Chapter 111: Open Day
"Welcome..."
I smiled at Amelia, who had decided to take advantage of the scheduled Open Day and come to Hogwarts to talk with her niece.
"Mr. Black..."
She smiled at me.
"...or, within the walls of Hogwarts, should I call you Professor?"
"Ah..."
I waved it off.
"...I do teach the students and enjoy it, but I don't think I have enough experience for such a lofty title."
"My niece thinks otherwise. In her letters, the people she admires most are her mentor, Poppy Pomfrey, and you."
I smiled in embarrassment.
"That's pleasant to hear. By the way, since your niece isn't here, I take it she doesn't know you're coming?"
"Yes, I decided to surprise her."
"Then she's most likely in the hospital wing. She's practically ill with Healing and spends all her free time there."
"And... how is she?"
Amelia asked with slight concern.
"She's a clever one. She tries hard and studies spells and potions. Ha, Madam Pomfrey even scolded Snape for being a bit rude to your niece during his lesson. She said that greasy-haired freak was crushing every young talent's desire for self-improvement."
Amelia laughed.
"That sounds like Madam Pomfrey. She was sharp-tongued even when I was studying here, and if someone displeased her, she could easily put that shortsighted fool in his place."
I nodded.
"Good. Then I'll go make my niece happy and speak with Madam Pomfrey at the same time."
I nodded to Amelia, and she left the office we had specially equipped for receiving guests, complete with a fireplace connected to the general Floo Network.
The fireplace flared again.
"Jean..."
I smiled at him and extended my hand for a handshake, which he gladly accepted.
"So, where are my girls?"
"Right now, in theory, they should be in one of the empty classrooms we've converted into our small training room."
"Yes... and where should I go?"
"It's difficult to explain. Why don't I call Daphne instead, and she can guide you there herself?"
"I would be grateful."
I took out my wand and, after conjuring a Patronus, sent it to Daphne, asking her to come to me. Ten minutes later, my faithful assistant was beside me.
"Draco, Monsieur Delacour."
"Daphne, please take Jean to his daughters."
"Of course."
She gave me a short bow, then hurried to follow my instructions while I continued standing in the office. I was supposed to be relieved in half an hour so I could attend to my own affairs. This duty had been arranged so no one under Polyjuice Potion or an illusion spell could get into Hogwarts. The Founders had helped create special glasses that allowed us to see through false faces, so we no longer feared someone infiltrating...
"Professor..."
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even noticed Lupin approaching me.
"...have you come to relieve me?"
"Yes. How did your shift go?"
"Calmly. No one shouted, no one demanded anything, and there were no incidents involving attempted entry under a disguise."
"That's good. By the way, are we still on for tomorrow?"
"Of course..."
I smiled at the werewolf.
"...I've already arranged it with Mentor, so we'll have a full-contact duel, wand and close combat..."
Remus grinned. It was clear he liked the news.
"...I still hope that this time I'll defeat you."
"Well, I can say that all you're lacking is experience and a little more speed."
"I understand that..."
I smiled sadly.
...but my enemies won't wait for me to gain experience or improve my speed. So all that's left is to train, train, and train again. And the more varied my opponents are, the better.
"Ah..."
Remus sighed.
"Did something happen?"
"Harry..."
"Ah!"
I nodded in understanding.
"Yes, the boy is talented. If a spell involves battle magic, he masters it in three to five tries, but..."
"He lacks motivation..."
Remus sighed.
"...Sirius spoiled him too much, and now, basically, he's only interested in flying on a broom. Though at his age, James was also interested only in flying and didn't even pay attention to girls."
"Well, Harry has no chance there. Two girls are already vying for his attention."
"That's true..."
Remus smiled.
"Tracey and Ginny certainly won't let what's theirs slip away, and it even seems to me they've already worked things out between themselves."
"They have..."
I nodded.
"...they're already driving other girls away from him. Though Harry himself still doesn't understand that."
"That's true..."
I handed the glasses to Remus, then headed toward my office, where I could spend time training.
"Professor..."
When I was about halfway there, a tiny first-year Gryffindor called out to me.
"Yes, Miss Matlick?"
"Um... I... I wanted..."
I smiled kindly at her.
"I don't bite, Miss Matlick."
"I... Professor, I heard you helped one girl find her calling, and I wanted to ask if you could suggest what I should develop."
"Unfortunately, Miss Matlick, I'm not a professional in such matters. I was only able to help Miss Bones because my mother is a Healer, and I'm familiar with what the energy of people with that predisposition feels like."
