Mysterious Journey
Chapter 935: Connecting the Dots: A Fitting Title
The professors entered the room one by one, some looking perplexed, some indignant, and many more nervous.
What happened tonight was too unbelievable. Whether it was the Ministry of Magic brazenly arresting people, the magical battle, or the subsequent press conference, it was all unprecedented for this school. What confused and worried the professors even more was the particularly delicate relationship between the Ministry of Magic and Dumbledore.
However, Albus Dumbledore, who was the first to enter the office, did not explain immediately.
"Please wait a moment; we may have to call a full meeting."
The old wizard gently waved his wand, conjuring enough high-backed chairs and soft sofas for everyone in the office, along with some tea and snacks. Then, he sat down behind his desk, pulled out a copy of the Hogwarts school rules from the drawer, and began to read it carefully, occasionally frowning and tapping on it.
A few minutes later, the heads of the four houses and the two castle caretakers finally arrived at the office one after another.
"Well, Professor Dumbledore, are we waiting for anyone else? We received a notice that you wanted to call a full meeting—"
Severus Snape frowned, surveying the colleagues sitting in the room. He stood by the office door with his arms crossed, like a tall, slender obsidian gargoyle statue. He looked at the headmaster behind the desk and was the first to break the silence in the room.
"Oh, Severus…" Dumbledore put down the school rules, about to answer him.
"Sorry, we're late—uh, very sorry."
Just then, a panting male voice came from behind Snape.
Everyone turned around and saw Alexei's figure appearing at the office door, seemingly having run a long distance.
What surprised everyone even more was that, besides this Russian mathematics professor, he was followed by several strangers whom people had never seen before… as well as two white-haired old men, Nicolas Flamel and Newt Scamander… professors.
"No need to apologize. In fact, it is I who should be saying sorry today—to everyone present."
Dumbledore shook his head and said to the puzzled professors in the room.
"Now that everyone is here, I'll keep it brief: regarding the teaching reform project launched at Hogwarts this semester, I have withheld some information from you. After some consideration, I feel that this was a very wrong thing to do—as official Hogwarts faculty members, everyone present should have the same right to know as I do. Therefore, tonight's full meeting, which should have happened sooner, is taking place…"
He gently waved his hand and softly closed the office door.
On the other side, Grindelwald and Newt also waved their wands lightly, and invisible ripples swept across the room.
The magical magazines had too many monitoring methods, so they had to check carefully, lest the content of the following conversation appear on the front page of some magical publication's next issue. That would undoubtedly seriously disrupt the upcoming announcements by Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic.
"Sorry, I told a lie before. Professor Alexei is not a Squib."
Dumbledore interlaced his fingers, looking around at the slight commotion in the office, and said in a calm, deep voice.
"He comes from the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics in the non-magical world. Not only him, but also Ms. Arkhipovna, Mr. Ognenichka, Ms. Poposha… and those 'external employees' who now live outside the gates of Hogwarts, all of them are senior researchers from various top research institutes in the former Soviet Union—they are the origin and breakthrough point of Hogwarts' new curriculum."
Mr. Filch made a strange noise, sounding like a mixture of a gurgle and an exclamation.
Professor McGonagall's expression didn't change much, except that her lips were pressed even tighter. She had known about this for some time. Quirrell, Lockhart, and Grindelwald, who were standing by the window, were also calm. They knew even earlier and more fully than Professor McGonagall.
But the other professors in the headmaster's office were not so calm. A chaotic murmur of discussion filled the room.
Flying instructor Madam Hooch widened her eyes in shock. Her hawk-like, sharp eyes rarely showed panic—if all those low houses next to the school were inhabited by Muggles, then the cheers, applause, and brooms on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch would have been exposed long ago.
Professors Sprout, Flitwick, and Sybill Trelawney also looked worried and surprised.
"So, you're saying that's the cause of the Ministry of Magic's secret arrest today?"
Snape narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze thoughtfully sweeping over the Muggles standing by the door, and said with a playful tone.
