A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts-Chapter 732: Side Story - Potter

Until nine in the evening, Harry finally escaped the endless rounds of toasts. It was his last day in office, and his colleagues were enthusiastic. The last thing he remembered was Hermione's beaming smile at him, followed by a ginormous goblet pushed under his nose—Ron, no doubt about it. Harry thought with gritted teeth, the unmistakable red hair and freckles.

"Mr. Potter, are you awake? Miss Granger asked me to send you to the island," a voice said. Harry spun around to find two staff members behind him. "Oh, thanks," he muttered, massaging his throbbing forehead.

"Don't mention it, we're heading there for some work," they replied, then left.

Harry wandered aimlessly along the path, past flowering shrubs and towering trees, thankful for Professor Sprout and all the Herbology teachers who contributed to the greening of the island. Feeling somewhat more clear-headed, he found his way to a public broom shed. Ten minutes later, Harry was knocking on the door of his island residence. Ginny opened it, hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"Whose fault should I blame for this?" she hissed like an angry cat.

"Ron," Harry quickly replied, and Ginny almost laughed, "I knew it." She ushered Harry in, guiding him to a seat. On the table was a half-written article.

"…The retired Viktor Krum will miss the 426th Quidditch World Cup, expressing regret at missing this grand event in an interview."

Harry read while sipping tea. Ginny came out with eggs and sausages, "Thanks, love!" Harry devoured the meal eagerly.

"Are the kids asleep?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Krum won't be playing."

"Yeah, his performance has declined significantly in recent years. I think the intensive training and continuous competitions wore him down. I've analyzed his videos—he was too determined to win. A few years off might do him good." Ginny shared her professional insight. After graduating, she played for the Holyhead Harpies, then became a Quidditch columnist for the Daily Prophet.

"Guess who I ran into today?" Ginny asked.

Harry, concerned, choked on his egg, "Not Snape?"

"How did you think of him?" Ginny patted Harry's back, deciding not to divulge Snape's potential attendance at Lily's birthday party (after all, Snape had called her a foolish girl).

"It was Luna, Luna!" Ginny giggled, "She was busy with her little one."

"What?" Harry couldn't believe it, spitting out his half-chewed sausage, then mused, "A magical creature's baby?"

Ginny cleared her throat.

"…They returned from the jungle with some sapphires and unidentified feathers, which turned out to be eggs of an unknown magical creature… well, not discovered, actually. Luna set one of the stones into her clothing, apparently Rolf's idea. Due to the island's magical fluctuations, the egg hatched while they were shopping."

Harry was astounded.

"That bird's pretty, emitting colorful light," Ginny smiled, "You might notice Luna wearing the eggshell as a brooch, perfectly matching her unique outfit…"

Late at night, Harry stood at the window, admiring the island's night view.

Ginny wrapped her arms around him. They stood silently together, enjoying the peaceful night. The deep blue sky was dotted with glowing buildings, more dazzling than the stars at sea, one of which belonged to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"What are you thinking about?" Ginny asked.

"Dumbledore," Harry replied unexpectedly. Ginny looked up in confusion. Harry sighed, "I'm just realizing what precious thing Dumbledore left me." He spoke solemnly, "Memories."

"Memories?"

"Yeah." Harry murmured, "Professor Harp once reminded me, but I didn't pay much attention. I was focused on completing Dumbledore's biography. During my graduation trip, I visited the site of his duel with Grindelwald, traveled to Brazil, the USA, Nepal, following the legendary footsteps… It's only in recent years that the effects have become apparent. Professor Harp said some of my magic is nearing the level of a great wizard, not just the Patronus. I often have moments of inspiration during training…"

"Let's visit the school sometime," Ginny whispered, "Luna said many professors are considering retirement."

"Maybe after the World Cup; I'm swamped lately. Professor Harp mentioned someone might disrupt the opening ceremony."

"What?" Ginny gasped, "But—how—Is the news true? The island has never been attacked."

Harry was equally puzzled, but for different reasons. He recalled the professor's note with precise coordinates of twelve locations on the island, including the Wizard-Muggle Joint Hospital, the headquarters of the International Pan-Magical Alliance, Future World Corporation, the Moon Support Center, and several landmark buildings.

"Possibly spots of

unrest during the opening ceremony," the professor said vaguely.

But as Ginny pointed out, how could the professor know so precisely? Memory magic? But the event hasn't happened yet, so how could he foresee it? Riding his broom around the island gave Harry an idea—perhaps related to Hermione—he suspected the professor had a Time-Turner, but those could only go back in time, not forward.

Seeing the professor's demeanor, it didn't seem like a major issue…

"Maybe they found some clues," Harry shook his head, keeping his doubts to himself. "He's put me in charge, seems like a test. I'm worried we're understaffed. There are two hundred Aurors and a thousand Hit Wizards on the island, but compared to the tourists coming for the World Cup, it's not enough."

Ginny pondered, then her eyebrows relaxed, "Why worry? This is your home turf."

"My turf?" Harry repeated, thinking. He wasn't sure if Ginny meant the island's residents, who weren't warriors, but… A thought crossed his mind, and his eyes lit up, "Hogwarts! The frontline lookout, the Serpent's Tail Club!"

"And the Order of the Phoenix. Sirius has been complaining about being bored in retirement, right?" Ginny raised an eyebrow, and Harry, thinking of his godfather's character, nodded, "That's true."

The exclusive wand school on the island is the only place teaching magic, but its students are special—those unable to use magic normally (known as "squibs"), both children and adults. Compared to other magic schools, the island has a unique advantage: it has the highest density of wizards in the world, combined with the island's ability to collect stray magic, it can better replenish the magical consumption within exclusive wands, hence the school's limited enrollment, accepting no more than two thousand people from around the world each year, aiming to help "squibs" master basic spellcasting.

