Only after everyone had left did Dumbledore's stern face slowly relax.
" Harry, have you been acting strange lately?"
Harry wanted to tell Dumbledore he often heard cryptic and crazy voices, but he didn't. He wasn't sure if there was something wrong with him, and what if these problems led to his expulsion?
So he shook his head. "No, Professor."
Dumbledore's expression was complicated. "Alright, let's talk about something else. Tomorrow, Director Lorne and I will accompany you to buy a new wand, Ron. Get ready in advance."
Ron exclaimed incredulously, "Really? My dad's so influential, he's hiring two bodyguards for me?"
"Not only that, there's also a Demon King protecting him, "Lorne thought to himself.
He wanted to complain to Dumbledore about why he had to be taken along; he had plenty of things to do.
Mrs. Norris was petrified. He needed to speak with Filch to ensure this hardworking Hogwarts staff member received proper care and, incidentally, to confirm that he wouldn't retaliate against the students.
The Chamber of Secrets was opened. Although Lorne didn't intend to be a babysitter, Voldemort's diary clearly posed a threat to the students' safety. He had to find Ginny and confiscate it, but he needed a reasonable reason. Simply saying it was Voldemort's diary would likely cause panic among the students.
He had previously feared that Ginny had developed trust in the diary and was not planning to hand it over. As the head of the General Affairs Office, he couldn't very well search her body, and that might alert Voldemort, making him even more cautious and secretive.
Lorne cannot force a change of events if nothing has been done wrong, but if the students' safety has been threatened, the General Affairs Office must take drastic measures.
But then Dumbledore —it seems he's still not busy enough; let Fudge from the Ministry of Magic hold a little meeting for him.
The next day, Lorne finally realized what role he had played.
"No, not this one."
Ollivander uttered his catchphrase, but was immediately challenged by Dumbledore: "Is your thing broken, Garrick?"
Lorne's eyes widened. Why did the older generation seem to be picking a fight when they were buying wands?
Ignoring Ollivander's disdainful look, Dumbledore handed the wand to Lorne: "Give it a try, Director Lorne."
Lorne felt like a guinea pig; he tried about seven or eight wands, and each one released a smooth, unobstructed Lumos.
"It's not broken, Professor," Lorne said weakly. "Spellcasting is smooth, it works perfectly, and the output is consistent—it's a good wand."
"I can cast spells even with the worst wand, so I had no choice but to ask you to come," Dumbledore explained.
"There's no bad wand," Ollivander retorted, but his expression wasn't angry. Instead, he looked at Lorne as if examining a work of art. "Try this one—"
"Let Ron try it first!" Lorne couldn't take it anymore. Ollivander didn't even bother with acting, just handed him the wand directly. If he still couldn't figure it out, he'd be a fool. "Please give Ron the best one, one that suits him. I have urgent business to attend to at Hogwarts."
Willow wood, Unicorn Hair, 14 inches long— Ron returned to Hogwarts, beaming with pride as he carried his new wand.
Lorne was unhappy; he felt like he'd been tricked.
Dumbledore must have known something; he deliberately chose the day after the Chamber of Secrets was opened to avoid being involved in school affairs.
"The school's affairs will be handled by someone," Dumbledore said nonchalantly. "Perhaps we can trust our students."
"Do you know something?" Lorne asked suspiciously.
"Every portrait is an eye on my mind at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said confidently. "Since I became headmaster, no student has ever lost their life under my nose."
Lorne didn't believe it at all.
"If you give me a clear instruction to temporarily suspend my duties or turn a blind eye to something, I'll agree, after all, you're the principal," Lorne said sarcastically. "But if you don't give me a clear instruction, I'll have to deal with the matter of the Chamber of Secrets when I get back."
"I never intended to dismiss you; you're a hero of Hogwarts," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Very well, go ahead and do it, Lorne."
Lorne found Dumbledore acting strangely; if it weren't for his own abilities, he would have worried that someone had drunk Polyjuice Potion and impersonated him.
After returning to school, Lorne met with Filch.
The middle-aged Squib sat respectfully opposite Lorne, his expression revealing sadness and restraint.
Lorne could understand. As the only Squib in Hogwarts, he had to sweep every brick with his bare hands. The pranksters would probably never realize that it would take Filch half a morning to do just one of their Dungbomb.
He also equally despised those who could use magic he could never use in his entire life after only studying for an hour or two. The professors pitied him, the students hated him, and only Mrs. Norris would wag her tail at him equally.
Mrs. Norris was also petrified, leaving him all alone.
" Mrs. Norris can be fully cured by the end of this semester at the latest," Lorne reassured Filch, "As long as the Mandrake planted at the school mature."
Filch's expression softened slightly, but he still made his request. " Director Lorne, I want to catch the culprit, and then allow me to hang him up all night!"
Lorne considered the Basilisk's size and chuckled, "We'll give the culprit a more severe punishment. I mean, do you need any other compensation? Ultimately, this is also a failure of the school's security."
"Compensation? I don't need it," Filch lowered his head. "I'm just a Squib, what can you compensate me for? I don't need Galleon."
But you might need this.
Lorne unlocked the Magic Sneakoscope he had purchased from the Rare Items section of the system shop.
Squib do not possess magic, but they can use magical items that possess magic, such as Sneakoscope, wizard cards, and magic music boxes.
"He can detect traces of magic," Lorne explained. "While he can't see through the Invisibility Cloak, he can see the traces of magic left on the ground."
Filch took the Sneakoscope and immediately put it on his eyes. Almost everything in Lorne's office bore magical traces, proof that Levitation Charm had been used.
"This was very helpful to me, thank you so much."
"You're welcome, but I still have to remind you, or rather, request you," Lorne slowly leaned back, "If the students respect you, you also need to be a little kinder. Your misfortune has nothing to do with them; being kind to others is being kind to yourself."
Lorne felt like a master swindler, constantly brainwashing people, which was exactly what his job entailed, even though he himself thought it was a bit too verbose and didactic.
Filch remained unfazed and continued, echoing Lorne's words. "If they can truly learn to respect others and not cause me trouble."