007 Time-skip

Days passed one by one in a gentle rhythm of learning and growth while Harry was diligently studying at Adrian's place almost every day. Meanwhile, the Wisdom Tree was showing promising signs of development. Its growth progress bar was slowly rising, and eventually stabilized at precisely fifty percent. Although he didn't exactly know why the Wisdom Tree would increase its growth progress when it stayed in the same space as Harry, as long as the Wisdom Tree continued to grow, Adrian would eventually know the answer. Soon, the calendar pages turned, and time reached the warm days of June 1991. The weather began to warm considerably, forcing Adrian to change into his lighter summer robes. Today, Adrian for the first time gave Harry a day off because he needed to go to Diagon Alley. Before heading to Diagon Alley, he also took the Devil's Snare with him to deal with some special situations. Adrian's home had a stone fireplace in the living room that was connected to the Floo Network. However, because he had stayed at home for too long, the fireplace had fallen into bad condition and was covered in a thick layer of gray dust and cobwebs. With a handful of glittering Floo powder clutched in his fist, Adrian stepped into the fireplace, and clearly shouted "Diagon Alley," and was immediately engulfed in flames that whipped him away through the magical transportation network. In the dim, smoke-filled interior of the Leaky Cauldron, Adrian stumbled ungracefully out of the destination fireplace, momentarily disoriented from the spinning journey. He raised his hand to vigorously pat the accumulated dust off his robes, which resulted in a cloud of gray particles erupting into the air around him. The unexpected dust storm made a nearby witch wrinkle her nose in disapproval. She quietly moved several steps away to the side, muttering something under her breath about "young wizards with no consideration for proper magical cleaning spells." Adrian sighed deeply, mentally reprimanding himself for the mistake. He made a mental note that the next time he needed to use the fireplace, it would be better to have Harry clean it thoroughly first perhaps as an exercise in household cleaning charms. "Adrian? Is that really you?" A slightly hoarse voice, warm with recognition called out from behind the bar. Adrian looked up, brushing a final bit of soot from his sleeve, to see Tom, owner of the Leaky Cauldron, scrutinizing at him with interest. Though his body seemed hunched with age, Tom's sharp eyes missed nothing that happened in his shop, and his memory for faces and names was legendary among London's magical community. "Good afternoon, Tom," Adrian replied with similar warmth, making his way through the crowded tables toward the bar. The familiar smells of butterbeer, firewhisky, and Tom's famous steak and kidney pie filled the air, bringing back memories of numerous previous visits over the years. Adrian tapped his fingers lightly on the counter in a rhythmic pattern that was his customary greeting, and Tom, with the proficiency of a man who had been serving drinks for over fifty years, immediately slid a glass of honey-colored mead across the bar without being asked. As the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, Tom also remembered almost every regular customer's name, preferences, and drinking habits, even though Adrian hadn't visited for several months. This particular skill had made Tom not just a successful businessman but also one of the most well-informed people in the wizarding world, though he was famously discreet with the information that passed through his ears. Adrian took the mead, but before he could raise it to his lips for the first satisfying sip, Tom leaned across the counter and whispered softly. "By the way, Professor Kettleburn is waiting for you at the third table on your left." Following Tom's subtle gesture, Adrian turned his gaze toward the indicated corner of the pub, where the tables were arranged to offer more privacy than those in the center of the room. There, indeed, sat an elderly wizard with white hair and bandaged arms. Silvanus Kettleburn was the respected and somewhat infamous Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts, a position he had held for nearly five decades despite numerous accidents, incidents, and what the school governors diplomatically called "educational misadventures." He was also the Hogwarts professor with whom Adrian had developed the closest relationship during his school years. Due to Adrian's passion and fascination with magical creatures, the two got along very well. When Adrian graduated, he even accompanied Professor Kettleburn on an educational expedition to a remote dragon reserve deep in the creeks of Norway, where they spent three exhilarating and occasionally terrifying weeks studying the nesting habits of Norwegian Ridgebacks. The trip had nearly ended in disaster when a particularly territorial female had caught sight of them. The moment Adrian's gaze fell upon Professor Kettleburn's figure, the elderly wizard also looked up. "Oh!" With surprising vigor for a man of his years, Professor Kettleburn roughly pushed back his chair and quickly stood up, revealing that one of his legs had been replaced with a wooden prosthetic that gave him a limp as he hurried across the pub toward Adrian. Although his appearance and pace were somewhat comical like that of a character from a children's storybook, his speed was amazing, propelled by perhaps the enthusiasm. Professor Kettleburn opened his arms wide, his face split into a delighted grin as he engulfed Adrian in a strong hug. Despite his age and the numerous old injuries, his strength was still considerable and the force of his embrace almost made Adrian stumble backward. "Haha," Professor Kettleburn exclaimed with joy, patting Adrian's back with enough force to displace any remaining soot from