Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 128 End of First Year
Seeing another pile of cheating devices found, Professor McGonagall's face grew even more grim: "I'll emphasize again, any act of cheating in an exam will have serious consequences, and could even result in expulsion... This is your last chance, don't blame me for not warning you!"

Rustling, rustling.

More and more people lifted their robes, giving Vaughn a real eye-opener.

In the crowd, Harry and Ron stared wide-eyed:
Where did they get all this stuff from?

Why didn't anyone tell us this?

In front of the two, Seamus, with a bitter face, reluctantly pulled out a bottle of unlabeled, suspiciously labeled potion, and replied, "You two are with Granger all day long, who would dare tell you? Look, Granger looks like he's about to explode with anger!"

Hermione was indeed furious; she hated such underhanded methods the most. As a result, Gryffindor was the house that had the most cheating devices found in the crowd!

Professor McGonagall was also in a bad mood.

Vaughn, who was in charge of the search, remained in a good mood throughout the incident. The young wizards were coming up with all sorts of bizarre and wonderful gadgets to cheat with, leaving him dazzled. He wondered where these guys had gotten them from.

Unfortunately, all those little schemes were completely wasted and were nipped in the bud before the exam even began.

Because many people brought cheating devices, the first exam started a few minutes late, but overall, everything went smoothly.

At 9:15 a.m., first and second graders were placed in the large classrooms that served as examination rooms. This area, which had been closed off for the entire year, made the already hot and anxious summer air feel even more oppressive and stifling.

Compared to upperclassmen who already have elective courses, first and second-year students only have seven compulsory courses in total. The first day's exam is in the morning for Charms and in the afternoon for Transfiguration. Both exams are divided into written and practical parts. The written exam has a fixed time of one hour, while the practical part has no strict rules. Students just need to successfully cast a spell according to the requirements of the professor.

After the exam began and anti-cheating quills and parchment were distributed, Vaughn stopped paying attention to the other young wizards, focused on finishing the questions, and then handed in his paper.

Professor Flitwick, who was in charge of proctoring the exam, glanced at the paper and smiled slightly: "Mr. Weasley, I'm glad to see that you haven't neglected your studies. Your brilliant answers and mature insights into the spells learned this year have impressed me... Alright, now it's time for the practice. I'm sure you'll pass, but that's the procedure, and you have to finish it!"

He winked and joked, handing over the proctoring duties to Professor McGonagall, while he himself led Vaughn to another classroom.

In the empty classroom, there was a pineapple. The practical exam was to use a spell to make this pineapple tap dance across a desk.

Professor Flitwick did not arbitrarily increase the difficulty of the exam because Vaughn's spells were more advanced; in his words, there was no need.

“All the professors know that your abilities far exceed your age. If you weren’t a freshman, I and the other professors would definitely recommend you to skip a grade.”

"Is it possible to skip grades at Hogwarts?"

"It's rare. Yes, it has happened before, but that was many years ago. It would be quite troublesome to implement because it doesn't comply with regulations. However, forcibly suppressing your learning progress would be unfair to both you and the other students... But that's a matter for next year or the year after. Now, let's complete the spell study practical exam."

So, Vaughn manipulated the pineapple into performing a tap dance. To enhance the performance, he even conjured a pair of dance shoes from the pineapple leaves so that the fruit could strike a clear rhythm.

Professor Flitwick listened with rapt attention and immediately gave him a perfect score!

Harry had no idea how he got out of the exam room.

His mind was a complete blank, just like when he first mastered the Occlumency technique.

From the very first day of Charms and Transfiguration, his mind was forced into this state, and the second morning of Herbalism was no less challenging.

However, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was passed easily because the professor was "missing"—the temporary examiner, Professor Kettleburn, casually brought over a few Flobber caterpillars and asked everyone to subdue them.

This magical creature, which the Ministry of Magic would barely give an "X" to, is inherently lazy and can fall asleep on a handful of grass. It is so harmless that you don't even need magic to subdue it; a single punch will suffice.

But perhaps all his good luck was used up in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, because this morning's Potions class felt like hell for Harry.

