Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 179 I met the person who changed my destiny

The Hogwarts teaching hearing was held as scheduled in Wizengamo.

Three representatives from the school's board of directors, along with Headmaster Dumbledore and Vice-Headmaster McGonagall, were invited to attend the hearing and gave a report on the issues surrounding the quality of Hogwarts' teaching.

At the meeting, the three board members pointed out that Hogwarts' teaching methods and standards do indeed have some problems. Therefore, the board decided to send one board member, Murphy Darkholm, as a resident board member to participate deeply in school affairs as the "Hogwarts Teaching Investigator," to understand, supervise, and guide Hogwarts' educational work in order to improve Hogwarts' teaching standards.

Murphy also spoke at the hearing, promising to do his utmost to improve the quality of teaching at the school, identify and solve problems, and proposed that in order to enhance the "practical skills" lacking among Hogwarts students, he would serve as a professor of "Practical Courses" and directly participate in the school's teaching work.

The Ministry of Magic approved the school board's decision and announced that a hearing would be held again in a year to assess the improvements.

And so, four years after graduating, Murphy Darkholm became a full-fledged Hogwarts professor.

……

"Dumbledore," Professor McGonagall walked in, the door to the Headmaster's office opening. She looked somewhat displeased. "While I know you must have your own reasons, why? Why would you allow an outsider to interfere in our professors' affairs? Is there something in this matter that I don't know?"

"Minerva," Dumbledore said, picking up a package from the table, "Want to try this popping candy? Murphy gave it to me; it explodes with a crackling sound when you eat it, it's really fun..."

"No, thank you," Minerva glanced at the gaudy packaging. "Is this Muggle candy? Murphy gave it to you? I'm even a little worried that it might be poisoned."

"Oh, that's a very funny witty remark," said Dumbledore, "but forgive me, I don't see the joke in it."

"That's not a joke! Murphy Darkholm's reputation isn't good these days, Dumbledore. You know what he's done to the Aurors."

“No, strangely enough, I don’t know much about it, Minerva.” Dumbledore stroked the feathers of Fawkes on the perch beside him. “Of course, I’ve received some letters from Scrimgeour, Kingsley, and some other friends, who have expressed concern about some things.”

"But I'm far away at Hogwarts, and I don't really know what's happening in the Ministry of Magic, or what they call the Muggle world."

"Did Murphy really do anything? Or how did he do it? Why did he do it? What was his purpose? Nobody really knows, and the information I get after going through several intermediaries is even more distorted."

"At my age, Minerva, even if she doesn't want to, she will always maintain a certain degree of skepticism towards what others say."

"I'm not sure I know what kind of person Murphy Darkholm is."

At this point, he asked, "When he was still studying here, what kind of student did you think he was, Minerva? Do you remember him?"

Professor McGonagall thought for a moment. "Of course, I certainly remember. He was a very diligent and intelligent child, and his effort and perseverance were impressive. But he had some strange prejudices against magic, and perhaps it was these prejudices that limited his abilities; otherwise, he should have performed even better."

"bias?"

"He has always tried to 'understand' magic. He once came to me with great confusion, saying that he felt magic was full of contradictions and he couldn't understand it. I told him that he should try to feel it more deeply, but he seemed to have a hard time doing so."

Have you encountered a child like this before?

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "Some Muggle-born kids ask strange questions when they first start school, but most of them adapt quickly. But Murphy... he seems to be constantly battling something within himself..."

Dumbledore fell into deep thought, his gaze fixed on a set of automatically rotating astronomy teaching aids on the cabinet, lost in thought.

After a while, "Professor?"

Professor McGonagall had to interrupt his reverie.

"Oh, sorry, Minerva, I think I've been drifting off." Dumbledore offered her the popping candy. "Aren't you sure you don't want to try some?"

"You accepted Murphy's suggestion to supervise him, perhaps so you could bring him to the school and observe what kind of person he really is?" Professor McGonagall thought of a possibility.

"Oh, we can certainly do that," Dumbledore said. "However, I think what he said to the Board of Governors isn't entirely unreasonable. Perhaps I've been too capricious in governing the school. You've all been too accommodating to me and unwilling to go against my decisions, which has allowed me to use my power too recklessly."

"This is not a good thing."

"Phillips is right about one thing: Hogwarts is a school, and I should be more responsible to the students than to the professors. I think it's beneficial for us to accept some proper oversight."

"Of course, if this helps me to see Murphy for who he really is, that would be an added bonus."

