51.5 Defense Club

"What is the meaning of this, Albus?"

"What are you refering to, Minerva?"

"You know exactly what I'm referring to, Albus!" she exclaimed. "Why on earth would you deny them the opportunity to do good?! I thought you of all the people would support their effort to help the students keep themselves safe!"

"Minerva… it isn't as simple as it looks like. I am worried about the real reason for this group of theirs, and until I can be sure-" whatever he was about to say was cut off by the angry professor.

"What 'real reason'? They wish to give the students a fighting chance if they're ever confronted with death eaters! How hard is that to understand? And what could possibly be hidden behind it?"

"Wait… they told you?" Dumbledore asked in surprise. If they were going to tell her, why did they try to hide it from him?

"Of course they'd tell me, why wouldn't they?"

"I see. Nevertheless, I cannot give them such powers over the young generation, Minerva. They are the easiest to influence, and in these hard time, they need someone trustworthy to guide them. It is too great a risk that I cannot afford." Dumbledore said sagely.

"Are you implying that Mr. Lunar isn't trustworthy, Albus?" McGonagall asked incredulously. "I don't understand what your problem with him is. Yes, he used the unforgivable, but he had no choice, it was perfectly justified in both cases, and I can testify about his character, and so can Madam Bones apparently, and you know how hard she usually is on people. You are judging him too harshly, Albus."

"But you cannot be sure, Minerva." Albus said calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. "And as long as we do not have that certainly, we should not risk it."

"What risk are there?! Seriously, do you think a fourteen year old child has made a Hogwarts' club to prepare his army of minion to dominate the world?! He isn't even the one in charge, for Merlin's sake!"

"And as much as you believe it yourself, you are not omniscient, Albus. Like everyone else, you are prone to mistakes! As your deputy headmistress, it is my duty to help and advise you when I deem it necessary. And I am telling you, Albus, you're making a grave error, going against the very oaths you swore to this school. Just give them a chance, let them open this club of theirs for a while, and see for yourself how things progress. If he does indeed have an ulterior motive, you will eventually find out." The headmaster sighed. He knew she right, that he was letting his past experience with Tom cloud his judgement, that the fact that Kaiser, compared to a Riddle his age, is a monster, but it is undeniable that their characters are fundamentally different. Besides, she would never drop it, so might as well give up now.

The headmaster sent a patronus to Kaiser, calling him back. The latter knocked at the door a few minutes later: "You called for me, headmaster?" 'Confused' by the turn of events, he asked .

"Yes, Mr. Lunar." The headmaster nodded. "Professor McGonagall has made me reconsider my decision. I will allow you to make this Defense Club, on a few conditions."

"Yes, professor?"

"In addition to the rules all clubs need to adhere to, you will present me a copy of your lesson plan for every session. Needless to say, any lethal or potentially dangerous spells can only be taught with both mine or professor McGonagall's permission, and with a professor's supervision." There were obviously other implicit rules he'd have to follow, like not "forcing" ideals upon students, or anything that might be detrimental to them in the headmaster's eyes, but he could work with that.

"Of course. Thank you professor Dumbledore, professor McGonagall. I will go inform the others." He said, bidding them farewell.

"Oh, and Mr. Lunar…" Just as he was leaving, the headmaster called for him again. He turned, looking at him questioningly. "Well played."

"Whatever do you mean, professor?" Kaiser tilted his head 'innocently', but he couldn't hold it, and smirked before turning and leaving.

"What was that about?" Minerva asked, puzzled about their latest words. Dumbledore merely shook his head.

"Minerva, he told you about their club before coming here, and you just happened to meet him just as he was leaving. You think that was a coincidence?" Albus asked, amused by the situation.

"You mean to tell me he planned for this setup?" she asked in disbelief.

"Why of course he did." He affirmed. "Though it eludes me how he timed it so well." It was pretty simple really, a combination between asking professor Flitwick who has spent years at this castle about any patterns, and a good use of his Hogwarts' map.

"I wonder why he wasn't sorted into Slytherin…" Minerva chuckled, shaking her head.

"I did consider putting him there, you know…" a voice interrupted their conversation. Looking at the source, they noticed it came from the top of a stool, where the sorting hat was resting. "But in the end, he is, and will always be a Ravenclaw."

"Indeed." McGonagall nodded. "Oh, that reminds me. He showed me the most amazing trinket I've ever seen earlier this week." She said, before she started telling the headmaster about that 'phone' of his. The headmaster was impressed, though he was already aware of it. He didn't know they had a prototype, as the last time he only provided a proof of concept, but it seems Kaiser delivered as promised.

If he was being honest with himself, he regretted that Kaiser was not on his side, but it was hardly his fault. The boy was wary of him from day one, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out why to this day.