The Hogwarts faculty meeting did not last too long.

After a brief introduction of the current situation and an opportunity for the formal faculty and researchers from both inside and outside the school to get to know each other, the meeting for tonight was considered over. Perhaps there would be countless details to discuss later, but that was not the goal to be achieved tonight.

On the other hand, what happened tonight would, to some extent, cause a sense of unease and apprehension among most of the professors.

Even Professor McGonagall, who had tasted the benefits of "Magical Science," had to seriously consider her position in the new situation. A long history had already proven Dumbledore's foresight, and no one would question the old wizard's judgment. Just as Professor Apocalypse had said, a new era of magical education had begun, and as professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they were destined to be at the forefront of this wave.

"Thank you, Mr. Filch, but I'm planning to take a walk around the castle..."

Grindelwald smiled and declined Filch's suggestion to go downstairs together, pointing to the empty corridor beside him.

"Tonight's incident has affected more than just the teachers. I see the students are quite excited as well. I plan to make one last patrol of the corridors and classrooms on these floors to see if there are any night-wandering students who haven't returned to their dormitories yet, and to see if there are any 'lost' visitors."

A strange look flashed in the old wizard's eyes. Since meeting Aileen, he had learned a lot of new knowledge in counter-surveillance.

If he had been able to develop his power discreetly like Aileen back then, perhaps his first rally in Paris wouldn't have been a call to arms, but a leisurely reception of the French wizards' surrender while sitting in a chair.

"Night-wandering students? Oh, yes, those mischievous little brats—"

Argus Filch nodded in agreement, his old, sallow face full of annoyance.

"Especially those energetic troublemakers from Gryffindor. I've always heard that the Weasley twins often wander around at night, but every time I try to catch them, they slip away. I suspect they must be using some despicable little magical tricks—I'll patrol the lower floors. The underground classrooms are complex, so it's better if I take care of that. As for the upper part of the castle, you'll have to work hard..."

"Let me help too. I don't have classes tomorrow morning, so I can sleep in."

Just then, a voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.

Mr. Filch turned his head, his expression instantly becoming subtle, seemingly mixed with many complex emotions.

"Black? Uh, Professor Black—"

He had almost forgotten that the maintenance of discipline and the management of Hogwarts were no longer in the era of single-handedly doing everything alone.

Nowadays, the Hogwarts Castle Management Team consists of three castle caretakers, four student prefects, thirteen ghost patrol members, and a certain "Four House Walker" who occasionally moonlights as a prefect. And Sirius Black is the new administrator this semester.

It must be said that seeing the little rascal from school become his colleague was a rather complex feeling.

"I know Gryffindor well. When I was in school, I knew every secret passage in these corridors."

Sirius Black said triumphantly, not noticing Mr. Filch's hesitant and tangled expression.

When he and James and the others were in school, the four of them were the most powerful night-wandering group. Compared to them, the students now were too well-behaved. As for Aileen, who people generally considered troublesome, Sirius thought she was okay. Miss Kaslana mostly used the rules, or rather, exploited loopholes in the school rules. Genuinely blatant violations were actually quite rare.

"I've heard about the Weasley twins recently, and I've guessed some of their reliance. If they're still wandering around at night like before, I think I'll 'bump into' them soon. Actually, I'm quite curious about what new tricks they've added over the years."

As Sirius spoke, his eyes flashed with excitement, like a beast that had spotted its prey.

"Uh, but aren't you also the Transfiguration professor? Aren't you preparing for your courses..."

"Don't worry about that. My courses here will be suspended for a while—Professor McGonagall's new theory hasn't been fully understood yet, and the subsequent course content will probably have to be adjusted for a while. I can take advantage of this time to free up my hands and rectify the school's discipline."

Sirius Black scratched his head in annoyance, not wanting to talk too much about the new Transfiguration theory.

If it weren't for taking care of his godson, Sirius's personality wouldn't have allowed him to be a professor.

Now, he was tricked back to Hogwarts by Dumbledore and became a Transfiguration assistant professor, a job he thought he could just "mess around" in. But before half the new semester had passed, the head of the department announced that she was overturning the basic laws of the past dozen centuries and taking the lead in charging forward.

Compared to those students who were alarmed and psychologically fragile, Sirius Black felt that his mentality was not bad.

As a full professor, he had to make up for the content of all seven grades.

