Hogwarts: This professor is too Muggle.

Chapter 336 Giving the Principal Some Trouble

After Umbridge left, the tavern became quiet. Melvin sat in a corner, watching the tavern owner wipe the glasses again and again with a dirty rag. A cool breeze blew in from the doors and windows, and the smell of stale grease lingered.

It's a terrible place, but perfect for discussing shady plots.

"That guy hasn't paid for his eggnog yet," the tavern owner murmured ghostly, looking up from behind the bar.

Strands of gray hair and beard, like strands of wire, covered most of his face. He also wore glasses with round black frames and dirty lenses, and his blue eyes were bright and sharp.

He looks very similar to Dumbledore, but because of his rough and unkempt appearance, no one would associate the two together if they didn't know the inside story.

"Then you should have stopped her earlier. Don't expect me to pay the bill. I haven't had a single drop," Melvin said casually.

“I don’t know her, but I remember you. You’ve been here a few times, with Rupert Hagrid.”

Does Hagrid still come over for drinks often?

"Occasionally, a few times a month."

Melvin discovered that the tavern owner was very intelligent, had a good memory, and was even witty and perceptive. He banned Mundungus Fletcher from entering the tavern for life, so no matter how Mundungus disguised himself, he would be seen through.

He suddenly became curious about the tavern owner. This dark, secluded, and dirty tavern, whose customers were wizards who frequented Hogsmeade but kept their heads in the dark, must have had many unknown secrets.

Hagrid bought the three-headed dog Ruggieri from the Greek here, and Quirrell bought dragon eggs here and resold them to Hagrid.

Even in early 1980, when Trelawney was interviewed by Dumbledore here and made the prophecy that would change the future of the wizarding world, Snape overheard snippets of the conversation. This lecherous bartender heard the entire prophecy.

"A Hogwarts professor's duty is to teach properly, not to come here and get involved with people of unknown origin."

"The tavern owner's job is to run the tavern, clean it regularly, and research new flavors of liquor, not to mention there are three brooms next door stealing business... Forget it, they opened the tavern on the very edge of the village, right in front of the school. They made a mistake in choosing the location from the beginning and never intended to run the tavern properly."

Melvin suddenly sighed, looking quite emotional.

"Why are you sighing?" the tavern owner asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing, I just remembered a touching story."

Aberforth was taken aback, not understanding Melvin's meaning: "What story?"

“Brothers cared for each other, but because they couldn’t bring themselves to communicate, they separated and didn’t speak to each other for decades. One of them died, and only then did the other regret it. In the end, they could only reconcile spiritually.” Melvin swirled the wine in his glass on the table, the liquid shimmering slightly.

Aberforth looked up, his grime-covered glasses reflecting a cold, bright white light. Veins bulged on his forehead as he slammed his glass down on the table.
"Oh, really? You think you can just pick up some old stories from somewhere and presumptuously speculate about my relationship with Albus? You think you know us better than we do?"

"You and Albus?" Melvin feigned surprise. "What's your relationship with Dumbledore?"

"Aren't you talking about us?" Aberforth asked, bewildered.

"I don't know you at all, okay?"

Melvin said slowly, "I was thinking about the three brothers of the Deathly Hallows. The three Peverell brothers: Antioch is powerful and has the Elder Wand, which can deal with any trouble; Cadmus is deeply in love with his deceased wife and must respect and love his brothers in the same way; and the youngest brother, Ignatius, has a clever mind."

Aberforth sneered. Of course he had heard the story of the Deathly Hallows. That summer, that damned blond boy had bewitched his brother and caused the death of his sister in the same way. "What does this have to do with what you're saying?"

"Before they parted ways, even if death blocked their path and cast a curse on the river, it could not stop the three brothers. After they parted ways, the eldest and second eldest were killed by their respective brothers, and the youngest brother could only hide for the rest of his life."

Melvin shook his head with a sigh.

"Ah……"

Aberforth was speechless and saw through the young professor's trick. He clearly knew what had happened back then, but deliberately spoke vaguely. When Aberforth pressed for details, the professor turned to the Peverell brothers.

"Clumsy trick! Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me like this!"

