Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 131 Farewell and Reunion

Two days ago, in the early morning, Ron was awakened by Scabbers' screams. When he rushed out, Scabbers was lying at the door covered in blood, with a piece of skin pecked off.

After examining the attack, Mrs. Pomfrey concluded that the creature that attacked Scabbers was a fierce bird, and not an owl.

Ron was furious and investigated for two days, but he couldn't find out who had raised the beast that attacked his beloved pet.

Speaking of this, Ron got angry: "That bastard better not let me catch him, otherwise, I'll definitely shove his dick up his ass!"

Harry: "..."

Then, the two heard a familiar voice reply: "No one in the entire school keeps any bird of prey other than an owl, except Dumbledore!"

"Hi, Hermione."

Harry followed the sound and greeted Hermione, who was leaning against a pillar in the corridor, holding a large book in her arms.

Ron looked at her suspiciously: "You mean, Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, hurt Scabbers?"

“I didn’t say that, I was just telling you the information I had.” Hermione shrugged. “So Ronald, do you want to verify it? The wound inflicted by the phoenix should be quite obvious. I’m sure Professor Kettleburn will give you the answer, testify for you, and let you go and seek revenge on Dumbledore!”

Ron was skeptical, but still looked around nervously, wondering if anyone else had heard his harsh words.

Harry was speechless at his cowardice and bullying, and didn't bother with him. He simply said to Hermione, "Want to come to the Great Hall together?"

"No, Harry, I'm waiting for Vaughn."

"Okay, see you later."

After they parted ways and walked a long way, Ron said bitterly, "She's completely changed, Harry. Ever since the trial in the painting, she's started to distance herself from us. You heard her? She just tried to sow discord between me and Dumbledore!"

"I bet she was just jealous that I was stealing the spotlight. Besides, when we came out of the painting, Dumbledore personally took you and me to the school hospital, but ignored her!"

Harry's lips twitched: "Is it possible that she was with Vaughn at the time?"

Ron seemed not to hear and continued to complain: "And she's becoming more and more like Vaughn, speaking cryptically and mysteriously, acting like she knows everything..."

The speaker meant no harm, but upon hearing these words, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Harry.

He couldn't help but turn around and look at the girl leaning against a pillar in the depths of the corridor behind him, her robes fluttering in the breeze.

Will Vaughn tell her the secret?

Harry thought about it and realized it was very likely!

……

In Scotland during the summer, it gets dark very late.

The hall was bustling with activity. Around 8 o'clock, the enchanted dome of the auditorium reflected the sky outside the castle, which was covered with the colors of the sunset.

Under the brilliant glow of the sunset, candles were still lit at the long tables of the four houses, as was tradition, while the banners and ornaments hanging on the surrounding walls were redecorated in Slytherin's silver and green.

That was to celebrate Slytherin winning the House Cup for the seventh consecutive time.

When Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall, the color was so bright it hurt their eyes, especially Harry, who couldn't help but think of how he once had the chance to have Gryffindor's red hanging in the Great Hall.

Upon seeing Harry appear, the Gryffindor lion cubs cheered loudly. A seventh-year student near the Great Hall entrance, sensing Harry's mood, patted him forcefully on the shoulder as he came to greet him.

"Don't be too disappointed, Harry, you still have a chance."

Is there really still a chance?
Harry looked at his senior, Slytherin's seven consecutive House Cup victories meant that this older brother had been crushed and humiliated by their arch-rival for seven consecutive years...

I don't know why, but I suddenly feel a little better.

Not long after Harry and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table, Vaughn and Hermione arrived, and the Great Hall erupted in a much more enthusiastic cheer than when Harry had just arrived.

Vaughn flashed a smile that met the students' expectations and greeted them.

Given that this was the last banquet of the school year, he finally gave Headmaster Snape face and didn't wander around the long tables of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but returned to his loyal Slytherin.

A little while later, Dumbledore rushed over.

The headmaster, meeting the burning, expectant, and anxious gazes of the students below, raised his glass: "I know you're all waiting for the exam results, but according to tradition, we must first hold the House Cup award ceremony... Oh, as you all already know, yes, Slytherin has won the House Cup once again..."

