The full moon night arrived before anyone knew it.
Since drinking Douglas's potion, Lupin had been feeling better than ever. Especially after downing the bitter Wolfsbane Potion and combining it with the meditation techniques Professor Douglas had taught him, he found that the usual wild agitation before his transformation was barely there at all.
That gave all three of them a surge of confidence.
As dusk fell, with Dobby's help, they made their way to the Shrieking Shack.
Lupin looked around at the furnishings. If not for the view of Hogsmeade through the cracks in the wall—its streets just slipping into night—he and Sirius might have thought they'd come to the wrong place. The shack was no longer the ruin it once was. Though still dusty and the walls mottled, the smashed furniture was gone. In the center now stood a large table with a hollowed circle in the middle—clearly meant for a cauldron—with three sturdy chairs set around it.
Lupin frowned at a hole in the wall. "Looks like someone's come through that before—maybe even lived here for a while. I wonder if they ever snuck into Hogwarts from this place…"
Sirius examined the tunnel leading toward the castle. "This passage looks collapsed. Someone must've blown it up. Should we find somewhere else?"
Douglas cleared his throat, a little embarrassed, then waved his wand to sweep the room clean and sealed up the hole he and Bill had made ages ago. "I think this place is perfect. No one can Apparate in, all the exits are blocked, and honestly—we're running out of time. Remus, your transformation's about to start."
He pulled a specially crafted cauldron and a small box from his pocket.
Under Lupin and Sirius's surprised eyes, the cauldron fit perfectly into the table's opening. Then, with a flick, dishes flew from the box and arranged themselves neatly on the table.
Douglas added a few ingredients to the cauldron, pointed his wand, and intoned, "Aguamenti!" Clear water gushed forth. He lit a fire beneath the cauldron.
"Sit down, both of you," Douglas said, only then snapping them from their daze.
Lupin smiled in surprise. "So this was your doing, Douglas…"
Sirius watched Douglas pull out unicorn chopsticks, ready to add ingredients. "I kept hearing the students talk about Snivellus complaining in class about someone making soup in a cauldron. I never guessed it was you… Well, I'll say this—you've got style."
Douglas shrugged. "Eat up. These ingredients are the good stuff I 'borrowed' from Dumbledore's stores. Normally, we'd never get a taste."
Sirius sat down. Lupin lingered, smiling but hesitant—worried that if he sat, he'd transform and ruin the meal.
Douglas caught his hesitation. "What's wrong? Feeling it coming on?"
Lupin shook his head, astonished. "Honestly, your potion is working wonders. At this point, I'd usually be fighting off a tidal wave of rage—and then, next thing I'd know, it'd be morning. But tonight, my emotions are still under control."
Douglas nodded, watching Lupin struggle to keep himself steady. "Then sit and eat. The dragon meat's especially good for you—it'll help fuel the transformation. When you start feeling it, just step aside and let it happen."
Sirius, after sitting, went quiet and withdrawn.
With a feast before him, Douglas had no patience for a brooding wolf and a sulking dog. The meal passed in heavy silence.
Around nine, Lupin suddenly set down his chopsticks and rushed to the corner. He clenched his fists, trembling violently, and with a terrible howl, his head lengthened, his body stretched, shoulders hunched, fur sprouted across his face and hands, fingers curled into claws, hind legs bent, and his snout grew long and sharp.
Sirius immediately leapt in front of Douglas, ready to transform into a massive black dog at a moment's notice.
Because werewolves only threatened humans, their plan was to transform into animals and keep Lupin company—making the ordeal easier for him, and protecting themselves from infection.
The instant Lupin became a werewolf, Sirius shifted into his Animagus form. If Lupin showed any sign of attacking Douglas, Sirius would step in.
But Lupin's first reaction was to stare at his own body and claws—seeing himself as a werewolf while fully conscious for the first time. A wave of revulsion hit him. He covered his face, huddled in the corner, and whimpered, "Go away… Don't look at me…"
Sirius was stunned by Lupin's reaction—and the fact that he could speak at all. Without bothering to return to human form, he barked out in a distinctly human voice, "You did it, Douglas! You really did it! Remus, REMUS, it worked! Ha!"
Douglas, already scribbling notes in his journal, looked up and reminded, "You might want to change back before you start talking, Sirius. It's a little unnerving."
He turned to Lupin. "Don't be so tense, Remus. I know you hate your werewolf form, but we can't heal what we won't face. I need to observe you closely to figure out the next step."
Sirius returned to human form and hugged Lupin, who still covered his face, his voice thick with emotion. "Moony, I'm here… I'm still here… If Prongs could see you now, he'd be over the moon…"
Slowly, Lupin lowered his hands, revealing a tear-streaked wolf face, but kept his claws hidden behind his back, terrified of hurting his friends.
