A certain Hogwarts rune professor

Chapter 112 Dumbledore's Afternoon Tea
The young wizards who were eating breakfast in the auditorium were whispering.

Hermione borrowed a newspaper from the seat next to her, pointed to the words on it and said, "Look here," Lockhart tampered with wizards' memories, got their stories, and used Empty to make them forget everything. Only seven victims were found, their memories permanently damaged.'”

The chicken legs in Ron's mouth were no longer fragrant, "So, I almost lost my memory forever?"

He still felt unbelievable that with Lockhart's usual level of magic, he was able to succeed in sneak attacks repeatedly.

Harry also said with lingering fear: "You may not even know that you have lost your memory. Who would have thought that he is a real master of the Forgetting Curse?"

"It's horrible that I've spent a week in an office with someone like this." Ron gulped down a gulp of pumpkin juice.

"I don't know who captured Lockhart?"

"Isn't it an Auror from the Ministry of Magic? I heard from Dean."

"Impossible, I asked the fat lady, and she said that no outsiders came that day." Hermione said casually.

"How does she know?" Ron was shocked. "It's just a portrait."

"Ron, the portrait also retains its own personality. The fat lady is keen on opera and chatting. She often visits other portraits when no one is around." Hermione narrowed her eyes, "As long as you praise her a few more words about singing Well done, she'll be happy to share some gossip with you."

"And to be fair, her songs aren't bad."

……

That afternoon, in the headmaster's office, Felix and Dumbledore sat face to face, discussing the aftermath of Lockhart's arrest.

On the table were plates of petit fours and biscuits, and two glasses of pumpkin juice.

"Unfortunately, more people may be hurt than originally expected." Dumbledore said softly.

"More than his adventures?"

"Yes, he can't guarantee that every story he encounters is attractive enough."

Felix flipped through some newspapers on the table, "Why didn't you see the report on Rita Skeeter?" This is not like her.

Could it be that he was afraid that his attack on Lockhart would be exposed?But memory can be difficult to use as evidence, especially when the perpetrator is a master of memory himself.Even if Lockhart identified Rita Skeeter in court, it would not mean much.

"She's in some trouble." Dumbledore poked a piece of cake with a small fork. "It tastes pretty good, Felix. I highly recommend it."

Felix inserted a piece into his mouth, "Will she put herself in trouble? That's a smart person."

Dumbledore glanced at him, "Smart people also make mistakes, and they are more likely to find loopholes in the rules than ordinary people, so the mistakes they make may be bigger."

"So her trouble is—"

"According to the information I got, she did everything possible to find out the inside story of Lockhart's arrest, and then rushed to the Ministry of Magic to register Animagus on the same day."

"Animagus," Felix repeated, swallowing the cake. "Yeah, Animagus, illegal Animagus..."

He finally understood why Rita Skeeter had attacked Lockhart.

"I guess her transformation must be some kind of tiny creature." Felix said with certainty.

"It's a beetle." Dumbledore said calmly. "If the facts are as we think, there is a reason for her being well-informed all these years. From your previous judgment, Lockhart was under the Oblivion Curse, but he Having escaped the spell, it puts her in a very awkward position."

Memories can be faked, but magic doesn't lie.If Lockhart really testified that Rita Skeeter was an illegal Animagus, there must be quite a few people at the Ministry of Magic who would be interested in checking it out.

In the past few years, Rita Skeeter has acted recklessly, and she has offended many people.

"I don't think it will come easily to her," said Felix.

After a moment of silence, Felix said, "Principal Dumbledore, there are still five months until the next school year, what about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"

Dumbledore also showed a distressed expression. He couldn't help but smacked his lips and sighed, "The professor of this course is really exhausted."

"So, the Dark Lord's curse is real?"

"I think so. No Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has been teaching for more than a year since I rejected Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "I think he must have been so angry that he was rejected twice."

"Twice?" Felix looked at him strangely. "You turned him down twice?"

I, who was rejected three times, are still eating cake in the principal's office.

"No, Felix." Dumbledore blinked and said relaxedly, "Principal Dippet thought he was too young and rejected him. He disappeared for ten years after that, and when he came to apply for a job again, I barely recognize him anymore, and I unequivocally say no to him."

"Professor Snape has always been obsessed with this class." Felix played the side drum for his dean.

"Severus..." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "I won't give him this class."

