Chapter 35

I spent the entire afternoon in the library, poring over every case involving werewolves throughout history. I discovered that werewolves held a very low status due to their dangerous nature, leading to widespread rejection and disdain. Most werewolves lived in poverty, often leading a nomadic existence, while the more bloodthirsty and violent ones were outright reviled. Historically, some renowned wizards and potion masters had attempted to develop spells or potions to suppress the lycanthropic poison within werewolves, but none of these efforts yielded publicly acknowledged results.

Severus and Lily returned before dinner. I went to the kitchen to get some food from Bobo, and we had dinner in the Room of Requirement. After the meal, I casually played with my napkin and cautiously asked, "Severus, do you know of any potions that can suppress a werewolf's transformation?"

Lily looked up at me, surprised and questioning. I knew what she wanted to ask; mentioning werewolves would make her think of Remus. I confirmed her suspicion with a look, and she understood.

"Werewolves?" Severus frowned slightly, as if recalling something, not noticing our silent exchange. "No such potion has been discovered, at least none publicly. However, I did come across related research in the potion notes from the manor. It was conducted by one of my great-great-grandfathers but was interrupted and left unfinished."

That still gave us some hope, building on previous research might increase our chances. "If you were to research this, do you think you could succeed?"

"It's uncertain, but it's worth a try," Severus replied, his gaze turning towards me. I met his black eyes. "Are you interested in this?"

Feeling inexplicably guilty, I didn't want to hide Remus's situation from him, but I also had to respect Remus's privacy. Maybe I should ask for his consent before telling Severus. Smiling casually, I said, "A bit. I just happened to read a book about werewolves today. How did your research go today? Have you decided on a project?"

"No," Lily answered, taking over the conversation. "Today, we organized the potion shop's previous records for Damocles to understand our situation better and filled a few out-of-stock orders. We didn't have time to discuss research directions."

"Maybe researching a potion to suppress lycanthropy would be a good idea," Severus said, rubbing his temples, looking a bit tired. I felt a pang of concern and resisted the urge to go over and massage his temples.

"I think so too. Since no one has succeeded yet, and Severus has ancestral research notes, it should be advantageous," Lily agreed. She and I both wanted this research to start smoothly. If there was hope on this end, convincing Remus should be easy.

"But researching a lycanthropy suppressant would definitely require the cooperation of a trustworthy werewolf. That's not easy to find," Severus frowned again.

Lily and I exchanged a look, understanding each other. "Let's put this on hold for now. Maybe we'll have an opportunity later," I suggested cautiously.

Back in the dormitory that evening, the other two girls hadn't returned yet. They both seemed to be dating fervently.

"You know about Remus, don't you?" Lily asked with certainty. "I had a feeling when I saw your note this morning. You must have seen him in the hospital wing, considering yesterday was a full moon, and he'd definitely be there today."

"Yes, everything happened just as you said, and now I know," I shrugged. "Remus should agree to help with the research. This could be his chance to escape the pain."

"Let's find a chance to ask him tomorrow. Once we have his consent, the research can start smoothly," Lily said, hopeful.

"He wants to be rid of this more than anyone. He'll cooperate with any experiments if there's hope. Though the process might be unpleasant, it's worth a try."

The next morning, after Transfiguration class, Lily and I found Remus to talk privately. We shook off James, Sirius, and Peter and took Remus to an empty classroom, locking the door and casting a Silencing Charm. We got straight to the point about the potion research, interrupting Remus's excited questions. We explained that the potions would be researched by Severus and another colleague and that his cooperation would be necessary, possibly for experiments or blood extraction.

I solemnly told him, "If you trust us, you can agree to cooperate, but that means letting Severus know your situation. Although we trust him implicitly, you can choose to refuse."

Remus calmed down and thought for a moment before looking at us with determined eyes. "I accept. I trust you."

Despite expecting this answer, Lily and I still felt relieved.

"We'll discuss it with Severus and then get back to you. Some things need his approval first," I said, surprising Lily a bit. "Also, don't tell anyone else until everything is settled." I was referring to James and the others. Without explaining further, we said goodbye to Remus.

