Harry Potter: Westeros’s Plant Life
0201 Lycanthropy

"Although I really want to help them," Adrian sighed deeply. "I don't need that many people at all."

At that moment, Adrian's expression suddenly shifted. His eyes brightened with memory, and he straightened slightly. The isolated werewolf village he had encountered during his travels in Albania came flooding back to him.

Living such a peaceful, self-sufficient life away from the judgmental eyes of the world might indeed be a viable solution for others like them. The thought settled in his mind.

"By the way," Adrian said, his voice taking on a livelier tone as he turned to face Remus. "Do you still remember that thing I gave you not long after you started working here?"

Remus blinked, momentarily pulled from his own contemplations.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"A golden apple."

The words hit Remus. His eyes widened slightly, and a flush of embarrassment crept up his neck as the memory appeared.

"Oh, I still have it," He said smiling sheepishly. "Adrian, the salary you pay me is high enough, so I don't need to use that gold..."

Adrian, he had to resist the urge to bury his face in his hands. Of course, Remus would think it was decorative gold—what else would a man assume when presented with what appeared to be a perfectly crafted golden fruit?

"Remus," Adrian said laughing, "that's food."

The silence that followed was filled by Remus's late realization. His mouth opened slightly, then closed, as if he were a fish suddenly finding himself out of water. The flush on his cheeks deepened to red.

"Oh?" The single word carried the weight of his embarrassment. He paused, clearly thinking back to where he might have placed it. "I think I put it in the storage room. I really hope it hasn't rotted yet."

Adrian wasn't entirely certain about the shelf life of golden apples, but he supposed they wouldn't spoil as easily as ordinary fruit.

"Never mind that," Adrian said, waving a dismissive hand. "There's something more effective now."

Adrian smiled mysteriously, fumbled in his pocket for a while, and finally pulled out a small golden bottle—the Purification Potion.

In fact, after the latest batch of Purification Potions was completed, he had wanted Remus to try it, but there had been no opportunity.

Remus stared curiously at the small golden bottle. "This is..."

"It might have some effect on your furry little problem," Adrian said gently, giving the bottle a slight shake. The liquid responded by shimmering even more dazzlingly.

Remus's eyes widened to an almost comical degree, and his hands began to tremble. "You mean..."

"But it's best not to get your hopes up too much," Adrian interrupted his rising emotions in time.

The truth was, he couldn't guarantee this would be effective against lycanthropy.

Remus reached out taking the small bottle from Adrian's palm with trembling fingers.

He understood, perhaps better than anyone, what this represented. If the Purification Potion could truly cure lycanthropy, it would reshape the entire wizarding world. The suffering that had plagued werewolves for generations, the isolation, the fear, the monthly agony could become nothing more than a dark chapter in history books.

His hands continued to tremble as he carefully unscrewed the cap and leaned in to smell it. It carried a hint of the fresh scent of forest after rain, along with a touch of apple fragrance.

Remus took a deep breath and was surprised to find that this scent gave him an unprecedented sense of calm.

"Just drink it directly," Adrian smiled slightly, watching this scene seriously. He also wanted to see if his Purification Potion was truly effective against lycanthropy.

In theory, the Purification Potion could purify the effects of dark magic in the human body or surrounding environment, such as curses.

Remus nodded, immediately tilted his head back, and drank all the golden liquid in the bottle.

He stood there in a daze, seemingly carefully experiencing the changes happening in his body.

The seconds stretched into what felt like hours.

"Any changes?" Adrian asked, his voice tight with anticipation.

"A bit sweet..." Remus murmured, his response was automatic and distant.

"I didn't ask you to describe the taste," Adrian replied, though there was no real irritation in his voice.

"Oh!" Remus's eyes snapped open, and he looked embarrassed by his distraction and laughed awkwardly. "Actually, apart from feeling a bit lighter in body, there doesn't seem to be any change."

"Then it might have failed," Adrian muttered, more to himself than to Remus.

The light in Remus's eyes dimmed as well, like stars being covered by clouds.

"It's alright," he said, waving his hand. "I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up too much..."

