Hogwarts: A Chinese-Style Professor

Chapter 293 The Two Anxious Individuals

Three days later, Professor McGonagall, with a heavy heart, knocked on the principal's office door.

She clutched a file folder tightly in her hand, containing a copy of Li Wei's thesis, along with some additions she had written after careful consideration.

"Please come in," Dumbledore's gentle voice came from inside the door.

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and solemnly.

In her mind, this would be a difficult battle of persuasion, and could very well escalate into a dispute over principles.

Professor McGonagall entered, and with just one glance, her unease intensified. Dumbledore's expression at that moment looked unusually serious.

Was he preoccupied, or was he behaving this way because he saw her being so serious?

Neither of these scenarios is good news for what she's about to say.
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, considering how to begin.

Fortunately, Dumbledore, though serious, still took the initiative to speak.

“Minerva, what’s wrong?” He gestured to the armchair beside him. “You look like you just deducted fifty points from Gryffindor.”

Oh—do I have one?

Professor McGonagall touched her face, feeling even more nervous.

Unbeknownst to her, the headmaster, who was secretly observing her, was far more nervous than she was.
From the moment Minerva walked in, Dumbledore noticed the file folder in her hand.

Judging from the other person's serious expression, he felt as if he had already guessed why the other person had come here.

Judging by the time, the Winter Festival has already ended, and given Li Wei's style, he must have already begun his actions.
Dumbledore glanced subtly at Professor McGonagall, whose face was tense, and instinctively straightened his back, leaning forward as well, his attitude becoming extremely serious.

Seeing his expression, Professor McGonagall was also at her wit's end. She straightened her back, placed the file folder in front of Dumbledore, clasped her hands on her knees, and carefully said:

"What's inside represents a regression for Hogwarts. Take a look."

"Don't be angry." Dumbledore opened the file folder, not daring to look at Professor McGonagall's face again—he suddenly began to feel a little unsure about his next words of persuasion.

Li Wei, you're something else! You actually dared to bring this up with Minerva. Minerva's words about Hogwarts' regression were a bit too harsh.

During past wars, Hogwarts broke the ironclad rule against teaching students dark magic several times. In fact, if everything was under control and Levi was in charge, Dumbledore would be at ease.

Not to mention, Livy taught his students dark magic for a longer and more noble plan.
The file folder opened on its own, and Dumbledore immediately saw the title at the top—sure enough, Livy had done it after all.

And it did even better than he had imagined.

Dumbledore tried his best to suppress a satisfied expression; in fact, his facial skin was even more taut.

Livy's proposal was so well-written, and he was willing to put in a lot of effort to lead and advance the matter, that Dumbledore couldn't find a reason to object—therefore, he had to persuade the enraged Minerva next.
Thinking of this, Dumbledore smiled bitterly to himself.

Didn't Li Wei say he would handle it? In the end, how come it's back to him?
However, it would be nice to do something for him—after all, I owe him quite a lot lately.

Since the other party entered the legendary realm, I have no longer been able to offer anything that can move them.

On the contrary, it was his educational initiatives that always made him feel both alarmed and genuinely delighted—perhaps this was the reason why he agreed to let Levi teach his students black magic.

Only Li Wei can grasp those minute details and do all of this well.

"how are you feeling?"

Professor McGonagall kept her eyes fixed on Dumbledore, observing his reaction—while he was being questioned, she had already prepared her words of persuasion in her mind. However, Dumbledore did not stand up immediately as she had expected, nor did he show an expression of extreme disapproval.

Instead, there was an unexpected calm.

After a few seconds of silence, Dumbledore slowly spoke:
"Ah, actually Li Wei and I have discussed this matter. I have already emphasized to him how challenging this matter is for my nerves. In fact, I completely understand your anger."

When I heard about this, my expression was the same as yours.

Dumbledore paused, discreetly observing Professor McGonagall's expression, only to find that she was also looking at him—their gazes met in the air—and just as they were about to meet, they both recoiled as if struck by lightning.

“Uh—Dumbledore—you’ve been away from school all this time, so you probably don’t know what Levi has been up to.”

“I know—” Dumbledore interrupted her, unusually, because he didn’t want Professor McGonagall’s resistance to escalate further. “The portraits in the castle have told me all about it.”

"Oh—" Professor McGonagall looked embarrassed by the interruption, her hands clenching even tighter until her knuckles turned white. "So what do you think?"

Dumbledore looked at her and carefully chose his words:

"This was a difficult decision."

“Of course—” Professor McGonagall responded enthusiastically.

Dumbledore continued:

"First of all, I don't think you need to be so angry."

“Yes, this matter is infuriating—” Professor McGonagall’s voice suddenly rose, filled with disbelief and astonishment, a somewhat comical contrast to her earlier solemnity.

"Wait—wait a minute, you're not angry?"

Professor McGonagall stared wide-eyed at Dumbledore.

"Angry?" Dumbledore paused for a second, then immediately understood everything and said with a strange expression, "You're here to help Livy persuade me?"

Professor McGonagall's expression also became strange; her voice softened, and a helpless smile appeared in her eyes.

"So, the two of us, one thinking the other would strongly object, and the other hesitant to speak up because we were worried the other wouldn't accept it, ended up worrying for nothing?"

"It seems so." Dumbledore's face broke into a happy smile, his eyes narrowing into slits. "I suppose this is what they call tacit understanding?"

Thinking of this, a great weight was lifted from his heart, and he also became somewhat sentimental.

“You’re right, Minerva. It seems I’ve been neglecting the campus lately—I didn’t even notice how much you’ve changed.”

Professor McGonagall glanced at him, and the slight resentment that had accumulated over the past few days vanished in an instant.

The fact that the two of them could reach a consensus on Li Wei's matter shows that they are still the best partners.

"No—Albus, I was too harsh with you earlier—you have your own things to do, don't you?"

Their eyes met again, and this time, they both smiled with relief.

Thanks, Li Wei.

Dumbledore thought to himself.

(End of this chapter)