Hogwarts, the Headmaster's Office.
Vaughn was sitting behind the desk, in the seat that originally belonged to Dumbledore.
Bang!
A crack split the air, followed by a flicker of fire. Dumbledore emerged from the flames, with Fawkes flapping his wings in circles above his head.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at Vaughn, who had made himself at home in his seat.
"Sorry, Albus. I didn't think you'd be returning to the Castle anytime soon." Vaughn paused, then made to stand.
Dumbledore waved a hand. "No need to apologize, my dear. I'm delighted to see you sitting there."
Vaughn glanced at him but stood up anyway. He raised the teacup in his hand, looking utterly speechless. "Albus, don't expect to buy the rest of my life with a little green tea."
"Besides, Mr. Li said that some of the green tea he gave you was meant for me."
How could Vaughn not know what the white-bearded old man was plotting? Have him take this seat?
What a joke!
Rather than becoming the Headmaster of Hogwarts himself, wasn't it much better to have Dumbledore do the work?
Right now, for instance, Vaughn had to oversee the Potions Exchange while keeping an eye on the Ministry of Magic. Without Dumbledore, he wouldn't have had time to spare for arranging the Triwizard Tournament.
Besides, being Hogwarts Headmaster held little value for Vaughn. Dumbledore's connections were what mattered.
If he wanted to bring the various wizarding schools together, he couldn't limit his sights to Hogwarts.
If he became the Headmaster of Hogwarts after graduating, the other wizarding schools would inevitably have additional reservations about working with him.
For instance, would Vaughn favor one school over the others?
So, although he often remarked that Dumbledore only had a few years left, he wanted the old man to