Hogwarts: A Chinese-Style Professor

Chapter 34 Facing Dumbledore
In the principal's office.

Livy and Dumbledore sat facing each other.

"Still lemon black tea?"

"No, it's late at night, I don't want to drink anything."

Li Wei declined Dumbledore's offer; he had no appetite for anything at the moment.

"We're probably going to talk for a long time, so I think you should have a drink—hot cocoa, okay?"

Dumbledore conjured a cup out of thin air for himself and raised it to Li Wei—seeing the other nod with a slightly softened expression, he then smiled and conjured up an identical cup of hot cocoa on the table in front of Li Wei.

"Li Wei, I have to admit that I didn't pay much attention to you during your student days, and therefore I know very little about you."

That was my original intention.

Li Wei lowered his head, took a sip of hot cocoa, and said nothing.

"Because I want to invite you to teach at Hogwarts, I've done some research on your background and what you've been doing in recent years—I hope you don't mind, because I don't have any other way to learn about you."

“It’s alright, Headmaster. You’re just being responsible for the students’ safety. I don’t think Hogwarts is that absurd to appoint someone whose background is unclear as a professor.”

"Thank you for your understanding."

Dumbledore continued on.

"But in fact, after I tried to search for information about you, I still know very little about you—to put it bluntly, your actions after graduation are like those of a ghost."

Even during wartime, there is no record of information about you anywhere.

The only thing I know is that you and Minerva had a long pen pal relationship. I'm very curious about what you've done since graduation. Would you be willing to satisfy this old man's curiosity?

"We seem to have gone off-topic? Headmaster, I thought you came to talk to me about the Basilisk."

“Oh—” Dumbledore responded belatedly, but still insisted, “You know, people like to reminisce about the past when they get older.”

Not only do they reminisce about their own past, but they also often crave strength from the memories of others.

"And I assure you, what we are talking about now is related to the basilisk."

Li Wei lowered his eyes, neither confirming nor denying his statement, and said indifferently:

"Just ask me whatever you want to know."

"Hmm—why does the atmosphere feel a bit like an interrogation? This is not my intention."

Dumbledore took a sip of hot cocoa.

When he put the cup down, he abruptly changed the subject and started talking about another topic.

"How about we talk about awards first? Would that motivate you?"

"A commendation?"

"Of course, you did me a great favor by protecting the students of Hogwarts from the Basilisk. All the teachers and students in the school are grateful to you."

Although you are a professor at the school and bear some responsibility for its safety, as the principal, I would also like to express my special gratitude for your outstanding contributions.

He leaned forward slightly, his tone casual, as if sharing a trivial secret—

"For example, we could talk about how to increase magic power, how about that?"

"."

Li Wei silently tapped his index finger on the back of the chair, and the rhythm suddenly paused for half a second.

He slowly sat up straight, his gaze toward Dumbledore now filled with a more probing look.

Dumbledore was pleased with his reaction, a faint smile flashing across his eyes—in fact, he admired Levi's dedication to magic, but worried that it might lead him astray.

"You seem surprised? What, do you think I'm someone who's overly protective of what I have?" "I don't know, Professor. In most cases, you probably aren't."

Levi boldly stared directly into Dumbledore's eyes—an extremely dangerous act among wizards.

The eyes are the windows to the soul. A sorcerer skilled in mind control can often easily obtain a person's thoughts through eye contact, even if the person has not used any spells.

But which of the two people present wasn't an expert in Occlumency?
Rather than being offensive, Livy's gesture was more of a show of sincerity—which Dumbledore undoubtedly received.

"But who knows? Even though you investigated me, I think I know you better than you know me."

"What have you learned? I hope those reports haven't portrayed me too distortedly."

When Li Wei deliberately went off-topic, Dumbledore simply smiled and continued the conversation along the lines.

"There are both good and bad things."

Li Wei's gaze did not waver in the slightest, his eyes calm to the point of being almost indifferent—even Dumbledore, under such constant scrutiny, couldn't help but feel a strange sense of being thoroughly dissected.

"For example, you are recognized as the greatest white wizard of this century, having led the defeat of two generations of dark wizards who swept the entire magical world with disaster. Countless people regard you as a beacon against darkness."

But privately, they gossip about you, believing that the power you wield far exceeds what ordinary people imagine, and that your will has long been above the law. I've heard many people call you that.

"The White Demon King".

Dumbledore's smile remained unchanged; he simply uttered a soft "hmm," as if pondering the deeper meaning of the word.

There's one thing I need to correct you on.

Li Wei's figure was reflected in his deep blue eyes.

"Whether it was the First or the Second War, many remarkable wizards silently contributed their strength. Without them, it would have been impossible for me to accomplish those things on my own. I am not as great as the newspapers make me out to be."

"Yes, I sincerely admire those people."

Li Wei's tone was sincere, truly heartfelt.

but,
Dumbledore's words suddenly pierced through like a sharp sword at that moment!

"But you don't want to be like them, do you?"

"."

".yes."

Li Wei's voice was somewhat hoarse, as if it were being squeezed out of his throat.

But the next second, his voice returned to normal.

“I don’t mind helping others when I can, but I would never risk my life for it.”

He frankly admitted this.

Dumbledore nodded, not rushing to comment, but continuing to ask:

"Anything else? I have to say, it's a really fresh and interesting thing to hear other people's opinions of me."

Furthermore, I don't believe those messages are enough to cause you to misunderstand me.

Li Wei noticed his composure and, recalling Dumbledore's earlier thrust, exhaled lightly and a faint, mocking smile appeared on his lips—at this moment, he did resemble Snape somewhat.

"Yes, there is, but what I'm about to say might not be what you want to hear."

"I think jarring sounds are necessary; they keep us alert, don't they?"

Seeing Dumbledore say this, Li Wei naturally wouldn't indulge him any longer.

"For example, you were once very close to the Dark Lord Grindelwald, and even proposed a dangerous idea—"

(End of this chapter)