Chapter 98: Professor Lupin Leaves

The aftermath of the Buckbeak incident, just as John had previously expected, fizzled out.

The Ministry of Magic could only treat it as dead and no longer ask about it.

After all, they had more urgent things to do now.

That was preparing for the Quidditch World Cup in the summer vacation.

This was a huge event in the Wizarding World that happened once every four years; at that time, more than 100,000 wizards would gather here.

How to manage this huge group while not being discovered by Muggles was a huge challenge facing the Ministry of Magic.

Of course, this wasn't something they should consider.

They only considered how to spend the summer vacation in a few days.

This day, Harry suddenly received a letter from Sirius.

Seeing the content of the letter, Harry shared it with Ron and Hermione in surprise.

"Really! Sirius is going to take us to watch the Quidditch World Cup!?"

After hearing the content of the letter Harry shared, Ron also excitedly confirmed loudly.

Harry also nodded excitedly.

"That's great, Harry! I love Sirius to death!"

Ron hugged Harry and laughed happily.

Hermione on the side was also very happy; clearly, she was also somewhat interested in this event.

Harry patted Ron, telling him to let go quickly.

"I haven't finished yet. The letter says that this time we seem to be traveling with another group of people, and even our tickets are provided by that side."

"It says it's a junior from Sirius's student days? He will bring his child and his child's friends at that time."

After Harry finished reading, he was also somewhat confused.

"It says the surname is Claude. Do you know anyone with the surname Claude?"

Hearing Harry's question, Ron shook his head, while Hermione was stunned.

If she remembered correctly, the very clever little chubby boy beside John had the surname Claude.

Could it be him? Then among his friends, would there also be John?

Hermione's eyes brightened, very expectant.

However, she didn't say it out loud, because she wasn't sure either; she would wait until the evening to find John and ask.

As for the two of them, they probably didn't care who the people traveling with them were; they would definitely go anyway.

Sure enough, they soon couldn't be bothered to think about this matter either.

Also, the owl that came to deliver the letter this time was a gift from Sirius to Ron.

It was said to be to make up for the matter of Ron's pet rat.

Ron held the gray-brown owl, extremely happy, and after asking for Harry and Hermione's suggestions, named it Pig.

Just as they were chatting happily, Neville suddenly ran over with an anxious face.

"Harry! It's bad, the news that Professor Lupin is a werewolf has suddenly appeared in the school."

"Parents of students have written letters one after another to condemn the school, demanding that they fire Professor Lupin!"

Harry and the others were stunned.

The matter of Professor Lupin being a werewolf, actually quite a few people had guessed it.

Just like the three of them, they actually all knew it.

After all, every time Professor Snape came to substitute, he would be sarcastic, so it was hard not to guess.

But they all selectively ignored this matter, because Professor Lupin was a very excellent teacher.

Everyone liked him very much.

It's just that now this matter had been made public, then Professor Lupin was very likely unable to continue serving as a professor here.

Harry and the others looked at each other and immediately ran toward Professor Lupin's office.

Neville walked toward John's side, intending to tell John as well.

It's just that after John finished hearing the news brought by Neville, he didn't have any reaction.

He waved his hand to let Neville sit down.

"No need to go, Professor Lupin left yesterday."

"What? How do you know?"

Neville was very shocked by John's words, because he had only received the news today.

And John said in a calm tone.

"Because I saw Professor Snape writing the report letter with my own eyes yesterday, and then went to tell Professor Lupin. Professor Lupin accepted it very calmly after learning about it, and ran away overnight with the train."

"???"

Neville was dumbfounded after hearing this; what did it mean that you saw Professor Snape writing the report letter with your own eyes?

However, he soon came back to his senses and asked in disbelief.

"Then why didn't you tell everyone about this? We still wanted to go and ask Professor Lupin to stay..."

"Because Professor Lupin was afraid of seeing the wary and vigilant gazes of the students."

Once these words were spoken, Neville also fell silent.

Indeed, although most students respected Professor Lupin, it was hard to guarantee that no one would feel fear because he was a werewolf.

If he really saw his former students looking at him with that kind of gaze when parting, Professor Lupin must be very sad in his heart.

That was why Professor Lupin chose to leave with dignity.

It's just a pity that they didn't see Professor Lupin off at the end...

Harry and the others who went to Professor Lupin's office also ended up empty-handed; Professor Lupin's figure was no longer in the office, and even his luggage was gone.

Regarding Professor Lupin's departure, many people felt regret and reluctance.

But they couldn't change anything and could only silently accept this fact.

In the evening, Hermione found John in the library.

