"This is absolutely incredible!"
Tonks watched in complete fascination as Remus seamlessly transformed from his gentle human body to his werewolf shape and back again, her voice was filled with genuine wonder and amazement and echoed through the moonlit forest clearing.
Seeing that Tonks displayed not even the slightest trace of fear or disgust—emotions that typically accompanied such revelations—Remus couldn't help but cover his forehead with his partially transformed claws.
It seemed he had encountered a remarkably troublesome and unpredictable person on this evening.
"Didn't anyone during your Auror training teach you the wisdom of staying far away from dangerous werewolves?" Remus asked with weary helplessness.
"But you can maintain complete control over yourself, can't you?" Tonks shrugged with nonchalance. "Since that's obviously the case, what exactly do I have to fear from you?"
"Ah, very well then," Remus conceded with obvious defeat.
He abandoned his attempts at reasonable persuasion, settled himself carefully on a moss-covered flat rock, and stared contemplatively at the star-studded sky above, his expression showing a mixture of resignation and philosophical acceptance.
"What exactly are you planning to do now?" Tonks inquired with growing curiosity, settling herself on a fallen log nearby.
Honestly, Remus looked rather comical in his current state.
"Waiting patiently for the moon to complete its nightly journey and set beyond the horizon," Remus explained slowly. "After that, I'll finally be completely safe from transformation."
"Aren't you perfectly safe right at this very moment?" Tonks tilted her head inquisitively.
Remus couldn't help but pause thoughtfully.
Indeed, he could now consciously return to human form at will—there was absolutely no logical need to hide in such a remote, desolate place during the full moon's peak power anymore.
However, Remus quickly shook his head with determined resolve and pushed this dangerously optimistic thought firmly aside.
As long as he still possessed any werewolf characteristics, he had to remain constantly vigilant and prepared for the worst possible outcomes.
After all, who could predict with absolute certainty if he might suddenly lose all control in the next unpredictable second?
Regarding his cursed werewolf identity, Remus had always maintained a deeply pessimistic and cautious attitude born from years of painful experience.
Perhaps sensing Remus's melancholic mood through some connection, the gray wolves beside him approached and gently nuzzled his legs with their warm snouts, their actions seeming to offer wordless comfort and companionship.
"Oh, thank you, my friends," Remus murmured gratefully.
He tenderly petted the silky heads of the wolves.
These were friends he had encountered and befriended in the deepest parts of the Forbidden Forest during his previous full moon transformation. They were breathtakingly beautiful creatures, with smooth, lustrous fur that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight and delicate, almost ethereal features.
Moreover, they possessed exceptional intelligence that far exceeded ordinary wolves.
Remus found he could communicate with them almost without any barriers.
It was precisely because of these remarkable little companions that Remus had experienced quite an enjoyable and memorable time during his last terrifying transformation.
Watching this surreal scene unfold before her eyes, Tonks felt her worldview shifting dramatically.
This peaceful interaction completely overturned all her preconceived impressions and professional training regarding the savage nature of werewolves.
Time passed with agonizing slowness through the long night hours.
Remus was surprised that the young female Auror in front of him not only refused to leave despite his warnings, but enthusiastically showered him with countless questions about every aspect of werewolf existence.
Her inquiries included deeply personal topics like how the transformation process actually felt from the inside, what his thoughts and consciousness were like during the change, and dozens of other close details he had never discussed with anyone.
He had always hated discussing these painful and private matters, but Tonks seemed to have no malicious intent—she appeared genuinely curious about his condition from a place of sincere interest so he found himself unable to summon anger and actually began answering some of her more thoughtful questions.
Finally, after what felt hours of conversation and silence, the first tentative ray of golden dawn light penetrated through the dense forest canopy and fell warmly upon Remus's transformed face.
His thick, coarse werewolf fur gradually receded back beneath his skin, his sharp claws slowly retracted into normal human fingernails, and he smoothly transformed back into his familiar, if somewhat haggard, human appearance.
At that precise moment of transformation's completion, he distinctly felt something vital within him disappear completely.
It seemed he only possessed the ability to transform into werewolf form during the specific hours of the full moon's influence.
The loyal gray wolves gave his outstretched palms one final, affectionate farewell nuzzle with their wet noses before turning and disappearing like phantoms into the swirling morning mist that rose from the forest floor.
Remus stood up stiffly, stretching muscles that had endured a night of supernatural stress. "We really should head back to the castle now, Miss Tonks. I don't think you should remain in this dangerous place for such a long period."
"Just call me Tonks, please," She replied warmly, brushing accumulated leaves and forest debris off her rumpled Auror robes as she rose. "I never would have imagined that Hogwarts would knowingly employ a werewolf as a professor—oh, please don't misunderstand, I'm absolutely not belittling or judging you. Based on the objective facts I've witnessed tonight, you're clearly not dangerous to anyone. I'm simply somewhat surprised by the 'progressive' hiring policies."
Remus's lips curved into a genuine, if tired, smile. "Actually, I find myself equally surprised."
