The Eve of the Banquet

Kayson didn't hide it. One by one, tiny redstone blocks replicated the Philosopher's Stone before him, a one-to-one counterfeit.

Redstone, a substance that could be called an endless source of energy, seemed to him not too different from the Philosopher's Stone. Though its effects weren't as powerful, at least the magical fluctuations it gave off were similar.

[+10 Satisfaction from Dumbledore]

[+10 Satisfaction from Dumbledore]

"I knew you wouldn't let this position as Potions Professor down." Dumbledore took the counterfeit Philosopher's Stone from Kayson's hand, speaking with a smile.

"Hm. Anything else?"

"Feel free to go."

"Alright... Honestly, I'm already regretting it." Kayson said bitterly.

"In what way?"

"Upgrading the Iron Golems."

"Oh... that is indeed." Dumbledore looked at the dark circles under Kayson's eyes, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Leaving the office, Kayson called on Hagrid to continue their campus upgrade project.

Meanwhile, the instigator, Professor McGonagall, was relaxing in her office, listening to jazz.

It had to be said, upgrading the Hogwarts statues into Iron Golems was an enormous undertaking. By the time the entire castle was fully upgraded, it was almost time for the new term to begin.

September 1st. Kayson stood in his newly renovated office, humming a tune as he rather smugly ironed his brand-new wizard robes.

After all, this was his first official day as a professor. A good image was essential. There was still half an hour before the young witches and wizards arrived at Hogwarts.

Plenty of time.

He polished his leather shoes to a shine, changed into his new robes, and admired himself in the mirror... Something was missing.

He looked down at his bare chest.

"Missing a brooch."

That was easy for him.

A diamond, shaped like a teardrop and half the size of his palm, appeared in his hand.

With fine threads of gold and redstone blocks, he set the diamond into a brooch that looked incredibly valuable.

After finishing everything, Kayson hummed his tune and arrived at the Great Hall, where he saw Professor McGonagall directing the setup.

Professor McGonagall saw him too, and then looked at the brooch on his chest.

"Nice taste."

[+10 Favorability from Professor McGonagall]

Kayson scratched his head. He never doubted his own taste, but why had Professor McGonagall specifically increased her favorability towards him?

He looked down at his chest. That diamond brooch—if you ignored the diamond itself—the remaining two colors were red and gold... Exactly Gryffindor's colors.

"Well, case closed."

Someone who had never been steeped in Gryffindor culture had subconsciously chosen Gryffindor's colors. Even if it was just the colors, it was enough to make the head of Gryffindor happy for a while.

"Is there anything I can help with, Professor McGonagall?" Kayson asked.

"Not for now. Your most important task right now is to prepare your self-introduction later... Don't tell me you haven't even prepared a script." Professor McGonagall stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something. Her face darkened as she asked.

"No, no, of course I've prepared it. Prepared it."

Escaping Professor McGonagall's murderous glare, Kayson found himself free again and looked over at Hagrid, who was inspecting his equipment.

He was studying a lantern that wasn't very bright. Maybe it was the wick, maybe the glass was dirty, or more likely, this kind of oil lamp just had that much brightness to begin with.

"Hagrid, need some help?" A fluorite block slowly appeared in Kayson's hand. He wove a small iron chain, like a basketball net, and put the fluorite inside.

"This one's much brighter."

"I don't know how to thank you. This will help me a lot. Do you want to come with me to greet the young witches and wizards?" Hagrid carefully lifted the fluorite lamp and suggested.

Professor McGonagall, who had been directing things, suddenly appeared between them: "I'm sorry, Hagrid, not this year. Today is the most important day of Professor Kayson's career. He needs to maintain his dignity."

Hagrid gave an awkward smile. "Right, I didn't think of that."

Kayson shrugged helplessly at Hagrid.

"Hm. Well then, I'll wait for you here."

"You will."

As Hagrid left the castle carrying the fluorite lamp, McGonagall circled Kayson once.

"Not bad, good posture. Looks like you're taking today seriously."

[+10 Trust from Professor McGonagall]

"Of course, of course."

As the two spoke in the center of the Great Hall, Hogwarts' returning students had already entered and taken their seats at their respective House tables.

"Go back to your seat. Remember, Kayson, today is your most important day. Keep up the act!"

"Of course... Professor McGonagall, to be honest, you remind me a bit of my high school teacher."

"What kind of teacher was that?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"One who loved students as if they were his own children. I liked him very much."

"Thank you."

[Affection from Professor McGonagall +10]

On the other side...

"First-years! Over here!" Hagrid stood on a protruding rock and shouted loudly.

"That's Hagrid! Let's go find him!" The moment Harry spotted Hagrid, he grabbed Ron and ran over. As they got closer, Ron noticed the Fluorite Lamp in Hagrid's hand, emitting a gentle glow.

"Cool! I've never seen a lamp like that before," Ron exclaimed.

"Haha, this was a gift from Kayson—your Alchemy professor. Trust me, when you see his alchemy, your jaws will drop!"

"Oh, right, Harry, and you Weasley troublemaker, go find a boat. Remember, only four people per boat!"

"Of course, Hagrid."

The two boarded a boat, and soon two more first-years joined them: a round-faced, somewhat timid wizard named Neville Longbottom, and a bushy-haired witch with a small face pale from the cold, Hermione Granger.

"I'm sorry I eavesdropped on your conversation with that giant professor just now, but I heard you mention the Alchemy professor. Do you know him?" Hermione asked curiously as soon as she got on the boat.

"Professor Kayson... he's a very kind and gentle person, and he really can turn things into gold," Harry said, his eyes gazing at the starry sky as he recalled.

"Cough, cough, cough! What? Harry, what did you say?" Ron, who had been sitting next to Harry and daydreaming about how his next seven years at Hogwarts would be, suddenly couldn't control his coughing as he asked.

"He can turn things into gold! And it's real gold!" Harry said seriously.

"Merlin's beard! My mum! How rich must he be?" Ron's mouth hung wide open, unable to close.

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