Douglas gently pulled Sirius away and examined Lupin's state. He'd never seen another werewolf on Wolfsbane before, so he had nothing to compare it to—but he questioned Lupin carefully about how he felt.
Once he was sure everything was stable, Douglas handed over a sheet for Lupin to wrap around himself.
That's when Lupin realized he was still naked. Though a werewolf's face doesn't blush, Sirius and Douglas could see the embarrassment in his eyes.
To spare his feelings, they both turned their backs, giving Lupin privacy—and showing a level of trust that moved him deeply.
Once Lupin had tied the sheet around his waist, Douglas had him stand and take a few steps.
Lupin nodded, finding the experience of controlling a werewolf's body while fully conscious oddly fascinating.
Douglas circled him, observing carefully. "How does this feel compared to your usual transformations?"
Lupin considered. "The rage is gone. I remember every transformation before—just pure, animal fury. But now, I feel none of that. My mind is crystal clear, and my body's full of power—a power I can actually control…"
Douglas nodded, drawing his wand. "Now, I'll need your help with a few little tests…"
Sirius immediately stepped forward, suspicious. "What are you up to, Douglas? This wasn't part of the plan…"
Douglas explained, "Just some standard magical tests. I want to try creating a real Wolfsbane sample for research. And I've heard the Human-Reverting Spell can force a werewolf back to human form. If it works, you won't have to spend the whole night transformed—someone could just help you revert."
Lupin, still in werewolf form, tilted his head. "Isn't that spell just for reversing Animagi? I've never heard of it being used on werewolves."
Douglas replied mildly, "Oh, there's a mention of it in Wandering with Werewolves. A wizard in Wagga Wagga supposedly subdued a werewolf and used the spell to turn him back."
Lupin, who'd never read Gilderoy Lockhart's books—money was always tight—looked puzzled. But Sirius, who'd been cramming over a decade of magical news, caught on immediately.
"That book's by that fraud who got arrested last year! Douglas, you're experimenting on Lupin with a con man's tricks?"
Douglas shrugged, "Lockhart may be a fraud, but the stories he stole might still be true. There's some authenticity in there…"
Lupin sat down, meeting Douglas's gaze. "Go ahead. I'm willing to try… Padfoot…"
Sirius nodded and stepped aside.
Douglas pointed his wand at Lupin and cast the spell.
A flash of white light. Lupin's body began to shift—fur vanished, claws and fangs shrank, his snout receded until he looked almost human, save for a slightly pronounced jaw.
Lupin tightened the sheet, stood, and examined his hands and feet. He hadn't fully returned to normal, but this was already a huge improvement.
Even if someone saw him now, they'd never guess he was a werewolf.
Douglas, though, looked unsatisfied. That spell should have done more—perhaps werewolves had far higher magical resistance than ordinary wizards.
After observing for a while, he asked, "How do you feel now?"
Tears streaming down his face, Lupin managed a smile. "Amazing. Absolutely amazing…"
With his mouth restored, his words were much clearer.
Douglas jotted everything down in his notebook, planning to consult the Scholar Development System for further research.
—
The next morning, during the usual run.
Students were surprised to see Professor Lupin back—and looking better than ever.
He seemed full of energy, greeting everyone with a smile. In the crowd, Hermione frowned, staring at him.
Something's wrong. This isn't what the books say.
Last night was the full moon. If Lupin really were a werewolf, he should be pale and exhausted today—not more energetic than ever.
And as for him possibly taking some rare potion—Hermione shook her head at the thought. Judging by Lupin's worn robes, he didn't look like someone who could afford such luxuries.
She glanced around. Douglas was nowhere to be seen on the lawn.
She'd never found time to ask Douglas privately about Lupin. But now, seeing this, she wondered if she'd misjudged everything…
She wasn't the only one.
During Snape's days as a substitute, he'd docked points left and right, then forced students to copy that book during detention. Plenty of students had started to suspect Lupin was a werewolf.
Yet here he was, back the very first day after the full moon, showing none of the textbook signs of weakness.
That alone dispelled a lot of suspicions.
Seeing Lupin's return, Harry finally breathed easy—not because he'd doubted Lupin, but because he was relieved he wouldn't have to see Snape outside Potions class anymore.
Those detention sessions had been a nightmare: five points off for not turning pages, five for messy handwriting, five for not greeting Professor Snape on entry…
If Lupin hadn't come back, Harry was sure he'd spend the whole term in detention.
And now, the Charon Detective Society's stalled investigation could finally resume—because, as Douglas had told him, the key to their breakthrough still lay with Lupin.
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