Chapter 6.1:
...
Barty Crouch's office was nothing out of the ordinary, at least by Japanese standards, but it definitely clashed with the chaos Minoru had seen so far in this place… here, everything was meticulously organized.
The man—somewhere in his fifties, with dark graying hair, a wrinkled face, and a stiff, rigid posture—received them with a curt nod and a stack of parchments that, no matter how neatly arranged, still almost reached his chin. The most notable thing about him so far was his meticulousness: his hair part and mustache trim were extremely precise… though again by Japanese standards, that was simply normal.
"Minoru Mineta," Crouch said in a rough, sharp voice, with a hint of impatience.
And in fact, without waiting for confirmation, he continued. "Documentation in order. Portkey authorized. Temporary Floo connection enabled by Dumbledore. Everything is in order. All that's left are a few final forms for you to sign, and then you can collect your Hogwarts-belongings here and leave."
Minoru merely nodded, stepping forward to quickly sign the forms placed abruptly before him.
After doing so, he picked up the extra trunk that had been waiting for him here, containing all the pre-purchased necessities for the start of the second term and year at Hogwarts.
Then Mr Crouch reviewed a parchment, made a note with a quill floating beside him, and then looked up.
"Any questions before we proceed with the transfer?"
Minoru shook his head.
"Perfect. Miss Macmillan will escort you to the authorized fireplace. Good day."
And with that, he dismissed them.
Pippa Macmillan guided him down another hallway (this one narrower, with fewer gossiping portraits) to a small room where a large fireplace occupied the far wall. It was no ordinary fireplace: the flames were an intense emerald green, burning without consuming the logs, a fire that seemed more liquid than solid.
Floo Powder. Minoru knew about it from his other self's memories, but he had never used it in person. Still, it was simple... he just had to clearly state his destination, throw the powder into the fire, and step in. Well, and not be dumb enough to forget to close his eyes and mouth.
"Ready?" Pippa asked with a slight smile, taking a handful of green powder from a porcelain jar and offering it to him.
"Yes, just hope the company at Hogwarts is as pleasant as it is here," Minoru commented, returning the smile as he took the powder. Yep, since cheesy lines had worked so well, he would stick with them until they were nerfed; no one could blame him for milking the system, no matter how lame it felt to do so.
"Hmm... well, if it isn't, come back here when you're at least two years older and I'll be happy to accept you for a meal," she said, to Minoru's shock, with a wider, amused smile.
"I'll hold you to that," he said with a grin.
Chuckling, she simply stepped back, giving him space to finally enter the fireplace.
"Hogwarts," he said, throwing the powder into the green fire, making the flames intensify, roaring like a hungry beast. Minoru took a deep breath, closed his eyes…
And stepped forward.
The world spun, and fifteen seconds later… Minoru Mineta was shot out of another fireplace, landing face-first onto an old but elegant rug.
Minoru blinked several times to clear his vision. He wasn't in the Ministry. That much was clear.
'This should be Dumbledore's office,' he thought as he looked around the enormous room.
A large circular room full of rare and unusual magical artifacts. Stone walls covered in portraits of what were probably previous headmasters and headmistresses. In one corner, an old wooden table held a worn, wrinkled hat, so aged it looked like it might fall apart at any moment. The floor was stone, largely covered by the rug Minoru had landed on.
And there, standing calmly behind a massive desk filled with silver instruments that spun and emitted smoke, was him... Albus Dumbledore. The most powerful wizard in the world (or at least, that's what they said)… though he didn't look like it at first glance. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, both long enough to tuck into his belt. He wore long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. He had a long, crooked nose and blue eyes that, behind half-moon glasses, shone with an intelligence and calm that Mineta found almost irritating and unsettling.
"Ah," Dumbledore said, his soft, measured voice seeming to fill the entire room. "You must be Mr. Mineta. You arrived a bit disheveled, but intact. That's what matters."
Minoru stood up, trying to recover some dignity. He looked back and confirmed that, indeed, the Floo Network hadn't been kind to him: there were black smudges on his clothes, ash in his hair, and he probably looked like a scarecrow after a dmn hurricane.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Minoru bowed his head in a formal bow... the Japanese kind that had been drilled into this body endlessly. After all, he still had to keep up appearances. "It's an honor."
Dumbledore smiled. One of those annoying smiles that could mean anything. The man was undoubtedly hard to read.
"The honor is mine. It has been some time since we last received a student from Mahoutokoro. And never one with such a… brilliant record."
He paused, and his blue eyes slowly scanned Minoru from head to toe in a way that made the boy wonder if the old man could see beyond his façade. At least he knew that if the old man tried to read his mind, he would feel it... though it wasn't like he could actually stop someone that powerful if truly intended to do so.
"Before we proceed with the Sorting ceremony," Dumbledore gestured to the old, wrinkled hat on the table, "allow me to offer you something to drink. Tea? Hot chocolate? Butterbeer, perhaps? We have everything—even something stronger if you prefer, though it may be a bit early for that."
Minoru blinked. 'The fuck...? Is he offering me alcohol? At a school? To a minor? What a civilized country…'
"Tea, please," he replied, opting for the safe choice.
Dumbledore snapped his fingers, and a steaming cup appeared on the desk. Another appeared in front of Dumbledore himself, along with a plate of cookies that looked freshly baked.
"Sit, sit," Dumbledore indicated a chair in front of his desk as he took his own seat. "I don't bite. At least, not new students."
'Okay, he's definitely a very peculiar old man,' Minoru told himself as he obeyed. The chair was surprisingly comfortable, upholstered in crimson velvet, with wide armrests.
He took a sip of tea. It was good... on par with what he drank in Japan, which was quite surprising since he hadn't expected tea here to be this good.
"I suppose," Dumbledore said, sipping his own tea with exasperating calm, "you have questions."
"Many," Minoru admitted. "But I suppose the answers will come with time."
"A very mature answer," Dumbledore smiled, and this time the smile reached his eyes. "Not surprising from a brilliant Mahoutokoro student."
Minoru didn't know how to respond to that. So he drank more tea.