Hogwarts: Harry Returns from Azeroth

Chapter 26. Preparations of the Shaman Club and the Hateful Riddler
"No problem," Harry nodded. "Speaking of which, Headmaster Dumbledore, can I get your permission to spread shamanism in Hogwarts in the future? Just like the Gobstone Club."

"Oh, Harry, I'm afraid that a game like Gobstone cannot be compared with a new magic course," Dumbledore said humorously, "Theoretically, opening a new course requires the approval of the school board and the principal, but there is no problem with the club."

"I allow you to teach your shamanic ways in Hogwarts, but Harry, I'm afraid I'll have to review the content of your lectures - at least Professor McGonagall or I will sit in on the first few classes to ensure safety."

"It's only natural, Headmaster Dumbledore. You're always welcome," Harry naturally had no objection.

"Then come to me when you are ready," Dumbledore said happily. "The club's announcement needs the signature of the professor before it can be made public to the four colleges at the same time. I think my signature should be very convincing."

"Thank you very much for your help, Headmaster." Harry also laughed, "Also, I have another request - can I move out of the dormitory and live outside?"

"As a shaman, I need my own space to make and erect totems, and also a place to worship elements and ancestral spirits, or grow some herbs... The Gryffindor dormitory where five people live together is a bit too small for me."

"So where would your ideal place be?" Dumbledore asked.

"Next to the Forbidden Forest, I can be neighbors with Hagrid," Harry said without hesitation. "It won't affect other people, and I won't miss classes in the castle."

Dumbledore was thinking.

a long time.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm afraid I can't agree to your last request," Dumbledore said sincerely, "Yes, I can indeed treat you as something other than a child, but unfortunately, in the eyes of most people, you are still a child."

"So you shouldn't distance yourself from your friends, nor should you become a loner away from the group. You will be isolated, Harry."

"This is advice from an elderly person," Dumbledore said leisurely, "Magic is indeed very important, but on the road of studying magic, there are still many things that we need to pay attention to and take care of."

"I know you are mature beyond your age, Harry. Or maybe every genius is mature beyond their age. They will despise the dullness of those around them and have the ambition to change the world... But they will not understand what they have missed until they lose it."

"Please forgive my nagging, Harry... You are still young, so just enjoy these seven years of wonderful campus life."

Harry stared into Dumbledore's eyes. In those eyes, he saw the color of reminiscence, regret, and sincerity.

What Dumbledore said was more like his own personal experience, his life experience, and it was also the obstacle that made him hesitate twice but never take a step forward.

"I see," Harry nodded, "Then I'll take my leave, Headmaster Dumbledore."

He had no intention of arguing about such things, especially the fact that he was no longer a child, as that would make him seem even more immature.

But Harry really couldn't spend seven years of wonderful school life as Dumbledore had hoped - it was very difficult for an adult to play with a group of teenagers.

Not to mention adults, even the older children themselves would not mix with the younger ones.

Harry didn't try to pretend to be a child; in fact he couldn't have looked like one even if he wanted to.

So, he felt that he had to think of another way.

"Come to think of it, we haven't mentioned the issue of compensation yet?" Without waiting for Harry to turn around and leave, Dumbledore said to himself, "Although you said you would help keep an eye on it, Harry, I can't feel at ease enjoying the efforts of a student - after all, you are not a professor, right?"

"Reward?" Suddenly, Harry came to the area of interest. He raised his eyebrows and said, "I like this word, Headmaster Dumbledore. I will treat this as a formal commission."

"Oh, actually I'd rather you stop caring about Professor Quirrell... but I know that even if I say that, you won't listen, right?" Dumbledore sighed, "Anyway, I will give you a reward that will absolutely satisfy you, kid."

Of course Harry wouldn't listen. Deliberately ignoring Quirrell's existence was like ignoring the spread of hemorrhoids, which would make him feel uncomfortable all over.

Besides, even if Dumbledore guaranteed that everything was within a safe range, given Harry's personality, he still preferred to keep the danger under control - otherwise, what if something unexpected happened and hurt someone he was familiar with?

Dumbledore continued speaking.

"Before that, I would like you to stop thinking about how to move out of the dormitory and just enjoy campus life. By the way, if you really like the feeling of adventure, you can try to go to the fourth floor and take a look. I think it's quite interesting."

Harry had been right at the Orientation Dinner, the warning had been an invitation, Dumbledore now openly admitted.

But the lively old man was unwilling to reveal more about the reward, and just let Harry wait and look forward to it - this was obviously a deliberate attempt to keep Harry in suspense, which was really hateful.

Harry was disgusted. He hated people who only told half the story and those who kept people in suspense.

In the end, he left the headmaster's office with resentment, and it is foreseeable that this resentment will accompany Harry for a long time.

Behind Harry, Dumbledore stared at Harry's back as he disappeared on the spiral staircase. He now looked very heavy, not as lively as before at all.

"Do you really think what he said is true, Dumbledore?" Phineas was already shouting, "In my opinion, he is the mad man - he is hallucinating! If it were me, I would send him to the dungeon and hang him up to make him sober up!"

"Who does he think he is? Merlin?!"

"I have to remind you, Phineas, Hogwarts no longer punishes students in that way," said the headmaster named Armando seriously. "You are saying something impossible - but Albus, do you really think he is reliable?"

