Since Hogwarts was founded, there had been many headmasters. Their portraits nearly covered the walls of the Headmaster's Office, but not every one of them had achieved much.
By Albus's standards, most of those headmasters had merely drifted through life. Yet the portraits of two headmasters had been placed in the most prominent positions.
One was Dilys Derwent. Before becoming Headmistress of Hogwarts, she had been a healer at St Mungo's, and because of her outstanding contributions to the medical field, her portrait also hung there.
The other was Everard. Due to his exceptional performance during the Goblin Rebellion of the seventeenth century, his portrait hung in the Wizengamot chamber at the Ministry of Magic.
He was a white-haired wizard wearing spectacles, appearing somewhat hunched in the portrait, perhaps because he had already been advanced in years by then.
But in Charles Lockwood's memory, his hair was still black and he wore no glasses. Though he looked to be in his fifties or sixties, beside the two elderly professors in their twilight years, he appeared vigorous and full of energy.
"Merlin's beard, how could something like this happen?" Everard said in astonishment.
"This is my fault," Percival said shamefully. "I told her to make good use of her gift."
"If you put it that way, then I'm at fault too," Charles Lockwood said. "I was the one who taught her how to use her power."
"I don't think we gathered here to assign blame," Everard said swiftly. "Goblin miners have gathered in Hogsmeade, demanding Goblin representation in the Wizengamot. I just asked the Ministry of Magic, and they rejected the Goblins' demand."
"Why?" Percival asked.
"Greed and arrogance," Everard said coldly. "They want the Goblins to produce more goblin silver, not demand too much power."
Charles and Percival exchanged a