Whether it was the written test or the practical test, Snape stood behind him the whole time, and he could almost feel Snape's breath on the skin on the back of his neck!
Criticism and nitpicking during this period are naturally unavoidable.

Fortunately, those agonizing days are finally over!

Harry glanced back at the semi-transparent, drowsy Professor Binns in the classroom and shook his head.

The history of magic was the final exam, and like astronomy, it didn't require practical application, so it was concentrated on the afternoon of the third day.

After answering the bizarre question about the invention history of the automatic stirring crucible, walking out of the examination room marked the complete end of the exam!

Next, they had a whole week to play and wait for the results.

This was undoubtedly good news, but Harry was completely dispirited, as were the other young wizards; the three days of exams had drained everyone's energy.

When Harry found Ron, Ron's red hair seemed to have lost its luster, and he leaned listlessly against the window in the corridor.

"Hey, Harry."

"Ron."

The two greeted each other listlessly, then stared blankly at their equally blank-minded classmates in the corridor as they slowly drifted past.

After a while, they finally saw Hermione, but this member of the trio ignored her two good friends and instead linked arms with Vaughn, chattering away:

"...It was much simpler than I imagined. I thought the establishment of the WAC would make the school test the impact of the werewolf code of conduct published in 1637 on the subsequent werewolf situation, but it didn't."

"Professor Binns is quite old, and his grasp of the current situation may not be as timely."

Vaughn smiled: "If this question were really asked, how would you answer it?"

"I can……"

They walked past Harry and Ron, arm in arm, talking.

The two were unsurprisingly ignored.

Harry: "..."

Ron clutched his head: "Merlin, those two really are a perfect match. I'll never understand how someone could complain about not doing well on the test and then create their own questions afterward, especially during their date!"

"...This might be why they do well in school and we do poorly... Uh, should we do a review too?"

"No, I feel like throwing up!"

Ron refused decisively; he didn't want to recall the exam content, much less recall it with Harry.

With one member of the trio missing, Harry and Ron became increasingly listless. They sat there blankly for a while until Filch started shooing people away to make room for the fifth-year students. Only then did the two stagger out of the corridor and follow the crowd into the sunny courtyard.

Then go through the gate, down the slope, and walk to the edge of Black Lake.

For several days during the exams, the weather was sunny and clear. The intense sunshine filled the Scottish Highlands with the feeling of midsummer, which is usually a lazy time.

From the distant forbidden forest came the incessant chirping of cicadas. A gentle breeze swept across the Black Lake, making its surface shimmer. A giant squid lay in the shallow bay, lazily playing with its tentacles, creating ripples.

Perhaps it was the wind, or perhaps it was the open view, that made Ron feel a little more relaxed. He plopped down on the grass, stretched out his legs, and let out a long sigh: "Finally free! Cheer up, Harry! Think about it, for the next week we don't have to think about anything, and we don't have to hold those huge books and get dizzy from reading anymore. We can play to our hearts' content!"

Harry asked, bewildered, "Where are we going? What are we going to do?"

"..." Ron was stumped. He sadly realized that his mind had not escaped the horror of reviewing and taking exams at all, and he had even lost the ability to imagine what to do.

When I start thinking, my mind is filled with spells and problems!

If only he could be as carefree as Fred and George.
Those two guys, who had just finished their exams, even had the leisure to tease the giant squid!
Harry also saw in the distance the twins teasing squid tentacles with a twig on the shore of Repulse Bay. He stared at them for a while, his expression gradually becoming strange.

When Ron turned around, he noticed his expression: "What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Ron... Fred and George have been busy editing lately, haven't they?"

“Yeah,” Ron replied casually. “We were worried before, but we haven’t heard from them for a long time. The editing probably isn’t going well. Hmph, Muggle stuff isn’t so easy to master. My dad spent years fixing Muggle cars…”

Harry wasn't in the mood to listen to Ron's story about Arthur's rivalry with Muggle cars. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Before, they were so busy with editing that they rarely even showed up to study. For the first three days, they rushed off after each exam, but now... Ron, they actually have time to tease that giant squid..."

