"Sean Grylls, very impressive. I imagine you've already read A History of Magic thoroughly," Professor Binns said coldly.
"Yes, Professor Binns," Sean replied.
Even though he knew the ghost professor was mocking him, he didn't back down.
"Very good. Since you already know everything, you need not attend my class anymore," Binns said, his voice filled with unmistakable anger.
The other students were stunned.
They felt worried for Sean. It was only his second class at Hogwarts, yet he had already offended a professor. Life at school might not be easy from now on.
At that moment, the bell rang.
Professor Binns assigned homework to the class.
"Everyone will copy today's lesson once and hand it in next class," he said before glancing at Sean. "Everyone except Sean."
Cassius whispered beside him, "Professor Binns isn't seriously going to ban you from History of Magic, is he?"
"Sean, you should tell Professor Snape about this," Chris suggested.
Snape was the Head of Slytherin and famous for protecting his House's students. If he intervened in Sean's conflict with Professor Binns, it shouldn't be hard to resolve.
Just then, as if summoned by the mention of his name, Snape appeared at the classroom door.
"Sean."
His voice was cold and sharp.
Under the curious gazes of his classmates, Sean walked out of the classroom.
"Professor Snape, did you need something?" Sean asked.
"Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to see you. Follow me."
Snape turned and walked down the corridor toward the headmaster's office.
Old Dumbledore wants to see me? Did I really catch the headmaster's attention already? That fast? Sean wondered.
They passed the stone gargoyle outside the office and rode the moving spiral staircase up.
The walls of the office were lined with portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses, each sleeping quietly in their frames.
In the center stood a massive desk with clawed feet.
On a perch behind the door rested Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes.
On the fourth shelf of a nearby bookcase sat the Sorting Hat—the very one that had just sorted Sean earlier.
"Well, well, we meet again, Sean Grylls," the Sorting Hat said.
"I wasn't exactly hoping for that," Sean replied, glaring at it.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, smiling kindly.
"Tom and Hearns have raised you very well."
Sean thought for a moment.
It seemed that Dumbledore had already known for years that he had been self-studying Hogwarts textbooks in the Leaky Cauldron.
That wasn't surprising. Dumbledore had eyes and ears everywhere.
"Professor, you know Old Tom and my uncle?" Sean asked, pretending to be puzzled.
Dumbledore didn't answer the question directly.
"Your performance in class today was excellent. Professor Flitwick speaks very highly of you. Professor Binns, on the other hand, is quite furious."
"Professor Binns is a ghost," Sean muttered quietly. "I doubt he can die from anger."
"If you were not two years older than Harry, I might even suspect you were the boy mentioned in the prophecy," Dumbledore said thoughtfully.
"What prophecy?" Sean asked.
"A prophecy about a savior."
Snape suddenly interrupted.
"Headmaster, there's no need to discuss such matters with a child."
"He is a child," Dumbledore replied calmly, "but also a remarkable one. Among the students Hogwarts has taught in the past fifty years, Sean's talent ranks among the very best."
Sean was secretly stunned.
I have cheat-level abilities and I'm still only among the best, not the best?
What kind of monsters has Hogwarts produced in the last fifty years?
Then he realized the answer.
Oh… Voldemort.
That made sense.
Sean could only accept it.
Listening to the conversation between Dumbledore and Snape, Sean gradually understood the hidden meaning.
Dumbledore wanted to cultivate him.
A talented student could become a powerful ally against the Death Eaters—and someone loyal to Dumbledore.
That was exactly what the headmaster needed.
"Professor, is there something you want me to do?" Sean asked innocently.
"No," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Run along and enjoy your lunch break."
"Alright, Professor."
Sean turned to leave.
"I will speak to Professor Binns," Dumbledore added. "You need not worry about that matter."
Sean turned back and asked seriously,
"Really? Does that mean I won't have to attend History of Magic anymore?"
"Not quite," Dumbledore replied. "Professor Binns spoke in anger."
Sean sighed with disappointment.
"I thought I wouldn't have to attend anymore."
Dumbledore paused, slightly surprised.
Instinctively, he had expected Sean to worry about being barred from class.
Instead, Sean seemed disappointed that he still had to attend.
"You don't want to attend History of Magic?" Dumbledore asked.
"You should know that I've already studied the material myself," Sean said calmly.
"Up to third-year level."
Dumbledore did know that Sean had purchased Hogwarts textbooks from a junk shop in Diagon Alley and studied them on his own.
However, he had not yet confirmed how much Sean had actually mastered.
He had originally planned to observe him for a while before granting him certain academic privileges.
"That will require some verification," Dumbledore said. "After all, you've only attended two classes so far."
"What kind of verification? A test?" Sean asked.
History of Magic was essentially a theory subject. The only way to test him would be through an exam.
"In one week," Dumbledore said, "Professor Binns will prepare a final-exam-level paper on A History of Magic. If you achieve an Outstanding grade, I will allow you to skip the class."
At Hogwarts, exam grades were:
Outstanding
Exceeds Expectations
Acceptable
Poor
Dreadful
Usually, achieving a certification required an Outstanding.
But for Sean, that wouldn't be difficult.
After all, the soul inside him wasn't that of an eleven-year-old boy.
Anyone who treated him like an ordinary child would suffer for it.
"Only History of Magic?" Sean asked.
"You want to test other subjects as well?" Snape said impatiently.
To him, Sean's question sounded absurd. The History of Magic exam alone should be enough.
"Since I'm taking a test anyway," Sean said with a smile, "why not include the others as well?"
"Charms, Astronomy, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Dumbledore studied him for a moment.
"If you are truly confident, then I will ask the professors of those subjects to prepare exams for you as well. However, the school year has only just begun, and the professors are quite busy."
"Your tests will take place one month from now, on a Monday."
"Understood, Professor."
Sean nodded.
"I'll take my leave."
After Sean left the headmaster's office, Snape turned to Dumbledore.
"Arrogance will destroy him," Snape said quietly. "Even if he possesses extraordinary talent."
Snape's concern was not unfounded.
Throughout Hogwarts' history, many brilliant students had lost themselves because of arrogance.
However, in Sean's case, the worry was unnecessary.
Sean was someone who understood his own limits and carefully judged every situation.
In that regard—
he was actually quite suited to the spirit of Slytherin.