A few days later, a grayish-brown owl tapped on the window of Shafiq Manor.
William untied the envelope bound to its leg. On the back of the envelope was a wax seal bearing a shield crest, with a capital "H" surrounded by an eagle, a lion, a badger, and a snake.
His name was written on the front in emerald green ink. William opened the envelope and read:
Dear Professor William Shafiq,
We are pleased that you have accepted the post of Professor of Alchemy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please arrive at the school via Floo Powder on August 20th at 10:00 A.M. (Location: Office of the Deputy Headmistress). If you intend to arrive by other means, please inform us in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"August 20th? So early?"
William felt a bit surprised. He frowned and folded the letter.
In his impression, many professors didn't seem to make an official appearance until the eve of the Start-of-Term Feast on September 1st. Asking him to arrive ten days early suggested there was considerable preparation work to be done, or perhaps some special arrangement.
However, William was not opposed to this; in fact, he felt a slight sense of anticipation.
To return to this castle as a professor after an absence of twelve years was a marvelous feeling.
For William personally, Hogwarts held special significance.
During his student days, the First Wizarding War had been raging. The outside world was in a state of panic due to Voldemort's rampage, and under Dumbledore's protection, Hogwarts had become one of the few pure lands left in Britain.
There was no shadow of the Dark Mark there as in wartime, nor the nauseating political infighting of the Ministry that came later. Others might not know, but for William, it had definitely been a pleasant period of school life.
"Hiss—!"
"Hah—!"
A cacophony of hissing interrupted William's nostalgia.
He turned his head to see a chaotic tangle on the long sofa; Otto was fighting again.
The left head and the middle head seemed to have formed a strategic alliance and were currently ganging up from two directions on the right head, which had the foulest temper and was most often the instigator of disputes.
"It seems you have plenty of energy."
William was in a great mood. He didn't tie Otto's three heads into a knot to force a reconciliation through intimate contact as he usually did. Instead, humming an old wizarding tune, he tapped his wand lightly.
Pop, pop, pop.
With three soft sounds, three brightly colored hoods patterned with comical clowns appeared out of thin air, fitting precisely over Otto's three heads.
The world was instantly quiet, leaving only three hooded snake necks swaying confusedly in the air.
August 20th, 9:55 A.M.
William stood before the massive stone fireplace, adjusting his dark blue robes embroidered with subtle silver patterns in the mirror one last time.
His father, Richard, had gone out early in the morning for a gathering without even notifying William. At this moment, only the house-elf, Locke, stood by with drooping ears, bowing with a face full of reluctance to see William off.
"Locke," William said, lifting the suitcase containing Otto while looking at the elf with a faint smile, "are you really not considering coming with me? The Hogwarts kitchens are big, but I'm afraid I won't get used to the food there."
"Just say the word, and you won't have to spend your days living a boring elderly life with that annoying old man."
Locke trembled all over, his large eyes filled with panic and conflict. He shook his head, his large ears flapping loudly.
"Oh, no, Master, Locke cannot go," he squeaked. "Master Richard called Locke specifically last night and warned Locke very seriously to stay and guard the manor properly. Locke must absolutely not go anywhere with Young Master, no matter what reason Young Master uses."
"Master Richard emphasized that this is an order—the strictest order—overriding all of Young Master's instructions."
Seeing the elf acting as if facing a formidable enemy, the corner of William's mouth twitched slightly. He hadn't expected his old man to guard against this move in advance.
"Alright, relax, Locke. I was only joking."
Seeing this, William immediately changed his tune, shrugged, grabbed a handful of Floo Powder, and threw it into the fireplace.
Green flames roared to life, instantly engulfing the entire hearth.
"Hogwarts, Deputy Headmistress's Office!"
Carrying the suitcase, which wobbled slightly due to Otto struggling inside, William stepped into the spinning flames.
After a bout of dizzying spinning, William's feet planted firmly on solid ground.
He stepped elegantly out of the fire, waving his wand lightly to clean a few specks of ash from his robes.
It was a circular office filled with a scholarly atmosphere. Outside the window was the familiar Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. Behind the desk, a witch wearing square spectacles and a stern expression was buried in her work, grading something.
Hearing the commotion, she looked up. That face, which was usually pulled tight, softened rarely upon seeing William.
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," William greeted gently. "I hope I'm not late."
"Very punctual, Mr. Shafiq—or perhaps I should call you Professor Shafiq now."
Minerva McGonagall stood up and quickly surveyed her former student. William's appearance was slightly unexpected.
Previously, she had estimated William's changes based on Snape's condition, as the two were from the same year. But now, it seemed that William's physical appearance had hardly deviated from when he first graduated.
The passage of over a decade had left few marks on this man, even though Snape, who was his age, looked for all the world like he had entered middle age.
"It is good to see you, William."
William could hear the pleasure in Professor McGonagall's tone. This wasn't strange; although McGonagall was known for her strictness, she never withheld her appreciation for truly excellent students.
And William Shafiq was undoubtedly one of the most memorable students in her teaching career.
After all, a student who could achieve ten 'O's in both their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s was a rarity, even in Ravenclaw.
"I am also honored to return here, Professor," William responded humbly.
"According to procedure, I should have taken you to familiarize yourself with the office and explained the course schedule and staff regulations," Professor McGonagall said, walking around her desk to stand before William. "However, Dumbledore gave specific instructions that as soon as you arrived, you were to see him first."
"He has arranged a meeting, so I can only proceed with the subsequent work after you have finished talking."
"Dumbledore wants to see me?"
William was somewhat surprised.
It was Dumbledore who had actively sent Snape to find him before. Since it was an active invitation, it usually meant the vetting process was over.
If there was to be another talk before starting the job, like an interview, it seemed somewhat superfluous.
"Yes, right now." Professor McGonagall nodded, though her attitude couldn't be discerned from her expression. "He is waiting for you in the Headmaster's office."
"Alright, I'll head over immediately."
Although puzzled, William didn't show it on his face. He picked up his suitcase and followed Professor McGonagall out of the office.
The two passed through familiar corridors and arrived before a massive stone gargoyle on the second floor.
"Chocolate Frog."
Professor McGonagall spoke the password to the stone beast.
The giant gargoyle immediately hopped aside, and the wall behind it split open to reveal a spiral stone staircase moving slowly upward.
"Go on up, William," Professor McGonagall indicated.
William nodded and stepped onto the stone stairs. As the staircase rotated upward, he arrived before a gleaming oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.
He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and knocked gently.
"Come in," a gentle voice called from within.