discuss her mastery of charms; her sharp intellect and insight alone were enough to command awe.

I wonder when she will figure out that I am an impostor?

This thought suddenly popped into Dewey's mind.

What a fine young girl; she will make a capable witch.

This was Dewey, acting as Lupin, thinking with Lupin's own mindset.

Soon, Dewey suppressed his true self and fully became Lupin.

"And these are?"

Lupin asked Kingsley, then caught sight of Ron Weasley, who was panting as he caught up behind Hermione.

The young lad seemed fortunate; he didn't appear to be suffering from any lingering trauma from the Dungbomb.

Seeing others in Harry's room, Hermione and Ron instinctively stopped in their tracks.

"Your good friends?"

In the slightly awkward silence, Dewey spoke gently: "A child of the Weasley family? Your hair is truly unmistakable, a real signature of your clan.

And the young witch, are you in Gryffindor?

Harry? Life is a long road, and it is best to have good friends by your side—friends who will never betray you, isn't that right?"

Dewey spoke with deep emotion. Hearing this, Kingsley was suddenly jolted to attention.

Wait, is Lupin talking about Sirius Black?

At the mention of betrayal by a friend, Kingsley was instantly alert. He gave an involuntary cough to cut Lupin off, taking the opportunity to introduce Lupin to the two youngsters.

Upon hearing that this man was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Hermione quickly straightened up respectfully.

Ron, too, became quite reserved.

Watching the children grow stiff, Dewey smiled and said, "Shacklebolt, let us step outside. It has been a long time; perhaps we could have a drink?"

He appeared to be a thoughtful elder who noticed everyone's discomfort and wanted to give them some space to talk.

"Very well."

Kingsley took the hint and led Dewey out.

Once they had stepped outside, Hermione walked in and asked, "Harry, how do you know the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"No," Harry said instinctively, "I don't know him."

But thinking of how Professor Lupin had patted his head the moment he walked in, and the things he had said, Harry wasn't so sure anymore.

He thought of how he looked when he saw the Mirror of Erised.

Inside the Mirror of Erised, he stood with his parents. He looked just like his father, even down to the hair on his head—equally unruly and defiant.

As for his eyes, they were like his mother's.

"I mean, I'm not sure either."

Harry spoke up again, "I don't know how to tell you guys."

He looked into his two best friends' eyes and said, "Maybe he knew my parents?"

At Harry's redundant explanation, Hermione and Ron exchanged glances.

Dewey and Kingsley went downstairs. Kingsley asked what Dewey wanted to drink, and Dewey said tea.

He refrained from adding sugar and found the tea flavorless.

Not having sugar to drink pained Dewey, but he had to pretend as if nothing was wrong.

"How have you been all these years?"

Kingsley asked, then quickly changed the subject.

"It's best we don't tell Sirius about his relationship with James. I'm afraid the boy won't be able to handle the shock and will actually go looking for Sirius Black."

Kingsley said.

Dewey nodded in agreement.

With that matter settled, Kingsley finally began to vent.

The object of his complaints was Lucius Malfoy.

"Sirius and Dewey are truly insane! We originally planned to have the Weasley family escort Harry Potter so that Harry Potter wouldn't suspect a thing."

Bringing up the old matter, Kingsley had a bellyful of complaints. He still held two or three parts of respect for his superior, Fudge, and didn't say anything too harsh, but he had no patience for Malfoy.

"What a pity, a sycophant!

That fool Lucius Malfoy ran before the Minister, swearing on his life."

Kingsley mimicked Lucius Malfoy's pretentious manner: "You must trust me, Minister. Dewey Jones is just a pathetic slug with no guts and no backbone.

Back in school, he was just a Ravenclaw student with no opinions of his own, not knowing what he should be doing. Even if he escaped from Azkaban, he would surely be caught and thrown back in soon enough.

People like him always lack a certain wisdom. Don't worry about this matter, Minister. I have friends at the newspaper; they know what should be said and what shouldn't!"

Kingsley's imitation was vivid, perfectly capturing the essence of how Lucius spoke.

It was a feigned confidence and elegance that couldn't hide the underlying streak of malice, coupled with a sense of self-importance and arrogance.

The arrogance that the Sacred Twenty-Eight families held toward everything was perfectly embodied in Lucius Malfoy.

Kingsley loathed this.

He was a pure-blood wizard himself, but he didn't place any value on such things.

He wouldn't call anyone a Mudblood, nor would he join the Death Eaters.

Beyond the Sacred Twenty-Eight, there were still other pure-blood wizards.

He thoroughly disliked Lucius Malfoy.

Likewise, he was deeply dissatisfied with how the Malfoy Family had escaped punishment.

He and Lucius Malfoy could be said to have had a long-standing grudge.

It started from the moment the Malfoy Family cleared their name.

But there was no helping it; to escape conviction, the Malfoy Family had bled heavily. They not only funneled massive amounts of wealth into Hogwarts but also donated money to St Mungo's Hospital and colluded with other pure-blood families and wizards, creating an atmosphere where if you dared to send me to Azkaban, I would make the Ministry of Magic grind to a halt.

They used both soft and hard tactics.

Fudge, for his part, was desperate for stability.

Just like that, the Malfoy Family didn't fall; instead, they grew even more powerful. Kingsley sneered, "Do you know what else Malfoy said afterward?

He said, don't worry about Sirius Black; he's just a brainless fool. He's obsessed with going to Hogwarts to attack Harry Potter, so we have nothing to worry about.

And what happened? Two Azkaban prisoners attacked our Ministry of Magic personnel in broad daylight on the street. He actually encouraged Fudge to stay inside the Ministry and never come out. Not only that, Malfoy even told Fudge to pull elite Aurors to his side to maintain his safety.

The Director went personally to the Muggle Prime Minister's residence to protect him, and right at that moment, do you know what he did?

Malfoy actually exploited Fudge's fear to join the Ministry of Magic, becoming our colleague and superior alongside his Death Eater friends.

They entered the Ministry of Magic, and instead of making any contributions, they skillfully began playing office politics, squeezing out other half-blood and impoverished wizards. Ha, it's truly speechless, isn't it?"

Kingsley spoke through gritted teeth, but Dewey let it go in one ear and out the other.

He felt no anger toward the Malfoy Family; from Kingsley's words, he had extracted only one key point.

"Fear."

"Yes, fear is man's greatest enemy, and also the most useful tool, isn't it, Shacklebolt? Because of fear, the Minister has done many things beneath his station, hasn't he?"

Dewey said softly and calmly, sipping his tea as if echoing Kingsley's words.

In reality, it was much the same.

Professor Lupin agreed with Kingsley's sentiments.

Dewey absorbed the information from Kingsley.

Suddenly, a terrifying and horrific thought emerged in his mind. He set down his teacup and stared into it, lowering his head so Kingsley could not see his eyes clearly.

Fear, you say? Speaking of fear, in this world, what could be more frightening and terrifying than the Dark Lord?

On the moving staircases, everyone should drink more water, stay up late less, and exercise regularly...