But Adrian's attention had been caught by something else. His eyes detected something that made his pulse quicken. Wisps of what appeared to be very faint black smoke were emerging from Remus's head.

The substance was so faint it was almost imperceptible, and it quickly disappeared into the air.

Remus himself appeared completely unaware of the phenomenon, still lost in his disappointment.

"Eldra," Adrian silently communicated with the Tree of Wisdom in his mind.

Soon, a piece of information appeared in his mind.

[Name: Remus Lupin]

[Status: Lycanthropy (Incomplete)]

'Incomplete lycanthropy?' The phrase glowed through Adrian's mind like lightning. His eyes widened with sudden excitement.

"Wait," He said, his voice cutting through Remus's dejection. "Maybe it didn't fail after all."

Remus looked up sharply, confusion replacing disappointment in his face.

"But I really don't feel..." He began, his voice hesitant.

"We'll know when the full moon comes," Adrian said with new confidence, his entire demeanor transformed by what he had learned. "That's next week."

Seeing Adrian's confident appearance, some hope arose in Remus's heart.

"Ding dong!"

The sudden chime of the doorbell shattered the atmosphere of the moment, causing both men to twitch slightly.

"Please wait!" Adrian called out. He moved toward the door with quick strides, his mind still partially focused on what he had discovered.

At this time of day, anyone coming to his shop would most likely be—

"Harry?" Adrian opened the door to see Harry waving at him.

"Good morning, Professor," Harry said, though his smile seemed somewhat strained around the edges.

"This is quite unexpected," Adrian replied, stepping aside to allow Harry entry. "I thought you'd choose to rest at home for a while longer."

"No one would want to stay in that place, you know?" Harry's voice carried a bitter edge. "When I went back to my room yesterday, Dudley had made a complete mess of it..." His lip curled with disgust at the memory. "Also, this morning some guy entered my room..."

Before Harry could explain on this mysterious intrusion, a small figure emerged from behind him with the hesitant manner of someone who wasn't entirely sure of their welcome.

"Dobby?" Adrian looked somewhat puzzled. "How did you come here with Harry?"

Dobby's shoulders hunched even further, and his voice was a whisper. "Dobby... Dobby got lost, but Dobby knew that the noble Harry Potter's house was nearby."

Harry sighed deeply, and it was only then that Adrian noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the signs of a sleepless night. "I spent the whole night cleaning my room, then was immediately woken up this morning..."

"An accident," Adrian nodded sympathetically, his voice taking on a gentle tone. "You can go rest now. There are spare rooms upstairs."

Harry nodded gratefully, then rubbed at his darkened eye sockets with the back of his hand. Despite his obvious fatigue, curiosity still managed to penetrate his weariness.

"So, what is this house-elf doing here?" He asked, glancing between Adrian and Dobby.

Adrian guided both Harry and Dobby deeper into the shop, past the main counter and toward the area where Remus still waited.

"Actually, Dobby is now my newly employed worker," Adrian explained.

Harry's reaction was surprisingly quiet, just a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"Just an employee, after all," Harry murmured. "I think you probably need more help anyway."

It was Remus who reacted with shock. His eyes widened as he took in Dobby's appearance, and his expression shifted to one of deep concern. He rose from his chair with the quick movements

He pulled Adrian aside and said quietly,

"Where did you get this house-elf?" He asked, his tone serious and warning. "House-elves can't be hired casually. They will always obey their master's commands, and even if they lose their current master, they're still not trustworthy."

The concern in Remus's voice was born of hard-won experience and knowledge of the darker aspects of magical society. The black-market trade in masterless house-elves was well-known among those who moved in certain circles—everyone understood that such creatures made excellent servants, but few were willing to risk the potential complications that came with their uncertain loyalties.

Adrian smiled slightly. What Remus said did make sense.

"You can trust Dobby," He said confidently, then delivered a shocking news. "Dobby used to be a servant of the Malfoy family. He didn't want to work under a master who was once a Death Eater, so I used some small methods..."

Remus's frown deepened.

But seeing Adrian's determined expression, he didn't say anything more.

"Alright," Adrian said clapping his hands together. "Maybe you can help Dobby get familiar with the work he'll need to do."

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