Werewolves have keen hearing, and although the girl named Claire seemed a bit absent-minded, the moment Wade stepped into the alley, she immediately turned toward him, alert.
Seeing that it was an unfamiliar wizard, Claire shifted slightly and leaned against the wall to make way for him.
However, the stranger stopped a short distance in front of her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," the wizard said gently. "But I think I just heard you mention... that you're a werewolf?"
"Ah!" Claire jumped in surprise and hastily stammered, "I'm sorry! I—I'll leave right away!"
Werewolves, even within the magical world, were a discriminated group. In her panic to leave, Claire accidentally stepped on a tin can on the ground. She lost her balance and flailed her arms wildly as she fell backward.
Suddenly, her arm was caught, and she was pulled back upright.
Wide-eyed and shaken, Claire looked utterly startled. She stammered, "Th-thank you."
"Don't worry, I mean no harm." Wade extended his hand again and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Werner, as you can see, a wizard."
"Oh, I... I'm Claire."
Hesitantly, Claire extended her hand and lightly shook his, still looking anxious but slightly more at ease.
…
A few minutes later.
The two of them sat outside an ice cream shop. Wade had ordered two servings, and slid one over to Claire.
She scooped a small spoonful, placed it in her mouth, and then narrowed her eyes slightly, her face lighting up with a deeply satisfied expression.
"It's delicious," she said with a smile. "Thank you for the ice cream."
"It's nothing," Wade replied.
"Um... what is it you need from me?" Claire asked softly, holding her spoon nervously. "As you can see, I'm just a Muggle-turned-werewolf. I can't use magic, I'm not very strong... and I don't have any money."
Wade was silent for a moment. Noticing how tense Claire was, like she might flee at any moment, he said:
"Actually, I'm researching whether lycanthropy can be permanently cured. I'm looking for a cooperative werewolf to assist... I believe I overheard you saying you'd be willing to try experimental potions?"
Hearing Wade's purpose, Claire's eyes immediately brightened. Before he could finish, she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes! If it means I won't turn into a werewolf anymore, I'll do anything!"
"But potion trials come with risks," Wade cautioned. "And I can't offer much in terms of payment..."
Wade, noticing her enthusiasm, put on a deliberately hesitant expression.
Claire bit her lip and said resolutely, "It's okay, I don't need payment!"
"That won't do," Wade replied with a smile. "I can't let you work for nothing."
He added, "Actually, for this kind of research, it's best to have a comparison group. Could you introduce your magical companion to join the study as well? That way, I can rule out magical interference and pinpoint the factors causing lycanthropy."
"Will…" Claire hesitated before saying, "Will might not be able to. He's busy with work… but I can introduce other werewolves to you. They have magic too."
"That works," Wade said casually. "Do you know a lot of werewolves?"
"We have our own community. We help each other out because... well, you know, most wizards can't accept werewolves," Claire explained, trying to sound as natural as possible.
"How do you make a living?" Wade asked.
"I usually find odd jobs in Muggle cities, like working as a restaurant server or handing out flyers," Claire said in a soft voice. "But since I can't work around the transformation, I often get fired."
"What about during the transformation?"
"I lock myself up in advance. I also take some sleeping pills... but they don't work very well. I've heard Wolfsbane Potion is effective, but... magical potions are too expensive," Claire said, forcing a smile as if to say, It's not a big deal.
She unconsciously pulled her sleeves down over her hands.
Even in July, she wore long sleeves, long pants, and an old scarf around her neck.
But despite her efforts, Wade noticed a thin scar near her ear.
He recalled some of what he'd read about werewolves in books.
For instance, during a full moon, transformed werewolves become extremely violent, indiscriminately attacking anyone in sight—even family or friends.
The Ministry of Magic mandates that werewolves must lock themselves up on full moon nights to prevent harming others.
However, werewolves without a target to attack don't simply become calm. Their blood still boils with rage and a thirst for blood. Only in the company of other animals do they show a semblance of peace.
Without companionship, they turn on themselves, self-inflicting injuries until dawn, when they return to human form—scarred, exhausted, and haunted by memories of their actions as wolves.
This process, clearly, is deeply painful.
Thus, law-abiding werewolves often appear emaciated and frail, while those who abandon restraint gradually lose their humanity.
The purpose of Wolfsbane Potion is to allow a transformed werewolf to retain their sanity—preventing harm to others and themselves, enabling them to endure the night in peace.
Even so, this period was extremely difficult to endure. That's why, after Lupin's transformations, he always appeared particularly weak for a few days. It wasn't until Sirius Black was released from Azkaban and began staying with him that Lupin visibly regained his health and vitality.
Only at this moment did Wade suddenly realize why, from the very first time he saw Will, something had felt subtly off—though he couldn't quite put his finger on it at the time.
—Will's mental state is too energetic.
Although he was just as thin as Lupin had been in the past, there wasn't even a trace of gloom or depression in his demeanor. On the contrary, his attitude was extraordinarily enthusiastic and his radiant smile almost exuded an aggressive cheerfulness.
Of course, one couldn't conclude that someone had issues just because they were extroverted. After all, Will might simply be a natural extrovert—a person who could face any hardship or misfortune with an unshakably happy disposition.
Or perhaps his recent circumstances had improved, and his exuberant mood was simply being expressed in an exaggerated way.
Wade lightly traced the handle of his wand, and a flood of thoughts raced through his mind in an instant.
"Uh... Mr. Werner…"
Claire had finished her ice cream and softly asked, "When can I start working? Is there anything I need to prepare?"
Wade had initially brought up the topic as a casual excuse for conversation, intending to brush it off. But before he could reply, he caught sight of Claire's expression.
Her eyes were filled with an intense yearning, hoping his offhand comment would somehow become reality. Yet she also seemed to understand deep down that it was unlikely.
In those eyes, there was both dependence and pleading, as well as a deep-seated fear.
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