He said rudely, "I'm not a Hogwarts student, so you don't need to tell me fables!"

"Okay, okay..."

Melvin raised his hand to indicate compromise: "I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to settle the debt for this jug of eggnog with a message."

In pubs like the Pighead, there are often impoverished customers who can't afford drinks and sometimes offer their belongings as payment: a ring passed down from a pureblood's ancestors, a scepter dug from some grave, Hagrid's fangs from the Forbidden Forest, and unicorn hair.

Even if something is of dubious origin, as long as it doesn't cause trouble for the bar, like Mundungus Fleming on the blacklist, Aberforth will generally let it slide.

Whether intelligence can be used to offset debts depends on the value of the intelligence.

“Tell me about it,” Abu Fusi said gruffly.

Do you know what the three items are in the Deathly Hallows?

“The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.” Aberforth said impatiently.

“Yes, the invincible Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak that conceals one’s presence, and… the Resurrection Stone that summons the souls of the dead.” Melvin spoke slowly, as if deliberately observing his expression. “Not long ago, I witnessed with my own eyes that our Hogwarts Headmaster, Mr. Albus Dumbledore, found a real Deathly Hallow.”

Aberforth's breathing quickened, and his impatient expression vanished. His eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp, piercing gaze.

"It's that thing you're thinking of... the resurrection stone."

The room was silent. Aberforth's expression changed drastically, and his gaze involuntarily drifted up the stairs. On the fireplace upstairs, there was a portrait of a little witch.

"Judging from your reaction, I think this news is enough to settle the score."

It's only natural that schools force young professors to work overtime and that professors cause trouble for the principal.

Melvin smiled contentedly, turned and waved, then walked out of the tavern without looking back: "Goodbye, Mr. Dumbledore."

……

Easter 1994 arrived.

In the attic of a house on the outskirts of London, where miscellaneous items are piled up.

A middle-aged witch dressed in a sweet style stood by the wall, urging an old man to help her pack her luggage. In front of her was an elderly wizard who was hunched over.

The pink suitcase, treated with a seamless stretching spell, was decorated with lace-like patterns and gold-threaded stripes that were faintly visible. Inside, it was filled with many things that girls love: a decorative plate with a cat pattern, a fluffy pink cardigan... If the destination of this trip wasn't Albania, she would have liked to bring her fat tabby cat from home.

It's much easier for wizards to keep cats than for Muggles. Feeding them, cleaning their fur, and taking care of their poop and pee can all be done with a wave of a wand. Witches in Muggle stories are always accompanied by black cats, while Umbridge prefers tabby cats.

She loves cats more than her parents and relatives. Her physical guardian spirit is a long-haired silver cat. When practicing the guardian spirit spell, she thinks of the cats she used to own and reminisces about those wonderful years.

She spared no expense on her cat, feeding it cat trees, cat food, treats, and various kinds of scorpion liver and fish oil. She always fed her cat until it was plump and fat.

Then quietly wait for various diseases to come knocking, watching the tabby cat howl in pain, its life slowly slipping away, until it finally dies in agony.

"Hurry up, Alford, pack all of these in!"

Umbridge commanded the old wizard in front of her, speaking in a condescending, girlish tone: "I'm going to Albania on a business trip. The hotels there probably have nothing, so I need to bring these things with me to get a good night's sleep!"

The old wizard paused in his tidying up, then quickened his pace, bending his back even lower and becoming even more hunched over.

The old wizard's name was Alford Umbridge. He used to work in the Ministry of Magic's maintenance department. After retiring, Umbridge ordered him to stay indoors and not go anywhere, especially not to reveal his surname outside.

"Business trip? How long will you be gone?"

Alford asked in a hoarse voice, his cautious tone sounding more like a subordinate asking a superior than a father asking his daughter.

"We don't know how long it will take yet; it could be a week or two, or it could be a few months!"

Umbridge answered impatiently, and behind the old wizard's back, she unconsciously pressed the inside of her right arm.

This is the contract she signed after agreeing to cooperate with that professor.