As the two were talking, an owl flew in through the window and delivered a letter to McGonagall.

The latter opened the letter with a hint of doubt and read it, saying, "The Department of Magical Accidents and Disasters discovered a Muggle-born young wizard, who is also an orphan, while handling an unforeseen incident. They hope we can send a professor to pick him up, help him buy some things, and help him complete his school enrollment."

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked with slight doubt. This was quite unusual; usually, children with magical talent were first discovered by Hogwarts. "Is his name in the Book of Admission?"

“I checked more than two months ago, and there was no such child.” McGonagall looked up. “I’ll go get checked right now.”

In a locked tower, Professor McGonagall rushed in with a letter in her hand.

In the center of the circular room was a stone platform with a thick book spread out on it, and a bright green quill pen floating beside the book.

This is the book of admission and the pen of acceptance.

The magical creation that determines the Hogwarts acceptance list.

Every year during the school year, Professor McGonagall comes here to check the list in the Admissions Book to see if any new young wizards have been added to the list, so that she can make sure that each of them receives an acceptance letter.

This situation—where the Ministry of Magic has discovered a young wizard of the right age, but she hasn't noticed it yet—has never happened before.

However, Professor McGonagall soon noticed a new line of text at the bottom of the page.

They do appear to have been written down only recently.

"Lucas Tom Brettson. Born April 1, 1980."

This line of text appears much blurrier and dimmer than the other characters, but it is still legible.

Perhaps because this young wizard's magical talent was displayed too late, the Book of Admission was reluctant to have his name written on it.

However, since the name has already been written down and the age is correct, the child should indeed enroll in the school.

She returned to the headmaster's office and handed the letter to Dumbledore. "His name has appeared in the admissions book. It wasn't there when I sent out the notices; it must have been added recently."

Dumbledore glanced at the name on the letter.

"Lucas Tom Brettson."

Tom.

He paused for a moment, then glanced at the name of the orphanage, "Reed Children's Welfare Home".

He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he had been overthinking things. As he got older, he was always burdened by his memories, as if there was nothing new around him and everything seemed familiar.

"School starts soon, and the professors all have their own plans, so I'll go myself..."

Before Dumbledore could finish speaking, another owl flew in.

He took the letter and glanced at it. "Oh, the Ministry of Magic hopes I can come over in the next couple of days to confirm the hearing proceedings..."

"But school starts soon..." Professor McGonagall said.

"Is there any other professor available?" Dumbledore asked.

"Felius hasn't returned from visiting relatives yet, and Severus is busy with the protective arrangements for the Philosopher's Stone... The other professors are either busy revising their syllabi or have their own tasks. Oh, right, Professor Quirrell said he's not feeling well, so I'm afraid I'll have to find someone else to pick up Miss Granger..."

The little girl is a Muggle. Although I told her where to catch the train when I took her to Diagon Alley before, Platform 9¾ is not easy to find if you haven't been there before. In order to ensure that all students can get on the train, the school needs to send a professor to provide support.

However, this is not a tradition. It was only after a recent teaching review that a Muggle-born school board member raised concerns that Hogwarts did not pay enough attention to the various difficulties faced by Muggle-born students, and was ordered to make changes.

"Oh!" Professor McGonagall said, as if she had just remembered something. "Murphy. Isn't he a professor too?"

"Murphy?" Dumbledore hesitated for a moment.

They're being assigned tasks before they've even officially taken office?

Isn't this taking their status as a school board member a bit too lightly?

But then I thought about it again, and he applied for the professorship himself, so treating him differently would seem deliberate.

Professor McGonagall said, "I'll write him a letter and ask for his opinion."

"Alright, let's ask him first."

……

In the last two days of August, Murphy received a letter from Professor McGonagall.

He immediately agreed—Murphy wasn't sure if Dumbledore could figure out anything from Tom's current state, so it was better for him to go himself.

However, I should also pick up Hermione Granger while I'm at it.

It's not impossible, it's just a matter of taking someone to the station.

Murphy didn't plan to make a long trip. Considering that the Hogwarts Express didn't open until 11 a.m., he figured he could make it in time to buy things in Diagon Alley and then catch the train. So he decided to pick them up on the morning of September 1st.

……

Reed Children's Welfare Home.

Lucas Tom Brettson was reading when he suddenly felt a premonition and opened the black notebook that he had been carrying with him for the past few days.

A line of text slowly appeared on it.

"September 1st, 9:00 AM. I met the person who changed my destiny."

(End of this chapter)