Chapter 320: The Chosen Manager
Remus John Lupin decided he might as well have a look.
A full month had passed since he had lost his last job. During those thirty days, his life had become increasingly precarious. The villagers of Hogsmeade were already somewhat familiar with his face, and finding work in a small community when you looked as "unreliable" as he did was difficult—even for a position paying a mere seven Galleons a week.
"Are you here for the Manager's position as well?"
A young witch stopped him at the entrance of the bookstore, gesturing for him to join a queue separate from the regular customers.
"Actually, ma'am, I was hoping to apply for a clerk position," he said.
"What's the difference? If you don't make Manager, you can apply to be a clerk then. It's not going anywhere," she replied briskly. She was clearly overworked, scurrying back to the door to corral more applicants into the line.
Lupin scanned the interior of the shop. To his astonishment, the shelves held only one type of book: the "Green's Notes Series" advertised on the banners outside. Every counter was dedicated to a different category of these notes—some were heavy, leather-bound compendiums, while others were slim, portable pamphlets.
For a bookstore, this was unheard of. No shop owner would dare rely on a single product line, yet this place was clearly the exception.
Lupin soon understood why. These books were... selling.
He pulled a copy of History of Magic: Volume II from a nearby shelf and found himself becoming quite absorbed in the text. The methodology was revolutionary.
He was interrupted by a loud announcement from a senior clerk.
"Attention! Is there anyone here whose wand is ten and a quarter inches, made of cypress with a unicorn hair core? Preferably a wizard between the ages of thirty-two and thirty-three?"
The applicants stood in stunned silence. A murmur of confusion rippled through the queue. What kind of requirement was that?
Lupin was more bewildered than anyone. The description was so specific it might as well have used his name.
"I believe I fit that description," Lupin said, stepping forward.
"Please, follow me," the clerk said with a satisfied nod.
Lupin was led into a private back room.
The floor was covered in a thick, plush carpet. The walls were lined with even more books, and a fire roared in the hearth. On a side table, a set of fine silver instruments was busy brewing what smelled suspiciously like pumpkin juice—an odd choice for such a refined-looking office.
Behind a large desk sat two boys. One, a blond-haired lad, was busy sorting through a stack of contracts. The other, a dark-haired boy, was quietly reading. As Lupin entered, they both looked up.
"We meet again, sir," the blond boy said. He stood up and gathered his papers. "Sean, he's all yours."
With that, Justin exited the room, leaving the two of them alone.
Lupin felt a prickle of nerves. He had no idea what the intention behind this meeting was. What could these two boys possibly want with him? He looked at his own reflection in a nearby mirror—tattered, patched robes, a gaunt face, and the heavy secret of his lycanthropy.
Moreover, these two "Managers" were far too young. A quick glance at their robes told him they were from Twilfitt and Tatting's—expensive, high-quality tailoring. They looked like the heirs of prominent wizarding families.
"My name is Sean Green," the dark-haired boy said.
Lupin was momentarily speechless. Sean Green... He looked at the shop's sign in his mind: Green's Bookstore.
It clicked.
No wonder the History of Magic notes felt slightly raw in places. While they presented a brilliant new system that offered an excellent reading experience, an experienced eye could spot the occasional gaps in the author's background knowledge.
For a published author, the work was well above average. But for a second-year student... it was nothing short of miraculous.
"My partners and I published these. Since we are still students at Hogwarts, we require a proxy manager to run the day-to-day operations. I was wondering if you would be interested," Sean said, closing his book.
Lupin lowered his gaze. He rarely held a job for long. Once his condition was discovered, he was usually dismissed immediately. But he was destitute, and he desperately needed the work.
"I'm afraid I must decline," Lupin said, his voice raspy.
These boys had clearly gone to great lengths to sneak out of the castle to find a manager. He knew how difficult that was, especially for "good" students. This was likely their only window of opportunity. If he took the job and was subsequently fired, they wouldn't be able to recruit again until the next holiday.
"May I ask why?" Sean pressed.
"I... I am... a werewolf."
There was a strange, magnetic sincerity in the boy's eyes. When he asked a question, lying felt like a physical impossibility.
"That's fine. I can give you two extra days of leave a month, provided you ensure the shop's affairs are handled beforehand," Sean said. He spoke as if he were discussing a minor scheduling conflict.
Lupin froze. "I don't think you understand what I'm saying..."
"A werewolf? A wizard who appears normal but transforms during the full moon?" Sean clarified. "You're registered with the Werewolf Registry, aren't you? You follow the Werewolf Code of Conduct? Locking yourself away every month to ensure no one is harmed?"
"Of course," Lupin whispered.
"Then there is no problem."
Sean's matter-of-fact tone made Lupin wonder if his previous employers had simply been making a mountain out of a molehill. He let out a dry, helpless laugh. "Child, I appreciate the kindness, but I don't think you truly know what a werewolf signifies to the public."
Sean looked at him, his vivid green eyes bright with conviction. "Aside from being werewolves, they are still wizards, are they not?"
On Sean's desk sat a book titled Hairy Snout, Human Heart. Published in 1975 by Whizz Hard Books, it was a heartbreaking account of a wizard's struggle with lycanthropy. By the 1990s, it had become a recognized classic.
"You will have a one-month trial period. If you can't handle the work, I will still fire you," Sean added.
Lupin let out a genuine laugh. He felt he had just met a very extraordinary young man. "I shall do my best."
After slipping out of the bookstore, Justin and Sean parted ways. Justin didn't ask why Sean had hired a werewolf; he simply continued to watch Lupin with curious, thoughtful eyes.
Sean, meanwhile, found himself with a capable assistant.
"We'll stop by the joke shop first, then head to Gringotts. You can Apparate, I assume?" Sean asked.
"Certainly," Lupin said, adjusting his patched robes.
This would save Sean from having to bother Gertie. The twins had moved her to Hogsmeade to spearhead their "northern expansion," as Fred jokingly called it.
"You'll be the Duchess of the North!" Fred had teased.
"With a salary that's doubled!" George had added.
Gertie, having no choice in the matter, had been in a foul mood lately, and Sean didn't want to add to her headache.
Lupin offered his arm, and with a sharp crack, they vanished from the street.
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