days at Hogwarts

Chapter 553 You Rule, I Laugh
The bright sunshine sprinkled on the straight and spacious corridor, like quietly unfolding golden flowers, adding a bit of vitality to the silent and deserted ancient castle. Loren and Hermione walked in the Hogwarts Castle after two months' absence, looking at the wizard paintings on the walls on both sides with boredom.

The frames were empty, and the talking portraits seemed to be travelling.

Professor McGonagall walked in front with a steady posture, wearing a black women's wizard robe, with a neutral expression and her eyes straight ahead.

However, the old professor's heart was not as calm as she appeared now. She pursed her lips slightly, glanced at the glass jar in Loren's hand, and frowned. A deep voice came out of her throat:

"I have to report what just happened to Albus, Loren, Hermione. You have arrived at a perfect time. Come with me to the headmaster's office. He is there."

"Professor, why did Dolores Umbridge make such a request..." Hermione asked cautiously, also pursing her lips slightly, frowning her eyebrows, with the same expression as Professor McGonagall, "Does she really want to apply for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

In the past few hundred years, some people have used the teaching position at Hogwarts as a springboard to accumulate fame, establish connections with the school board, obtain political resources for themselves, and then join the Ministry of Magic. There are also people like Alastor Moody, who, after resigning from the Ministry of Magic, were unwilling to live an ordinary retirement life and chose to teach at Hogwarts.

But no one at the peak of their career has ever chosen to teach at the school. You know, the power and status of the Senior Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Magic are much greater than a teaching position at Hogwarts.

"She doesn't have the ambition and patience to cultivate students. She just wants to monitor Hogwarts and Dumbledore's movements on behalf of the Ministry of Magic." Professor McGonagall's tone was very impolite, even with a hint of sarcasm. "The Ministry of Magic wants to interfere with Hogwarts and even wants to disintegrate our unity and seize the power of the school professors..."

From Professor McGonagall's narration, Loren and Hermione learned that a lot of things happened during the summer vacation, and there was unrest between Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. First, Dumbledore publicly issued a warning statement, claiming that Voldemort had returned, and Cornelius Fudge took the opportunity to dismiss Dumbledore from all his positions except that of the headmaster.

"Albus said he didn't care what they did as long as they didn't tear him out of the Chocolate Frog picture, but some people apparently didn't think so..."

Without Dumbledore's permission, the Office of the Minister of Magic issued a new decree, Educational Decree No. 24, with Umbridge as the senior investigator to review and judge all student organizations, associations, teams or clubs in Hogwarts. All gatherings of more than three students need to be approved by Umbridge. A series of standards have been formulated to review all teaching positions in Hogwarts, and unqualified teaching staff will be expelled...

Umbridge's initial request was not for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor McGonagall was so angry that she laughed and rejected their so-called educational order without any hesitation. She said that the procedures were not in compliance with regulations and that Hogwarts had independent powers. The lectures almost made Umbridge unable to raise her head. Finally, she found that the hard way didn't work, so she had to try the soft way and applied for the teaching position as the second best option.

Hermione asked quietly, "So, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class hasn't found a professor yet?"

Professor McGonagall sighed: "Dumbledore originally had several suitable candidates, but the news that Mad-Eye was detained for a whole year spread last year. Even the Auror Mad-Eye encountered such a thing. People are even more afraid of the rumored curse, so..."

Loren, who was walking next to him, twitched his lips: "..."

Let Professor Snape change his job. He has been eyeing the Defense Against the Dark Arts class for a long time. It will be easier to recruit a new Potions professor than a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

Before he could make a suggestion that would benefit everyone, Professor McGonagall had already spoken the command to the monster statue. After a rumbling sound, the three of them stepped onto the spiral staircase, walked all the way to the headmaster's office, and knocked on the heavy oak door.

The warm sunlight poured into the entire office through the window lattice. The principal in a white robe was sitting behind the desk.

He was tall, with sharp eyes, and that figure sitting there represented a kind of stability.

Fox was lazily leaning against the window basking in the sun. His golden and red feathers were shining brightly in the sunlight. He was combing his feathers with his delicate beak. His posture revealed some of the mystery and elegance of a phoenix.

