Chapter 520: Sirius' Transformation
Chapter 520: Sirius' Transformation
Until today, Kyle had never imagined that Sirius would actually become a professor at Hogwarts, and of all subjects, Defense Against the Dark Arts.
No wonder he became the first Black family member in Gryffindor, truly brave.
He just hoped that by the end of the term, Sirius wouldn't be sent back to Azkaban for some inexplicable reason. Of course, if that were to happen, Kyle wouldn't find it strange either.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... the notorious revolving door position in the wizarding world. Nothing would be surprising.
Professor Dumbledore had to deal with this issue every year, and his reputation had been declining over the years due to this very reason.
But Kyle quickly realized that Sirius was probably already on Dumbledore's list, and even if he didn't come this year, he would likely be invited to take up the position in the future... after all, it was genuinely challenging to find someone for this role.
Given Sirius' personality, he would most likely not refuse.
After the introduction of Sirius, the banquet came to an end.
Snape was the first to stand up, his face dark as he strode out of the Great Hall.
As he passed by Sirius, Kyle heard a sneering laugh without any attempt to hide it.
"Hmm..."
Snape halted in his tracks and turned around, his eyes cold.
"Oh, isn't this our hero..." Snape said without expression, "I thought you'd be so guilt-ridden over those who died because of you that you'd hide at home and cry. Now it seems I was wrong; your feelings for Potter aren't as deep as I thought."
"Shut up, you snot-nosed git," Sirius' expression turned cold as well, "You should know who's responsible for James and Lily's deaths... If you hadn't gone to your master and..."
"Professors."
Professor Dumbledore appeared at the right moment, interrupting the two who were at each other's throats.
He said with a hint of a headache, "I don't think the Great Hall is an appropriate place for a chat. How about a cup of tea? I recently found a rather good kind of black tea."
"No, thanks," Snape replied sarcastically, "I don't want to drink tea with a Dementor's lunch. That rotting smell would make me uncomfortable."
"Me too..." Sirius said without backing down, "I'd rather drink tea with a Dementor than sit across from someone like you."
Professor Dumbledore's headache intensified. Although he had anticipated this situation, he hadn't expected their relationship to be so tense right from the start.
Fortunately, their voices weren't loud, and with the chaotic atmosphere in the Great Hall, the students didn't hear what they were saying...
Cedric, who was organizing the younger students into lines, glanced at the staff table and said quietly, "Kyle, it seems like the relationship between Snape and Black isn't very good."
"That's normal," Kyle said casually, "His relationship with all Defense Against the Dark Arts professors is poor... Don't glare at me, Cona, it's the truth.
"Think about it, from Professor Quirrell in first year to Lockhart, Lupin... Aren't they all like that?"
Cona hesitated for a while before finally sighing in resignation.
While Snape's relationship with the other professors couldn't be described as friendly, it wasn't exactly bad either. The only exception was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor... Even a mere mention of them would prompt a cold or sarcastic remark from Snape, and this was a fact that even Cona couldn't refute.
Fortunately, the topic didn't go any further. After the front seats became available, the three of them led the younger students back to the common room.
The next day.
"I watched your match the other day."
In the entrance hall, Sirius stopped Kyle, who was on his way to breakfast, "It was brilliant. That old turtle, Karkaroff, even deducted a point from you. I really want to teach him a lesson."
"Now that you're a professor, you should be mindful of your influence." Kyle reminded him.
"Yeah, I'm a professor now..." Sirius said, "I never thought I'd be back here, and as a professor, no less... When Professor Dumbledore agreed to it, I thought I was dreaming."
Dreaming. If it were any other subject, perhaps. But Defense Against the Dark Arts... To be honest, Dumbledore would be thrilled if someone applied voluntarily.
One more person would be perfect as a backup, in case one of them could safely make it to the next school year; then he wouldn't have to keep getting turned down.
Kyle studied Sirius.
He was wearing a brand-new robe, and his usually messy hair was neatly combed and tied back.
After a period of rest, his complexion had improved significantly, and his previously pale face now had a healthy glow, hinting at his youthful handsomeness...
"Aren't you worried?" Kyle asked, "This position has always been a yearly curse, without exception."
"I've thought about this issue." Sirius said confidently, "I joined midway, and there's still Alastor Moody ahead of me. Even if there's a curse, it won't affect me...
And most importantly, all the previous professors had their own issues and were eventually forced to leave Hogwarts, but I don't. Professor Moody is the same...
Moreover, both of us are quite skilled, so even if we encounter Death Eaters or something, we can handle it."
Seeing his confident expression, Kyle didn't say anything more.
After all, even if he did, Sirius might not listen... So be it.
"Have you seen Harry?" Kyle asked.
"Oh, I did." Sirius couldn't help but laugh, "We chatted for a long time last night. He wanted to stay in my office... Of course, I'd be happy to, but I just arrived today, and there's nothing in my office. I can't have him sleep on a bench, can I?"
"Speaking of which, I never noticed how old the furniture at Hogwarts is. Those chairs look older than me."
"It's always been like this." Kyle shrugged.
This is the downside of Hogwarts; broken items can be fixed with magic, so there's no need to buy new ones... The school board obviously won't spend that much money to replace the school's furniture.
After that, the two walked towards the Great Hall, chatting about the Triwizard Tournament along the way.
"Have you found the second clue?" Sirius asked, "If you need anything, you can come to me for help... But you have to do it secretly, don't let others find out. The Triwizard Tournament rules don't allow professors to help."
"There's still three months left, no need to rush... By the way, I haven't thanked you yet."
"That Firebolt was a huge help. If I still had my Cleansweep 2000, I couldn't have dodged twenty-nine Roaming Balls, let alone escape the dragon."
"It's quite a coincidence," Sirius laughed, "I originally wanted to give you a Golden Celestial Array set as a champion's gift, but Professor Dumbledore told me you might prefer a broomstick... And the people at the Quidditch shop said the Cleansweep 2000 has been outdated for a long time."
"Professor Dumbledore?" Kyle was surprised, "He suggested you give me a broomstick?"
"Yeah..." Sirius shrugged, "We met at the Ministry of Magic. I was there to assist with the Crouch case that day.
"It's a good thing he said that, look, it's come in handy."
(End of Chapter)
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