"HP: Too Late, System!"Chapter 341: Sir, Times Have Changed
Scrimgeour led the Aurors onto the Quidditch pitch.
At the center of the field, a large grid had been marked out. All around, students lounged on the grass, eating, chatting, and laughing as if it were just another lazy afternoon.
"Kingsley, isn't today supposed to be exam day?"
"I heard Hogwarts is running staggered exams now—some students won't sit theirs until next term."
"Thank Merlin I graduated early!"
"I heard the graduation exams at Hogwarts are getting tougher every year."
Scrimgeour cast a cold glance toward the center, where Lupin and Sirius stood together. He gave a derisive snort. "We're not here for you lot to wallow in nostalgia. Spread out—take up positions along the edge of the stands. Now's not the time for arrests."
The Aurors snapped instantly into action, fanning out and taking up their tactical positions with practiced efficiency.
At the entrance, Sirius slung an arm around Lupin's shoulders and nodded toward Scrimgeour. "Moony, company's here."
Lupin caught sight of Scrimgeour and smiled. "An old friend. Come on, let's say hello."
They weren't the only ones who'd noticed the arrival. The students were already whispering.
"That's Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office."
"Is he here to arrest Professor Lupin?"
"Should we protect Professor Lupin?"
Seeing the growing unrest, Lupin quickly raised his hands to calm the crowd. "Carry on, everyone. Rufus is an old friend—he's not here to arrest anyone. Besides, capturing werewolves is the Werewolf Capture Unit's job. He's probably just here to check if what I said is true. Don't worry, this is between me and the Ministry…"
Sirius grinned, mischief dancing in his eyes. "No, it's between Hogwarts and the Ministry. You lot enjoy yourselves—next term, you won't get chances like this."
Once the students settled, the two strode toward the entrance.
Seeing them approach without a hint of fear, Scrimgeour sneered. "Remus, weren't you the one who insisted we keep your identity secret? Now you're parading it for all to see. Bored of Hogwarts cuisine, are you?
And where's that Holmes fellow? Didn't he invent some new Wolfsbane Potion? He calls us here, and then doesn't even show up?"
Even as he spoke, his sharp eyes—glinting behind gold-rimmed glasses—never left Lupin. With years of experience, he could tell Lupin wasn't showing the usual pre-full-moon agitation of a werewolf. Instead, he radiated nothing but calm.
"Are you really a werewolf? Does this potion actually exist? Or have you two cooked up an elaborate lie for some hidden agenda? If so, you might want to ask your dear friend here what the view's like from Azkaban."
Sirius's wand slid into his hand in a blink, but Scrimgeour was even faster—his wand was already aimed before Sirius could lift his arm.
"Mr. Black, I'd prefer not to cause a panic in front of the students. I've got plenty of time to hear your explanations before tonight."
Lupin gently held Sirius back. "Douglas is still invigilating exams. By tonight, you'll know what's true and what's not. Padfoot, put it away—remember what Douglas told us…"
Sirius gave a disgruntled huff and lowered his wand.
Scrimgeour did the same, though suspicion lingered in his eyes. "And what, exactly, did Holmes instruct you to do? Honestly, I find it hard to believe someone who never even took advanced Potions could improve Wolfsbane."
Sirius gave a dismissive wave. "Doug's got his flaws, but his Potions are on par with Lily Potter's. Even the Greasy Git—er, I mean, the Hogwarts Potions Master—admits he can't hold a candle to him. The only reason Douglas never took advanced Potions was because the teacher didn't feel worthy to teach him."
Lupin looked faintly embarrassed as Sirius both praised Douglas and took a not-so-subtle jab at Snape.
He quickly interjected, "Rufus, if you're interested, I've got a set of the improved Wolfsbane Potion right here. I'd be happy to explain."
Leading the way to a table set up beside the platform, Lupin pulled a box from his pocket and opened it. Inside, five potion bottles of different colors gleamed in neat rows.
Scrimgeour eyed them warily. "And these are…?"
Sirius shrugged, a helpless smile on his lips. "You know Doug—he's a Hufflepuff. Always has some… unusual preferences when it comes to flavors."
Lupin laughed as well. "Of course, Douglas never does anything without a reason. Every step in his process serves a purpose…"
He proceeded to outline Douglas's theories in simple terms.
Scrimgeour listened, increasingly bewildered—he'd never encountered anything like these "Eastern" ideas before.
When the explanation ended, Scrimgeour, still deep in thought, wandered toward the students. By now, some had started edging closer, worried about Lupin after seeing the extended conversation.
Sirius's face broke into a rare, dazzling smile—the kind that made him the darling of every social gathering. "Oh, Rufus, my old friend, care to have a look at some magical gadgets? I've got a few that might interest you."
The sudden shift in Sirius's demeanor made Scrimgeour instinctively step back. Moments ago, Sirius had been bristling for a duel; now he was all charm. Something was definitely up.
"Mr. Black, I hear you're Hogwarts' first ever Director of Academic Affairs. Congratulations," Scrimgeour said warily, eyes narrowing as he studied Sirius.
He knew the Black family's reputation for arrogance—and this one, the man who'd swum back from Azkaban, was the fiercest of them all.
Sirius fished a battered leather pouch from his pocket. "All thanks to Headmaster Dumbledore's trust—and the Ministry's support, of course. Look here—this is a Dark Magic Detection Radar… here's a Phantom Positioning Tracker, a Stealth Cloak, a Shield Generator Ring, Instant Binding Handcuffs…"
As Scrimgeour stared, dumbfounded, Sirius arched a brow in satisfaction. "Sir, times have changed!"
Catching Scrimgeour's look, Sirius couldn't help but reflect—how long had it been since the wizarding world had seen truly innovative magical items?
Everyone was obsessed with ancient relics, convinced only old magic had real power.
Yet Muggles, in this respect, had always forged ahead—constantly updating their technology, especially for war. As Douglas liked to say, when Muggles faced conflict, they invented new tech to seize the advantage. Wizards, meanwhile, always turned back to ancient spells and artifacts.
Ancient magic wasn't inherently superior; it was just different. Modern magic had its own strengths—if only wizards would develop it.
Back when Sirius had been so proud of the Marauder's Map, Muggle electronic navigation was already catching up.
Of course, if he had the choice, Sirius would much rather focus on mentoring Harry. But a ten-year contract with Douglas was a ten-year contract.
Selling magical gadgets? Well, that was part of the job.
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