Hogwarts: Don't call me the Staff Maker

Chapter 236 Professor McGonagall tries her best to help

Chapter 237 Professor McGonagall tries her best to help

Harry and Ron went up to the eighth floor, turned into the corridor leading to the Gryffindor Tower, and found Hermione in the common room.

She was doing her homework in a window seat. According to her, although the library was quiet, it could get a bit boring after a while, so it was nice to read a book in the common room occasionally.

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and walked over at the same time.

Ron seemed to want to make a "victory declaration," but Hermione ignored him completely.

"What are you talking about? I have never driven Crookshanks out, I won't now, and I certainly won't!" Hermione said without looking up as she unrolled a new roll of parchment.

"Then, how come it's in the Forbidden Forest—"

"Crooked Mountain is in the Forbidden Forest because it has friends there, and they often hunt and play together." Hermione put down her quill. "Now you know why I think Crooked Mountain couldn't possibly eat Scabbers."

"It never lacks food, so it doesn't need to keep an eye on a single mouse—"

It's unclear what exactly provoked Ron, but in any case, the two parted on bad terms once again.

Harry was caught in the middle and sighed helplessly.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Siron arrived at Professor McGonagall's office door once again.

But someone was already waiting for him here.

"Professor Lupin?" Xiren greeted him.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall, who had heard the commotion, opened her office door.

"Remus?" she looked at Lupin. "Did you come to see me?"

"Ah, yes." Mr. Lupin glanced at Siron, then gave a stiff smirk. "My next lesson is about the Red Hat, but there don't seem to be any of those creatures in the Forbidden Forest. I was thinking—well, could I apply to buy one?"

"Of course, no problem, this is a very reasonable request," Professor McGonagall said.

Magic classes always feature various teaching aids, such as matches, slippers, rabbits, and turtles used in Transfiguration classes.

Most of them were bought.

The "teaching materials fee" allocated to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was the largest, but before that, the professors of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class at Hogwarts were somewhat... well, you could say they were neglecting their duties.

Two years ago, Quirinas Quilleau only knew how to read from the textbook; at the end of the school year, all he bought was a large lizard, and it was just an ordinary lizard.

It's not even a magical creature.

Last year, Gilderoy Lockhart went even further, wanting to apply to buy luxury furniture, claiming it would boost his enthusiasm in class.

Professor McGonagall would never approve such outrageous funding.

Professor Lupin's desire to buy a red hat is arguably the only legitimate application the Defense Against the Dark Arts class has made in recent years.

Professor McGonagall agreed almost without hesitation.

"The red hat will be in your office in two days, Remus," Professor McGonagall said. "Is there anything else needed?"

"No, no need," Lupin said, shaking his head.

Most of his teaching aids were things he had captured himself from the Forbidden Forest. If he had looked carefully, he probably could have found the Red Hat, but he needed a reason just now.

Lupin couldn't help but glance at Xilun again.

He had so many questions to ask that he skipped lunch and came straight here after leaving the underground classroom.

But now is clearly not a good time to speak.

His willingness to believe in Sirius Black doesn't mean everyone else will.

"Professor Lupin," Celan said, "you surely know that red hats shouldn't stay in the office for too long; you'd better move them to an open space outside."

Lupin paused.

He could tell that Sirius wasn't talking about Red Hat, but rather reminding him to get Sirius out of the castle as soon as possible.

"Of course, Mr. Ollivander, I know perfectly well," Lupin said, quickening his pace and soon disappearing around the corner of the corridor.

"You're overstepping your bounds, Siron," Professor McGonagall said. "Professor Lupin is a truly competent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor; there are some things he certainly knows how to do."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Siren said. "I'll remember this."

Professor McGonagall shook her head slightly, finding it somewhat unbelievable—she had just been reminding Siren Lupin that he was a normal professor.

This is truly absurd.

Professor Dumbledore thought to himself, "If he hadn't always brought unreliable people to Hogwarts, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors wouldn't have become such a expendable resource."

Hopefully, Lupin can break the curse this time. She really doesn't want to deal with those two-faced people and liars anymore.

Professor McGonagall shook her head, not wanting to think about it any further, and looked at Siron again.

"Come in, I was just about to look for you," she said.

Xiren went in and saw several sheets of parchment spread out on the table.

"I just read your paper. How should I put it?" Professor McGonagall rubbed her forehead and pondered for a moment before speaking.

"First of all, I must admit that the question you chose is very novel, which is good," she said. "Today's Metamorphosis is very open to new perspectives, so what you write will definitely be carefully reviewed, I can guarantee that."

"But," she changed the subject, "most wizards see magic and wands as being like steak and cutlery."

"Eating steak is inseparable from knives and forks, but when it comes to the taste and texture of steak, they don't think it has anything to do with knives and forks. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes, Professor." Siren nodded.

Professor McGonagall's point is simple: the people at *Transfiguration Today* will definitely read what he writes, but they'll most likely not agree with it.

"Of course, if it were me, I would try to accept this completely new perspective," Professor McGonagall continued, "not because you're my student, but because of that."

She took out a magic wand, the very one that Siren had given her when she was in first grade.

"After receiving this gift, I realized that Transfiguration can be so easy." She waved her hand, and the table in front of her instantly transformed into a lush field of sunflowers.

With another wave of his hand, the flower field transformed into a rushing stream, the cool water splashing through the office and wetting Xilun's robe.

"I feel like my Transfiguration skills have improved to a whole new level," Professor McGonagall said. "But that's only true for Transfiguration. When I use other spells, this wand isn't as easy to use."

"So this is what you referred to in your paper, the uniqueness of the wand, is that right?"

"That's one way to put it, Professor," Siron said. "Every wand is different, so the help they provide to the user will be completely different."

"If you had told me this a few years ago, I would have thought you were talking in your sleep, Siron," Professor McGonagall said with a complicated expression.

She folded the parchment on the table again and handed it to Siron.

"Okay, you can continue writing this paper, it should be fine—I think," she said, though her tone carried a hint of uncertainty, she chose to trust Celen.

"As for 'Today's Transfiguration,' I will help you as much as possible, but there's one thing you'd better remove the title 'The Book of Potions: The Magical Combination of Potions and Wands' from your thesis."

"Why?" Siren asked. "Based on the commonalities of magic, I think this book is very instructive."

"That's right," Professor McGonagall said, "but this book has practically become a forbidden book in potions studies. If it weren't for the author's immense fame, it would have been completely destroyed long ago."

"Whether it's for review by 'Today's Metamorphosis' or for later publication in the magazine, adding this name will only backfire."