"Hmm? So what? Maybe they're just relaxing because they just finished their exams."

Harry neither confirmed nor denied Ron's statement.

Many people say that twins are unruly and irresponsible, but in Harry's mind, these troublemakers are actually very focused people, especially when it comes to things they are interested in.

Those two guys would never be so relaxed if they didn't finish their work or produce results!
"We're doomed, Ron!"

Harry said in a complicated tone.

Harry's words proved prophetic.

Early the next morning.

Having just finished their exams, their biological clocks hadn't adjusted yet. Just like the past few weeks, they woke up automatically in the early morning. Unable to fall back asleep, the young wizards groggily arrived at the dining hall, only to see a huge silver curtain erected at the end of the long tables of each house.

Several strange-looking Muggle machines floated in mid-air, connected by oddly shaped "tape" and wires. At the very center was the largest machine, from which a beam of light shone, projecting onto a silvery-white screen and illuminating it.

The pure-blood wizards from wizarding families were confused, but the half-bloods and the young wizards from Muggle families recognized them immediately.

"That's a movie screen!"

Dean Thomas pointed at the silvery-white curtain and shouted.

Justin Finley, a Muggle-born boy who always boasted that he should have gone to Eton College, was a step too late. He could only point to the machines floating in the air and shout to the Hufflepuffs around him, "They're generators, cameras, and projectors! Good heavens, I thought I'd never see them again!"

He looked excited and shouted to the twins standing beside the silver screen, "Fred, George, are you going to show a movie?"

After waiting for ages, I finally found someone who knows what's good for them.

Fred immediately responded loudly, "That's right, this...this..."

“His name doesn’t matter, Fred.” George chuckled and jumped onto the Gryffindor table, calling out to all the young wizards who were looking over, “Dear students, you must have missed the Weasley twins a long time, right? To be honest, we’ve missed you all very much!”

"Who misses you guys? Hurry up and get to what you need to do!"

Some jerk interrupted them, and the twins, after scanning the room several times without finding anyone, simply pretended not to hear and continued, "But all separations are meaningful, all for the sake of the awe-inspiring moment of reunion."

"Yes, it's amazing! Your dear Fred and George are no longer obsessed with the petty pranks of the past. We have a greater ideal, and we have been fighting for it for two whole months!"

“Those were undoubtedly painful and lonely days, but as with long separations, pain and loneliness are also meaningful, and the greatest art is usually born from these two.”

"Classmates, friends, please allow us to showcase the fruits of our labor, produced by Weasley Films, starring Harry Potter and Ron Weasley—"

The twins shouted in unison, "The first movie in the wizarding world, Harry Potter and the Painted World!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two waved their wands, and the machines floating in mid-air immediately started operating.

The spotlight on the screen flickered a few times, and amidst the gasps that suddenly erupted in the dining hall, Harry's familiar, short figure with black-rimmed glasses appeared before everyone...

……

Harry woke up a little late today.

He tossed and turned until very late last night before finally falling asleep.

Knowing what was troubling him, Ron comforted him along the way: "Think positively, Harry. Dumbledore hasn't announced anything about the trials yet. The exams are over, and nobody knows what happened to Quirrell. Maybe he doesn't want anyone to know about the world in the painting."

“That’s entirely possible, Merlin. If everyone knew that Void… I mean, that the Man of Mystic is still alive, then…”

As they spoke, they had already reached the restaurant. Just as they pushed open the door, they heard a series of gasps and cries:
"Professor Quirrell!"

"Mystery man?"

"Mom—Dad—"

Amidst the cacophony of noise, the two who had just pushed open the door were frozen in place, watching as the throng of people completely blocked the view of a huge screen at the end of the restaurant's long table.

On the screen, a disheveled "Harry Potter" stands on a stone bridge, confronting Professor Quirrell, who is wearing a hood.

"Harry Potter!"

A venomous whisper drifted from the speakers floating in mid-air.

The next moment, the scene changes, jumping to a dragon's nest.

