Once McGonagall's anger had cooled slightly, the old man seized the opening to defend himself:
"Rest assured, Minerva. Next term's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor will be exemplary."
"Like Lockhart?" McGonagall scoffed. "You said the same last year."
"Not this time." Dumbledore gave an embarrassed chuckle. "What about... Lupin?"
"Lupin?" McGonagall blinked. "Remus Lupin?"
"Indeed." Dumbledore smiled. "You wouldn't object to him, surely?"
"Of course not." She exhaled, her gaze turning wistful.
"I know Lupin well. He's more than qualified."
"Have you contacted him?"
"I have, though progress is... slow. His condition weighs on him. Minerva, as his former Head of House, would you write to persuade him?"
"With your help, he shouldn't refuse."
"Very well."
Compared to the previous two unreliable candidates, Lupin was undoubtedly the most normal choice.
So what if he was a Werewolf?
Both Snape and Mr Lawrence could brew Wolfsbane Potion for him. There'd be no danger.
Professor McGonagall agreed without hesitation.
...
On the train, Wayne's mind was promptly filled with the system's notification tone.
[System Major Event – 'Heaven and Earth Reversed' completed. Calculating event rewards... Congratulations, Host, for obtaining two thousand points and one Critical Hit Grand Prize Package.]
Wayne smiled faintly and continued joining the girls' conversation, keeping his achievements hidden.
He wasn't the slightest bit worried that Dumbledore might hold a grudge over this.
The old man was clearly in the wrong here - he'd definitely known Quirrell and Lockhart were problematic, yet kept them at the school for some purpose.
From a big-picture perspective, this approach had indeed resolved certain hidden dangers.
But in practice, it had disadvantaged the young witches and wizards.
Because they'd genuinely learned nothing substantial.
Wayne was simply giving Dumbledore a bit of trouble, annoying the old man - it wouldn't achieve anything meaningful.
At least next term's Lupin would be somewhat competent, actually teaching students proper skills.
In the original timeline, this was the year Harry built his foundation and officially surpassed Hermione in Defence Against the Dark Arts.
But now...
With Hermione having hundreds of combat experiences in the Virtual Brain Machine, defeating a not-yet-fully-developed Harry wouldn't be any trouble.
At this very moment, the young witch was pestering Wayne with coquettish pleas, wanting him to lend her the Virtual Brain Machine during summer break.
"No." Despite the beauty before him, Wayne remained calmly resolute.
"You lack self-control when studying. You'd easily lose track of time and risk mental strain."
"That's not fair..." Hermione pouted, her lips practically able to hang a teapot.
"However, I do have an alternative." Wayne bared his fangs with a smile. "How about staying at my place for part of the summer? That way you could use the machine, and ask me questions whenever you're stuck."
"Well..." The suggestion visibly tempted Hermione.
"And Cho, you should come too. Spending summer alone at home would be terribly dull."
"Alright." Cho smiled gently. "As long as you can convince Dad, I've no objections."
"You said it." Though somewhat apprehensive, Wayne agreed.
Mr Chang always gave him particularly unfriendly looks whenever they met - something Wayne completely understood.
If someone tried to steal his precious daughter away, unfriendly looks would be the least of their worries...
Still, from Wayne's observations, Mr Chang's domestic standing wasn't particularly high.
To successfully 'borrow' Cho, he'd need to work on her mother instead.
"What about you, senior?" Cho glanced at Penelope beside her.
"Not me." Penelope shook her head slightly. "I'll be interning in Diagon Alley this holiday, gaining experience for after graduation."
"Which shop?"
"A newly opened flying broomstick store."
"Flying broomsticks?" Cho perked up. "Is it Nimbus opening their own boutique?"
"Not at all. It's an entirely new brand - guaranteed to amaze you." Penelope smiled mysteriously, glancing at Wayne.
Compared to the 'naive' Hermione, Cho, or the even more innocent Astoria, she knew far more about Wayne's background.
The Firebolt internship had been arranged by Wayne long ago - this year at the broomstick shop, next year at another magical equipment store.
After graduation, she'd gradually take over Wayne's commercial operations as their de facto manager.
In her heart, Penelope deeply envied Hermione and Cho's carefree existence.
Her knowledge didn't stem from Wayne trusting her more - merely from her own pragmatic nature. Hermione and Cho didn't need to know about these things because Wayne would always protect them, while she needed to prove her worth to remain by the young man's side.
