Chapter 896: The Board of Governors, Professor
Chapter 896: The Board of Governors, Professor
As Kyle stepped through the school gates, he was greeted by Filch, his face etched with impatience.
Previously, due to a cat named Mrs. Norris, Filch had treated Kyle better than most, but things changed... probably after Umbridge arrived at the school.
She trusted Filch greatly, granting him extensive powers, including but not limited to confiscating items at will and inspecting packages and letters.
Filch savored the taste of power for the first time.
It wasn't until Umbridge left the school, and Filch, reduced to his original form, that he reverted to his previous self, equally despising every student... and graduate.
"I don't know why the Headmaster allowed you back," Filch said in his usual unpleasant tone, "but I must remind you, don't even think about causing trouble. I'll be watching you..."
Before Filch could finish, a massive figure knocked him flying.
"Get out of the way, you old fart!"
Hagrid approached from behind, and without much effort, he sent Filch tumbling to the ground with a swift nudge.
"Welcome, Kyle," Hagrid greeted warmly, patting Kyle's shoulder with his large hand. "I never thought I'd see you here again. Come with me, I'm here to take you to Dumbledore; he asked me to fetch you."
"Oh, okay," Kyle said, pulling his feet out of the damp, soft ground.
Didn't Hagrid know his own strength, just now?
Damn, those two slaps almost knocked the Iron Body Charm out of him.
Kyle turned to look back, and Chris had already Apparated away, moving as if completing a pointless task...
Just as he said, his responsibility was only to deliver people to the school, and that was that.
Alright, then.
Kyle didn't even glance at Filch, following Hagrid towards the castle.
"If that old fart gives you any more trouble, just punch him," Hagrid said. "You're not a student anymore, no need to be polite."
"Mhm," Kyle nodded.
"Everyone hates him, that old fart," Hagrid muttered again. "I bet when the Dark Lord attacks Hogwarts, he'll be the first to turn traitor, just like the last time with that toad."
"I wonder why Dumbledore still allows him to stay at the school."
"Perhaps the Deputy Headmaster has his reasons." Kyle replied.
"Deputy Headmaster, oh right, I almost forgot that Dumbledore has become the Deputy Headmaster. To be honest, you can't really feel any difference."
"You should have come earlier."
"What?"
"The Halloween Feast this year," Hagrid said. "Everyone thought there wouldn't be any performances, but Professor Slughorn used his connections to invite a Zombie Dance Troupe, and they were amazing."
"What a shame," Kyle said.
With recent events one after another, he didn't even realize Halloween had passed.
However, he hadn't heard of a Zombie Dance Troupe, nor did he know what kind of zombies they were, and how they differed from a Skeleton Dance Troupe.
As the two talked, they entered the castle.
As Hagrid said, the change in Headmaster hadn't affected Hogwarts much. Students continued with their classes, chatting, playing Quidditch... everything remained as it was before.
"We're definitely going to win the championship this year!"
"Yeah, victory belongs to Gryffindor!"
...
Several students with brooms passed by, likely new team members, none of whom Kyle recognized.
"Is the Quidditch match about to start?" he asked.
"It's Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor," Hagrid said. "This year, Gryffindor is on a roll, and you know why. After you graduated, Harry's Firebolt found no match."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh.
Harry and Kyle were among the few student friends Hagrid had. Before Kyle's graduation, during every Quidditch match, he would be torn about whom to cheer for.
Now, there was no need for such dilemmas; he could just blindly support Gryffindor.
Moreover, Hagrid could tell Harry loved Quidditch, but regrettably, he had never won a championship.
Harry was now in his seventh year, and Hagrid naturally hoped he would win a Quidditch Cup of his own before graduating.
"Speaking of Quidditch," he turned to Kyle, "you must have received many offers from professional teams, right?"
"I did get some," Kyle acknowledged.
The last time he was home, he saw a thick stack of envelopes from various professional Quidditch teams, inviting him to be a Chaser.
Yes, a reserve.
Official matches and school matches were different; even if Kyle performed outstandingly, he couldn't directly become an official player.
Unless he could dominate like Viktor Krum, sweeping through official players.
But Kyle wasn't interested.
Quidditch, with its severely imbalanced rules, was fine as entertainment, but he'd rather not dedicate his whole being to it. Kyle didn't want to fly on a broom for days after each match.
So, those letters remained unopened, stacked neatly on his desk.
As for whether Harry could win the championship this year... it was hard to say.
Hagrid probably forgot that the school's Quidditch matches now used standardized brooms. In other words, even though Harry had the fastest Firebolt, he couldn't use it.
...
