The Shrieking Shack

Before long, Cendrillon appeared in a portrait beside the stone gargoyle and said, "Headmaster Dumbledore has allowed you to come up. The password is Chocolate Frog!"

"Alright, thank you." Mu En was puzzled, but he still thanked her with a smile.

He then recited the password, and the stone gargoyle slowly opened the door, revealing the spiral staircase within.

The spiral staircase leading to the Headmaster's Office worked much like an escalator. All one had to do was step onto it, and it would automatically spiral upward, carrying people to the Headmaster's Office on the Seventh Floor.

Intertwined with it was another staircase spiraling downward.

Mu En saw someone there as well.

He was thin, with straight shoulder-length hair that looked somewhat greasy, a sallow complexion, and robes billowing behind him like a cloak.

Like an old bat.

And the kind that never washed its hair.

As Mu En sized the other man up, Snape was also studying Mu En. Then he saw Mu En's cat head dip slightly in greeting.

Snape said nothing as the rotating staircase carried the two figures past one another.

After leaving the stairwell, Snape strode quickly down the corridor, his robes fluttering behind him.

"Another cat..." he muttered unhappily.

Seventh Floor, Headmaster's Office. Mu En passed through the drapes and quickly spotted Dumbledore behind his desk.

"Mu En, welcome! How do you find this place? Have you run into any problems?" Dumbledore asked.

As Mu En curiously looked over the furnishings of the entire office, he voiced his question.

After a moment, having heard Mu En out, Dumbledore pondered briefly before shaking his head. "Mu En, that may not be possible."

He then explained, "Opening a passage within the castle itself would not be difficult. After all, Hogwarts has several passages connected to Hogsmeade, and they are not limited by floors.

"But the problem is that your house also possesses powerful magic. It would trigger rejection from Hogwarts Castle as a whole. Like the rejection response from an organ transplant, the two cannot coexist."

After hearing Dumbledore's explanation, Mu En could only nod helplessly. "Then it seems I can only set the house passage in Hogsmeade.

"By the way, does the land outside Hogsmeade cost money? If I build my own house, I won't have to pay any street management fees, right...?"

"Speaking of that..." Dumbledore rose from his chair, walked to the window, and mused, "Hogwarts does have a house over there.

"If all you need is a conceptual house to serve as a vessel, then perhaps that place would suit you well."

Mu En followed him to the window. Dumbledore raised a hand and pointed toward the village. On a small slope far from the village's many houses stood an old shack by itself.

"That is the Shrieking Shack. It was built around twenty years ago for a young werewolf. Aside from some unpleasant rumors, it is quite good."

After saying that, Dumbledore pointed beneath the castle. "That is the Whomping Willow. Beneath it is a passage leading to the Shrieking Shack. You merely need to conceal the passage."

Mu En looked where he pointed and quickly spotted the Whomping Willow. He nodded.

Then he noticed Hagrid by the Black Lake. A giant squid kept pushing out the boats stored in the lake, while Hagrid caught them from the shore.

"Term is about to start!" Mu En sighed.

"Before long, the quiet school will be lively once more." Dumbledore sighed as well, a cheerful smile on his face.

Though this old man sometimes had far too many petty schemes, he truly loved teaching and the children.

Young werewolves, Half-giants, and the like—he was willing to endure tremendous criticism to admit them to the school.

"Then I shall give you that house. It has stood abandoned all these years anyway," Dumbledore said.

Mu En nodded. "Then thank you very much."

"It is only an old house. Oh, as for the office furnishings, you may decide them yourself. If you find the space insufficient, you may also speak to the House-elves. They have the authority to expand it."

"You can expand it freely?" Mu En was somewhat surprised.

After his previous efforts, he had gained a deeper understanding of Hogwarts Castle.

The castle was like a living creature. Altering it so freely, especially making changes involving space, ought to have been difficult and contrary to its operating principles.

Hogwarts was not like Moonlight Castle. Moonlight Castle's core was Lucifer, and it was Lucifer who controlled its movements. It was not truly a living castle.

Their underlying logic was fundamentally different.

A trace of pride appeared on Dumbledore's face. He was clearly quite pleased by Mu En's astonished expression.

"Of course. Our previous Potions Class professor formed the Slug Club in his own office.

"And our current Potions Class professor has carved out a private potion room for himself."

Mu En clicked his tongue. "It seems this school's benefits are even better than I imagined."

After chatting for a little longer, he planned to visit the Shrieking Shack and connect the passage.

Before leaving, he looked at the crimson bird perched upon a golden branch.

"By the way, is that a phoenix?"

"Yes, she is called Fawkes," Dumbledore said. At the same time, Fawkes dipped her head slightly and let out a clear cry.

Mu En looked at the phoenix. "Once I establish the passage, come visit when you have time. My friend will surely be delighted to see you."

"Your friend is a phoenix too?" Dumbledore was surprised instead.

Could your mother's ancestors have been named Dumbledore?

Mu En looked at Dumbledore. "Don't overthink it. He is... how should I explain this? He is a Star Child who likes to call himself a demon."

With that, Mu En waved goodbye to the phoenix. Space twisted, and he teleported away.

Dumbledore suddenly froze. The spatial fluctuations caused by Mu En's teleportation were unlike any form of Apparition he had ever known.

And this so-called "Star Child" was something he had never heard of...

The past headmasters in the portraits also began discussing the matter with grave expressions. "What is a Star Child?" "Why does he have a cat face?" "Teleportation magic completely unaffected by anti-Apparition restrictions?!"

In the end, these old headmasters could only comfort Dumbledore. "No matter what, I believe Minerva will like this colleague."

Dumbledore sighed, then smiled. "That is true..."

On September 1st, London enjoyed a rare spell of fine weather. The sun hung high in the sky without being harsh, while the breeze from the River Thames carried away what little lingering heat remained.

Aside from the rather foul smell, there was basically no problem...

The pollution of the River Thames was a major issue, both now and in the future.

At King's Cross Station, Harry, Hermione, and the others held their tickets as they searched for the so-called Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

Although Mu En had already opened a passage at Hogwarts, Harry had yet to visit it.

"The book says that, to give every Young Wizard a perfect first impression of Hogwarts, the school has first-years ride in small boats so that they can see the most magnificent castle beneath the night sky and stars.

"So I want to wait until then to see Hogwarts.

"And... honestly, it is just too tempting. What if I saw Hogwarts and wanted to go to school every day? I haven't finished my homework yet."

Those had been Harry's exact words.

Unexpectedly, the boy had not only developed a certain sense of ceremony, but had also not forgotten his homework.

Mu En was quite satisfied.