"If you, Professor, are suspected of seriously violating the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, I suggest you confess directly to the International Confederation of Wizards and the Ministry of Magic, rather than convening a full meeting of Hogwarts faculty here. We can't help you with such troublesome situations…"
"Thank you for your concern, Severus, but these are actually implemented with the permission of the Ministry of Magic—"
Dumbledore said gently with a warm smile, "We have established strict isolation zones and set up multiple checkpoints from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade. Everything is done in accordance with the standards of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, with a clear purpose: to better promote magical education."
"Then, since everything complies with the regulations, why are you suddenly planning to share this secret with us now? Headmaster."
Snape stared at Dumbledore's aged face, his peripheral vision sweeping over the wizards in the room.
Obviously, most of the wizards present probably didn't know about it before, but that definitely didn't include Nicolas Flamel, Newt Scamander, Minerva McGonagall, Quirinus Quirrell, and others. Their reactions showed it—they weren't surprised at all.
"The situation is different; the situation will become more delicate, with both advantages and disadvantages."
Dumbledore rubbed his brow, and said in a deep voice, a strong sense of fatigue appearing on his face.
"The Ministry of Magic is clearly not satisfied with the status quo. They hope to interfere with and supervise the development of Hogwarts more and more forcefully. In such a new situation, the original gradual, subtle, and indirect communication is obviously too slow. We need to establish more comprehensive and smooth exchanges."
"For example?"
Madam Hooch raised her eyebrows, sizing up Alexei and the others with suspicion.
"Forgive me for being blunt, Professor Dumbledore, but at least I don't think the children will use Muggle knowledge in the sky."
"But the new generation of flying brooms might use it, Madam Hooch. This is also one of the topics we were researching before."
Ognenichka bowed nonchalantly and replied politely, "We may not be able to give brooms the ability to fly, but we can find ways to help them fly faster, more stably, with shorter acceleration times, more safely, and some other additional aspects…"
"Sorry, sir, may I ask who you are…"
Madam Hooch was stunned for half a second before she realized that she didn't seem to know the names of these newly appeared Muggles.
"Ognenichka, former aerodynamic layout director of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, now a technical consultant for Sugoi Flying Broom Company."
Ognenichka looked at the Hogwarts flying instructor in front of him, generously extended his hand, and introduced himself with a smile.
"We expect to launch the first mass-produced competition broom in the first half of next year. We are now just entering the sample development stage, and there may be many places where we will trouble you later—to be honest, the sky is so wonderful. Studying the flow and character of the wind is an addictive thing."
Madam Hooch carefully examined Ognenichka for a few seconds, and her expression was not as stiff as before.
Although she didn't understand Legilimency, as a retired Quidditch professional player, she could clearly distinguish the other person's intense emotions for the sky and wind. This kind of thing could not be faked—undoubtedly, the other person was a Muggle who pursued the sky.
"Rolanda, Rolanda Hooch, Hogwarts flying instructor and Quidditch referee."
Madam Hooch extended her hand and shook Ognenichka's hand ceremoniously, her eagle-like golden eyes staring at the other person.
"I believe in Professor Dumbledore and look forward to working with you in the future. I hope you can bring some different scenery to the Quidditch sky."
With the dialogue between Madam Hooch and Ognenichka, the atmosphere in the headmaster's office began to loosen.
The Hogwarts professors looked at the Muggle scholars with different expressions. Unlike the Muggles in the wizards' impressions, these Muggle scholars who appeared in the headmaster's office did not show any timidity or fear. They were even calmer than the lower-grade wizards.
However, before Dumbledore could continue to introduce the scholar representatives who visited the office today, another voice sounded.
"I believe that knowledge from the non-magical world can bring us new directions, without a doubt. But…"
Professor Sprout nodded lightly, looked at Dumbledore, and looked a little confused.
As the Hogwarts Herbology professor and the head of the house with the most students from non-magical backgrounds in the entire school, she had no objections to Hogwarts introducing non-magical knowledge. After all, she could learn a lot in terms of planting.
