Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

Wentworth and Cedric followed Dumbledore closely as the three emerged from the hidden passage. Before them stood a decrepit shack, its weathered exterior catching Wentworth's attention.

Inside, not far from the entrance, a lone figure stood with his back to them, seemingly lost in contemplation as he examined the shabby structure.

"Remus!"

Dumbledore called out to the figure, whose posture stiffened at the sound. Slowly, the man turned to face them, his expression a mixture of surprise and recognition.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, my apologies—I didn't notice you'd arrived."

His gaze swept over the familiar surroundings of the Shrieking Shack, a nostalgic glint in his eyes as he remarked wistfully:

"It's been so long since I was last here. Seeing this place again always brings back memories of days gone by… and of the people from those days."

For a moment, a flicker of sorrow crossed Lupin's face.

Dumbledore, seemingly touched by the sentiment, replied gently:

"Some things, some people—they remain in the past. But we must keep moving forward, mustn't we?"

With that, Dumbledore gestured toward Wentworth and Cedric. "These two are the students I mentioned to you earlier."

Following Dumbledore's introduction, Lupin turned to Cedric first, extending a hand. "Hello, I'm Lupin. I was a student at Hogwarts once myself."

Cedric hesitated for a fraction of a moment before reaching out to clasp Lupin's hand firmly. "Hello, Professor. My name is Cedric. I'm a second-year student at Hogwarts."

At the title "Professor," Lupin chuckled, withdrawing his hand while shaking his head. "Oh, no, I'm not a professor at Hogwarts. Please, just call me Lupin."

Cedric, however, shook his head firmly. "That wouldn't be right. Perhaps we could call you 'teacher' instead?"

Seeing Cedric's earnestness, Lupin relented with a warm smile and a nod.

Next, Lupin turned his attention to Wentworth, who had been quietly observing him.

Lupin's robes, patched and fraying, bore the marks of a difficult life. Though he was only in his thirties, lines creased his face, and streaks of gray had begun to appear at his temples. It was clear that the years had not been kind to this Hogwarts alumnus.

"Hello!" Lupin said, extending his hand with a friendly smile.

Snapped from his thoughts, Wentworth clasped Lupin's hand with both of his own, sincerity in his voice as he introduced himself: "Hello, Professor Lupin. I'm Wentworth, a first-year at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore, who had been silently watching the introductions, now stepped forward.

"Well then," he began, "from now on, you two will come here on weekends to learn magic from Lupin. Once you've finished, you'll return to Hogwarts via the secret passage. And remember—no wandering elsewhere!"

Dumbledore gave Lupin a pointed glance, and Lupin nodded with a reassuring smile.

After a few additional instructions, Dumbledore turned and departed the Shrieking Shack, leaving the three behind.

As the door closed, Lupin stepped to one side, leaning against the wall. With an easygoing grin, he addressed the students:

"The Headmaster tells me you're both exceptional for your age—that Hogwarts' current curriculum can no longer meet your needs, and you're eager to learn more powerful spells. So, let's start by seeing what you already know."

Cedric stepped forward without hesitation. "I'll go first, Professor Lupin."

He demonstrated the spells he had mastered, pausing occasionally as Lupin instructed him to cast certain spells directly at him.

When Cedric finished, Lupin looked impressed. "It seems the Headmaster was being modest. At your age, I certainly wasn't this advanced—and I was a prefect, no less!"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly before turning his attention to Wentworth.

Wentworth stepped forward, drawing his wand. He aimed it at a broken piece of wood across the room, but before he could cast, Lupin interjected:

"Cast at me instead. I'd like to see your magical strength."

Though Lupin spoke casually, he raised his own wand, clearly prepared for whatever might come.

Without hesitation, Wentworth redirected his wand. "Levicorpus!"

For an instant, Lupin froze, caught off guard by the spell. But his prior caution saved him; though he was momentarily flustered, he managed to counter the spell quickly.

After regaining his composure, Lupin remarked in surprise, "That spell was popular among students when I was at Hogwarts, but I thought it had fallen out of favor. I'm amazed it's still being used after all these years."

Cedric chimed in with a chuckle. "Actually, Professor, none of us knew that spell until Wentworth demonstrated it. He's never told us where he learned it."

Wentworth grinned sheepishly. "If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Lupin, however, raised a brow. "It's not a particularly harmful spell, but it can be… humiliating. Best not to use it on your classmates."

Wentworth and Cedric exchanged an awkward glance, their smiles betraying some unspoken memory.

Lupin seemed to catch on but chose not to press further. Instead, he encouraged Wentworth to continue.

Wentworth demonstrated several more spells, though he deliberately avoided using Sectumsempra, knowing it bore the hallmarks of Dark Magic.

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