Loren and Hermione's hearts, which had been tossing and turning all the way, suddenly calmed down, as if they no longer had to worry about anything. They smiled and greeted, "Principal."

"Loren, Hermione, I knew you guys got back safely. The aroma of the barbecue wafted over here at noon, and Fawkes even ate two extra meat patties for lunch."

Dumbledore said with a smile, calling for a few chairs for them to sit down, pouring tea for them one by one, and turned to look at Professor McGonagall beside him, "Do you have any good news to tell me, Minerva?"

"That's good news indeed!" Professor McGonagall said unhappily, "The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor you've been worrying about has been hired by someone else, and it's the Senior Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Umbridge!"

"Hmm..." Dumbledore thought for a moment and nodded. "He is not the most suitable candidate in my opinion, if no one else applies."

Loren and Hermione blinked, feeling a little strange in their hearts. They were unsure whether Professor Dumbledore's words were a joke or not, so they secretly glanced at the professor next to them who had a pale face.

"Are you kidding me, Albus?"

Professor McGonagall raised her voice, and the Vice-Principal's authority made the Principal shrink his neck. "You hired someone who wanted to destroy Hogwarts? Are you not clear about her real purpose? Or are you really senile?"

Loren and Hermione said nothing, just held their teacups and sipped from them.

"Don't be so nervous, Minerva." Dumbledore poured her tea with a smile. The curling steam made Professor McGonagall's eyes close a little. "If she doesn't have the power to review the student body, doesn't have the power to expel teachers, and is just an ordinary Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, it won't cause any harm to Hogwarts. If she is unqualified, we can just find someone else... School is about to start, we can't let the Defense Against the Dark Arts class be vacant, can we?"

Professor McGonagall was stunned for a moment, staring at him hesitantly, her tense nerves relaxed a little, and she subconsciously thought about this possibility.

Looking back over the past few years, the professors of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class at Hogwarts are basically not normal people: dark wizards possessed by Voldemort, swindlers who can only tell stories, and Death Eaters who are disguised and lurking with evil intentions...

Umbridge is the Senior Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Magic and, strictly speaking, a good wizard who abides by the laws. At least compared with the above-mentioned dangerous elements, she does not seem so unacceptable.

Realizing this, Professor McGonagall had a complicated expression and was in a dilemma.

Seeing the reaction of his vice-principal, Dumbledore smiled and did not ask any further questions. Instead, he glanced at the glass jar on the table and chatted with the two young wizards next to him: "Is the trip with the giant tribe going smoothly? It seems that you have unexpected gains?"

Loren held the teacup and sipped tea, looking like it was a long story and he didn't want to talk about it.

Hermione pushed him and answered honestly, "We arrived at Ben Nevis via Floo powder and got help from Old Dodd, the owner of the Swill Pub. We found the giant tribe very easily and reached an agreement with the three giant brothers and sisters..."

The golden sunlight cast dazzling spots of light in the room, accompanied by the sound of slurping tea. A story of adventure that was not very exciting or dramatic was told by the little witch, but the two senior wizards listened very carefully.

They have bodies that are larger than most creatures in the world, and are enlightened by the light of wisdom from two wizards...

The two innocent little guys had no idea what a feat they had accomplished.

Dumbledore's azure eyes narrowed slightly, and his meaningful gaze seemed to see through many obstacles and see the giant tribe gradually rising in the valley of Ben Nevis. "What an incredible story..." Dumbledore's eyes fell on the two young wizards with approval, and he said in a trance, "Perhaps hundreds of years later, this chapter will be recorded in myths and historical documents. The two wizards are like gods, saving the giants from ignorance and confusion, and the three chosen brothers and sisters ushered in a new era of giants."

"what?"

Hermione blinked, and Loren was also stunned for a moment. He reacted belatedly and realized that what they were doing seemed to be a bit similar to those legends. Many mythological stories instantly emerged in his mind.

A certain ethnic group has been in a state of ignorance and oppression for a long time. One or several leading members of the tribe are chosen by a mysterious force to lead the tribe to migrate to the promised land where milk and honey flow, and develop a huge country.

