Harry Potter : Bloodraven

Chapter 41 - 41: A New Role, A New Path (II) (CH - 61)

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk in the headmaster's office, half-moon glasses perched on his nose. A parchment rested in his hands, and as he read, a knowing gleam sparkled in his blue eyes.

He sat upright, dressed in a purple robe over a crisp white shirt and gray vest, exuding both authority and ease. His neatly combed hair, streaked with silver, added to his quiet confidence.

Though he appeared to be in the prime of his life, there was a depth in his gaze that made him seem far older, wiser—someone who had seen more than his appearance let on.

The sun had been up for a while, and this was usually when he took some time for light reading before joining his staff and students for breakfast. But today, he had a feeling his usual routine would be different.

He set the parchment down and looked toward the door, as if expecting someone. Moments later, the door opened, and in walked his trusted deputy, Minerva McGonagall, followed by a young man he didn't recognize.

Dumbledore's curiosity piqued as his magical senses, always sharp, noticed something odd... nothing. The boy had almost no magical presence. His first thought was that this young man might not be a wizard at all. Then, he remembered a conversation with McGonagall from two years ago. He gave a small nod, silently agreeing with what she had said.

He watched the boy walk in, his posture calm but alert. Every step was measured and deliberate. At first glance, he seemed like any other young man, but Dumbledore could tell—this boy, though unassuming, was far from ordinary.

Setting his curiosity aside for the moment, he smiled warmly at both of them. "Minerva," he said in his rich, welcoming tone. "And you must be Mr Caesar."

Rising from his chair, he gestured to the seats across from his desk. "Please, take a seat."

McGonagall gave a polite nod and sat down first, and Maverick followed with quiet confidence.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Speaker Dumbledore," the boy greeted him politely before settling into the chair.

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Professor Dumbledore is fine, young man. Or Headmaster, if you prefer."

"We had a brief chat before coming, but I thought it best to include you as well…" McGonagall added, casting a glance at her mentor.

A comfortable silence settled over the room as they all relaxed into their seats.

"Well," Dumbledore nodded to McGonagall, then turned his attention to Maverick. "I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time, Mr. Caesar. But before we get into it, how about some tea? Or have you had breakfast yet?"

"Thank you, Professor, but I've already had breakfast and shared some tea with Professor McGonagall earlier."

Dumbledore smiled gently and nodded. "Very well, then. Let's get to the matter at hand." He reached into a drawer, retrieved a book, and placed it carefully on the desk. "I understand you wish to teach Muggle science here at Hogwarts."

Maverick subtly observed the famous wizard as he spoke. This was no frail old man—nothing like the typical wise wizard or a Gandalf figure.

To the average person, Dumbledore would appear to be nothing more than warm, friendly, and effortlessly charming.

But to Maverick, the calmness was almost too perfect, as if it had been honed over years of practice.

That was his conclusion, formed from his keen observations and his familiarity with the character of Albus Dumbledore from the stories he had read in his previous life.

There were no other subtle tells, no shifts in expression to analyze. His non-magical espionage skills were almost entirely useless against this quiet, controlled presence.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he maintained his steady confidence and replied, "Yes, Professor. I believe it's necessary for the British magical community to learn more about Muggle science."

Dumbledore's expression remained calm and measured, much like someone assessing a new staff member, as he listened to Maverick's answer. In truth, it wasn't far off.

He leaned back in his chair, taking a moment before speaking with a thoughtful tone.

"I've had a look at your work. It's impressive," he said. "The re

"I agree, Mr. Caesar. It would be a pleasure to have you join us as a professor at Hogwarts. Though, I must say, our plans may differ slightly from what you have in mind."

Maverick noted how effortlessly the old wizard steered the conversation in a new direction. He chose not to press further. This discussion could always resume at another time.

Maverick's eyes lit up at Dumbledore's sudden declaration, and he met the older man's gaze.

"Don't look so surprised, Mr. Caesar," Dumbledore said with a faint smile. "In truth, even if your book hadn't been as impressive, or if the discussion we just had wasn't as insightful, we still intended to bring you on board. In fact, had you delayed in sending your manuscript to Professor McGonagall, I would have instructed her to send you an invitation myself."

Maverick cast a genuinely puzzled glance at both of them, and McGonagall met his gaze with a faintly amused expression.

"Mr. Caesar, are you forgetting that you're a master alchemist? The youngest ever recorded in modern magical history?" she said, her tone carrying a hint of pride, even though she had no part in his accomplishment. That was simply who she was—a witch of great character, free from unnecessary feelings like jealousy.

Maverick silently gave a mental five-star review to the motherly witch before returning to the matter at hand.

He now understood what both of them were implying, but he had never planned to become a professor of alchemy—and still didn't. Without missing a beat, he responded firmly, "But, Professor, I wish to teach Muggle science, not alchemy."

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Author's Note:

Just a quick update — up to Chapter 95 is already available on P AT r30n!

PAT r30n [.] com / RyanFic