Chapter 326: Tea with the Headmaster
Chapter 326: Tea with the Headmaster
"Look at this article..."
As George casually flipped through the pages of the Prophet during breakfast, his sudden exclamation startled those around him.
"Don't shout early in the morning!" Lee Jordan glared at George, his hand shaking and causing the slice of bread he was holding to fall.
Yawning, Albert spread jam on his bread and took a bite before wandering over to see what George was shouting about in the Prophet.
There was an article about the dangers of Befuddlement Draught, with the Ministry warning people not to believe in or misuse it, as all the draughts available on the market were poisonous.
"I thought it was something," Albert yawned again, "just a scare tactic!"
"A scare tactic?" Lee Jordan snatched the newspaper from George and read it carefully before commenting, "I think it's genuine!"
"It's true, the situation is exactly as described in the article," Albert mumbled between mouthfuls of his jam-covered bread, "but the newspaper is exaggerating. Still, it's a clever method, more effective than drafting laws."
"Why?" George didn't understand Albert's perspective.
"Laws can be circumvented," Albert explained with a twist of his lips, "but if you're clearly told that all the Befuddlement Draughts on the market are poisonous, would you still spend a lot of galleons to buy a bottle of poisonous potion to try it out?"
"And that Slytherin student was really unlucky to be exposed by the Prophet like that," he added.
"True," Fred folded the newspaper and turned to Albert, "but now, I guess your plan will be ruined!"
"Who says?" Albert looked at his roommates mysteriously, "Have you ever heard of branding?"
"Huh?" The three shook their heads in unison.
"Well..." Albert thought for a moment, offering a simple example, "like Floo Powder, aside from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, would you buy it from anywhere else?"
Rumor has it that there's fake Floo Powder that can blast a wizard out of the fireplace.
"I guess... not!"
The three exchanged glances, then turned back to Albert.
"But that's... Oh, I see what you mean. That's not going to be easy."
"I was just giving an example," Albert added, placing another fried egg on his plate and glancing upward.
The mail has arrived! Dozens of owls flew into the Great Hall, fluttering above the students' heads and delivering letters or packages to their recipients.
Fortunately, the owls came and went quickly; otherwise, the morning meal would have been disrupted by droppings from above.
Albert received two letters and a heavy-looking package.
"There's no sender's name," George frowned.
"I know."
Albert opened the package, took out the bag inside, and made a 'zip it' gesture to his three roommates. Then, he quickly stuffed the bag, from which the sound of crisp metal clinking could be heard, into his pocket.
He had made a small fortune selling Befuddlement Draught, and although he didn't immediately count the gold coins, he wasn't worried about being cheated.
"A big profit!" Fred couldn't help but whisper, "How much?"
Albert held up three fingers and wiggled them.
"Nice! But will they dare to use it? I heard the Ministry is being extra strict about cheating this year."
"Don't be silly," Albert scoffed, "if it were that easy to detect, the Ministry would have done so long ago."
The real reason the Ministry didn't check for the use of Befuddlement Draught was more about avoiding the hassle and waste of resources.
Befuddlement Draught, like Felix Felicis, was extremely complex to brew, with exorbitant ingredient costs and a low success rate. Any failed potions would be poisonous, making it entirely impractical for ordinary students to purchase such a potion for cheating purposes. Even if one managed to acquire it, they would still need to consider if the risk was worth taking.
Cerebrum Enhancers and the use of Dragon Claw Powder were the two most common methods of cheating on exams, but the Ministry had long been prepared for such tactics.
As for Legilimency, many students hadn't even heard of it, and attempting to cheat using it was no easy feat. Most witches and wizards might not even come across it by the time they graduated.
"Mr. Anderson," a voice called out from behind Albert.
Albert put down his cutlery and turned to see Professor McGonagall standing behind him. "Good morning, Professor McGonagall," he greeted immediately.
"Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you," she said, gesturing for Albert to follow her to the headmaster's office.
"Er... Professor, I have class soon," Albert replied.
"Mr. Weasley, remember to excuse Mr. Anderson," Professor McGonagall said without hesitation.
"See you later!" Albert quickly finished the rest of his food, tossed his bag to George, waved to everyone, and followed Professor McGonagall.
Albert, of course, knew why the headmaster was summoning him.
Dumbledore had likely believed his letter to some extent and wanted to confirm its contents in person.
Albert had already woven a story in his mind—a mix of truth and fiction—and he was prepared for this day.
The two turned a corner and stopped in front of a stone statue of a griffin.
"Chocolate Frogs!"
After Professor McGonagall spoke the password, the griffin statue came to life, revealing a spiral staircase behind the wall. Albert and Professor McGonagall stepped onto the staircase, which took them up to the entrance of the headmaster's office.
Professor McGonagall knocked and led Albert inside. The office was empty; Dumbledore seemed to have stepped out for a moment.
Professor McGonagall asked Albert to wait and then left, leaving him alone in the headmaster's office.
Dumbledore didn't keep Albert waiting too long. He soon entered the office, having apparently been tending to something outside.
"Mr. Anderson," Dumbledore said with a smile, "I read your letter... "
"If you wish to see the crown depicted in the photo, I can take you there now," Albert said, looking at Dumbledore.
"Then let's go!" Dumbledore nodded, pleased with Albert's efficiency.
"Headmaster, what do you think that is?" Albert asked quietly.
"Hard to say. I'd need to see the actual object to know for sure," Dumbledore replied as he followed Albert to the tapestry depicting the giant clubbed Barnabas the Barmy.
"It's right here," Albert said. "I call it the Room of Requirement."
"Room of Requirement?"
"Yes, it can transform into whatever room you need, and I think that name suits it well," Albert said curiously. "Doesn't Headmaster Dumbledore know about this place?"
"Even as the headmaster of Hogwarts, I may not be aware of all the secrets within the school," Dumbledore said, winking at Albert. "However, I believe I once stumbled upon it by accident. At the time, it was a room filled with intricate chamber pots. But when I left and returned, the room had vanished."
"One moment, please."
Albert walked back and forth three times, waiting for the door to the Room of Requirement to open. Once it did, he stepped inside, with Dumbledore following closely behind.
"How did Mr. Anderson discover this place?" Dumbledore asked, looking around at the piles of junk scattered about.
"I wasn't the one who discovered it first," Albert said, briefly explaining Fred and George's nighttime escapade and how he had deduced and found the correct way to access the Room of Requirement.
(End of Chapter)
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