She sighed sadly.
"However, the fact that I don't know exactly what you're predisposed toward doesn't mean we can't determine it."
"We can?"
She looked at me with great hope.
"Yes, but you must understand that it won't be simple, and it will take quite a lot of time..."
She quickly nodded.
"...and also, in your place, I wouldn't put too much hope in the predisposition being strong."
"Is that because I'm Muggle-born?"
There was hurt in the little one's voice.
"Yes..."
She flinched.
"...you see, Muggle-borns, of course, don't have strong predispositions, but on the other hand, they're versatile and, for the most part, can choose the direction they want to develop."
At first, hurt had been visible in the first-year's gaze, but by the time I finished the phrase, she had clearly started thinking.
"So I can become whoever I want?"
"Yes. Though we still haven't ruled out the possibility that you have a predisposition toward some subject that it would simply be criminal not to develop."
"And how can we determine that?"
"Well, to begin with, come with me. Talking about such things in the corridor is not ideal..."
I shook my head, and together with the little one, we went into the office, where almost my entire company was already present.
"So..."
I took out my battle-axe, stepped aside, and took a starting position.
"...to begin with, tell me what you think about the subjects."
"Well... I..."
"Let's do it this way: right now, I can help you only if you tell me the truth."
"Well... I like Professor McGonagall, and I like Transfiguration..."
I nodded kindly, encouraging her and beginning to move with the battle-axe.
"...well... Professor Snape's class is interesting, but I don't like him. He's nasty..."
My acquaintances here giggled maliciously at the girl's words. Honestly, I was ready to laugh myself, but I was in the middle of the exercise and didn't want to interrupt.
"...I like your class. You explain it in an interesting way, but..."
"But you don't feel any desire to study a great deal of additional literature?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's normal. I don't force you to do that, and all my contests with prizes are optional. You're perfectly free not to participate in them, as some students do when they don't like charms and spells enough to study them day after day."
The little one nodded.
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"And Herbology?"
"Ugh..."
She grimaced.
"...I don't like digging around in the dirt, and you always come out of there completely filthy and need a shower."
"I see. Well then, let's try to determine whether you have a predisposition toward Transfiguration or Potions."
"That simple? What if I have a predisposition toward something I don't like?"
"You would be surprised, but as a rule, the subject toward which someone has a predisposition can't be disliked. Simply because everything in it comes easily to you, and that naturally draws you to study it more and more deeply."
"Um..."
She nodded thoughtfully, though it was obvious she didn't fully understand my words.
"Girls..."
I addressed Penny and Daphne, who were closest to the little one.
"...could you show our guest several Transfiguration spells? Let's say..."
And I named several second-year spells. The little one probably didn't know which year they belonged to, so she wouldn't feel too uncertain about herself.
"Of course..."
Penny answered first and, taking out her wand, began showing the little one how to move it correctly. But before that, she casually performed the spell herself.
About half an hour passed, and the little one shook her head.
"I can't do it..."
She said it in a hurt voice, and I looked at her in surprise.
"Wait, did you think everything would be that simple? Today, we're only seeing if you have a predisposition for Transfiguration. Not a talent that makes studying the subject easy and effortless, just a predisposition. So until evening, you'll try to perform the spells Penny showed you. If you don't succeed, then we'll go to Poppy Pomfrey and ask her to teach you how to make potions... or Susan will do it. And then, you'll try to make one."
"And if I can't do any of that?"
"That means you're free to choose what to develop on your own. Yes, it will be difficult for you, but sometimes hard work beats predisposition, talent, and even gifts that sometimes awaken in people."
"Uh-huh..."
It was clear my words hadn't particularly delighted the little one, and, biting her lip, she continued her attempts to perform the spell.
"Draco..."
Later that evening, when we were in the room the girls and I shared, Penny decided to talk.
"Yes?"
"Why did you bring the little one to us?"
"Well... I needed to train, and by bringing her to us, I shared the responsibility for supervising her, so I could give her a lesson myself, and one of you could replace me if needed, like when you taught her the spell or Daphne showed her another one. In short..."
"No, I understood that, but I didn't understand why you decided to help her at all. She is... well, judging by her words, she's rather lukewarm toward charms and spells."
"Well, that doesn't mean I should have left her request for help unanswered. After all, she gathered her courage and approached me with it..."
"Yes, yes..."
They continued looking at me suspiciously, and I didn't understand what was so strange about deciding to fulfill my duty as a teacher and help the little one...
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