"That's the situation. The Quill of Acceptance didn't detect Mr. Heath. He's never received any formal wizarding education. As for his magic, it was just a one-time magical outburst, after which he was taken in by an experienced wizard as an apprentice."
"Not to mention, after completing his training, he only used his magic for renovations. That alone proves his good nature. There's no need to send him to Azkaban."
Dumbledore spoke while sucking on a Muggle lollipop he'd bought from a roadside vendor, addressing the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
"Then why did he refuse the Ministry's investigation and boldly assault a Ministry employee?" Fudge said, visibly irritated.
In the corner of the office, on a sofa, Kaison conjured a small flower, snapped his fingers to materialize it, and handed it to Lester, who was sitting nearby.
Lester instinctively took it and muttered a "thank you" before his face flushed with embarrassment.
Dumbledore glanced back at their interaction and casually shrugged.
"See? They're getting along splendidly."
Fudge rolled his eyes and beckoned to Lester in the corner.
"Let's let the victim decide whether to forgive him."
Kaison swallowed hard, his hands producing an endless stream of flowers, nearly burying himself in them.
Lester, on the other hand, looked at the beaming Fudge and the equally cheerful Dumbledore, completely unsure of what these two big shots were thinking. Thankfully, last Christmas, someone had given him a book called 100 Workplace Strategies. It mentioned that in situations like this, the boss might want to back down but feel too embarrassed to do so.
If that's the case, I'll help him save face.
"I have no objections," Lester said.
In an instant, Fudge's face turned red.
Kaison, still in the corner, thumped his chest dramatically and pointed at Lester, his eyes gleaming as if to say, "We're brothers now, in spirit."
"It seems Lester has made his choice. Come along, Kaison," Dumbledore said, rising gracefully.
"Fine, you always come out on top… Where are you taking him?" Fudge slumped back in his chair, drained of energy and options.
"Recently, Hogwarts lost its Alchemy Professor. I believe a natural alchemist like Mr. Heath would have no trouble teaching young wizards the subject."
Kaison, who had also stood up with a cheerful stride, froze mid-step.
He knew his own limitations. His abilities were purely from a Minecraft cheat system. Posing as a construction worker was no problem, but an Alchemy Professor?
What kind of alchemy was this supposed to be?
He turned to Dumbledore, his eyes wide with disbelief, as if saying, "Me? An Alchemy Professor? Really?"
Dumbledore gave a kindly nod, as if to say, "You've got this."
The moment they stepped out of Fudge's office, they heard an enraged roar from behind.
"It seems our Minister isn't too keen on letting you leave so easily," Dumbledore remarked.
Kaison nodded. "Yeah, I can see—and hear—that."
As he spoke, an obsidian block appeared in his hand, and in the blink of an eye, he sealed Fudge's office door shut with a massive obsidian pillar.
Dumbledore watched the scene with a delighted smile, even pressing his ear to the pillar until he heard the satisfying thud of Fudge's head colliding with it. Only then did he nod in approval.
"Alright, our future Alchemy Professor, come along."
Kaison followed reluctantly, his shoulders stiff. Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder, and with a deafening whoosh and a dizzying sensation from all directions, they Apparated.
"This is Hogwarts, where you'll live and work from now on."
Dumbledore steadied a disoriented Kaison as they walked slowly toward the castle.
A summer breeze brushed against them, indescribably pleasant.
The castle buzzed with the laughter and chatter of young wizards, likely excited about enduring just a few more days before enjoying a two-month holiday, not returning until September 1st.
Kaison trailed behind Dumbledore, barely registering anything, his gaze fixed on Hogwarts itself.
That is, until Dumbledore ran into an acquaintance.
The scene was like a parent taking their child home from school, only to stop and chat with a friend on the street.
And Kaison, like the impatient child eager to get home, noticed a staircase in the corner. It was moving. It looked ridiculously cool.
Then Dumbledore himself and Professor McGonagall heard a scream.
They whipped around to see the staircase, which had just shifted direction, accompanied by a series of thump thump thump sounds.
Soon, they saw Kaison hopping upward, placing blocks beneath his feet until he climbed back up.
"Hogwarts' staircases… they've got personality," he muttered.
Dumbledore and McGonagall were at a loss for words until the former broke the awkward silence.
"This is the new Alchemy Professor I've found for Hogwarts."
McGonagall glanced at Dumbledore, then at Kaison, who had just demolished the blocks he'd used to climb up in the blink of an eye.
"I'd say he's more suited to be a Transfiguration Professor, at least from what I can see."
"Hm, but we still need to follow protocol. Like an interview," Dumbledore replied.
"I'll go summon the others," McGonagall said.
Kaison suddenly turned around. "Wait, what interview? Oh, right, sir, I forgot to mention something."
"What's that?"
"I don't know alchemy."
"That's just what you think. Converting magic into tangible matter—that's the essence of alchemy. It's like building a house. Normal people start with the foundation and work up to the roof. You? You already have the house. You just need to explore its structure," Dumbledore explained patiently.
"…Okay, but what does alchemy even do? What am I supposed to teach the students? Renovation?"
"Kaison, trust me. If you can control the transformation of matter, you can control its composition. Like turning a wooden plank into a floor. Why don't you try this: see this feather? Wrap it in a plant."
Dumbledore pulled out a long, fiery red feather and handed it to Kaison.
Kaison took it. "Wrap it?"
"With any plant. Or any material, really."
"Alright."
He held the feather, and in the next moment, countless rose vines appeared in his hand, wrapping around the feather, tightening, and solidifying into a thirteen-inch…
"This is an alchemical creation—a wand. Give it a wave," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Kaison gripped the wand and gave it a casual flick. Pixels sparked out, bursting like fleeting fireworks.
"That's it?"
"Mm-hm," Dumbledore nodded, stepping forward lightly, a sly grin on his face, as if he'd just found another sucker for Hogwarts.
After all, hiring a proper alchemist as a professor would cost at least three thousand Galleons a year, if not more than Snape's salary. But a magical novice who happened to be an alchemy prodigy? Easy to fool… er, persuade… er, kindly convinced to contribute to Hogwarts selflessly.
Delightful.