Hogwarts: My Yorozuya has no taboos!

Chapter 31 The Aftermath of Chaos [Seeking monthly votes and any other support!]

"Go, you idiot, take it outside to eat!"

Hagrid filled another pot with water from the water tank outside the cabin and put it into the brazier. When he returned, he saw Tooth devouring a dead ferret. He threw the bloody, mangled mess of flesh out of the cabin and chased Tooth out with him.

"Go on, Hagrid!"

Harry urged eagerly.

"Where was I? Oh, rumors...yes, rumors flying everywhere!"

Hagrid slammed back onto the bed, causing the small room to shake twice.

"You guys definitely haven't read the newspaper, Harry, Ron."

The Daily Prophet published an interview with the Minister of Magic, who told people that not a single student had died in the disaster—but, alas, you don't understand the Minister of Magic; his words don't carry much credibility with the public, and nobody believes him.

"Where is Professor Dumbledore?"

Harry asked,

"Shouldn't people believe him?"

"He's trapped too."

Hagrid said sympathetically,

"I ran into him at the castle this morning... I've never seen him look that tired in all these years—he probably hasn't slept for two nights."

The Daily Prophet reporters have gone completely mad; they won't listen to any advice and are determined to storm the school and see how many young wizards have perished...

Last night, the centaurs sent word that they had caught a few trying to sneak into the school from the Forbidden Forest, and asked if I could just kill them... Oh, don't worry, Dumbledore has already spoken to them, and the reporters are safe.

This alone gives you an idea of ​​how much effort Dumbledore went to keep them out of the school.

He also had to write back to those students' parents... at least several hundred parents wrote, demanding that Dumbledore reveal the truth about the Hogwarts Express going out of control—really, he didn't break the train.

The Board of Governors is also adding to the trouble; they're demanding that Dumbledore answer questions, address media concerns, and disclose the casualties of every young wizard...

Listening to Hagrid's rambling description, Harry could easily imagine the pressure Dumbledore was under at that moment.

"My mom was terrified too!"

Ron said loudly,

"She wrote to us the day before yesterday afternoon—to each of our family members, asking about our individual situations... She also wants to come to the school to visit us."

"yes-"

Hagrid nodded in approval.

"That's not surprising. Parents are bound to be worried, but if they all flock to Hogwarts, how can the school operate?"

"What about the Ministry of Magic?"

Harry's mind flashed back to the chubby minister who presided over their Sorting Ceremony.

"What have you done?"

"Uh, besides publishing some uplifting reports? Did they figure out how the train went out of control?"

"That's a really stupid question, Harry—"

Hagrid snorted coldly.

"It's good enough if they don't cause trouble, how can we expect them to be of any use?"

Oh, of course, the minister did take some action—he swiftly dismissed the head of the Department of Magical Transportation...the poor fellow, lost his job for no reason. Hmm...besides that, the minister has been trying to get Dumbledore to pressure Ares into giving interviews and speaking well of the department!

"He's not happy about it?"

That night, Harry did see Professor Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic go into Professor Delfino's sickroom for a conversation, but the door was closed and no one knew what they were "plotting".

but-

"Isn't this a good thing?"

Harry frowned, offering his perspective as a Muggle.

"He could become famous—well, I imagine a lot of people would idolize him?"

"Oh, haha, you don't understand Ares, Harry—"

Hagrid laughed.

"With his personality, he would never invite such trouble upon himself!"

"So that's how it is!"

Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, both sensing the intense interest in the subtle message Hagrid had conveyed in his words.

Ron asked with great interest,

"You and Professor Delfino are old acquaintances, aren't you, Hagrid? You know him very well?"

"I wouldn't say that—"

Hagrid could sense Harry and Ron's adoration for Ares... He also heard bits and pieces from some students about how Ares managed to stop the car, and he was shocked by it.

Young people always admire heroic figures.

Hagrid said with a smile,

"He almost became my assistant."

"What?!"

"Are you kidding me?!"

Harry and Ron started shouting at each other, demanding that Hagrid explain himself.

"Oh yes, I'm not wrong—"

Hagrid's tone was light and cheerful.

"Speaking of which, his experience is actually quite similar to mine. When Harry, Ron Ares, was expelled from school and his wand was broken, Professor Dumbledore also hoped that he could stay and become my assistant, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts..."

Professor Kettleburn—he teaches the protection of magical creatures; you won't have his class until your third year.

He said Ares is a suitable successor; he's very spiritual, and in his classes on protecting magical creatures, he can keep the magical creatures quiet with virtually no effort.

Hagrid paused, smiling, as he looked at the two shocked faces, then continued with a smile.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to talk to Ares, so I did—I told Ares that being expelled wasn't such a big deal, and that he could be a decent wizard even without a wand... I told him everything I had been through, but he—"

At this point, Hagrid's small, beetle-like eyes dimmed, and he sighed.

"Professor McGonagall said that Ares has been rather unsociable ever since he entered Gryffindor—he hardly plays with his classmates... It's hard to find any hobbies he has, not even Quidditch... This is really unusual; what child isn't interested in Quidditch?"

His grades were mediocre when he was in school, and he'd disappear in the blink of an eye... He skipped classes, and even his dorm mates had no idea where he went—Professor McGonagall always said he was listless and lethargic, lacking the energy of you kids.

"Wait, Hagrid!"

Harry cried out, his bright green eyes wide with surprise, his mind racing as he tried to process the key information woven into Hagrid's series of narrations.

"You mean, Professor Delfino was expelled by Professor Dumbledore back then?!"

"Why?!"

Ron shouted back, vaguely understanding why Percy and the other upperclassmen, despite knowing some of Professor Delfino's past, all seemed so secretive!

Ron erupted with the same fervor as Harry.

"Why did Professor Dumbledore expel him...it couldn't be because he skipped class, could it?!"