After Tonks learned of Remus's closely guarded "little secret," she honorably chose not to reveal this sensitive information to anyone else within the Ministry or Hogwarts community.
Over the following weeks, Adrian began to notice interest that Remus seemed to have developed friendship with the cheerful young Auror.
On one particularly pleasant Saturday afternoon, he was surprised to spot them sharing drinks and conversation together at the cozy Three Broomsticks tavern in Hogsmeade.
Additionally, Remus took the opportunity to inform Adrian about the remarkable effects of his latest experimental purification potion—he could now freely and consciously switch between his human and werewolf forms during the full moon's influence, maintaining complete control throughout the process.
Adrian immediately became tremendously excited by this groundbreaking development.
This unprecedented result meant that, although still limited to the specific nights of the full moon, Remus had already gained significant control over his supernatural werewolf abilities.
His crafted purification potion was successfully eliminating the dangerous negative elements that had long poisoned Remus's system.
Perhaps when all the harmful effects were completely removed from his body, Remus could truly master and harness werewolf power as a controlled ability rather than a dreaded curse.
Soon, three weeks passed like autumn leaves on the wind, and time advanced to the gray, cold days of late November.
In the morning, Adrian came to the Forbidden Forest to visit Bart as usual.
"Has your mysterious friend still not made another appearance?" He inquired casually.
Since initially learning that Bart had somehow befriended Black, Barthadn't mentioned anything further about Black again.
"Oh, no," Bart replied with unmistakable dejection, his massive branches drooping like a disappointed child's shoulders. "Since our last meeting, friend hasn't come to visit Bart at all..."
"What a pity," Adrian responded sympathetically.
"Could it possibly be... could it be that Bart has already lost his very first friend forever?" Bart suddenly became visibly confused and emotionally lost.
"Don't worry, Bart," Adrian immediately comforted him upon witnessing this distressing display of vulnerability. "Perhaps your friend is simply temporarily unable to get away from pressing obligations... How about I arrange to introduce you to some other potential friends in the near future?"
"Bart absolutely loves making friends!" Bart's mood instantly brightened.
Looking at Bart, who had every emotion plainly visible on his bark face, Adrian couldn't suppress a smile.
At the same time, he felt concern stirring within him.
At the same time, he felt somewhat worried.
This naive, simple child—would he be deceived in the future?
After chatting with Bart for nearly an hour, Adrian produced a large bottle filled with specially prepared growth potion.
[Name: Bart]
[Species: Ancient Beech Tree]
[Level: 2]
[Trait: Natural Leader]
[Status: Growing (99%)]
Indeed, Bart's growth progression had reached the critical transformation point over a week ago, hovering at the threshold.
The time had finally arrived to apply some powerful magical intervention.
Adrian carefully opened the cap of the growth potion, releasing an intoxicating aroma into the forest air.
Bart's prominently large nose twitched twice with interest, and his eyes immediately lit up with unmistakable recognition and desire. "Is this precious potion specifically prepared for Bart?"
Obviously, the magical elixir in Adrian's hands held tremendous attraction for the tree's supernatural senses.
"Of course it is," Adrian confirmed with an encouraging nod.
Bart gazed at the shimmering growth potion with intensely expectant eyes, his entire massive form practically vibrating with anticipation. "What will Bart become after drinking this magical concoction?"
"You might experience some growth in height, develop enhanced strength and magical abilities," Adrian shrugged casually. "Of course, there's always the possibility of no immediately visible change at all, since every person... um every tree has a different magical constitution and response pattern."
Before Bart could give any response, Adrian immediately and decisively poured the entire contents of the precious potion directly onto Bart's thick, root system.
The moment the liquid made contact with his bark, it was instantaneously absorbed as if being desperately sucked in by some powerful internal force.
Bart suddenly widened his eyes to their maximum extent, his entire body beginning to tremble with intensity. "Bart... Bart feels incredibly strange sensations throughout his being."
"This is a completely necessary and normal part of the transformation process. Try to relax and trust the magic, Bart."
Adrian prudently stepped back several paces and began carefully observing Bart's physical and magical changes.
Based on his research and previous experience, Bart was undoubtedly about to enter an entirely new and unprecedented growth stage.
Suddenly, Bart's entire massive body began to emanate a soft, ethereal green light that seemed to pulse with the rhythm of a great heartbeat. The illumination grew progressively brighter and more intense, completely enveloping his body in a cocoon of pure magical energy.
Adrian was forced to squint protectively and shield his sensitive eyes from the increasingly dazzling supernatural radiance.
Several seconds later, the dazzling light suddenly extinguished completely, as abruptly as if someone had flipped a switch to end the magical display.
Adrian opened his eyes and conducted a thorough visual examination, only to discover with complete bewilderment that Bart appeared exactly the same as before the transformation—he had neither grown noticeably taller nor changed in size, shape, or appearance in any discernible way.
"Uh..." Bart carefully examined his own unchanged body with growing confusion, then looked up at Adrian with large, blinking eyes filled with uncertainty. "Bart... Bart seems completely unchanged? Did the magic not work properly?"
________________
You can read more chapters on:
patreon.com/IamLuis