The Return to Hogwarts

“I’m just doing my job, Finley.”

Amosta said with a smile.

"You'll surely catch Blake soon, Professor Blaine."

With her hair styled in two blonde braids, a slightly nervous Hannah asked Amostella a serious question.

"Because of that Blake, I've never been able to concentrate in class!"

At noon, Amostella was planning to go down to the Great Hall to have lunch with the professors, but his henchman Filch seized the opportunity and burst in carrying a second-year Gryffindor wizard.

"Mr. Blaine!"

With a radiant smile, Filch proudly showed Amosta a large sack full of rotten eggs, and excitedly said...

"We caught a naughty kid playing with a poop ball in the hallway. What should we do?"

After glancing twice at the trembling young wizard, Amosta rubbed his forehead and sighed helplessly.

"How have you handled this situation in the past?"

"Solitary confinement, sir, for at least three days!"

“Then let’s do it this way, Filch.”

Amostah waved his hand, signaling Filch to quickly leave his office with the bag of stinking excrement. Before leaving, he added that Filch didn't need to report such situations in the future and could handle them as appropriate.

"professor!"

Entering this time were Percy and his girlfriend Penelope. Percy, wearing his polished, gleaming student council president badge, proudly puffed out his chest under the admiring gaze of the beautiful Miss Crevat, and said…

"There's something I need to report to you!"

Hearing the solemn tone, Amosta, whose face had been frozen with a smile, became more serious and perked up.

"The Dementors guarding the various entrances to the castle hope to enter and search for Black, as they seem to believe he is still lurking inside."

"Does Headmaster Dumbledore know about this?"

Amosta frowned and asked.

“Oh, I gave Professor Dumbledore a report last night,” Percy sniffed, “but Professor Dumbledore is adamant about not allowing Dementors into the castle.”

"In that case."

"But as the Director of the Student Safety Office, who is authorized by the Board of Trustees, I believe it is more appropriate for you to make the decision!"

Percy looked at Amosta, his eyes gleaming.

Young man, you have the potential to be a double agent; I have high hopes for you.

"Professor Blaine, will you also be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year?"

Penelope, clinging to Percy's arm, asked with great interest.

Is this question cursing Lupin, or cursing me, Miss Crevat?

Amosta pursed her lips, feeling weary as she thought.

Chapter 192 Entangled in Mundane Affairs

Huhu——

Dark, gloomy clouds once again obscured the sky that had cleared up only half a day earlier. Fine rain, carried by a strong wind, pattered against the windowpanes. Without the protection of sunlight, the temperature in the castle, which bordered a vast forest and a wide black lake, dropped rapidly. Although wizards with powerful magic were much more resistant to heat and cold than normal wizards, Amosta didn't need to tough it out. To make the room more comfortable, he relit the extinguished fireplace.

After hanging a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his office door, Amosta finally enjoyed some peace and quiet. Standing by the window, gazing at the turbulent world, he suddenly remembered the experimental data left behind in his Screaming Shack. Although it was concealed by illusion magic, leaving it there was never a safe place.

Naturally, research on the Blood Curse popped into his mind again.

"Should we ask Dumbledore for advice? A white wizard like him must be very good at dark magic."

Amostella hesitated, but after careful consideration, he decided it was best not to be too ostentatious. After all, what he was researching was considered one of the more evil things, even within the realm of black magic.

It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and there was still some time before dinner. Amostah glanced at the parchment on the table, which had only been flipped through the top few pages, and had no desire to deal with these 'trivial matters' at all. After thinking for a while, he decided to go to the library to look up some information.

“I’m not sure if the head of the student safety office has the authority to borrow magic books from the restricted section, Amosta.”

Mrs. Pince, the librarian, was a strict and extremely orderly witch. She did not think highly of Amostra and refused to let him borrow books from the restricted section because Amostra had lost his professorship.

"All right--"

Amostra scratched his head, somewhat reluctantly handing over the "Most Poisonous Magic" to Mrs. Pince.

“I’ll check with Headmaster Dumbledore later to see if I have the authority, Mrs. Pince.”

After uttering those words with a hint of resentment, Amosta sauntered away. He had originally planned to return to his office to wait for his meal, but as he walked down the corridor, he suddenly remembered Professor Snape, whom he hadn't seen that day. A little worried about Snape's mental health, Amosta quickly made a decision and quickened his pace toward the Slytherin basement.

As Amosta knocked on Professor Snape's office door and stepped inside, his nostrils twitched slightly, catching a faint whiff of poisonous gas in the murky air.