Yet Penelope harboured no complaints whatsoever.
For her, being able to stay with Wayne, assist him, and fulfil her own ambitions—such a life was already wonderful enough.
"Wayne, I want to go too~" Astoria gazed at the boy with pleading eyes.
"Not you. You should accompany Mrs Greengrass on some outings. You can come next year."
Astoria pouted. "Then I'll come find you to play."
"No need. I'll be visiting Mrs Greengrass in a couple of days—there are matters I need to discuss with her."
The little girl immediately brightened, her face lighting up. "Then stay for a few days!"
"We'll see." Wayne didn't commit immediately. His time was precious and had to be carefully planned.
Otherwise, if it clashed with Fleur's visit, he'd be in big trouble...
Indeed, before the final exams, Fleur had shared good news with Wayne.
She had persuaded her parents to bring Gabrielle on a trip to Britain. The exact timing wasn't fixed yet—it could be arranged around Wayne's schedule—but it had to be in July.
Her family was going to a beach resort in Spain in August.
Knock, knock, knock!
The door opened to reveal Toby and Norman.
They, too, came to ask when Wayne would be free, inviting him to play video games together.
After that, the compartment door might as well have been an alarm clock, ringing incessantly as people kept coming to see Wayne. Only when the last pair of visitors left did peace finally return.
By then, the train had covered more than half its journey. After a light snack of treats and cauldron cakes, Wayne pulled out a stack of parchment and began writing letters.
"Who are you writing to?" Hermione asked curiously, looking up from her book.
"Many people. Mr Weasley, Cornelius Fudge, Mr Dumbledore, and last year's graduates."
Wayne's hand never paused as he explained, "They're all letters of recommendation. I'm helping this year's graduates find jobs."
"You... helping graduates find jobs?" Hermione gaped, and Cho turned to stare as well.
A young wizard who had just finished his second year was helping those who had graduated secure employment.
Even for Wayne, this was unbelievable.
"Exactly. There are only so many good jobs, and I happen to know some people. Might as well help where I can."
Connections, connections.
One or two ties could only be called background. Only when many were involved could it truly be called a network.
In Wayne's eyes, even a single brick had its value—let alone the wizarding world, where the population was so small that every witch or wizard was a precious resource in themselves.
He had kept in touch with some of last year's graduates, and now another batch was leaving. If he could place them in suitable positions, a few years of development would yield significant benefits.
Most Hufflepuff wizards were hardworking and capable. They might not climb to the very top, but they were undoubtedly reliable as the backbone of any organisation.
At the Ministry of Magic, Hufflepuff graduates made up the largest proportion of ordinary employees among the three houses.
At Gringotts, many employees were Hufflepuff alumni, as were those in magical creature reserves and herbology plantations.
It was precisely because of their excessive casualness that the house with the largest numbers had become the most easily overlooked force.
But not to Wayne.
He understood the potential of the masses. All they needed was a core to unite them, and the students of Hufflepuff could undoubtedly shape the future of the wizarding world.
Right now, he was helping his seniors avoid unnecessary detours, ensuring they joined core departments with real authority, so they could support one another.
You help me, I help you.
Once this reached a certain scale, it wouldn't matter who the Minister for Magic was.
By then, would Fudge's orders carry more weight than a single word from Wayne Lawrence?
True power was never an empty title—it was the authority to allocate societal resources.
...
The train slowly pulled into the station, and the students changed into casual clothes, gathering their luggage.
Before disembarking, Wayne placed the Zombie Guard's mark on the girls as an insurance measure.
Astoria thought Wayne's family crest looked quite striking and insisted he didn't hide the mark. Wayne had no choice but to humour her.
As they stepped out of the compartment, Fred and George happened to approach.
"Wayne, do us a favour," Fred pleaded. "Please don't 'accidentally' let your report card slip out again."
"Last time, George and I had to sleep on our stomachs for a week."
"And me..." Ron popped up out of nowhere, grumbling, "I even saw my great-grandmother... waving at me."
"Don't worry," Wayne smiled innocently. "Using the same trick twice loses its impact. I won't do that."
"Good, good," the twins and Ron all sighed in relief.
After leaving the train, the students quickly found their families.