his fireplace journey. His voice, gruff from years of shouting instructions over the roars and screeches of various magical beasts, carried loudly across the pub, causing several nearby patrons to glance in their direction. "Long time no see, Ed! You're looking well—putting some meat on those bones finally!" Adrian helplessly endured the enthusiastic hug, aware that resisting would only encourage the professor to extend it. "You too, Professor," he managed to reply despite the tightening around his ribs. "You seem... remarkably intact since I saw you last." Professor Kettleburn laughed again and then gestured with his natural hand for Adrian to follow him back to the corner seat where a half-finished glass of firewhisky awaited. "Sit down, sit down! Have a drink to warm your throat first—then we can catch up properly. You look like you've been buried in books again, pale as a ghost!" Adrian pulled out a chair and sat down, and took the opportunity to study his former professor more closely. Professor Kettleburn raised his glass of firewhisky and took a hearty sip that would have made a younger wizard cough. He smacked his lips appreciatively before leaning forward. "So, are you still messing around with those weird plants of yours? What was it last time—a Venomous Tentacula that could sing opera when properly motivated?" Adrian chuckled lightly at the exaggeration, remembering the professor's continuous good-natured competition between plants and creatures as worthy subjects of study. He casually stirred his mead in the glass with a small movement of his wrist, watching the golden liquid form a tiny whirlpool. "Of course, Professor, you know I like them." Upon hearing this, Professor Kettleburn's frowned and immediately shook his head in disapproval. "You should put more energy into magical creatures directly. You know, you had already achieved quite a remarkable reputation in this field right after graduation. If you continued focused research without these... botanical distractions, you would have made far greater contributions to magizoology by now!" "I know, I know, Professor," Adrian shook his head helplessly, recognizing the beginning of a familiar lecture. "Whether it's magical creatures or plants, they're both equally fascinating subjects to me. I assure you, I've never stopped exploring magical creatures." The contributions Professor Kettleburn had referenced was Adrian's pioneering work shortly after graduation, when he had found methods to make breeding Thunderbirds in captivity possible. This achievement was particularly significant because Thunderbirds are extremely sensitive to threat and naturally very wary of humans, making artificial breeding programs historically unsuccessful and generally considered impossible. The methodology Adrian had developed solved this major problem, allowing endangered Thunderbird populations to be strengthened through carefully managed breeding programs before reintroduction to their natural habitats. At the time, this innovation had caused quite a sensation in magizoological circles, earning Adrian feature articles in prestigious publications like "Magical Creature Quarterly" and invitations to speak at international conferences on magical creature conservation. Hearing Adrian's earnest reply, Professor Kettleburn's expression softened, and he nodded in reluctant acceptance. Adrian took another sip of his mead before asking the question that had been on his mind since spotting him. "But, Professor, the reason you arranged to meet me here today shouldn't be just to resume our old debate about plants versus creatures, right?" Adrian asked with genuine curiosity. Professor Kettleburn grinned mischievously, revealing his somewhat messy set of teeth then set down his glass and leaned forward, lowering his voice as if about to share a grand secret. "Of course not, little Ed, I called you here because I have a rather troublesome matter on my hands—and you happen to be the most suitable person to help me." "What is it?" Adrian's curiosity was thoroughly piqued now. "I'm leaving Hogwarts, little Ed," Professor Kettleburn said with surprising directness. "What?" Adrian was genuinely startled by this. After a moment of consideration, he nodded thoughtfully, "Were you finally fired, Professor?" Professor Kettleburn glared at him. "I chose to retire myself, thank you very much! After years of dedicated service to magical education, I believe I've earned the right to decide when to hang up my teaching robes!" "Oh," Adrian mumbled softly. He had genuinely thought that Professor Kettleburn's secret dragon-raising activities specifically his attempts to crossbreed Welsh Greens with Swedish Short-Snouts to create a more docile dragon suitable for closer study had been discovered resulting in his long-unsettled dismissal. Professor Kettleburn sighed, tapping his wooden arm and leg and his smile turned bittersweet. "You know, I'm getting old, Ed and with my mobility issues, I keep getting injured every other day." Adrian slightly raised his eyebrows but remained silent, respectfully listening to the professor's explanation. Due to a accident long ago involving what the professor would only ever describe as "an overly affectionate juvenile Norwegian Ridgeback and a misunderstanding about appropriate feeding techniques," Professor Kettleburn had been left with only one natural arm and half of one original leg. Magical prosthetics allowed Professor Kettleburn to live normally, but they were still different from original limbs. Professor Kettleburn shook his head and his tone carried a hint of resignation mixed with anticipation for a new chapter in life: "I still genuinely enjoy teaching—watching young minds light up when they first see a unicorn or successfully approach a hippogriff but honestly, Ed, I'd rather spend my remaining years actively working with magical creatures instead of lecturing a bunch