HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil…

Evening…

"Look at this—now this is a proper wizarding hub. Although… still not English-speaking."

Kasenhis and Lupin, wands in hand, slowly passed through a massive wooden gate—and just like that, the magical world of Brazil unfolded before them.

"Hmm, I can only say… they sure know how to party at night. They even have a bonfire festival going on."

The two of them found a seat on the open-air terrace of a tavern's second floor. Soon enough, Lupin returned with two massive mugs of beer, big enough to make any wizard do a double-take.

He carefully examined both drinks, gave them a sniff test, and only after confirming they weren't poisoned did he finally set them down with peace of mind.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Kasenhis was fully engrossed in reading a letter.

This was a valuable lesson he learned back in Uruguay—what's that saying again? The more friends you have, the more paths you can take.

After all, he wasn't completely unknown in the world of alchemy. Sure, Brazil was in South America, not Europe, but there were still quite a few Brazilian alchemists who knew of him.

Take this letter, for example—the sender had meticulously detailed Brazil's wizarding entry points and even marked two specific crystal mines: Minas and Quilas.

"Hmm… gotta admit, this beer's not bad. Butterbeer's nice and all, but compared to this, it's a bit… too sweet."

Kasenhis took the hint and put the letter away, raising his beer mug and pouring it straight into his mouth. "Yeah."

"When are we heading out?" Lupin asked.

"Tomorrow… maybe. I mean, look at this place—it's so lively at night! Honestly, I'd feel bad going to sleep instead of soaking up the atmosphere. It'd be a waste." Kasenhis gazed at the massive bonfire below, a bit wistful.

"That works, but I can't drink too much. This isn't England—we need at least one of us to stay sober."

"Fair enough." Kasenhis shrugged, finishing his beer in one go.

Immediately, thanks to the tavern's magic, his mug refilled itself at lightning speed. A glowing number '1' appeared on the side of the glass.

"Oh? That's pretty neat. A built-in counter? What, afraid I'll start 'feeding the fishes'?"

"Who knows." Lupin nodded, amused.

The two of them chatted aimlessly, letting the conversation flow with the drinks.

Kasenhis ranted about Dumbledore's shamelessness—tricking poor professors out of their hard-earned salaries.

His mischievous students, those troublemaking little wizards, his tsundere colleagues.

Lupin, on the other hand "…"

After three, maybe four, or was it eight? beers—Kasenhis had already lost track of the number glowing on Lupin's mug—he finally loosened up.

For the first time, he spoke about his real identity.

Even though he assumed the professor sitting across from him—now looking rather dazed and unfocused—had probably already known.

After all, Dumbledore must have told him about the whole 'werewolf' thing long ago.

But no matter how much Dumbledore wanted to protect him, there was still a difference between someone else saying it and saying it himself.

"Hmm… so you were a wizard boy, and then you became a… hic.." Kasenhis let out a small hiccup, sobered up just a little, and then lowered his voice: "A werewolf wizard."

"I.. Yes." Lupin admitted without hesitation.

He had never liked lying to his friends.

Even if the friend sitting across from him already knew, he still needed to say it out loud.

Not because of some dramatic reveal about being a werewolf or anything like that—it was just about honesty.

Because if he didn't say it himself, he wouldn't be able to get past it.

"Actually, there's a chance—just a chance—that your 'werewolf wizard' situation… might not be permanent."

Kasenhis tilted his head, his bangs slipping over his eyes as he shook his head and brushed his hair back.

"Remember that milk I gave you back in Baker Street?"

"What about it?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

"That milk hic can neutralize poisons—or, to be more precise, curses from black magic. Pretty much ..hic.. anything that's an external force affecting the body.

After I found out you were a werewolf from Dumbledore, I made sure you drank it…

Why do you.. You have a weird look in your eyes, let me show you."

Kasenhis rested his chin on one hand, thinking for a moment before pulling out a small bottle of Fire-Protection Potion and sliding it over to Lupin.

"Drink this. It's ..hic.. Fire Protection Potion."

Lupin didn't hesitate. He grabbed the bottle, uncorked it, and downed it in one go.

Seeing that, Kasenhis took Lupin's hand, and instead of leaning lazily on his palm, he summoned a flame in his other hand—

And then held it directly under Lupin's palm, roasting it like a piece of toast.

"Heheheh~ Not bad, huh? The effect is great. Drink this, and you could swim in lava." Kasenhis said smugly.

"Nice craftsmanship."

"Now, drink the milk." Kasenhis pushed another glass of milk over.

Lupin downed the milk, and under Kasenhis' instruction, reached out once more toward the flame.

The moment his fingers made contact, he yanked his hand back immediately—"Oww!"

Cold sweat instantly broke out all over his body.

He stared at the empty milk glass, his face pale.

"This actually works? You're not messing with me, right?" His eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at Kasenhis.

Kasenhis shook his head.

"Of course not. I wouldn't lie to you. But the thing is, I don't actually know how your condition works. I've never researched werewolves before.

I don't know if your body is infected with some kind of 'werewolf toxin'—or if you've been fully transformed into a werewolf."

"So… hic—" Kasenhis hiccupped, then continued.

"If it's the first one, the milk works. If it's the second… it doesn't."

Lupin's heart sank again.

For so many years, he had studied his own condition in detail.

Of course, he understood the difference between the two.

And of course, he knew that he had already been completely transformed.

This so-called "werewolf curse" wasn't some external infection.

It was part of him.

So naturally, this miraculous milk wouldn't do a thing.

"But at least you ran into me. Sluuuuurp~~"

Kasenhis took another sip of his drink, then grinned slightly.

"In a way… there might still be another option."

"Hm?"

Lupin gave him a surprised look, watching as Kasenhis continued to gulp down his beer.

The next moment, he vanished along with his beer glass, instantly reappearing behind Lupin—one hand steadily holding his back.

"By the way, what do you think of my teleportation magic? It's not Apparition."

Kasenhis casually returned to his seat, speaking with a slight slur.

"It's very impressive."

"And this is what I meant—if your situation is the second type, I might still have a way to help you."

As he spoke, he placed a grindstone on the table.

Then, without hesitation, he pressed one hand firmly against it while the other gripped the handle—

And began spinning it.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kasenhis, what the hell are you doing?! Self-harm?!"

Lupin leapt forward, half-throwing himself across the table, forcibly yanking Kasenhis' bleeding hand away from that damned grindstone.

Blood was already dripping down his fingers.

Lupin immediately pulled out a bottle of dittany, carefully applying it to the wound, watching as the deep cut gradually sealed up.

Even after that, he still whipped out his wand and cast a fully-powered Vanishing Spell on the bloodstains left on the table.

Just in case some lunatic decided to use his blood for a cursed ritual.

__________

Read two weeks ahead:

P@treon: Dragonel