"Since this is an extremely niche form of magic…" Professor McGonagall frowned, "Professor Lockhart…"
She flipped to the very front of Wanderings with Werewolves, and thought, "It's also Armenia? Could this story be..."
Dumbledore shrugged somewhat helplessly. "As far as I know, that's how it is!"
"Gilderoy Lockhart should be sent to Azkaban!" Professor McGonagall's eyebrows shot up, and her tone became forceful.
"But we can't do that." Dumbledore shrugged. "The Armenian wizard has amnesia…"
He then waved his wand, summoning Lockhart's other works as well.
Seeing Dumbledore's actions, Professor McGonagall's eyes widened in disbelief. "Albus, you mean..."
"That's right!" Dumbledore nodded. "Most of the experiences in these books have real people who actually lived through them."
"I tried to find two of the eyewitnesses, only to discover that they had also lost their memories… Even I had difficulty finding them."
Professor McGonagall pressed on, "Isn't there something we can do?"
Dumbledore exhaled, waved his wand, and sent the books back to their original positions.
He gave a mysterious smile, then turned to look at the box of peppermint licorice candies. "There's nothing we can do for now... but time will tell..."
Professor McGonagall composed herself and regained her composure. "Is this also why you let Lockhart... into the school?"
Dumbledore nodded. "If they can set aside their prejudices and demystify Lockhart himself, they will find what they are looking for in the book."
"Lockhart is still at Hogwarts. I believe that by spending time with him, the students will gradually learn how to distinguish truth from falsehood... and dare to challenge authority."
"Perhaps in this respect… Ravenclaw is doing a good job." Professor McGonagall rubbed her temples. "I've noticed these past few days that they've started studying those books."
"This isn't exactly unexpected news," Dumbledore nodded with satisfaction. "Hopefully Harry... understands something else."
"Oh, right!" Professor McGonagall remembered something. "What you told me at the end of last school year will begin this weekend."
Dumbledore said with great interest, "Transfiguration magic... Animagus, a very interesting and ancient ritual magic. I wonder how much he can learn from it?"
"He has a real talent for Transfiguration magic; his first Transfiguration lesson was a pleasant surprise." Professor McGonagall adjusted her glasses, her tone revealing satisfaction, a slight smile playing on her lips.
Dumbledore murmured, "Speaking of which... he also used Transfiguration magic in Professor Lockhart's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and on a rather large scale?"
"In the past few days, the Gryffindor students have all wanted to learn how to make an iron cage..." Professor McGonagall's tone revealed a hint of helplessness.
"I've rarely seen them so enthusiastic before. Even their learning speed of this Transfiguration spell is much faster than their previous Transfiguration spells."
"After the spell is successfully cast, they will compare their cages to see whose is better and more similar to the cage that Vizette conjures..."
"It seems that Vizette, at least on the surface, only used Transfiguration magic in that lesson…" Dumbledore smiled, his slightly narrowed eyes revealing deep satisfaction.
He didn't say the other half of his sentence: if Vizette wanted to deal with those pixies, there must be an easier way that wouldn't require the help of the other students.
But Vizette did not do that. He called on everyone to work together to face the pixies and, through their combined efforts, stopped the pixies from causing destruction.
Perhaps this is... the difference between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor?
Dumbledore thought so.
"Minerva, do you know about a magical creature in North America?" He picked up his teacup and took a sip. "They have a good relationship with Muggles and are even worshipped by the local indigenous people."
"Of course I know," Professor McGonagall nodded. "Thunderbird… perhaps Newt has a deeper impression of it than I do."
"Cough cough cough..." Dumbledore coughed a few times before returning to the original topic, "When the Thunderbirds soar through the sky, they unconsciously bring rain."
"In Arizona, this kind of rainfall is very important, so it is especially revered by the locals. Of course, it doesn't just bring rain…"
"Thunderbird also possesses the talent of lightning. You really should go and see it. The lightning that Thunderbird releases is incredibly beautiful... It looks absolutely gorgeous!"
"But it's a Thunderbird…" Professor McGonagall's tone held a hint of regret, "It would have been better if it were a lion…"
Dumbledore gave a helpless smile and shook his head gently. Both Gryffindors fell silent at that moment.
"If things continue as they are, we'll have to find a new professor again next year," Professor McGonagall sighed, and then resumed her conversation.
"If we really can't find a suitable candidate, can we make an application to the British Ministry of Magic? For example... to send an Auror?"
"That's a bit difficult." Dumbledore rubbed his temples. "At least for now, our Minister Fudge doesn't seem to trust me that much."
Professor McGonagall adjusted her glasses, her gaze sharpening. "Is it because of Wizengamot before summer vacation? You want to pass the Muggle Protection Act?"
"Perhaps..." Dumbledore said with a hint of helplessness. "After all, Fudge is very close to the pure-blood families. Once this decree is promulgated, it will be a disgrace to the pure-blood families."
"However, given my status as the 'Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot,' they couldn't directly refute me, so they had the drafters of the decree take action to find substantial evidence."
"I see!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in realization. "No wonder Arthur led a group of British Ministry of Magic staff to search Hogwarts during the summer holidays."
"They're trying to intimidate me!" Dumbledore smiled slightly, seemingly unconcerned about the matter.
"Actually, I have enough troubles to deal with every day. I don't have the energy to care about those baseless things."
"It's probably going to be difficult for Cornelius Fudge to realize this," Professor McGonagall sighed helplessly. "He can't see that far ahead."
"It doesn't really matter, as long as the magical world is at peace, that's what I've always wanted to see." Dumbledore picked up a macaron. "Perhaps this is all I can do..."
"The road ahead needs to be walked by someone else, but that person absolutely cannot be me! All I can do is give him time, guide him, and help him…"
Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with a complicated expression, unsure of what to say for a moment.
Having worked together for so long, and having visited Hogsmeade and passed by the Hog's Head pub many times, she understood why Dumbledore would say that…
….
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