The first day of classes could be called a perfect conclusion.
Everyone was highly enthusiastic about learning, and their progress was so fast that it surprised He Shenyan.
Still, considering that these people were wizards to begin with, it was hardly strange that they learned faster than the ordinary people from the previous world who had only just encountered magic.
He Shenyan was currently sitting in the empty headmaster's office. Dumbledore sat cross-legged not far away, his eyes tightly shut, his breathing calm and powerful. A warm blanket lay beneath him, and flecks of white Magic Power radiated from his body in a steady rhythm.
Snape was watching Dumbledore from nearby. He was so focused that it seemed every breath Dumbledore took during meditation was worth recording.
He Shenyan sat on the other side, reclining in a large, comfortable chair as he read the Standard Book of Spells. On the floor beside him lay a battered, heavily patched pointed hat, with a blurry face in the middle.
The famous hat was chattering away. "Couldn't you put me on a chair? The floor is far too cold, young man. Don't you have even the most basic respect for me? I am the most magical hat in the world!"
He Shenyan yawned without even looking at the filthy hat. The grease stains on it were reflective, as though it had not been washed in centuries.
"No," he said slowly. "This is your punishment for saying I belonged in Azkaban."
He turned a page and suddenly smiled. "I'm actually curious. You've survived for centuries as a hat that judges people's character. Don't you find it boring?"
The Sorting Hat did not speak for quite a while.
It could read minds and possessed the wisdom of Hogwarts's four founders. It could be said to be one of the most intelligent magical objects most witches and wizards would ever encounter in their lives.
Therefore, it fully understood what this young man was implying. At last, it spoke with difficulty. "What you are going to do to the magical world is unprecedented. It may lead to a very bad outcome."
"Actually, I need to correct you on one point."
He Shenyan suddenly became interested.
He knew why the hat had said he belonged in Azkaban when he wore it: it had seen some of the thoughts he had deliberately exposed. But he did not care. He smiled faintly. "I haven't done those things, have I?"
"Besides, things depend on people, don't they? What I'm going to do to this world is indeed unprecedented—because this is a reform. A reform that represents progress."
He sat upright, stared at the Sorting Hat's filthy surface, and beckoned. The Sorting Hat flew before him and heard his cheerful voice.
"Dumbledore took time this afternoon to visit the Ministry of Magic and inform them that Hogwarts will completely change its previous teaching methods and curriculum in the new school year. If even your headmaster supports my ideas, what can you possibly do?"
"You're just a hat."
He spun the Sorting Hat through the air. Black Magic Power appeared from nowhere and cleaned its surface thoroughly. The hat, once brownish-black, now looked white. That alone proved just how filthy it had been.
At last, undisguised disgust appeared in the Mage's eyes as he placed the Sorting Hat back on the floor. "As a hat, all you can do is watch me change all this. Whether it ends well or badly, you can see for yourself."
After saying that, he ignored the silent Sorting Hat and continued reading.
The next stretch of time passed very peacefully.
More than once, He Shenyan praised Flitwick's effort and talent in class. He learned the fastest. As time went by, they all became capable of meditating proficiently.
Snape, however, struggled the most. More than once, he had to rely on potions to calm himself. He seemed unable to truly settle down.
Time gradually reached August 30th, and He Shenyan gave them two days off. September 1st marked the beginning of Hogwarts's new term, with new students to receive, sorting to conduct, dormitories to arrange, and a whole series of complicated tasks.
He Shenyan intended to have Dumbledore and the others take charge of second-years and above while he handled the new students himself. Meditation and foundational knowledge were vital parts of magic, and he would only feel at ease doing it himself—if something went wrong, he would never forgive himself.
Since he had taken on this responsibility, he had to see it through, and do it as well as possible.
The staff all went off to prepare, while he remained in the former headmaster's office, continuing to write his book.
Snape knocked on the door of Dumbledore's new office. After receiving permission, he entered and awkwardly straightened the black suit he wore.
Dumbledore smiled teasingly. "You look quite good, Severus."
