Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world.

Chapter 355 The White Demon King's Exaggerated Influence!

In the center of the professor's seat, a pinkish-purple figure, seemingly long absent, sat there smiling, holding a bottle of wine, and enthusiastically speaking to Professor McGonagall.

It's Dumbledore!

Dumbledore is back!

No one had mentioned this beforehand.

But when Ron, Harry, and all the students of Hogwarts stepped into the Great Hall, bathed in the bright light of the braziers around them and under the dazzling starlight of the magical dome, they saw that figure wearing pinkish-purple pajamas, his elderly, overweight belly bulging out in layers of fat from the pajamas.

The clash of ideas, the turmoil of thought, and the wavering of public opinion that had been brewing and intensifying in recent days seemed to vanish in an instant.

Ron felt his heart sink into his stomach.

Harry finally managed to pull his head out of the book, his dazed gaze gradually regaining its liveliness, and he looked at the professors' table with undisguised joy.

The atmosphere at the Gryffindor table quickly became lively, with everyone excitedly whispering among themselves.

Even at the Slytherin table, Malfoy's face was slightly flushed as he spoke to Gorkcrab while pointing at the table.

Professor McGonagall, who had been frowning for days and whose wrinkles had deepened considerably, finally relaxed a little. A wine glass, filled with her favorite wine, was placed in front of her, something she hadn't done in a long time.

Hagrid's upper body was almost completely slumped on the table, his huge face flushed with excitement, as he tried his best to talk to Dumbledore.

Beside him, Snape no longer wore a long face, but instead slowly and deliberately avoided Hagrid's movements, elegantly tucking his napkin into his collar, and polishing the knife and fork in front of him until they gleamed.

This is what Vaughn saw when he walked into the restaurant.

It seems that with Dumbledore's return, the dark clouds that had been hanging over the castle for some time, and the people's inner turmoil, confusion, and restlessness, have been lifted.

Everything returned to calm in an instant!

Is this the influence of the White Demon King?

It's really outrageous, and I'm just helpless!

Vaughn thought about it, but he didn't feel much negativity, even though he had been deliberately letting the castle be swayed by public opinion these past few days.

He hoped that this upheaval would reveal which fools were prepared to turn against him, but Dumbledore's return clearly thwarted that plan.

But he wasn't surprised.

Old Dumbledore has "ruled" the wizarding world for decades, and the young wizards present, including their parents, all grew up listening to Dumbledore's legendary stories.

The name Albus Dumbledore represents people's complete trust in him, their belief that he can bring miracles and that he is omnipotent!

On the professor's seat, seemingly noticing his gaze, Dumbledore smiled and looked over. Upon seeing him, the old man raised his bottle high and shook it.

"Oh!"

Vaughn chuckled, narrowed his eyes, nodded slightly to Dumbledore, and then calmly walked toward the Slytherin table.

His arrival stirred the Slytherin table, with almost all the little snakes standing up. Draco shoved Goyle and Crabbe aside, then stepped forward and led Vaughn to the head of the table. Ignoring the older students around him, he plopped down next to Vaughn, leaned in, and whispered, "Harry told me the other day that someone wanted to teach the Weasleys a lesson. I looked into it, and it's that idiot Flint. But he was just being used. A few Ravenclaws egged him on, coaxed him into taking the lead. You know, that guy's never been very bright."

Vaughn looked calmly at the professor's seat without saying a word, seemingly uninterested in what he was saying.

But Draco, who had received guidance from his father during the summer vacation, knew very well that leaders often don't easily express their opinions or views; they only observe what you do.

Therefore, Draco continued, "I led my men and taught them a lesson. Apart from Flint, no one from Slytherin was involved. The purebloods still fear your power."

Vaughn finally turned around, glanced at him, and smiled: "Thank you, Draco. It seems you and Harry are getting along well lately?"

"Scar—well, Potter is mostly stupid, but thankfully he's not arrogant or headstrong." Draco's face flushed slightly from the praise, but he tried hard to control himself from becoming complacent, instead mimicking his father's demeanor, appearing reserved and docile: "Do you still need me to continue the investigation? Perhaps those Ravenclaws aren't the real masterminds. After all, those guys from that house idolize so-called wisdom and love to play fancy, cunning tricks."