The young wizards watching immediately started making a fuss:
"Fred! Change the photo quickly!"

"Idiot, movies aren't photographs, they're film reels. These kinds of shot transitions aren't because the film has finished rolling, they're editing, they're montage."

"I don't care about film reels or montages, I want to see Harry and the Man of Darkness, Merlin's beard, is that really the Man of Darkness? So last time Harry was hospitalized, it was because of the Man of Darkness... Oh my god!"

"Look, it's Ron!"

"And a fire dragon!"

Roar— The fire dragon that suddenly appeared on the screen roared loudly, making the air in the entire auditorium (which also served as a restaurant) seem to become scorching hot.

The arguing that had been going on in the crowd immediately subsided, and everyone stared intently at Ron and the dragon on the screen.

A few hushed whispers were exchanged, their tone uncertain:

"Ron said he swelled up all over because he fought a fire dragon. Is that true?"

"But isn't it said that he was killed by fire dragon dung..."

Harry, who was staring blankly at the screen, suddenly felt his arm being gripped tightly. Turning his head, he saw that Ron's cheeks were as red as his hair, his lips were trembling, and he was covered in sweat.
"Quick, hurry, Harry!"

Harry wanted to laugh, but deliberately said, "Why are you leaving? I want to see you fight the dragon!"

Ron grabbed his friend's arm tightly and pleaded, "I was just bragging, please, let's go, there's nothing to see."

Seeing that he was on the verge of collapse, Harry couldn't bear it and had no choice but to leave the Great Hall quietly with Ron.

As they returned to the corridor, they heard a huge, disapproving roar coming from the auditorium:
"what--"

Ron dared not stay any longer and ran away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

……

Eighth floor, principal's office.

The magical light in Dumbledore's eyes gradually faded. He shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Poor Ron, being your, Fred's, and George's brother is the greatest misfortune of his life."

Beside the huge bookshelf in the office, Vaughn, flipping through an old notebook, didn't even look up: "You gave me permission to show the film, don't even think about excluding yourself, Albus."

“I didn’t give permission, I just didn’t object.”

"Tch!" Vaughn curled his lip, too lazy to argue with this shameless old man, and changed the subject: "How was the audience's reaction?"

"It's not bad, but many Muggle-born young wizards continue to hold onto the perceptions they have in Muggle society, and seem to think that what is being shown is a movie, a fictional story."

"That's exactly what we're after. What the magical world needs right now isn't a sudden revelation of the truth. The truth will only plunge everyone into panic. The most appropriate way is for everyone to gradually accept it."

Dumbledore nodded, agreeing with this as well.

Concealing the fact that Voldemort still exists in the world is undoubtedly wrong, and the wizarding world should no longer indulge in the current false appearance of peace.

But revealing the truth rashly would have too great an impact.

That's why he agreed to let Vaughn film the trials and show them to everyone. Even the "dragon's nest" plot that could have led to Ron's death was part of this consideration—the "plot" of Harry confronting Voldemort was too exciting and needed a comedy to ease things up.

Thinking about it, he sighed again: "It's just a pity about Ron, he sacrificed so much..."

Vaughn remained noncommittal: "You underestimate Ronald."

…………

Harry avoided people all day long.

Especially in the restaurant area, the twins kept showing "movies," and the enthusiastic audience practically took over the entire first floor.

Ron has also disappeared. He hasn't been seen since he left the dining hall that morning. Harry tried to sneak back to his dormitory and also went to Hagrid's hut, but he couldn't find him.

Then, as evening fell, he suddenly reappeared—

When Harry found Ron, he was standing in the courtyard, his head held high, a far cry from his morning shame, looking around at the young wizards who were teasing and joking around him.

"Yes, I did encounter some unpleasant things, but that was because the dangers I faced were beyond the capabilities of a student... You! If you encountered a fire dragon, what would you do?"

The upperclassman, whose nose Ron was pointing at, was stunned.

Ron didn't even wait for his answer: "Can your spells do anything to a dragon's scales? Or are your legs faster than its wings? Or do you have any magic that can stop a dragon's breath?"

