Dumbledore's Tea Gathering

Thursday arrived in the blink of an eye. During that time, Sagreles had taught two more classes to the underage young wizards. By now, among Hogwarts's sixth- and seventh-years, Professor Greengrass had become the most popular professor.

After all, there was no homework, and the learning results were astonishingly good. Classes like that were rare at Hogwarts.

Back when Sagreles had still been a student at Hogwarts, these sixth- and seventh-year young wizards had only been in their first or second year. They could be considered fellow alumni, but now he had transformed into their professor. Honestly, the feeling was not bad.

Sagreles had never expected there to be a teacherly side to his personality.

After spending the entire morning in the Restricted Section, he had just lifted his head from a pile of books when Phoenix Fawkes appeared in a burst of flame.

He opened the little note clutched in Fawkes's beak. Written on it were the words: "Don't forget today's afternoon tea gathering."

"What a hassle!"

Grumbling, Sagreles waved his wand and returned every magical book to its proper place. Once he was done, he nodded at Fawkes on his shoulder.

A flash of fire swept past, and the man and bird vanished from the library.

"Caw! Caw!"

A sharp, piercing cry suddenly rang through the library. The Raven Loctis, who had been dozing on the ceiling, had been startled awake by the firelight and began screeching madly again.

Madam Pince came running down the corridor with her skirts gathered in her hands. The surprise and anger on her face made every young wizard in her path instinctively step aside.

"Sagreles, if you bring that stupid raven into the library again, I'll apply to Dumbledore to bar you from entering the library forever!"

The fury in her tone made the students shrink their necks. To be honest, they had never seen Madam Pince this angry before...

"Coffee, mead, or black tea?"

Dumbledore sat in his chair and asked Sagreles, his fingers constantly brushing the edge of his half-moon glasses.

Rather than answering, Sagreles looked up at the portraits behind him—

Eosar Sackenberg: Headmaster at some point before 1503.

Ambrose Swott: Headmaster during the late Tudor dynasty.

Dilys Derwent: Headmistress from 1741 to 1768, a famous healer.

Phineas Nigellus Black: Headmaster from the late nineteenth century to 1926, a member of the Black family.

Armando Dippet: Headmaster from the early twentieth century to 1956, headmaster during Voldemort's time at school.

The portraits were whispering among themselves. Sagreles did not listen closely to what they were discussing. Instead, he casually took a cup of coffee from the gilded tea tray. Before that, three sugar cubes ran and jumped into his bone china cup.

He took a symbolic sip before setting the coffee down and speaking calmly. "What is it, Professor Dumbledore? I think I still need to go back and prepare my lessons."

"Sagreles, ever since you took this position, aside from immersing yourself in the sea of books in the library, I have never seen you enter your office to prepare lessons." The old man mercilessly exposed his poor lie.

"But I think I teach quite well, and I believe my students think so too." Sagreles replied lightly, completely unconcerned.

That was until Dumbledore took three letters sealed with Ministry of Magic wax from his drawer.

Fudge's flowing signature at the end of the third letter glowed red, and Sagreles's expression gradually turned serious.

"I am not questioning your teaching methods, Sagreles." With a hint of helplessness, the old man let out a deep sigh. "Nor do I deny your teaching results. The students' performance proves as much. But what I wish to know is, when did the Department of Magical Education approve your special permission to cast spells on students in class?"

Sagreles's face remained expressionless. "Professor, I believe we reached an understanding back in Azkaban."

Dumbledore nodded at that. "I admit it. But even so, you should have informed me beforehand. And lying to a group of underage students is truly not something a professor ought to do."

Sagreles was a little irritated. The scene was somewhat similar to when he had been expelled years ago, but he still forced himself to calm down. "I do not think that counts as a lie. You should know that my spells would never cause the students any harm." Sagreles calmly raised his hand and touched the letters with his fingertips.

A pale flame rose from his fingers and instantly burned them to ash. "And I dare say that if Voldemort or Grindelwald were sitting here right now, the Ministry of Magic would never dare send such letters. They lack respect for you."

