Alex gave her an annoyed look.
"Not really. Talking nonsense during a fight is just asking for trouble.
In a real battle, you need to be unpredictable and keep your intentions hidden as much as possible."
He paused, recalling how Lesenbra was taken out by his sneak attack.
"Besides, I'm not some hero. If the vampire prince hadn't had a grudge against Shalltear and been well rewarded, would I have dared to provoke him?" Alex murmured to himself before turning to look at the usually reserved Neville.
"By the way, Neville, how have your parents been lately? It's been two months, have their symptoms improved at all?"
Neville, brightening at the mention of his parents, relaxed a bit and began to speak more freely.
"Yes! The potion's effects are really noticeable. When my mom and dad see me now, it feels like they actually recognize me.
Not just me, my grandma noticed it too. I even heard my mom call my name once.
Straw's therapist told me they sometimes regain bits of memory, even if just for a short time.
Grandma was so happy she cried when she heard the news. Thank you so much, Uncle Wilson!"
Alex shook his head modestly.
"I'm just keeping the promise we made," he said.
Then he added with a serious tone, "But Frank and Alice still have a long way to go. This treatment is going to take time, probably one or two years.
You and your grandma need to be patient."
After years of trial and error, Alex had finally begun to understand the true nature of the Longbottoms' condition.
It wasn't just amnesia, they were deeply traumatized at the soul level.
The memory loss was more like a protective shield, helping them block out the pain of a shattered soul.
Healing them meant healing those soul wounds.
Luckily, about six months ago, after testing over a dozen experimental potions, Alex discovered a formula he'd come across during his travels in Africa.
This potion slowly mended the soul, and after many adjustments, he found the version that worked best with the fewest side effects.
Of course, soul healing isn't quick or easy, it takes time.
But with this treatment, there's hope.
Alex believed that once the Longbottoms reached a certain point in their recovery, their bodies' natural healing powers would kick in, speeding up their progress even more.
Thinking all this through, Alex glanced over at Neville, hopeful for the future.
Despite his young age, Neville was already carrying a heavy burden.
His grandmother, Augusta, was known for her harsh temper, which gradually made Neville feel inferior and withdrawn.
Augusta even mentioned that he had become somewhat forgetful.
This was one of the reasons why Alex often took Neville out whenever they returned to England.
Since Alex spent most of the year traveling, he hadn't paid much attention to Neville, and as a result, he failed to notice how much Neville's spirit had dimmed.
'Perhaps going back to Hogwarts wouldn't be such a bad thing after all; at least then, I could look after him more closely.'
With that thought, Alex nodded quietly to himself.
Then, smiling warmly at Neville, he asked, "By the way, you should be old enough to start school this year. How do you feel about it?
Are you excited for your time at Hogwarts?"
Neville hesitated before answering.
"Um, I can't say I'm really looking forward to it. But Grandma said that if I don't get sorted into Gryffindor smoothly, I'll bring shame to the Barton family."
Ginny shrugged casually from across the room.
"If you can't get into Gryffindor, so what? The godfather still graduated from Slytherin.
If Gryffindor's not an option, Slytherin's still good."
Neville scratched his head nervously.
"But Grandma always says that all Longbottom wizards went to Gryffindor, that it's a symbol of courage. She might be disappointed if I don't get in."
Alex smiled reassuringly.
"Don't stress so much. You've got plenty of talent. Just let things happen naturally, and you'll achieve great things."
Although Augusta Longbottom was known to be strict with Neville, Alex knew she cared deeply, and Neville's potential was solid.
"Thanks, Uncle Wilson," Neville said softly, feeling comforted.
He often doubted himself, but Alex's words gave him a rare sense of encouragement.
Seeing Neville still a bit down, Alex didn't push further.
Changing someone's mindset takes time.
"By the way, Neville, there's a surprise waiting for you after you start Hogwarts this year," Alex added with a grin.
"Really?" Neville's eyes lit up. "Is something special happening at Hogwarts this year?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Alex teased.
"Now hurry up and wash up, we're having dinner together."
At the mention of food, Ginny and Neville both cheered.
