HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 405

Chapter 405: New Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts position does have a curse, but as long as you leave before the end of the year, there won't be too much trouble. You can simply depart before the final exams."

"But if I do that, then my resurrection will inevitably involve Dumbledore, won't it?"

Hearing this, Sean thought briefly before responding, "Our enemy now is Voldemort. Before Voldemort is eliminated, we and Professor Dumbledore are naturally in the same camp. Once Voldemort is defeated, we naturally have no need to hide the news of your resurrection. Besides, Professor Dumbledore is not the type to reveal secrets. I think we can tell him.

Additionally..." Sean turned to look at Gavin and pursed his lips. "Can Grandmother keep your resurrection secret?"

This immediately silenced Gavin. His expression was extremely complicated. After a long moment, he sighed softly and shook his head slightly. "I can't tell her. She's not someone who can keep secrets locked away. Not that Elaine would spread it around, but once she learns I'm not dead, she absolutely could not maintain a normal reaction to my death. Right now, Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and even Boreal and the Flint family are all watching you. Especially Boreal. If he discovers anything amiss, we'll all fall into danger. So we cannot tell her."

"But Grandmother..."

"I know Elaine. She's very strong. When she was younger..."

Gavin didn't continue. Sean looked at his grandfather and sighed softly. Perhaps Gavin seemed cold, but Sean knew that making this choice was harder on Gavin than anyone else. Keeping the truth hidden from Elaine was the only way to ensure her safety. The situation in the magical world now left no room for sentiment, especially with Boreal watching like a tiger. They could not afford carelessness.

"Grandfather, do you have a place to stay temporarily?"

"I'm dead, not incapacitated."

After finishing his words, Gavin realized something was amiss, though he didn't dwell on it. He accepted the Polyjuice Potion Sean had prepared and drank it in one gulp. Once his body finished transforming, he cast Apparition and vanished from the graveyard.

Watching Gavin depart, Sean exhaled. The emotional strain that had built up over recent times finally found initial release. He waved his wand lightly. The coffin was restored, the soil around the grave filled itself in, and Gavin's tomb returned to its original state. Only then did Sean remove the surrounding spells and leave the graveyard with a bewildered Aldrich.

Returning home, Sean ate something simple, then went to Elaine's room. Seeing Caesar keeping Elaine company, Sean approached and embraced Caesar before chatting with Elaine a while longer. He then returned Caesar to Elaine and went back to his own room.

Closing the door and sitting at his desk, Sean retrieved the Resurrection Stone and examined it carefully. Looking at the information in the panel, he discovered that the details had changed, causing him to murmur affirmatively.

Resurrection function: Every 99 years, it can resurrect one person whose death occurred within 99 days. The corpse must be intact, and the soul must not have become. Time remaining (2/99)

Contains the authority of death. Obtaining all three Deathly Hallows grants dominion over death.]

Indeed, the count reset to 2/99.

Ninety-seven years would pass before the resurrection function could be used again. This thing was useless now.

Sean placed the Resurrection Stone in a box and stored it in his Undetectable Extension Bag before washing up and lying in bed.

Gavin's funeral concluded. As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. Except for those closest to him, few continued to speak the name Gavin Bulstrode.

Sean went to the Wizengamot administration office at the Ministry. He could plainly sense that many people's attitudes toward him had shifted. However, constrained by Dumbledore and Marchbanks, these people at least maintained appearances on the surface. After all, they were Wizengamot members, and no fools existed among them.

Sitting in the Wizengamot conference room, the meeting proceeded according to procedure.

Sean had expected this to be a routine meeting, but when the elderly wizard who had conducted his previous confirmation hearing took the platform, Sean immediately sensed something was wrong.

As expected, the meeting contained another confirmation segment. The candidates for confirmation were:

Dolores Umbridge!

Boreal Bulstrode!

The positions they were replacing belonged to an elderly witch and Gavin!

After the meeting concluded, Sean simply chatted briefly with Marchbanks and the others before finding Dumbledore. The two walked toward the Floo Network while discussing.

"Professor, I wonder if you've decided on next year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

Hearing Sean's question, Dumbledore looked at him with some surprise. "Not yet, currently. Why do you have a recommendation?"

"I happen to have someone. Their ability is beyond question, absolutely qualified. And..." Sean glanced at the surrounding environment and silently cast a Muffliato charm. This action caused a hint of surprise to cross Dumbledore's face. "Professor, this person you also know."

"I also know them? Who is it?"

Sean didn't immediately answer Dumbledore's question. He simply looked at him and said instead, "Professor Dumbledore, have you heard of the Deathly Hallows?"

The sudden topic shift caused clearer confusion to appear on Dumbledore's face. This time, he didn't speak but watched Sean quietly, waiting for him to continue.

"Three Deathly Hallows: the Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak, and the Resurrection Stone..." As Sean named them, he glanced at Dumbledore but saw no special expression. He tilted his mouth slightly and said to Dumbledore, "I happened to obtain the Resurrection Stone."

This time, Dumbledore's expression could no longer maintain composure.

"The Resurrection Stone..." Dumbledore stopped walking and looked at Sean, asking seriously, "The Resurrection Stone can truly resurrect a person?"

"It can, but with conditions."

"What conditions, Sean?"

"Every 99 years, it can resurrect one person. Death cannot exceed 99 days. The corpse must be intact."

"So..." Dumbledore looked seriously at Sean and said, "You used the Resurrection Stone, didn't you, Sean?"

"On the night of the funeral, I used the Resurrection Stone, Professor."

"Then the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor you found for Hogwarts..."

"It’s him, Professor!"