Vid followed Lupin and Sirius, busy for most of the day, before finally finishing the preparations.
Above the clearing in the forest, the space was already woven densely with branches and webs. The rampant growth of the shrubs refused entry to any animals, and the Devil's Snares hidden within ensured that not even a mouse could get in.
The surrounding area was set up with environments suitable for different creatures, such as a freshwater pool and a saltwater pool, as well as small deserts and snowy fields. The Meteorology Magic kept them fixed in their respective forms.
Vid looked on eagerly; he actually wanted to move these environments into his wardrobe space and complete his Animagus transformation there.
But Lupin refused him.
"The wardrobe space is indeed very safe and can ensure that you're not disturbed by the outside world, but you can't transform in there, because it's separated from the real nature."
Lupin said: "During the transformation, you need to establish a deep spiritual bond with your inner animal form, and this process is more likely to succeed in a natural environment."
"Although there's no evidence, there are many failed examples of transformations in closed rooms or caves. Hence, wizards have concluded from their experience — the first Animagus transformation must be done in a vast open space."
"And you know, Remus and I are not great at the Atmospheri Charm."
While tying a few vines around a wooden stick with a rope, Sirius said: "These environments can only be maintained for a limited time. After ten days or half a month, they will certainly start to lose their Magic Power; they're not as useful as you think."
Actually, being able to maintain them for ten days or a half month was already impressive. But it was still far from the environment in Scamander's suitcase space, which was almost indistinguishable from natural settings.
Vid could only sigh regretfully.
The next morning, Vid woke up, checked the time, recited the spell as usual, then turned off the alarm clock that was about to shriek, drew back the curtains, and looked outside.
Clouds were thick in the sky, and the air seemed exceptionally humid, making it feel a bit hard to breathe.
It looked like the clouds were brewing a torrential storm.
Filled with anticipation, Vid washed up and went downstairs.
Lupin was sitting at the table reading a book, and hearing footsteps, he looked up and smiled: "Today's breakfast is fried toast and oatmeal porridge. What would you like to drink? Orange juice, black tea, or milk?"
"Remus, didn't you sleep last night?" Vid asked in surprise, smelling the aroma in the air.
He himself got up with the sun, which was already quite early, but he didn't expect Lupin to have breakfast ready as well.
"I slept; I just got up a bit earlier," Lupin said with a gentle smile.
"Don't be so anxious." Vid sat down and picked up a piece of toast, saying: "It's just an Animagus transformation, not unfamiliar to you."
Lupin smiled slightly.
Probably having seen too many recent cases of Animagus failures, Lupin was more worried than Vid himself that his transformation might go wrong. His mood changed like the weather outside the room — the darker the clouds, the gloomier his mood.
Vid, however, remained much more composed.
He had been preparing for this day for a long time.
Like a final exam, the effort of an entire semester validated in the last test. With sufficient groundwork laid in advance, by the time of the actual exam, it just felt routine.
After breakfast, Vid grabbed a book on biology from the shelf, filled with information on various animals' limb structures, skeletal and muscle distribution, living habits, and so on.
This book was almost worn out, but Vid still didn't know what his animal form would be.
It's said that only the moment before transforming does the creature's image appear in one's mind.
If at that moment there is hesitation, fear, or regret, the Animagus transformation is very likely to fail, or worse yet — transform incompletely, retaining too many human traits, possibly even becoming a monster.
While reading, Vid couldn't help but wonder: Banshees... and Centaurs... are their origins due to ancient wizards casting spells that failed?
Of course, such unfounded speculation is destined never to be verified. If those two races heard it, they might even beat him up.
He had been reading for over an hour when Sirius finally opened the door and entered.
"Hey, Remus, what delicious food did you make?"
...
After breakfast, the three of them idly spent some time in the living room before deciding they couldn't just wait around; they decided to stroll into the village.
Vid bought some school supplies, brought some small gifts for others, and helped the Weasley Twins buy a package of prank items.
They sat in the Three Broomsticks for a while, and Ms. Rosmerta was not unfamiliar with Vid either. She served him a completely alcohol-free Butter Beer, which, from its appearance, looked no different from the regular beer, even the foam was quite similar.
It was from Ms. Rosmerta that Vid learned that the Butter Beers she served to most people were made by boiling ordinary beer and adding melted butter.
As for the non-alcoholic beer, it was made by brewing milk, brown sugar, butter, vanilla powder, and such, which actually cost a bit more.
"I usually only provide this for girls and kids," Ms. Rosmerta said with a grin from behind the counter. "Poor Vid, it's not your fault you can't drink alcohol."
Lupin placed a hand on Vid's shoulder and said: "He's still a kid now!"
"Oh, right, I forgot," Rosmerta teased. "Probably because he's always hanging out with adults, it made me forget his age too."
"Ma'am, another beer please."
Sirius put down his empty beer glass and then said to Vid: "There's nothing wrong with drinking a little, Vid. Giving it up means giving up a part of life's pleasures. When I was in Azkaban, I always longed for the taste here."
He appeared to have only drunk a little but looked somewhat intoxicated, his grey eyes seemed dull and murky.
"Sirius!" Lupin suddenly said.
"Mm-hmm, I'm sober!"
Sirius nodded twice haphazardly, downed the freshly filled beer in one go, and then packed a few bottles of Butter Beer with Ms. Rosmerta.
"When you succeed..." he said to Vid, "we'll celebrate with a drink."
But as soon as the three of them stepped out of the pub, the slightly tipsy Sirius immediately sobered up. Looking at the sky, he muttered under his breath, "Dog shit!"
Vid also looked up, meeting the face of the moisture-laden wind, with a hint of chill.
The wind had picked up.
The rain was falling in fine lines.
It wasn't the storm they had been waiting for.