Hogwarts: Don't call me the Staff Maker

Chapter 96 Professor McGonagall Answers Questions

Chapter 97 Professor McGonagall Answers Questions

Ron was right. Hermione and Sheren’s points in Herbology class were deducted before they could even enjoy them, but not by Snape, but by Professor McGonagall.

A conflict that began because of Lockhart ended with Lockhart's disheveled departure.

Ravenclaw became the biggest winner, rising from third place in the House rankings to first.

Oliver Wood was furious. He simply couldn't believe that Professor McGonagall would forbid them from using the Quidditch pitch—with the selection of new players just around the corner, how could they be forbidden from using the Quidditch pitch?

"She can't do that!" Wood exclaimed after pacing around the common room a dozen times. "If we can't use the course for two months, we're guaranteed to lose this year's tournament!"

Fred and George also wore unusually serious expressions.

"Luckily, Slytherin can't be used either," George said.

"Don't worry about Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff only has Cedric to watch out for," Fred said thoughtfully. "Looking at it that way, things might not be as bad as they seem."

"If we can't train for two months, they'll all become formidable opponents," Wood said. "I'm going to see Professor McGonagall. We're all going tomorrow. She certainly doesn't want to see us lose the Quidditch Cup."

"Are you sure you can convince Professor McGonagall?" Fred asked.

"We should at least give it a try."

"All right."

"Harry..." Wood called out, "You're coming too, is that alright?"

"Yes, no problem." Harry, sitting in the corner, quickly responded, then looked at Siron next to him.

"Sorry, I didn't quite understand. What did you mean by the special sound you mentioned earlier?"

"It's the kind of sound you've never heard before," Siren said. "Cold and chilling."

Harry thought about it seriously for a moment, "Does Nick, who is almost headless, count? Actually, I get a little creeped out every time I hear a ghost talking."

"Not really."

"That's all then." Harry shook his head.

"are you sure?"

"Hmm... I guess so." Harry hesitated again.

The main problem was that Xilun's words were too general, and he couldn't possibly remember every sound he heard.

However, judging from Harry's expression, Siron had already gotten the answer. He breathed a slight sigh of relief, said nothing more, and continued reading "Human Metamorphosis, From Beginner to Expert" on the table.

This is the first book on parchment, and probably the simplest one, but the content is still more difficult than the Elementary Metamorphosis Guide, and Siron found it somewhat challenging.

He rubbed his sore eyes and began to understand why Professor McGonagall hadn't advised him to learn Animagus transformations right now.

……

The next day, the Quidditch team members went to Professor McGonagall's office early in the morning, and then encountered the Slytherin team coming from the other side of the hallway outside.

They were also there for the stadium, but leading the way was not captain Marcus Flint, but Snape, who had personally brought the team with him.

The Gryffindor members exchanged glances. Although none of them liked this Potions professor who couldn't distinguish right from wrong and always favored Slytherin, they couldn't help but feel a pang of envy at that moment.

"Professor Snape," Oliver Wood greeted him, "We..."

"Make way." Snape, with his usual sneer, completely ignored all the Gryffindor members. Seeing this, the Slytherin members behind him also adopted an arrogant demeanor.

"These guys..." Fred's forehead throbbed with anger, but there was nothing he could do.

Because Snape was on the other side, he had to hold back even if he was angry, otherwise he would only suffer a greater loss.

"George, look at that guy..." Harry's sleeve was suddenly tugged, and he pointed to the end of the Slytherin line. "Could that be Malfoy?"

Fred followed the gaze and, sure enough, among the group of physically strong Slytherin players, a blond head stood out.

Draco Malfoy, wearing his brand-new team uniform, was trying to straighten his back, but he was still half a head shorter than the person next to him.

He also saw something even more astonishing—the team members were all holding shiny new brooms.

Merlin's beard! Fred couldn't help but lick his lips. He was so surprised that he even forgot to correct Harry for confusing him with George again, and hurriedly nudged Oliver Wood's sleeve with his elbow.

"Oliver, you..."

"I saw them." Wood's voice trembled. "They're all Nimbus 2001s, the latest model of brooms this year."

The Gryffindor team members fell even more silent.

Their team's best broom is Harry's Nimbus 2000, and they only have one.

The others... Fred and George were still using the Five Stars, a model from over thirty years ago.

Perhaps their gazes were too obvious, for the Slytherin players on the other side noticed. They exchanged glances, then in unison turned their brooms around, deliberately flipping the gold "Nimbus 2001" label over, a clear sign of provocation.

