Harry Potter: Magic and Guns

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Lupin's physical rehabilitation lasted nearly a week. While it seemed rushed, in a world of magic, many problems have clear and miraculous solutions.

The answer? Go all out, and leave the rest to miracles.

Magic and miracles have always gone hand in hand. It can make a seed take root, sprout, grow sturdy branches, and even bear sweet fruit within seconds. It can also reassemble a body shattered into pieces in the blink of an eye, allowing someone whose soul should have drifted into oblivion to once again feel the warmth of life.

When the searing flames in the copper furnace room were extinguished, and the stifling heat capable of baking a person alive subsided, the sealed door creaked open. Two men in casual T-shirts and athletic shorts stepped out side by side.

"How does it feel to be reborn, Uncle Lupin?"

In the short time they had spent together, Harry and Lupin's relationship had grown close. Lupin was an approachable adult, and Harry was a mature teenager. There was no generational gap between them. Stories about their fathers had quickly dissolved the initial unfamiliarity between them. If Harry's parents were still alive, he might have been calling Lupin "Uncle" for years by now.

"I feel better than I ever have. I mean it—I've never felt this good!"

Emerging from the stifling confinement chamber, the cool air of the hallway invigorated Lupin. Even now, he found it hard to believe that this day had come.

The once frail and malnourished body he had grown accustomed to was now nowhere to be seen. The sickly pallor that had defined him was a thing of the past. Not even in his youth, when he was a carefree, sunny boy, had he felt this light or joyful.

The werewolf had been his lifelong nightmare. His parents had tried everything to save him, but back then, the Wolfsbane Potion was not only ineffective but also taxing on his body. It couldn't fully suppress the violent, bloodthirsty instincts of his werewolf form. At best, it allowed him to barely retain a sense of self, to remember that he was human and shouldn't wander aimlessly or commit acts he abhorred.

Hiding in the Shrieking Shack had been a necessity. Even with Wolfsbane, he could barely stop himself from harming his friends in human form. It wasn't until fifth year, when James and Sirius mastered Animagus transformations, that their non-human forms allowed Lupin to suppress his violent urges.

But now, he no longer had to worry about the malice of the full moon. He possessed a body far healthier than it had ever been, even in his youth. This profound change brought a rare expression of confidence to his face, an emotion he had seldom displayed.

He no longer needed to hunch over in shame or keep a wary distance from others, fearing their looks of fear and disgust upon discovering his secret. Those stares had been like sharp knives, piercing his heart without mercy.

Few people are born silent, self-deprecating, or introverted. It is the external environment that shapes them this way. Today, Lupin was fortunate enough to escape that quagmire and climb out of the abyss.

"What about Fenrir? What do you plan to do with him, Uncle Lupin?"

Though Harry had already informed Lupin of the matter, Lupin hadn't given him a clear response.

Kill him? That would be too merciful.

Imprison him in Azkaban? Only fools believed that place truly punished the wicked.

Dementors were evil, and the happy memories of heinous criminals were often horrifying to ordinary people. Azkaban wasn't a place of exile for villains; for them, it was merely a mundane confinement chamber.

Otherwise, how could the Death Eaters, loyal followers of Voldemort, leave Azkaban after a decade without a trace of repentance? That prison was no more than a glorified holding cell for them, not a true place of punishment.

"I don't know."

Lupin's voice carried a hint of despondency. Now that the villain he loathed most was in his hands, entirely at his mercy, a sliver of confusion surfaced in his heart.

It wasn't that Lupin was too kind or compassionate; it was because he wasn't a bad person. He couldn't think of a way to vent his anger or achieve the satisfaction he longed for.

And so, as they say, good people are often bullied, and it takes a villain to deal with another villain.

"Maybe you should go see him. Who knows? When the time comes, you might know what to do."

Lupin nodded slightly and followed Harry out of the castle. It was still class time, so there were no wandering students in Hogwarts' corridors. They walked along a small path across the castle's lawn, heading toward Hagrid's hut.

Nearby, Hagrid was working the soil with an oversized farming tool, turning over the land he had cultivated.

"Hagrid!"

Harry's loud call made Hagrid put down his farming tool and turn around. His face, smeared with bits of meat, broke into a broad grin. If the tool in his hand had been a chainsaw, Hagrid's cosplay would have been spot-on. He had likely just fed Norbert and hadn't bothered to clean his face.

"Harry! What happened to you? Why've you lost so much weight?"

Hagrid froze for a moment upon seeing Harry. Just last week, Harry had been a stout young lad weighing about one-fifth of Hagrid's weight. Now, he looked like he'd swapped bodies. Though his new look was more proportional, Hagrid couldn't help but feel nostalgic for the way Harry had looked before. A boy should be sturdy, after all.

"But I'm stronger than before. I might even be able to wrestle one of your fingers now," Harry said with a laugh. He then pointed to Lupin and added, "Guess who's standing next to me?"

Hagrid's gaze shifted to Lupin. Truthfully, he'd been curious about the stranger accompanying Harry. After all, Hogwarts wasn't a place where just anyone could walk in.

"Don't tell me he's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? Remus! It's you, isn't it?"

Hagrid let out a hearty laugh and strode over to the pair in a few giant steps. "I should've guessed it was you! The last time we met was, what, eleven years ago? I didn't recognize you at all. You've changed so much, Remus!"

With hands the size of trash can lids, Hagrid clapped Lupin on his sturdy shoulder with enough force to knock half his frame downward. Lupin dropped an entire foot under the pressure, and the soft grass beneath his feet sank into two large pits. Hagrid's enthusiastic greetings always carried immense strength, but he had a knack for holding back just enough so it wouldn't harm the recipient.

Lupin gave a wry smile as he hugged Hagrid briefly and then pulled his feet out of the indentations in the ground.

"If this were eleven years ago, I'd probably be on my way to the hospital wing right now."

"Looks like life's been treating you well. You're much healthier—and younger—than back then. You'll make a great teacher, Remus."

Hagrid threw a warm arm around Lupin's shoulders and then waved for Harry to follow. "Come, come, let's head to the hut for some tea."

Lupin couldn't refuse Hagrid's enthusiastic invitation. Smoke began curling out of the chimney of Hagrid's hut as Norbert, napping in the backyard, lazily turned over. The afternoon continued in its usual, tranquil way.

(End of Chapter)