Headmaster Plans to Teach Personally

The students who had been discussing Little Barty and Lucretia now had new entertainment.

The Gryffindor long table immediately erupted.

Students from other houses also turned their heads to look at the long table on their side, some jeering, some screaming.

A group of upper-year students gathered, some even starting to place bets.

Even the students at the Slytherin long table stopped their breakfast and turned to watch this unexpected entertainment.

"Two Sickles on Potter winning!"

"No, I bet five! Black's definitely fiercer! He looks like he's going to kill someone!"

At the teachers' table, Professor McGonagall had already stood up and was striding towards the Gryffindor long table with a displeased expression.

Her expression was enough to make passing students automatically clear a path.

The students who had been clamoring to bet and jeer immediately shut their mouths.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black!"

Professor McGonagall's voice cut through the din of the Great Hall.

She didn't need to raise her voice, but everyone heard her clearly.

"Stop it immediately!"

The two froze in place.

Sirius's hand was still gripping James's collar, but the strength had vanished.

All the students in the Great Hall were watching them, some whispering, some pointing directly.

James wore an expression of being caught red-handed, wavering between regret and smugness.

He clearly still felt his earlier teasing had been successful, even if he was about to face punishment.

Professor McGonagall's lips thinned into a stern line: "This is simply unbelievable! Gryffindor loses twenty points! Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, report to my office at eight o'clock Saturday morning! You're sixth-year students, yet you're fighting in the Great Hall like first-year newcomers! It's a disgrace to the name of Gryffindor House!"

Sirius released James's collar.

His expression was grim, not just because of the point deduction, but because he realized how embarrassing he had just looked.

Losing control in front of everyone, fighting with his best friend out of jealousy.

James straightened his messy collar: "Sorry, Professor McGonagall. It was just a small misunderstanding."

Sirius said nothing, his gaze sweeping across the Great Hall for a moment before landing somewhere at the Slytherin long table.

Lupin rubbed his waist as he sat back down, silently beginning to clean up the mess on the table.

Professor McGonagall quelled the commotion, surveyed the hall, and her gaze landed on the Slytherin long table.

She walked directly towards it, and the students she passed pretended to lower their heads, focusing intently on their breakfast.

Professor McGonagall's voice was much gentler than before. The surrounding students exchanged glances: "Miss Crouch. Could I ask you and Mr. Crouch to step over to the side door for a word?"

Regulus glanced at Little Barty, who nodded.

The two of them stood up and followed Professor McGonagall towards the side door of the hall.

Regulus remained in his seat, his gaze following them, then he thoughtfully glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor long table.

In a quiet corner near the side door, Professor McGonagall turned to Lucretia.

"Miss Crouch, there's a change to this afternoon's Transfiguration tutoring session."

Lucretia was somewhat surprised and nodded quietly.

Little Barty stood beside her, his expression somewhat wary: "What change?"

Professor McGonagall's voice carried a hint of pride: "Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to personally conduct her tutoring today. This is quite a rare honor; the Headmaster rarely tutors students himself."

Little Barty's posture immediately changed.

He stepped forward, almost blocking Lucretia: "Why the sudden change? Is there a special reason?"

Professor McGonagall noticed Little Barty's reaction, her expression softening slightly: "There's nothing extra to worry about, Mr. Crouch. On the contrary, the Headmaster is very interested in the unique talent Miss Crouch has shown in Transfiguration, especially the method of maintaining the object's life characteristics during transformation, which is extremely rare in modern Transfiguration."

Lucretia looked down at her hands, recalling those items that still maintained their life rhythm while being transformed.

Professor McGonagall asked: "What classes do you have this afternoon, Miss Crouch?"

"The last one is Flying class, Professor."

Professor McGonagall nodded and said: "I will inform Madam Hooch and excuse you from your Flying class. The Headmaster will personally take you to the lesson location."

Little Barty's attitude was resolute: "I'm going too. I can skip Potions class this afternoon. Before this, I've always been involved in her Transfiguration tutoring."

Professor McGonagall scrutinized him for a moment: "This is rather unusual... but considering you've been involved all along, I don't think the Headmaster will mind. Moreover, your results in Transfiguration are indeed outstanding."

Little Barty nodded slightly, his posture relaxing a bit.

Professor McGonagall finally said: "Then it's settled. Four o'clock, at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. You may return to your breakfast now; the class bell will ring soon."

After bidding farewell, they returned to the hall.

Regulus cast a questioning look, and Little Barty gestured to talk later. The two quickly finished their breakfast and prepared for class.

As she packed her schoolbag to leave, Lucretia glanced toward the other side of the Great Hall.

Gryffindor's long table was already more than half empty, with only a few late students and Sirius remaining.

He stood alone by the long table, holding a textbook, as if he had forgotten about class.

He was just standing there, looking in this direction.

Their gazes met across the hall.

Sirius's expression was complicated.

It wasn't the anger from the morning, nor his usual carelessness.

It was more like an impulse to explain something, to apologize, but he didn't know where to start.

He raised his hand slightly, as if to make a gesture, then lowered it.

Lucretia bit her lip, unsure how to respond to this unexpected gaze.

She could tell he was in a bad mood.

They continued to look at each other, neither speaking.

Behind her, Little Barty was discussing something with Regulus, but his peripheral vision was fixed on Lucretia.

Just then, Lupin walked over to Sirius and followed his line of sight.

Little Barty also noticed this change.

Lupin patted his friend's shoulder and said something in his ear.

Sirius turned his gaze away, picked up his book, and walked toward the exit with Lupin.

Lucretia also withdrew her gaze, feeling someone touch her arm.

Little Barty stood beside her.

His expression was calm, but he glanced in the direction of the Gryffindor long table.

He had seen the gaze, seen what was in Sirius's eyes, and seen Lucretia's reaction.

"What's wrong?"

She grabbed her schoolbag. "Nothing. I almost forgot my Transfiguration homework."

Little Barty looked at her, not pressing further, just nodding. "Let's go. Regulus and I will take you to class first."

Along the way, Regulus walked beside them, but his voice was low. "Why is Dumbledore suddenly interested in teaching personally?"

This question made Little Barty's pace slow down a bit. He glanced at Lucretia ahead, then answered.

"Unclear. But I don't think it's just because her Transfiguration went wrong. I've looked at the notes from the few times Professor McGonagall tutored her."

Regulus nodded, then asked in an even quieter voice, "Could he have found out about the Forbidden Forest incident?"

Little Barty snorted, "So what if he did? Do the school rules forbid contact with Unicorns? Besides, it was for... he can't possibly write an Article about this?"

But even as he said this, a sense of unease settled in his heart.

Lucretia walked beside the two, only listening to their conversation as her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

They reached the entrance to the Transfiguration Class classroom. Regulus was waiting on the Shifting stairs; they were going to Defense Against the Dark Arts Class soon.

Little Barty stopped her before she entered the classroom, "Do you need me to pick you up early? Four o'clock, Headmaster's office."

Lucretia smiled and shook her head, "No need. I know the way."

He gave her one last look, his gaze falling on the Transfiguration Class notes she held in her hand.

"Don't worry about your Transfiguration. Dumbledore, McGonagall, they must have seen something we don't understand yet. I've got your back."