Chapter 2 Dumbledore Unmasks Him
As the stone gargoyle moved aside, it revealed the automatic spiral staircase behind it.
When Douglas went up the spiral staircase, he pushed open the Headmaster's Office door.
He looked around, and just like when he was a student, the Headmaster's Office hadn't changed much.
Professor McGonagall saw Headmaster Dumbledore hunched over his desk, reading intently, seemingly oblivious to anyone entering.
She raised her voice slightly:
"Ahem! Headmaster Dumbledore, Mr. Holmes has arrived!"
Dumbledore reluctantly closed the book.
Douglas glanced at the familiar cover of the book, his eyes narrowing unconsciously.
This was a book that shouldn't appear in the Wizarding World.
He looked up, and through the half-moon spectacles, his eyes met those sharp blue ones.
Douglas instinctively activated Occlumency and quickly constructed a layer of false memories.
He had started learning Occlumency in his third year.
At that time, the Wizarding World had just gone through You-Know-Who's purge, so some advanced defensive spells were appropriately made available to outstanding students in lower grades.
Seeing Douglas's expression change, Dumbledore coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem, Douglas, long time no see! This makes me recall the times we ate hotpot together, right here..."
Douglas also realized his reaction was a bit excessive.
"Ah ha, Principal, long time no see! I also miss the days of eating hotpot with you, after all, it's not easy to make dragon blood tofu without side effects outside..."
Professor McGonagall glared at the two of them and said with dissatisfaction:
"Albus, I'll go back to my work now, I still have a lot to do!
By the way, I must remind you two again, please do not use a cauldron to cook hotpot in the Headmaster's Office..."
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but feel a headache as she watched the two of them huddle together discussing hotpot again.
A few years ago, right here.
The two were caught red-handed by Professor Snape, the Dean of Slytherin, while cooking hotpot in a cauldron.
It almost made Professor Snape, the Dean of Slytherin, who had only been on the job for a few years, resign on the spot.
Since then, even if Mr. Holmes got an O (Outstanding) in Potions in his OWLS, Professor Snape still firmly refused to let him join his N.E.W.T. class.
Professor McGonagall sighed.
If Mr. Holmes were really admitted, the school, which had finally enjoyed a few peaceful years, would become lively again.
After Professor McGonagall left.
Douglas took out a pastry from his bag, packaged the same way as the one he gave Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, before the interview begins, please allow me to present you with a small gift.
This is 'Wife Cake' that I made myself, primarily made from ingredients such as candied winter melon, wheat flour, glutinous rice flour, maltose, and sesame. It's very suitable for someone like you..."
Before he could finish speaking, a portrait of a Principal on the wall loudly chastised him:
"Bribery! This is blatant bribery! The honest, upright Hufflepuff brat has gone bad..."
Dumbledore turned his head and explained with a smile:
"Oh, Phineas, please don't get excited. I think this is just a returning student's heartfelt affection and respect for his Principal from his school days!"
The other Principals on the wall quickly moved into Phineas's frame and directly covered his mouth.
"Douglas, please sit down! Don't be constrained! The usual?"
Then, without waiting for Douglas to answer.
A cup of brewed tea and a few fruits appeared on the small table next to Douglas.
Douglas was surprised when he saw these things.
The tea was nothing, whether before or after graduation, every time he got good tea, he would send a portion to the Professors of Hogwarts.
Including Professor Snape, who refused him to participate in the Potions N.E.W.T. course.
However, these fruits were clearly freshly picked.
The only place at Hogwarts where these common fruits were grown was a small clearing on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
It was planted by him during his school days, leading some like-minded Hufflepuff students, and during that time, he also received some help from Professor Sprout, the Dean of his house.
Some of the fruits grown were supplied by Douglas to the school Professors, as well as the Head Boy and Head Girl, and the Prefects of each house.
The rest became after-meal fruit in the Hufflepuff common room.
For this, there was even a Honey Badger Who Loves Bananas battle with the three major houses.
He thought that after he left school, those fruit trees would gradually be neglected.
Seeing Douglas's surprised expression, Dumbledore said with emotion.
"That orchard is still there, of course, the name is still Holmes Orchard, and I think that name will be passed down forever.
Hogwarts will not forget every student who has contributed.
Although you have graduated, those fruit trees are still well cared for now.
Both the Professors and the Prefects care deeply about that orchard.
