Professor McGonagall Was Surprised

"When did you first become aware of the existence of magic?"

Professor McGonagall's voice was low and stern, carrying an unmistakable air of professionalism.

Faced with the question, Damon smiled and held out his hand, palm up.

As far as he knew, Professor McGonagall was unquestionably a good person. He felt even more at ease displaying his talent before her than he did before Dumbledore.

After all, that old bumblebee might become wary because Damon was too talented and start considering how to handle—or even arrange—him cautiously.

But Professor McGonagall would probably only consider whether to let him play Quidditch in the future.

Still, Damon's reason for showing off was more about interacting with a character—when a witch from a book appeared before you, wouldn't you want to talk to her?

"At first, the feeling was difficult to grasp, but now it is almost as easy as moving my own arm."

Damon stood tall and spoke with ease. Under his gaze, the air above his palm gradually rippled with faint waves.

Then, a quill on the table swiftly floated into the air and, under Damon's control, traced an elegant arc through the air.

"I can feel that magic is a part of my body. It moves with my will and can even... change."

As soon as he finished speaking, the quill drifted down into Professor McGonagall's hand and transformed into a fountain pen.

Damon met Professor McGonagall's gaze and gave a slight bow, graceful and composed.

Professor McGonagall's eyes were filled with surprise and admiration. She leaned forward slightly, carefully examining the fountain pen in her hand, her gaze behind her glasses utterly focused.

"Damon, I must admit that, considering your current age and educational background, this is quite astonishing." Her voice was precise yet gentle. "To possess such precise control over magic before even enrolling, even among Hogwarts first-years, is exceedingly rare."

McGonagall could not help thinking of The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter.

Even that child probably could not accomplish this much at this very moment, could he?

However, Hagrid had said that the boy had already obtained a wand of extraordinary significance.

Professor McGonagall straightened up and asked curiously:

"How did you do it? Here, there is no one to guide you in learning magic. Did you figure all of this out entirely on your own?"

Seeing Professor McGonagall's serious yet slightly curious gaze, Damon wore an amused expression. Watching a character from a book display such vivid life before him was truly wonderful.

"I did indeed figure it out myself. After receiving my admission letter, I realized that I possessed a certain talent, and talent naturally should not be wasted.

"During the days of waiting, I began trying to sense this talent and attempting to master it."

Damon looked directly into Professor McGonagall's eyes. When he mentioned "the days of waiting," a trace of apology flashed through her eyes. He smiled slightly and said:

"As for the method I used to explore it, it can be summed up in six words."

"Sense, apply, reflect."

The youth was tall and slender. Even standing before Professor McGonagall, he answered with effortless fluency. He stood as straight as a poplar tree, exuding an elegance and confidence that seemed innate.

As McGonagall listened to the method from the boy's lips and looked at his delicate, softly lined face, she found herself uncontrollably drawn to his azure eyes. Those eyes held a distinctive liveliness, their shining light like stars, filled with curiosity about the world and a desire to explore it.

With such bearing, such words, and such talent, this child would surely become an outstanding Hogwarts graduate in the future.

Seeing that Professor McGonagall seemed somewhat lost in thought, Damon smiled, leaned toward her elegantly, and asked softly:

"Professor?"

"Mm, I was just reminded of an old acquaintance."

McGonagall coughed lightly, trying to conceal her momentary distraction, though her eyes still held barely restrained amazement.

"You spoke very well. To summarize such a method shows that you possess intelligence far beyond ordinary people."

She paused unconsciously for a moment, thinking to herself:

Perhaps she should inform Dumbledore of Damon's circumstances in detail. After all, only he could plan the most suitable path for Damon's growth.

With talent like Damon's, if guided properly, he would surely become a pillar of the Magical World in the future; but if anything went wrong and he strayed onto the wrong path...

Thinking of how he too came from an Orphanage, Professor McGonagall's eyelashes trembled slightly as she recalled a presence whose name could not even be spoken.

When Dumbledore had found Tom at the Orphanage, had he perhaps felt as she did now?

Professor McGonagall suddenly understood Dumbledore a little better.

But she quickly came to her senses and drove those thoughts from her mind.

No, with her as this child's guide, he would surely stay on the right path.

Professor McGonagall steadied herself and said to Damon:

"Child, wait here for a moment. I will go speak with your matron about something."

Over the years, she had witnessed many incidents caused by Muggle parents' wildly differing attitudes toward magic, and by now she was thoroughly accustomed to handling them.

But where this child Damon was concerned, McGonagall suddenly realized that she was feeling a little nervous again.

Yet everything went far more smoothly than she had expected, even making her feel somewhat indignant.

When she said she wanted to take Damon away, the matron agreed without the slightest hesitation and did not even ask a single question.

Her reaction was as calm as still water. She showed neither doubt nor trust, merely accepting the decision.

Damon likewise expressed nothing about the matter. He simply nodded calmly and bid the matron farewell.

The two of them were calm, but McGonagall could no longer remain calm.

There was not a trace of concern, not the slightest question.

She had imagined eager inquiries, or at the very least some concern regarding Damon's plans for the future, but none of it happened.

McGonagall's expression cooled somewhat. Without making an issue of it, she silently led Damon away.

Her cold attitude instead surprised the matron and even made her worried. But when she saw Damon merely smiling and waving goodbye to her, she gradually settled down again.

As soon as McGonagall had led Damon out of the Orphanage, she gave a cold snort.

Hearing Professor McGonagall's snort, Damon looked at her in confusion and asked softly:

"Professor, has something happened?"

Professor McGonagall looked down at Damon, a complicated emotion flashing through her eyes:

"Just now, when I told your matron I was taking you to Hogwarts, she let you go with me so easily, without the slightest hesitation or question. Any other parent would have questioned me again and again until they confirmed my identity."

Damon froze for a moment, then suddenly laughed. His gaze toward Professor McGonagall grew a little gentler.

"Professor, you misunderstood. I had already told the matron that someone from the school would be coming.

"She simply trusted me, just as you do. She believed that the choice I made could not be wrong and that the person I followed could not be a bad person. That is why she was so at ease."

"Oh—so that was it!"

After hearing this, the dissatisfaction in Professor McGonagall's eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a trace of self-reproach.

"I wrongly blamed her. The next time you see her, please apologize to her on my behalf for my rudeness just now."

"Mm, I will."

What a good child.

McGonagall looked at the smiling Damon, seemingly infected by him. A rare, gentle smile appeared on her usually stern and composed face.

"Come, I'll take you to Diagon Alley."