Amidst the bustle and merriment, time seemed to quicken its pace.
The two-week Christmas holiday at Hogwarts had reached its halfway point in the blink of an eye.
On the morning of the seventh day of the holidays, owls flew into the Great Hall right on schedule. Amidst a flurry of feathers and chaotic flapping, they accurately located their owners and delivered letters from afar.
Of course, it was not just letters; there were also parcels and freshly printed copies of the Daily Prophet.
"Professor Snape has left? And so suddenly?"
Smike stared in disbelief at the newspaper in her hands. The front page clearly bore a bold headline: The Youngest Head of Slytherin House.
Truth be told, as a Slytherin and a member of the Mechanical Magic Club, she was quite happy to see this news.
"What? Left? Died?"
Smike's words sparked a small discussion around her, but as more copies of the Daily Prophet landed on the tables, the entire Great Hall erupted into chatter.
However, these discussions were entirely focused on the new Head of House, Professor Swinburne. As for the perpetually unpopular Snape, everyone subconsciously chose to ignore his departure.
Although Snape's exit was somewhat abrupt, not even lasting a full school year, it was not considered a massive deal. At its core, it was simply a professor resigning.
Unlike the other houses, every Slytherin in the noisy Great Hall wore an expression of shared honor. To them, the news in the paper was a genuinely unexpected and wonderful surprise.
Just imagine it. A wizard with top-tier magical prowess, exceptionally high popularity, and striking looks had suddenly become their Head of House overnight. Just the thought of it was enough to make them ecstatic.
What was surprising, however, was the vacant Potions Professor position.
Although Snape always had a dark, scowling face, no one could deny his immense achievements in the field of Potions. Consequently, guessing the identity of the succeeding Potions Professor became the newest topic of conversation in the Great Hall.
The Headmistress's Dilemma
Compared to the curiosity of the young wizards, Professor McGonagall, sitting in the Headmistress's office on the eighth floor, kept glancing at the clock on her desk.
The time on the clock read a quarter past eight in the morning. There was still over half an hour until the agreed meeting time.
While waiting quietly, Professor McGonagall fell into a brief moment of reminiscence.
Snape had left a week ago. During this time, after receiving polite refusals from both Hermione Granger and Damocles Belby, Professor McGonagall could only tap into her own network of contacts as much as possible to find a reliable Potions master.
However, different subjects meant completely different academic circles.
If she needed a successor for Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall could easily find numerous suitable candidates. But when it came to the Potions circle, she found herself completely out of her depth.
Although she managed to locate a few potential candidates, compared to a true Potions Master like Snape, they always seemed to fall short.
It was precisely at this time that the new Head of Slytherin, Ino, volunteered to take on the task of finding the new professor.
This made Professor McGonagall breathe a long sigh of relief, yet it also left her feeling a trace of anxiety. After all, as the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, not knowing the identity of the incoming Potions Professor sounded rather absurd.
Breakfast at the Astronomy Tower
The Astronomy Tower in the early morning had always been cold and lonely. Today, however, was different; it appeared somewhat livelier than usual.
At the very top of the Astronomy Tower, bathed in the soft morning light, a simple yet elegant wooden dining table occupied the center of the space. The table was draped with a pristine white cloth, its edges slightly yellowed, exuding a charm settled by the passage of time.
A set of exquisite bone china tableware was arranged on the table. The porcelain surfaces were as smooth as mirrors, and the cups and saucers clinked gently against each other, producing a crisp, melodic sound.
The breakfast spread was rich and diverse. The first thing to catch the eye was a steaming plate of baked beans. They were plump and juicy, carrying a faint, smoky aroma. Next to them lay several perfectly roasted tomatoes, their skins slightly charred while the insides remained sweet, tart, and bursting with flavor.
Of course, a few slices of pan-fried bacon were absolutely indispensable. The heat coaxed out a tantalizing aroma from the fat. The meat was tender and juicy, pairing perfectly with the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside toast. It was an immaculate match.
In addition, there was a small, bubbling pot of mushrooms. Sautéed in butter, they had soaked up the rich juices, rendering their flavor deep and savory.
Finally, a freshly brewed pot of black tea sent spirals of fragrant steam into the air. The tea's aroma intertwined with the scent of the food, providing a perfect finishing touch to the meal.
Ino sat quietly in a comfortable chair. The backrest tilted back slightly, providing just the right amount of support. He looked exceptionally elegant.
Thanks to the furniture being crafted via Transfiguration, the legs of the chairs were incredibly sturdy. Even the slightest movement produced no distracting creaks, allowing one to completely immerse themselves in this tranquil moment.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, seemingly applying a beautiful filter over the world, causing brilliant golden rays to sparkle brightly.
After finishing his last piece of toast, Ino unhurriedly picked up his black tea. At the same time, he directed his gaze across the table.
"Professor, I remember this was where we first met, aside from the Start-of-Term Feast, of course."
"Indeed! It was on a morning much like this one," Dumbledore replied, a look of nostalgia filling his eyes. Then, smoothly shifting the conversation, he asked, "So, you brought me back here because of Snape?"
"Yes, but not entirely," Ino nodded slightly. "Professor McGonagall could not find a suitable successor, so I volunteered to recruit one on her behalf."
He had no intention of hiding his motives. In fact, he had planned this a week ago: to bring the greatest wizard of the twentieth century back to Hogwarts.
The reason for this idea actually stemmed from Mad-Eye Moody.
During the Christmas holidays, on an ordinary evening, Moody had been dragging his injured leg, walking completely alone along the path leading toward the Forbidden Forest.
Truth be told, while he did not fully understand Moody's mindset at the time, seeing that scene instantly brought Dumbledore's figure to Ino's mind.
He always felt that these two men were somewhat similar. Moody had dedicated his entire life to the Auror Office, and Dumbledore had similarly devoted the latter half of his life to Hogwarts.
For someone who had lived in a specific environment for so long, a sudden departure from it would inevitably bring an inescapable sense of loneliness.
It was precisely after seeing Moody that Ino decided to rehire Dumbledore.
To the outside world, asking a centenarian to continue working might seem somewhat unfeeling. But he knew very well that bringing Dumbledore back to Hogwarts was a win-win situation, and unquestionably the best choice.
After all, Dumbledore had remained unmarried his entire life, and his brother Aberforth was similarly alone.
Under such circumstances, Hogwarts was probably no longer just a workplace for Dumbledore. Over the span of more than half a century, the castle had likely become his true, permanent home.
The past few years of retirement could simply be considered a long vacation for the old Headmaster. Now that the holiday was over, it was high time for him to come home.
At the same time.
After the formal invitation was extended, Ino noticed a newfound spark of vitality returning to the old wizard's eyes. The previous look of melancholy nostalgia had completely vanished into thin air.
Perhaps, Hogwarts truly could not be without Albus Dumbledore.