Chapter 286 – Sirius's Revenge
Aurelius Dumbledore—known to some as Credence Barebone—had always been an extraordinary being.
After nearly being destroyed by American wizards, he achieved the ideal state that generations of Dumbledores had sought: a rebirth akin to a phoenix's nirvana.
The Dumbledore lineage, after all, had long pursued the mystery of immortality. Within their family, two legends endured. The first said that when one among them faced a desperate crisis, a phoenix would appear.
The second spoke of the fledgling bird that, once grown, would spread its wings, burn in holy fire, and rise anew from its own ashes.
These two legends found their reflections in Albus Dumbledore and Aurelius himself.
To Albus, Aurelius was like a mirror—another version of himself, perhaps even more gifted.
To Grindelwald, he was the hope of wizardkind's future—a being who could transcend mortality itself.
Yes, Aurelius was powerful. Terrifyingly powerful.
He had been born at Level Six—an unreasonable existence that defied logic.
But such power was unstable, for it was not his own achievement. And as expected, that brilliance eventually crumbled.
Under such dazzling lights, few paid attention to those who stood in the shadows—the forgotten ones of the magical world.
The cursed and the condemned.
The blood-cursed beings.
Nagini was one of them.
Though she was strikingly beautiful, her Asian heritage did not fit Western beauty ideals. And for Dumbledore and Grindelwald—neither of whom harbored any interest in women—she was invisible.
Voldemort, however, was different.
Unlike them, he appreciated women—or at least desired control over them. His twisted fondness for Bellatrix Lestrange was proof enough.
And Nagini—half-woman, half-serpent—perfectly matched his obsessions.
Had she not already become a serpent by that time, Voldemort might have favored her even more than Bellatrix.
Even so, in the original timeline, he cherished her deeply.
Whenever he had time, he would stroke her scales—a rare tenderness from a man who otherwise touched nothing but his wand and his own robes.
Even when he was weak and half-formed, relying on Wormtail to feed him milk for sustenance, he still remembered to have Nagini cared for.
It was no wonder that Nagini, stripped of her memories, had remained utterly loyal to him. Voldemort had been disturbingly good to her.
Alexander forced himself to suppress a shudder. He wasn't here to think about the sordid bond between that serpent and her master.
Clearing his throat, he resumed speaking to Kate and Penelope, who sat across from him at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
"Voldemort must have realized Nagini's true nature," Alexander said. "At first, he probably just found her—an unfamiliar magical serpent with unnatural intelligence. But that was when he was desperately seeking a way to evolve himself through magical transformation."
He set his cup aside and leaned forward slightly.
"To him, a transformation that could kill any other wizard was merely an inconvenience. His Horcruxes made him fearless."
"The existence of Nagini gave him a clue—a path. She became the key that allowed him to ascend to Level Six purely through magical transformation."
Even now, Alexander couldn't help but admire Voldemort's audacity.
If not for his own peculiar advantage—his "cheats," as he jokingly called them—then relying on mere Peverell blood and talent, he might have reached only the level of an ordinary Hogwarts professor by this age.
"Alexander," Kate interrupted, raising an eyebrow, "have you forgotten why we came here today?"
He blinked, realizing she was right. He had let the conversation wander too far into history again.
"How could I forget?" he said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Though I admit… I didn't expect things to escalate this much."
He gave his wand a casual flick, and a crisp, freshly printed Daily Prophet floated onto the table.
---
[Daily Prophet – Front Page Headline]
"New Professor Making Money? Dumbledore's Big Mistake!"
Special Correspondent: Rita Skeeter
> "Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, renowned for his eccentricity, has once again shocked the wizarding world by hiring an unknown young wizard as this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!
What's more, this mysterious newcomer has published a book titled 'Magic for Muggles'—a work with seemingly no connection to Defense Against the Dark Arts—just days before his appointment!
Rumors claim that the Department of Mysteries initially attempted to ban this book, only to retract their order mysteriously within the hour.
Many now question Dumbledore's decision: how could an untested, unknown wizard with no record of formal schooling be given such a position?
'This is a blatant money grab!' said one outraged parent. 'Second-years already have to buy Standard Book of Spells (Grade 2) by Miranda Goshawk—now there's another textbook! My poor child's school list keeps growing, and my Gringotts vault keeps shrinking!'
According to gossip, the mysterious professor was recently seen shopping in Diagon Alley with Dumbledore himself. Some even claim he might be Dumbledore's son!
Dedalus Diggle, a loyal supporter of Dumbledore, insists this theory is true. Others, however, believe this could be Dumbledore's new romantic interest!
'He's quite handsome,' said Madam Malkin knowingly.
Whatever the case, one can only hope that this new professor doesn't compromise Hogwarts' quality of education.
"For the first time," writes Rita Skeeter dramatically, "I hope I am wrong."
---
Kate's jaw dropped as she finished reading. "Oh, she's dead. Rita Skeeter is absolutely dead! That professor is Voldemort!"
Penelope, who had been quietly flipping through the pages, froze mid-turn. "Wait—did I hear that right?" she asked slowly. "Voldemort is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"
Alexander nodded.
Kate leaned closer, whispering as though gossiping about a celebrity. "That means the book we're buying today—'Magic for Muggles'—was written by him!"
Penelope's eyes gleamed with excitement rather than fear. "Incredible! I was wondering why you insisted on getting that book yourself today!"
It was clear she had long overcome the average wizard's fear of Voldemort. After seeing Alexander's strength firsthand, fear seemed unnecessary.
"Honestly," she said with a grin, "I'm more curious about what kind of knowledge Voldemort could possibly teach."
Alexander chuckled softly. "Even a dog's worth depends on its master," he said. "And right now, the young version of Voldemort is on Dumbledore's side."
He leaned back and crossed his arms. "The Ministry may still despise him, but against Dumbledore's protection, there's little they can do. Sirius Black, though…"
His tone darkened. "Sirius isn't pleased. He sees Voldemort's appointment as an insult—a threat to Harry's safety. To him, this is revenge."
"Revenge?" Penelope echoed.
Alexander nodded. "Sirius thinks Dumbledore's decision is reckless. Letting Voldemort teach at Hogwarts is, to him, the ultimate betrayal. So now, he's taking his revenge—not on Voldemort, but on Dumbledore himself."
He exhaled quietly, the faintest trace of fatigue in his voice.
"That's why I don't want any monsters or incidents this school year," he murmured. "I just want to see what Voldemort's like as a teacher… and what he truly wrote about Muggles."
---
(End of Chapter 286)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 40+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics