Douglas smiled. Rather than speak right away, he snapped his fingers.
A set of tableware and a steaming Brass Hot Pot appeared in the open space in the middle of the office.
A yin-yang divider ran through the middle of the pot. On one side was a spicy broth bubbling with red oil; on the other was a clear broth with Draught of Peace Herb and Moonlight Mushrooms floating in it.
"Come, Professor, let's talk over dinner."
Douglas took out his chopsticks, picked up a thin slice of dragon meat, and swished it through the red-oil broth seven or eight times. Once the slice curled up, he placed it on Dumbledore's plate.
Dumbledore watched Douglas as he ate.
"For example,"
Douglas finally began slowly.
"Dinner with the headmaster. Whoever tops the monthly wisdom points ranking gets a chance to have a private dinner with you. They can ask you any questions then, academic or otherwise."
Dumbledore blinked. "That's a fine idea! Both a reward and a way to gather information. I agree!"
He smiled and added, "Perhaps the overall winner for the entire school year... could receive an invitation to a private game of Wizard's Chess with you, Douglas. I hear you're quite a player."
"That prize would certainly be worth competing for,"
Douglas said, taking a bite of dragon meat.
"That way, the points system can stand on its own as a permanent institution at Hogwarts, giving every student with ideas a ladder to climb."
"Indeed."
Dumbledore picked up a cooked Moonlight Mushroom and popped it into his mouth.
"It would ensure that even after the tournament ends and our guests leave, this atmosphere of competition and self-improvement remains."
He wiped his beard with a napkin, then changed tack and raised a crucial question:
"There's nothing wrong with the