The Pacifist Necromancer of Hogwarts

Chapter 335 Exchange Club and Chance Encounter
Even though Anthony had attended many wizard gatherings, this was still one of the strangest ones.

Everyone seemed to have a lot to say about Muggles, and they discussed how the Statute of Secrecy should be amended to deal with various complex situations ("Should it be considered a violation of the Statute if Muggles are informed of the existence of magic without demonstrating magic?"), or whether Muggle Protection Laws should cover non-magical harm ("If a wizard kills someone with a knife, it shouldn't be considered a conflict of magic and non-magic!").

Professor Burbage and Walker debated whether Muggles should rule wizards. Walker believed that all rational people should push the Ministry of Magic to become a normal department in the Muggle British government, so that magical Britain and Muggle Britain could become one, while Professor Burbage firmly believed that doing so would only bring unnecessary great turmoil to both societies. Ms. Duran walked around the hall with a serious face, testing everyone she met to see if they could taste the brand and year of Coke.

"You're the professor of this year's OWLs class?" She pulled Anthony out of a heated discussion about why refrigerators weren't regulated appliances.

"um, yes."

"Great," said Ms. Duran, "because - hiccup - I was very unhappy with my grades in Muggle Studies at Hogwarts last year."

"The pass rate last year was very high," said Anthony.

Madam Duran waved her hand. "Ha, pass rate! Who cares about pass rate? What I want to ask is - hiccup - why are there fewer students getting a certificate in Muggle Studies than in Charms?"

"Maybe… because Charms is a required course, and Muggle Studies is an elective?"

Ms. Duran's voice suddenly rose. "Yes, that's the problem! Why is Muggle Studies an elective? It should be the most important course! As important as cleaning the bathroom!"

Anthony said cautiously, "It seems to make sense."

"No, that makes sense! A clean -- hiccup -- bathroom is very important! The bathroom is the most important thing in a school. Well, maybe not as important as the roof, but still very important. Think about it, what would happen if there were no bathrooms in the school? That's what a magic school would be like without Muggle Studies!" Ms. Duran said, "If you can -- hiccup -- all fifth-year students at Hogwarts get a Muggle Studies certificate, I can give you a thousand Galleons. How about it?"

"Then I suppose I have saved you a thousand Galleons in advance," said Anthony.

Ms. Duran seemed not to have heard him at all. "Good, that's a deal. See you next time, Henry."

"Goodbye."

"Caridi, hey, Caridi, my dear! Listen, if you can get all the students in Hogwarts - hiccups - to get NEWTs in Muggle Studies -"

Anthony watched as Ms. Duran strode toward Professor Bubbage, the feathers on her hat twitching as she disappeared into the crowd. He turned and took another piece of cake.

All the food at the dinner was impeccable, and Ms. Duran had surprisingly good taste in this area. Especially the blueberry cake recommended by Professor Bubbage, which could make even the most difficult tongue melt in the sweet and sour and delicate mousse. In this case, whatever Ms. Duran's opinion on the teaching of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts might be, he was happy to use it as an interesting accompaniment.

Anthony even doubted that he would have minded sitting next to Umbridge so much if it meant eating the grilled chicken wings they'd missed ("My week has been half as happy as it could have been," Woodchuck had said ruefully at the time).

Professor Bubbage laughed when he said this. "But I'm afraid dear Dolores would mind. She hates Muggles."

Anthony shifted his gaze from the paper bag of candy to her face: "What?"

They were walking back to Hogwarts. It was already completely dark, and the air smelled of soil after rain. The occasional evening breeze was just enough to sway the branches a little, allowing the water droplets accumulated on the leaves to slide off.

The portkey would only take them to the vicinity of Hogsmeade, and they would have to walk the rest of the way back. Anthony pushed open the door of Honeydukes before it closed and grabbed two handfuls of "Season's Hot Deals". For seven Galleons and eleven Sickles, he got three or four liquorice wands, a small bag of raspberry-flavored Blow-Up bubble gum, a few chocolate balls filled with popping candy, and a pack of fudge flies, sucking spider legs, and jelly slugs. "Bug Party Fun Pack". Until now, Anthony still didn't understand why wizards were so keen on making desserts into shapes that children should never be encouraged to eat.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed," said Professor Burbage. "It's no secret. She's probably the most Muggle-hating person you could ever find in the world - and no, she's not a Death Eater. Mad-Eye checked her out a hundred times before she was transferred out of London."

