The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 94 The Legendary Principal's Office

Dawn had not yet broken, but the eastern sky was already bright.

A faint light shone through the windows and onto the cobblestone floor of the castle corridor.

On both sides of the wall, the magical torches used for lighting flickered in and out, as if they were about to go out at any moment.

In the corridor where light and shadow alternated, Dumbledore slowly began to speak:

"We haven't talked in a long time. My office is on this floor, and we can have breakfast together if you don't mind."

Faced with the sudden invitation, Ino thought about it and then accepted:

"Of course, Professor. It's my pleasure! And it saves me from going to the crowded auditorium later."

After all, when he decided to give Tom's notebook to Professor McGonagall, he knew that this day would come sooner or later, and there was no way to avoid it.

……

The Hogwarts Headmaster's office, although accessible via the eighth-floor corridor, is essentially a separate tower.

Ino followed Dumbledore and walked until they finally arrived at a gate guarded by a huge stone beast.

"Sizzling honey candy!"

Dumbledore stated the command without hesitation, then smiled and turned to look behind him:

"Only Honeydukes uses the stinger of the Billywig bug, so their candies taste the most authentic."

"Thanks to you, we have a qualified Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, at least when it comes to collecting magical creatures, he's put his heart into it."

Ino didn't hide his dissatisfaction; after all, he didn't have much of a grudge against the old principal after their frank conversation last time.

"Haha, many people are unhappy with Lockhart, including Minerva," Dumbledore said with a laugh.

"But it cannot be denied that Lockhart has his role. Rather than learning a few more spells, I think it is more important for a young wizard to establish the right qualities and recognize the consequences of vanity, pride, and arrogance."

Upon hearing Dumbledore's explanation, Ino did not speak immediately.

Undeniably, Dumbledore's points are valid, even important. After all, from a long-term educational perspective, character is never as important as skills.

Frankly speaking, people who are capable but lack moral character often cause enormous harm to those around them.

"Perhaps you are right! But I think without the corresponding abilities, young wizards will have no means to save themselves when they are in danger. After all, when it comes to survival, character doesn't seem to be that important."

He did not refute Dumbledore's decision, but he did express his own opinion.

Hogwarts is not a school for Muggles; it is a supernatural school that teaches magic.

The extraordinary is, in essence, a form of inequality. Not to mention the centuries-old feud between Muggles and wizards.

"It seems we have a disagreement on this point, but that's okay, we can talk while we eat."

As Dumbledore finished speaking, the stone beast slowly opened, revealing the spiral staircase hidden behind it.

Passing through the stairs, there is a gleaming oak door with a brass door knocker in the shape of a griffin.

The office is a spacious and bright circular room, with portraits of past principals hanging on the walls.

Perhaps it was a bit early, but most of these portraits were snoring and sleeping.

In the center of the room was a huge desk, on which were displayed many exquisite silverwares.

"Please sit down. At this time, we can only have some candy to tide us over. It will take some time for the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and even as the principal, I have no authority to change that."

Dumbledore smiled and walked to the storage cabinet next to him. He opened the cabinet door and found it full of jars of brightly colored candies.

However, in a fleeting glance, Ino also noticed another interesting item in the cabinet: a meditation basin whose manufacturing method had been lost.

After a brief delay, Dumbledore laid out all sorts of sweets on the table.

"Ino, you're right! Compared to life, many things seem less important."

After Dumbledore sat down, he continued the previous topic.

"What I'm trying to say is that we're living in a time of peace, both in the wizarding world and the Muggle world. In this context, quality is all the more important. There are plenty of people like Lockhart."

Upon hearing this explanation, Ino couldn't help but laugh.

"Professor, I won't argue with you. I'm just here for breakfast and to chat about interesting topics, like music composition and music in general."

He realized that Dumbledore was also somewhat stubborn.

Since that's the case, there's no need to discuss this topic any further, since what's done is done.

On the other hand, Dumbledore didn't say anything more.

He first glanced at the gray-blue sky outside the window, a deep light flashing in his eyes.

Then, in a calm and unhurried manner, he skillfully steered the conversation in a new direction.

"Or we could talk about magic, Ino. What do you think magic is?"

What is magic?

Upon hearing the question, Ino immediately realized that it might be a test, since Dumbledore had asked another student the same question half a century earlier.

Looking at Dumbledore's somewhat aged face, he decided not to pretend or hide anything anymore. Although he was protected by Occlumency and ice, it would be easy to deceive him.

But for some reason, the thought of resolutely jumping off the tower in the future made him less inclined to tell the lie.

After all, he didn't intend to become some kind of third-generation Dark Lord; he just wanted to live quietly in this chaotic world, nothing more.

"Professor, I believe magic is a miracle, a guarantee of my life, and a means of survival."

At this point, Ino leaned back slightly, adjusting to a more comfortable sitting position.

"Before coming to Hogwarts, I made a living by fortune telling. Without magic, I might have frozen to death under a bridge or starved to death on the banks of the Thames."

"No matter how others view magic, to me, it is this: with magic, I can live the life I want and secure everything I have."

After speaking, Ino looked up and stared directly at Dumbledore. Their eyes met, and he did not flinch.

The entire office fell into a brief silence; even the snoring of the portraits nearby subsided considerably.

a long time.

Thank you for your trust!

Dumbledore broke the silence, his voice filled with ease and relief.

"You know what? As an old man, he always unconsciously thinks about what will happen after he's gone. They praise me as the greatest white wizard of the twentieth century, and although I don't think so, as the headmaster of Hogwarts, I truly hope that every young wizard who comes here can genuinely feel happy!"

"And all I can do is try my best to keep their happiness going."

At this point, Dumbledore was slightly moved. He gently removed his signature glasses, revealing a pair of deep blue eyes.

Those eyes seemed to conceal some deep emotion, as if a faint mist lingered, making the azure color appear even softer and more moist.

"Professor, a crown makes the wearer feel superior; it's a symbol of status. But its true meaning is that when disaster strikes, it will protect people from everything."

"And you are truly worthy of the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts, and this crown shines even brighter because of you."

This is not flattery; at this moment, Ino's praise is genuine.

Since Dumbledore became the headmaster of Hogwarts in 1944, 48 years later, no student has died unexpectedly in the castle.

Similarly, whether it was during the years when the Marauders were rampant or during the decades when Voldemort was causing trouble, Hogwarts was never greatly affected.

In this respect, no matter who was in charge, they probably wouldn't have been able to deliver a result like Dumbledore's.

Please add this to your favorites! Please recommend it! Please vote with monthly tickets! Thank you all for your support!

Finally, Xiao Di recommends a book: *The Hogwarts Global Project*.

It features a single female lead, Hermione, and leans towards slice-of-life, but the author handles the emotional details very well, making it a heartwarming read.

(End of this chapter)