More importantly, according to Professor McGonagall's requirements, he had better participate in the compilation of the new textbook as soon as possible.

After tonight's general meeting, Sirius had seen the bleak future. In addition to [Modern Transfiguration], he would also have to go outside the school every day to take tutoring lessons, learning "simple mathematics" and "simple physics," which didn't sound like good things.

Under the pressure of such a gloomy and difficult reality, Sirius felt that he had to find a way to do something positive.

For example, maintaining some school order and educating the new generation of problem students...

"In short, I will devote more of my energy to the castle administrator work during this period."

Sirius Black said with shining eyes, looking at the dark corridors around him with great anticipation.

"As for the time, let's start tonight. Mr. Filch, I can share a few secret passages with you first—I guess some of them are ones you didn't know before. Of course, maybe you know them now, after all, so many years have passed since I graduated. If there are any additions, that would be even better. I've heard about the secret inheritance between Hogwarts castle administrators before..."

"Uh, secret inheritance? There's no such thing—"

Argus Filch was silent for a few seconds, then waved his hand with a wry smile, his expression gradually easing.

No matter how annoying Black was when he was in school, he was now his colleague. If he had this former troublemaker, the subsequent castle management work would be much easier, at least the little brats wouldn't be able to be as reckless as before.

"If there really was such a thing, Professor Black, you would have been in detention until the holidays when you were causing trouble at school. The only thing that each castle administrator leaves to their successor is that dilapidated office and that cabinet of—"

Filch's expression suddenly changed halfway through his sentence, and he frowned slightly.

"A cabinet? Of confiscated contraband?"

Sirius asked curiously. He and James had been coveting those things for a long time when they were in school.

Unfortunately, sneaking into the office of a formal faculty member was a big mistake at Hogwarts. If you were caught stealing something in the castle administrator's office, even if you weren't expelled from the school, you would become a laughingstock among the students—moreover, the uncertain factors of the income were too high.

"Contraband is of course one aspect, but there's also something else..."

Filch pondered for a few seconds, seemingly struggling with some difficult psychological warfare, and finally sighed deeply.

"Well, you must all know that I don't have, uh, don't have any magical abilities. But the previous Hogwarts castle administrators were different. Among them, there were quite a few powerful wizards who held this position. I've always felt that there should be more secrets in that office. If you are really castle administrators recognized by Hogwarts, maybe you can get some different inheritance there?"

"More...secrets? Different inheritance?"

Grindelwald raised his eyebrows, thoughtfully repeating Filch's words, suddenly becoming interested.

"Hearing it like that, it seems that you have found some secrets, or rather, have already obtained some inheritance from Hogwarts? A bit presumptuous to ask, but what is the inheritance you have obtained? Professor Dumbledore didn't say anything about this when he hired me."

As a retired Dark Lord, Grindelwald didn't care about power or inherited magic.

What he really cared about was that if he could learn some secrets that Albus didn't know from this Mr. Filch, some secrets about Hogwarts Castle, that would be great—it would be wonderful to introduce Hogwarts to the headmaster of Hogwarts.

"To be honest, I'm not very sure...maybe yes, maybe no."

Filch shrugged and pointed to a shadow in the corner of the corridor not far away.

Meow—

Before Grindelwald and Sirius could turn their heads, they heard a somewhat eerie meow.

In the shadows of the lights, Mrs. Norris quietly walked out, her shadow casting a huge silhouette on the wall. In less than a few seconds, she quickly came to Filch's feet, intimately rubbing against the old, non-magical castle administrator.

"I've always thought that Mrs. Norris is the gift that 'Hogwarts' gave me."

Filch squatted down and picked up his cat, gently stroking it tenderly, whispering as if to himself.

"Not just because of her unusual lifespan. I asked Mr. Scamander, and even a purebred Kneazle should have been too old to move at her age. More importantly, she can always find those bad kids faster than me and then 'tell' me. Therefore, I've always thought that this castle is alive, and it may have quietly told Mrs. Norris first..."

Then, Filch quickly came back to his senses and shook his head with a smile.

"Of course, these are mostly just my fantasies. How could the castle know where the students are causing trouble..."

"A special gift from Hogwarts? I see. I believe you, Mr. Filch..."

The smile on Sirius's face gradually disappeared, and he tentatively touched Mrs. Norris, thoughtfully whispering.

"It's true. Undoubtedly, Hogwarts Castle is of course alive."

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Yay!