The seven Nimbus 2001s pressed down on Wood like a mountain, and a sense of powerlessness quickly spread throughout his body. For some reason, a thought suddenly popped into his head: he hoped Professor McGonagall would insist on not letting them use the Quidditch pitch.

This seems to be the only way to extinguish Slytherin's arrogance.

Snape noticed this too, let out a sneer, and confidently knocked on the office door.

As a colleague, Professor McGonagall would likely give him face; he was eagerly anticipating Gryffindor's crushing defeat on the Quidditch pitch.

"Knock knock..."

The sound echoed in the empty corridor.

"Professor McGonagall, it seems they're looking for you."

On the second floor, in a small room next to the library, Xilun glanced outside and caught a glimpse of a figure appearing and disappearing upstairs through the half-open door.

"No, you've misread it," Professor McGonagall said without looking up. She waved her wand, separated a portion of the magazine, and tucked it between the pages of the book.

"These articles should be helpful to you. Did you understand what I said before?"

"I can understand most of it," Xilun nodded.

I stayed up all night yesterday and didn't finish reading that thick book, "Human Metamorphosis: From Beginner to Expert," until dawn. Of course, there were some things I didn't understand, and quite a lot of them, so I simply went to see Professor McGonagall.

He was then taken to a small study next to the library.

This is the second time Siron has been here. The first time was last semester when he and the Weasley brothers were caught red-handed by Professor McGonagall when they came out of the secret passage with the Willow Branch. It was here that he lost two hundred points.

It felt quite welcoming to be back again.

"I suggest you read these books along with the 'Intermediate Transformation Guide' and the 'Advanced Transformation Guide'. The library should have both of these books." Professor McGonagall returned the books to Siron.

"Yes, but Mrs. Pince won't let me borrow that many," Celen said. "I'm going to buy a copy at Flourish and Blotts."

Professor McGonagall nodded; there was nothing she could do to help with that.

Mrs. Pince of the library and Mrs. Pomfrey of the school hospital are usually not subject to interference from Dumbledore, the headmaster.

In other words, if Dumbledore spoke loudly in the library or the school hospital, he would be kicked out without hesitation.

Although her insistence might change Mrs. Pince's mind, there was no need for it.

Anyway, both "Intermediate Transformation Guide" and "Advanced Transformation Guide" are textbooks used in higher grades, so I'll have to buy them eventually.

"You can send a letter to Flourish and Blotts using the school's owl, and they'll send you what you need," Professor McGonagall suggested.

"Any other questions?"

"That's all." Xilun shook his head.

"Remember to close the door properly," Professor McGonagall said. "Also, I'd like to handle some things quietly today." She gestured to a thick stack of parchment on the table.

"Understood," Celen said with a smile. "I've been in the library all day and haven't had time to chat with the team members."

Professor McGonagall nodded almost imperceptibly.

Xilun took the book and walked outside, but stopped when he opened the door.

"What's wrong?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"That's how it is." Siren thought for a moment and said, "When I borrowed books yesterday, I accidentally came across the legend of a secret room in the school. Salazar Slytherin left a monster inside that can cleanse..."

"That's utter nonsense." Before Siron could finish speaking, Professor McGonagall impatiently interrupted him.

"There are no locked rooms in the school, and certainly no monsters. Salazar Slytherin, do you think anything can live for a thousand years?"

"It seems so..."

"Mr. Ollivander, I can answer your questions about Transfiguration, but not about vague legends."

Xilun's words were interrupted once again.

"If you still want to learn Animagus transformations, I hope you can focus your energy on truly useful books. Okay, you can go back now."

Xiren stood in the corridor, looking at the closed door behind him, and shrugged helplessly.

Well, he should have thought of that sooner.

He then looked up at the building again. The people who had gathered outside Professor McGonagall's office had left. He saw Snape riding the stairs, walking down the stairs menacingly, his gloomy face looking like it could drip water.

We can't afford to mess with them.

Siron quickly looked away and saw Lockhart in the opposite corridor. He had changed into a light purple robe and was dressed like a peacock, signing autographs for two young wizards.

However, he would occasionally look up nervously, as if afraid that Pikachu would suddenly jump out from some corner and pour a bag of flour on his head.

Hmm, it doesn't seem to be any different from before.

Xilun yawned, preparing to go downstairs to the auditorium for breakfast before returning to his dorm to catch up on sleep. It was the weekend, and he could sleep until noon.

……

(End of this chapter)