A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 492: Amelia Bones

The morning after, Felix woke up feeling refreshed, the potion's side effects seemingly neutralized by changes in his body. He gazed at the ceiling, Valen, his pet Niffler, absentmindedly clicking away in the cradle nearby.

Grinning, Felix got up, stretching lazily.

"Bam!"

The metal alarm clock on the cabinet exploded. Felix frowned at the broken parts, waving his hand to repair it. "Still need some getting used to," he mused, telling the still-sleepy Valen, "It's okay, get more sleep."

Valen sleepily waved back, nestling in the comfy velvet, having stayed up late waiting for the Grand Sorcerer's return.

From the office window, lush Forbidden Forest and rolling mountains greeted him. The sky, a clear, inky blue, brushed his face with a gentle breeze.

A tawny owl flew towards him, a newspaper in its beak, landing in front of him as it neared the window.

Flipping through the paper, Felix mumbled, "Quite the news, Fudge." As the owl chirped, he handed it five Knuts.

The owl flew away.

Throughout the day, he honed his new powers in the office, surprised by his increased magical prowess, likely to last a while.

In the afternoon, he made a trip to the school hospital. As he arrived, he overheard Mr. Weasley's voice. He entered.

"…Fudge locked himself in his office, out of sight," Mr. Weasley said, "I guess he wants a few moments in the Minister's chair before his 'holiday'…" Perhaps sensing his harshness, he shrugged, changing the topic. "Anyway, Fudge did one good thing, he appointed Miss Bones to handle the department's affairs temporarily."

"Thank you, Arthur," said a tired-looking Bones.

The room was filled. Besides Harry, Ron, and Hermione lying on beds, speaking Mr. Weasley, Lupin, McGonagall, Dumbledore, an unfamiliar woman - Amelia Bones.

"May I come in?" Felix asked from the door.

"Of course, Mr. Harp," the woman replied, "We have much to discuss concerning you."

With interest, Felix surveyed her, picking a chair by the wall.

Bones spoke gravely, "No outsiders here, so I'll be frank. There's panic in the Ministry; news from the Malfoys has disheartened everyone. Today's paper spread panic among wizards. We must stabilize this quickly… Dumbledore, I need your help."

Dumbledore nodded slightly, "We mustn't lose our calm before darkness fully emerges."

"Exactly," agreed Bones. She produced a document, put on a monocle, and examined it, "First, I need to confirm if the mysterious figure has truly returned. Not a lack of trust – your plea using the Ring of Serpents in dire circumstances was impressive. But I need absolute certainty to enact wartime policies."

"A reasonable request," Dumbledore smiled, "Amelia, perhaps you need conclusive evidence?"

Bones nodded solemnly.

Dumbledore glanced at Felix.

"Well, I can't show the full picture…" Felix snapped his fingers, softly calling, "Dobby."

The house-elf appeared.

"Great Mr. Harp, you—oh, what has Dobby seen?" Dobby blinked, startled by the familiar faces, "Mr. Lupin, Harry Potter and his friends, Mr. Black, and—Mr. Dumbledore!" he shrieked.

"Hello, Dobby," Harry and Hermione greeted softly.

"Dobby," Ron started, Dobby immediately looked at him with sparkling eyes, "Actually, the pronunciation of my name, uh—I'll tell you later." He didn't dare discuss the 'Weasley' and 'Weezly' differences publicly.

"Alright, Dobby, later I'll get you their signatures," Felix said, "For now, fetch something you've kept for me."

"At once!" Dobby exclaimed, then vanished.

Bones turned to Mr. Weasley, "Shouldn't we be wary of the elf's magic? They're not restricted by Anti-Disapparation charms—"

"Oh, Amelia, I think—" Hermione gripped the sheet nervously, sharply interrupting, "You shouldn't doubt Dobby or the kitchen elves; they tirelessly serve."

"Yes, you're right," Bones looked at Hermione for a moment, then said, "But we know the dark wizard has rallied pure-blood families, and they have their own house-elves."

Hermione fell silent.

Meanwhile, Felix retrieved parchment and a quill from a nearby cabinet, writing and drawing on it, "Excuse me, could you help with some signatures?" Dumbledore gladly obliged, judging by the length of his signature, probably his full name.

One by one, they signed. When the parchment reached Harry, he stared at the script: To the brave Dobby, who obtained crucial evidence under Voldemort's nose. Below were several signatures.

Harry added his name.

After a few minutes, Dobby reappeared with a large sack.

"Everyone's here, Mr. Harp."

