Although Lupin found this job to be somewhat unreliable, the compensation made it worthwhile. The boss was paying a substantial amount of Galleons, and for Lupin, whose finances were tight, this was a rare opportunity. He hoped the boss wouldn't discover his werewolf identity too soon. Lupin had a history of short-lived jobs, as few were willing to hire a werewolf—after all, the public viewed werewolves as dangerous. Once bitten, a person's life was essentially ruined, as they would become another werewolf themselves.
Vison, seeing Lupin's acceptance, also breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the Whomping Willow's earlier reaction had been somewhat frightening. A more timid wizard might have been scared off. But fortunately, Lupin was not that type. For Vison, who owned vast lands of precious potion ingredients, money was not a concern. He still had plenty of Galleons left from selling dragon materials in the past.
"Come on, follow me closely," Vison said, clapping his hands. "I'll show you the job duties. Don't wander off." He motioned for Lupin to follow as he led the way deeper into the greenhouse.
The size of the greenhouse was even more staggering than Lupin had imagined. They walked for half an hour, passing rows of valuable ingredients, many of which Lupin had never seen before. At first, he had felt a pang of guilt seeing such rare plants just scattered around like weeds, but as time passed, he began to accept it. However, some of the plants in the deeper parts of the greenhouse were completely unfamiliar, their shapes increasingly bizarre.
"Is that a watermelon?" Lupin asked, pointing to a large, green spherical object. "I've never seen anyone grow watermelons in Britain." He moved toward it before Vison could offer a warning.
Just as Lupin reached the strange watermelon, it suddenly turned, opened a large mouth, and revealed a row of sharp teeth.
"What?" Lupin recoiled in shock. But before he could react further, the watermelon lunged at him, its sharp teeth sinking into his calf. The pain was sharp, and Lupin gasped, trying to break free. His trouser leg ripped apart under the force of the bite.
Luckily, Lupin's reflexes were quick. He drew his wand and with a swift motion, sent the watermelon flying several meters away. Vison, who had been watching in surprise, quickly ran over to him.
"I forgot to warn you," Vison said, sounding somewhat embarrassed. "That's a mutated watermelon. It bites people."
Lupin looked at the tear in his leg and the blood staining his pants. "I think you should've stopped me earlier," he muttered, irritated. As he scanned his surroundings, his gaze fell on a plant nearby. It was Dirk Cresswell, an herb he knew well.
Lupin quickly plucked a fresh Dirk Cresswell leaf and, without hesitation, crushed it and pressed it onto his wound. Instantly, he felt a cool sensation as green smoke rose from the bite, and the wound began to heal. The healing was fast, and soon the bite was nothing more than a faint scab.
Vison, who had been preparing to retrieve the mutated watermelon, suddenly stopped and looked at Lupin in alarm. "Wait, what did you do?" His tone had become serious.
Lupin was momentarily stunned, then turned around, confused. "What's wrong? Don't worry about me. I used a bit of Dirk Cresswell. Look, the wound's already healing."
Vison hurried to the plant where Lupin had taken the leaf. He looked at it with wide eyes. "You didn't use this, did you?"
Lupin nodded confidently. "Yes, this is regular Dirk Cresswell, isn't it? I've used it before."
He could never be mistaken. Dirk Cresswell was his go-to herb for treating wounds, especially after the full moon when he had often been injured. It had always worked wonders for him in the past. But as soon as he finished speaking, Lupin felt an overwhelming chill course through his body.
He glanced down at his calf and saw purple spots rapidly spreading across his skin.
"What?" Lupin gasped. "This Dirk Cresswell is poisonous?"
Vison, with an expression of deep concern, confirmed the fear that had crept into Lupin's mind. "Yes, this is the highly poisonous variant of Dirk Cresswell," he explained grimly. "It looks identical to the regular one, but it's extremely toxic. Just one of these can incapacitate a dragon."
Lupin, feeling his head spin, realized with horror that he had used half of a plant. It was too late to reverse the damage. His body began to tremble as the poison spread, and his breathing became more difficult.
Vison, not knowing what else to do, muttered helplessly, "When you meet Merlin, tell him I said hi."
Lupin didn't respond. The cold was now overwhelming him, and his mouth went numb. He tried to speak, but no words came out, only a choking sound as the poison worked its way through his system. Soon, his vision blurred, and he finally collapsed, his body losing all strength.
Vison stared at him in helpless frustration. He took a deep breath and sighed.
"What's going on with you?" he muttered under his breath, staring at Lupin's unconscious form.
Taking a small bottle from his robe pocket, Vison uncorked it and poured a transparent liquid into Lupin's mouth. It wasn't an immediate cure, but it was an antidote that Vison had brewed himself. He could only hope it would work in time.
"Merlin, don't let him die," Vison prayed quietly. "I don't even know where his home is. If he dies here, I'll have to bury him myself."