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Chapter 6: Professor Mcgonagall's Visit
Chapter 6: Professor Mcgonagall's Visit
Exactly 7:00 PM.
Sherlock looked at the unhappy face in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.
In the study, the portrait on the wall began to grumble and curse again.
He didn't stay in the study but instead took his wand, grabbed a magic book, and firmly closed the study door. Then he sat down on the sofa in the living room.
The original owner was an emotionally closed-off person. Even in front of the Dumbledore he most admired, he never truly revealed his true feelings.
So Sherlock boldly guessed that the study, as his secret hideout, would not be allowed to be entered by any outsiders, even Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress, Professor Mcgonagall.
Therefore, he chose the living room as the meeting place.
Exactly 7:20 PM.
There were no footsteps from outside, but a light knock on the door suddenly rang out.
She had arrived.
Sherlock took a deep breath, suppressing his inner nervousness. He put the magic book he had been staring at for a long time back on the coffee table, stood up, and walked to the living room door to open it for the visitor.
Outside stood a tall old lady wearing square glasses, with her curly black hair tied up in a high bun. She wore a deep green robe over a plaid shirt. Her head was adorned with a very noticeable pointed hat, and her face, full of wrinkles from the passage of time, bore a stern expression. At first glance, one could feel her authority.
"Good evening, Sherlock."
Professor Mcgonagall didn't seem too distant with Sherlock. She called him by his first name rather than his last.
Sherlock's expression was sullen, his eyebrows furrowed. He stepped aside to let Professor Mcgonagall in and replied in a lukewarm tone.
"Good evening, Professor."
Once inside the living room, Professor Mcgonagall didn't notice that the current Sherlock was different from the one she knew before. She didn't detect any abnormality.
"You really should get out more instead of staying cooped up at home all day. Or you could visit your father more often; after all, he is your only remaining family."
Professor Mcgonagall sighed as she spoke and sat down on the sofa in the living room.
Her words confirmed Sherlock's earlier guess.
Her relationship with the original owner was not just ordinary!
Even though the diary mentioned Professor Mcgonagall only briefly, her tone when speaking to Sherlock clearly resembled that of an elder counseling a junior.
Sherlock's already tense heart beat even faster.
The more familiar she was, the higher the chance of being exposed!
He had no idea what kind of relationship the two of them had.
He also had no clue about the original owner's attitude toward Professor Mcgonagall.
But it was too late to back out now. Sherlock could only proceed as planned.
"My affairs are none of your concern."
His tone remained cold, but his next words sounded somewhat eager.
"You mentioned in your letter that there has been a development in the matter I discussed with Professor Dumbledore. What was Professor Dumbledore's response?"
Sherlock didn't directly ask if the application to join the Order of the Phoenix had been answered.
The more he said, the more likely he was to make a mistake. If the original owner and Dumbledore had discussed other matters that weren't written in the diary, Sherlock would be in trouble.
By phrasing his question this way, he shifted the burden to Professor Mcgonagall.
Throughout the entire conversation, Professor Mcgonagall never noticed anything amiss with Sherlock.
Sherlock now behaves exactly as one would expect, cold and distant to everyone except when it comes to gaining Dumbledore's approval, which he pursues with unwavering enthusiasm.
Professor Mcgonagall rarely sighed, but she did so now, followed by a gentle smile as she looked at Sherlock.
"Dumbledore has agreed to your request to join the Order of the Phoenix. He recognizes your abilities and character."
Upon hearing this expected result, Sherlock's tension eased, and his face lit up with surprise.
"I knew it! A great wizard like Professor Dumbledore wouldn't reject my application."
But then he made an effort to appear indifferent to the news.
"There was no need for you to come all the way here just for this. You could have told me in a letter and informed me of the Order of the Phoenix meeting times."
Seeing his childlike demeanor, Professor Mcgonagall sighed and shook her head. Then, with a serious expression, she looked at Sherlock.
"There is something sensitive I shouldn't tell you, but you are Sally's son, and it concerns your safety. Joining the Order of the Phoenix is not as simple as joining a Hogwarts club. Especially this year, with unexpected events, becoming a member of the Order means you will face dangers and might even risk your life."
Sherlock's thoughts raced. This year, Harry Potter had just finished his first year, meaning the Philosopher's Stone storyline was over. Voldemort's spirit was now on the radar of both Harry Potter and Dumbledore, so the danger Professor Mcgonagall mentioned was likely related to this.
The Order of the Phoenix was formed to combat Voldemort's Death Eaters. The danger was real, but Sherlock couldn't back out now, not in front of Professor Mcgonagall. The original owner of his body would have been willing to die for his idol, Dumbledore, and such a sentiment wasn't something he could express.
So, Sherlock maintained his cold and slightly disdainful tone.
"Of course, I was prepared for this. There's no need to remind me again, Professor Mcgonagall. If I lacked such resolve, I wouldn't have applied to Professor Dumbledore in the first place. Is there anything else?"
Professor Mcgonagall was used to his abrasive attitude. To those unaware, Sherlock might seem thoroughly detestable, but Professor Mcgonagall, who understood the reasons behind his character, felt only pity, not malice.
Despite Sherlock's clear desire to end the conversation, Professor Mcgonagall’s face broke into a strangely comforting smile. She then pulled a parchment from her robe pocket.
"Also, congratulations, Sherlock. Dumbledore has agreed to your application for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor this year. Here is your appointment letter. From this semester, we will be colleagues."
Sherlock, who had been relieved that his act had not faltered, suddenly froze upon hearing her words.
(End of Chapter)
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