novelraw Chapter 479 480: Leaving School
Chapter 479 480: Leaving School
"This is the day of my shame, the yesterday that I fear. I wanted you to see
this, to understand my mistakes..."
Dumbledore gazed toward the distant horizon with his pale blue eyes, the hymns
from the village church drifting toward them on the breeze.
"As you know, my behavior in my youth proved that power was my weakness, my
ultimate temptation. It's strange, child; perhaps those best suited to hold
power are those who never seek it, like..."
Dumbledore conjured a chair with his wand and sat down, producing a bouquet of
white flowers from his robes. He placed them before the epitaph and gently
brushed away the dust that had settled on the stone.
"However, staying at Hogwarts has always felt a bit safer. I like to think I've
been a good teacher—"
"You have always done excellently. You are the best Headmaster," Sean said
sincerely.
"I hope that isn't mere flattery, but if my actions can satisfy even you, then
it proves I haven't been entirely stagnant all these years. But there is one
thing I wonder about—I thought everyone walked through life dragging the corpses
of their yesterdays behind them. But then I met you, child, and you have
surprised me countless times. Could you tell me, Mr. Green, why happiness seems
to satisfy you so easily?"
Dumbledore looked up, staring kindly at Sean. He had witnessed too many people
consumed by insatiable desires; he never expected to one day see a stream as
clear and transparent as this boy. There had to be a certain fire within this
child's heart that set him apart from everyone else.
"Happiness is just a state of being, Professor," Sean said seriously. "Without
pain, one cannot truly feel the intensity of happiness. That would just be
comfort and mediocrity, not true joy or good fortune."
"Ah... so misfortune has granted you wealth in its own way? That is the first
I've heard of such a thing," Dumbledore said, his words taking a sharp turn.
"Or is it that you have witnessed so much misfortune that you gladly accept your
current life? Is it mine? Or Minerva's? Or perhaps... Severus's?"
Sean knew the Headmaster was perceptive, but he had still underestimated the old
wizard's razor-sharp intuition. Dumbledore didn't press the matter. If there was
anyone he felt truly comfortable leaving the future to, he could find no one
more suitable than the young wizard standing before him.
"Very well. Those who know the future ought to maintain a bit of mystery. Let us
return quickly; I hope I can still make it back for the afternoon tea in the
Great Hall..."
Dumbledore smiled broadly, looking as if a massive burden had been lifted from
his shoulders. His mistakes could never be truly forgiven, but he finally had a
chance at redemption. Better yet, the dear Mr. Green had called him the best
Headmaster. Oh, Merlin, could there be anything more satisfying than that?
Dumbledore hummed a nameless tune that sounded a bit like the Christmas carols
Professor Sprout taught the students. He led Sean through the graveyard, leaving
a few more flowers, before they stopped together in front of a particular
monument. Behind it stood a statue of three people: a man with untidy hair and
glasses, a woman with long hair and a kind, beautiful face, and a baby boy
sitting in his mother's arms.
"Do you think we will be carved into stone one day? Oh, I'm not talking about
the 'Lucky Black Cat' statue on the fourth floor," Dumbledore said with a wink.
He seemed to be in a much more playful mood than usual.
"I—" Sean began, but was cut off.
"I hope never, Sean. Let the statue on the fourth floor be your last."
With that, Dumbledore took the young wizard's arm and Apparated. After all...
statues are meant to commemorate wizards, and a living wizard needs no
commemoration.
The remainder of the summer term passed in a blur of brilliant sunshine. The
summer holidays drifted in on the whispered hopes of the students. In the blink
of an eye, it was time to board the Hogwarts Express to go home.
The group from Hope Cottage huddled together. Normally, they would be sharing a
compartment, but no one had expected that someone would actually be "detained"
over the summer break.
"He must really hate you, Sean," Ron said, craning his neck and looking around.
Only after confirming Snape was nowhere in sight did he whisper, "What do you
and Harry have in common? I bet it's Quidditch. Snape has never liked Quidditch
players..."
"Don't talk rubbish, Ron!" Hermione snapped.
"Well then, you tell me why!" Ron challenged. "Maybe it's the eyes—you and Harry
both have green eyes! None of the rest of us have them!" He shouted.
"Sean is staying behind to be a Teaching Assistant, Mr. Weasley!" Hermione had
had enough.
"Eh?" Ron's jaw dropped. "Sean, why would you rush to..." Ron couldn't
comprehend it.
"Not everyone is like you, getting an 'Exceeds Expectations' in Potions and
still thinking Professor Snape is out to get you. Be quiet for a bit—Silencio!"
Hermione flicked her wand, casting a small charm. Ron suddenly found he couldn't
speak, as if he didn't even have a mouth. He kept pawing at his face while
Justin burst out laughing. Neville and Harry followed suit.
The members of Hope Cottage often practiced spells this way—small, interesting
charms that made their magical studies much more entertaining. Sean usually
practiced with Justin, and Neville with Harry. Hermione and Ron, unexpectedly,
had ended up paired together. The reason was that Hermione believed no one but
herself (and the frequently busy Sean) could possibly teach Ron anything.
"I can't believe you're actually going to be a Hogwarts Assistant—it's never
happened in the history of the school, a second-year student as an assistant!
It's going to look amazing on your resume," Hermione said expectantly while
Ron busied himself studying the counter-spell in his notes. Her expression was
much like Ron's had been the day before, when he had transfigured a creature
with a rat's head and a tortoise's body onto her desk.
"Will you still have any time? I mean, for the summer," Justin asked, clearly
more concerned with their plans.
"Professor Snape is giving me one week of holiday," Sean replied with a smile.
"One week!" Ron cried out, having finally broken the charm with Harry's help.
"I'm telling you, Sean, there's no end to learning magic!"
"Silencio—" Hermione waved her wand again.
"Second time today, Hermione! You only have one more offensive turn left—" Ron
dodged the first one, only to bump straight into Hermione's second hex. He ended
up slumping back to Harry to get the spell reversed again.
"Now, dinner is finished, everyone line up and follow me—"
Professor McGonagall's voice rang clearly through the Hall. It was time to lead
the students to the train.
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