Honestly, one of the best parts about visiting Alex was the delicious meals he prepared.
In a good mood, Alex cooked a rare, hearty dinner for the two children and then personally saw them off through the Floo Network.
Once they were gone, Alex returned to his magical suitcase workspace.
Though the interior hadn't changed much, the space inside had more than doubled after multiple upgrades.
Over half of it was now dedicated to caring for magical creatures.
Of course, the magical creatures he raised were still considered spare resources, but thanks to his careful attention, the populations of Tebo warthogs and Re'em Cattle had doubled several times over.
Simply relying on their natural food wasn't enough to keep up with their rapid reproduction, but after years of feeding them magical animal meat, their overall health had improved significantly.
Around this time, Alex's magic power reserves neared 2,000 points, reaching 1,863.
This boost didn't come just from eating magical meat, it was mostly thanks to the sword he wielded.
During his trip to Germany, Alex had tested how much life force and magic power the sword "Voltbrand" absorbed, comparing it to the life arcana extracted by a life refining array.
He discovered that the energy drawn by "Voltbrand" was purer.
Besides its 'permanent energy absorption' ability, the sword's wild runes also refined energy.
After all, [Thundris Tempest] originated from a Thunderbird striving to evolve, so this ancient rune held not only destructive power but also a hidden ability to purify energy.
Of course, the life energy purified by the sword had its downsides compared to a refining array. It extracted less energy overall.
Every time Alex defeated an ordinary wizard, he gained only about a dozen or twenty points of feedback.
But because the energy was so pure, once absorbed, it directly increased his maximum life force and magic power.
When he was in the United States, Alex worked as a bounty hunter.
Setting aside any grudges or rewards, his main goal was to experience the refinement of life arcana through combat.
Judging by his current magic reserves, one could tell how many wizards had fallen to his sword.
Even after just a year in the U.S., he had earned a solid reputation locally, both among criminals and the law-abiding, indirectly lowering the crime rate so much that children rarely cried at night anymore.
The results were impressive, and Alex could sense that if he kept this up, he might even reach eternal life just by defeating enemies.
But despite this realization, he didn't show any outward excitement.
Alex felt a flicker of fear deep inside.
He wasn't someone who thirsted for bloodshed, but he noticed that lately, he'd become increasingly numb to the value of life.
This shift unsettled him greatly.
He hated feeling like he was losing control, which was why, over the past year or two, he rarely let himself fall into that state.
To cope, Alex threw himself into running Wilson's Arcane Alchemica and focused on teaching and training Ginny and Neville.
Still, he could clearly feel himself becoming less detached and more compassionate.
Accepting Dumbledore's invitation to return to Hogwarts wasn't just about the tempting conditions offered. It felt like a step toward regaining that humanity he'd been missing.
After some thought, Alex dove into work in the laboratory.
Teaching hundreds of young witches and wizards was very different from training Aurors, so he knew he had a lot to prepare.
Meanwhile, the magic communication system project at Wilson's Arcane Alchemica moved forward steadily.
Once Burns agreed to come back to England, Alex kicked off the long-term project to build the alchemy lab.
His days were spent at the Ministry of Magic, while his nights were filled with scolding Ginny and Neville for slacking off and getting teaching materials ready.
Time flew, and before he knew it, over a month had passed.
Soon, July 7th arrived, the day Alex and Dumbledore had planned to hold a meeting to prepare for the new school year.
In the Hogwarts staff lounge, Snape had just walked in and immediately shot a glare at Dumbledore and McGonagall, who were seated at the conference table.
"This is ridiculous. Why do we have to hold some pointless meeting during the holidays? I told you from the start it wasn't a good idea to invite that kid back. The school hasn't even started, and now he's already ordering us around!" Snape grumbled.
"Don't get so worked up, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "It's less than half a day of our time. And there's a reason Alex called this meeting, I'm curious to hear what he has to say."
"I know exactly what's on his mind," Snape snapped. "If you let him have his way, he'll take over every inch. Maybe he'll start assigning us strange tasks, pretending he's the headmaster."