At this point, he paused.

Below, Vaughn couldn't help but look up, afraid of hearing a "but," only to see the old man on stage playfully winking at him.

That old geezer!
Vaughn squinted.

Having successfully amused Vaughn, Dumbledore laughed heartily: "I declare the House Cup winner to be Slytherin—"

The next second, cheers erupted!

My last day at Hogwarts felt like a dream.

After the awards ceremony, the school officially announced the results. The prefects received a stack of parchment from the professors, and then the students were called out one by one. Those whose names were called went to the prefect to retrieve their report cards.

Harry almost immediately forgot his disappointment with the House Cup, his emerald green eyes fixed on Gryffindor Prefect Percy!
"That was the first time I focused all my attention on Percy's annoying face, the first time I believed he was a good person and would give me a respectable report card."

This was Ron's reflection afterward.

Harry felt about the same way, although he didn't find Percy annoying.

Fortunately, the last-minute tutoring before the exams was effective, and both Harry and Ron passed their exams successfully. They passed all seven subjects without failing any, including Potions, which Harry thought might be a target of their criticism.

Other people Harry knew also passed the test successfully.

Vaughn goes without saying; everyone assumed he was the top student in the first year, and there was no suspense.

Below Vaughn is Hermione, who is second, but her practical performance in Potions is slightly worse than Vaughn's.

Ron, who had previously looked down on Hermione, now stood up for her, believing that she was being targeted by Snape, who was deliberately suppressing other students to ensure Vaughn was number one.

Of course, Harry didn't believe Ron's nonsense.

Snape was indeed biased, but this time, Harry believed he was very fair and quite possibly lenient.

Even Neville, whom Harry thought was likely to get a bad grade, actually improved – he got an O (excellent) in Herbology, while he got an A (pass) in Potions, which everyone thought would get a P (poor) or D (terrible).

This made his promotion go smoothly and without any major incidents.

Neville was overjoyed; he cried and laughed, jumped and danced wildly in his seat, it was terrifying.

But no one minded his loss of composure, because many people are in a similar situation.

The immense pressure of the previous exams had been weighing on the young wizards' minds.

Now, the time has finally come for reasonable indulgence!

In an instant, the entire Great Hall was like a scene of chaos, with even the Ravenclaws, known for their calmness and rationality, joining in this hysterical revelry.

Normally, such behavior would definitely be stopped.

But no one cares today, and the professors know that the students, who have been suppressing their emotions for nearly two months, need to release them.

Dumbledore had left sometime earlier, and Professor McGonagall, her cheeks flushed, was chatting with Professor Flitwick after drinking a few glasses of wine.

Professor Kettleburn and Professor Trelawney sat together, not because they had anything to talk about, but because of the unspoken understanding between the two heavy drinkers, most of the alcohol on the professors' table had ended up in their stomachs.

Snape remained perched in his seat like a giant bat, but everyone could tell he was in a good mood, because he had actually accepted a piece of rock cake that Hagrid offered him, even though he didn't eat it...

Of all the students, the seventh graders were the craziest.

For other grades, the end of one school year is just the beginning of the next, but for them, it means they will truly be leaving the castle where they have spent seven years.

And it's very likely that he'll never be able to come back.

There was a sense of relief, but also a sense of loss; such complex emotions are beyond the comprehension of younger students.

As the banquet drew to a close, when Harry and Ron, finally exhausted from their madness, left the Great Hall, they saw the seventh-year students, regardless of their houses or social status, sitting together, singing the school song over and over again.

Then a middle-aged wizard with a hideous scar on his face, accompanied by a slightly tipsy Professor McGonagall, arrived at the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall gathered the seventh-year graduates around the middle-aged wizard.

"Everyone, this is a recruitment specialist sent by WAC..."

As they walked out of the auditorium, Professor McGonagall's introduction was hidden behind the heavy door.

"Merlin, that's a werewolf! A werewolf has appeared at Hogwarts!"

As soon as he stepped out of the auditorium, Ron said excitedly.

Harry was a little puzzled: "How did you know?"

"WAC, the Werewolf Affairs Committee, what else could he be but a werewolf?"