But compared to these questions, Sprout was more concerned about the information Dumbledore said earlier.
"Professor Dumbledore, what do you mean by the new situation and the more delicate new situation? Do you think that the Ministry of Magic will try more arrests after this secret arrest tonight? They should now understand that Hogwarts is not their backyard. I don't think the Ministry of Magic would be foolish enough to continue provoking the school. The public opinion starting tomorrow will be enough to make them overwhelmed for a long time."
"Being overwhelmed is inevitable, but they won't give up…"
Grindelwald grinned and said, shaking his fingers, slowly and unhurriedly helping to explain.
"I know those bureaucrats in the Ministry of Magic too well. Over the years, they have never really changed. The strength and influence of Hogwarts is starting to make them feel dangerous. After the failure of strong military means, the Ministry of Magic will seriously and carefully begin to treat the school—using all kinds of rules, the rules that politicians are most familiar with, to constrain and restrict the various rights of Hogwarts little by little."
"Politician's methods? I'm a little confused. If I heard correctly, that Undersecretary Umbridge will be punished, right?"
Remus Lupin shrugged and said easily, "The Minister of Magic has promised reporters tonight that Umbridge will be responsible for this erroneous arrest. There is no way to get around this matter, and she will most likely be dismissed."
"Dismissal does not mean complete withdrawal, Professor Lupin. You should understand tomorrow—"
Grindelwald shook his head and said with a playful expression.
It must be said that these professors present were still too naive and did not understand the meaning of concessions in politics at all.
Grindelwald, who had once infiltrated the Magical Congress of the United States and served as the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for a period of time, was too clear about what might happen next.
"In the short term, the Ministry of Magic's policy will not change."
Grindelwald glanced at Dumbledore, who was sitting behind his desk and did not intend to interrupt, curled his lips, and continued.
"The setback of tonight's secret arrest will only make them change their methods, not their overall goals. Since Professor Dumbledore does not directly participate in a certain course teaching, there is only one way for the Ministry of Magic to attack—"
He looked around at the professors in the headmaster's office, spread his hands, and his voice sank slightly.
"Seek a breakthrough from each course and each professor present. Just like what happened to Professor Quirinus Quirrell, as the subsequent course reforms are promoted, they will always have the opportunity to find fault. I think this is also the reason why Professor Dumbledore is holding this meeting—when what happened at Hogwarts tonight is exposed to the public, the Ministry of Magic will also have more opportunities to make things difficult and assess Hogwarts."
"Wait, are you saying that woman will come back…"
Sirius Black frowned, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the chair, his expression a little comical.
"Obviously, Professor Umbridge will be back at school soon," Grindelwald said. "The Ministry of Magic has never made any promises about Professor Umbridge's position as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, right? Because from the current point of view, she has completed her task at school quite well…"
"Okay, thank you for your analysis, Professor Apocalyps."
Dumbledore coughed lightly and interrupted Grindelwald's subsequent words.
If he allowed the old Dark Lord to continue speaking, he felt that Grindelwald was about to steal his position as headmaster.
After a slight pause, Dumbledore turned his head to look at the teachers in the room.
"The Ministry of Magic will strengthen its review of Hogwarts, there is no doubt about that. But on the other hand, our educational reform cannot be stopped. If you encounter problems in the process of improvement, just solve them in time… We are constantly optimizing and revising, this is a dynamic process."
"In a sense, the Ministry of Magic's supervision and review is a positive incentive and promotion. Of course…"
The old man smiled bitterly, pinched his brow, and sighed helplessly.
"Of course, of course, this process may not be so pleasant. I hope you can understand and tolerate it a little."
"As for the Ministry of Magic's specific response, I think it should probably be within this week—that's roughly the situation. Next, I'll focus on introducing the 【Magic-Science】 research institutes on the periphery of Hogwarts, in order to help you understand who you may be docking with later as soon as possible…"
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Good!