Chapter 96: The Entry List and Albania
Chapter 96: The Entry List and Albania
On the eighth floor, in the Headmaster's Office, Dumbledore sat leisurely, sipping his tea with three lumps of sugar while observing the heated argument between Professors Snape and McGonagall.
It was quite the coincidence.
Professor McGonagall had initially come to see Dumbledore on a matter, only to overhear Professor Snape shouting about expelling a particular student upon entering.
"It's that Kyle Jopaba again. He's swindled at least five hundred Galleons from other students in the past few days."
"I said it before, Severus. He's a bad influence on the students, bold and reckless, and shows no respect for school rules. He should be expelled."
...
After listening for a while, Professor McGonagall understood the situation. She frowned and said, "Severus, we don't expel students for something as minor as selling a few items."
Severus raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze from Dumbledore to Professor McGonagall.
"Forgive my bluntness, Minerva, but he's now planning to organize students to cheat during exams."
"Cheat? Are you joking?"
Professor McGonagall, incredulous, said, "I've seen those items. They can't even be considered magical; they're just ordinary accessories."
"So, you're saying Mr. Jopaba is selling fakes?" Severus drew out the word, "After all, ordinary accessories aren't worth ten Galleons."
"Selling fakes and swindling other young witches and wizards at Hogwarts is also grounds for expulsion!"
"Calm down, Severus."
At that moment, Dumbledore finished his tea and placed a large piece of parchment on the table.
"This is their product flyer, which you probably haven't seen yet." He pointed to the enlarged and bolded line at the bottom and said, "They've actually stated it clearly, so it can't be considered deception."
Professor Snape looked up, his eyes stung by the glaring large font.
[This product is only symbolic... Purchase at your discretion.]
"Additionally..." Dumbledore paused, then said, "According to my understanding, most students purchase these for five Sickles, and only a small portion... well, the slightly better-looking ones, fetch ten Galleons."
After hearing Dumbledore's words, Professor Snape's expression suddenly turned sour, as if he had just eaten a plate of unwashed intestines.
So, it was the Slytherins who bought the ten-Galleon ones.
"And what about this line?" Professor Snape's face darkened as he looked at the flyer, "They also mentioned you, which is also deceitful."
"In fact... they're telling the truth."
Dumbledore's face turned slightly red, and he said, "I did wear something similar during my final exams, but it was later confiscated by Professor Marchbanks."
"Merlin's beard, I thought no one remembered that."
Professor Snape's face darkened like the bottom of a pot, and he grabbed the flyer and left the office.
"Bang!"
The loud slam of the door woke up the sleeping phoenix, which flew to Dumbledore's shoulder and angrily pecked at his beard.
"Sorry, Fawkes, Severus didn't mean it."
Fawkes didn't listen and continued tugging at Dumbledore's beard.
Left with no choice, Dumbledore took out some Mandrake leaves from his drawer, finally soothing his phoenix.
He then lifted his head and looked at Professor McGonagall, who was staring at him in disbelief, and said, "Don't be so surprised, Minerva. I was only seventeen at the time, and it's normal to do things that are hard to understand."
And it was a History of Magic exam, Professor Binns' class... You should understand."
Professor McGonagall's lips twitched, as if she wanted to laugh... But she held it in.
"Well..." Dumbledore changed the subject, "What did you come to see me about?"
When it came to serious matters, Professor McGonagall's expression became more solemn.
"Ahem, here's the list of arrivals you requested from June to August last year." She placed a small stack of parchment on the table and said, "The owl couldn't find you yesterday, so the Ministry sent it to me instead."
"Thank you, Minerva, I need this right now."
Dumbledore took it and flipped through it for a while, then took out another similar stack of parchment from the bookshelf behind him.
Professor McGonagall glanced at it curiously, but due to her line of sight, she could only make out the first few words,
"Departure from Albania..."
As Dumbledore began to seriously compare the two lists, Professor McGonagall quietly left upon seeing this.
With the door closed once again, silence returned to the Headmaster's Office.
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On the wall, the portraits that had been pretending to sleep opened their eyes one after another, gathering together with interest to discuss the previous topic.
"It's that young wizard named Kyle again." A witch said, "How many times has this name appeared in the Headmaster's Office?"
"At least three times." A thin old man said, "That Potions Professor has been coming here recently because of him, and he's just like that student... hypocritical."
"I don't think so." The witch who spoke earlier shook her head, "I've seen that child in the corridor, he's smart, humble, and polite. He even greets the portraits."
"Maybe he's putting on an act." A sharp and caustic voice said, "Just like that student back then... hypocritical."
"Shut up, Phineas!" A bearded wizard said angrily, "It's not the same, he's a Hufflepuff!"
"That's true." Phineas Black picked his nose and said, "He's from that dumbass house, probably doesn't have that kind of cunning..."
"How dare you..."
The bearded wizard stormed into Phineas' frame, grabbing him by the collar and saying, "Say it again, what's wrong with Hufflepuff?!"
Underneath the bearded wizard's original frame, it clearly stated that he had graduated from Hufflepuff.
"You, what are you trying to do..." Phineas, with his collar grabbed, struggled, "Let go of me, do you want to hit me too?"
"I've been wanting to for a long time!"
The bearded wizard punched him and knocked him to the ground, then started stomping on his face.
"Dumbass house? Haha! I'll show you the power of Hufflepuff today!"
The other portraits rushed over and skillfully took out snacks, drinks, and small stools, then sat in the front row to watch.
Watching the Phoenix getting beaten was their favorite entertainment.
The Headmaster's Office couldn't be without the Phoenix, just like how the mermaids in the Black Lake couldn't be without their flying broomsticks.
At this moment, Dumbledore, who had been looking at the parchment, also raised his head.
He pushed up his glasses, ignored the portraits, and walked to the window, gazing out the window in a daze.
...
(End of Chapter)
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