"So don't worry, I believe in you. You're the hero who conquered the Dark Lord."

Harry touched his nose, feeling it itch, and muttered, "Not many believe that, and Voldemort was very weak then—" Ginny silenced him with a kiss, and they parted after a long while.

"I also visited Astoria in the hospital," Ginny said breathlessly, her arms hanging around Harry's neck.

Harry struggled to calm his racing heart and followed up on Ginny's mention, "Is she alright?" He had seen Astoria last year, noticing her complexion turning pale, a trait of the Greengrass family.

"It's bad," Ginny said, "It's a unique curse, its origins unknown, identifiable only by symptoms related to blood. The curse is intangible, lurking in the entire Greengrass family, but it chose her. Her sister, Daphne, is unaffected."

Ginny held on tighter, and Harry found it hard to breathe, but he felt her fear. He remembered Astoria from school, two grades below him, his biggest memory being her riding a puppet snake around the Black Lake, appearing carefree and cheerful, a stark contrast to her frail appearance now.

An unknowable curse, Harry thought, his mind racing with connections: Greengrass, Malfoy, Professor Harp… Then, Ginny hesitated before adding, "Albus made a new friend."

"You mean Scorpius?" Harry blurted out, caught up in his thoughts.

Ginny gave him a puzzled look, "I didn't know you two were so close."

Lying in bed, Harry pondered his tasks for tomorrow: reporting to the island headquarters, even though the official appointment announcement would take some time, but with Professor Harp throwing such a tricky issue his way, he better start early. Fortunately, he was familiar with the island, but he still needed to meet this year's foreign Aurors. He also planned to visit the twelve locations mentioned on the note—after returning from the hospital, he first visited Lupin, where Teddy proved to be more likable than his own rambunctious sons; then, he visited the Moon Support Center, vaguely recalling something about a Space Island project, was it about building an island in space? But he was urgently called back before he could grasp the details.

Harry's thoughts wandered: Ron said he didn't want a promotion, happy as a director, unlike Percy, who saw becoming Minister of Magic as a family mission. Harry thought of Malfoy and Astoria, drifting between sleep and wakefulness, he decided to talk to Professor Harp, or maybe Hermione first… Professor Harp's current state was a bit frightening. If he didn't know better, he'd suspect the professor had become a ghost.

Muttering dismissively, he let go of the improbable thought. The corner of the room echoed with a baby's babbling, and Lily Potter turned over. Harry, smelling Ginny's hair, drifted to sleep.

The next morning, baby cries woke

Harry. Yawning and putting on his glasses, he saw Ginny caring for their daughter, "Look!" Ginny was excited. Harry saw the baby wetting her lips like a fish, creating a bubble, and laughing at it.

"That's interesting," Harry said, reminded of the merpeople in the Black Lake.

At breakfast, the family watched magical TV while eating. An enthusiastic voice reported the morning news, "With an expected eight million visitors to the island! No wonder, it's the first time the island has opened so widely. Imagine, ten thousand people per square kilometer, is that how they live in big cities, in sardine cans?"

It was Lee Jordan, Harry mused at the unchanged TV host.

Lee was part of the second group to arrive on the island—marked by several significant changes. The island has undergone various transformations, each marked by impactful decisions, starting with Professor Harp's island creation. A thousand American wizard families stayed, forming the first group of residents.

The second phase was marked by the relocation of the Future World Corporation headquarters, inviting scientists to research the combination of magic and science. The presence of international organizations and businesses led to a shortage of wizards, prompting the recruitment of wizards from around the world to live and work on the island, including "squibs."

But they preferred being called "low-magic wizards," a term coined by Winifred Warrenton, a teacher at the exclusive wand school, aiming to integrate wizards into various industries. Her educational philosophy, "Empowering wizards in all fields," might earn her next year's 'Dumbledore Award.'

"…The film 'Harry Potter' has reignited a global cinema frenzy. Without saying, you know which movie I'm referring to. Mafalda Prewett, who is four grades below me, rumored not to have received an invitation to Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley's wedding, but my good brother assures me it's nonsense. She just missed the oath-taking ceremony due to a sudden illness, preventing her from riding a broom…"

Harry and Ginny shared a smile.

James, puzzled, exclaimed, "So, it was you guys? Or Uncle Fred or George? My God, I've always admired her—"

"It's no big deal," Ginny said nonchalantly, "You admire her stories, which are about your father." She glanced at the cradle, noting the baby avoiding the nipple, her brows furrowing, "Strange, the milk in the bottle hasn't decreased at all."

After trying the bottle, the baby kept dodging it, scrunching her face and kicking. Ginny eyed James, the household's most mischievous and capable—seemingly influenced by his godfather.

James swore innocence. "Not me!" His gaze shifted to Albus. "I heard Albus say he missed the taste of the nipple." James snickered, seeing this as a sign of immaturity. Five-year-old Albus lowered his head, whispering, "I'm done eating."

"Can I play near the hospital?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks. "To see a friend?" "Oh, yes." Albus replied hesitantly. "Be back early; we're visiting the Lupins."

"I doubt he'll have time for us," James said seriously, "He's busy caring for those furry…" He covered his mouth, mumbling, "I mean, little problems."

Harry chuckled. He waved his wand, wrapping a golden thread around Albus's and James's clothes.

"What's this?" the brothers asked in unison.

"Trace," Harry answered.

"Cool!" James gave a thumbs up.

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