“Maybe they were recruited?” For some reason, Harry felt that the middle-aged wizard’s gaze was very… kind and gentle. He subconsciously defended the man: “Look, they’ve all come to Hogwarts to recruit.”

Ron scoffed at Harry's stubbornness: "He's definitely a werewolf. This year's graduates, especially those Slytherin idiots, have all been brainwashed by Vaughn to want to join the WAC. I bet you, normal wizards in society would never work with a werewolf."

"why?"

"There's no reason why; that's how wizards are taught from a young age."

Harry asked in surprise, "Including the Weasleys?"

“Yes, all families!” Ron said firmly.

Harry suddenly didn't know what to say; Vaughn's image involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

The boy's simple worldview prevented him from truly understanding what ideals and perseverance mean, but that didn't stop him from admiring those who faced difficulties head-on!
Later, Harry learned the middle-aged man's name from Hermione.

Remus Lupin!
“He is indeed a werewolf,” Hermione confirmed Ron’s guess. “And he’s Vaughn’s right-hand man. If you’ve ever really cared about Vaughn, you should remember that earlier this year when the werewolves were parading in Diagon Alley, the Daily Prophet interviewed him, and I even read his report to you.”

After saying that, she walked away, clearly dissatisfied.

Ron's eyes widened: "That's ridiculous! Who would remember an interview in a newspaper from six months ago?"

Harry chuckled dryly: "Hermione remembers..."

The consequence of angering Hermione was that Harry's questions would remain unanswered for the time being.

He had originally intended to ask her if Remus Lupin was related to him, but after thinking it over carefully, Harry felt that the way she looked at him didn't seem like she was looking at a rare object called "Harry Potter."

Rather, it was like looking at... a family member?
That night, Harry kept thinking about it, and several times he impulsively wanted to run back to the Great Hall and ask the other person in person.

But in the end, I didn't go.

He needed to go to bed early because everyone would be taking the Hogwarts Express home the next day.

This made Harry feel terrible.

Harry didn't want to go back to the Dursleys at all.

But there was no room for negotiation on this matter; Vaughn had already told him the reason during their last conversation.

Harry did try to defend himself.

Having endured the trials of the painted world, he was no longer afraid of Voldemort, but Vaughn convinced him with just one sentence:

"The magic within you is the last gift your mother left you, Harry. Can you really bear to let it fail?"

Outstanding effect!

Harry had to admit that Vaughn had accurately grasped his inner weaknesses.

Therefore, even though he was reluctant, Harry packed his luggage early the next morning, filling his suitcase with a change of clothes, summer homework, and reference books.

The morning flew by in the chaos of packing, and the whole scene could be summed up in one sentence—utter chaos!
First, Ron kept complaining about how sorry he was for his fat mouse, Scabbers. Then, for some reason, Hedwig suddenly became very hostile towards Scabbers and kept trying to peck at him.

Then Ron got angry and scared Neville's Rafer away. They searched for several tens of minutes before finally finding him in the corner of the bathroom.

After finally getting everything ready, I had to rush to the lakeside—

According to tradition, first-year students must follow the path taken by the four giants, crossing the Black Lake to come and to leave.

It has a beginning and an end!

Hagrid was still in charge of ferrying and leading the fleet, but after a school year, the freshmen, who once had the naivety and foolishness of elementary school students, had begun to develop into seasoned veterans.

When they came last year, these docile creatures were like quails, but this time they're completely disobedient, causing Hagrid a lot of trouble.

They only behaved themselves when Vaughn arrived—the most mischievous of them all was Malfoy, who immediately climbed obediently onto a ship as soon as he saw Vaughn.

Hagrid wiped his sweat and thanked Vaughn, saying, "Thank you, thanks to you. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do. These kids are too much trouble."

Vaughn shrugged. "You need to be tougher, Hagrid."

Hagrid gave an awkward laugh and stammered, "Yes, yes... Oh, look, the train is here."

Vaughn looked up when he heard the sound.

In the distance, just like during the Christmas holidays, a train trailing a long plume of white smoke slowly approached from the distant mountains.

Hagrid quickly called out, "Children, hurry up and get on the ship, or we'll be late, and you might have to stay at Hogwarts for the whole summer!"