"Why? When I was in school, no one died, only one or two suffered minor injuries. It seems that the curse has little effect."

"That's because no one has been on the course for more than a year." Dumbledore sighed softly. "It's the only way I've come up with, but over the past 30 years the subject has gotten a bad rap and it's getting harder and harder to find qualified teachers."

This is indeed true.

The reason why Felix rejects the Defense Against the Dark Arts class is that on the one hand, the appointment period of this class is one year by default, which is never exceptional, and it does not meet his purpose; on the other hand, this position is really evil, and every professor At the end of the term, there are more or less accidents.

But in his view, this time the risk is not great.Snape can completely substitute for half a year's class, at worst, hand it over to the new professor next year.

Felix gave his advice.

"But Severus will be teaching at Hogwarts next year, won't he?" Dumbledore looked at him meaningfully.

"You mean, as long as this person is still in school, the curse won't stop?" Felix asked sharply.

"According to my observation, this is the case. I also invited several resigned Defense Against the Dark Arts professors to transfer to other positions. As a result, serious accidents occurred..." Dumbledore fell into memory, "But I will take a class or two temporarily. Classes don't matter."

The information he revealed was astonishing. It almost said that once you are infected with the curse, you must escape from Hogwarts for at most one year. Otherwise, even if you resign from the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, you will not be spared.

Dumbledore would not seek Snape.

Felix completely dismissed the idea of ​​helping him find a teaching position in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the two began to discuss the curse itself.

"How did he do it?" Felix asked.

This seemed unbelievable to him, since Voldemort's curse was a little too closely associated with the school.

But Hogwarts itself actually has a very good defense system, and it is difficult to be influenced by outsiders.

"The rest are all my guesses, and it's right to be a chat during afternoon tea."

"of course."

"I think Voldemort has cleverly used his status as the heir of Slytherin, and he is also very good at curses... In short, when the two are combined, the effect is amazing." Dumbledore Said.

"Can Voldemort affect the operation of Hogwarts?" Felix asked terrified.This statement is amazing...

"No, Felix. The order at Hogwarts has existed for a thousand years, and even Salazar Slytherin will not be able to reoccupy the school."

"That--"

"Voldemort paid a huge price. From all indications, he gave up Hogwarts' asylum forever-this is the power that belongs exclusively to the descendants of the four founders, and imposed this curse with his own hatred."

After a long silence—

"Then how to lift the curse?"

"Voldemort's death." Dumbledore lowered his gaze.

"So you knew early on that he wasn't dead?"

"Yes, I always knew." Dumbledore murmured, "The existence of the curse explains everything."

Next, the two discussed the curse for a long time, and Felix knew a lot about Hogwarts.

As Felix took his leave, Dumbledore sat quietly in a chair, on a table with slender legs, an array of outlandish silverware, whirling and puffing out little puffs of smoke.

There are portraits of the former male and female principals on the wall. They whispered and discussed the topic they had just discussed in a low voice.

On the shelf of the cabinet opposite the table was a tattered, crumpled wizard's hat.At this moment, a slit near the brim of the Sorting Hat opened like a mouth: "Dumbledore, this is not like you."

Dumbledore put his slender fingers together, "Do you have any insights, the Sorting Hat? I'm all ears."

"You said a lot today, I thought...you would bury it in your heart."

"Maybe I just got hooked, Felix is ​​a good listener."

"Perhaps...but you are revealing the school's secrets little by little, and that is the exclusive authority of the headmaster. Dumbledore..."

Portraits on the walls stared at the Sorting Hat.

"...I guess, you want to train that boy?"

Dumbledore smiled, his beard trembling slightly: "The Sorting Hat, what do you think of him, from your own perspective?"

"He wants to study me, I can tell, even though he hides this idea tightly. He is really an excellent wizard, reminds me of Ms. Ravenclaw, and I look forward to his growth." The sorting hat grinned Mouth said.

Dumbledore showed a surprised expression. He has been with the Sorting Hat for nearly half a century. He naturally knows that although the Sorting Hat respects the four founders, it has the most special feelings for two of them. One is Gryffindor and the other is Gryffindor. One is Ravenclaw.

This is a very high evaluation for the sorting hat.

The old man regained his composure. He said: "Voldemort's sense of presence is getting stronger and stronger. I have a hunch that the time for his return is not far away. I also need to make some preparations, although it may not be useful."

(End of this chapter)