Beachy Head.

This was a coastal cliff located in southern England, the tallest in Britain.

The werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, had led his followers on a wild chase across various parts of England, evading the Aurors before finally settling their hideout in a secluded clearing surrounded by reefs at the base of this sea cliff.

He had thick, brownish hair swept back and flowing behind him, with a dense beard that connected to the sideburns on his cheeks. Clearly, his followers were all emulating his appearance.

As the most notorious werewolf in the Wizarding World, Greyback's natural demeanor was ferocious.

He was strong and lean, and almost no one had ever seen him wield a wand or cast any spells. Whether in human or wolf form, his deliberately sharpened claws and fangs were his most formidable weapons!

Greyback was a purebred werewolf by birth.

He had not been bitten and transformed by another werewolf… instead, he was born with the ability to morph into the monstrous creature feared by so many under the full moon.

This also meant that even in human form, his resistance to magic was comparable to that of a troll, yet he lacked a troll's sluggishness and stupidity.

Since thirty years ago, he had been a persistent thorn in the Ministry's side, and the Aurors had never truly managed to capture him!

And now, he was clearly preparing for something big.

There were six or seven shabby tents set up on the open ground, and the werewolf wizards, who were dressed simply, were busy packing up their belongings.

In the center of the tents, a roaring bonfire had been lit.

Greyback sat beside the fire, facing a tall, thin man with graying hair and a disheveled demeanor… Remus Lupin.

"I've told you before, Remus, you should be grateful for my generosity."

Contrary to what many might expect, Greyback was not loud or frenzied in his daily interactions. Instead, he was quiet, sitting on a low stool, speaking calmly to Lupin in the flickering firelight.

Lupin had no wand in his hand. His clothing was thin, and traces of bruises still lingered on his face. As the sea breeze blew, it not only stirred the flames but also ruffled his unkempt, shaggy hair.

Hearing Greyback's words, he remained silent.

"According to the plan, those children were supposed to be transformed during July's full moon, becoming one of us. At that time, the entire Ministry was distracted by that idiot professor from Hogwarts… It was our best chance."

"But because of your soft-heartedness, the plan was ruined!"

His cold interrogation forced Lupin to lift his head. The composed man simply explained, "What you wanted is to turn those children into werewolves, not to kill them. But that night, they were all gathered together. If they transformed simultaneously under the full moon, none of those children would have survived… they would've been torn to shreds..."

"Even so, that was my concern to handle!" Greyback's eyes narrowed, baring his fangs as he said coldly, "But you took it upon yourself to hide them underground before the full moon!"

"And you've already punished me for it, haven't you?" Lupin said quietly.

"The fact that I didn't kill you is the greatest mercy I've shown you!" Greyback said coldly, "You wimp have no idea what I'm trying to accomplish!"

"I actually admire you, Remus. You're different from the other werewolves… you're smarter, more level-headed. Our kind lacks someone like you, which is why I spared your life. I only took your wand and kept you here as a babysitter for those children!"

He stood up, not looking at Lupin, but instead gazing at the shimmering sea under the evening breeze.

"Do you think I gathered so many people here for no reason? Do you think I kidnapped those children just for fun? If I really wanted to expand our numbers, acting as a group like this would be the most conspicuous method. Picking them off one by one would be far more efficient."

Lupin's breathing grew slightly heavier at this time.

Having infiltrated this pack of werewolves for so long, he had long realized that Greyback's actions this time were far from ordinary!

In the past, Greyback had always evaded capture by the Aurors precisely because he operated alone and never gathered in groups.

But now, he had completely abandoned his usual habits, which is obviously unusual.

However, Greyback had never revealed his grand plan to anyone else, until now.

"What are you planning?" Lupin asked.

However, Greyback did not speak at this moment. Instead, his attention was drawn to two figures making their way along the reef toward the tent camp… and beside them, they were escorting two children who couldn't have been more than teenagers!

"We found them in the cave! They were brought here by the Portkey Pierre sent out! Two of them, arriving at once! And one of them is a young wizard with magical talent who hasn't even been enrolled in Hogwarts yet!"

The freckled young man excitedly boasted to Greyback, eager for praise.

The captured boy and girl were pale-faced, but given the circumstances, the fact that they hadn't burst into tears on the spot was already commendable for their bravery!

Greyback was immensely pleased. He grinned at Harry and Hermione, flashing his fangs.

"Well done. You'll be rewarded. Take them and lock them up with the other children. Remember to keep a close eye on them… Don't let any of them escape!"

At first, Lupin, whose mind was entirely preoccupied with Greyback's words, hadn't clearly seen the faces of the two captured children in the dim light.

His thoughts were in turmoil, his mind racing with speculation about Greyback's true intentions.

But just as the young man followed the order and took the two children away, when they passed the bonfire, Lupin locked eyes with the black-haired, thin boy.

In that moment, Lupin froze where he stood!

He swore he couldn't possibly be mistaken!

There were only a handful of people in the world who knew that man better than he did, and this boy...

This boy looked exactly like him, as if carved from the same mold!

Lupin's breath hitched. His mind spiraled into further chaos, all thoughts of Greyback's schemes vanishing, replaced solely by the question of the boy's identity.

He could only conclude that this must be the son of the man he knew, 'But... wasn't that child supposed to be under Dumbledore's protection?'

'How could he possibly be here?!'

Just as Lupin stood rooted in shock, Greyback turned back to him, his face now twisted into a savage grin… a stark contrast to the calm demeanor he had displayed by the fire just minutes ago.

"You're full of questions, aren't you, Remus? But originally, according to that man's plan, after transforming these children, we were supposed to raise our banner."

"Thanks to you, the transformation was delayed. But there's no need to delay any further in showing those mediocre fools who we serve… and whose orders we follow!"

Lupin's attention snapped back to Greyback's words. Suddenly, he sensed a flash of green light behind him!

"Look! The fools of the wizarding world thought he was dead! But in fact, he never left! Hahahahaha!!!"

Greyback's mad laughter rang out as Lupin whirled around in horror.

Against the dark night sky, hovering directly above the white cliffs of Beachy Head, he saw a massive green skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth!

No witch or wizard in the Wizarding World would fail to recognize this symbol. Even after all these years, no one dared forget it.

That was...

The Dark Mark… Morsmordre!