This statement is more effective than any threat.

The fleet, which had been delayed for so long, finally set off, gliding across the calm, still lake in the windless morning. On the lakeside covered bridge of the castle, Lupin watched the fleet recede into the distance, lost in thought.

Until Dumbledore came to his side: "I thought you would talk to Harry, or at least say goodbye?"

Lupin didn't turn around. After a moment of silence, he shook his head: "There's nothing to say, and... I don't know how to face him."

“It wasn’t your fault back then, Remus. It was Black who betrayed James. James, you, Peter, none of you expected him to side with Voldemort.”

“No, I also bear some responsibility,” Lupin insisted. “If I had been with James instead of staying with the Order of the Phoenix, at least…”

“You’ll die then!” Dumbledore interrupted him.

Lupin gave a bitter laugh, looked down at himself, and said, "What difference is there between my life and my death all these years?"

Dumbledore was silent.

As a student he had once strongly advocated to take in, he would certainly be willing to help Lupin if possible, but Lupin was a person with great self-respect and consideration for others.

He loathed and feared his werewolf identity, and was even more unwilling to let it cause trouble for those who helped him. Even though Dumbledore offered him a job several times to improve his life, he refused.

Until the WAC was established!

Thinking about it, Dumbledore smiled and said, "To be honest, I didn't expect you to accept Vaughn's invitation. You have no idea how surprised I was when I received your letter half a year ago."

At this point, he looked at Lupin: "But you haven't written to me for months."

"..."

Under the gaze of his former headmaster, Lupin remained silent. After a moment, he spoke with a hoarse voice: "I will never write to you again. I'm sorry, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore wasn't angry; he remained calm, with a hint of curiosity: "Can I know why?"

"...For the werewolves..."

After saying that, Lupin turned and left.

Watching his retreating figure disappear into the distance, Dumbledore stood there for a long time, until the hollow and long whistle of a train echoed back from afar.

Until the wind rises again...

……

Compared to the first time I rode the Hogwarts Express, the excitement and trepidation of stepping into the magical world and meeting unfamiliar classmates, this return journey was undoubtedly dull.

No one wandered around between carriages anymore. After a year of school, friends who knew each other would naturally gather in one carriage, chatting about topics that interested them, laughing and talking.

Vaughn and Hermione were in one carriage. Harry and Ron wanted to come over, but as soon as they saw Fruit Tea, Scabbers screamed loudly.

Naturally, they can't sit together like that.

Vaughn was happy to have some peace and quiet. Without those two clueless third wheels, he could enjoy his time alone with his girlfriend.

The train swayed and rattled as it traveled from the mountains into the plains, passing rivers, villages, and farmlands. Gradually, the traces of towns and cities became more and more apparent.

The prefects are busy again.

As they reminded everyone that the train was about to arrive in London and that they should quickly change into Muggle clothes, they handed out brochures:

"Note that these are Ministry of Magic regulations for underage wizards, and they must be followed!"

Hermione flipped through the booklet and found that it contained restrictions and warnings, such as underage wizards not being allowed to use magic after leaving school, and it mentioned traces, warning young wizards not to take any chances.

The girl blinked: "I remember you said that the tracking threads can't really pinpoint underage wizards, but only determine whether an underage wizard is casting a spell based on our place of residence, right?"

"Yes, these regulations actually mainly restrict young wizards living in Muggle communities."

Upon hearing this, the girl giggled and said excitedly, "Then you have to come pick me up as soon as possible. Oh my god, I can't imagine how unbearable it would be to have a magic wand but not be able to cast spells!"

Vaughan: "..."

Amidst their laughter and conversation, the train soon pulled into London and stopped at King's Cross station, where Vaughn and Hermione disembarked.

There was no sadness in parting, because they would soon meet again.

Ron and Harry, on the other hand, seemed reluctant to part.

"Ron, remember to come find me!"

“I will definitely go, Harry!”

The crowd grew larger, including young wizards getting off the bus and parents coming to pick them up. Soon, as Vaughn and Hermione hugged goodbye, a scream was heard:
“Vaughn—”

Turning around, a girl with fiery red hair ran and threw herself into Vaughn's arms.

