If you really can't find anything to praise, it's actually okay not to.
Watching Dumbledore, who hesitated for a long time and finally said "no harm" with a joking tone, William sighed. Clearly, the old man standing in front of him wasn't really going senile... Could it truly be as Hagrid said, that the position had become so undesirable that no one wanted it anymore?
Hmm... So, could he graduate early...
Because every time he wanted to borrow something interesting from the Forbidden Book Area, he had to specifically ask Professor Sprout for a note, which was really troublesome. Although he always managed to make the kind old lady happy, like a family member, every time he borrowed a book, it inevitably led to a round of questions.
The Disillusionment Charm was also an option, but it ultimately couldn't be used long-term. Madam Pince's nose was even keener than Fang's.
He didn't have a "good buddy" named Sebastian Saru to help cover for him now.
Coincidentally, he had prepared his lessons a hundred years ago, even had the teaching plans piled up in a corner of the Room of Requirement, covered in dust but just right for these little wizards spoiled by carefree education to experience the brutal competition of tackling a sea of problems!
What O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Levels)? What N.E.W.T. (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests)?
It's like a thousand troops and horses crossing a single-log bridge! Want to be an Auror? Want to work at St. Mungo's? Want to sit in the Ministry of Magic and have tea? Then you better learn to defend against the Dark Arts properly!
If there hadn't been a little mishap with the Time Turner, even you, Dumbledore, would have to start taking papers from a young age, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha... cough cough.
While William was dreaming, Dumbledore's voice rang out again, "So, William, why are you wandering around at night tonight?" At this moment, the two of them were standing in the corner of the Hospital Wing, and Madam Pomfrey, who was woken up hurriedly after being called by Dumbledore, was checking on Moaning Myrtle's condition.
He didn't know why a head nurse even had to take care of a petrified ghost...
Hearing Dumbledore's question, William couldn't help but cough twice—nonsense, who wouldn't be night wandering at midnight?
You think I've lived in that dorm room?
But on the surface, William still pointed at the grey shadow crouching at the foot of the hospital bed. Mrs. Loris, who had fallen into a "sleep" with her owner, was looking at herself, no longer trying desperately to scratch at the other, but sitting quietly and letting the moonlight quietly crawl in through the window.
"Mrs. Loris discovered them, and she thought those little wizards were in danger, so she came to find me." William said, and of course, that was the truth, "I've been taking care of her during this time, so she has grown quite close to me."
After hearing William's narration, Dumbledore nodded with a look that didn't reveal much, "…You've raised her well." He looked at Mrs. Loris's glossy fur shining in the moonlight, with a gentle tone.
"So, Headmaster, what exactly is the Chamber of Secrets?" William asked directly.
"…I don't know either." Dumbledore pondered for a moment before continuing, "But the chamber was opened before, fifty years ago, and that incident led to the death of a little wizard in the castle…" His gaze turned somewhat sorrowful.
"Who was it?"
Dumbledore didn't answer, but William still noticed his gaze. The sadness in the old man's eyes was growing—
Moaning Myrtle?
William stared at the motionless ghost on the bed, instinctively frowning... If it really was her, then wasn't this sister a bit too miserable?
Driven to the end, and not let go even as a ghost?
"Then what about the culprit? Was he caught?" William asked further.
"The Ministry of Magic declared that they had caught him, but since he was still a minor, they broke his magic wand—"
"Was it Hagrid?" William immediately thought of the Half-Blood Giant who had once, while helping him apply an Engorgement Charm to pumpkins, inadvertently mentioned what had happened to his wand.
"…You're very smart, William."
William nodded and remained silent. He could tell Dumbledore intended to end this conversation. And just as he had predicted, as Madam Pomfrey turned to report the situation, Dumbledore took William to leave the Hospital Wing together.
"You should go back and rest, William," Dumbledore said softly as they stood at the corner of the Slytherin Dungeon, "As for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class…" At the last moment, he brought up an old topic, "I have an idea, perhaps Severus would be willing…"
"Willing for what?"
...
"A Duel Club?"
A circle of little wizards gathered around the bulletin board at the entrance to the Great Hall, and Seamus Finnigan, who squeezed to the front of the crowd, shouted, reading out the notice that had just been posted on the board—"…The first meeting of the Duel Club will be held in the Great Hall tonight after dinner."
"Are they finally planning to teach us some real skills?" a first-year Ravenclaw wizard said loudly, but he didn't really need to say it out loud; everyone understood what the boy meant—Lockhart's "performance lessons" were equally distributed across the entire year-level.
Harry and Hermione were also standing on the outskirts of the crowd, with Hermione craning her neck to see inside while Harry seemed somewhat absent-minded.
Finally, as his gaze swept incessantly over the entrance, he finally caught sight of the figure he was searching for... one of them.
But now, it didn't seem that exciting...
Harry watched the two people's intertwined arms, struggling slightly as he walked forward—
"Hello…"
"Uh, oh, good morning—you're Harry Potter, right?" Cedric, who was talking to Cho Chang, turned to look at the boy holding him by the arm with some confusion, "Well, what's up?"
"I wanted to know if you saw William today?"
Harry forced himself not to look at the girl next to Cedric, internally telling himself that the two were just friends, and then he asked.
"No, he wasn't in the dormitory this morning," Cedric shook his head, "Maybe he's gone to the library again?"
"Uh, okay... you guys are going to?" Harry nodded, but he looked a little reluctant.
"Hogsmeade."
"Uh, have fun—"
"Don't worry, you can go next year too—with your special someone." Cedric gave Harry a meaningful wink before turning to leave the foyer before Harry could respond.
"…Uh, what did he say?"
Hermione turned around after finally seeing the whole notice board and saw a somewhat despondent Harry.
"Nothing... He said he hadn't seen William and suggested he might be in the library..." Harry seemed a bit out of it, but he didn't know which part was causing it.
"Have you forgotten? We just came back from the library!"
"Really?"
"…What's up with you?" Hermione sighed and continued, "Don't worry about yesterday—Even if Snape got fired, it couldn't be William who got expelled. It's illegal for adult wizards to cast spells on little wizards!"
"Really?"
"Of course, you might as well look forward to tonight's Duel Club—who do you think will host it?"
"Anyone! As long as it's not..."