Headmaster Black's portrait began to rant and rave. Soon, other portraits couldn't bear to watch and joined in, arguing back at him. A hot-tempered former headmaster stormed into his frame, and a brawl ensued.
Dumbledore paid no mind to the portraits. His expression was one of reminiscence. "Mr. Harp does indeed possess remarkable potential."
"To me, that's a declaration of war from a Muggle-born wizard against purebloods. His ambitions are greater than you can imagine. He's the next generation's Dark Lord."
Dumbledore's demeanor grew solemn. "This is a grave accusation, Severus."
"You always trust too easily, Dumbledore," Snape sneered. "Perhaps he won't start a war. I know him; he avoids trouble."
"But as you said, he has immense potential. If I were to name anyone in this century who could rival you and that person, it's only him. Countless will flock to be under his wing, observing every expression, dissecting every word..."
Snape sneered mockingly, "History has its cycles. Maybe this time, the ones following him will be those foolish lions."
"What will they call him? Perhaps, the White Lord?"
"Severus, I never realized you held such deep bias against him." Dumbledore expressed deep surprise.
"Hmph! I've said it before—I understand him more than you think. I taught him for seven years!"
Dumbledore weighed his thoughts and decided to confide, "I did hesitate for a long time. In him, I see the shadow of another person. Similar upbringing in a Muggle orphanage, sorted into Slytherin, similar excellence, a shared pursuit of power..."
"But they are different."
"Voldemort used magic to intimidate peers; Felix rallied companions against bullies. He's still in touch with some of his orphanage friends."
"Voldemort coveted power, forming a group around him during school—an early version of the Death Eaters. Felix, on the other hand, dismisses power. As you said, he dislikes trouble. To sum it up, he doesn't invest effort in things he's not interested in, and power is one of those things."
"Voldemort excelled in school and was polite; he had good relationships with professors. Felix only focused on subjects that interested him. From what I know, he never passed in History of Magic, Divination, Astronomy, or Flying lessons. Though he set a record with his spell scores."
"Voldemort obsessed over power, even delving into Dark Arts during school. He was naturally gifted in that regard. By graduation, his mastery of Dark Magic surpassed the lifelong efforts of some dark wizards."
"And Felix..." Dumbledore hesitated, a rare occurrence. "I must admit, he did study Dark Arts briefly, in the Shrieking Shack. But before I could intervene properly, he abandoned it on his own."
Snape listened in a trance, realizing the headmaster had delved deep into that young man's history. Many stories eluded even him.
Dumbledore summed up, "Valuing friendship, shunning power, dedicated to pursuits, calm and thoughtful—Felix possesses many virtues."
Snape opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but refrained. Instead, he flashed a sardonic smile at the headmaster. "Your 'concern' for students remains intact! Why not tell me more about his experiences in the three years after graduation? Were you hiding in some thicket, spying on him during his travels?"
"Severus, don't be so harsh on an old man." Dumbledore's expression turned pained. But the next moment, his words left Snape dumbfounded. "However, I did visit some of his Muggle colleagues during his time in the Muggle world. Their unexpectedly high praise for Mr. Harp was confirmed, and I ensured there were no traces of magic."
Seeing Snape's jaw drop, Dumbledore blinked. "Severus, you don't really think I'm that naive, do you? Would I appoint him as a Hogwarts professor without proper insight?"
...
When Snape emerged from the Headmaster's office, he admitted that he had been somewhat convinced. That lad didn't seem as bad as he had thought.
Even if he had once threatened him—with his deepest secret.
But as he walked into the Great Hall and saw Felix Harp waving his wand, conjuring a massive snake onto the ceiling, the snake's mouth containing the image of someone who could be found gazing at themselves in a mirror every day, Snape nearly exploded with rage!
He was wrong!
Felix Harp was indeed a rascal!
...
Felix remained unaware of the recent conversation in the Headmaster's office. He hadn't even heard that someone had jokingly bestowed the title of "White Lord" upon him. Did he have that much free time?
He diligently completed his own tasks step by step. During this period, Hogwarts professors returned one after another, and Felix approached them one by one to greet them.
Networking was crucial.
Until a particular person appeared—a handsome wizard dressed in emerald robes that matched Felix's own colors. His hair flowed gracefully, and his teeth gleamed white.
Which Slytherin was this? Why did Felix not remember him?
Felix intended to observe a little longer, but quickly, the wizard approached him. "Felix Harp! I've heard so much about you; I've been looking forward to meeting you."
"And you are?" Felix felt like he recognized this person, but he couldn't place him.
The wizard seemed to hear something unbelievably shocking. His mouth hung open for two seconds, as if petrified, before he swiftly recovered his smile and began to talk, "Felix, you must have been busy with Muggle studies, not paying much attention to the wizarding world. That's alright! Let me reintroduce myself. Trust me, you deserve this honor."
"Please, go ahead," Felix said.
"I," the wizard blinked, "Gerolol Harte. Knight Third Class of the Order of Merlin, Honorary Member of the Anti-Dark Arts Alliance, five-time winner of the Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. But I won't go around boasting about it; I'm not the type to chase away specters with smiles!"
Gerolol Harte?
Felix remembered now. He had read Harte's biography—an impressive adventurer with considerable experience and wit. But this person seemed somewhat enigmatic, always keeping half of the story hidden, never revealing crucial details.
Felix became intrigued, pondering how to draw some substantial information from him.
"It's Mr. Harte indeed. I've read your works; they are quite remarkable. Your experiences are truly captivating..." Felix began with flattering words, and within three minutes, he had already formed a camaraderie with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
At the same time, he admired Harte's courage silently. Not concerned about the curse of the Dark Lord, huh?
Felix knew the significance of that course. Despite the perpetual lack of professors at Hogwarts, he wouldn't dare entertain the idea of taking up that job.
Truly, audacity matched his expertise!
However, judging from Harte's experiences in his books, he was undoubtedly an incredibly astute and resourceful wizard, always managing to turn danger into triumph!
It seemed he needed to pay more attention. What did this professor like?
Felix delved into deep contemplation.
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