Chao Feng

After Dumbledore's figure vanished, the factory fell back into silence.

The solemnity and helplessness on Lin Du's face instantly faded, replaced by his usual calm.

He had just turned around when an ink-black shadow slid soundlessly from the folds of his wizard robes, landing lightly on the back of a chair beside him.

It was his Contracted Spirit Beast—Chao Feng.

This creature looked like some kind of hybrid—

A snowy owl base mixed with the bloodline of some unknown Eastern Divine Beast, giving it an appearance that was both elegant and sinister. Its feathers were as black as the bottom of a pot, yet laced with faint bronze-colored patterns; its beak and claws were a matte dark gold. The most striking features were the short jade horn on its forehead and three emerald spots on the tip of its tail that seemed to rotate on their own, like three malicious eyes.

Right now, it was staring at Lin Du with its amber eyes, each one half the size of its face, its contempt practically dripping out.

"I say,"

it began, its voice carrying a metallic scraping quality.

"Have you finally pickled your brain with all those dark magic books? Hogwarts? Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts? That's a cursed position—one a year. Are you afraid the Aurors aren't chasing you hard enough, so you have to jump into the fire yourself and experience the thrill of annual resignation?"

Lin Du couldn't be bothered to respond, busying himself with tidying the teacups.

Chao Feng was something he'd picked up a few years ago in a crumbling mountain temple on the southwestern border of the East. Back then, it was starving, barely clinging to life, squatting miserably on the head of a broken statue, looking for all the world like some unlucky stray owl. Lin Du's heart softened, and he fed it half a piece of dry bread. That was all it took for the thing to latch onto him, and before he knew it, they'd inexplicably signed a Symbiotic Contract that couldn't be shaken off.

Later, he learned that this creature had some sinister talents.

Not only could it perfectly hide in shadows, but it could also vaguely "hear" other people's thoughts—

When Dumbledore was present earlier, it had stayed tucked away in the dark shadow of Lin Du's robes, using this ability to confirm that while the old bee was full of schemes, at least he had no immediate intention of arresting him. Only then did Lin Du dare to relax a little and parley with him.

"Stop playing dead." Chao Feng fluttered onto his shoulder.

"That old man didn't see through me because he doesn't know much about our Eastern ways. But I know every little scheme in your head—cursed research, the Restricted Section, that kid with the lightning scar on his forehead... You talk a big game, but isn't it just about finding a safe nest with room and board so you can keep doing your shady experiments?"

Lin Du finally dried the last cup, his fingertips unconsciously tracing its rim as he didn't immediately refute.

He walked to the window, gazing at the gray London sky outside, as if through it he could see the distant Hogwarts castle.

"After keeping a low profile for so long, I've been dragged into it after all." He let out a soft breath.

He recalled the scene when he first arrived in this magical world.

At Hogwarts, as an Exchange Student from the East, he had been sorted into... Gryffindor.

That result had shocked many at the time.

How could a quiet, even somewhat aloof Eastern student be a Gryffindor?

Only that tattered Sorting Hat knew the reason.

It had chattered incessantly in Lin Du's mind for a full five minutes, swinging violently between Gryffindor's courage and Slytherin's ambition.

"Difficult, very difficult..." the Sorting Hat's raspy voice echoed in his mind.

"I can see what burns in your heart... Oh, what vast ambition! Not a shallow craving for power, but a desire to fathom all the mysteries of the universe, to trample the very rules of the world underfoot—the ultimate craving! This alone would make Salazar himself applaud you! Slytherin could lead you to glory!"

Lin Du listened silently in his heart.

"But... wait..." the Sorting Hat's voice grew puzzled.

"Deep within this ambition... you crave power, but you have no intention of using it to bully the weak or trample others; you pursue knowledge, but you won't sacrifice the innocent for it... This adherence to 'righteousness' is the foundation of your ambition."

The Sorting Hat seemed to be conducting a fierce debate inside his head.

"Incredible... You're willing to give everything for your ideals, but your 'everything' doesn't include your conscience. You'd rather take the hardest path and clash head-on than touch those more 'efficient' yet filthy shortcuts..."

