"What exactly happened to Professor Lupin?" Hermione blinked several times.
"You won't believe this. Professor Lupin... he's a werewolf!" Harry swallowed and finally blurted it out, looking utterly incredulous.
Oh, that was all?
Su Er had thought it was something serious, like Professor Lupin getting attacked by dark wizards just after catching a ride out of the castle.
He lowered his head to sip his drink, his interest fading. Purplish-red juice rose and fell inside the translucent straw. Well, now his date with Hermione had been interrupted too.
Su Er knew that Professor Lupin was a werewolf; he had even delivered Wolfsbane Potion to him. But Hermione didn't know, and neither did the others.
The quiet murmurs in Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop seemed to vanish all at once.
"Who did you hear that from?" Hermione asked in confusion.
Ron piped up then, saying gloomily, "Harry and I heard it quite clearly at the Three Broomsticks. Malfoy was there with his cronies, telling the other young wizards that Lupin was actually a werewolf."
"Malfoy said that?" Hermione looked at Harry.
"It wasn't just Malfoy saying it." Harry nodded. "When Snape went to the Slytherin Common Room early this morning, he 'accidentally' let it slip. Loads of Slytherins know."
"Ahem..." Su Er choked on his drink and couldn't help coughing a few times. Accidentally let it slip? I'd say he did it on purpose.
Meeting the three gazes turned his way, Su Er waved a hand. "It's nothing. Go on, Harry."
"Snape gets on really badly with Lupin and Sirius. At first, I suspected Snape was making it up." Harry looked troubled.
"But the evidence Malfoy gave was very convincing. Lots of people believed him."
"Werewolves transform at every full moon. While Professor Lupin was teaching at school, he was always very