……

Habits are a terrible thing.

When Vaughn woke up in the morning, just like when he was at Hogwarts, he subconsciously turned on the light, forgetting that he was back home. This was no longer the dungeon at the bottom of the lake, and the black lake outside the window was no longer the pitch-black lake.

If you want light, just draw back the curtains.

He chuckled to himself, then Vaughn pried open Ginny's limbs, which were wrapped around him like an octopus. The little girl had been missing her brother terribly for a year and had been clinging to Vaughn ever since yesterday at the train station. Even her idol, Harry Potter, couldn't distract her.

At night, she didn't even want to go back to her own room.

Sensing the movement, Ginny groggily opened her eyes: "Vaughn, where are you going?"

"Get up! You should get up too, you lazybones!"

The little girl unconsciously agreed.

Because of its latitude, Devon is a little warmer than Scotland, but the climate is more stable and milder, and it is still cool in the mornings.

Vaughn opened the window, letting in the sunlight and the slightly chilly morning breeze.

Ginny screamed instantly, fully awake: "Close the window!"

"Get up now, or you can go sleep in your own room!"

"I do not--"

She groaned and rolled herself up in the blankets like a mat.

Vaughn ignored her and gazed out the window at Weasel Mountain for a while. The mountain was still as lush and green as when he left last year. The moisture from the forest condensed into large clouds due to the morning temperature, flowing down along the contours of the mountain ridge.

On the other side is the village of Saint Cachipol.

Gazing quietly at the scenery after a year's separation, Vaughn didn't feel like moving. His thoughts, like the clouds hanging down from the mountain, were quiet and slow.

Of course, being leisurely doesn't mean being completely dazed; a cursor keeps flashing in his field of vision.

With a thought, Vaughn opened the system panel, which popped up:
[Host: Vaughn Weasley]

[Magic Scale: 541 (500 for an ordinary adult wizard)]

[Omitted]

[Main Quest 2: Help Slytherin win the House Cup at the end of this school year (Completed)]

[Reward: 1 Talent Point, 50 Magic Scales (Claimed)]

Main quest ② was completed at the dinner the day before yesterday when Dumbledore announced that Slytherin had won the House Cup.

The 50-scale magic reward from the quest instantly boosted Vaughn's magic level, exceeding the average level of a normal adult wizard.

At 12 years old, to be comparable to an adult wizard in terms of magical power is quite impressive.

But the most important thing is that 1 talent point.

For the past two days, Vaughn has been considering where to allocate that talent point.

There are a total of 7 talents, with Herbalism and Divination being negligible.

The main problem with divination is a poor foundation. Investing 1 or 2 points won't make a difference. To make it effective, you need to invest at least 4 points and upgrade it to level 6.

Herbalism talent corresponds to sensitivity and affinity for magical plants, but Vaughn doesn't want to become a magical botanist in the future, so it's a no-go.

But apart from these two talents, and Potions, which is already maxed out and no longer needs to be considered, the others are all very useful and equally valuable.

Spells, transformations, dark magic, alchemy.

Whether you continue to delve deeper into the path of magic or enhance your combat power, these four talents are indispensable; none of them is more important than the other.

When Vaughn allocated his skill points last time, he chose Polymorph because he knew he might face Voldemort, so he chose to use Polymorph to deal with the Killing Curse.

It was out of necessity to survive that they had to do it.

In the year since enrolling, Vaughn's Transfiguration talent, which is as high as 8 points, has made rapid progress. Normally, it seems that he can continue to deepen his skills.

But Vaughn understood even better that in the magical world, being unbalanced in one's studies was a very serious matter.

"A spell... dark magic..."

His gaze passed through the system panel, looking towards the distant, misty Weasel Mountain. Vaughn murmured the two words to himself, as he was currently wavering between these two subjects.

According to Vaughn's plan, he hoped to use the two months of summer vacation to complete the system's side quests, obtain the Spell Development Module, and then use the Spell Development Module to develop "tools" that could assist him in various researches, which were actually spells similar to the Scarpin Manifestation Spell.