Snape did indeed look quite good. He had combed his shortened hair, shaved his beard clean, and even used aftershave from who knew where.
At this moment, dressed in a well-fitted suit, he looked more like a Wall Street elite than a wizard.
He took a deep breath, picked up the black leather case Dumbledore had prepared for him, and said, "I'm leaving now to bring her here."
"You don't need to be so nervous."
"I insist."
Dumbledore shrugged.
Amid a ripple of Magic Power, Snape opened a Portal and departed. Dumbledore sat behind his desk and shook his head. He removed his half-moon glasses, looked at the view outside the window, and smiled without saying a word.
Number Four Privet Drive.
Snape appeared in the quiet neighborhood. A Portal was entirely different from Apparition; it made no sound at all.
He had imagined this day countless times, yet when it truly arrived, he still felt extremely nervous.
He swallowed and unconsciously licked his lips before stepping forward and knocking on the door.
"Who is it?!"
A fat man opened the door. He looked—like a pig—Snape thought.
The man's features were squeezed together by fat, with another layer of chin hanging beneath his first.
Simply standing there seemed to take effort. The man glanced at Snape, then suddenly put on a smile, his tone becoming gentler. "Hello, sir. What can I do for you?"
"Harley Potter."
He uttered those two words, offering not a single extra one.
The man's expression changed.
After a brief hesitation, he pointed at Snape and said fiercely, "Y-you're one of them? Damn it! For god's sake, you'd better leave right now! We don't have that person here! No! No!"
"Is that so?" Snape asked coldly.
The man suddenly began floating. His face turned crimson, and he opened his mouth to scream. Snape merely pointed a finger. "Shut up."
He no longer paid attention to the fat pig drifting near the ceiling. In truth, he had always resented Dumbledore's decision to let them take care of Harley. Previously, because of Voldemort, he had not voiced his opinion.
But now, some things had to change.
He walked into the house and swept his gaze around. At the dining table, he saw a boy as fat as a pig, just like his father, and a woman he had seen before. Her hair was black, but those green eyes were exactly like hers.
Snape's expression remained utterly cold, though his tone softened slightly. "Petunia Dursley."
"I'm here for Harley Potter."
"Where is she?"
Petunia clutched a spatula tightly. She dragged her son, Dudley, away from the huge plate of bacon in front of him and pulled him behind her. Then, pale-faced, she pointed toward a door beneath the stairs.
The stairs?
Snape frowned.
He walked over, his leather shoes creaking against the floorboards. Dudley tried to say something, but his mother firmly covered his mouth.
Snape pulled open the door. A thin red-haired figure slept with her back to him on a shabby wooden bed. The bed's four legs were propped up with books and did not look stable.
He even saw a nest of Spiders in the corner. The place reeked of mildew and was so cramped that he had to bend over to enter. The man was silent for a moment. He did not wake the girl, instead turning around and gently closing the door.
He closed his eyes and took two deep breaths, the tangled emotions in his heart growing ever more complicated.
Petunia stammered, wanting to say something, but Snape raised a hand to signal for her to be quiet. The woman obeyed.
After composing himself, he opened the door again and walked inside.
He patted the girl awake.
She rubbed her messy red hair and sat up groggily. After fumbling around to put on her glasses, she looked at Snape with those emerald-green eyes and said, "Um, sir? What do you want? Are you a government worker? Has Aunt Petunia decided to send me away after all?"
Snape simply stared at her blankly.
Two minutes passed. Only when the girl began to feel uneasy did he say hoarsely, "I'm a teacher at Hogwarts. You can call me Severus Snape. I've come to take you to school."
Harley blinked and tilted her head. "Hogwarts? What's that?"
Snape froze for a moment. "Didn't you receive the letters?"
"What letters?"
He turned to look at the woman in the corner of the kitchen. Trembling, she ran to the trash bin, dug out a large pile of letters, handed them to Snape, and then ran away sobbing.
"...These letters." Snape handed them to her, then left the room.
The signing came as a surprise. Also, due to personal reasons, there will only be one update today. I'm very sorry. I'll make it up tomorrow with three updates.
Before you continue