Inside the Academic Affairs Office, the air was as still as hardened wax.
The flames in the fireplace flickered restlessly, stretching Sirius's agitated silhouette across the opposite wall like a trapped beast.
His fingers drummed on the armrest of the sofa, their erratic rhythm venting his impatience.
"I don't want to deal with anyone from Slytherin."
His brows were knotted tightly, his voice full of undisguised loathing.
"Douglas, you know me. I understand that not every Slytherin is like Snivellus, but just thinking about working together..."
He stopped, as though even that word made him physically sick.
"...makes me feel all choked up."
Douglas interlaced his fingers and rested them calmly before his chest, leaning forward slightly.
His steady posture stood in stark contrast to Sirius's agitation.
He had to make this impulsive Gryffindor lion understand that the reins were already on.
"Sirius, I understand how you feel."
His voice was level, carrying a strange, soothing power.
"But think about it. For the Academic Affairs Office to function, it's like a table that needs four legs to stand."
"We can't do without any of the Four Houses."
"The reforms we're introducing will touch every nerve ending in Hogwarts."
"The students from different houses, their ways of thinking, their strengths-they're all unique pieces of a puzzle."
"With one piece missing, the whole picture can never be complete."
Douglas's gaze sharpened, dissecting reality like a scalpel.
"I didn't recommend you for this position just to bring you closer to Harry."
His tone abruptly shifted, and a sly smile curled his lips, like a goblin whose prank had succeeded.
"Heh heh. Quite the opposite."
"Not only can you not get close to him, you actually have to single out Harry Potter as a 'problem student' who needs special attention."
The air froze instantly.