"hiss……"

Loren looked disgusted and waved his hands, "I don't want to be a charlatan. Others don't know it, don't we? The truth of those weird stories is that wizards interfere in Muggle politics and ethnic struggles, which generally don't have any good results... Let's not talk about this, let's talk about Hagrid's half-brother. How do you plan to place him? Are you really going to let him roam free in the Forbidden Forest?"

Dumbledore laughed sincerely. "Why not? If Hagrid can really teach him something and get the consent of the natives of the Forbidden Forest, perhaps I can hire Grawp as the new gamekeeper, a giant gamekeeper. Gilbert will definitely envy us..."

Professor McGonagall's eyebrows were knitted together. She obviously had something to say, but she didn't refute it immediately.

"So what should we do with these two hamsters?"

"Well...if they are handed over to the Ministry of Magic, they will be imprisoned in Azkaban. It won't be long before they return to Voldemort. I plan to find a safer place for them."

"Then leave it to you."

"..."

After drinking a few cups of mellow and sweet tea and speaking a few words, all those worrying questions were answered. It seemed that Dumbledore possessed such magic that as long as he sat in front of you, all problems were no longer problems, and all troublesome things became clear.

Loren and Hermione did not get into the same dilemma as Professor McGonagall. They happily drank tea and ate snacks, talking about drawing alchemical circles on giant skins, giant game keepers, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts class next semester, and recommending which young wizards were suitable to be prefects.

The covetous Ministry of Magic and Voldemort lurking in the dark were all thrown out of the window and blown away with the slightly hot evening breeze at the end of summer.

The sun gradually set into the west, the golden sunlight gradually turned into orange, and the sky gradually darkened.

Loren swallowed the scone with the last sip of tea, looked out the window, wiped his mouth and said, "Professor, school will start in a few days. Can we live in the school until school starts?"

Professor McGonagall thought about it and realized that the house-elves had already cleaned up the dormitories for the four colleges, and that there would be enough food for two people for three normal meals. She felt that there was no problem, and when she was about to nod in agreement, Dumbledore smiled and rejected the request.

"I'm sorry, Loren, Hermione. Hogwarts has a clear rule that students are not allowed to arrive at school before the official start of the semester, so I can't keep you..." Dumbledore said in a gentle voice with a tactful apology, "Considering that you have a long way to go back to Grimmauld Place, I'll let Fawkes take you there. Don't worry, it will be quick."

"No... Headmaster Dumbledore!"

Loren and Hermione were stunned.

A Ministry of Magic official with evil intentions is joining Hogwarts, and you agree.

A deranged giant is going to take up permanent residence in the Forbidden Forest, you agree.

We two well-behaved little wizards want to stay in school for two more days, and you decisively refuse! ?
School rules?

I find it funny when you mention school rules.

"The sun is about to set. Molly should start preparing dinner. You should go back quickly." Dumbledore turned to look at the Phoenix who was drowsy on the windowsill. "Fawkes, send them back."

"squeak!"

……

Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Basement Kitchen.

"So Dumbledore really sent you on a dangerous mission to fight two vicious Death Eaters head-on!"

Molly gritted her teeth as she spoke. The knife and fork made a teeth-grinding sound as they scraped against the plate. She soon began to sob again, her eyes red. "We adults aren't dead yet, why didn't he let us go? He put two little wizards in danger. Could Dumbledore really do that? He's really getting old and confused..."

The whole dining table was silent. Arthur, Lupin and Sirius lowered their heads and did not dare to look up. They ate very carefully. The table was filled with tempting dishes, but they only dared to take the food in front of them. Arthur broke a slice of bread and stared at the jam not far away, not daring to make a sound.

"Don't... don't worry, Mrs. Weasley, aren't we back safely?" Hermione subconsciously defended herself, adding hurriedly, "And the situation is not as dangerous as you think..."

George and Fred looked at each other, their eyes locked, their tacit understanding evident.

Fortunately, I didn’t tell my mother.

Otherwise their adventure would have been ruined.

On the other side, Harry, Ron, Ginny and others also remained silent, their eyes occasionally falling on Sirius, then looking away as if nothing had happened.

"Something's wrong. Something's wrong with these people..."

Loren, who was standing next to them, glanced at the expressions of the few people and seemed to be thinking about something.

(End of this chapter)