Ian replied with some bizarre nonsense, causing Mrs. Greengrass to pause in mild confusion.
Lupin beside him was even more bewildered.
What the hell?
Concrete?
"Sounds interesting. I think we'll try that pairing sometime." Surprisingly, Theodore Greengrass actually smiled and picked up Ian's absurd remark with grace.
Ian gave him a big thumbs-up.
"You still have plenty of time to think about your future. We won't try to force you, nor do we even have the ability to. All we hope is that you understand where we stand."
Theodore Greengrass continued to speak his thoughts with remarkable frankness.
"This meal was excellent. I think Daphne has just become my 70th friend." Ian looked at the sisters' mostly untouched plates and said this cheerfully.
The two girls had clearly left early again.
Which, of course, only increased their favorability in his heart.
At the very least, this meant he could pack an extra two pounds of dragon meat to take home.
"Then she should keep working hard to improve her ranking."
Theodore Greengrass seemed to have picked up on the underlying meaning of Ian's comment.
The conversation shifted.
He began chatting with Ian about quirky events in the wizarding world, for example, how they were currently preparing a film titled: "Despicable Newt: The Fall of Grindelwald."
"Pffft—"
Ian almost spit out the berry drink he was sipping when he heard that the film was being made at the strong personal request of Gellert Grindelwald himself.
"Now that… is truly something special."
Ian now couldn't help wondering what the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor would think of this development.
"Do you know who's been cast as the lead?"
As long as they didn't start talking about dominating or overturning the wizarding world, Ian found that he actually had quite a bit in common with this Greengrass couple.
Well, except for Lupin.
Still, this dinner could be considered pleasant for all parties involved. Gossip made time fly faster than usual. As evening drew near, Ian felt it was a good time to excuse himself.
"I still have another appointment to keep."
He brought up a prior engagement with Hermione Granger's family. He was telling the truth, he just didn't mention that the appointment was actually scheduled for tomorrow.
"Of course, no problem. We're already very glad you could come at all."
Theodore Greengrass didn't try to make him stay, after all, he had already accomplished his goal.
"These are all pre-prepared ingredients. Once you're home, just cook them lightly and they're ready to eat."
Mrs. Armande Greengrass also handed him a small box, neatly packed by the house-elf.
Naturally, she hadn't forgotten to reimburse Ian's travel expenses—
The bulging money pouch she gave him clearly contained more than 200 Galleons.
After Ian refused any escort and left the manor, he confirmed it:
"A whole 500 Galleons!"
Looking at the jam-packed pouch, Ian's face lit up with joy. He figured Daphne Greengrass might very well become his 69th friend instead.
Not for anything else—
Just because she had such generous parents.
"How are we getting back?" Lupin didn't sound bitter or resentful. He simply let out a sigh.
Maybe the earlier conversations had reminded him of his old friends. The shabby werewolf seemed a little downcast, not even in the mood to go back and report to Albus Dumbledore anymore.
Perhaps…
Reporting to Dumbledore won't change anything.
Lupin had finally come to understand a few things.
"Of course I'm taking the Knight Bus, straight to Diagon Alley to stay at a hotel. What about you? Heading back to the orphanage or to Hogwarts? I'm just going to buy a book; don't tell me you're tagging along for that too?"
Ian wasn't opposed to covering Lupin's bus fare again. He just figured Lupin might need some quiet space to process things.
"Dumbledore told me to stick by your side the entire holiday…"
Lupin looked up at the glittering stars overhead. In truth, he kind of wanted to go check in on the son of his old friend.
"Sigh… That old Headmaster is seriously cursed. Do I look like a child who needs a security escort?"
Ian was exasperated, but still walked to the bus stop and counted out fare for both of them.
He then lifted his wand to summon the Knight Bus.
"I think what Dumbledore really wants is for me to ensure everyone else's safety…"
Lupin already understood this well. It was also the reason he dared not let his guard down.
If Ian were simply a vulnerable young wizard who needed protection, things would be a lot easier. But the way things were now, he just felt increasingly powerless.
One pure-blood family after another was pledging loyalty, asking Ian to lead them into great causes. And he, Remus Lupin, was just a werewolf.
All he could do was watch, helpless.
Can I stop him?
No. I can't.
"Maybe Dumbledore never meant for me to stop him, just to make sure this guy doesn't stray down the wrong path?"
Lupin muttered to himself, uncertain.
Just like he'd said earlier—
Tonight, he'd realized a lot.
"Pfft~"
"Kā-chā!"
Just then—
The Knight Bus arrived on cue.
Ian stepped on first. Lupin followed closely behind.
Their figures, along with the bus, vanished from the grassy hillside.
In the distance, standing at the manor's gate, the couple who had been silently watching finally looked away.
"Do you really think he could be the hope we're waiting for?" Mrs. Armande Greengrass looked uncertainly at her husband.
"He absolutely is." Theodore Greengrass replied with unwavering conviction.
"But he seems so young. And so… I don't even know how to describe it, eccentric?"
Clearly, Mrs. Greengrass no longer sounded as certain as she had during dinner.
Her tone was mixed with complicated emotions, perhaps because Ian's deliberate "self-sabotaging" behavior had worked a bit too well. To the lady of the manor, Ian's personality seemed too erratic.
"All that talk about spaghetti mixed with concrete… and offering us stir-fried dragonfruit with celery and pickled mango. I mean, it was just so nonsensical."
This reaction from Mrs. Greengrass was exactly what Ian had hoped for.
However—
Though Ian's plan was clever…
Some things turned out far beyond his expectations.
"Darling, we can't judge things by appearances alone." Theodore Greengrass now wore an insightful expression. He gazed in the direction Ian had disappeared and spoke softly.
"That man whose name must not be spoken, he once did similar things. Or rather, all those destined to rise in power tend to point at something absurd and declare it reasonable."
"It's a test of loyalty, to see whether we'll accept his flawed ideas as truth… Didn't you see how, when I nodded in approval, that boy Dumbledore picked gave me a satisfied thumbs-up?"
"He's already exercising the rights of a leader, even if he doesn't realize it himself. And that's precisely why I believe Daphne's classmate may very well be a natural-born leader."
All that can be said is—
The world is unpredictable. The large intestine doesn't always hold the small one.
(To Be Continued…)
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