On the way to the Great Hall, I explained to Lily, "If we're going to work with Remus, he'll need to know some things about the potion shop, which involves Severus. We can't decide that on our own."

"But I thought Remus was trustworthy, given how he trusts us," Lily questioned, still so innocent.

"It's not about him being untrustworthy. We just need to be cautious. Trust is something Severus won't extend lightly, especially to a Gryffindor, just like you wouldn't easily trust a Slytherin, except Severus." This was natural, an inherited enmity. Slytherins, even among themselves, were cautious about whom they trusted.

Lily seemed thoughtful. As a pure Gryffindor, she sometimes didn't understand my reservations about our housemates, especially my wariness towards Dumbledore. My caution wasn't out of mistrust but to avoid drawing his attention. I felt that being noticed by him would inevitably drag us into troublesome and dangerous situations from which we couldn't escape. I didn't want the three of us entangled in such matters. Justice and evil were relative; evil could never be completely eradicated. Or maybe I didn't care about these things because they were too far removed from me?

"Although I believe Remus wouldn't harm us, since you suggest it, we should ask Severus's opinion," Lily conceded, not dwelling on it.

We reached the first floor as lunch began. We sat down to eat and, after a while, saw Remus and the others enter the hall, taking seats not far from us. James seemed eager to come over, curiosity evident on his face—perhaps to find out what we had discussed earlier? But Lily's glare sent him back. Remus gave us a helpless look; he must have been questioned extensively. Having such energetic and curious friends made keeping secrets exhausting.

That evening in the Room of Requirement, we told Severus about Remus.

"Lupin is a werewolf?" Severus frowned. "Dumbledore actually lets a werewolf stay among us students?"

"Remus doesn't want to be a werewolf!" Lily retorted, unhappy. "He suffers greatly. Every transformation, he loses his mind, with no one to bite but himself. He's always covered in wounds, which is why he's so weak! He doesn't want to hurt anyone…" Kind-hearted Lily had seen Remus's post-transformation state many times. Though he insisted on seeing them only after treatment, the weakness and scars were still evident. Lily understood and sympathized with Remus's feelings.

Severus seemed to hold back a caustic remark. He might not care about Remus's plight; they weren't friends, though not as hostile as with James. But he cared about Lily's feelings.

I quickly intervened, "Many werewolves, like Remus, don't want to live that way. Researching a lycanthropy suppressant could ease their suffering and make us safer. If successful, it would be a great achievement!"

Mentioning potions softened Severus's expression, and he didn't say anything more about Remus being a werewolf. I continued, "You said such research needs the cooperation of a trustworthy werewolf. Remus has agreed. As for trust, he's our classmate, better than any unknown werewolf. Plus, we can have Damocles handle it, keeping our involvement with the potion shop a secret from Remus."

Severus's thoughtful expression showed he was considering it. Finally, he nodded. "If we're going to do this, we should do it well. Let's bring Lupin to Hogsmeade this weekend."

Lily visibly relaxed, her mood lifting. "Thank you, Severus!"

"It's nothing," Severus said indifferently. "I'm doing it for the potion research."

Lily made a face at me, and I couldn't help but smile. I didn't miss the slight curve of Severus's lips. Must you be so subtle? Such a stubborn child.

That Saturday, we had Damocles take over at the Hog's Head early, with me assisting him. Near the end, Severus and Lily brought Remus over, and we all went to Damocles's new house.

We had discussed the lycanthropy suppressant potion via owl post before, and I had told Damocles that our cooperating werewolf would be joining us. Even so, he seemed a bit surprised to see Remus. Later, Damocles told me he hadn't expected such a gentle boy, thinking a werewolf might be more rebellious.

Starting with the serious business, Damocles explained to Remus that cooperation would require testing the potion on him and extracting blood, which could be painful. I saw a rare look of determination on Remus's usually gentle face. "I don't mind. If it helps me escape this condition and become safe, any hardship is worth it."

They began planning the potion research. I sincerely hoped the research would go smoothly. This project held not only Severus and Lily's dreams of potion research but also Remus's desperate hope for relief.