"I thought she just liked to upset everyone. Um, Mad-Eye..." He remembered hearing the name before, "He's an Auror, isn't he?"

"Yes, one of the best." Professor Bubbage said, "Alastor Moody, a master at catching dark wizards. People who don't like him sometimes call him 'the Hound'. Umbridge hates him, so as soon as she found an opportunity, she persuaded the Minister to transfer him away. To be honest, he is sometimes a little scary, but he can also make people feel very reassured. If he was there at that time, he would definitely not throw you into Azkaban like those second-rate Aurors."

"Uh……"

Professor Bubaggi seemed to have misunderstood Anthony's expression: "Yes, I know you may have studied some black magic in private, but this is not your problem. If a wizard has not received orthodox magical education, then he may indeed find it difficult to distinguish the boundary between black magic and evil spells."

Well, if the Ministry of Magic assigned a top-notch Auror to deal with Anthony: if he knew that a wizard had learned necromancy without receiving formal magical education... if he knew that someone had escaped from Azkaban... if he knew that Anthony had even used necromancy in Hogwarts... if he knew that Anthony had disrupted the plan to capture Voldemort, causing Voldemort to escape the trap... if he knew that Anthony had returned to Azkaban, where he had frightened the Dementors and sent a soul that was supposed to be imprisoned for life to death...

Anthony decided to avoid meeting Mr. Moody as much as possible.

"Besides, studying the Dark Arts and becoming a Dark wizard are two different things - there has always been some disagreement within the Auror Office on this point, but that is not the most important thing - the important thing is that Albus vouched for you, and he said he believed you would be a good Muggle Studies professor." Professor Burbage smiled at Anthony, "I think he is right."

Anthony couldn't help but smile as well: "Thank you, Caridi."

"You're welcome," said Professor Burbage. "As long as you can take over the sixth and seventh grades as soon as possible. Ms. Duran is very optimistic about you - that's great - I'm sure you can make sure everyone gets a Muggle Studies certificate."

Anthony said: "I believe I can definitely become a mermaid."

"what?"

Anthony asked in return, "Which do you think is more likely to happen, Caridi?"

Professor Bubbage laughed, and the sound echoed in the quiet night path, startling a few birds from the bushes and flying out, flapping their wings and landing on the higher treetops. After walking by the oak tree and turning a few corners, they could see the Hogwarts Castle with thousands of windows lit up.

……

Dinner at Hogwarts had long ended, and only a few students hurried through the hall, walking from one corridor to another. After Anthony said goodbye to Professor Bubbage, he went back to his office to get the student list and mailed it to the Owl Shed. As soon as he walked down the stairs and returned to the corridor, he heard footsteps. Three figures turned out from the corner and walked in front of Anthony.

"I'm starving," said Ron. "Luckily Sirius brought you some snacks, Harry."

"You shouldn't be taking snacks for dinner," Hermione asked suspiciously, "You haven't had dinner yet? Where have you been?"

"We're going to find Hagrid," said Harry.

Ron said, "You know, he's been so secretive... Speaking of which, what were you doing, Hermione? We wanted to ask you to come with us." "Oh, is he okay?" Hermione avoided Ron's question. "I hope he's studying well for his Chimera Breeding Qualification Exam. Is he reviewing?"

"Um... well..." Harry said slowly.

"Never mind the qualifications, Hermione!" Ron lowered his voice. "You know what he's doing? He's building a zoo! Him, Professor Flitwick, and the Care of Magical Zoology professor...what's his name?"

"Professor Kettleburn," said Anthony.

The three of them turned their heads and looked at him at the same time.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you, I promise." Anthony walked quickly to their side. "Did Hagrid tell you about the zoo?"

Ron hesitated, but finally seemed to feel that he could trust him.

"He showed us around, too," he said. "You must come along next time, Hermione. I've never seen so many magical creatures living together in my life. Professor Kettleburn has a pack of cruppies that chase you around the menagerie; there's a creature called Ponlock that you have to look very carefully to find; and there's a horse that I can't see that belongs to Hagrid -"

"We saw a very strange frog, it bit several crows to death." Harry said, "Oh, and there were those creatures that looked like birds at the front and horses at the back. They were sleeping when we went there-"

"Oh, and there's that Kelpie! We saw it chasing a - what's that thing called, Harry?"

