Chapter 177: I Met the Person Who Changed My Fate   

The Hogwarts teaching hearing was held as scheduled in Wizengamot.

  Three members of the school board, along with Headmaster Dumbledore and Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, were invited to attend the hearing and reported on the issues regarding the quality of teaching at Hogwarts.

  The three board members pointed out at the meeting that there were indeed some problems with the teaching methods and educational standards at Hogwarts. To address this, the board decided to appoint a board member—Murphy Duckworth—as a permanent director to deeply involve himself in school affairs as the "Hogwarts Teaching Inspector," to understand, supervise, and guide the educational work at Hogwarts with the aim of improving its teaching standards.

  Murphy also spoke at the hearing, promising to do his utmost to improve the quality of teaching, identify problems, solve them, and proposed that to enhance the "practical skills" the Hogwarts students were lacking, he would take on the role of a "Practical Lessons" professor, directly participating in the teaching work.

  The Ministry of Magic agreed with the decision of the school board and announced that a hearing would be reconvened a year later to review the improvements made.

  Thus, four years after graduating, Murphy Duckworth became a legitimate Hogwarts professor.

  ...

  "Dumbledore," the door to the headmaster's office was pushed open, Professor McGonagall walked in, looking somewhat displeased, "Although I know you must have your reasons, why? Why would you allow an outsider to meddle with our professors? Is there something in this matter that I am not aware of?"

  "Minerva," Dumbledore picked up a pack of something from the desk, "Would you like to try this popping candy? Murphy gave it to me. It explodes in your mouth, quite fun…"

  "No, thank you," McGonagall glanced at the flashy packaging, "Is this Muggle candy? Murphy gave it to you? I'm even a bit worried it might be poisoned."

  "Oh, that's a funny joke," Dumbledore said, "But forgive me, I didn't catch the humor."

  "That's not a joke! Murphy Duckworth's reputation is not good, Dumbledore. You know what he's done to the Muggles."

  "No, strangely, I don't really know," Dumbledore stroked the feathers of Fawkes on the bird stand beside him, "Of course, I've received some letters, from Scrimgeour, Kingsley, and some other friends, expressing their concerns about certain matters."

  "But, being far away in Hogwarts, I don't really understand what's happening in the Ministry of Magic, or, as they say, in the Muggle world."

  "Did Murphy really do something? Or how did he do it? Why did he do it? What was his purpose? No one really knows, and the information I get after several transfers is much distorted."

  "At my age, Minerva, even unwillingly, one always maintains a certain skepticism towards others' words."

  "I'm not sure I understand what kind of person Murphy Duckworth is."

  At this point, he asked, "When he was still studying here, what kind of student do you think he was, Minerva? Do you remember him?"

  Professor McGonagall thought for a moment, "Of course, I remember, he was a very diligent child, and smart too. His effort and perseverance were impressive. But he had some strange prejudices against magic, perhaps it was these prejudices that limited his abilities, otherwise, he could have performed better."

  "Prejudices?"

  "He always tried to 'understand' magic; he once came to me very puzzled, saying he felt magic was full of contradictions, he could not understand. I told him to feel more with his heart, but, it seemed difficult for him."

  "Have you encountered such children before?"

  Professor McGonagall shook her head, "Some children from Muggle families also ask some strange questions when they first enroll, but most of them adapt quickly. But Murphy… it was like he was always battling with something inside him…"

  Dumbledore fell into thought, his gaze fixed on a set of automatic rotating astronomical instruments on the cabinet, lost in thought.

  After a while, "Professor?"

  Professor McGonagall had to break his reverie.

  "Oh, sorry, Minerva, I seemed to have drifted off." Dumbledore offered the popping candy again, "Are you sure you don't want to try?"

  "Accepting Murphy's oversight suggestion, are you trying to observe what kind of person he really is by having him come to the school?" Professor McGonagall thought of a possibility.

  "Oh, we could indeed do that," Dumbledore said, "But, I think what he and the board said also makes sense, perhaps I have been too whimsical in my governance of the school, you all have been too accommodating, unwilling to go against my decisions, allowing me to use my power too unrestrainedly."

  "This is not a good thing."

  "Phillips said something very right, Hogwarts is a school, and I should be responsible for the students rather than the professors. I think, accepting some proper supervision, is beneficial for us."

  "Of course, if it also helps us to see Murphy for who he really is, that would be an additional gain."