During this time after the final exams, Hermione finally had some free time and rarely didn't go to soak in the library for a few days.

As a result, John still came every day.

She had discovered that John accompanying her was just incidental; he really liked reading himself...

Although Hermione felt a little disappointed about this fact, she soon let it go.

After all, compared to reading to accompany her, she appreciated a person's love for knowledge from the bottom of his heart even more.

Hermione walked to John's side and sat down.

"Good evening, John."

"Sister Hermione, good evening. Why do you have time to come to the library today?"

Hearing John's words, Hermione felt a bit funny.

It had always been her teasing others about why they had time to come to the library, but today it was the other way around.

"Why, not happy to see me?"

Hermione said while directly snatching the book from John's hand and reading it on her own.

John looked at the book snatched away by Hermione and was somewhat speechless.

He always felt that since the hug at Hagrid's Hut last time, Hermione had less and less of a senior's airs toward him.

Her interaction with him became more casual and close, and sometimes she would even make some small jokes.

But John didn't hate it.

On the contrary, he felt that such a Hermione was more like a youthful girl.

"Of course happy, if you, old lady, wouldn't snatch my book, I would be even happier."

John said half-jokingly, and then very familiarly leaned close to Hermione's side to read this book together.

"You're the old lady!"

Hermione glared at John with dissatisfaction, but John ignored it, his eyes only filled with a thirst for knowledge.

Looking at John's appearance, Hermione also smiled helplessly and intended to turn the page, but was interrupted by John.

"Don't turn so fast; I haven't finished reading this page yet."

Saying this, John pressed down on Hermione's hand that intended to turn the page.

Being stopped by John like this, Hermione's action of turning the page stalled, and her face turned slightly red.

But she didn't withdraw her hand and let John hold it.

Until John finished reading this page and let go, Hermione then slowly turned the page.

However, after not reading this page for long, Hermione intended to turn the page again.

John, just as Hermione expected, held her hand again.

"No, you read ten lines at a glance, reading so fast."

Hearing John's teasing, Hermione gave a dissatisfied huff, but she didn't speak; instead, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a hint of a triumphant smile.

After repeating it a few more times, John simply held Hermione's hand all the time, waiting for him to finish reading before controlling Hermione's hand to turn the page.

Hermione also obediently let him hold it, and the smile at the corners of her mouth never faded.

The two leaned together like this to read, until the librarian started to chase people away, and only then did they separate.

After leaving the library, the two walked side by side on the way back to the dormitory.

"By the way, coming to find you today is actually because I have something I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

Hearing Hermione's words, John asked somewhat strangely.

"It's that Titus among your friends, is his surname Claude?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

John was slightly stunned, somewhat unclear why Hermione suddenly asked about Titus.

Hearing John's affirmative news, Hermione revealed an expectant smile.

"Then is his father, Mr. Claude, planning to take you few friends to watch the Quidditch World Cup together?"

Hearing this, John finally understood why Hermione suddenly asked about Titus.

It was probably Sirius talking to Harry about the summer vacation arrangements, and then mentioning the matter of the Quidditch World Cup.

And among them included the news that they would travel with another group of people.

The leader of this group was exactly Titus's father, Mr. Claude.

That was why she came to ask John.

John nodded and said.

"That's right, Titus's old man is indeed planning to take us few friends to go together."

Hearing this answer, a trace of joy finally flashed in Hermione's eyes.

"Then did Mr. Claude say he would go with another group of people?"

John nodded again.

"Yes."

"Ha! That's great, then it must be right; at that time we can go watch the Quidditch World Cup together!"

Hermione immediately laughed happily and said to John.

John also smiled, not surprised.

"Hmm? Why aren't you surprised at all?"

Hermione looked at John's calm smile and asked somewhat confusedly.

She thought John would reveal a strange or surprised expression.

John shrugged and said very calmly.

"Because I knew it a long time ago."

And then John told Hermione everything about the relationship between Mr. Claude and Sirius, and how they discussed it.

After Hermione finished listening, she was also stunned for a moment; it turned out that Sirius and Mr. Claude still had this layer of relationship inside.

But immediately she glared at John with resentment again.

"Then why didn't you tell me!"

Looking at Hermione's adorably fierce expression, John felt a bit ashamed, and after hesitating for a moment.

"... Actually, I was thinking of giving you a surprise when the time came."

Upon hearing this, Hermione blinked, then the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and she nodded.

Clearly, she was very satisfied with John's answer.

Watching Hermione like this, John also breathed a sigh of relief.

Hermione really was easy to coax; in fact, he had simply forgotten about it...