"Wait, what's your name?"
Vinson froze for a moment after hearing the name Lupin. Although he couldn't remember many details from Harry Potter, he still had a vague impression of that name.
It seemed… he was a werewolf?
Noticing Vinson's reaction, Lupin's expression instantly tightened. He lowered his eyes slightly, instinctively avoiding Vinson's gaze.
"My name is Remus Lupin, sir," he repeated.
"Oh, alright, Mr. Lupin." Seeing Lupin's nervous behavior, Vinson gently patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be nervous. When would you be free to help me? It would be best if you could start before September. I'll be very busy by then."
Lupin paused briefly upon hearing Vinson's reply, then quietly let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed the other party hadn't recognized his true situation, nor noticed his furry "special condition."
He secretly observed Vinson's face, confirming that the young man was simply looking to hire help and was not secretly testing him. Only then did his tense shoulders finally relax.
"Within two months?" he murmured softly. "My time is quite free right now. I can start anytime."
Vinson nodded in satisfaction.
He didn't care whether the man standing in front of him was a werewolf, a dog-man, or a cat-man. In the original story, Remus Lupin had been an excellent wizard, and that was enough for him.
Vinson didn't want his plantation ruined by someone who didn't understand plants.
As long as his medicinal herbs and magical plants were well taken care of, hiring a werewolf was not a big problem.
Vinson pulled a dark-colored card from his pocket and handed it to Lupin.
"This is the address."
Lupin accepted the card and glanced down at it.
The material felt unusual, like specially treated bark. Elegant writing was etched across it:
Privet Drive, No. 17
Sunshine, Daisy, and Sweet Cream Potted Plant Shop
Manager: Adrian Vinson
"Sunshine, Daisy, and Sweet Cream?" Lupin softly read the name, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"That's right. It's a good name, isn't it?" Vinson chuckled.
Although Lupin didn't quite agree, he still nodded politely in front of his future employer and carefully placed the business card into his pocket.
"Then… see you tomorrow afternoon?" Lupin asked, lifting his gaze.
"No problem." Vinson extended his hand. "I hope you won't regret taking this job."
…
The next day, Lupin arrived punctually at the address Vinson had provided.
Although the location was in a Muggle residential neighborhood, there was nothing strange about it.
Many wizards chose to live among Muggles to better hide their identities.
When Lupin reached the entrance of the shop, he immediately recognized it as the correct workplace.
A small notice board hung on the door, and as he approached, a line of words automatically appeared above it:
Remus Lupin, enter here
This was clearly the place he was looking for.
He pushed open the door, and the wind chimes hanging above let out a crisp, pleasant sound.
Lupin paused at the entrance, his gaze swiftly scanning the interior of the shop.
The lighting was soft and warm, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of soil and greenery. Wooden shelves lined the walls, displaying various potted plants. Some were common Muggle plants, while others clearly came from the magical world.
It looks like a normal shop, Lupin thought, nodding slightly.
"You're finally here, Mr. Lupin."
Vinson's voice came from behind the counter. He was sitting lazily in a chair, as if he had been waiting for quite some time.
Hearing the voice, Lupin withdrew his gaze and looked up at Vinson behind the counter. The man was smiling at him, clearly in a good mood.
Seeing Lupin standing at the door, Vinson beckoned him forward.
"Come in."
Lupin took several steps forward and approached the counter.
Once again, his eyes swept across the shop interior, confirming that everything seemed perfectly normal.
"So, boss," Lupin said, standing still and raising an eyebrow slightly, "what exactly is my job?"
"Very simple." Vinson stood up from his chair, walked around the counter, and moved to the center of the shop. "Take care of these plants, make sure they grow properly, and help manage the shop."
As he spoke, he casually picked up a potted plant with tiny golden leaves from a nearby shelf.
"For example, this one. Look, this is a pot of Two-Ear Grass. Do you know how to care for it?"
Lupin frowned slightly and lowered his gaze to examine the plant carefully.
"Two-Ear Grass usually doesn't require any special care," he said slowly. "It's highly adaptable. Unless the environment is extreme, it's very difficult for it to wither. But… I've never seen golden Two-Ear Grass before."
Vinson listened quietly, then nodded in satisfaction.
It seemed that the wizard standing in front of him really did have some understanding of magical medicinal herbs.
"Excellent, Mr. Lupin. You're right not to doubt it. This is indeed Two-Ear Grass. It may have undergone a slight color mutation, but trust me, it is definitely Two-Ear Grass."
After speaking, Vinson placed the flowerpot back onto the shelf.
Lupin watched him return the pot, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Is that really all there is to the job? It doesn't sound very difficult."
"Of course not." Vinson smiled mysteriously, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the counter. "This is just the most basic part of the work."
Lupin raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is there more?"
"Do you think I would specifically hire a wizard just to water and prune ordinary plants?" Vinson shrugged. "That would be a terrible waste of talent."
Hearing this, Lupin's curiosity was immediately piqued. Yesterday, Vinson had mentioned having a very large plantation. That was probably where the real work would take place.
Vinson smiled faintly, then turned and walked toward the back of the shop.
"Follow me, Mr. Lupin. There are some medicinal herbs that aren't suitable for display in the front. I'll show you where the real work happens."
Vinson pushed open the door behind the counter that led to the plantation area, then made a polite "please" gesture.
Lupin hesitated for a moment, but still stepped through.
This time, Vinson had set the entrance in the center of the grassy lawn. The moment Lupin entered, he saw three greenhouses arranged at a distance, as well as a tall tree standing in the middle.
As for the Tree of Wisdom, Vinson had already disguised it. Its former fluorescent green glow was gone, and it now looked like an ordinary oak tree.
Vinson walked in front, crossing the lawn and leading Lupin toward the farthest greenhouse.
"This place is much… bigger than I imagined," Lupin said, unable to stop himself from speaking as he looked around.
Vinson let out a soft chuckle and glanced back at him.
"Of course it is."
When they reached the entrance of the greenhouse, Lupin looked up and saw a large Roman numeral "III" displayed clearly on the door.
Vinson stepped forward and knocked on the door of Greenhouse Number Three. Almost instantly, the door was pulled open from the inside.
"Welcome to Greenhouse Number Three, Mr. Lupin." Vinson stepped aside and gestured inward. "This is where we'll be working from now on."