[Hogwarts Castle, 8th Floor]
Across from the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy teaching the trolls ballet, a door suddenly appeared. Edward stepped out, and before he could turn around, the door vanished once more.
He stomped his foot firmly against the stone floor, finally grounding himself in the reality of the Harry Potter world again.
"Sigh…I really have to go see Old Man, huh?"
The headmaster's office was also on the eighth floor of the castle.
According to a rather amusing rumour, Dumbledore had once wandered into the Room of Requirent in the middle of the night while half-asleep and urgently in need of the loo—an accident that resolved itself rather conveniently.
Just as Edward rounded a corner, he found soone limping toward him. The man was dressed in a tattered leather vest, his hair was dishevelled, and his face was twisted in irritation.
"Edward! I finally found you!"
"Good day, Mr. Filch," Edward greeted smoothly. "It's sumr break, and it's broad daylight. I don't believe I've broken any school rules, have I?"
"I don't care whether you've broken rules or not!" Filch roared. "Can you—just keep your blasted cat away from my cat?!"
He pointed furiously at Mrs. Norris, who was following closely behind him. The cat had always been scrawny with bulging eyes, but now her fur was in complete disarray, unevenly patched, and there was even a small bald spot on her head.
Edward spread his hands innocently. "That…sounds like normal feline interaction? Besides, while Lilith can be a bit mischievous, she rarely leaves the Hufflepuff common room. If anything, I'd suggest keeping a closer eye on your cat. If I recall correctly, last ti it was her who tried to steal Lilith's fish snack."
"You—!" Filch's face twisted in fury. "You'd better hope I don't catch your cat causing trouble! If I do, I'll hang it from the castle gates!"
Edward remained unfazed and simply stepped around Filch. "Pardon , but I have an important matter to discuss with Professor Dumbledore."
"I will catch it misbehaving!!"
"Best of luck, Mr. Filch."
———
Edward stopped in front of the hideous stone gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office. He still hadn't decided exactly how to explain Audrey's situation. After all, she was from another world—what kind of story should he fabricate?
"Cockroach Cluster."
The gargoyle didn't budge.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans."
"Sherbet Lemon."
At last, the gargoyle sprang to life, jumping aside as the wall behind it split in two, revealing a spiralling staircase that slowly rotated upward.
Edward stepped onto the stairs and soon arrived at a gleaming oak door. Embedded in the door was a brass knocker shaped like a griffin.
Before he could knock, the door silently swung open.
"I fail to see the wisdom in your choice of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, sir!"
A sharp, scornful voice echoed from within the office.
"Take last year's Professor Pate, for instance—oh, heavens! That fool actually thought it was a brilliant idea to take students into the Forbidden Forest for 'hands-on combat training' against dark creatures! And what was the result? He beca nothing more than spider dung, conveniently fertilizing the very forest he so admired!"
"That was an unfortunate accident, Severus," ca Dumbledore's calm response. "Placing oneself in danger, using real experience to teach students the defence against dark magic, and choosing to stay behind to buy them ti—does that not demonstrate that he was, in fact, a dedicated teacher? His sacrifice deserves respect, not ridicule."
"And what did those students actually learn?" Snape sneered. "Nothing! Nothing but sheer stupidity!"
"At the very least, they learned to face danger. To acknowledge death. Give them a little more credit, Severus. Oh…I believe we have a visitor."
Edward entered the office, his gaze sweeping over the nurous odd trinkets scattered about. The portraits of forr headmasters and headmistresses on the walls were all watching the argunt with interest.
They seed accustod to it—after all, this sa debate happened almost every single year, always ending with Snape storming off in disappointnt.
As soon as Snape spotted Edward, his scowl deepened. He instinctively wrapped his black robes around himself.
"Edward," he snapped, "don't tell you're here to beg for more potion ingredients again! I've told you before, I don't have endless supplies!"
Edward scratched his head. "Uh, Professor Snape, this is the headmaster's office. Don't you think…that I could've co here to see Professor Dumbledore?"
Dumbledore chuckled, his twinkling blue eyes crinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Hmph!" Snape let out a sharp snort, regaining his usual air of cold arrogance as he looked down at Edward. "How's the brewing of Felix Felicis coming along?"
Edward answered obediently, "Still needs a little more ti, Professor."
"You better not waste my precious ingredients!" Snape huffed, sweeping toward the door. Just as he reached the threshold, he turned back.
"I urge you to reconsider my concerns, Headmaster," he said darkly. "Don't let your foolish choices destroy Hogwarts."
Dumbledore rely smiled. "I am the headmaster, Severus. I will take responsibility for this school."
"We'll see!"
With a dramatic swirl of his robes, Snape disappeared like a giant bat.
"Have a seat, Edward," Dumbledore said warmly, conjuring a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with a casual wave of his wand. "Would you like so?"
Edward politely declined. "Ever since I got a dung-flavored one, I swore never to touch them again."