The barrage of questions made the older student's face turn red and then white.

The dragon is a magical creature of the XXXXX level. It usually takes several adult wizards to subdue a single dragon. He is still a student, and even if he has the thickest skin, he wouldn't dare say that he can defeat a dragon.

He could only force a defense: "At least I wouldn't sacrifice my dignity to help a fire dragon clean up something just to survive..."

"pedantic!"

Before the older student could finish speaking, Ron roared, interrupting him: "Useless courage is just foolishness. Does a dragon have the morality of a wizard? No, it's just a beast. It attacks you to survive. Similarly, your counterattacks, escapes, and attempts to please it are all just simple survival strategies, and have nothing to do with your dignity or thoughts!"

"I really don't know what kind of education you received. Is survival something to be ashamed of?"

His righteous words left the Gryffindor upperclassman's eyes darting around. He instinctively felt that something was amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

The young wizards who had been watching the commotion were also stunned, their playful expressions gradually fading, and their initial disdain disappearing.

Although I couldn't understand it, I was deeply moved!
Ron raised his head even higher, almost looking down his nose at people: "Yes, I have cleaned up dragon droppings, and I am not ashamed at all, but proud—because I did not die when faced with a raging dragon, but survived by using knowledge, wisdom and wit. I want to ask you, who can do that?"

There was silence.

Several young wizards, including Neville, had even begun to look at Ron with admiration!
In the distance, Harry, who was furtively watching the situation in the courtyard, also gaped in surprise.

This……

This was truly an unexpected turn of events for him...

Not to mention Harry, even Dumbledore didn't expect that Ron, whom he thought was dead, would become a star in Gryffindor that very night!

That night, when he called Vaughn to discuss serious matters, he remarked, "I always thought Mr. Weasley was rather... simple-minded, but I never expected him to be so adaptable and sophistical."

Vaughn shook his head: "That's not sophistry, Ron really thinks that way."

"Ok?"

“Well…” Vaughn thought for a moment, “He’s been bullied by me, Fred, George, and me for so many years, you know, that’s a lot of psychological pressure, so Ron learned to interpret bad things from a different perspective very early on, and he’s very convinced of his own interpretation!”

"..."

This passage has so many flaws that Dumbledore didn't know where to begin.

Shaking his head, he stopped dwelling on it and got down to business: "That Josiah Potter representative from Ilfamoni has officially submitted an invitation to the Ministry of Magic today, inviting you to visit North America on August 1st."

"The International Department of Magical Exchange and Cooperation and Wizengamo have both agreed, and the invitation will be sent to Hogwarts tomorrow."

"It seems that Mr. Porter took my advice to heart and conducted a thorough investigation into me. The WAC will hold its first plenary meeting at the end of July, and he has set the invitation date for August 1st... I suppose my title is not written on the invitation letter?"

"Warren asked with amusement," he said.

Dumbledore nodded: "Yes, he should have found out that you will be running for president of the WAC, but he is not sure if it is true. Perhaps he still thinks that you may be a puppet I support."

As he spoke, Old Deng chuckled.

Political animals are all like this; they always use their rigid logic to judge everything. They never believe that a person can have other ideals and pursuits besides politics and power.

Vaughn said calmly, "It's just a matter of habitual thinking. It's not that they can't see the cooperative relationship between you and me, it's just that they can't understand why the great Dumbledore would be willing to support a child. What kind of exchange of interests is behind it?"

"Yes, mediocre people can never understand the foresight and tacit understanding of intelligent people," Old Deng sighed, then asked, "How do you plan to reply?"

"No need to reply for now. Let's wait until the WAC meeting at the end of July, when everything has settled down, and then I'll write back and mention my request."

Isabella Rozier?

“Yes, she’s still stuck in North America.” Vaughn said, frowning slightly. He had lost contact with Isabella again recently.

Across the vast Atlantic Ocean, news from the Americas was already difficult to reach England, especially given the turbulent situation there.

Looking at the troubled Vaughn, Dumbledore smiled and stroked his beard: "I still remember her, a very clever and beautiful little girl, and from the Rosier family, no wonder you..."

