Apparently no one had told him not to provoke Holmes, or he would end up in a sorry state!

Dumbledore took a few steps forward with a warm smile on his face.

He spread his arms as though embracing the entire cold evening.

"My dear Madame Maxime."

"Welcome to Hogwarts."

The headmistress, Olympe Maxime, stepped forward.

Her voice was loud yet elegant, echoing clearly across the open lawn.

"Dumbledore."

"I hope you are well."

"Very well, thank you," Dumbledore replied with a smile.

Madame Maxime looked past Dumbledore's shoulder, her gaze settling on Douglas behind him.

A sincere smile, tinged with delighted surprise, appeared on her face.

"Mr. Holmes, it has been a long time. Congratulations on becoming a professor at Hogwarts."

Douglas took his hands out of his coat pockets, his usual easy smile on his face.

"It has been a long time, Madame. You're as radiant as ever."

The familiar greeting left the students around them stunned.

They had never imagined that their Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts was an old acquaintance of the headmistress of Beauxbatons.

Douglas did indeed know her.

Several years earlier, he had traveled to France to explore the mysteries of Nicolas Flamel's alchemy.

In the Pyrenees, he had paid a brief visit to Beauxbatons Castle.

The knowledge of alchemy he displayed had greatly impressed the headmistress with giant ancestry.

She had even enthusiastically invited Douglas to stay at Beauxbatons, promising him the most generous terms and a future professorship.

Of course, Douglas had politely declined.

Just then, an oily voice cut in.

"Dumbledore, my old friend."

Igor Karkaroff strode forward, his face plastered with a falsely enthusiastic smile.

"We've had such an exhausting journey."

Karkaroff complained, but his eyes were scanning his surroundings.

His gaze swept between Madame Maxime and Douglas; he had heard their conversation.

"Holmes?"

Karkaroff raised an eyebrow and looked at Douglas, his eyes full of scrutiny