"So, where should I go?" Lin Du pressed calmly in his mind.

"Slytherin? It could give you resources and an environment of ambition, but you'd despise those classmates wallowing in bloodline and political maneuvering, thinking they waste their talent." The Sorting Hat mused.

"Gryffindor? It could give you fearless courage and recognition, though you might find your classmates a bit naive. But the flame that burns there might best fuel the blazing fire in your heart!"

After a brief silence, the Sorting Hat seemed to make up its mind and declared loudly:

"Decision made! If the path to the summit is destined to be fraught with hardship and requires unwavering courage, then you'd best go to—Gryffindor!"

During his year in Gryffindor, he was an oddity.

His classmates were busy making friends, pulling pranks, and dreaming of future adventures, while he spent all his time in the library and empty classrooms.

He saw the hidden superiority in the eyes of those pure-blood Slytherin students when they first looked at him, and he experienced the invisible barriers brought by accent and cultural differences.

This didn't anger him; instead, it ignited a stubborn ruthlessness deep in his bones—a belief that "man can conquer fate."

While others were dating, he was memorizing spells;

while others played wizard chess, he was practicing silent casting;

while others discussed Quidditch, he was studying the influence of ancient runes on spell structures.

With almost cruel self-discipline, he managed to devour most of the core curriculum in a single year and achieved eye-catching Outstanding grades across the board in his O.W.Ls.

He knew clearly that, as an exchange student, he only had a single year.

That year was his sole chance to systematically study the Western magical system. Every minute and every second was precious, not to be wasted on meaningless socializing or entertainment.

Years after graduation, he had traveled the world, rejecting recruitment from all factions, devoting himself entirely to magical research.

Yet, as if touching an invisible barrier, he soon felt his understanding of the modern magical system had hit a standstill.

This was also a major reason he later turned more of his focus toward Dark Arts and Ancient Magic—he needed a new perspective, needed to break through that ceiling.

"So,"

Chao Feng on his shoulder suddenly spoke, "teaching at Hogwarts, dealing with those little brats all day, might actually be a kind of rest for you. Better than stewing in your own stubbornness alone."

Lin Du glanced at Chao Feng on his shoulder with some surprise, as if he hadn't expected it to say that.

He withdrew his gaze, his tone softening slightly: "It's a mutual exchange. Teaching itself might also provide a new perspective."

He walked to the desk, waved his wand, and let the scattered notes sort themselves automatically.

Since the path was set, he needed to prepare for his new identity as "Professor Lin"—

How to "efficiently" teach those young wizards while maximizing the use of Hogwarts' resources was something he had to plan carefully.

Just then, a faint popping sound rang out, and a letter stamped with the Hogwarts wax seal appeared abruptly on the desk, landing steadily atop the newly organized stack of notes.

Chao Feng craned its neck to look, its emerald tail feathers curiously leaning in: "Oh, that was fast. An appointment letter?"

Lin Du picked up the letter and broke the wax seal.

The paper was familiar Hogwarts parchment, bearing Professor McGonagall's meticulous handwriting:

Dear Professor Lin, It is my pleasure to welcome you to accept the teaching invitation for the position of Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please arrive at the school on August 25th at ten o'clock in the morning.

I will be waiting in the Deputy Headmaster's office to introduce you to the school and assist you with settling in.

Deputy Headmaster (Female)

Minerva McGonagall

Lin Du gently placed the letter on the desk, his gaze once again drifting into the distance.

Hogwarts—he was about to return, but in a different identity.

This time, no longer the silent, low-key exchange student, but as a professor, within this ancient castle, he would continue to pursue his hidden ambitions.

"Let's go," he said to Chao Feng on his shoulder, a faint, barely perceptible curve lifting the corner of his mouth. "Our teaching career is about to begin."

Chao Feng let out an ambiguous grumble, flapped its wings, and melted back into the shadow of his robes.

In response to our readers' requests, we now offer a VIP membership ad-free feature.

Click to view