“That’s enough!” Vaughn interrupted him. “She and I are just friends. She was the first apothecary to support my potion theory. We share the same interests, that’s all.”

"I didn't say anything, let's discuss it!"

“You’re full of filthy thoughts.” Vaughn rolled his eyes, too lazy to deal with this old geezer, and got up to leave. “I’ve already communicated with the werewolves about running for WAC president. It’s up to you now. I think you should understand that the werewolves won’t recognize anyone else.”

"Honey, are you threatening me?" Old Deng asked with a smile.

Vaughn said calmly, "It's just stating the facts."

Dumbledore knew, of course, that the werewolves currently only trusted Vaughn, and even though he didn't want Vaughn to get involved in power, for the time being, he could only accept this outcome.

Thinking it over, he sighed inwardly, "Don't worry, nothing unexpected will happen."

Nodding slightly, Vaughn prepared to leave, but then, remembering something, he turned back: "By the way, would you like to make another deal?"

"Oh? What deal?"

Dumbledore picked up a candy and asked casually.

Vaughn smiled, but his golden-brown eyes remained as calm as a still pool.
"Resurrect Tom!"

pat!

Dumbledore's withered fingers trembled, and the candy fell.

Old Deng quickly realized what was happening, drew his wand and waved it, causing the portraits around him, which had suddenly fallen silent upon hearing Vaughn's words, to fall asleep.

Then he looked at Vaughn, his eyes darting around.

Ghosts cannot be killed, nor can remnant souls!

If possible, Dumbledore would certainly not want to cruelly entrust the heavy responsibility of defeating the Dark Lord to a child like Harry.

Since last summer, when he sensed the remnant of Voldemort's soul in Quirinus Quirrell, Dumbledore has been searching for ways to completely destroy Voldemort.

He searched through all sorts of documents, notes, and even evil black magic.

But it was all useless. Those who are already dead cannot be killed again, just like the ironclad law of this world, at least in the current knowledge system of the magical world.

To kill Voldemort, you have to bring him back to life first!

This is a rather tricky choice. On the one hand, as a person with a conscience, facing a villain as wicked as Voldemort, not only is it impossible to carry out justice, but it is also dangerous to resurrect him. This is a very absurd and frustrating thing.

On the other hand, he couldn't figure out how to arrange Voldemort's resurrection.

Voldemort was a very cautious person.

Last year, with the help of Vaughn's analysis, Dumbledore found traces of Voldemort wandering in the primeval forests of Albania.

Large numbers of dead rats, snakes, and even beetles and cockroaches!
They all bore the marks of being parasitized by dark magic, a shocking sight that left Dumbledore deeply impressed by Voldemort's caution and forbearance.

Having lost his power, the Dark Lord also lost the will to trust others. Like a wounded beast, he would rather curl up alone in a corner and lick his wounds than expose his weakness to anyone, not even his former servants!

Seeing Dumbledore's dazed expression, Vaughn continued, "You've been struggling with how to resurrect Tom, haven't you? The Philosopher's Stone was probably the solution you came up with last summer, but you hesitated at the last minute because you hadn't yet found the answer to why Tom hadn't died."

Dumbledore said nothing.

But silence itself is an answer.

Vaughn was right; he borrowed the Philosopher's Stone from Nicolas Flamel not originally as a tool for Harry's trials.

At that time, he spent a month searching through all the books in his collection but could not find a way to kill the remnant soul. The only possibility was to revive the remnant soul and then kill it.

And indeed, as Vaughn said, after borrowing the Philosopher's Stone, he hesitated again—

It's obvious logic that if Voldemort didn't die 11 years ago, then even if you kill him a second or third time, he probably still won't die.

Something saved him from death.

It was around that time that he began to carefully observe the fates of Voldemort and Harry, and ultimately decided to put Harry to a trial, using the Philosopher's Stone as bait.

Until a month after the start of the school year last year, on a night just like tonight, Vaughn came to him and said:

"Let's make a deal!"

(End of this chapter)