"I don't remember either," said Harry. "But Ron is right, Hermione, you have to go and see it."

"Well... I've never been too keen on zoos," said Hermione. "My parents took me there a few times, but they soon discovered that I was more into libraries and bookshops."

"My aunt and uncle took my cousin and me to a regular zoo - it was nothing like this one Hagrid built," said Harry. "If you saw it today... what on earth were you doing, Hermione? We asked Neville and Dean, and they didn't see you, and Parvati and Lavender are gone too."

"Of course I have my own things to do!" Hermione said firmly, but her face flushed, "We went to participate in the club's activities..."

"Hey, what club?" Ron said in confusion. "Didn't Albacore's activities end a long time ago?"

Hermione mumbled, "It's... the club..."

"You're not going to join that Lockhart club again, are you, Hermione?" shouted Ron.

"So what?" said Hermione angrily.

"That sounds good," said Anthony. "Did you enjoy your day, Miss Granger?"

"Oh, so-so. I had dinner, of course. Roast beef and mashed potatoes, and a shortbread tart for dessert, which was delicious." She glared at Harry and Ron, and Harry shrugged at her. "We didn't get to hear Professor Lockhart tell his adventures, though. He was supposed to tell us what kind of tents and sleeping bags we should take when we go on adventures to different places, but he was interrupted -"

"Thank God," Ron muttered.

Hermione glared at him, but before she could say anything they all heard voices coming from the front.

"You are very kind, Minerva," said a voice. "We are all familiar with Hogwarts, aren't we, Bozo? You didn't have to come and see us off, I'm sure Gilderoy would be happy to chat with us for a while... This has been a great conversation, and I'm sure I could make a good story - indeed, I've got several fascinating beginnings already, it's just a matter of choosing between them -"

"It's almost curfew," said Professor McGonagall in a cold voice.

Then, Anthony saw the person who was speaking. Rita Skeeter, wearing an orange robe and bright yellow nail polish, turned from the other end of the corridor, followed by a photographer carrying a camera. Professor McGonagall walked beside them with a stern face.

"Curfew! We're not students anymore, are we, Bozo? But of course we still care about Hogwarts, Minerva. The old castle... it's hard to get back in once you graduate... you're lucky to be a professor, but what kind of person becomes a professor besides being lucky... would you mind telling me what you think of Gilderoy - Oh, Harry!"

Rita saw Harry at the end of the corridor, and her eyes lit up immediately. The shorthand pen came to her hand at an astonishing speed.

"Harry," she said, beaming, "Gosh, what a surprise. Do you have time to talk to me? Are you enjoying your time at Hogwarts?"

Professor McGonagall said sternly, "I'm afraid our interview duties for today have come to an end. What are you still doing here, Mr. Potter? Don't you realize that it's almost curfew?"

"Just a few words—quick, Bozo, take the picture—don't worry, Harry, it won't take you long—"

Harry frowned in disgust: "No, thank you." He tried to walk around Rita, but she stopped him skillfully.

"Are you going to make up something about Harry again?" Hermione said loudly. "Are you not satisfied with all that nonsense about Professor Lockhart? As long as it can attract attention and discussion, you don't care what is true or false!"

Rita looked over at Hermione, sizing her up.

"Oh, it's you," she said coldly. "Let me tell you the truth. The truth is that you have no idea what you're talking about, and you just think you sound great. Now, Harry -" her smile suddenly appeared on her face again, "tell me about your life at Hogwarts. Bozo!"

She pulled Harry over and stood him in front of the camera. The paunchy photographer had already raised the big camera.

"Let him go!" Professor McGonagall said sternly, striding forward and pulling Harry to her side. Rita was almost knocked down by him.

Ron and Hermione also ran over quickly.

"You are only authorized to interview Professor Lockhart. I don't allow you to disturb my students!" said Professor McGonagall.

There was chaos. There was a click. In the black smoke, Anthony reached out to cover the camera lens.

"This film might still be usable," he said to the surprised photographer behind the camera. "I think I preserved it quite well."

(End of this chapter)