"Thud—"
With the switch pressed, the musty-smelling room plunged back into darkness. The modestly dressed man turned to look, not because he had any fondness for the room that charged him double the price, but out of habit to check if he had left anything behind... though he doubted there would be anything.
Carrying all his possessions—a somewhat chipped suitcase, the man slowly walked down the stairs and handed his key back to the front desk.
"Hello, checking out."
"...Two pounds."
Taking the key, the plump woman behind the counter sized him up and down before grudgingly uttering two words through clenched teeth without any additional comment.
The man scratched his head in resignation, propped the suitcase against the counter, and fished out a wallet whose edges were beginning to fray. After some fumbling, he finally pulled out a crumpled note, followed by some coins that dropped onto the table—
"Tsk."
The woman frowned impatiently, showing an expression of 'just as I expected,' and didn't even bother counting. She simply grabbed all the coins on the counter and "snatched" the note from his hand, saying, "Alright, it's settled then—"
The money was indeed overpaid, but the man didn't intend to comment. Instead, he carefully put away the wallet, turned, and left with his suitcase.
After all, he probably wouldn't need Muggle currency for some time.
Now, he had to hurry and find a new place to stay, as it was still nearly two months until the start of his new job. During this time, he would need to endure two full moon nights, and without the protection of the circus, he needed a place to hide from prying eyes—
Even with the existence of Wolf Poison Potion, it hadn't improved the social status of werewolves. After all, not many werewolves could afford such a magic potion.
Finding a secluded spot → figuring out how to tie himself up → enduring the transformation until it's over is probably the only safe way for a solitary werewolf who doesn't wish to harm anyone during a full moon night.
Honestly, if it weren't for the invitation letter, the man really wouldn't want to leave the Starry Sky Circus. After Christmas, his life changed significantly. The circus improved werewolf employee incomes and bettered food and lodging—and also canceled the mandatory werewolf performances that were the biggest gimmick.
Only those werewolves who wish to make extra money through their transformation during full moons would take the stage.
Humanized to the point it seemed like the boss was replaced.
The most notable change was that the man suddenly found himself able to save money—which was almost impossible before.
Unfortunately, by the time the man noticed these changes, the employment letter for his next job had already arrived—meaning he had no room to back out and had to leave. He initially thought he could make a seamless transition, but didn't expect the circus to leave the British Isles soon, so he could only bid an early farewell to this "haven for werewolves."
Half a month until full moon night...
Raising his head to gaze at the pitch-black night sky, the man silently calculated in his heart: for the next half month, the Leaky Cauldron might be a good choice. Tom Senior didn't know his werewolf identity—regarding the first transformation, he would have to play it by ear, and during this time perhaps find a job in the Muggle World…
Tightening his coat around himself, the night's port was still a bit chilly. Life in the circus had almost made him forget he didn't have many clothes of his own.
First head to the Leaky Cauldron to settle down, then visit Diagon Alley tomorrow. The money saved during this time could be used to revamp his wardrobe, as dressing too shabbily sometimes drew others' attention—having made up his mind, the man decided to walk to the main street, as the Knight Bus might not pass through this little alley where he currently stood.
"..."
Yet after taking just two steps, his gaze inadvertently swept across the alley in front, causing him to instinctively stop.
The depths of the alley were shrouded in darkness, but a wizard's intuition and a werewolf's sense of smell told the man that it was far from simple—he instinctively reached into his coat, and upon feeling the slender end of his wand, his mood slightly eased.
"... Not planning to come out?"
"..."
"I've already—ugh!"
Before the man could finish, everything suddenly went dark. He instinctively attempted to draw his magic wand, but what followed was a red light hitting his chest, and he slumped unconscious with no resistance—
...
He thought he would face a series of harsh interrogations upon waking.
Though the man didn't even know why he would be worth interrogating, everyone's story follows this pattern, so upon seeing the steaming teacup before him, the bewilderment in his eyes made him appear unduly clear-headed.
"...Did you guys scramble his brains?"
Leaning in his boss's chair, William yawned and turned to face Mundungus standing behind him.
"Uh... should be no, right?"
Still donning the "Derek outfit," Mundungus instinctively scratched his nose. He hadn't heard of the Stunning Spell affecting someone's mind before—he initially planned on clubbing him senseless but feared causing harm, so he opted for the charm instead.
Upon hearing the commotion, Lupin lifted his head and slightly hesitated upon seeing William, then after a moment of awkward silence, he couldn't help but speak, "Is it you?"
"?"
Is this guy's memory really that good?
Noticing that the other person clearly recognized him, William was somewhat puzzled. Logically, they only had a chance to meet once, a mere passing encounter. Could it really linger in memory for half a year... wait, seems like... William stared at Lupin's somewhat weathered face for a while, finally aligning with the memory of that scenario—
This person seemed to be the one who single-handedly blocked the fire dragon on the night of his arrival?
William carefully thought back for a moment, then was finally sure he hadn't remembered wrong—a champion daring enough to block a dragon's mouth left a deep impression on him, but back then, his attention was on Norbert, and later he hadn't thought to mention this champion to Mundungus...
Apparently, Dumbledore was right, this indeed was a good person—a bit too good.
Unaware of the thoughts flashing through William's mind during this period, Lupin's sight rapidly scanned his surroundings—the familiar setup, familiar decor, and... familiar boss.
Glancing at the man standing next to William, Lupin couldn't help but furrow his brow, simultaneously speculating the relationship between the two, then after a moment of hesitation, he attempted to speak—
"Mr. Derek, if I recall correctly, I have already resigned?"