"No need, Draco." Vaughn patted him on the shoulder. "Let's eat. Our dear headmaster is returning today, and he'll definitely be leaving to give a speech later. Don't let him spoil your appetite."

Draco couldn't help but smile, feeling light as a feather, as if he were about to fly. Since entering Slytherin, no one else had ever made Vaughn so close.

He felt that he must be the most special one in Vaughn's eyes.

Look, Vaughn is even worried about his appetite!

Draco happily grabbed a roasted leg of lamb and wolfed it down.

Vaughn is right. Dumbledore has been gone for so long, and with the holidays ending tomorrow and classes resuming, the old man is bound to have something to say.

Even the furry first-year students knew the principal's tricks; after eating some food, they obediently put down their knives and forks.

Before long, the auditorium gradually quieted down, and everyone's eyes were focused on the professors' seats.

At his seat, Dumbledore put down his wine glass, his azure eyes sweeping across the long tables of the four houses as he slowly tidied his long beard and patiently waited for the mischievous fellows to finish their desserts.

For example, Fred and George are having a contest to see who can stretch the cheese the longest in their mouths.

Only when Professor McGonagall's stern gaze swept over them did they puff out their cheeks, chew quickly like hamsters, and swallow their desserts.

Seeing this, Dumbledore stood up and waved his wand.

The leftover food on the table disappeared instantly.

Amidst the adoring gazes of the first-year students and the complex, joyful, and reassured looks of the upperclassmen, Dumbledore stepped out of his seat. The hem of his pinkish-purple pajamas hung down in a wrinkled mess, like a waterlogged rag, making him look extremely slovenly.

But no one made fun of him for it, not even the most mischievous twins.

Merlin then realized how much they had longed to see the eccentric headmaster again during those somewhat chaotic days.

And now, he has indeed appeared before everyone.

"Alright, everyone should be full by now."

Dumbledore pressed his wand to his throat and made a loud sound.

No one noticed that on the professor's bench behind him, Snape was staring intently at the wrist of the hand holding his wand, where a bracelet was wrapped around the wrist with a ring hanging at the bottom. The light from the ring's gemstone reflected into Snape's eyes like a lamp shining in the darkness.

Everyone's attention was on Dumbledore.

"First of all, it's great to see you all again. Today, as I come to the auditorium, I've noticed that many of you are looking at me with such fervor, which is truly touching —"

In the bright light, Dumbledore wiped his eyes: "I am so glad to see that this brief separation has not diminished your love for me, just as I still love you all intensely—"

Down in the audience, Ron, like many others around him, rubbed his arms, feeling goosebumps all over his body.

But the headmaster was clearly lost in his own thoughts, and he went on to say a long, sentimental speech, saying that he dreamed of Hogwarts every night, of the lovely little wizards, and he gave a heartfelt thank you for all the Christmas gifts he had given him.

The gifts had been piled up in Filch's cluttered storage room, and he went to see them as soon as he got back.

He also mentioned that he received so much candy that he probably couldn't finish it all in a year, and next year he hopes to receive some scarves,

Arm sleeves, hats, and the like —

After rambling on for a while, everyone's patience wore thin, and even the twins in the audience started banging on the table and causing trouble.

Dumbledore finally got to the point: "—Of course, I've also noticed the recent trend of discussion that has spread from the outside world into the castle. I'm sure everyone's lives have been filled with this topic lately: Vaughn and his magical protein!"

The quiet atmosphere was shattered instantly, and all eyes immediately turned to the Slytherin table.

Under the watchful eyes of many, Vaughn remained expressionless, while Draco beside him had his face flushed red with excitement, like an apple.

He held his head high, and if he had a tail, it would surely be wagging at that moment.

After a brief period of chaos, everyone held their breath again, eager to hear the principal's position, whether they were supporters or opponents.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Dumbledore gave a response that surprised everyone: "I know you all want to hear my opinion, but unfortunately, I am not prepared to give any clear opinion or evaluation, or even a statement of position, on Mr. Vaughn Weasley's invention in such a setting."

