Starting the Job

August 25th, 9:50 AM.

Scottish Highlands, outside the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The air twisted like a hand wringing a cloth, followed by a dull, muffled crack.

Lin Du's figure materialized precisely on the empty ground before the gates, the hem of his black robes swaying gently in the air.

He carried only a seemingly ordinary black dragon-hide suitcase in his hand; in the shadow of his shoulder, Chao Feng's aura was perfectly concealed.

To his slight surprise, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall was already standing at the castle's grand entrance, as if she had been waiting for a moment.

She still wore her emerald-green robes, her expression as stern as ever, but the look behind her glasses softened noticeably the moment he appeared.

"Punctual, Professor Lin."

McGonagall's voice carried her characteristic clarity and calm. "I assumed you would Apparate."

Lin Du stepped forward and gave a slight nod in greeting. "Professor McGonagall, I'm honored you came to wait in person."

He was indeed a bit surprised; he had expected to meet in the Deputy Headmistress's office.

McGonagall gestured for him to follow her into the castle, her gaze sweeping over the suitcase once more, the line of her mouth softening slightly. "It seems it has served you well for a long time, and you've kept it in good condition."

She didn't explain further, but Lin Du immediately understood what she meant—

This dragon-hide suitcase, enchanted with an Undetectable Extension Charm, was the farewell gift McGonagall had given him when he finished his exchange student program and was about to leave Hogwarts.

"Yes, Professor."

Lin Du's tone also warmed, carrying sincere respect. "It's been extremely practical and has helped me a great deal. Thank you for your gift back then."

McGonagall gave a soft "hmm," seemingly satisfied with the answer, and her tone relaxed further, taking on a note of elder-like concern:

"I remember you, Mr. Lin. Back in your flying lessons... well, you performed quite 'steadily.' You were one of the few students who made Madam Hooch give up on trying any daring maneuvers with you."

She paused, a glint of knowing amusement behind her glasses. "And, if I recall correctly, you always avoided the Floo Network whenever possible."

The corner of Lin Du's mouth twitched. That memory of being firmly relegated to the "ground observer" category by Madam Hooch was indeed not a glorious one.

He could only admit it frankly: "I must confess, Professor McGonagall, whether it's the comfort of a Flying Broomstick or the... lack of control in traveling by Floo Powder, neither has ever inspired much fondness in me. I'm more surprised you remember such trivial details so clearly."

McGonagall didn't slow her pace, only glanced sideways at him:

"I remember every student of Hogwarts, especially those from Gryffindor who achieved Outstanding on all their O.W.L.s."

She paused her tone. "Besides, you're neither the first to complain about broom comfort, nor are you speaking idly—from an ergonomic standpoint, the design of most broom handles is indeed debatable."

This agreement, laced with a hint of teasing, made Lin Du smile.

"That's true. Perhaps the manufacturers believe keeping the rider highly alert is part of flight safety."

"Perhaps," McGonagall agreed, then shifted the topic slightly. "However, I've heard the latest Nimbus 2000 has improvements in shock absorption and handle design. Perhaps you could give it a try; it might change your mind."

Lin Du shook his head almost instinctively. "The Nimbus 2000? I've heard of it—excellent performance, but the price is equally 'excellent.' That's no small sum."

McGonagall laughed. "Professor Lin, I think I must remind you that Hogwarts pays its professors, especially those in positions requiring... 'specific risks,' quite handsomely. With your current salary, purchasing a Nimbus 2000 is more than affordable. I imagine this is simply because you're so focused on your personal research that you rarely pay attention to such worldly matters."

Lin Du was momentarily taken aback, realizing he had indeed never carefully considered the salary of a Hogwarts professor.

He cleared his throat, a bit awkwardly. "You're right, Professor. It seems I need to find time to look into my financial situation."

"A wise choice." McGonagall nodded, ending this brief and lighthearted topic, and redirected her attention to business.

They passed through the grand entrance hall, where torches on the stone walls cast flickering shadows over the ancient masonry.

McGonagall cut straight to the point, her tone regaining the efficiency of a Deputy Headmistress: "Considering your former House affiliation, we've arranged your office near Gryffindor Tower. The lighting is better there, and I thought you'd be more comfortable."

This arrangement was clearly more thoughtful than he had anticipated. Lin Du gave a slight nod. "Thank you very much, Professor. This suits me well."

McGonagall didn't dwell on it and swiftly moved to the next matter, her expression turning especially serious:

"Given your research focus, Professor Lin, I must make Hogwarts' boundaries clear: you can, and must, teach students how to identify, defend against, and counter the Dark Arts. But you are strictly forbidden from teaching students any offensive Dark Arts spells themselves. On this, there is no room for negotiation."

"I understand and fully agree, Professor." Lin Du nodded solemnly. He studied the Dark Arts to understand and transcend them, not to spread them.

McGonagall seemed relieved. With a flick of her wand, several parchment sheets flew from her sleeve and landed neatly in Lin Du's hands.

"This is your timetable and a map of the castle. You will be responsible for Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for all seven year levels."

Lin Du looked down at the timetable, his gaze sweeping over the densely packed slots—from Monday to Friday, morning to afternoon, with almost no gaps.

His expression stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"...In addition to daily teaching," McGonagall's voice continued, "you will also need to prepare lessons, grade homework, and occasionally patrol the Forbidden Forest or supervise detentions."

Lin Du was silent.

Nearly thirty class hours a week, plus heavy teaching support duties...

This would take up almost all of his workdays. He took a deep breath inwardly, but showed nothing on his face.

At that moment, he could almost feel Chao Feng silently snickering from the shadow of his robes.

McGonagall looked at him, her tone sincere and grave:

"Professor Lin, I must be frank. The Defense Against the Dark Arts course has experienced... unusually frequent turnover over the past many years. The school, and especially the students, desperately need a stable, reliable professor. We sincerely hope you can be the one to end this cycle of instability."

She paused, then continued: "If you encounter any difficulties in teaching or administration—whether with classroom discipline, or... dealing with certain particularly challenging students—my office door is always open to you."

"Hogwarts treasures every one of its students,"

she said finally, her gaze resting deeply on Lin Du. "I believe that with your abilities and principles, you can teach them something truly valuable—how to protect themselves when the darkness that may come in the future descends."

Having said this, Professor McGonagall's expression finally softened, the corners of her mouth lifting into a slight but genuine, warm curve.

"Welcome once again, Professor Lin. I hope you can find your place at Hogwarts."

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author—it might just have been renamed!