"Oh my~ Dung-flavored, you say? Funny, I don't believe I've ever tried that one." The elderly wizard's expression suddenly showed a hint of genuine curiosity, as if he were considering the experience. "Surely it can't be worse than the booger-flavored one, can it?"
"Professor, must we really talk about poop right now?"
Dumbledore chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "My apologies. I do tend to get carried away by my curiosity for new things."
Switching topics, he mused, "Pomona tells that for nearly three years, you've spent every holiday here at Hogwarts. Now, I'm not saying you aren't allowed to stay, but…shouldn't a young man like yourself take the chance to explore the world? Make new friends? From what I understand, you're the only student staying at the castle this sumr."
Then, he tapped his forehead. "Oh dear, forgive —I'm rambling again. What brings you here today?"
Edward hesitated for a mont before speaking. "I…I'd like to request early permission to study Apparition."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, adjusting his glasses slightly. "You are aware of how dangerous Apparition can be, yes?"
"I am," Edward nodded. "But I believe that under proper instruction, I'll be able to handle it."
"Hmm…well, if you're certain, then I have no objections. When term begins, you may enrol in the Apparition lessons alongside the sixth years."
"I know my request is a bit excessive, but I hope to master Apparition within two weeks. Is that possible?" Apparition was an essential survival skill, whether for ho or travel. In fifteen days, he would have to head to the world of Lord of the Mysteries, so he needed to learn it as soon as possible.
Dumbledore looked at him in surprise. "In that case, I would have to personally teach you. But you will have to wait two more days. As you know, I am still in the process of finding a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the next term. So far, the only applicant is… oh, Quirinus Quirrell."
That turban head? Quirrell?
Edward suddenly realized—so next term, the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, would finally be enrolling at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore casually tossed another Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean into his mouth. "Now then, you have sothing else you want to ask, don't you? Oh, lucky ~ toffee-flavored."
"I'm not sure if Professor Flitwick has ntioned this, but I have been struggling with learning the Patronus Charm. I am certain my wand movents and incantations are correct, and I always recall my happiest mories. But no matter what, I can't seem to produce even the slightest reaction."
Dumbledore's hand noticeably paused for a mont. "Yes, I have heard about it. But for now, I don't have a definite answer. Magic often works in mysterious ways. So people can easily cast the Unforgivable Curses but struggle with even the most basic Transfiguration. Others may master a single spell to perfection while barely grasping others."
His deep blue eyes glead with wisdom. "However, today is not the right ti to discuss this. I can tell that your true reason for coming here was not what you just ntioned."
Edward's heart skipped a beat. His first thought was that Dumbledore had used Legilincy on him.
"I understand now," the old wizard said with a sigh. "I understand why you always keep a certain distance from ."
The elderly headmaster looked sowhat helpless. "It's true that I am a master of Legilincy, but I do not make a habit of peering into others' minds at all tis. Self-restraint is one of the few qualities I take pride in."
"Everyone has secrets they wish to keep. There's no need to apologize for that. But if you ever need anything, my door is always open to you." Dumbledore gave him a playful wink. "Keeping secrets is another skill of mine that I am quite proud of."
Edward hesitated for a mont before finally speaking.
"It's…it's like this. I have a friend. She cos from a very ancient and remote country, a place so secluded that it rarely interacts with the outside world. She wishes to study magic at Hogwarts..."
Generally speaking, every Hogwarts student was registered at birth, with their na written in the Book of Admittance by the Quill of Acceptance. At the age of eleven, they would then receive their letter of admission.
While so students transferred in later, they were never complete unknowns—certainly not like Audrey, who was essentially an "unregistered entity from another world."
Dumbledore remained as warm and kind as ever. "And then?"
Looking at the old wizard who had taken him from the orphanage and always treated him well, Edward suddenly found himself unable to continue.
People often spoke of Dumbledore as an old scher, always plotting and manipulating everything behind the scenes. But looking at the events of the original story, everything he did was to protect Harry and the students of Hogwarts.
This was a kind, righteous, and deeply admirable old man.
Atleast that's what he'd like to think until proven otherwise.
"Hoo—"
Edward let out a long sigh. After a brief struggle, he made up his mind. "Professor, what I am about to say may sound absurd, but this is the truth of my experience. Just now, I—"
"You disappeared from Hogwarts for over twenty minutes," Dumbledore suddenly interjected.
Edward froze.
"That was neither Apparition nor a Portkey. It was as if you had been erased from this world entirely. You know, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be able to keep track of every student in the castle. But this sumr, you are the only one staying at Hogwarts." Dumbledore took off his half-moon glasses and gazed at him seriously. "If you were to tell that you travelled to another world during that ti, I believe my response would be—oh, rlin's beard!—and I would choose to believe you."
Edward was stunned.
"Oh, rlin's beard!"
Dumbledore actually exclaid, stroking his chin in thought. "So, your friend is…what do Muggles call it again? An alien?"
"...Sothing like that."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Even extraterrestrials want to enrol in Hogwarts under my leadership. What else can I say?"
"Welco. She is always welco."
———
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