Wade followed Lupin and Sirius, spending most of the day getting everything ready.
The clearing in the woods was now completely enclosed by dense branches and webs. Overgrown shrubs prevented any animals from entering, and Devil's Snare hidden within the bushes ensured that not even a mouse could slip through.
Different habitats had been set up around them, suitable for various creatures—freshwater and saltwater pools, small deserts and snowy patches. Weather Charms kept them in their respective forms.
Wade looked on enviously. He really wanted to move these environments into his Wardrobe Space and perform his Animagus transformation there.
But Lupin refused.
"Your Wardrobe Space is indeed very safe, and it can ensure you won't be disturbed by the outside world, but you can't transform there, because it's separated from true nature."
Lupin explained, "During the transformation process, you need to establish a deep mental bond with your inner animal form. This process is much more likely to succeed in a natural environment."
"Although there's no concrete proof, there are many failed examples of transformations performed in enclosed rooms or caves. That's why wizards have learned from experience that the first Animagus transformation must take place in an open area."
"And you know, Remus and my Weather Charms aren't exactly top-notch."
Sirius, who was tying some vines onto a stick with a rope, added, "These environments can only be maintained for a limited time. In ten days to half a month, they'll definitely start losing their magic. They're not as useful as you think."
To be able to maintain them for ten days to half a month was already quite impressive. However, it was still far from the nearly natural environment inside Scamander's suitcase.
Wade could only sigh with regret.
Waking up the next morning, Wade checked the time, cast his usual spell, then silenced the alarm clock just as it was about to shriek. He pulled back the curtains and looked outside.
The sky was overcast, and the air was unusually damp, making breathing feel a little difficult.
It looked like the thick clouds were brewing a heavy downpour.
With anticipation, Wade washed up and went downstairs.
Lupin was sitting at the table, flipping through a book. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and smiled, "Breakfast today is fried toast and oatmeal. What would you like to drink? Orange juice, black tea, or milk?"
"Remus, did you not sleep last night?" Wade asked in surprise, smelling the aroma in the air.
He himself was an early riser, getting up with the sun, but he hadn't expected Lupin to have already prepared breakfast.
"I did sleep, I just woke up rather early," Lupin said with a gentle smile.
"Don't be so anxious," Wade said, sitting down and picking up a piece of toast. "It's just an Animagus transformation. It shouldn't be unfamiliar to you."
Lupin chuckled.
Perhaps seeing too many recent Animagus failures had made Lupin more worried about Wade's transformation than Wade himself. His mood shifted just like the weather outside the room—the darker the clouds, the worse his mood.
Wade, on the other hand, was much calmer.
He had been preparing for this day for a long time.
It was like a final exam: an entire semester's worth of effort validated only by the last test. He had done enough groundwork beforehand, so when the actual exam came, he felt it was nothing out of the ordinary.
After breakfast, Wade took a biology book from the bookshelf. It contained information on the limb structures, bone and muscle distribution, and living habits of various animals.
This book had been read so many times it was almost falling apart, yet Wade still didn't know what his animal form would be.
It was said that only in the moment just before the transformation would the creature about to be transformed into appear in one's mind.
If one hesitated, feared, or regretted at that moment, the Animagus transformation would likely fail, or worse—be incomplete, retaining too many human characteristics, or even turning into a monster.
As he read, Wade couldn't help but wonder: Banshees… and Centaurs… could their origins be due to ancient wizards performing failed magic?
Of course, this unfounded speculation was destined to remain unverified. If those two races heard it, he might even get beaten up.
He read for over an hour before Sirius pushed open the door and walked in.
"Hey, Remus, what delicious things have you made?"
...
After breakfast, the three of them idled away some time in the living room. Then, feeling they couldn't just wait around, they decided to stroll through the village.
Wade bought some school supplies, picked up small gifts for others, and even got a pack of prank products for the Weasley Twins.
They then sat for a while at the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta was quite familiar with Wade by now. She brought him a completely non-alcoholic Butterbeer. From its color, it was indistinguishable from the others' beer, even the foam looked similar.
It was from Madam Rosmerta that Wade learned that for most people's Butterbeer, she would boil regular beer and then melt butter into it.
The non-alcoholic version, however, was brewed from milk, brown sugar, butter, vanilla powder, and other ingredients, making it slightly more expensive than the former.
"I usually only offer this to girls and children," Madam Rosmerta said, leaning against the counter with a laugh. "Poor Wade, who told you you couldn't drink?"
Lupin placed a hand on Wade's shoulder and said, "He's still a child, you know!"
"Oh, right, I forgot." Rosmerta teased, "Maybe it's because he's always with adults, so I forget his age too."
"Madam, another beer please."
Sirius set down his empty glass, then told Wade, "There's nothing wrong with having a little drink, Wade. Giving it up means giving up a part of life's pleasure. When I was in Azkaban, I always missed the taste of this place."
He seemed to have only had a little, but he already appeared tipsy, his gray eyes looking dull and cloudy.
"Sirius!" Lupin suddenly said.
"Mmm-hmm, I'm perfectly sober!"
Sirius nodded haphazardly twice, then chugged the refilled glass of beer in one go. He then asked Madam Rosmerta to pack a few more bottles of Butterbeer.
"Once you succeed..." he told Wade, "we'll drink to celebrate."
But as soon as the three of them stepped out of the pub, Sirius, who had appeared a bit tipsy, immediately sobered up. He looked at the sky and muttered, "Shit!"
Wade also tilted his head back. The wind, damp with moisture, blew against his face, bringing with it a hint of coolness.
The wind was picking up.
Rain fell in fine threads.
It wasn't the storm they had been waiting for.
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