Having previously worked in the Office Against the Abuse of Magic and served as a Senior Deputy Minister, Umbridge had seen something similar: the Dark Mark, a mark bestowed upon Death Eaters by the Dark Lord, or rather, a brand, essentially to establish a magical connection and summon servants at any time.

At that time, many Death Eaters were proud of this symbol, releasing it above the scene of each bloodshed... In a sense, being able to create such a symbol was a sign of mastery of dark magic.

Regardless of whether the young professor is good or bad, or what ambitions he harbors, it shows that he is secretly cultivating his own power. When they reveal their identities, they may be even more powerful than the Death Eaters.

Thinking of the profits Malfoy had made in the last Wizarding War, a glint of fervor flashed in Umbridge's eyes. This deal was very promising!

Alford's eyes flashed with a hint of joy when he heard that she wouldn't be back for a long time, but he quickly concealed it and asked in a low voice, "Before you leave, do you want to go see your mother and brother?"

"A Muggle, a Squib, what's so special about them..."

Umbridge refuted him almost without thinking, but then quickly remembered the professor's argument, paused, and didn't finish her sentence.

"I won't go. You take my key, go to the vault, get some Galleons, and exchange them for Muggle currency."

……

At dusk, at the candle shop in Fandao Lane.

In the basement, a group of wizards, their faces veiled, gathered. All wore black and gray cloaks with hoods covering their heads and various masks. They huddled around a dilapidated fish bucket, their hands resting on its surface. They were wary of each other, maintaining a distance close enough to draw their wands at any moment.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, the key to the door to Albania will depart in half a minute..."

Mr. Bokin, who was maintaining order, also concealed his face as he explained and observed the people in the room: "I must remind you that this trip will be charged twice. After you arrive in Albania, someone will meet you, and you will need to settle the remaining balance."

He didn't understand why Mr. Levent would personally intervene in what was clearly just an ordinary case of smuggling.

"Well then, I wish everyone gets what they want in Albania..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the fish bucket suddenly rippled with powerful magic, enveloping everyone and pulling them into the turbulent flow of space.

……

Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Magic.

Bertha Jorkins, dressed neatly and carrying a suitcase, stood in the Transportation Department's room, with a door key and a rusty spatula in front of her.

Compared to the smuggling routes in Knockturn Alley, this house was much cooler. Apart from the staff of the Department of Transport, there was only one passenger, Jorgins. Very few wizards registered with the Ministry of Magic and traveled to Albania through proper Portkeys.

“Bertha, are you sure you’re not mistaken? Is it a trip to Albania to visit relatives?” Wicky Tecros repeatedly checked the names on the list, still feeling uneasy.

Bertha Jorkins was a well-known figure in the Ministry of Magic. After she developed mental problems, she worked in various departments of the Ministry and everyone knew that she was forgetful and needed someone to accompany her at all times for any job.

"Yes, I'm going to visit my aunt!"

Bertha Jorkins nodded emphatically. Although she was already a witch in her thirties, her style was still like that of a recent graduate. Unlike Umbridge, who was a girl who acted in a way that was annoying, Bertha still had the innocence of a young girl.

She proudly raised her chin: "I passed the test, and Mr. Crouch granted me a long leave!"

"Okay, have a pleasant trip!"

The rusty iron spatula trembled, and Bertha vanished from the Ministry of Magic.

……

In a makeshift shelter in the Albanian forest.

Insect Tail sat in front of the fire, its cold body gradually warming up, its stiff limbs slowly relaxing. It stretched out its wand and tapped it against its chest, mumbling a spell indistinctly.

The soft, black insects fell to the ground, some landing in the fire. After being roasted, the shelter was filled with a sweet, pungent aroma – his own blood. The insects were leeches that had bitten him.

Albania's primeval forests, places untouched by human footprints, where parts of the Valama Mountains are still covered in snow, and the never-frozen Lake Ohrid sustains the poisonous insects and wild animals that inhabit the forests.

Even if a wizard wanders in the forest, his flesh and blood will become nourishment for the forest.

The insect swallowed the dry, hard bread, unsure how long this search would continue, but he believed it wouldn't be long.

Spring has arrived, and venomous snakes are already roaming the treetops of the jungle.

(End of this chapter)