In the office where only the principal was present, everyone stopped hiding their true thoughts.

"You said he summoned the souls of his parents. I find it hard to imagine that a wizard could do this, especially a first-year wizard." Another headmaster portrait continued, "Perhaps those ancient wizards and ancient magic could do this, but it has long been lost now."

"Ah, yes, I find it hard to believe too, but I saw it with my own eyes," Dumbledore nodded slightly, "Dilis? Do you think those souls that have gone to the misty land can still affect our world?" Dumbledore doubted whether Harry had fallen into a conspiracy from ancient dead souls. The corners of his mouth turned downwards, showing a classic Batman expression - suspicion.

Unfortunately, most of it was covered by the thick beard.

"Do you suspect that the child was taught by the spirits in the twilight world?" Dilis in the portrait said, "Those ancient wizards?"

"After all, Harry was able to go there, find the souls of his parents there, and bring them back to the real world," Dumbledore sighed. "Magic, there are too many unknowns... No one knows how many geniuses have appeared in the past thousands of years, and where they have gone."

"At least the shaman he mentioned is someone I've never heard of before - there's no such record in the entire magical world," said a headmaster in very old clothes in the portrait, "It sounds like a completely different system of magic."

"Yes... another way..." Dumbledore murmured, his eyes flickering, but he no longer sought wisdom from the mouths of these past headmasters. He just thought silently by himself, and those headmasters also closed their mouths in time, waiting for Dumbledore's decision.

Like, so similar.

Especially when talking about the possible consequences after the revival of the elements, those tempting fantasies, as well as those descriptions and plans for a better future, all made Dumbledore think of the question he had thought about when he was young... the revival of wizards and where wizards should go in the future... the revival of wizards...

Dumbledore's eyes wandered. He seemed to have returned to many years ago, to the time when the blond boy was in high spirits in front of him, happy and wild, and his mouth was full of imaginations about the future of wizards. Both of them were like this...

a long time.

"I'm not sure how correct he is, but at least he's trying to be good, isn't he?" Dumbledore suddenly spoke, closing his eyes tiredly. "He cares about the health and safety of his aunt and uncle, who are not very kind to him. He will also get angry and punch someone because someone insulted his friend. He will also care about the safety of the professor... and the safety of the students."

"I quite appreciate what he said," Dilis suddenly interrupted, "It's about a person's power being limited."

"Yes, and this," Dumbledore muttered, as if trying to convince himself, "Anyway... No, that's it."

Dumbledore let out a long breath.

"That's it," he repeated with a wry smile, "I hope this time... I didn't do anything wrong."

As the weightlifting champion of the British wizarding world, Dumbledore always had to consider more than ordinary people, and he was already very tired.

The night in the headmaster's office was still long. Dumbledore was troubled by his past experiences, but these had nothing to do with Harry.

Because Harry was already troubled by Dumbledore's riddle.

But fortunately, he is not an ordinary person. As a shaman, Harry can cheat.

"Oh, Harry? You're back?" Ron sat up from the bed and looked at Harry expectantly. "Did Headmaster Dumbledore say anything?"

"No," Harry shrugged. "He said I must be too tired or distracted. Professor Quirrell has been teaching Muggle Studies here for many years, but he only became the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, so he might be a little nervous and unfamiliar."

"In short, previous students have given Professor Quirrell a good evaluation. Headmaster Dumbledore suggested that we rest early, get enough rest, and enjoy campus life."

Dumbledore did say those words, and the advice was indeed given.

Although Harry didn't want to be treated as a child and fooled in front of Dumbledore, in front of a real child like Ron, Harry chose to do the same thing as Dumbledore...only telling part of the truth.

"Is that so?" Ron was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Since this is Headmaster Dumbledore's suggestion, let's go to bed early tonight."

It really happened.

Harry stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Ron as if he were a not-so-bright ogre.

"What's wrong?" Ron shrank his neck and asked, "Is there any problem?"

"No, no, keep it up, Ron, you'll sleep well tonight." Skipping the subject, sitting cross-legged on the ground, Harry took out the two bowls, one large and one small, from the bag and placed them in front of himself.

"Hey, Harry, are you going to start divination again?" Seeing Harry's attitude, Ron came over excitedly.

Including several other children in the dormitory.

"Divination?" Seamus came over excitedly. "Is it the kind of divination I imagined? Harry, you can actually do divination? Is it the kind that gypsies do? Tarot cards? Or playing cards?"

"Oh! You have to stay away, Seamus!" Seeing that the man was too close, Ron quickly pushed him aside, "Be careful not to cause an explosion, this is a dormitory!"

Seamus Finnigan, a student who had become quite famous only a few days after the start of the school term - he was famous because he had only attended a few classes, but he always made some noise in every class.

Well, maybe not that small.

Obviously he didn't mean to do it, but for some reason, every time Seamus cast a spell or touched something related to magic, something would explode.

"That's right, Seamus, be careful with my bowls, they're very fragile," Harry joked.

"Hey! You guys are going too far! I told you those were just accidents. Once I get the hang of it, nothing will happen again," Simo protested.

"Let's not worry about that for now. So Harry, can you really tell fortunes?" Dean Thomas also came over with interest.

(End of this chapter)