As time passed, the once empty and quiet castle gradually came back to life.
By late August, many professors returned from their holidays. The staff room once again filled with the comforting aroma of red tea and ginger biscuits.
William saw many familiar faces who had once taught him, such as the ever-cheerful Herbology professor Pomona Sprout, and Professor Silvanus Kettleburn, who despite missing an arm and half a leg, remained just as enthusiastic about dangerous creatures as ever.
There were also colleagues he was meeting for the first time. One of them was the Divination professor, Sybill Trelawney, who wore thick magnifying spectacles and a glittering shawl, looking rather like an oversized dragonfly.
The moment she met William, she mysteriously predicted that he was "surrounded by mist." William politely humored her, but didn't take the comment seriously.
Soon, September 1st arrived.
As night fell, the familiar whistle of the Hogwarts Express echoed from across the Black Lake.
Inside the Great Hall, thousands of candles floated in midair, bathing the chamber in golden light. The four long House tables were set with gleaming golden plates and goblets, awaiting the arrival of the students.
At the staff table, most professors were already seated. Only the towering figure of Hagrid was missing—he had gone to the lakeside to escort the first-years.
William took his seat at the place reserved for the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Coincidentally, the seat to his left belonged to the Potions professor.
Severus Snape sat there with his arms folded, black robes wrapped tightly around him. His greasy hair hung beside his pale face, which looked as though he had just swallowed an undercooked toad.
From the moment William sat down, Snape stared at the empty plate before him and refused to even glance in William's direction, as if the person beside him were not a colleague but a patch of contaminated air.
William didn't mind in the slightest. He even poured himself a cup of tea.
Snape had been just like this as a student—once he held a grudge, he could ignore someone for a lifetime.
Aside from mortal enemies like James Potter and his friends, Snape preferred silent hostility over open confrontation.
Of course, that only applied to equals. If a student angered him, the outcome would be far worse than cold silence.
William turned and began chatting happily with Professor Sprout on his right.
"Oh, William, I never expected you to return as a teacher," Sprout said warmly, straightening his napkin. "I remember you didn't seem particularly fond of Herbology as a student?"
"You always came to class perfectly clean, terrified of getting dirt on your robes. But I was amazed you still achieved an 'Outstanding' in both your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s."
"Just luck," William replied modestly. "I memorized the textbooks before exams and revised every topic carefully."
He meant it sincerely.
In his opinion, subjects like Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and even the notoriously dull History of Magic—weren't difficult at all.
Plant traits, dangers, and care methods.
Magical creature weaknesses and handling rules.
Dates of goblin rebellions and legislative acts…
Everything was clearly written in textbooks. Anyone willing to read and practice should pass easily.
Especially History of Magic. You didn't even need a wand—the answers were literally copied from books. Frankly, even a Squib could earn an 'O' with enough effort, yet every year many students still received poor evaluation.
After reviewing past academic records, William concluded that Hogwarts students were shockingly poor at exams.
An attitude problem, he thought.
Students studied only what interested them—listening in favorite classes and sleeping through the rest.
Changing the school culture would take time. But for system points, improving exam performance was urgent.
Especially the fifth- and seventh-years facing major exams, William thought, eyes flashing sternly.
Fortunately, my exam crash course package will soon come into play.
Soon, the sound of footsteps and laughter echoed from the Entrance Hall.
The Great Hall doors burst open as older students flooded in like a tide. Friends reunited after summer crowded together excitedly, chattering about their holidays.
The hall became instantly lively.
Professors smiled at the cheerful chaos of the first evening back.
Before long, sharp-eyed students noticed the unfamiliar face at the staff table.
"Hey, look over there," a Hufflepuff girl whispered. "Who's that next to Professor Snape?"
"That must be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor!" her friend whispered excitedly. "Merlin's beard! he's handsome. Much better than last year's."
"Looks don't matter," a Ravenclaw boy said logically. "The position is cursed. I just hope he lasts more than a few months—I've got O.W.L.s this year."
Whispers spread across the four tables.
Suddenly, a Gryffindor student spoke up. "Wait… doesn't he look familiar? I think I've seen him in the Daily Prophet."
"Don't you recognize him?" said a red-haired boy with horn-rimmed glasses, straightening proudly. "That's William Shafiq. Former chairman of the Ministry's Experimental Charms Committee. A senior official. My dad told me about him."
"Really? Why would a Ministry official become a teacher?"
"It's true!" Percy insisted, turning to Charlie Weasley. "Charlie knows too, right?"
Charlie, busy discussing Quidditch, replied without looking up. "Yeah, Dad says he was famous at the Ministry."
The Gryffindors erupted in excitement.
Then someone suddenly gasped. "Merlin! Isn't he the wizard who inflated the Minister and Deputy Minister like balloons for hours?!"
"What?! He inflated Fudge?"
"That's brilliant!"
"I heard it happened right before Fudge became Minister!"
The story spread rapidly, growing more exaggerated by the second.
From the staff table, William noticed the many surprised, admiring, and curious glances from students whispering about him.
He calmly sipped his water and pretended not to notice.
Soon, the Great Hall doors opened again.
Professor McGonagall entered, leading a group of nervous first-years who trailed behind her like ducklings.
The Sorting Ceremony began.