Chapter 36: Headmasters
Cambridge University, England.
"Motherf—! Who the hell did this?!" the biology lab manager roared, his voice echoing through the ransacked room. The students who had been using the lab the day before stood in terrified silence. They were absolutely certain they had locked the door. The state of the shattered electronic lock proved it. This was a complete and utter disaster.
A few moments later, the Head of the Department arrived and began his own round of furious shouting. Then, the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the university appeared. Seeing the devastation, they did not shout. The students, their heads bowed, exchanged glances. Truly, they thought, the Chancellor has such composure.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud. "Good heavens, the Chancellor!" the Head of the Department cried out. The students looked up to see both the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor passed out cold on the floor.
After a chaotic scramble, the two university heads were loaded into an ambulance, leaving the students staring at each other in bewilderment. They couldn't for the life of them figure out how the theft had occurred. What was even more baffling was that the intruder hadn't taken any classified data or secret research—only the white mice.
In the hospital, the newly revived Chancellor, not yet able to sit up, saw the Head of his Biology Department burst in, waving a newspaper. "Sir, it's a disaster! The Times has published an article!"
The Chancellor took the paper. On the front page was a scathing editorial from a certain "unnamed" rival university, one located in a river valley, founded in the thirteenth century, with a motto of "The Lord is my light."
[What is the state of Cambridge University these days? With this level of security, are they even fit to be open? Can they even hold classes? They haven't the competence, you see! If this continues, first it's the biology lab, then it's the physics and chemistry labs, and then the Chancellor's office itself will be burgled! Soon there'll be nothing left to steal!]
"Chancellor! Chancellor!" the Head of Department cried, seeing the Chancellor's eyes roll back in his head. "You can't give up, sir! Cambridge needs you!"
The Vice-Chancellor, who had been feigning unconsciousness in the next bed, stealthily opened one eye, glanced at the newspaper on the floor, and then promptly went back to sleep.
The distraught Head of Department burst into tears. "Sirs, can't one of you wake up? There are reporters outside demanding an interview, and the Prime Minister is on the phone! I can't be the one to give a career-ending press conference…" When the beleaguered lab manager finally arrived at the hospital, he found the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, and the Head of Department all lying unconscious, but with faint, blissful smiles on their faces.
....
Hogwarts, The Headmaster's Office.
"Headmaster, I believe you are far too lenient with Ryan Welles."
"Severus, I was under the impression that Ryan was one of your star pupils. He has always shown you a great deal of respect."
Snape glared at Dumbledore. "His aptitude for Potions is… passable. And he practices a great deal." Snape's voice was strangely flat. He had never imagined that Potions could be learned in such a way, without any innate talent for it, simply through brute-force repetition. Unfortunately, it was a learning method few wizards could afford. According to him, the Hogwarts hospital wing and several shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade that Ryan had invested in were all stocked with Ryan's own surplus potions.
"A child with talent who is also willing to work so diligently," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Does he not deserve a little leniency?"
"You know what I'm talking about, Headmaster," Snape said. "The Adventurers'…"
"Yes, a brilliant name. I believe they are a group of very trustworthy young people."
"A charismatic leader with a group of devoted young followers?" Snape sneered. "Never mind. It is not my concern. And you are right. He does respect me."
Dumbledore just continued to smile at him. Suddenly, Snape's eyes went wide. "Truly?"
"I believe so," Dumbledore said. "Ryan has a deep, almost innate trust in the teachers who have cared for him. It's a kind of trust I've never seen in another student, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. So, you see, they are different."
Snape neither agreed nor disagreed.
"Severus, I asked you here for another reason. There is something I believe you need to know," Dumbledore said.
"I was wondering why you summoned me so urgently, and asked me to brew a batch of complex restorative draughts," Snape replied. "Such a potion is rarely needed. The injuries it treats are even rarer. Rare enough to make the Healers at St. Mungo's line up to observe."
"An excellent joke, Severus, though perhaps not for this occasion. This is about Quirinus…" Dumbledore recounted the events of the past few days.
"Allowing an agent of the Dark Lord to remain at Hogwarts?" Snape's usually impassive face twisted into a complex mask of fear and, above all, hatred. "I believe the most suitable place for Quirrell is Azkaban."
"We are not yet certain if Voldemort is still in contact with Quirinus. So, I would like you to... test him."
"Have you gone senile, Dumbledore?" Snape roared. "Are you not afraid I will return to the Dark Lord's side?! Do not forget that I am—"
"Severus!" Dumbledore cut him off. "I trust you."
Snape stared at him for a long, silent moment, then abruptly stood and stormed out of the office.
From the second-floor landing of the office, Ryan descended, clutching his chest dramatically. "Oh, Merlin's beard! Professor Snape thinks so little of me! I am heartbroken! This will require a vial of Felix Felicis to cure!"
"Oh, Ryan," Dumbledore said, a knowing look in his eye. "You don't look heartbroken at all. You just look like you want a vial of Felix Felicis. Besides, didn't you already know this was going to happen?" He offered Ryan a bowl of Cockroach Clusters. "Care for one?" Ryan hastily declined.
"By the way, Headmaster," Ryan said, his expression turning serious, "Professor Snape's behavior was very out of character. I can't see any reason for him to bring this up now." Over the years, he and Snape had developed a good relationship. Ryan always brought him gifts on holidays, and Snape had often offered him valuable guidance.
"What, exactly, was the prophecy you received?" Dumbledore asked.
Ryan recalled the intel. The vision had been of Snape and Dumbledore, talking in this very office. The text had read: A prince whose pride has been shattered by his own rashness and ignorance sees a familiar pair of eyes now wearing a black-and-gold pin. He believes the dangerous adventures are not suitable for the owner of these eyes. But emotion is the greatest force in the world. Some spend a lifetime reliving their childhood; others use their future to overwrite their past.
As he recited the prophecy, Ryan carefully watched Dumbledore's reaction. From Snape's words, he suspected that the Potions Master had once been a Death Eater, but had later switched sides. The prophecy seemed to hint that Snape was concerned about a certain member of the Adventurers' Club. Ryan was, of course, hoping to hear some juicy gossip about the older generation.
After hearing the prophecy, Dumbledore closed his eyes and let out a long, weary sigh. "Oh, Severus…"
~~~
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