Waiting for You to Say That

After renovating Hagrid's hut, or rather rebuilding it, Kayson returned to his leisurely life.

The boasts he'd made to Neville at Longbottom Manor... well, they weren't exactly boasts. He had indeed helped Hagrid expand his house, and he had packaged gifts for his students.

He had also sent return gifts to his friends in the Muggle World, so theoretically, he hadn't lied to Neville.

Yeah, no issues there.

Christmas break passed quickly, and Kayson hadn't even had a good rest, despite the fact that he rested four days a week on average...

In any case, the young wizards boarded the "whoosh whoosh" little train and returned to Hogwarts, while Kayson found himself in Professor McGonagall's office.

Professor McGonagall was currently holding a form, which was Kayson's departure request for his fourth-year students to participate in the European Alchemy Exchange Association event.

When he had applied for the seventh-year departure before, Professor McGonagall had approved it almost instantly. However, when it came to the fourth-years, Professor McGonagall looked at the form, then looked at Kayson.

She looked at the form, then looked at Kayson.

"You really don't need to hand over your achievements to these young wizards, letting them take credit that rightfully belongs to you. You don't have to go to such lengths. You're just a professor, not their father; these aren't your responsibilities."

Kayson looked at Professor McGonagall with a strange expression.

Because Professor McGonagall's gaze towards him was equally strange. He couldn't quite describe the look, but he felt it was somewhat... pity, or perhaps... helplessness, with a hint of relief.

Kayson didn't know what strange things Professor McGonagall was imagining, but he knew he had to get this important form approved by Professor McGonagall today.

Then, he would deliver this crucial news to them today, and tomorrow he would personally guide the students on their attire. After all, they weren't seventh-years; in his eyes, the fourth-years were still immature little beans.

A considerable number of them were still at the stage of playing with mud and drawing stick figures on parchment.

Asking them to dress themselves, let alone become elegant gentlemen.

He was afraid they might still have pumpkin juice stains on their collars from breakfast.

These were all very real possibilities.

"I still don't agree with your approach. I know you want to add a significant highlight to their resumes, but that's essentially leeching off your success. It's not their own achievement, and in other words, it's unfair, unfair to you," Professor McGonagall said finally.

"I think it's fine. I'll give them the finished product, and they can analyze the principles behind it and write an essay. This is also helping me, not leeching off me. After all, I'm too lazy to write those essays myself," Kayson shrugged, saying it with an indifferent expression.

Professor McGonagall nodded, "I truly wish you were someone I had taught."

She then signed Kayson's submitted form.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kayson said excitedly, grabbing the form and leaving Professor McGonagall's office. He immediately headed towards his Alchemy classroom.

Upon arriving at the classroom, he walked onto the podium and saw the listless young wizards below.

"Hmm... a strange atmosphere. Can anyone tell me what's going on?"

Cedric, whom he had appointed as the fourth-year Alchemy representative, took a copy of the Daily Prophet out of his pocket.

Then, under the gaze of all the young wizards in the class, he placed it on the podium.

"What's all this mysterious business?" Kayson picked up the newspaper and looked at it, only to feel a bit disappointed.

"I thought they could come up with something new, but it's just this?"

Kayson pointed at the news on the paper and complained. The information was easy to understand: Dumbledore, the old fool, in order to save face for his Hogwarts students, had forced the new Alchemy professor to share his achievements with the young wizards.

Normally, this kind of thing would be an unscrupulous professor acting as an academic thief, stealing students' achievements. But this time, it was the other way around: an unscrupulous headmaster and students stealing the poor professor's achievements together.

"You guys..." Kayson looked at the students below. "Honestly, do you think this newspaper has any... uh, any use?"

"Anyone with eyes can see that it's not talking about me, nor about you, but rather a targeted attack on Dumbledore by someone with an agenda. I can understand why Gryffindor and Hufflepuff might not see it, but Ravenclaw and Slytherin, why do your expressions look like you agree with the nonsense on this paper?"

The Slytherin and Ravenclaw students below, hearing Kayson say this, for some strange reason, simultaneously puffed out their chests with pride.

This made Kayson on the podium stunned. Why did the students he taught all seem to have this strange, unintelligent beauty?

The young wizards below also reacted, and their chests no longer held that proud posture.

"Alright, this is Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic's business, and I don't need to get involved. The reason I called you here today when you have no class is to make an announcement: your papers for the Enchanting Table have been approved by the European Alchemy Exchange Association. Tonight, tidy yourselves up, and tomorrow, wear the robes you've chosen and come find me for review."

"We'll depart this weekend. Any problems?"

The young wizards all shook their heads in unison.

"No problems, then let's go. I won't take up your extracurricular time," Kayson said and left the classroom directly, ignoring the young wizards. He had more important matters to attend to.

On his way back to his office, Kayson happened to run into Dumbledore.

"..." Stare...

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Dumbledore tilted his head, asking with some confusion.

"Didn't that unscrupulous reporter spread rumors about you? Why are you still wandering around so leisurely?" Kayson asked.

"Oh, how does the saying go? Idle talk is always there, but if you don't listen, it disappears. I don't have that much energy to deal with those harmless trivial matters."

"You're that magnanimous?"

"What else?"

"..." Stare...

"Oh... alright, after all, I am a renowned great wizard. A single move can affect the whole situation, so when faced with such matters, I can only swallow my pride and bear it," Dumbledore said frankly.

"Oh... how pitiful."

The old man with the white beard flashed a smile. He gently placed his hand on Kayson's shoulder.

"I've been waiting for you to say that."