Wolfsbane Potion

"Come to think of it, it's a full moon tonight.

Have you seen Lupin?"

After the two returned to the ground, Anna seemed to remember something and turned to look at the Whomping Willow nearby.

Was there anything she didn't know?

Seeing the thoughtful look on Anna's face, Snape felt as though she knew almost everyone's secrets.

"They went in before you arrived."

"They" included Madam Pomfrey.

Snape wanted nothing to do with Lupin and the others. The grudges from his previous life had given him enough trouble.

Of course, if they dared provoke him again, they couldn't blame him for showing no mercy.

Anna, meanwhile, seemed quite interested in that little group. He had no idea what she was planning.

"Research on the Wolfsbane Potion is still underway. Has there been any progress lately?"

Potions were handled by the Potions Technology Research and Development Center in the Dawn Archipelago. The laboratory was located on one of the small islands where rare herbs had first been discovered, and most of the island had been converted into a large-scale Potions base dedicated to cultivating herbs.

As for the Wolfsbane Potion.

The improved Wolfsbane Potion had been provided by Snape, who had been reborn. Its original creator was named Damocles Belby, but he was still a Ravenclaw student, a few years ahead of them both.

Anna was also considering recruiting him into the Acolytes. Anyone who could develop such a potion at a young age had to be a rare talent, but she would wait until he came of age before approaching him.

The research center was now studying how to make the potion more effective while reducing its consumption even further.

Even if it couldn't cure them, it should at least keep the werewolves who drank it from transforming on full-moon nights. A few days of weakness would be no great harm.

"Stopping werewolves from transforming is too difficult an improvement. We still have no leads."

The two walked side by side on their way back, discussing the potion.

"Actually, I've always thought that ordinary wizards developing these symptoms after being bitten by a werewolf looks a lot like an infection by some kind of special virus.

I had that suspicion before. After all, it sounds a lot like an ordinary person being bitten by a dog.

The consequence of being bitten by a rabid dog is infection with the rabies virus. It can drive patients into a frenzy, leaving them delirious, charging about and howling in a state of extreme excitement.

Don't those symptoms sound familiar?"

Anna had also sent her hypothesis to the Muggle Technology Research Center in the archipelago. The researchers had taken blood samples from werewolves who had been bitten, both before and after transformation, for testing.

The results had only recently come out. Just as she had expected, these highly unusual symptoms could be attributed to what could be called a werewolf virus. It had certain similarities to the rabies virus, except that rabies patients suffered continuous outbreaks, while werewolves only had episodes during the full moon each month.

"But those Muggles don't grow wolf hair during a full moon, and they don't have such a strong urge to attack."

Snape countered. That was also the biggest fundamental difference between the two.

"Having a direction for the research is a good thing, at any rate. Werewolves' magic is generally much stronger than that of other wizards, so it would be even better if we could recruit them.

After all, the Acolytes have some special teams that can't operate in the open, and they need more wizards too."

People who spent their lives in the shadows would have more survival skills than the other wizards on those teams, a better chance of staying alive, and greater suitability for the work.

Of course, that wasn't why Anna was researching an improved potion and bringing werewolves under her control. But since she had offered them this benefit, the choice would also be their first priority.

If wizards like them accepted the potion but only wanted to be ordinary researchers in the Dawn Archipelago, or establish themselves in the business world later on, she would welcome them as well. They could discuss the potion's price then.

After returning the battered broom in her hand to its designated storeroom, Anna clapped her hands and realized she was a little hungry. She turned to make a suggestion to someone.

"I'm hungry. Let's get a late-night snack, Severus."

The Hogwarts kitchen was right next to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Its entrance was a huge painting filled with all kinds of fruit.

A few gentle tickles to the pear in the painting would reveal the handle of a door leading to the kitchen.

Although Anna knew a lot about Hogwarts, she didn't know her way around. She still needed Snape to lead her to the exact locations of many places.

The two entered the kitchen, and every pair of wide, round eyes turned toward them. Then the House-elves began shouting excitedly.

"Oh, it's the esteemed Miss Grindelwald! What would you like to eat?"

"We have all kinds of little cakes, as well as Pumpkin Juice and the lemon honey water you like. Which would you prefer?"

"If you would like something else, we can make that for you too."

Watching the House-elves in their unusual excitement, Anna was full of question marks.

Strange. I've only been at Hogwarts a few days. How do the House-elves already know what I like to drink?

"There's no need to go to so much trouble. Some fruit and little cakes will do.

Oh, and I'd also like to try Hogwarts' lemon honey water. Speaking of which, how did you know I like it?"

Anna swiftly grabbed Snape as he turned to leave, then went to sit down in a secluded corner of the kitchen.

"Borg told us."

"Borg worked here a few years ago, then went to your manor."

"He came by before the school year started and said you weren't very fond of British food."

"That you preferred Asian dishes."

"That you really like ice cream and desserts with less sugar."

"And all kinds of fruit."

"..."

A few House-elves gathered around her, all talking at once.

Several others brought them delicate little cakes and an assortment of fresh fruit, already washed and sliced. There were also two small forks on the plate.

Borg was one of the House-elves in charge of the kitchen at Grindelwald Manor. He had already been working there when she moved into the manor, and had probably been poached from Hogwarts by an Acolyte with good connections.

What Anna hadn't expected was that Borg had actually made a special trip back to Hogwarts to tell the House-elves here about her preferences.

The fruit went without saying, but the little cakes and lemon honey water they brought out tasted just like the ones she usually had at Grindelwald Manor. A few House-elves even came over specifically to ask whether she wanted ice cream, which Anna firmly declined.

Even though her constitution kept her from gaining weight, eating ice cream so late at night would still give her a deep-seated sense of guilt.

The two ate and drank here, mostly Anna, while continuing to discuss other matters concerning the Wolfsbane Potion.

Curfew at Hogwarts was at ten, and it was only nine, so they had plenty of time to return to their dormitories.

Just as Anna was preparing to take her leave, carrying the many little cakes the House-elves had pressed on her, the kitchen door opened once again.

Three little heads peeked inside furtively.