Living in the same village of Ottery St Catchpole, the Weasleys, the Diggorys, and Mr Lovegood had come together.
Wayne hadn't planned to join the crowd, but Mr Weasley spotted him and waved enthusiastically. Resigned, Wayne walked over to greet them.
"Dear, I heard you've earned another Order of Merlin—that's wonderful!" Molly enveloped him in a warm hug, praising him until he grew slightly embarrassed.
"Would you like to join us for dinner? You could stay a few days—we could even go camping together!"
"Thank you, Mrs Weasley, but I've got quite a bit to handle at home. If I find the time, I'll drop by before term starts."
"That's right, Mum, Wayne's a very busy man," Fred teased. "He's got several girlfriends to attend to, after all."
Thud!
"Ow! Ginny, what'd you kick me for?"
"Nothing," Ginny said flatly. "Just reminding you that you dropped something."
"What?"
"Your dignity."
Fred: "..."
Wayne smirked at the twins, just as Mr Diggory arrived with Cedric in tow. An idea immediately struck him.
"Cedric," Wayne suddenly raised his voice, "what's going on? Your grades slipped so much this term!"
Cedric, who had just approached, was momentarily confused. But seeing Wayne's meaningful glance and the twins' rapidly paling faces, he played along, putting on a dejected expression as he addressed his father:
"Sorry, Dad, I didn't do well this time," Cedric said guiltily. "I only got an E in Divination."
"It's alright, son." Mr Diggory, thinking Cedric was genuinely upset, quickly comforted him. "You got Os in all your other subjects, and you're still top of your year. Just work harder next term."
"Besides, Divination isn't really useful anyway. If it's too difficult, you can just drop it."
"Mhm, I'll definitely try my best."
Molly's eyes already held a murderous glint.
Freaks like Wayne only appeared at the school once every few decades.
Normally, she wouldn't compare the twins to Wayne.
But Cedric... this was the genuine article—the proverbial neighbour's perfect child.
Having grown up in the same village, she'd practically watched him grow up. Not comparing them was impossible.
"Fred, George, where are your report cards? And you, Ron."
Ginny giggled quietly, giving Wayne a discreet thumbs-up.
Only he could make the twins repeatedly eat humble pie.
...
After thoroughly messing with the twins, Wayne went to have a few words with Madam Greengrass.
Upon hearing her daughter had fully recovered, she solemnly thanked Wayne again and promised that she would do everything in her power to assist him whenever needed.
And that was precisely the attitude Wayne wanted from her.
Having dealt with these miscellaneous matters, he finally stepped through the doorway and returned home.
Upon returning, Gardevoir immediately busied herself. Though magical runes maintained cleanliness throughout the house, the diligent little maid still thoroughly scrubbed every corner before preparing Wayne's dinner.
Nagini also emerged from the trunk. She wandered into the front garden, gazing at the distant skyscrapers with uncontained joy.
From this moment onward, she had truly cast off the shadows of her past, ready to embrace a new life.
Wayne followed and stood beside her, smiling as he asked, "Does it feel very different?"
After a brief hesitation, Nagini shook her head. "I've never been to London before, but it feels quite similar to Paris?"
"You mustn't say that to just anyone," Wayne joked. "Both the French and English would take offence at such comparisons between their cities."
"I'll be careful," Nagini nodded earnestly, even producing a small notebook to jot this down.
The pages were filled with similar precautions - the serpentine young woman was genuinely determined to live as an ordinary person, hence her meticulousness.
Wayne didn't interfere, knowing this ritual brought her comfort.
When she finished writing, he suggested, "These next few days, I'll show you around. Honestly, Muggle society is far more fascinating than the wizarding world."
"You can explore on your own, too, afterwards. No need to always mind the shop."
"Yes, alright."
...
Only when Gardevoir called them for dinner did Nagini reluctantly return indoors.
Late that night, in the basement.
A makeshift altar stood at the room's centre, surrounded by four skulls containing flickering green candlelight.
Wayne sat in a corner chair, engrossed in a book. Upon turning the final page, he rose and approached the altar, drawing his wand.
Instantly, his demeanour shifted to something darkly mesmerising. Tendrils of black mist rose from the altar's base, intertwining with the young man's jet-black hair and eyes.
He poured an entire vial of blood, watching it spread along the altar's intricate carvings.
Wayne took a deep breath.
The ritual would now begin!