"That is only because people fear them, child." Weariness filled the old headmaster's voice. "I do not believe that is right..."

"I respect your choice, Albus." It was the first time he had addressed the old man by his given name.

"But I am not like you. I do not like people telling me what to do."

He drew his wand and carved a silver mark across the tabletop. "I do not like it, especially when I am not in the wrong."

"My demand is simple. Whether out of respect or fear—do not cross the line, and do not provoke me!"

Dumbledore opened his mouth, about to speak, but Sagreles cut him off.

"Of course they can play politics in the Wizarding World, but they need to know who they are dealing with. To be frank, you bear some responsibility for what they have become, Headmaster. Your tolerance has only encouraged their arrogance."

Dumbledore's voice was unusually low. "The greater the power one possesses, the less authority one should control. After all, no one can guarantee that they will never make a mistake."

Sagreles nodded. "I do not disagree with that, Professor Dumbledore. As I said, I respect your choice." Then he changed the subject. "But I am not you. I do not have such a broad mind, so if those politicians who play power games in the Wizarding World come knocking, I will teach them the underlying logic of the Wizarding World."

As soon as the words fell, his figure vanished without a trace. Dumbledore looked at the empty office in surprise, but in the end, he merely sighed in resignation.

Dilys Derwent suddenly spoke from the wall. "That child is right, Albus. Sometimes, fear is more persuasive than respect."

Dumbledore did not answer directly. He merely tossed a screaming sugar cube into his tea.

"He can even Apparate within Hogwarts now, Dilys." He lifted his teacup and took a light sip. "He is even more powerful than I expected."

"You cannot control everything." Armando Dippet joined the conversation as well. "Besides, this child is completely different from Tom. You need not worry about that."

Dumbledore said nothing more. He took out the Elder Wand and tried to repair the mark Sagreles had left on the table, only to find that he was powerless to do so.

A snicker sounded behind him. Dumbledore turned around, but he had no idea which portrait it had come from.

The crack of Sagreles's Apparition startled several ravens near the pumpkin patch into flight. He brushed the grass clippings from the hem of his robes and looked up at the crooked wooden hut before him.

Twilight dyed the outline of the Forbidden Forest a bluish gray. Warm yellow light leaking through the hut's window cracks spread through the damp air.

Apparating within Hogwarts was no easy feat. Even Sagreles had expended quite a bit of magic. Still, he felt there was nothing wrong with doing so. Dumbledore needed to know that he was no longer the fifth-year student he had once been.

He had come to ask Hagrid for some magical materials. Snape had some as well, but given their relationship, Sagreles suspected it would be difficult to get anything from his former Potions professor besides a glare.

Knock, knock, knock.

The dull sound of knuckles striking wood alerted the people inside. Sagreles knocked on the hut's door, but it took a long while before the door opened a crack.

"Professor Greengrass?"

"Good afternoon, Hagrid." Sagreles greeted him. Looking through the crack in the door, he could vaguely make out two figures. "Do you have other guests?"

"Oh, please come in and talk, Professor." Hagrid turned his enormous body sideways and abruptly pulled the door open. The hinges groaned under the strain. "It's Harry and Ron. I invited them over for tea to celebrate them starting school."

Sagreles narrowed his eyes. The oil lamp inside cast wavering halos over the oak table, while two small figures seemed almost swallowed by Hagrid's custom-made giant armchairs.

Harry's fingers were absently picking at a chip in his teacup, while Ron's ears had turned bright red beneath his hair.

Looking at the two boys seated at the table, Sagreles greeted them, a rare occurrence. "We meet again, you two."

"G-Good afternoon, Professor."

The two boys hurriedly stood up, their stammering voices squeezed from their throats. Sagreles gave a slight nod.

Hagrid spoke cheerfully. "Want some Rock Cakes, Professor?"

"Call me Sagreles, Hagrid." He waved away the copper tray Hagrid offered him. "I came here to ask you for a favor."

"Go ahead, Professor. What can I help you with?"

"If possible, I would like to buy some Unicorn tail hair and Whomping Willow branches from you." Sagreles was simple and direct. Honestly, he preferred dealing with Hagrid.

