And so, in that room, after Tver and Dumbledore discussed the remaining details, the general direction of the magical military industry, something that could affect the entire world, was settled.
Both of them knew very well that since they had chosen the path of merging the two worlds, magic could not remain untouched.
In fact, Tver did not want to see everything he had done end with nothing more than exposing wizards to the world, while magic itself continued to exist in isolation.
In that distant future, if magic truly became the source of chaos and injustice in this world, then even though he had not the slightest gift for prophecy, he was certain that someone would stand up and overturn everything they were doing now.
Just as he had abolished The Statute of Secrecy.
Like the cycle of history itself, through one reconstruction after another, humanity would leave firm footprints in the river of time and continue walking toward the future.
Unlike the excited Weasley twins, however, Dumbledore seemed especially sensitive to anything involving war. For once, he actually took the initiative to take over this side of the work.
Tver was, of course, more than happy to be free of it. He left the bitter-faced Weasley twins behind and was the first to slip away from this troublesome matter.
Humming some nameless tune, Tver leisurely left the Headmaster's office.
Ever since The Statute of Secrecy had been officially overturned and all kinds of work had been delegated, Tver had suddenly become so idle that he did not quite know what to do with himself.
He no longer had to worry about whom to win over or which wizards to persuade.
He no longer had to think about what underhanded scheme Voldemort might be preparing next.
And he no longer had to act like a nanny, discussing all kinds of policies and plans with governments around the world for the peaceful future of the wizarding world.
All at once, Tver found himself oddly unaccustomed to it.
"Professor?"
Feeling someone nudge his arm, Tver finally snapped back to himself and turned around in surprise.
"Oh, it's you, Luna." Tver let out a discreet sigh of relief and quietly loosened the hand that had been gripping his wand.
With his current strength, not even Dumbledore could approach him silently enough that he would fail to react until being touched.
But if that person was the always strange and wondrous Luna Lovegood, Tver instantly understood.
Luna tilted her head. Her eyes were as clear as a mirror, seeming to reflect many things while still leaving her impossible to read.
"Were you about to attack me, Professor?"
Her tone was as gentle as if she were asking about the weather, yet so blunt that even thick-skinned Tver could not help feeling a little awkward.
"I apologize, but I should remind you not to appear behind people so quietly in the future, especially wizards who often have to fight."
"I did warn you. You just didn't notice." Luna pouted in grievance and muttered softly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Luna lifted her head again, her face bright with a smile. That tiny bit of gloom had already vanished.
"I just thought you looked troubled, Professor, so I wondered whether I could help."
Looking at her smiling face, Tver opened his mouth in surprise. Then he suddenly remembered that back when he had felt somewhat lost, it seemed he had run into Luna too. Although she had never given him any actual solutions, after chatting with her, those worries always seemed to resolve themselves naturally.
It was almost as if talking to Luna was a universal solution.
With that strange thought in mind, Tver could only lead Luna toward the sunlit corridor.
Chatting with a female student in the corridor might be a little odd, but Tver felt chatting at the staircase landing would be even stranger.
"I'm very glad to have your concern, but this really isn't anything important..."
"So you really are troubled by something?" Luna blinked slyly.
For someone as deep and unreadable as the professor, even she could not be sure she could see through what his expression revealed.
She had simply noticed that he seemed a little distracted and had made a small test. She had not expected to guess right.
Tver shook his head helplessly, then smiled and tapped Luna's smug little head.
"Everyone has troubles. Compared to that, I'm more worried about how to teach you students."
Luna pursed her lips and rubbed her forehead. Then she lowered her head and suddenly stopped speaking, which instead caught Tver's attention.
He looked suspiciously at his own finger. What he had improved was his magical strength, not his body, and he had not used much force just now.
"What's wrong?"
"Professor, did you really only come back this time to give us one last lesson?"
Luna kept her head lowered, hiding her expression, but her usually airy, whimsical voice carried a trace of sorrow that tugged at the heart.
But Tver found it strangely odd.
"I only meant to give the graduates one final lesson. Why does it sound as if I'm leaving Hogwarts forever?"
Luna immediately looked up at Tver with reddened eyes. She opened her mouth in surprise, then narrowed her eyes with a somewhat amused smile.
"I thought... I thought you wouldn't come back anymore!"
"Why would you think that? I am, after all, the youngest professor in Hogwarts history. If anyone weren't coming back, it would be Snape..."
Out of the corner of his eye, Tver sharply caught the reflection of a black-robed figure in the glass window.
"...an outstanding professor like him. After all, the wizarding world always has a greater need for capable people!"
"With Professor Fawley's abilities, shouldn't the wizarding world need someone like you even more?" Snape walked slowly past Tver with a blank expression, his voice full of menace.
"In that case, you truly won't have much time to return to Hogwarts. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn't mind helping you take a few photographs!" he said through gritted teeth.
The war was over, and Snape had decided to reconcile with his past self, lay down his burdens, and truly live the rest of his life as Severus Snape.
But it was precisely because of this return of conviction that he suddenly remembered how, when Tver had saved him, he had also taken photographs of him with a camera.
So as soon as he heard that Tver had returned to the school, he had come looking for him in high spirits.
Seeing the dangerous light in Snape's eyes, Tver, knowing he was in the wrong, touched his pocket.
If Snape had not reminded him, Tver would have nearly forgotten that the camera and the film inside it were still safely stored in his wallet.
"Ahem, that wasn't a camera. It was just a tool I used to study wizards in a near-death state. See, it was precisely because of that research that I was able to bring you back perfectly unharmed, wasn't it?"
Snape narrowed his eyes and stared at Tver's face. After a long while, he finally returned to his usual indifferent expression.
"If I see those photographs circulating anywhere, you had better start worrying about whether your Pumpkin juice at dinner has been mixed with a little Essence of Insanity."
Watching Snape stride away, Tver finally let out a breath of relief.
Still, he knew Snape was only letting this little matter go because he had saved his life.
"Professor, did you play another prank?" Luna asked curiously.
"That is not something you should be worrying about. But you didn't greet Snape just now, so one point from Ravenclaw!"
"...?"