A Teacher

"Yes, the south corridor on the second floor. I remember seeing Mr. Longbottom and several... forgive me, I couldn't make out which Houses those young wizards belonged to."

"Slytherin."

"How many were there?"

"Three."

"Okay, I remember..."

And so, Kayson guided Neville bit by bit, having him reveal the truth one sentence at a time.

Naturally, it underwent a little artistic embellishment. For instance, Neville had fought three people alone and only narrowly lost in the end.

And after Kayson saw him, he had forcibly dragged him to Professor McGonagall's office, rather than hiding in the stairwell and crying.

Of course, there was also a piece of parchment detailing what had really happened in Professor McGonagall's hands.

Her ears listened to the artistically embellished truth while her eyes read the truth written on the parchment...

Very soon.

"Make yourselves comfortable here. Professor Kayson, Mr. Longbottom, come with me." Professor McGonagall sighed and led Neville out of the office.

As for Kayson...

Professor McGonagall seemed to have told him to wait for a while just now. Perhaps she still had something to say, so he would wait.

Before long, Professor McGonagall returned to the office.

"I've truly troubled you, Professor Kayson."

"It was nothing. How was it handled in the end?"

"The three first-year Slytherin students who clashed with Mr. Longbottom were Mr. Draco Malfoy and his friends—and followers—Mr. Goyle and Mr. Crabbe." Professor McGonagall brewed Kayson a pot of black tea.

"Malfoy... I met him once at Flourish and Blotts. He seemed like quite a cute child then. How was it dealt with in the end?" Kayson asked with a long sigh.

"Slytherin lost thirty points, but honestly, that does little. Snape will soon find all sorts of reasons to add those thirty points back," Professor McGonagall said.

"Points can only restrain well-behaved young wizards with a strong sense of honor... Honestly, that punishment may as well not exist," Kayson remarked.

"That is indeed the case. Over the years, we've grown accustomed to it. Gryffindor and Slytherin attack each other with spells at school, trade barbs in their workplaces after graduation, and in the end still use wands to settle who is superior."

"To be honest, we're all used to it," Professor McGonagall explained.

"But you can't just... allow this sort of bullying."

"Unfortunately, but actually... please do not spread this around." Professor McGonagall gave him a warning first.

"Mm-hm."

"These minor conflicts among students can actually be considered one of Hogwarts' teaching strategies. In a sense, they stimulate young wizards' thirst for knowledge, because learning magic truly and immediately improves one's combat ability."

"Since ancient times, Hogwarts' young wizards have gradually improved through this back-and-forth exchange of attacks."

Kayson felt deeply uncomfortable listening to her.

"I don't understand... Well, I do understand what you mean, but I'm still shocked. Won't this really push young wizards into developing psychological problems?"

"All I can say is that Hogwarts has produced many madmen. Fortunately, every generation of Hufflepuff Heads of House has taken on the work of psychological healing, so Hufflepuff students tend to do quite well both at Hogwarts and outside it," Professor McGonagall replied.

"...Was I meddling by bringing Neville Longbottom here today? Let me be clear, I'm only asking. But if I encounter this kind of situation again, I'll still intervene. How Hogwarts uses this breeding-ground model to improve its students' combat abilities is Hogwarts' business, but I cannot witness this kind of bullying and stand by."

"Of course not. Neville is an exception. He's too obedient—so obedient that he doesn't dare resist."

"Why? His family circumstances? I remember... uh... I remember that few young wizards of this generation have happy families because of Voldemort, but why is he the only one like this?"

Trust from Professor McGonagall +10

"I don't know much about the Longbottom family's private affairs, but perhaps it is because Mr. Longbottom's grandmother—that lady is far too domineering. Terrifyingly so," Professor McGonagall guessed.

"Does Hogwarts support home visits?"

"I wouldn't advise it, unless you want the Daily Prophet to report that old Mrs. Longbottom had bathed Malfoy Manor in blood the next day."

"I understand just how domineering that old lady is now." Kayson hurriedly abandoned his home-visit plan.

"In any case, I'm still very grateful that you brought Neville here. Ah... perhaps he should have gone to Hufflepuff. Then he would not have suffered such unfair treatment."

"Mm-hm."

Kayson left Professor McGonagall's office. After these two incidents, his plan to knock out a Flourish and Blotts clerk with a club in the middle of the night was temporarily set aside.

He returned to his own office. Since conflicts between young wizards were an unspoken rule at Hogwarts, perhaps he could still make a small change.

He understood what Professor McGonagall had said as well. The wizarding world was unlike the Muggle world. In some sense, it resembled... a jungle society. It was not all that civilized; if anything, it carried a hint of social Darwinism.

As a Hogwarts professor, he could certainly protect one student—or even a group of students—within Hogwarts with ease. But they would all graduate eventually.

What about after they left Hogwarts? Was he supposed to expand his sphere of influence and continue protecting them in the wizarding world?

That was something even Dumbledore might not be able to do.

He could not protect the weak, at least not forever.

Then the only option was to give the weak the strength to resist on their own.

Take Neville Longbottom, for example. If he had entered Gryffindor, which represented courage, then he must possess a hidden, unexpressed courage deep in his bones.

Perhaps Kayson could change some of Neville's thoughts and let him raise his wand himself, daring to fight back.

That would mean he had fulfilled what a professor, what a teacher, ought to do.

A teacher imparted wisdom, taught knowledge, and resolved doubts. His alchemy was only half-baked, so he might not be able to impart wisdom or teach knowledge.

But helping young wizards resist bullying, or dispelling the cowardice in their hearts so they could bravely protect themselves—this could also be considered another kind of resolving doubts.

After all, a teacher only needed to fulfill one of those three duties. As a Hogwarts professor, he ought to manage at least one.

Otherwise, how could he possibly face the young wizards calling him Professor one after another while he collected Hogwarts' salary?