Then, the portraits of the past headmasters, whether they were just starting to doze off or were deep in thought, all widened their eyes in unison. Even Phineas Black, who always disappeared when William was present, was interested enough to take out a watermelon and share it with the other headmasters.
A group of old men and women whose combined ages were almost greater than that of the Hogwarts Castle itself squatted within a picture frame, watching Severus Snape standing in the middle of the office with a face darker than the bottom of a cauldron.
Dumbledore, leaning back behind his large desk, his blue eyes twinkling with mischievous light, placed his crossed hands on his knees, "Calm down, Severus. It's just adding a new subject, Minerva said she could handle the new class schedule—"
"So you're cramping my classes?"
Snape slapped the table hard, questioning loudly, "And letting that guy be a professor? He nearly blew up the Slytherin common room when he was still a student! If he actually becomes a professor, those students might end up spending two days in St Mungo's—"
"Is that so?!"
Phineas Black's portrait widened its eyes, then choked on a watermelon seed so badly that smoke came out of its seven orifices.
"It's average—Severus, to carve out a new elective subject, it's normal to compress the time for other classes. I believe Minerva won't favor one side over the other..."
"The Transfiguration Class hours haven't changed at all."
"...She shouldn't favor one over the other... Well, I'll have a word with Minerva."
"This isn't right, you shouldn't have brought that disaster back to school! Dumbledore—"
Snape obviously wasn't giving up and tried to say more, but Dumbledore cut him off directly before he could finish, "So, what you're saying is, let William find a job himself? What kind of job would he find? Overthrow Fudge and become the Minister of Magic?"
"..."
"Besides, Severus, the original plan of the school board was to let him be the Potions Class professor..."
"?"
Snape glared, "Wait? What about me?"
"They said you could stay as a teaching assistant if you wanted—"
"..."
"So, the result is already quite good—"
"...When did you get here?!"
Upon hearing the sound, Snape instinctively turned around and looked, only to find that William had already been standing in the office at some point, watching an intricate, silver-plated instrument on the shelf with interest, "Uh, probably when..." Upon hearing Snape's question, William thought for a moment and then clenched his fists, shaking his wizard robe vehemently—
"'No! I don't welcome him!!'... At that time."
So he had been there from the beginning?
Snape stood in silence for a moment, then shook his robe and quietly stepped aside—the last person who openly opposed William, Voldemort, now had grass two inches tall growing on his grave.
"I was thinking of having Severus greet you."
Dumbledore was still smiling, he glanced back at the time, William was over half an hour earlier than the scheduled time.
"No need to be so formal, right? I have something to do this afternoon, just came to clock in and head back—"
William yawned leisurely as he spoke, making it hard for anyone not to suspect that his so-called "something to do" was perhaps going back to catch up on sleep?
"Alright, William, you can first check out your assigned classroom or office, it's on the east side of the third floor, in the empty classroom near Gryffindor Tower—it's two doors down from the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom—" Dumbledore nodded, "Renovations have already started, Professor McGonagall should be waiting for you there."
William turned briskly toward the door without any hesitation, casually greeting Fawkes along the way.
The gargoyle jumped back to its original position behind him, now Snape and Dumbledore's continued argument could no longer be heard. William whistled to a somewhat off-tune melody, walking lightly down the corridors of the castle, with sunlight streaming through the arch windows, painting the ancient walls a warm hue.
Then, ten minutes later, William greeted the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"...So, which way do I go?"
Looking at the somewhat dizzying Marauder's Map, William for the three thousand four hundred and fifty-second time cursed the Anti-Apparition Spells within Hogwarts Castle, he sighed, unable to understand what the Fat Lady was saying, and still raised his magic wand, "Accio—"
"Meow!"
And so, the long-absent Mrs. Loris came flying over from not far away, and the somewhat startled-to-the-point-of-arching-back Professor Meow instantly shifted out of dragon's hiss mode upon seeing William, and nudged his leg with her gray head before rolling over to reveal her belly.
"Looks like Mr. Filch is strictly following the diet chart feeding you..."
William gently rubbed Mrs. Loris's obviously two or three times larger belly and indicated for her to lead the way.
Finally, under the guidance of Hogwarts' native... cat, William finally found the classroom designated for "Wizard Magic Practical Application Teaching," which was indeed, as Dumbledore mentioned, undergoing a passionate renovation. The classroom door previously covered by a landscape painting had been removed, revealing an oak doorframe in the same color as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom.
The door was open, several house-elves were busily tidying the idle desks and chairs within the classroom, and at the very front of the room, a witch in a green plaid robe was discussing something with one of the house-elves who seemed to be acting as the foreman.
"Professor McGonagall—"
"You're here, William."
Upon hearing the call, Professor McGonagall instinctively turned around and quickly walked over to greet him, "Perfect timing, we were discussing the layout of the Dueling Class room—do you need a demonstration platform? We're thinking of leaving a spot beside the podium—"
"Actually, I can whip one up on the spot during class—but it's better to have one than not, please add one for me."
William nodded toward Dobby, walking behind Professor McGonagall—yes, Dobby was now the foreman, having naturally become the lead house-elf on this project as he was considered William's own elf (at least in everyone's eyes)...lead elf—even though Dobby, who liked to declare himself free, or chant "House-Elf Liberation Front," wasn't very popular.
"Also, what textbooks do you plan to use?"
Professor McGonagall nodded, then pulled a list from her pocket, "If you haven't decided yet, I have compiled a list of suitable books for you, you can decide later and try to send it back to me before the last week of the summer holiday, so I can notify the little wizards in advance—"
"Very helpful—"
William took a deep breath, deciding that once he managed to topple old Dumbledore from his position, Professor Meow would have to be made Vice Headmistress, such a responsible witch was rare indeed...
At the very least, Professor Meow should be made to stay until she's one hundred and ninety years old, right?