After dinner, the night outside the Castle gradually deepened.
Willy was sitting on a comfortable sofa, performing the final debugging on the monitoring book.
The internal spatial structure of the Castle was far more complex than a simple forest; corridors crisscrossed, and the number of stone statues required far exceeded those on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest.
After determining the optimal monitoring density of one every ten meters, Willy meticulously categorized the monitoring screens by floors, towers, and public areas to prevent the display from becoming too cluttered.
"That should do it."
Looking at the clear and orderly real-time images on the pages, Willy nodded with satisfaction. Just as he closed the book and prepared to get up to find Filch, the door to the room was rudely knocked upon.
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocking didn't sound like a polite visit, but more like a vent of frustration. It seemed the visitor was not coming with good intentions.
Willy waved his wand to open the door, and standing outside was Severus Snape.
Snape's expression looked even gloomier than usual, his sallow skin appearing somewhat greenish under the dim lights of the corridor.
"You accepted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" Snape asked bluntly, his tone slightly agitated.
Willy stepped forward, leaned against the doorframe, and nodded: "Yes, it was finalized just now in the Headmaster's Office."
"Didn't you agree to be the Professor of Alchemy?" Snape gritted his teeth, as if forcing every word through them. "How could you possibly serve as a Professor for two courses simultaneously? Alchemy requires extensive experimentation, and Defense Against the Dark Arts..."
"Alchemy only has four classes a week, Severus," Willy shrugged, interrupting him. "As long as the schedule is managed properly, holding both positions isn't an impossible task."
"Did you apply for it to Dumbledore?" Snape took a step forward, his black robes billowing. "You have no idea how heavy the workload for Defense Against the Dark Arts is, not to mention facing a bunch of students as stupid as Trolls. Holding two positions? I wouldn't be at all surprised if you dropped dead at the podium one day."
Facing Snape's warning, which sounded more like a curse, Willy merely gave a nonchalant smile.
"On the contrary, Dumbledore warmly invited me to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. It was hard to refuse such hospitality," Willy replied in a mild tone, looking at Snape's contorted face. "However, I should still thank you for coming all this way to check on my health, Severus."
"It seems that although we haven't seen each other for years, our friendship is as deep as ever..."
SLAM!
Before Willy could finish, the door was slammed shut. The loud noise echoed through the empty corridor, making the doorframe tremble.
Immediately after, the sound of angry footsteps came from outside. Judging by the direction, they were likely heading straight for the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor.
Willy looked at the closed door and wasn't angry.
"Anger is a Fiendfyre; it will eventually burn everything down."
He softly recited an old wizarding proverb and then shook his head.
In fact, he could fully understand Snape's feelings. It was like the goddess you've loved for years suddenly throwing herself into the arms of another man—especially when that person did nothing but just stand there and win. No one would feel good about such a disparity... A moment later, on the eighth floor, in the Headmaster's Office.
As soon as the password "Chocolate Frog" was uttered, Snape pushed open the oak door and stormed in furiously.
"Why him?" Snape stood before the desk, hands braced on the surface, demanding, "Why did you proactively ask Willy to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?"
Dumbledore was not angered by Snape's rudeness. He simply looked up, peering through his half-moon spectacles at the angry Professor, and said gently, "Ah, Severus. Would you like to sit down and have something to drink?"
Before Snape could refuse, a glass of chilled beverage floated in front of him.
"I don't—"
"Try it; it's a new way of drinking that Willy just told me about." Dumbledore raised his own glass in a gesture. "Icing the lemon black tea makes the taste exceptionally refreshing. It's very suitable for summer and helps one calm down."
At the mention of the name "Willy," Snape's face visibly darkened further, as if a dead fly had just dropped into the drink before him.
He didn't even glance at the tea.
"Since you've searched all over Britain and couldn't find a suitable candidate, why didn't you tell me?" Snape's voice was full of resentment. "Instead, you went to such great lengths to invite Willy Shafik?"
"You have a more important mission, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "You are teaching Potion Class, which is equally demanding. You don't have time to take on another course."
"I could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts exclusively!" Snape retorted immediately, his voice trembling slightly. "This was the position I applied for in the first place. And you know about that damn curse; those people are unwilling to teach because they're afraid of dying, but Potion Class has no curse."
"You could easily find a Potion Master willing to come to Hogwarts for retirement, instead of letting me find out after the fact that the position has fallen to someone else."
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, then gently set down his teacup.
"There is no point in discussing this now, Severus." The old man's voice remained calm. "Willy has already agreed to serve as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. The letter of appointment has taken effect; the die is cast. I cannot go back on my word."
"If there is a similar situation in the future... or if a suitable candidate for the Potion Class Professor is found, you can come to me again." Dumbledore took off his glasses and rubbed his brow. "If there is nothing else, please leave. This old man has talked too much today and is ready to rest."
Snape stood there, his chest heaving. He stared at Dumbledore for a long time before slowly straightening his back and resuming his cold, hollow expression.
"You think I'm not suitable for this position..." A mocking sneer curled the corner of Snape's mouth. "Then, do you think Willy Shafik is suitable?"
"He's not much better than I am, Dumbledore. Willy Shafik... he isn't as honest as you think he is."
Listening to Snape's words, Dumbledore didn't show the slightest sign of wavering. He clasped his fingers on the table and gazed calmly at Snape through his half-moon spectacles.
"If you are referring to the fact that in his fourth year, Willy briefly associated with that Slytherin clique you joined and studied the Dark Arts for a period of time..."
Dumbledore shook his head, his tone mild. "Then I think it's fine. After all, Willy only stayed in it for two months before voluntarily withdrawing. Since then, he hasn't shown any excessive obsession or dangerous inclination toward the Dark Arts."
"You should know that there are very few Wizards, especially underage ones, who could fall into the quagmire of the Dark Arts and still rely on self-control to turn back to the light. Think of the members of that clique of yours."
"Furthermore, during the war, although the Shafik Family funded the Death Eaters, no member of the family actually defected to Lord Voldemort's side. As for Willy himself..." Dumbledore listed the facts as if they were familiar treasures. "After he graduated, he didn't enter the Ministry of Magic immediately. Instead, he interned at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a year."
"During that time, both healers and patients held him in extremely high regard, and there were no negative records."
"After leaving St Mungos, he unexpectedly lived in Muggle society for two years. In the busy districts of London, he lived like an ordinary person, strictly abiding by the statute of secrecy, and never used any malicious magic against Muggles."
"Only after that did he enter the Ministry of Magic based on his outstanding grades."
Hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on Snape's gloomy face for the first time.
Many of these details Dumbledore mentioned about Willy were things even he wasn't aware of.