Chapter 241: “Remus, Did You See Him?”

Sirius felt a blur before his eyes, and Wade's figure vanished from sight. He quickly looked around and shouted, "Wade!"

His voice was swallowed by the thunder, and the lightning illuminated his face in a ghostly white glow.

Sirius whipped his head around, and looked at Lupin a short distance away.

"Remus, did you see him?"

Lupin shook his head and shouted back, "We've sealed off the surrounding area! He couldn't have gone far!"

Sirius glanced at the entrance they had used earlier, now completely blocked off by Lupin. That gave him some relief.

But even so, nothing was foolproof. Gaps inevitably existed between branches and vines, and a bird could potentially fold its wings and squeeze through.

"He's turned into a bird!" Sirius yelled. "Something fast, maybe a swift or an owl!"

Lupin nodded, silently grateful they had brought their broomsticks along.

The two mounted their brooms and shot into the rain-drenched forest.

Rain poured down through the gaps in the leaves like an open faucet, drenching them from head to toe. It streamed down their necks and soaked their clothes. 

They were completely wet, but neither had the time to use magic to shield themselves from the downpour.

And it wasn't all that surprising that Wade's Animagus form was a bird. A bird capable of flight was far more practical than most forms.

In fact, it was something to celebrate.

The trouble, however, was that during their first transformation, a human's consciousness was often overwhelmed by the animal's instincts. An Animagus might forget they were human altogether.

An animal's simple brain might drive them to flee, crash into obstacles, or worse, engage in even more disastrous behavior. If Wade couldn't return to his human form soon, his human consciousness risked being entirely overtaken by the animal's instincts.

If he escaped into the outside world in this state, Sirius and Lupin feared they might never find him again.

Within mere minutes, Lupin felt himself growing numb with cold. His hands gripping the broomstick had turned blue, and his lips were devoid of color. Rainwater poured into his eyes, limiting his vision to a small patch directly ahead.

He saw Sirius shouting and gesturing, but the thunder drowned out his voice entirely. Finally, Sirius resorted to exaggerated hand signals, indicating they should split up and search in a spiral pattern.

Lupin nodded and flew off in another direction.

He tried to maintain a calm and composed demeanor, but his heart was already in a panic.

In just a few short minutes, Lupin had regretted everything countless times—

Regretted teaching Wade how to practice Animagus transformation. Regretted encouraging him to learn something far too advanced for him. And most of all, regretted waking him up tonight.

——If anything happens to that child, it's all your fault!

Lupin berated himself inwardly, over and over, consumed with regret.

He had known all along that, compared to James and the others back in the day, Wade was far too young.

Even though Wade's knowledge and innate talent were exceptional, his magical power wasn't strong enough, and his willpower couldn't yet compare to that of an adult.

He hadn't spent years gradually mastering the techniques of Transfiguration, nor had he undergone long-term meditation or magical control training. 

Lupin and Sirius had both felt an underlying unease because of this, which was why they had taken so much time to prepare.

Now, all of that worry and doubt seemed to explode at once, leaving Lupin feeling waves of numbness wash over his body.

The two scoured the area meticulously from bottom to top but found nothing. When they landed again, their faces were as pale as death.

By then, the rain had begun to subside slightly.

"Perhaps we should inform Dumbledore… Sirius," Lupin said with his lips trembling. "At least bring in Professor McGonagall. She has far more experience."

Sirius frowned. "Maybe the rain was too heavy earlier, and we missed him. Let's search again!"

He shot off like an arrow from a bow. Lupin, though his thoughts were in turmoil, instinctively raised his broomstick and followed.

Holding their wands aloft, they cast beams of bright light from their tips, illuminating wide swaths of the forest.

But after several more spiraling passes, their search still turned up nothing.

At that point, even the ever-optimistic Sirius had to admit they might have lost Wade.

The two stared at each other, and their hearts sank as if into an icy well.

Just then, Lupin caught the faintest sound—a soft, high-pitched cry of "chirp-waa."

He froze, thinking he must have imagined it.

But then he noticed Sirius staring behind him in astonishment, his expression was a mix of exasperation and amusement. It took Sirius a moment before he managed to speak:

"You little rascal… hiding in a place like this…"

Lupin spun around sharply and saw a blue-gray bird perched behind him.

It was much larger than a pigeon, though still relatively small for a bird of prey. Black stripes adorned its head and cheeks, and its neck shimmered with a glossy black-blue hue. White spots patterned its belly.

At that moment, the bird was gripping a horizontal branch of Lupin's broomstick with its yellow talons, sheltering behind him to shield itself from the wind and rain. 

As Lupin turned, it cocked its head to the side and gazed at him with a mix of curiosity and innocence.

Lupin: "…"

He felt as though his heart had nearly stopped from the scare this kid gave him.

He opened his mouth, then closed it, only to find himself completely speechless.

"Let's get him back to normal first," Sirius said as he pulled out his wand and walked over. "The longer he stays like this, the harder it will be for him to regain his consciousness."

As Sirius approached, the blue-gray bird shifted uneasily, as if preparing to flee. But as soon as it spread its wings, a spell froze it in place.

The bird's grayish eyes darted around nervously, watching as Lupin also raised his wand.

"Get ready, Wade," Lupin said. "I'll count to three. One… two… three!"

Two bluish-white beams of light struck the bird's body. It struggled briefly before its form began to shift in remarkable ways. Within seconds, the bird—no longer even as long as a human forearm—transformed back into a twelve-year-old boy.

With a splash, he landed on the soaked ground and his entire body was dripping wet. He stared ahead in a daze with his damp hair plastered pathetically to his forehead.

"Pfft—"

Sirius couldn't hold back a laugh, which quickly grew louder. Lupin, too, finally allowed himself a bitter yet relieved smile.

"You nearly scared me to death, Wade…"

"...Huh?"

Wade blinked in confusion.

Having just completed his first transformation, his mind was still foggy, and he could hardly remember what had just happened.

"Alright, go get changed," Lupin said, helping him up from the ground. 

"Now that you've successfully transformed once, it'll be much easier from now on. Just remember to keep your mind clear and maintain a sense of self-awareness—that's very important."

He had told him this countless times before. Wade nodded and then curiously asked, "So, what's my animal form?"

Before transforming, he had a vague image in his mind of what he'd look like, but all he could recall now was that it was some kind of bird. He couldn't quite remember the name.

"A peregrine falcon," Sirius said with a grin. "The fastest bird in the world—guess you won't need the Hogwarts Express to get to school anymore."

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