Hogwarts: Don't call me the Staff Maker

Chapter 657 Dumbledore Arrives at School

Chapter 657 Dumbledore Returns to School

On the last day of classes before the holiday, everyone was distracted.

Around this time of year, professors usually stop teaching new material and instead have students review what they've already learned or read some additional magic books.

For example, in the Charms class, Professor Flitwick required them to read the entire book "The Fifth Element: The Search" during the holidays.

"He also assigned five papers that were over eighteen inches long, a whole five!" After class, the group went to the auditorium for lunch, and Ron couldn't help but complain at the table.

"He probably doesn't think reading is something easy—I mean, that book isn't thin, and it's not obscure at all. I'm lucky if I can finish a tenth of it in a day."

"You can read it along with the book 'The Mysteries of Magic: Seeking Knowledge,' it will be much easier to understand that way," Hermione suggested.

"So you mean I have to read another book?" Ron looked at Hermione in disbelief, as if he were looking at something terrifying.

He couldn't understand why anyone would like to give themselves extra homework.

"Let's not talk about that." Ron turned his head to the side. "Who are you planning to invite to Slughorn's Christmas ball tonight?"

"I don't know," Celen said.

"I haven't decided yet," Harry said, glancing instinctively in Ravenclaw's direction. Cho Chang was talking to two other girls.

At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into his head—Cedric had already graduated.

Harry quickly shook his head, trying to banish the terrible thoughts.

"And you, Hermione?"

"I invited Ron," Hermione said. "I hope he knows that attending those kinds of parties isn't something to be happy about."

Ron turned his head away, pretending he hadn't heard anything; he was quite happy anyway.

Actually, he didn't necessarily have to attend Slughorn's party, but everyone around him had been invited: Siron, Harry, Hermione—even Ginny received an invitation because Slughorn saw her use the Bat Charm once.

Slughorn thought the curse was beautifully cast, reminding him of Amelia Burns, the former Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, who was captured by Voldemort for her staunch opposition to him and the Death Eaters, and whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Ron felt even more uncomfortable, and attending a Slughorn party became, in a sense, an obsession for him.

Hermione figured it out, so she simply invited Ron, which saved her a lot of trouble.

“We’d better hurry,” Harry said, glancing at Siren again. “The Slughorn Christmas Ball starts at eight o’clock tonight. What do you think of Katie Bell and Arya Spinnet?”

The two people Harry just mentioned are both Chaser players on the Gryffindor team, and they are among the few girls he is somewhat familiar with besides Hermione.

Siron remained silent because he didn't know Katie Bell and Arya Spinnet. Besides, he had already decided that if they were dance partners, he would continue to invite Luna.

Xiren looked around but couldn't find Luna; it seems she didn't come for lunch.

However, Xilun wasn't in a hurry, since the Christmas ball wouldn't start until 8 p.m., so there was still plenty of time.

The afternoon class is a transformation class.

Because of the ball, everyone's attention was even more scattered. Even though Professor McGonagall deducted points from three people in a row, it didn't completely silence the whispering.

After class, Celen prepared to go to the Ravenclaw Tower to look for Luna.

However, as soon as he stepped out of the classroom, he saw a familiar figure disappear around the corner of the stairs.

"Hermione, was that Dumbledore just now?" he asked.

"I didn't see it clearly, but it looks very similar." Hermione thought for a moment and said, "Because I haven't seen any other professors wear crimson robes; only Dumbledore likes this color."

The figure they just saw from behind was wearing a purplish-red robe.

Is Dumbledore back?

Oh, right————

Tonight is the Christmas dinner, considered the third most important dinner at Hogwarts, and it's expected that Headmaster Dumbledore will be present.

"Never mind, we'll find out if it's Dumbledore or not by going to see for ourselves." Sirens immediately turned around and stepped onto a staircase that had turned around, arriving at the door of the headmaster's office on the eighth floor.

"Sour Pop Candy"

Xilun read out the command, and then saw the ugly gargoyle stone beast statue stand up and jump to the side.

Dumbledore did indeed return.

Without hesitation, Xilen immediately climbed the spiral staircase behind the wall, reached the top, and pushed open the oak door.

"Professor Dumbledore, I—"

Xilun suddenly noticed that there was another person in the office.

It was Snape. He had instinctively turned around when he heard the door open, but accidentally knocked over a bottle of potion on the table, which shattered on the floor.

A wisp of blue smoke lingered briefly on the shards of the bottle before quickly dissipating.

Snape's sanity also vanished.

"Gryffindor loses 10,000 points!"

He practically roared those words.

"Olivander!"

"I've been brewing this potion for six weeks—damn it, do you even know what you've done! Didn't anyone teach you to knock before you come in?"

"Relax, Severus, I think Siren is probably here to see me," Dumbledore said.

"But your potion—" Snape frowned.

"Given your habits, there's bound to be more than just this one potion, isn't there?" Dumbledore said with a smile. "That's alright, I can wait a bit."

Snape wanted to say something, but seeing Dumbledore's pale face and extremely weak voice, he shut his mouth.

The most urgent task now is to use a potion to save Dumbledore's life.

The curse on Gaunt's ring is deadly. The reason Dumbledore has been able to live so long, besides his own powerful magic, is largely because Snape has been brewing him a powerful antidote.

While this potion cannot completely remove the curse, it can weaken its lethality to a degree that can offset Dumbledore's own magic.

However, this potion, like the wolfsbane potion, needs to be drunk at specific times; the bottle that was broken earlier was today's.

That's why Snape was so angry.

Fortunately, Dumbledore was right; he hadn't only prepared one potion. The remaining potion, though not much, was enough to keep Dumbledore going until the next time.

Snape snorted and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Sirius said, glancing at Dumbledore's exposed arm. He took a deep breath and said, "I have a way that might break this curse at its root."

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