But it's a pity that since you graduated, no new fruits have been added to the orchard..."
Douglas nodded, picked up a banana, and casually said, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality!"
Dumbledore found it hard not to agree with this statement, recalling that he now had hotpot once a week.
While thinking, he picked up the book he had just been reading and said:
"Douglas, you've done very well these past few years.
This 'Honey Badger Who Loves Bananas' is you, isn't it?"
"Uh!
Ahem!"
Douglas almost choked on the banana, but seeing the Principal's smiling, very certain gaze.
He shrugged, appearing very calm, without any of the panic that comes with a secret being discovered.
"I didn't expect to be discovered by the Principal, of course, I mean, yes, that's my pen name! But..."
Seeing Douglas admit it, Dumbledore didn't wait for him to finish.
Dumbledore waved his hand, and several hardcover books flew out from the bookshelf, landing on the desk.
"I have to say, you are truly outstanding, and yet very low-key.
Although you emphasize in every book that these are merely fantasy novels or the like.
But I can see that you have gone very far in ancient magic and in constructing a future magic system.
For example, the magic levels mentioned in this book, 'magical chef': Primary, Intermediate, Advanced, Mage, Archmage.
If I haven't found the wrong version of this book, I think you hadn't even entered your second year yet...
Oh, wait... don't be nervous, I don't mean anything else.
And the detailed classification of magic types mentioned in this book, 'Full-time Wizard': Fire, Earth, Lightning, Summoning, Space...
Some interesting settings mentioned in 'Full-time Master', such as the magic Guild, magic Potions, magic arrays..."
Before Professor Dumbledore could finish, Douglas said in surprise:
"Wait... Professor, if I'm not mistaken, the content you're talking about hasn't been published in the Wizarding World, has it? You're even following Muggle novels?"
When Douglas discovered the impoverished magical culture of this world, his first thought was how he could quickly accumulate wealth.
That was by writing novels.
At the beginning of his first year's second semester, Douglas had already begun the arduous path of writing.
Although Hogwarts had no computers, no typewriters.
But thanks to his entry into the Wizarding World, quick-spell quills, and using Transfiguration to turn ink into text on paper...
His writing speed was not limited by technology at all.
He was also grateful that he was a Hufflepuff.
Mr. Slynn, who had just graduated from Hogwarts Hufflepuff and was working as an intern editor at Momo Ran Publishing Company at the time.
Simply because Douglas was a Hufflepuff, he didn't care that he was a first-year student he had never met before.
He unhesitatingly extended a helping hand to Douglas.
Of course, Douglas did not disappoint him...
Thus, the books Dumbledore mentioned appeared in this world.
However, in order not to challenge the Ministry of Magic's fragile nerves and to avoid causing other commotions in the Wizarding World.
Douglas specifically divided each book into two versions.
One version was published in the Wizarding World, with magical settings largely based on the current Wizarding World.
The other version was published in the Muggle World, with content more referenced from previous life settings.
Otherwise, he might very well be accused by the Ministry of Magic of leaking secrets of the Wizarding World and sent to the legendary fifth house of Hogwarts - Azkaban.
Although, apart from the editors of the two world's publishing houses, no one else knew his true name.
But considering the turmoil of the future world, Douglas had to make some preparations in advance.
And as the greatest Wizard of this century, Albus Dumbledore,
Somehow knew about the version published in the Muggle World and even took an interest in its settings...
Dumbledore did not show displeasure at Douglas interrupting him.
Instead, he admired the other party's caution.
He guessed the problem Douglas was worried about: if the settings of the Muggle version of the novel appeared in the Wizarding World.
This would cause unpredictable tremors in the Wizarding World's spell-casting and social structure.
Do not doubt the conservatism of the Wizarding World.
Dumbledore had a smile on his face, as if Douglas had finally asked a brilliant question.
"Merlin's socks, I have to say, this is truly a wonderful coincidence.
Last year, a first-year student came to me with this book and asked if I was an Archmage.
That's how I inadvertently noticed the author of that book...
'Honey Badger Who Loves Bananas'…"
Through his half-moon spectacles, Dumbledore's gaze seemed a bit mischievous.
Douglas sighed again at how small the world was.
Who would have thought that a Hogwarts student would go and read a book about a magical alternate world from the Muggle World?
Even more coincidentally, he asked Dumbledore the same question.
Because of that line, "Are you an Archmage!"
Douglas had asked Dumbledore that too!