Lupin

By afternoon, Roy was beaming after a whole day of Wizard's Chess. He had clearly won more games than he had lost.

"Goodbye, Will!" Sylvia called from Roy's side. She knew Will couldn't stay at her house forever.

Besides, school would start in just over ten days. They would have plenty of time together at Hogwarts.

Will waved goodbye to Sylvia and Roy. He had gained a great deal over the past few days, more than enough to cover his expenses at Hogwarts, so he was in an excellent mood.

For the rest of the holiday, Will planned to build up his Dark Magic experience. He had to make the most of these ten-odd days; once he returned to Hogwarts, it would be much harder.

It was winter, and the light was already fading. Will breathed in the crisp air as he worked out his next steps, turning the silver Wizard's Eye over in his hand.

For the first time in a long while, he felt relaxed. For one thing, his money troubles were solved. For another, Weiznan's existence proved that he would someday become a truly great wizard.

He was on the right path. He just didn't know whether his future self had figured out what "twisted knowledge" was.

Will walked toward the Leaky Cauldron at an unhurried pace.

An argument drifting from a dark, secluded alley caught his attention.

"Gentlemen, I don't want any trouble. Even though you sold me a fake potion, I won't make a fuss..." A trace of embarrassment ran through the man's low voice.

"What do you mean, we sold you a fake potion?! How dare you call the Werewolf Potion I invented a fake?!"

"Merlin's beard, that's not what I meant."

"Carlo! This fellow's trying to slander you!" A shrill voice floated out of the alley, grating against Will's ears.

"Sir, I have no intention of slandering you."

"Then you're saying my potion didn't work? Are you questioning me, Carlo Regan? Questioning a Potions Master?"

"The potion worked. It worked very well—" The man sounded resigned, as though he wanted nothing more than to end the argument.

"Then you ought to buy more. Five Galleons a bottle. That's not expensive, is it?"

"The bottle I bought last time used up all my savings, sir. For Merlin's sake—" The man's voice remained tightly controlled.

"Not even Merlin's socks will help you. Locke, search him! Find every coin he's got!"

No sooner had he spoken than a gaunt man rushed out of the alley. Despite the December cold, he wore only a thin, threadbare coat covered in patches. Wrinkles lined his sallow face, and gray streaked his untidy brown hair.

The man looked familiar to Will. Coupled with the mention of a werewolf, it brought one name to mind—Remus Lupin.

The best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Harry Potter would have at school.

"Run, child!" Lupin had spotted Will too. He reached to pull him away, but a spell shot past his hand.

Four strange-looking men emerged from the alley. Only then did Will realize it appeared to be another route into Knockturn Alley.

The squat man at their head clutched a filthy wand. "Stop right there, werewolf! If you don't pay, the slow-acting poison in that potion will kill you!"

The few passersby nearby heard "werewolf" and hurried away, as though they feared catching something from a distance.

Lupin did stop, but his eyes flicked between Will and the squat man. He seemed intent on protecting Will.

The squat man noticed Will as well. His beady eyes swept over him, and naked greed spread across his ugly face.

Will recognized him now. This was Carlo Gentus, the man who had tried to extort him when he was disguised as Weiznan around this time last year. Will had subsequently blown one of his hands apart with Confringo.

It seemed he had joined forces with a few others to run a scam. Werewolf Potion, was it?

"Kid, this has nothing to do with you. Hand over your money, and we won't hurt you." From Will's clothes, Carlo could tell the boy came from money. Whoever stood behind him was probably someone Carlo couldn't afford to cross. But he could take a little cash and run. As long as he didn't hurt the boy, he should be fine.

Will said nothing. He reached toward his coat as if to take something out. Carlo watched him, pleased that the boy seemed to know what was good for him.

Instead, Will snapped his arm out, revealing the wand hidden in his sleeve.

"Stupefy!"

He hadn't used Confringo. That might give him away, and he couldn't openly kill someone in Diagon Alley as Will Behrens.

The spell struck Carlo square between the eyes. He toppled to the ground like a gourd.

The other strange-looking wizards, who looked like crosses between humans and magical creatures, aimed their wands at Will and prepared to cast.

But the man they had just been extorting whipped out his wand and fired off spells in quick succession.

"Erecto!"

"Avis!"

"Oppugno!"

A slab of stone rose in front of Will, separating him from the wizards. Birds of every color surged into their faces, blocking their view. Their spells flew off Merlin knew where.

Then hundreds upon hundreds of tiny stones, transformed from snowflakes, pelted them from head to toe. Reinforced with magic, the stones struck with astonishing force. In an instant, the wizards were bloodied and knocked off their feet.

The wizards were stunned. They hadn't expected a child on the street to take down their leader, much less for the shabby werewolf they had just been extorting to batter them so badly with a handful of spells.

"Come on, child!" Lupin grabbed Will, and they ran. The few passersby dared not get in their way and let the "werewolf" flee with the boy.

They dashed to the far end of Diagon Alley. Lupin released Will, and both of them stood there gasping for breath. Neither was in particularly good shape.

"You should go, child. Don't tell anyone you saw me." Lupin waved him away, not wanting to frighten him.

"Sir, thank you for saving me. I don't even know your name."

Lupin looked into the boy's eyes and took a few breaths. Without another word, he turned and left.

He had gone only a few steps when he staggered and fell into the snow.

Will's eye twitched. He remembered what Carlo had said about a slow-acting poison in the potion.

Had that little bit of running made the poison take effect faster? Was he about to die right here?