  As they were speaking, an owl flew in through the window, delivering a letter into McGonagall's hands.

  She opened the letter with a puzzled look and said, "The Magical Accidents and Catastrophes department, while dealing with an incidental case, found a Muggle-born young wizard, also an orphan. They hope we can send a professor to pick him up, help him shop, and complete his enrollment."

  "Oh?" Dumbledore was slightly puzzled, this was not common in the past, most magically gifted children are usually discovered by Hogwarts first, "Is his name in the Book of Admittance?"

  "I checked it two months ago, and this child's name wasn't there," McGonagall lifted her head, "I'll check it now."

  In a locked tower, Professor McGonagall hurried over with the letter in her hand.

  In the center of the round room was a stone pedestal with a thick book spread open on it, next to which floated a green feather quill.

  This was the Book of Admittance and the Quill of Acceptance.

  The magical artifacts that decide the enrollment list of Hogwarts.

  Each year during the enrollment season, Professor McGonagall would come here to check the names on the Book of Admittance, to ensure that every new young wizard enters the list, ensuring they all receive their admission letters.      This situation, where the Ministry of Magic discovered a suitable young wizard that she hadn't noticed before, had never happened before.

  However, soon, Professor McGonagall saw a new line of text at the bottom of a page.

  They seemed to have been written there recently.

  "Lucas Tom Brightson. Born on April 1, 1980."

  This line of text appeared somewhat faded compared to the others, but was still recognizable.

  Perhaps because this young wizard's magical talent manifested so late, the Book of Admittance was reluctant to have his name written?

  But, since the name had been written, and the age matched, then this child indeed should join the school.

  She returned to the headmaster's office and handed the letter to Dumbledore, "His name has appeared in the Book of Admittance, it wasn't there when I sent the admission letters, it must have been written recently."

  Dumbledore glanced at the name on the letter.

  "Lucas Tom Brightson."

  Tom.

  He paused for a moment, then glanced at the name of the orphanage, "Reed Children's Home."

  He sighed in relief, thinking he was overthinking it, as one gets older, memories tend to burden, it seems like there's nothing new around, everything feels familiar.

  "School starts soon, the professors have their own arrangements, I'll go myself…"

  Dumbledore hadn't finished speaking when another owl flew in.

  He read the letter, "Oh, the Ministry of Magic hopes I can come over in the next two days to confirm something about the hearing content…"

  "But, school is about to start…" McGonagall said.

  "Which professor is available?" Dumbledore asked.

  "Flitwick is visiting relatives and hasn't returned, Severus is setting up the protection for the Philosopher's Stone... the other professors are either busy revising the syllabus or also have their own tasks. Oh, right, Professor Quirrell said he's not feeling well, so I'm afraid I'll have to find someone else to pick up Miss Granger…"

  The girl is Muggle-born, although she was told where to go to catch the train when she was taken to Diagon Alley, but if she's never been there, finding Platform Nine and Three-Quarters is not that easy, to ensure all students can board the train, the school needs to dispatch a professor for assurance.

  This, however, is not a tradition, but a recent arrangement following a review of teaching practices when a Muggle-born board member made suggestions, believing Hogwarts lacked attention to the difficulties faced by Muggle-born students, and was ordered to make adjustments.

  "Oh!" said McGonagall, as if she remembered something, "Murphy. He's also a professor, isn't he?"

  "Murphy?" Dumbledore hesitated.

  The man hasn't even officially taken up his post, and they're already assigning him tasks?   Isn't that taking his board member status too lightly?   But on second thought, the professor position was also something he applied for, different treatment would seem deliberate.

  McGonagall said, "I'll write him a letter, ask for his opinion."

  "That's a good idea, let's ask him first."

  ...

  In the last two days of August, Murphy received a letter from Professor McGonagall.

  He agreed immediately—Murphy wasn't sure if Dumbledore could see anything from Tom's current state, better to go himself.

  But, also to pick up Hermione Granger?

  It wasn't a problem, after all, it was just a trip to the train station.

  Murphy didn't plan to make extra trips, considering the Hogwarts Express doesn't leave until 11, it was fine to go to Diagon Alley to shop and then catch the train, so he decided to pick them up on the morning of September 1st.

  ...

  Reed Children's Home.

  Lucas Tom Brightson was reading a book when suddenly he felt something, opened the black notebook that had not left him for the past few days.

  Slowly, a line of text emerged.

  "September 1st, 9 a.m. I met the person who changed my fate."

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