At the same time, Dumbledore found himself feeling even more reassured about Liam.
A lack of ambition for power was a good thing.
It meant Liam didn't possess an overwhelming desire to dominate others, and history had proven time and again that people often lost themselves once they gained authority over everyone around them.
Very few individuals could resist the endless praise and admiration that came with power. Listening every day to the flattery of influential pure-blood families was enough to corrupt even the strongest hearts.
That was one of the reasons Dumbledore had rejected the position of Minister for Magic at the height of his fame.
Even he wasn't confident enough to guarantee he would remain completely unaffected by power's influence.
If a legendary wizard like himself could acknowledge that weakness, how could he expect others to be immune?
As for the recent Death Eater incident, Liam had already demonstrated remarkable decisiveness.
Of the three Death Eaters who infiltrated Hogwarts using Polyjuice Potion, Liam had personally dealt with two.
The only one who escaped was Antonin Dolohov, and that was largely because he had fled immediately after stealing the Mirror of Erised.
There was no question who deserved the most credit.
Liam was the primary contributor to resolving the crisis.
And now that Dumbledore had confirmed the boy had no interest in authority, he felt significantly more at ease.
"Then which one of us will go to the Ministry first?" Liam asked.
Both of them would inevitably be questioned.
Liam had killed Mulciber.
Meanwhile, three students had died under Dumbledore's administration.
The Ministry would certainly investigate both matters.
The problem was that neither of them wanted to leave Hogwarts unattended.
At the very least, one capable wizard needed to remain behind.
And at this point, Dumbledore considered Liam fully qualified.
"I'll go first," Dumbledore said.
"This incident ultimately falls under my responsibility. As for killing that Death Eater, it was the correct decision under the circumstances."
He intended to shoulder most of the criticism himself.
That way, Liam's situation would be viewed more favorably.
After all, technically speaking, Liam had killed a wizard without Ministry authorization.
If the matter reached the Wizengamot, the outcome was difficult to predict.
"Fine."
Liam nodded.
"I'll watch over Hogwarts while you're gone. And when it's my turn to deal with the Ministry, I'd appreciate it if you could keep an eye on Cassandra and Hermione."
"Of course."
Dumbledore smiled.
"Consider it done."
Meanwhile, outside the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall stood guard alongside Professor Flitwick.
The two professors had finally found a moment to talk.
"That child..." McGonagall said quietly.
A complicated expression crossed her face.
"The way he handled that Death Eater was frightening. Even I felt unsettled by the aura he displayed."
She still remembered Liam's expression when he had calmly explained that death was too merciful a punishment.
The memory sent a chill down her spine.
What kind of experiences could make a nine-year-old child say something like that?
She couldn't imagine it.
Flitwick, however, merely shrugged.
"He was defending someone important to him."
McGonagall looked at him.
"You heard what that Death Eater said."
"Of course I did."
Flitwick nodded.
"Everyone knows how Severus felt about Lily Evans. Evan Rozier deliberately used her to provoke him."
His eyes hardened.
"Severus nearly cast the Killing Curse because of it."
"In my opinion, Liam handled things perfectly."
Flitwick's tone was unusually firm.
"That Death Eater was a murderer. Someone like Evan deserved exactly what he got."
As Head of Ravenclaw, Flitwick had always appreciated talent.
And Liam possessed talent unlike anything he had ever seen.
"But that's not what worries me."
McGonagall sighed.
"The frightening part is how natural it seemed to him."
She paused.
"He wasn't hesitant. He wasn't angry. He wasn't emotional."
"He behaved as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world."
Flitwick understood her concern.
To an outsider, Liam's actions could indeed appear disturbing.
A nine-year-old child shouldn't be capable of such cold efficiency.
Yet Flitwick shook his head.
"I think you're focusing on the wrong thing."
"What do you mean?"
"As far as I can tell, Liam treats enemies and friends very differently."
The tiny professor smiled.
"Have you ever seen him bully another student?"
McGonagall thought about it.
"No."
"Exactly."
Flitwick crossed his arms.
"Slytherin students mock other Houses all the time. Liam never joins them."
"He gives me the impression of someone detached from those childish games."
Many older students lacked Liam's maturity.
Most gifted children became arrogant.
Liam never had.
"He could easily flaunt his talent," Flitwick continued, "but instead he's remarkably humble."
McGonagall couldn't help smiling slightly.
"You think very highly of him."
"I'm simply telling the truth."
Flitwick laughed.
"He's one of the finest students Hogwarts has ever seen."
Hearing those words, McGonagall gradually relaxed.
When she thought about it carefully, Liam truly was an exceptional student.
He never missed class.
He always arrived on time.
Even when he spent lessons reading advanced magical books far beyond the curriculum, he still showed complete respect toward his professors.
In fact, McGonagall often felt guilty.
A student like Liam deserved personal instruction far beyond what she could provide.
Unfortunately, being Head of House and Deputy Headmistress left her with little free time.
Teaching him individually was nearly impossible.
Her feelings toward Liam had become increasingly complicated.
She admired his talent.
She appreciated his courtesy.
Yet occasionally, when he displayed his overwhelming confidence and authority, she felt a trace of fear.
It sounded absurd.
But that was the effect Liam had on people.
Inside the Great Hall, however, the atmosphere was entirely different.
"See that?"
Pansy Parkinson proudly pointed toward the professors' table.
"Our Slytherin Rising Star took down a Death Eater with a single Cutting Curse!"
Her voice was full of excitement.
"He dragged that Death Eater right out of Gryffindor Tower!"
The surrounding Slytherins immediately joined in.
Everyone seemed eager to tell the story.
Every retelling made Liam sound even more impressive.
Before long, the tale had spread throughout the hall.
Many younger students were already looking at Liam with admiration.
Some openly spoke about wanting to follow him in the future.
Even students from the other Houses found it difficult to disagree.
They might dislike Slytherin's boasting.
But they couldn't deny the facts.
Liam had been incredible.
His ruthless treatment of the Death Eaters looked cooler than what most professors had managed.
Even many Gryffindors secretly admired him.
Meanwhile, Gilderoy Lockhart remained unusually quiet.
The famous author was helping coordinate security patrols, yet he showed no desire to involve himself in the excitement.
The reason was simple.
Liam still possessed complete control over him through the Imperius Curse.
As a result, Lockhart knew exactly where his place was.
With his master receiving all the attention, he naturally wouldn't dare rush forward to steal the spotlight.
Under normal circumstances, Lockhart would have already inserted himself into the story, exaggerated his contributions, and found a way to diminish Liam's achievements while elevating his own reputation.
But now he behaved with perfect obedience.
In fact, he felt rather fortunate.
The person controlling him had become so powerful that he could only look up in awe.
....
Join my P*atreon for 100 premium chapters ahead of the public release.
Link: pa*treon.com/MysticVerse (Remove the *)
Free members also get 2 advanced chapters for free.