By the Black Lake.
Murphy was taking a walk with Dumbledore.
The two of them followed the gravel path for a short distance before Dumbledore suddenly stopped, looked at the castle in the distance, and sighed. "What are you planning to do with Hogwarts?"
"It's no longer suitable to keep using it as a school. For one thing, that passage to the spirit world is still a hidden danger. For another, the number of young wizards will increase greatly in the future, and Hogwarts may have a hard time shouldering the responsibility of educating all of them."
"However, this place has a long history, and many secrets are buried here. I intend to make it a research and archaeological base."
"Murphy, I hope you understand that this school holds an incomparably special meaning for many people."
"I understand. Why are you looking at me like that? It's not as if I'm going to blow the school up."
Dumbledore actually seemed not entirely convinced. "I heard that, in order to let Severus Snape enter the headmaster's office, you blew up more than a dozen doors."
"Ahem... wasn't that because you pulled some tricks before you left..."
"That was not my doing. That was Hogwarts' own will."
"You make it sound as if it's alive."
"It has existed for a thousand years, with countless magics woven through it. Even though I spent more time in the school than the vast majority of people, I could only glimpse a small part of it. So many complex magical forces mixed together, soaking every brick and stone of Hogwarts in that magic for a full thousand years—who would dare say it is not alive?"
"Even now, I can still feel its particular call."
Murphy glanced at the castle. "Sorry, Professor, but even if it is