Given this demand, coupled with the 7 points in the Spellcasting talent, Vaughn's actual experience over the past year has revealed limitations.

Comparing the Shapeshifter talent tree, Vaughn thinks that raising the Spellcaster talent to level 8 would be barely enough.

However, at the same time, when facing a battle-damaged version of Voldemort in the painted world at the end of the school year, Vaughn clearly felt his weakness in the dark magic.

Leaving aside the world-renowned Killing Curse, the curse that Voldemort hastily inflicted by turning his clothes into a snake had troubled Vaughn for a whole week.

His hesitation stemmed not only from a choice based on his talent, but also from whether or not he should use the summer vacation to formally engage with dark magic!
Starting last year, Vaughn developed a personification suit in preparation for avoiding the negative effects of dark magic.

To date, Persona has progressed to version 3.0, but has yet to achieve a breakthrough. Vaughn has also realized the problem—dark magic affects the soul, and magic that studies the soul is essentially dark magic...

Without access to dark magic, he cannot access the soul.

Without observing and experimenting with the soul, it is impossible to continue perfecting the persona.

However, since a personification cannot completely prevent corruption, rashly learning black magic will inevitably corrupt the soul...

It's like a nesting doll!

The thought of this vicious cycle made Vaughn feel terrible, and the beautiful scenery in front of him lost its appeal.

He let out a long sigh, shook his head, closed the system panel, and stopped thinking about it. Summer vacation had just begun, so there was no rush. He would relax for a few more days and think about it later!

I went downstairs to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. On the way, I kicked the dressing mirror that always complained about being "sloppy".

After a year apart, the mirror still remembered the Weasley family's villain and didn't dare to say a word back.

When I came out again, my mother was also up.

“Baby, why don’t you sleep a little longer?” Molly hugged Vaughn.

"I got used to waking up early at school."

Molly felt another pang of tenderness for her darling, and then said, "Mommy will prepare breakfast right away. You haven't had Mommy's cooking for a year, you must be missing it terribly. Sigh, at Hogwarts, it's all elves who cook, they wouldn't know your tastes..."

No, their cooking skills are better than yours...

The thought that would drive Molly crazy flashed through Vaughn's mind, but of course he wouldn't say it aloud, and even enjoyed the long-unheard nagging from his mother.

However, after only 10 minutes, the feeling of enjoyment vanished. Dizzy from his mother's nagging about everyday matters, Vaughn had no choice but to make an excuse to run out the door.

"Don't go too far, come back for breakfast in a bit!"

As Vaughn mounted his broom and prepared to go for a spin, he heard his mother calling out from inside the house.

"Okay!" he replied, and soared into the sky.

The vast reed beds swayed in the morning breeze.

Vaughn rode his broom, skimming past the swaying grass, parting the green "waves" across the boundless plains, and then disappearing into the white mist flowing down from Weasel Mountain.

A cool, damp breeze swept over him, and together with the view of the fields hidden in the mist stretching to the horizon, and the swirling clouds of White Weasel Mountain, his mind was instantly refreshed.

The worries seem to have disappeared as well.

After crossing the Weasel Mountain, the village of St. Catchbolt lies nestled in the valley behind it. This village is not entirely a wizarding community; a small number of Muggles also live there, but most of them are also related to wizards.

For example, the Squirrel, which was looked down upon by wizards.

Squibs are a source of unspoken pain for all wizarding families. Born into the magical world, they are destined to be forever without magic due to their lack of talent. Some heartless families will abandon their Squibs in Muggle society to fend for themselves, but most will raise them and then let them live independently like Muggles.

Currently, villages in the magical world where wizards and Muggles live together are mostly composed of this type of village.

Instead of flying to the village, Vaughn circled the forest outside the village and came to a small hill on the other side of the village.

Through the clouds, in the crisp morning light and mist, a tower-like building that appeared to be made of piled stones came into Vaughn's view, its crooked and twisted style exactly like the Burrow.

Outside the Black Tower gate, several oak trees are planted in the courtyard, and large patches of mistletoe grow wildly on them. July is the time to bear fruit, and the newly emerging ginkgo fruits are as dense as stars, dotting the greenery.

(End of this chapter)