Chao Feng

After Dumbledore vanished, the factory fell silent once more.

The solemnity and helplessness on Lin Du's face vanished in an instant, returning to his usual calm.

He had barely turned around when an inky-black shadow silently slid out from beneath the shadows of his wizarding robes and lightly landed on the back of a chair beside him.

It was his Contracted Spirit Beast—Chao Feng.

The thing looked like some kind of mash-up—

It had the foundation of a snowy owl mixed with the bloodline of some unknown Eastern Divine Beast, making it look both elegant and sinister.

Its feathers were black as the bottom of a pot, yet streaked with faint bronze patterns. Its beak and claws were a matte dark gold.

Most striking of all were the short jade horn on its forehead and the three emerald-green spots at the tip of its tail, which seemed to move on their own, like three malicious eyes.

At that moment, it was glaring fiercely at Lin Du with amber eyes that took up half its face, the contempt in its gaze nearly overflowing.

"I say,"

it spoke, its voice carrying the rasp of metal scraping together.

"Have those Dark Magic books finally pickled your brain? Hogwarts? And Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts? That position is cursed—one professor a year. Are the Aurors not chasing you closely enough? Do you really have to jump into the fire yourself and experience the thrill of annual unemployment?"

Lin Du could not be bothered with it and simply continued clearing away the teacups.

Chao Feng was something he had found several years ago in a crumbling mountain god temple on the southwestern border of the East.

Back then, it had been starving to death, listlessly crouching atop the head of a ruined statue. No matter how he looked at it, it resembled an unlucky stray owl.

Lin Du had softened for a moment and fed it half a piece of dried ration. As a result, this thing latched onto him, and they somehow ended up signing an unbreakable Symbiotic Contract.

Only later did he learn that the creature possessed some rather uncanny abilities.

Not only could it hide perfectly in shadows, but it could also vaguely "hear" the thoughts of others—

While Dumbledore had been there just now, it had remained hidden in the shadows of Lin Du's robes. Using that ability, it confirmed that although the Old Bee was full of schemes, he at least had no immediate intention of arresting him. Only then had Lin Du dared to lower his guard slightly and deal with him.

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

"That old man did not see through me because he knows too little about the ways of the East. But I know every little scheme in that head of yours—curse research, the Restricted Section, and that kid with the lightning scar on his forehead... You make it sound so grand, but don't you just want a safe place with food and lodging to continue those shady researches of yours?"

Lin Du finally dried the last cup. His fingers unconsciously rubbed against its side, and he did not immediately refute it.

He walked to the window and gazed at London's gray, overcast sky, as though he could see the distant Hogwarts Castle through it.

"After keeping a low profile for so long, I still ended up getting dragged into this." He let out a soft breath.

He remembered what it had been like when he first arrived in this magical world.

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

The result had stunned many people at the time.

How could an Eastern student who seemed quiet, even somewhat withdrawn, belong in Gryffindor?

Only that battered old Sorting Hat knew why.

It had chattered away in Lin Du's head for a full five minutes, wavering fiercely between Gryffindor's courage and Slytherin's ambition.

"Difficult, very difficult..." The Sorting Hat's hoarse voice echoed through his mind.

"I can see what burns within your heart... Oh, what immense ambition! Not some shallow desire for power, but the ultimate longing to uncover every mystery of the universe and trample the rules of the entire world beneath your feet... Enough to make Salazar himself applaud you! Slytherin can lead you to greatness!"

Lin Du listened silently in his mind.

"But... wait..." The Sorting Hat's voice became confused.

"At the depths of that ambition... You crave power, yet have no desire to use it to bully the weak or trample others; you pursue knowledge, yet would not sacrifice innocents for it... This commitment to 'righteousness' is the foundation of your ambition."

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

"Unbelievable... You are willing to give everything for your ideals, but your 'everything' does not include your conscience. You would rather confront hardship head-on by the most grueling means than touch those more 'efficient' but filthy shortcuts..."

"So where should I go?" Lin Du calmly asked in his heart.

"Slytherin? It can offer you resources and an environment full of ambitious people, but you would despise classmates who indulge in bloodlines and political maneuvering, believing them to be wasting their talent." The Sorting Hat pondered.

"Gryffindor? It can offer you the courage and sense of belonging to press forward fearlessly, though you may find some of your classmates rather naive. But the flames that burn there may be the best fuel for the blazing fire in your heart!"

After a brief silence, the Sorting Hat seemed to reach a decision and announced loudly:

"Decided! If the path to the summit is destined to be filled with hardship and danger, demanding courage to press forward without hesitation, then you had best go to—Gryffindor!"

During that year in Gryffindor, he had been an oddity.

While his classmates busied themselves making friends, playing pranks, and dreaming of future adventures, he spent all his time buried in the library and empty classrooms.

He had seen the concealed superiority in the eyes of Slytherin students from pure-blood families when they first looked at him, and he had experienced the invisible barriers caused by differences in accent and culture.

It did not anger him. Instead, it stirred the ruthlessness in his bones—the stubborn belief that man could conquer fate.

While others dated, he memorized spells;

while others played wizard chess, he practiced silent casting;

while others discussed Quidditch, he studied the effects of Ancient Magic runes on spell structure.

With almost brutal self-discipline, he had forced his way through most of the core courses within a year and earned straight Outstanding marks in his O.W.Ls, drawing countless envious looks.

He knew clearly that, as an Exchange Student, he had only one short year.

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

After graduating, he traveled the world, refused recruitment from every faction, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to magical research.

Yet it was as though he had touched an invisible barrier. Before long, he felt that his understanding of the modern magical system had stagnated.

That was also an important reason why he later shifted more of his focus to Dark Magic and Ancient Magic—he needed a new perspective, a way to break through that ceiling.

"So,"

Chao Feng suddenly spoke from his shoulder, "teaching at Hogwarts and dealing with that bunch of little trolls every day might actually count as a break for you. Better than drilling yourself into a dead end alone."

Lin Du gave Chao Feng on his shoulder a somewhat surprised glance, as though he had not expected it to say that.

He looked away, his tone softening slightly. "You could say we each get what we need. Teaching itself may offer a new perspective."

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

Now that the path had been decided, he needed to prepare for his new identity as "Professor Lin"—

He needed to carefully plan how to "efficiently" teach those young wizards while making the fullest possible use of Hogwarts's resources.

Just then, a faint popping sound rang out. A letter bearing the Hogwarts wax seal abruptly appeared on the desk and landed steadily atop the stack of notes he had just organized.

Chao Feng stretched out its neck for a look, the emerald patterns on its tail feathers leaning closer curiously. "Oh, that was fast. An employment notice?"

Lin Du picked up the letter and broke the seal.

The parchment was familiar Hogwarts stationery, covered in Professor McGonagall's meticulous handwriting:

Dear Professor Lin:

I am pleased that you have accepted Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's invitation to serve as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

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

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

Deputy Headmaster (Female)

Minerva McGonagall

Lin Du gently placed the letter on the desk, his gaze turning toward the distance once more.

Hogwarts—he was about to return there in another capacity.

This time, he would no longer be that quiet, low-profile Exchange Student. He would continue pursuing his hidden ambitions in that ancient castle as a professor.

"Let's go," he said to Chao Feng on his shoulder, the corner of his mouth curling into the faintest smile. "Our teaching career is about to begin."

Chao Feng let out an inscrutable grunt, spread its wings, and merged back into the shadows of his robes.

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