Everyone stared wide-eyed in silence.

Before they could even process what was happening and react, Dumbledore, catching his breath, dropped an even bigger bombshell: "Because compared to issues you don't need to address for the time being, I have to tell you something that is personally relevant to you, but unfortunately—the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup for the second semester of this academic year will be cancelled!"

i,

Harry suddenly shuddered, thinking he had misheard. He quickly looked at Ron, but all he saw was a trembling little tongue in Ron's wide-open mouth.

Boom!

A dull thud came from the end of the Gryffindor table. Harry didn't need to look to know who it was; no one but Wood could have suffered such a severe blow.

On stage, Dumbledore continued, "Yes, I apologize for announcing this news so late in the school year, but as you all know, my dear Secretary Cornelius Fudge and I were negotiating in the Far East. At that time, we were not sure what the final outcome would be. Thank you, Merlin, we have ultimately fulfilled our mission—"

"It's for a potion-making event, right?"

The twins suddenly shouted loudly.

Dumbledore glanced at them: "Next time, raise your hand if you have a question, Fred and George. Otherwise, I'll hand you over to Filch, and I'm sure he'll be happy to instruct you on how to follow the school rules."

Then he raised his voice: "That's right, as the two Weasleys said, Hogwarts will have the honor of hosting the first International Magical High School Potions Exchange in the second half of this school year—aside from first-year students, many people should be familiar with this event and its initiators."

"However, what you are not aware of is that although it is nominally a potion exchange activity, given the differences in potion knowledge systems among different schools and the students' regular coursework, we cannot allow them to focus solely on potion studies while neglecting other subjects."

"Therefore, this can actually be called a comprehensive exchange activity. Potions are only the main part, not the whole thing. At that time, the students from the delegations of various schools who come to exchange will be distributed to various classes. This also means that the teaching pressure of professors will increase greatly in the next few months or even once a year. They will not have the energy to organize another large-scale event."

"It's a pity that the Quidditch Cup has to say goodbye to us for now, but I believe that the techniques and concepts of magic, potions, transmutation and other disciplines brought by peers from schools all over the world will surely bring everyone a lot of knowledge, fun and friendship." Can knowledge be fun?

Harry had reservations about this, but the opportunity to interact with wizarding students outside of Hogwarts was certainly something to look forward to.

The only one who was injured was probably Oliver Wood.

The poor guy had been excitedly planning all this time, preparing to take advantage of Vaughn's absence from the Slytherin team this year and try his best to win the Quidditch Cup.

As it turned out, fate did not give him a chance.

The cup competition was canceled halfway through —

As Harry left the Great Hall, he kept turning back, worried that Wood might do something rash. It was winter, and if he went out into the snow, he would definitely freeze.

Of course, another reason for his hesitation was that Dumbledore had kept Vaughn behind.

The two clearly had some "unspeakable" secret to tell him, which he really wanted to hear, but unfortunately, Professor McGonagall was in charge of leading everyone back to the Gryffindor Tower today.

He didn't think he could slip away from the professor's watchful eye, so he left with regret. When he looked back one last time, he saw Vaughn walk up to Dumbledore, and the two exchanged a few words with a smile before heading out of the castle.

"I read in the newspaper the other day that Fudge said you were in charge of protecting the Central Alchemy Academy delegation, right? Where are they now?"

Vaughn followed Dumbledore out of the castle. It was a rare fine day; the stars twinkled in the sky, and the bright moon hung in the west, casting its silvery light.

Bathed in moonlight, Vaughn asked curiously.

Dumbledore shrugged. "They've arrived in England and are now at the British Embassy in London. They don't really care about the Secret Act there; alchemists can live with Muggles."

"I thought you would invite them to live at Hogwarts."

"Of course we invited them, but they declined. You should know that their trip abroad this time wasn't just for the Potions exchange; they have other missions. In these five days, they visited many countries along the way—they are trying to reconnect with international relations from nearly a hundred years ago, although it's very difficult—as for the Potions event, they don't intend to go it alone; they plan to wait until all the other schools have arrived before coming to Hogwarts together."

"but--

""