Snape felt uneasy recalling how Slytherin House, once dominated by Alex, had changed.
"Why do you have such a prejudice against Alex? He did a lot for you at the academy.
Without him, Slytherin wouldn't have won the Academy Cup seven years in a row!" McGonagall said with a dissatisfied glance at Snape.
She was clearly upset.
At first, both Slytherin and Gryffindor Houses had struggled, but thanks to Alex's sudden rise, Slytherin became the top house, while Gryffindor, still under her care, seemed almost empty.
Yet Snape was still focused on criticizing their so-called hero.
He knew Alex well enough to understand just how dangerous the boy was.
He was the kind of person who couldn't be underestimated, even if he didn't kill anyone, Snape thought to himself with a hint of frustration.
"I think it's a good idea for Alex to come back to school," Flitwick said suddenly, breaking into laughter from across the lounge where a few others were arguing.
Everyone turned to see Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, Hagrid, and Madam Pomfrey entering one after another.
Once seated, Flitwick continued, "Alex is a huge name in the academic world now. I guarantee just the news of his return to Hogwarts will be big news.
It's great for the school."
Flitwick was thrilled by the news.
As Alex's former teacher, he was proud of his student's success.
Besides, Flitwick held shares in the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica company, one of the many ventures Alex had launched.
The dividends alone made it impossible to feel anything but pride.
Snape, sitting nearby, sneered.
"When does Hogwarts start being proud just because someone joins? It seems the professors' resumes are the only things worth bragging about."
"You can't say that," Hagrid replied in his deep voice.
"Hogwarts is lucky to have a headmaster like Dumbledore. And it's good news that Alex's coming back."
Snape shot a look at Hagrid, who had been talking louder ever since becoming a shareholder in Wilson's Arcane Alchemica.
It was clear that Hagrid was defending Alex because of their close relationship.
The other side took offense when he paired the pile of fancy accessories with the old leather jacket.
Just as everyone was starting to argue, the faculty lounge door opened again, and everyone saw Alex enter, dressed formally and carrying a stack of thick parchment.
"Hey, Alex! Long time no see!" Hagrid immediately stood up, smiling warmly as he greeted him and stepped forward to give him a big, hearty hug.
"I remember we went fishing together two weeks ago, don't be so gross," Alex muttered, muffled as he was squeezed against Hagrid's belly.
After freeing himself from Hagrid's enthusiastic embrace, Alex took a moment to greet the professors one by one.
"Dean Snape, it's been a few years. I haven't seen you around, but you look just the same."
He smiled as he addressed the others, then glanced at Snape with a playful thought.
'Why is his hair still so greasy? Doesn't he know how to wash it?'
Snape glared coldly at Alex, his expression as if someone owed him a huge debt.
"Hmph, thanks to you, he's still alive!"
Despite Snape's harsh tone, Alex wasn't angry.
After years of knowing him, he understood Snape's gruff manner. It was almost amusing.
Seeing that everyone had gathered, Dumbledore finally spoke up.
"Alright, since Alex is here, let's get started with today's meeting."
Alex nodded politely and stepped forward to address the group.
"I'm sorry to call everyone away during the summer break, but we need to discuss the new course. We can't afford to slack off, and the establishment of the 'Tactical Training' subject requires everyone's support."
Except for Snape, the other professors nodded in agreement.
"If there's anything you need from us, just say the word. After all, you're the tactical trainer now. I'm curious to see how far you can take this course," Flitwick said enthusiastically.
"Thank you, Professor Flitwick," Alex replied warmly. "Honestly, tactical training was inspired by your work in the first place."
Snape rolled his eyes at their exchange, thinking to himself that the more polite Alex acted, the more trouble he was probably hiding.
"Tactical training actually breaks down into two parts: training, which is the focus of similar courses at other magic schools, and combat tactics, which isn't really suitable for younger students.
When Dumbledore asked me to take this on, he specifically wanted the full course taught, not just the training side.
Since Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts classes have been lacking for some years, there will be some overlap between my curriculum and theirs."
The professors all nodded, clearly understanding the challenges ahead.