Upon closer inspection, Professor Snape was alone processing the wings and stingers of a cage of Billywig bugs that gleamed with a bluish-green luster. These were the ingredients for the potions Laughing and Awakening, respectively. Amost had encountered both potions in his fourth year.

"Why aren't you enjoying your hard-earned privileges in your own office? What are you doing here?"

The blood of the Billywig bug, like its stinger, was poisonous. Snape, whose face had turned even more sallow from the fumes, looked at Amostella, who had come to visit, and smirked sarcastically.

Upon hearing Snape's signature sarcasm, Amosta immediately forgot his worries, quickly approached, and stared with interest at the dazzling array of materials on the table, clicking his tongue in admiration.

“These raw materials aren’t cheap, Professor. They can fetch at least three hundred Galleons on the black market!”

“Your salary is comparable to Minerva’s, and higher than mine, Amosta.”

"Snape said lazily."

“That’s different, Professor.”

Amosta shook his head regretfully and said, "Unlike you, I don't have as many opportunities to line my own pockets."

This time, Snape didn't even bother with a sarcastic remark.

A wizard like Amostella could easily have people swarming him and stuffing Galleons into his pockets wherever he went if he were willing to show off his power. But he never did that. Snape knew the kid's style. Rather than saying he adhered to principles, it would be more accurate to say that Amostella treated making money as a form of leisure and a pleasure.

"and many more!"

Seeing that Professor Snape wasn't dejected by being slapped on the beach, Amosta left on his own. But as he turned to close the door, Professor Snape called him back, saying lazily,

“That werewolf has a third-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class this Friday. Maybe you could cover for him.”

Amosta's face darkened. "Miss Krivat, has your mouth been blessed by something?"

"Such opportunities to fulfill one's dreams are rare, Professor. Are you really going to give up?"

boom!

The office door closed automatically, leaving Amosta standing outside with a dark expression on his face.

During the daytime on school days, every staff member in the castle was busy. Even when they weren't teaching, they were busy preparing lessons or teaching tools in their offices. In order not to make others think that he was just trying to get a yearly salary, Amosta had no choice but to slowly walk back to his office.

Walking slowly up to the third floor, and turning a corner, Amosta suddenly saw two young wizards standing hesitantly in front of the door. They seemed to want to knock on the office door, but because of the 'Do Not Disturb' sign hanging on the door, they dared not do so.

"Potter, Weasley--"

Amosta smiled and waved to him twice before quickly approaching.

"We had three classes today, Professor, so we're a little late!"

With bright smiles on their faces, Harry and Ron began to explain all at once.

"Understandable--"

Amosta chuckled. No matter what, his relationship with Harry was closer than with the others. So many people had come to visit all morning, but the three little ones hadn't come to see him, which made him somewhat disappointed.

As the door opened, Amosta asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Why are there only the two of you? Where is your good partner, Miss Granger?"

"Hermione also has a class in the fourth period,"

Following Professor Blaine into the office, Ron, looking around at the familiar furnishings, spoke with a somewhat aggressive tone.

"And recently, we've had some issues with some of her actions!"

Amosta walked to the fireplace and brought Harry and Ron two cups of tea. Hearing this, he smiled indifferently. Young wizards at this age often have sharp personalities and lack self-control, so occasional conflicts between them are perfectly normal.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

After directing the two little ones to sit down, Amosta returned to his desk and casually asked a question.

After another round of explanations from everyone, Amosta finally understood what had happened.

No wonder Crookshan hadn't been staying in the castle lately, but kept running towards me; that's why, Amosta thought to himself.

Ron, who had been hoping that Professor Blaine would condemn Hermione's disregard for Scabbers' health, was a little disappointed when he saw that Professor Blaine had no intention of getting involved. However, he quickly put that out of his mind and joined in the discussion with Harry about why he had suddenly returned to the castle without warning and become the head of the student safety office.

“We only heard a little bit of a rumor before, Professor—”

With Professor Blaine back at the castle, Harry, now doubly protected and with no more worries, said happily.

"Professor Dumbledore seems to be unhappy with the frequent incidents in the castle over the past few years that could lead to injuries to young wizards, so he's preparing to take some measures, but we haven't been able to find out exactly what he plans to do!"

"I guarantee that as long as you drop out of school now, Mr. Potter, nothing strange will ever happen at Hogwarts again," Amostella smiled nonchalantly.

"Are you planning to reactivate those alchemical tools, Professor?"

When it was Ron's turn to speak, he glanced at the black screen on the opposite wall with a slightly awe-inspiring look and said, noticing Professor Blaine's slightly surprised expression, he quickly explained,