of distracted young wizards and witches on how to safely approach fire salamanders without burning their eyebrows off. Most of them are more interested in Quidditch scores than understanding the complex social hierarchies of centaur herds anyway." "Sounds like a wise decision, Professor," Adrian agreed sincerely, raising his glass in a small toast of respect. "You've certainly earned the right to pursue your passions without the constraints of a teaching schedule." He truly understood the extent of Professor Kettleburn's lifelong obsession with magical creatures—a dedication that had cost him limbs, nearly cost him his life on multiple occasions, and had resulted in a Ministry record for most warnings received by a Hogwarts professor. Adrian naturally supported his decision to focus his remaining years on the creatures themselves rather than teaching about them. "Certainly!" Professor Kettleburn exclaimed with enthusiasm as his eyes sparked with the excitement for future adventures. "And Headmaster Dumbledore has already approved my retirement application. Starting with the next school year in September, a new Care of Magical Creatures professor will take over." "Who will replace you?" Adrian asked with genuine curiosity, wondering what sort of person Dumbledore might select for such a specialized and potentially hazardous position. The qualifications required a rare combination of extensive knowledge, practical experience, teaching ability, and an almost reckless courage. Professor Kettleburn smiled mysteriously, then dramatically pointed a finger directly at Adrian: "You." Adrian was stunned into silence; his glass of mead froze halfway to his lips. "Huh? Me?" he finally managed, his voice rising slightly in surprise. "A professor at Hogwarts?" Searᴄh the nôvelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Adrian's predictably shocked reaction, Professor Kettleburn burst into hearty laughter that shook his entire body. Several nearby patrons glanced over again, but the professor paid them no mind, but enjoyed the moment thoroughly. Adrian frowned, and before he could speak, Professor Kettleburn continued, "Don't be so surprised, little Ed. I've already recommended you to Dumbledore. But whether you can actually secure the position depends entirely on you and how you present yourself at the interview. Dumbledore was interested, but he's a cautious man when it comes to his school and students." Adrian helplessly rubbed his temple with two fingers, looking at the professor: "Professor, are you sure you're not joking? I never seriously considered becoming a professor at Hogwarts—it's not something I've prepared for or planned towards." Professor Kettleburn waved his hand dismissively, brushing away Adrian's concerns as if they were no more substantial than pixie dust, and said indifferently, "I remember you telling me over firewhisky in Norway—after that female Ridgeback nearly roasted us—that if you ever had the chance and were considered worthy, you'd like to become a Hogwarts professor too. You said something quite poetic about 'passing the torch of knowledge to young minds before they burn themselves with it.'" "So," he spread his hands in a gesture of accomplished presentation, knocking over an empty glass in the process but continuing without pausing, "the opportunity has arrived, just as you wished. The universe works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?" Adrian lowered his head to think for a moment, searching his memories—it seemed he had indeed said something along those lines during their Norwegian expedition, though he'd been suffering from mild hypothermia and the euphoria of surviving a close encounter with an angry dragon mother at the time. The statement hadn't been entirely serious and was more of a reflection of post-danger philosophical reflections than an acknowledged career ambition. Still, he didn't have any aversion to teaching. "What exactly did the Headmaster say about my potential candidacy?" Adrian asked, his tone shifting from surprised to thoughtfully curious. "Dumbledore said he's willing to give you a proper interview opportunity—said your academic credentials were 'most impressive' and your work showed 'innovative thinking,'" Professor Kettleburn replied, clearly pleased with this positive reaction. "Additionally, if you pass the interview to his satisfaction, there will be a probation period before permanent appointment. You're only twenty-five, after all—quite young for a Hogwarts professor—and he's understandably concerned you might not adapt well to the responsibilities and unique challenges of managing classrooms full of young wizards while simultaneously preventing magical creatures from devouring said young wizards." "Ah, the old man's peculiar but prudent quirks," Professor Kettleburn added with exasperation, having worked under Dumbledore for decades. Adrian nodded thoughtfully; these seemed like entirely reasonable conditions that showed appropriate caution from Dumbledore's side. If he were in the Headmaster's position, he likewise wouldn't entrust the safety and education of hundreds of students to a 25-year-old wizard without careful evaluation, regardless of academic accomplishments or professional recommendations. "If I agree, when will you officially retire from your position?" Adrian asked. "Just a few days ago, actually," Professor Kettleburn shrugged with the casual. "I've already cleared out most of my personal belongings from the office, received my final month's salary, and said my goodbyes to the staff." At this point, the conversation paused for a moment. The ambient noise of the Leaky Cauldron—murmured conversations, the clink of glasses, occasional bursts of laughter—filled the silence between them. After about ten seconds, Adrian picked up his glass took a small, thoughtful sip of mead and said. "...Let me think about it seriously, Professor,"