Elena looked around. It had been almost a month since the last time she came here. During this time, everything in the room seemed to be magically restored.
The fine silverware that had fallen was back on the slender-legged table, quietly rotating, emitting smoke.
Phineas Nigellus's portrait was hung back on the wall. The old portraits of boys and girls from Hogwarts were nodding in their frames, their heads lazily resting on the armchair or on the portrait.
On the coat rack near the door, the Phoenix with its beautiful red-gold tail glanced at the little silver Loli, its claws moved slightly towards Dumbledore, and then continued preening its feathers.
"I have endured the reprimand and admitted the mistake; I also proposed in the manuscript how to address the follow-up plan of Gu Ling Pavilion; on the branch, I believe everyone voluntarily offers their own ideas, so..."
Without waiting for Dumbledore to speak again, Elena erupted like a cannon and spoke a lot, turning to the side, grabbing the door handle and pushing it forcefully.
The door did not open.
Elena turned to look at Dumbledore.
"Allow me to pass," said the girl.
"No," said Dumbledore simply.
The two stared at each other for a few seconds.
"Allow me to pass," Elena said again.
"No," repeated Dumbledore.
Boom! Bang!
Elena pounded the wooden door forcefully, turned helplessly, covered her ears with both hands, looked at the old man, "Well, then, say it."
This girl is sometimes really difficult to assess accurately and define, and Dumbledore shook his head helplessly.
"Perhaps, I think before everything begins, I need to apologize to you first."
The old man thought for a moment and said calmly and serenely, "Since the last time you left Hogwarts, I have not communicated well with you. I have to admit an error of an elder: deliberately separating you from magic was not a good idea."
Huh?
The silver-haired Loli, full of resistance, blinked with curiosity and her hands loosened slightly. Could she be hearing wrong? Was Dumbledore actually apologizing?
"Very beautiful [fluorescent flashes], I mean not just the spell itself, but the precious qualities that shine in this matter. I reckon among the countless first-year students at Hogwarts, perhaps you may never see a brighter light than this."
Dumbledore's warm smile, the appreciative expression in his tone, could not have been clearer.
Even just through Hagrid's words recounted by Professor McGonagall, he could clearly imagine Elena raising her wand to illuminate the dark picture for the new students.
Based on that alone, Dumbledore could determine that she was different from the rest. Perhaps, in the way of girls, he should make more attempts.
"Please, sit down and, by the way, the fruit pastries won't taste as good once they're cold."
Seeing the vigilance in the girl's eyes gradually disappear, Dumbledore smiled slightly, waved his wand, and several golden dinner plates appeared on the desk, filled with various desserts that had just appeared at dinner.
"Oh, by the way, I think... perhaps you need a pot of hot honeyed tea?"
Growl~
The little silver-haired Loli swallowed slightly. In the previous meal, she had dedicated it to the little Hannah. In fact, she didn't eat too much, so she secretly stashed some away.
"Aren't we going to dig up the old issue and revisit the past?" Elena asked softly.
"We won't."
"So what about the threat of the sorting hat?"
Dumbledore smiled and said, "That's not going to happen. In fact, I always felt that our actions were too careless and casual."
"You promise!"
"I promise," nodded the old man.
Well, it seems there's no danger.
Elena thought carefully and, without hesitation, bravely approached the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk and sat down.
"Alright, Professor Dumbledore, what do you wish to say? You made me come here not just to praise me."
The girl took the cold fruit pie from her robe, set it aside, and with a spoon scooped up the trembling mango pudding, sucking it, and asked in confusion.
"As you can see, due to some actions of Miss Elena, it is inevitable that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will encounter problems in the upcoming semester."
The old man placed his flat hands on the table, looked at the little girl in front of him with interest, and said gently.
"Professor Dumbledore, don't rely on me in this matter, you also have your part. Besides, I don't recall proposing any austerity school plan."
Elena shrugged and took a calm sip of honey tea, then responded nonchalantly. Anyway, she would do whatever she could, and the rest was all Dumbledore's problem.
"Yes, you're right. In fact, there was no such plan before. This is one of the reasons I spoke with you tonight. I suppose maybe I can get some inspiration from you."
Puff!
Cough, cough, cough!
Upon hearing Dumbledore's words, the little silver-haired Loli who was drinking honey black tea choked violently, provoking a fierce cough.
"Wait wait... what are you talking about?"
Elena thumped her chest hard and finally exhaled, looking incredulously at the old wizard with a white beard.
"So, what you said to the Ministry of Magic tonight was blindly invented on the spot?!"
"I couldn't expect the goblin to have such a response," said Dumbledore with a hint of helplessness, "For the sake of the future of the magical world and Hogwarts, sometimes we need to make certain necessary compromises. Not to mention, I thought of it, so it would be safer for you."
"So, at the end of the dinner, the so-called 'Regulations for the Adjustment of the Special Period of Hogwarts'..."
"Yes, it was also temporarily conceived. For now, only a few measures have been taken," nodded Dumbledore with a smile.
The restraint of expenses that involves the entire school level has never been a simple matter, and this is further complicated in a magic school.
Not to mention the classes of herbology, potions, magical animal protection... These courses require a large amount of magical materials, even courses like transformations, curses, and even the history of magic, are inevitably frequently used. The lack of teaching aids can consume a lot of parchment.
Therefore, Dumbledore took a week to discuss with the teachers of various subjects how to revise the teaching plan and how to save as much money as possible to maintain the daily operations of Hogwarts.
"Wait, and what does this have to do with me? I'm just an ordinary first-year student. Shouldn't it be the headmaster's job?"
Elena set aside the dessert she had in her hand and smiled reluctantly.
"As you said, after all, we are all involved in this matter. Moreover, one of the reasons for the 'Hogwarts Regulations for the Adjustment of the Special Period' is to divert attention from all this from the school and from you."
Dumbledore looked tenderly at Elena and said clearly, "So I think you have the responsibility and obligation to help solve the subsequent problems."
"But..."
Elena suddenly had an ominous premonition, as if a dark pot covering the sky was approaching her, knowing that she should not be greedy.
"The most important responsibility of the school is to educate the students, not to mention that I just want to hear your opinions."
Dumbledore interrupted her and said gently, "You should also be able to think that with the arrival of the Regulations, you will inevitably create resistance or panic among the students. There are many unique and effective ways to soothe and mobilize the emotions of the young. Most importantly, it's about how to get through the transition period before the 'Regulations' take shape."
"No, I think you are embarrassing my fat tiger!"
Elena rolled her eyes weakly, knowing that this old radish did not have good intentions.
"I think when it comes to Elena Kaslana, she is fully capable of doing this."
Dumbledore responded with a slightly humorous tone, paused, and the old man asked somewhat curiously.
"By the way, who is the fat tiger?"
.....
Want to read ahead by more than 60 chapters. Then join my p@treon Right Now.
Link: p*atreon.com/BookReaderBoy (Remove the *)
Also Free members get 2 advanced chapters for Free as well.