The two arrived at the eighth floor, and Hagrid led Kyle to the Headmaster's office.
"Starfish... that's the password."
The gargoyle jumped aside.
It seemed that Professor McGonagall, as the new Headmaster, had even changed the password's theme.
When Dumbledore was Headmaster, the passwords were usually his favorite candies and sweets. As for Headmaster McGonagall...
Starfish... was it an inverted starfish? This was a classic move for Quidditch Keepers, and it made sense for Headmaster McGonagall, a loyal Quidditch fan, to choose such a password.
The two climbed the stairs and entered the Headmaster's office.
To Kyle's surprise, he saw not McGonagall but Dumbledore, still seated behind the desk.
"You're here..." Dumbledore stood up with a delighted smile.
"Oh, don't get the wrong idea," he explained, noticing Kyle's puzzled expression. "Minerva felt it was too noisy here and insisted on moving the Headmaster's office to her old office."
Too noisy?
Before Kyle could ask, a piercing clanging sound filled the room.
In the painting on the wall, Armando Dippet was wielding an axe taller than himself, locked in an intense battle with Phineas.
The sound Kyle had heard earlier was from the clashing of their weapons.
Not far from the two, Dumbledore himself was watching the spectacle with a cheerful expression.
Since his retirement, his own portrait had been added to the collection.
"How strange," Dumbledore murmured, glancing at Kyle. "I wonder why these portraits suddenly have so many weapons."
"Do you know what's going on?"
"Um... well..." Kyle averted his gaze, "Maybe the Headmasters found them somewhere else. With so many portraits in Hogwarts, there might be an entire armory hidden in one of the knight's paintings."
"Is that so?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "What about the paint in the storage cabinet? I remember there was plenty left, but when they were preparing my portrait, they could only find a little."
"Perhaps we misremembered," the portrait of Dumbledore chimed in with a smile. "Albus, we've been Headmasters for almost four decades. Forgetting a few details is perfectly normal."
As he spoke, he even winked at Kyle, a gesture that seemed to say, 'Leave it to me; I've got this.'
"Perhaps so," Dumbledore said. "Thank you for your efforts, Hagrid. Would you mind finding Minerva again? She should be finishing her class soon."
"Okay," Hagrid turned and left without hesitation.
Kyle surveyed Dumbledore from head to toe, "Allow me to remind you, Professor, that you're only the Deputy Headmaster now."
"Yes, that's right," Dumbledore said. "But some matters must be discussed here. Minerva has only changed her office location; she'll still be coming here."
In a short while, Armando Dippet had already carved a cross on Phineas' backside, causing him to howl in pain.
"It's certainly livelier now," the portrait of Dumbledore sighed, and the real Dumbledore nodded in agreement, quickly reaching a consensus.
Kyle had more questions, but seeing that Dumbledore didn't intend to continue, he closed his mouth.
After about ten minutes, the door to the Headmaster's office opened.
Minerva McGonagall entered from outside.
"Headmaster, you're here," Dumbledore quickly stood up.
McGonagall's eyes twitched visibly, seemingly still adjusting to the new Dumbledore.
"Professor McGonagall," Kyle followed closely behind.
"You can still call me Professor, just as we agreed before," she said.
"Okay, Professor McGonagall," Kyle said. "My father told me I could come work at Hogwarts?"
"That's right," Professor McGonagall nodded. "I wonder if you're willing to."
As everyone was familiar with each other, there was no need for formalities, and they got straight to the point.
"May I ask which subject it is?" Kyle asked cautiously. "It's not Dark Arts, is it?"
"As far as I know, Severus doesn't plan to share his work with anyone," Dumbledore said. "But if you're interested, you can discuss it with him."
"Oh, no need for that. I have no desire to be the Dark Arts Professor," Kyle breathed a sigh of relief.
If it wasn't that, then the other subjects should be fine, he glanced at Professor McGonagall, "Is it Transfiguration?"
Professor McGonagall was both the Headmistress and a teacher, could she handle the workload?
"I'm actually fine," Professor McGonagall said expressionlessly. "In my opinion, the current situation isn't much different from before."
Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably and looked away.
"I wasn't finished yet." Dumbledore smiled, "Although all eleven board members disagreed, there was one person who was very interested and promised to contribute financially to support the plan for a new class."
"What's the point of one person?" Kyle sighed, "The preparations, various equipment, materials, and ongoing investments, all of this adds up to at least tens of thousands of Galleons. Can he afford that much?"
"Of course, I still have quite a bit of savings."
...
"Wait a minute." Kyle looked at Dumbledore in confusion, "You have savings... What do you mean by that?"
