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Seeing everyone nod, Dudley continued.
"We have successfully obtained the professors' portrait rights. The new cards have also been completed, and tomorrow is the release date."
"Now it is time to distribute the rewards."
As he spoke, Dudley took out several heavy cloth bags and placed them on the table.
These were the Galleons he had promised to divide among the others.
If there was money to be made, then his friends deserved their share of it.
The group looked at one another. No one reached out first, not even Ron, whose family was the least well-off.
The bags definitely did not contain Silver Sickles or Bronze Knuts. When Dudley made a move, it could only be Gold Galleons.
They wanted them, but the amount was too valuable.
"Big D, we only did a few insignificant things. I do not think we are qualified to receive this much payment," Draco said.
As expected of the richest among them, Malfoy spoke first.
The Galleons were indeed not few, but compared with the money Dudley was about to earn, they were only a drop in the bucket.
Besides, Dudley was not giving it away for nothing. This was the payment they had earned after doing the work.
Through the connections of the Weasley, Malfoy, and Longbottom families, combined with the Carrow family's maneuvering, they had basically obtained the portrait rights of every well-known wizard in magical Britain.
Dudley could already foresee the next Wizard Cards series becoming unprecedentedly popular.
It was good that his companions were not moved by money, but if they refused even the share that belonged to them, that gave Dudley a slight headache.
At that moment, seeing that the others remained unmoved, Harry took the initiative. He picked up the share that belonged to him, then stuffed everyone else's payment into their hands one by one.
"Everyone should just accept it."
Harry said, "Do you remember what Big D said? Fairness. If you refuse, would that not make Big D break his word?"
The timid boy who used to follow behind Dudley at St. George's Primary School had now grown a great deal.
Since Harry had put it that way, the others no longer refused. They happily accepted the money.
Very few people disliked Galleons. The difference lay only in whether they were willing to lose something because of money. Since this was legitimate income, why refuse it?
Looking at the bags full of glittering Gold Galleons, everyone's mood improved greatly, and their appetites improved along with it. Ron, in particular, ate three large portions of lamb chops in one go, plus five mugs of Butterbeer.
When they left, Ron and Draco, who had also drunk quite a bit, had their arms around each other's shoulders. Swaying as they walked, they insisted on going to Honeydukes. Now that they had money in their pockets, they absolutely had to spend like mad. To prevent anything from happening to the two of them, Neville followed as well.
That left Dudley, Hermione, and Harry walking slowly under the night sky.
A large black dog silently followed behind the three of them.
Without realizing it, they walked out of the busiest part of Hogsmeade and stopped near a large wooden house that looked very old. When they stopped, the big black dog following behind them also stopped and hid to one side.
This was the Shrieking Shack, said to be the most haunted building in all of Britain.
It was also a must-visit landmark for Hogwarts students.
Of course, they visited during the day. At night, none of them had that kind of courage.
"Harry, how much do you know about Sirius?"
Looking at the crooked wooden door ahead, Dudley suddenly asked.
"He betrayed my parents," Harry answered without thinking.
Yes, he had known for a long time.
Do not think Harry was ignorant. On the contrary, he was quite clever. Sirius's matter had caused such a commotion that anyone who asked around a little could learn the cause and effect.
What happened to Sirius back then was not exactly a secret. Even looking through old issues of the Daily Prophet would make things clear.
Harry simply did not say anything because he did not want to cause trouble for Dudley.
When the big black dog heard Harry's words, its ears immediately drooped.
"On the surface, yes. But I think we can invite someone directly involved to talk about it."
After Dudley finished speaking, he turned toward the place where the big black dog was hiding. "You agree, don't you, Mr. Black?"
The big black dog's heart jolted. It was about to run, only to find that its body could no longer move.
Above its head, a Cornish pixie much larger than the ordinary kind was grinning at it.
"I think we should talk inside."
Dudley pointed toward the Shrieking Shack. "I have arranged to meet someone there."
The inside of the Shrieking Shack was covered in dust. Clearly, it had not been cleaned for a long time.
"Professor Lupin?"
When Lupin saw Harry and Hermione walk in, his expression filled with astonishment.
"Harry? Hermione? And...!"
The instant Lupin saw the big black dog, he reflexively drew his wand.
"Expelliarmus!"
The distinctive light of the spell flashed. However, the spell was not aimed at the big black dog, but at the Cornish pixie controlling it.
The pixie was blasted away. Freed from its restraint, the big black dog landed steadily and immediately ran to Lupin's side.
Although these two friends had not seen each other in more than ten years, their understanding of each other was still perfect even without words.
Harry and Hermione immediately drew their wands. One pointed at Lupin, and the other pointed at the big black dog.
Correspondingly, Hermione and Harry also trusted Dudley completely. The moment he said the big black dog was Sirius, they believed it unconditionally.
If Lupin stood on Sirius's side, then he was an enemy, even if he was a professor.
"Change back. I do not want to listen to dog language."
Dudley had found a stool from somewhere and sat firmly on it, looking levelly at the man and the dog before him.
The big black dog's body gradually shifted. Before long, a man appeared in front of them, his hair tangled, his eyes sunken, his skin waxy and stretched tight over his bones, like a living skeleton.
He bared his yellow teeth in a grin, seeming very happy.
In his view, the moment Remus believed him and stood on his side, the situation was already under control.
How lucky, to meet Remus here.
Even if the other side held wands, even if they had two wands, they were still only two young wizards.
Lupin did not see it that way. Hermione and Harry were absolutely the most talented young witches and wizards he had seen in years. As for Dudley, he had already left the category of ordinary wizard behind. Lupin had placed him on the same level as Dumbledore in his youth.
He did not dare be careless in the slightest. He even refused when Sirius wanted to hug him.
"Professor Lupin, I think the first thing you should have done was protect your students."
Dudley looked at Lupin seriously, a trace of disappointment in his tone.
No matter what reason you had, as a professor, your first duty should have been to protect the students.
In that regard alone, Lupin was completely inferior to Snape.
For all Snape's usual targeting and mockery of students, at critical moments, he truly stepped forward.
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