Felix curiously sifted through the sack, pulling out a peculiar square object, pressing its buttons. After fiddling with it, he handed it to Bones. "You can stand near the glowing part, yes, that's it…"

In reality, Felix did two things: avoiding the camera capturing Hermione's Time-Turner, and adjusting the playback to his appearance. Otherwise, explaining his early observation or exposing Lucius would be difficult.

Following his instructions, Bones viewed the device. She frowned at the poor quality, then gasped. She silently watched for a few minutes before setting down the camera, a complex expression on her face.

"If I'm correct, this is a Muggle item?" Bones asked in a hushed tone.

"Indeed, you'll find no trace of magic on it. It's to avoid Voldemort and his Death Eaters' attention," Felix retrieved the camera, "You can consult experts on this. The footage cannot be altered due to technical reasons, making it quite convincing."

"Then may I take it—" Bones tentatively asked.

"Oh, not for now," Felix declined straightforwardly, "I trusted you with information not meant to be disclosed. With others, I'd have taken precautions."

"But you mentioned it couldn't be altered—" Bones puzzled.

"Ma'am, it can't be altered but can be overridden," Felix stressed, "For instance, if I cast a permanent inscription on a wall, you can't change it, but you can paint over it…"

"I understand. I'll arrange for verification," Bones calmly said, masking the storm raging inside her. Returning from the dead… Felix understood her reasons for not revealing the complete footage.

And that was the illusion Felix provided—a secret hiding another secret. Let the Time-Turner remain buried in history, for it had entombed countless secrets.

"So, um," Bones tried to rephrase, "Secondly, confirming the reappearance of the mysterious figure, I suggest delaying it for a few days."

"Why? How is this different from Fudge's approach?" Harry asked loudly.

"Completely different. At least the Ministry knows; I won't deliberately halt dissemination of the news. Just… formal acknowledgment implies war. Delaying might leave room for hope on their side, buying us time," Bones calmly explained, "The Ministry is urgently printing wartime survival manuals. I need time to convince influential figures, as I mentioned earlier, consensus… Additionally," she hesitated, "I hope Cornelius stands up to announce this."

"That coward?" Sirius grumbled.

Bones gave him a stern look, "Mind your words, Sirius. He's still the Minister."

"Alright, Madam Amelia," Sirius lazily acquiesced.

Harry looked oddly at his godfather, suddenly remembering Sirius admitting to making her cry during school. His gaze was peculiar.

Madam Bones gave him a stern look but calmly explained, "Cornelius... Fudge may not stay in office. I want his final public image to be one of bravery in announcing the return of the mysterious figure, rather than quietly stepping down before the war and disappearing."

"Are you planning to keep him?" Sirius protested. "Look at all the mess he's caused!"

Madam Bones ignored him, focusing on perusing the documents instead. "Setting aside personal flaws, Cornelius has significant abilities. He'd be more than adequate as an advisor."

Sirius grumbled discontentedly, sounding something like "women..." Instantly, the ladies in the room glared at him. Sirius shrunk, "My mistake, too broad a statement."

"Speaking of advisors," Madam Bones' finger traced the documents, "Dumbledore, have you reinstated the Order of the Phoenix?"

The atmosphere in the room turned tense; everyone looked to Dumbledore.

He nodded slightly, "You're right, Amelia." He patiently clarified, "As you know, once the war starts, Voldemort will plant spies extensively in the Ministry. I must ensure an independent resistance outside the Ministry."

"I believe," Madam Bones pursed her lips, "we should collaborate."

"What do you suggest?" Dumbledore inquired curiously.

"The Ministry won't interfere with the Order's actions, but at least, we should share information. It's beneficial for both sides," Madam Bones preemptively proposed, speaking fluently. "And in the short term—until the situation stabilizes, we must station someone as a liaison on each side."

"You mean... mutual placement? Exchanging personnel?" Dumbledore clarified.

"Exactly," Madam Bones affirmed. "I can't and won't order you, but during this critical time, forging a relationship with the 'Greatest Wizard' is the best way to stabilize things."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione widened their eyes, finding it hard to imagine this woman speaking so candidly about Dumbledore.

"Before coming here, I consulted with our department; there's a considerable interest in signing up," Madam Bones revealed with a hint of resignation. "If you agree, I can provide a list for your selection."

"I have no objection," Dumbledore agreed.

"Your selection for our side—" Madam Bones sighed in relief and asked.

After a moment of contemplation, Dumbledore looked at someone.