"Why talk about buying? It's my honor to help you!" Hagrid patted his furry chest, his booming voice making the hanging cauldron tremble slightly.

He reached up and pulled a patched dragonhide bag from a hook on the wall. After searching through it briefly, he took out a handful of snowy white hair. "Collected it just last week. I combed it under the moonlight a few days ago."

"As for Whomping Willow branches, would last year's do?"

"Of course. Thank you for your generosity, Hagrid."

"You're too polite, Professor. If you need anything else, just come find me."

"Thank you, Hagrid." Sagreles packed the materials into his bag. As he thanked him, he waved his wand again. The cluttered hut immediately began tidying itself, becoming neat and cozy in the blink of an eye.

Hagrid stared in amazement and quickly thanked him, but Sagreles waved it off. "It is only a small thing within my abilities."

He stood and said goodbye to them. When he reached the door, he turned back to Hagrid. "Leave this year's Christmas tree transport and decorating to me, Hagrid. Please do not refuse."

Hagrid froze upon hearing that. He instinctively replied, "Of course."

Then he broke into a pure, bright smile. "I mean, absolutely no problem. Thank you, Sagreles..."

Leaning against the doorframe, Hagrid watched Sagreles leave with a smile. Harry suddenly pushed Fang aside and leaned closer. "Hagrid, are you very familiar with Professor Greengrass?"

"Familiar?" He rubbed his beard with a hand the size of a baking tray. "As you can see, we do know each other, but we definitely are not that familiar."

"Of course, we have dealt with each other quite a few times," Hagrid added.

Ron asked, "Then why did you give him so many magical materials for free? Those things aren't cheap."

"Don't think of it like that, Ron. Professor Greengrass was invited back to Hogwarts by Dumbledore to teach." Hagrid picked up a Rock Cake and stuffed it into his mouth. "Don't let his youth fool you. His accomplishments are anything but small."

"Don't worry, Hagrid. We have already heard more than enough about his accomplishments these past few days." Harry and Ron exchanged a glance. Thinking of how Hermione kept bringing him up around them, they both felt rather helpless.

Harry said, "Tell us something we don't know. Like the Gringotts robbery you mentioned earlier..."

"I won't say another word about that matter!" Hagrid immediately declared.

"Then do you know why Professor Greengrass was expelled?" Ron leaned forward, his face full of curiosity.

At those words, Hagrid's broad back visibly stiffened. He looked unwilling, but this time he did not refuse. "It is no secret. I can tell you. But you cannot tell anyone else. Talking behind someone's back is never good..."

"Don't worry, Hagrid." The boys patted their chests in promise.

"It was a few years ago. He was in his fifth year then." Hagrid sounded somewhat wistful as he turned to face the two boys. "Have I told you he was a Ravenclaw?"

"No, but we already knew that."

"Oh, right." He paused, as if recalling the past. "He was a textbook Ravenclaw! From the time he entered school in his first year, he never left Hogwarts once for five whole years."

"His family did not care about him?" Ron was confused and could not help interrupting.

"I don't know. It seemed like he did not get along well with his family, though that is only something I heard. Hmm, he would occasionally come to me back then to ask about the habits of creatures in the Forbidden Forest." He smacked his lips. "Later, as he delved deeper into magic, he broke many school rules..."

"Broke school rules? What rules?" Ron pressed.

"Too many to count. Reading books from the Restricted Section without permission, wandering the castle at night, sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, things like that. In the end, his spell went out of control and burned down a large section of the Forbidden Forest." Hagrid picked up his teacup and took a drink. "Then Dumbledore could not withstand the pressure from the Ministry of Magic and had no choice but to expel him..."

Harry glanced at Ron, then asked Hagrid the question on his mind directly. "What do you think of him, Hagrid? Is he researching the Dark Arts?"

"The Dark Arts? Er, I don't know." Hagrid waved his hand. "But Professor Greengrass is not a bad person. Like how I do not like decorating Christmas trees. I only mentioned it casually, but he was still a student then and immediately offered to help me. Though before Christmas came around, he had already been expelled..."