I'll Keep an Eye on Him

That morning, Li Wei taught students from two houses in the third and fourth years and assigned a large amount of homework.

The assignments included copying out the casting essentials of the Obstacle Curse twenty times, previewing the Immobilus incantation in advance, and copying information on ten common dark creatures twenty times as well, with all of it to be memorized for a spot check in the second week.

Additionally, due to the dreadful performance of Gryffindor and Slytherin, Li Wei had to consider postponing the announcement of the monthly exam plan so as not to crush the students' fragile nerves.

However, unlike the underperforming lions and snakes, one fourth-year student gave Li Wei a great surprise.

Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff.

The young man was handsome and broad-shouldered, with black hair the same color as Li Wei's.

In the test Li Wei had set, he immediately guessed Li Wei's intentions and used the Freezing Charm to subdue every pixie in the room without causing the slightest disturbance.

Li Wei awarded Hufflepuff five points on the spot and appointed Cedric as the fourth-years' Study Committee Member before proceeding with the same lesson content.

The position of Study Committee Member was one part of Li Wei's liberation plan.

Grading students' homework was of no benefit to him. It was merely monotonous, repetitive work. He felt it would be a waste of time even to throw it to his two assistants; handing it over to the Study Committee Member was the most suitable arrangement.

After finishing the morning's lessons, Li Wei returned to his office, intending to take his two assistants to the Great Hall for lunch.

Little wizards kept running past along the way, casting curious glances at Li Wei without saying a word.

"I've already spoken to Madam Pince, the librarian. You can borrow any of the books in the library on the spot. Hogwarts's library is a treasure trove. You can visit often from now on; there's no rush with your research.

From now on, our pace should slow down."

Qiao Weili nodded and secretly glanced at Jiamer beside him—the other person's expression did not change in the slightest, as though she had no interest in the library whatsoever.

Thinking of that, his initial anticipation faded—Jiamer always put the professor's goals first and never considered anything else. Since that was the case, he naturally would not fall behind either.

Snape wore a grim expression. Once he confirmed that Dumbledore had finished eating, he followed him into the headmaster's office.

"I truly don't understand what you were thinking!"

"About what, Severus?"

Dumbledore sat in the seat of honor, looking at him calmly.

Snape had no intention of sitting down. He stood rigidly near the door, his face displeased.

"Why did you reject my application to teach part-time, only to invite another Slytherin to teach at the school?

Do you know what kind of person Li Wei is? He simply cannot do this job well!"

"I'm afraid I don't see it that way, Severus."

Dumbledore looked up at Snape.

"I discussed educational principles with Li Wei. Both the theories he proposed and the students he personally taught proved that he was an outstanding scholar."

"Students?"

Snape's brows drew tightly together as he suddenly recalled the two unfamiliar faces following behind Li Wei.

"A person like him actually took on students?"

"I fear the number may exceed your imagination."

"How could that be? How could someone as self-centered as him agree to teach? He would never spend his time on anything useless. Could he be an impostor?"

"Severus, it sounds as though you know him well?"

Dumbledore was somewhat surprised by Snape's attitude. Though both men were Slytherins, they should have belonged to entirely different worlds. Why did they seem to have such a deep connection?

"He was once my classmate. No matter how much I dislike him, I would still know something about him."

Snape's expression was a little unnatural, but he ultimately admitted it.

"That's wonderful." Dumbledore nodded. "Personally, I find Professor Li Wei very interesting. I do have certain doubts about his teaching at Hogwarts—"

"And you still—!"

"—Severus, since we both have doubts, why don't you sit down and let us sort through every question?"

Snape still did not sit, as though sitting before Dumbledore and seriously discussing Li Wei was an extremely difficult thing to do.

His face was stiffer than his body, and his voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his lips.

"I only want to understand one thing. Where did you find Li Wei, why did you invite him to teach, and why did he agree?"

Dumbledore shook his head and casually waved a hand. Two glasses filled with ice appeared out of thin air.

"How about some iced lemon black tea? Li Wei recommended it to me. After trying it once, I found it quite good, though I am getting on in years, and drinking iced beverages often may not be very good for my health."

As he spoke, he added five sugar cubes to the lemon black tea before him without paying any mind to anyone else.

Snape strode over and sat down in front of Dumbledore without a word, merely staring at him.

Dumbledore did not mind. He slowly stirred his drink with a silver spoon and said gently,

"First, let me answer your first question. But I hope you can keep today's conversation confidential."

"When I found Li Wei, he was leading a group of students in researching and studying the Dark Arts. At the same time, he had already defeated nine Auror squads sent to arrest him."

"..." Snape opened his mouth. A strange delight appeared in his eyes, but he desperately swallowed his words back down.

"Neither the Ministry of Magic nor I could allow a master so proficient in magic to continue pursuing such a dangerous path."

"He was merely studying the Dark Arts. What was so dangerous about that?

Could you arrest every wizard who had ever studied the Dark Arts? Then the Ministry of Magic should arrest its own people first."

You're defending him again?

Dumbledore glanced at Snape and was just about to continue when the portrait of Headmaster Black on the wall suddenly came to life and spoke in agreement.

"Ah—indeed—merely studying the Dark Arts is something every great wizard must experience. Li Wei—though I have no recollection of this Slytherin, he is undoubtedly on the right path."

"Shut up!"

The other portraits had been eagerly gossiping. Seeing him speak up and ruin the atmosphere, they charged into the frame together and pinned Black down.

Dumbledore's stirring motion paused for a moment, and he simply stopped stirring.

"In any case, Professor Li Wei and I reached an agreement. I believe it will benefit both of us."

"Good. I understand completely now."

Having obtained the answer he wanted, Snape stood up and took his leave.

When he reached the door, he suddenly turned around—Dumbledore was raising his tea to drink at that moment.

"Li Wei is a fool burdened by misplaced compassion, Dumbledore. His research into the Dark Arts has absolutely nothing to do with any evil intentions. I can guarantee that."

"As for the rest, I'll keep an eye on him for you!"

Dumbledore drained the tea in front of him in one gulp. Looking in the direction Snape had departed, he murmured,

"I don't recall asking him to do that?"