Sirius was lounging, absorbed in his own thoughts, even crossing his legs until Dumbledore's gaze fell on him, and he abruptly straightened up.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, you don't want me at the Ministry, do you?" He jumped up, "You promised I'd be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor next term! I've prepared for so long, to outwit those troublemaking students at the Muggle school..."

"It's only temporary," Dumbledore showed a faint smile. "You'll only need to stay a month or two, won't affect your work next term."

"What about the others? Hagrid? Lupin? And—" Sirius trailed off.

"They all have their own matters," Dumbledore replied.

"Yeah, Headmaster's right; you're the most idle among us," Felix couldn't resist adding. The thought of the carefree Sirius in the Ministry gave him a sense of amusement.

Sirius glared fiercely, noticing everyone's amused expressions, even his godson looking at him expectantly. It grated on Sirius's nerves.

"Well then—hey, Amelia, I want an advisory title too, not lower than Felix and Fudge's!" Sirius interjected.

"...It's just temporary," Madam Bones reluctantly agreed.

Her opinion of Sirius was substantial, rooted in unforgettable memories from their school days.

"One last thing," she said, taking a large bag from Mr. Weasley and placing it by Harry's feet. The bag rustled. She briefly stated, "The prize for the tournament. It was supposed to be a thousand Galleons. I personally added five hundred as compensation—"

"This isn't nearly enough," Sirius couldn't help but pick at it. "They've suffered so much, displayed incredible courage, escaping Voldemort. The Ministry should award them a medal."

Madam Bones's chest heaved heavily. She said each word deliberately, "That's what I was going to suggest!"

She took a deep breath, calming herself, and addressed Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "The Ministry will discuss awarding you the Merlin Order, second class, to honor your bravery against the mysterious figure and your unwavering spirit—also, Mr. Lupin, we're considering awarding you the first-class Merlin Order."

Felix smiled and shook his head.

"This is your due," Madam Bones immediately insisted. "During wartime, we need a few role models. If I live to see the end of the war, I'll surely hand out a heap of medals."

Harry was once again stunned by Madam Bones's frankness and directness but found this approach quite agreeable.

"I'll take my leave," Madam Bones said. "Arthur, I'm giving you a few days off to be with your kids, but don't be gone too long; the Ministry will be quite busy..." She reached the door of the ward, paused, and let out a heavy snort.

Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"Sirius Black! Catch up!" she exclaimed angrily at the slouched and dispirited Sirius sitting in the chair.

Sirius incredulously pointed at himself, "Now?" Getting an affirmative response, he reluctantly stood up, muttering, "Fine, Minister Bones has a way with orders..." His grumbles echoed until the ward's door closed behind him.

The people in the ward exchanged looks.

"Is it really okay to let Sirius go over there? I don't doubt his abilities, but temperamentally—" Professor McGonagall asked, her expression serious. "I worry he might make a mess of things."

"Don't worry, Professor McGonagall," Lupin smiled, "Sirius learned how to handle the Minister during school. Perhaps we have a chance to develop her into a member of the Order..."

Professor McGonagall didn't seem entirely convinced.

At this moment, Mr. Weasley, unable to contain his keen interest, pointed at the camera held by Felix and asked, "Can it record without any magic?" After receiving confirmation, he marveled, "Incredible... simply wonderful."

He grew more fascinated and couldn't resist asking Felix, "Mr. Lupin, where did you get it? I'd like to have one too."

Felix provided an address and advised him, "It's best not to keep it at home; it'll be affected by magic—oh, do you know any Muggle addresses?"

"I can call a taxi, I know how!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed happily, as if he'd been looking forward to this moment for ages. "I have a garage at home with many treasures... have you heard of doorknobs?"

"Have I ever told you that my dad's obsessed with Muggle stuff?" Ron muttered, covering his face.

Harry and Hermione nodded slightly.

Harry reminded him, "Mr. Weasley even showed me around his garage. Don't you remember? A few weeks before second year started..." He glanced at Dobby, remembering how Dobby's well-meaning "advice" had resulted in the Ministry accusing him of performing magic outside school and issuing a written warning.

It was a nightmare at that time. He worried about missing

the train for school, being expelled; worried about starving to death, or worse, Hedwig starving. That's why he was eternally grateful to Ron and the Weasley twins for coming to his rescue.

But that was a long time ago. He was doing well now. "Dobby," he whispered.

The house-elf perked his bat-like ears, gazing at Harry with adoration.

"This is your autograph, obtained by the professor for you."

>

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