Chapter 7: The Appointment Letter for the Dark Magic Defense Professor
Chapter 7: The Appointment Letter for the Dark Magic Defense Professor
Professor Mcgonagall's words left Sherlock utterly stunned.
He had never imagined that the position of Dark Magic Defense Professor would actually be offered to him.
Leaving aside whether this year's professor position had already been filled,
even if it hadn't been, given the original owner's troublesome personality, it seemed impossible that he would be chosen!
He was full of flaws; how could he possibly teach students well?
Sherlock's shock did not seem out of place to Professor Mcgonagall.
In fact, she expected him to react this way.
After all, he had been applying for this position for three years, and Dumbledore had never agreed to it.
Even when he visited Hogwarts three months ago, he didn't get the result he wanted.
So, it was only natural that he would be surprised when she suddenly presented him with the appointment letter.
"I know you find this incredible", Professor Mcgonagall explained. "Three months ago, when you heard about Quirrell's accident and applied for the position again, Dumbledore already had a new Defense Professor in mind, and that person had agreed to take the job."
Sherlock's eyes didn't leave Professor Mcgonagall's face as he asked tentatively,
"So, the new Defense Professor who was supposed to start this year has run into some trouble?"
Professor Mcgonagall nodded and continued.
"Exactly. The originally appointed Defense Professor was Gilderoy Lockhart."
"A month ago, he was exposed as a fraud, using Memory Charms to steal the experiences of other wizard adventurers and pass them off as his own, writing them into best-selling biographies. This made him a star in the magical world."
"However, a victim recently exposed his deception, and he is now in custody of the Ministry of Magic's Aurors. In two days, the Wizengamot will hold a trial for him."
"Although the official verdict hasn't been announced yet, all the evidence clearly shows that his future will be spent in Azkaban."
"Now, with the new school year starting in less than two months, Dumbledore believes that you are the only one who can fill this position under these circumstances."
Even though Professor Mcgonagall spoke diplomatically, Sherlock was no longer the troublesome child he once was.
He could easily understand that Dumbledore's decision to appoint him as the new Defense Professor was a last resort.
With the school year approaching and the previously chosen professor now in custody, classes couldn't just be canceled.
So, Dumbledore had to choose from a limited pool of candidates, and Sherlock, who had long desired this position, was the best option.
After all, while the original owner had a problematic personality, his magical knowledge was solid.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been easily accepted into the Auror Office, the most stringent department of the Ministry of Magic.
This realization left the newly arrived Sherlock in a state of confusion.
Apart from the fact that he couldn't perform even a single spell, his current situation made it almost impossible for him to teach students.
Moreover, the position of Dark Magic Defense Professor came with its own set of significant challenges.
Is this a position that a normal person would dare to take on as a professor?
Even Sherlock, who had never read the original books or watched the movies, knew that in the seven books, there were seven different Defence Professors, and those who left the position either died, were injured, or were disgraced.
But if he were to refuse, what reason could he give?
The original owner's desperate desire to return to Hogwarts and his annual harassment of Dumbledore had completely cut off any possible escape routes.
Sherlock really couldn't find an excuse to refuse this appointment letter.
Professor Mcgonagall hadn't even considered the possibility that Sherlock might refuse the position. She directly handed him the appointment letter and a train ticket, then instructed him.
"You need to decide on the textbooks you will use for your classes as soon as possible and send me the list by owl before August. If you plan to take the Hogwarts Express to school, you can board the train on the first day of term using this ticket."
After saying this, Professor Mcgonagall stood up and drew her wand.
Before leaving, she smiled at Sherlock and said,
"May Selena bless you, Sherlock. I'll see you at Hogwarts."
With that, she disappeared from the living room.
After she left, Sherlock silently stared at the appointment letter in his hand, the words "Dark Magic Defence Professor" glaringly obvious.
After a long while, he finally muttered three words.
"Wang Defa!"
At Hogwarts, the ancient castle was deserted during the summer break, making the usually bustling corridors eerily quiet.
Professor Mcgonagall, having just returned to the school, walked straight into Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore, with his white beard and dressed in a deep blue nightgown, was bent over his desk, handling paperwork.
Upon seeing Professor Mcgonagall enter, he straightened up and wearily removed his half-moon glasses.
"Forrest has received the appointment letter?"
"I delivered it to him personally", Professor Mcgonagall replied, hesitating as if she had something more to say.
Dumbledore sensed her hesitation and smiled gently.
"Don't hold back, Minerva. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them with me."
"Do you really think Sherlock is suitable for this position?" Professor Mcgonagall furrowed her brow.
Because of her relationship with Sherlock's mother, she was genuinely happy that he had the chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a professor at Hogwarts.
But to be honest, given Sherlock's problematic personality, taking on a professorship at a school like Hogwarts would be a disservice to the students.
Dumbledore replied calmly,
"Eventually, he needs to realize that he is no longer the lonely child who had no one to accompany him. The recognition he seeks has never come from me, but from himself."
"Teaching students with his knowledge, seeing their efforts, and receiving their gratitude will help him understand this more quickly."
"Besides, his defensive magic skills are indeed superior to those of many wizards, aren't they?"
He stood up from his chair, hands behind his back, and walked to the wall hung with portraits of former headmasters.
It wasn't clear whether he was addressing the gently snoring portraits or Professor Mcgonagall, but Dumbledore said softly,
"His talent is exceptional, just like his mother's. His personality flaws should not hinder his future. We need reliable friends, and I hope this experience at Hogwarts will help him mature quickly."
(End of Chapter)
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