Chapter 36: Teacher's Meet 1/2
Dumbledore POV
"Now that all of us are here, let us begin today's meeting."
The meeting starts with Pomona asking for more budget for her greenhouse project, Hooch talking about replacing the school brooms with better ones, and me diverting their requests.
The usual stuff.
"Okay, now that that's done, let us get to students. Anyone particularly concerning or something?"
"Mr. Potter's attitude is worrying. His carelessness towards his studies is clear to see and frankly, not even shocking." Starts off Snape.
"It has hardly been 2 weeks Snape, give the boy some time, I am sure he'll come around."
"And while we are on the topic of carelessness, I would like to mention that Mr. Patil has not shown up to a single class. It is like he thinks we are idiots who he can ignore." Fires Minerva.
'That boy..' I look at Flitwick and he nods back.
"Mr. Patil's topic will be discussed at the end of the meeting. For now, let us focus on other students first."
After that I got the usual complaints about Slytherin vs Gryffindor, new students facing ragging and all that.
'This thing is tiring.' I think after 30min.
"Now that everything is over, let us talk about the Patil boy."
"Before you say anything Professor Dumbledore, I would like to say something about him as well." Snape says and takes out a vial from his robes.
"This is a cure for boils potion made by him with an 'improved recipe' according to him. Now it is nowhere near that but what the boy did is read about all the ingredients, understand their purpose, and then find the best specific one instead of the general one. While nowhere 'new', it is certainly more than any of the usual dunderheads do and shows a calm and analytic mind, two things most important in potion making."
"Are you sure HE did it, Severus?"
"I can attest to that Headmaster." Says Irma.
"Hmm, so what do you wanna do Severus?"
"I wanna teach him." Came Snape's bland response.
"That's what the classes are for."
"No, I want to teach him separately. Not the bare minimum that there is in the books, but real potion making."
"That... is surprising." Did not expect to hear that from Severus.
"No way! I saw him first and if anyone gets to teach him, it is me. You saw him Minerva." Cuts in Hooch.
"*Sigh* She is right Headmaster. The kid has a knack for flying, more than I would like to admit. I saw him improve in front of my eyes and….. he certainly knows how to handle a broom, almost instinctively." Okay, Minerva complimented him, I don't need any other proof of his talent.
"See, I have got to teach him." Says Hooch.
"For what, performing tricks on a broom? The kid is better off learning something worthwhile." Taunts Snape.
'No, don't say that.'
"You wanna see what my tricks can do Severus? This time you won't end up hanging from just a tree."
'That's gotta sting.'
Snape glares at her and takes out his wand, an action mirrored by Hooch.
"Calm down both of you. You are teachers now yet still behave like students sometimes." I try and get them to sit again.
"Now that the topic is about wanting to teach him, Filius and I have something to admit." I gesture at Flitwick.
"The boy can do chant-less casting, and that too wandlessly." He drops the bomb.
"And not to mention, dual wield two different spells and even change the structure of a spell. In this case- disillusionment charm." He adds on.
"Now this is just a bluff." Snape comments.
"I can provide some potions if you have suffering from hangover Filius." Pomona offers.
"Prepare a strong one." Comments Minerva.
"It is not a bluff, I assure you of that. I was there when he showed us his skills. And I was walking by the Great Lake today and saw him. The boy learned fire-making, fire-ball, fire-whip and Ice-field all in one day. All wandlessly and with frankly, scary proficiency. He was able to freeze a small portion of Black Lake with a single stomp, I dare say none of the fifth-year at the moment can do that with a wand."
Silence….. none of them seemed to believe my words, and frankly, I can not either. But it is the truth.
"This, are you sure it was him you saw Albus?" Minerva asks in shock.
"Minerva, I may be getting old but I can still recognize people accurately."
"But how, Glacius Terra is a really consuming spell for even for most adults, and more complex than any spell in the first, or even fifth year, and you tell me an 11yr old kid was able to do it, with a stomp? I find that hard to believe Albus." Minerva says.
'I do as well.'
"I don't know what to say Minerva, I don't have an answer to 'how' either. All I know is that the kid has potential, a dangerous one. And we have to make sure that it isn't wasted."
"His feats sound similar to the Dark Lo-"
"No Severus, they are not. They are greater than that of the Dark Lord. Much greater. And that is worrying."
"What if he becomes like him?" questions Minerva.
Everybody gets tense at that, as that scenario isn't what any of us want.
"It is our job to make sure he doesn't Minerva. And frankly, the boy has shown no such tendencies so far."
"Yeah, if anything Mr. Patil has shown a fun and jolly attitude. If anything, his prank in the Hall last time is actually reassuring. No Dark Lord will ever think to do anything like that. And he seems to have good relations with Ms. Padma and Ms. Penelope." Reassures Flitwick.
"I even saw him getting along with Ms. Tonks from my house. I have seen some kids troubling her over her 'unique situation', yet he seemed to truly be her friend." Supports Pomona.
"And what about him skipping all the classes?" Minerva questions.
"Regarding that, I asked Ms. Penelope if she knew where he was and apparently he practices spells on his own at that time." Flitwick tells her.
"That is what the classes are for." Minerva counters.
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A/N: Meeting was a little longer so I divided it into two parts. Gonna upload the second one tomorrow....if i remember.
And I think, just think.... that I may try to write more in the next one month so that we can finally get over the phase of him thinking this is a dream. Cheer me up for that!