"That board member is me." Dumbledore smiled even more.
"As it turns out, one of the board members, fearing Tom and the Death Eaters, relocated to Romania recently, leaving an open position."
"So you took his place?"
"That's right." Dumbledore said, "The Headmaster cannot serve as a board member, but the Deputy Headmaster can, and I just happen to meet that requirement."
"..." For a moment, Kyle didn't know what to say.
From Headmaster to Board Member... Dumbledore had received a promotion, at least in name, as a Board Member held more weight than the Headmaster.
Kyle still felt a bit dreamy. A Board Member, he wondered if Dumbledore would make things difficult for him if he agreed to take on the role of Alchemy Professor.
Could he take back all those times he addressed Dumbledore as 'Mr.'?
"Well, are you willing to become the first Alchemy Professor?"
Professor McGonagall's words snapped Kyle back to reality.
"When?" he asked, "It's definitely not possible right now, right?"
"You're right." Professor McGonagall nodded, "The course selection for third years has already ended, and we can't suddenly add a new class."
"For now, it's just a plan." Dumbledore added, "And in the current situation, it's better for Hogwarts to maintain the status quo."
"Wait until we defeat Tom," I'll go to Beauxbatons and consult with Professor Viktor on more specific details.
"Also, the Substance Transmutation Furnace, which is essential for Alchemy class, also requires time to craft. It's a massive undertaking, and I can't guarantee success on the first try."
So it was just a plan.
Kyle had thought that Alchemy class was already on the agenda when he heard them talking earlier, but it seems they still have to wait until the threat of Voldemort is resolved.
Kyle smacked his lips, feeling a bit stuffed from the cake.
He also knew that this was necessary.
Outside, Voldemort and the Death Eaters were watching closely, and Dumbledore couldn't possibly abandon Hogwarts and spend his time crafting the Transmutation Furnace.
"Since you've brought me here so early," Kyle asked, "If I don't have to teach and there's an empty professor position, I have no objections."
No teaching and still getting paid, only a fool would refuse... The salary of a Hogwarts professor wasn't low.
Unfortunately, neither Professor McGonagall nor Dumbledore were fools, especially now that Dumbledore was also a Board Member, the one paying for it.
"No, no, no. The school's funds are limited, and every Galleon needs to be spent wisely."
Look at that, the stingy expression was already on his face.
"The reason I invited you to Hogwarts is mainly to get you out of Tom's sight." Dumbledore explained, "You caused him a lot of trouble recently, and I'm worried he'll get angry and do something reckless to cause you trouble."
"Apart from that, becoming a good professor isn't easy either. You need to adapt in advance... and it's also a way for the Board to evaluate you."
"Alright, which class?" Kyle asked.
"Ancient Runes."
Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Bathilda has been planning a long journey and has asked for leave several times. But Hogwarts couldn't find a second professor for Ancient Runes, so I never agreed."
"Ancient Runes, huh." Kyle pondered.
He hadn't expected this.
But this class wasn't bad either. It could be said to be the easiest class at Hogwarts... with only one class per week, and students from all four houses attending together.
If the schedule is tight, you can finish a week's worth of classes in a day. There's no easier professor job than this in the entire Hogwarts.
And more importantly, Ancient Runes are closely related to Alchemy.
"I suggest you give it a try."
Seeing that Kyle wasn't speaking, Dumbledore said meaningfully, "All the Headmasters you know, including me and Miller, have been professors at the school.
"Whether it's salary, cultivation, or enhancing your reputation, it's a pretty good job.
"Even Tom has applied to become a professor for several years in a row."
"Alright, I agree." Kyle said, "When will it start?"
"There's no rush." Seeing Kyle nod in agreement, Professor McGonagall immediately showed a relaxed smile.
"Great, I won't have to listen to Professor Bathilda nagging me every time." She turned and walked out, "I'll prepare the necessary documents."
"Congratulations." Dumbledore also smiled and said, "Do you need me to arrange a dormitory? The school has teacher dormitories, usually next to the office."
"No, that's okay." Kyle shook his head, "I plan to live near the Forbidden Forest, next to Hagrid. Is that alright?"
"If you insist, there's no problem." Dumbledore laughed, "Hagrid will be very happy to hear that. He's always wanted a neighbor."
"That's wonderful." Kyle said, feeling equally delighted.
Living in the castle was convenient, but it also felt restrictive. Living outside was much better.
The Forbidden Forest was vast and had a great environment. Usually, no students would disturb him there except for the Care of Magical Creatures class.
Living outside was much more free than in the castle.
...
(End of Chapter)
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