Inside the Headmaster's office, Steve looked at the exquisitely crafted rapier in his hand and moved his jaw, which clicked as it shifted.
"This sword is really refined. Even his own mechanical arm doesn't have this many upgrades." Dumbledore, who was sitting at his desk writing something, glanced in Steve's direction. Feeling the magic contained within the intricate patterns along the blade, he spoke with admiration.
"Mm-hmm, he put in the effort." Steve drew the sword and flicked it in a flourish before swinging it freely a few times. "But why?"
Dumbledore paused, puzzled. "Why what?"
"I'm wondering, I can't give him anything in return, so why is he treating me so well? In a way, I feel like I've already betrayed him. Even if he was the one who abandoned me first," Steve said.
"Perhaps that's what he needs as well. A person whose heart is empty needs emotions to fill it. That emotion might be love, or it might be hatred. Of course, those are directed at others. But your existence allows the love in his heart to grow fuller," Dumbledore explained.
"He lacks love?" Steve shook his head, his bones making a rattling sound. "Honestly, I don't really believe that."
"In Hogwarts, there is no one who doesn't like him, no one who doesn't respect him. But unfortunately, that's not the same as love." Dumbledore walked over and patted Steve's somewhat uncomfortable shoulder.
"So you understand it well?" Steve tilted his head and turned it back toward him.
"Of course. At least in this regard, I understand it quite well," Dumbledore nodded.
…
Over the next few days, the students of Hogwarts thoroughly came to know a new member of the school.
Skeleton Steve.
And this skeleton was dressed in an excessively flashy way, with an exquisite longsword hanging at his waist.
With such an over-the-top outfit, the human-like flames in his eye sockets, and the well-proportioned skeleton frame that carried the suit perfectly, he actually had a pretty good reception among the students.
Except for the Weasley twins…
The way they looked at this skeleton was a bit off. After all, the structural data of this skeleton looked strangely similar to the bone template they had previously helped process for Professor Kasenhis.
A bit suspicious…
"Aren't the two of them a bit too similar?" George whispered.
"Do you think it's possible that Steve is actually Professor Kasenhis's skeleton? After all, didn't he replace his entire set?" Fred added.
"Then here's the question. What if someone uses Steve's physical data to curse Professor Kasenhis with dark magic?" George said darkly.
"Does Professor Kasenhis look like someone who'd be afraid of that kind of curse?" Fred replied helplessly.
"What do you mea—oh… so we got tricked by Professor Kasenhis again?"
"Obviously."
"As for the gold…"
"That's a separate matter, alright? We dug that out with our own skills."
"Mm, fair enough."
Aside from that, when Kasenhis and Hagrid drank together, there was now an extra member.
"Right now, drinking with you two feels like I'm drinking with two Kasenhis. It's a bit strange." Hagrid drained his cup and said faintly.
"With all due respect, Kasenhis is this one. I'm still Steve… If I were also called Kasenhis, then what's the point of having a name at all?" The flames in Steve's eye sockets flickered upward, basically the equivalent of rolling his eyes.
"Of course, Steve. I just… had a bit too much to drink just now. Don't take it to heart. I absolutely see you as your own person, not as Kasenhis's double. It's just that you two are so closely related that I keep thinking of you as family, or like a pair, like the Weasley twins." Hagrid smiled apologetically and took another large gulp of his drink.
"I actually like how straightforward you are, Hagrid. Compared to Neville… well, he always treats me like I'm Kasenhis's double. And I don't have the heart to get mad at him," Steve said helplessly.
"I've tried to explain it to him too, but Neville… well… clearly doesn't agree," Kasenhis sighed.
"He really does respect me as if I were you. What's that phrase again, love me, love my dog? But I don't want to be treated as you. Still, he's so respectful that I don't even know how to get angry at him," Steve said, equally exasperated at the mention of Neville.
"Well, you two are even more like twins than actual twins right now. For most people, it's pretty hard to completely separate you in their minds." Hagrid flicked his beard, shaking off the drops of alcohol clinging to it.
"Hey, I've got an idea. The Weasley twins are hard to tell apart because everything about them is so similar. But what if Kasenhis and I differentiate ourselves, make our traits completely different?" The flames in Steve's eye sockets suddenly flared up.
Kasenhis looked at the finely dressed Steve, then at his own loose gray-white sleep robe. "How much more different do you want to be!"
Steve shrugged, his bones clattering. "In terms of specialties. If you're proficient in alchemy and magic, then I can set myself up as someone proficient in swordsmanship. Do you think Dumbledore would let Hogwarts add a swordsmanship class?"
Hagrid shook his head. "That'd be a bit difficult. Curriculum changes at Hogwarts have always required the Board of Governors to meet and then supposedly 'keep up with the global magical standard.' Hogwarts is kind of middle-of-the-road in that sense. For example, if there's a new magical system, Hogwarts might master it first, but among the three major schools, it definitely won't be the first to offer it as a class," Hagrid explained.
"In that case… what about a club?" Steve asked.
"That should be fine." Hagrid snapped his fingers.
"Then it's settled. A club!" Steve stood up with his hands on his hips, looking extremely smug.
"The problem is… do you actually know swordsmanship? I always thought you wanted a rapier just for… looking cool," Kasenhis said bluntly, though somewhat indirectly.
"Maybe it's a skeleton's natural talent. Just like archery. Swordsmanship is a talent too." Steve drew the sword and flicked it in a flourish.
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