Jon stood up and said to Zacharias and Hannah beside him, "See you in a bit."
Then he followed Professor McGonagall as the two of them walked out of the Great Hall.
The corridor outside felt unusually empty. The only sound was the faint murmur of noise drifting from the direction of Hogsmeade in the distance.
Jon quickly realized they were not heading toward Professor McGonagall's office, but instead toward the Headmaster's Office on the eighth floor.
His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, though he said nothing.
Soon they arrived on the eighth floor. The stone gargoyle at the entrance did not stop them. Without a word, the two of them stepped onto the spiral staircase and finally entered the circular office Jon knew so well.
Hardly anything inside had changed.
The silver instruments hummed and spun atop the spindly-legged table, puffing out thin streams of smoke. Gryffindor's Sword gleamed in its glass case in the sunlight. The Sorting Hat still rested on the shelf behind the desk.
Only Fawkes's perch was empty. In the spot where the perch had once stood, there was now a golden cup engraved with the Hufflepuff emblem.
The portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses on the walls saw the two of them enter… and quickly shut their eyes, pretending to be asleep.
Professor McGonagall glanced at the portraits, then surveyed the office before finally fixing her gaze on Jon. Her tense face was deeply lined with age.
"Hart," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "You must answer me honestly… did Professor Dumbledore tell you anything before he died?"
She stared straight at Jon with a piercing gaze.
Jon paused for a moment, then nodded.
...
After hearing Jon's explanation—
"This is utterly absurd!" Professor McGonagall cried out. She looked almost hysterical. "How could Dumbledore make such a reckless decision… Hart, I mean no offense. I agree that you are one of the finest students Hogwarts has produced in recent years… but you are far too young—unbelievably young. Hogwarts cannot possibly be placed under your control…"
"…And why didn't you tell me about this earlier?" she demanded.
"I originally thought… Professor Dumbledore was joking," Jon replied calmly. "I never imagined he would leave us like this, and I certainly never thought he meant what he said… As you just pointed out, the whole thing sounds completely absurd."
Professor McGonagall let out a long breath and began pacing irritably around the Headmaster's Office.
"I must correct you on one point, Minerva!" an unpleasant voice suddenly came from one of the portraits on the wall.
It was Phineas Black.
"The Headmaster of Hogwarts is not some ridiculous Muggle throne. Even if Albus Dumbledore once held the position, he had no power to interfere with the selection of the next Headmaster… In truth, the one who makes the choice is Hogwarts itself. The castle chose me first, then Armando, and then Albus…"
"So… Hogwarts made its choice long ago. Hogwarts chose Jon Hart!"
Phineas Black's voice sounded smug and satisfied, while Professor McGonagall looked even more irritated after hearing it.
"I am perfectly aware of that," she snapped angrily. "And I do not need you to remind me, Headmaster Black!"
"Very well," Phineas shrugged, then closed his eyes again and resumed pretending to sleep.
Professor McGonagall carefully examined Jon once more, looking him up and down as though inspecting some curious object.
"I must say, Hart, very few wizards your age have achieved what you have… Even I fall far short of it. But I still have to say—you are simply…"
"Too young, is that it?" another voice came from the wall of portraits.
This time it was Headmistress Dilys Derwent.
"Minerva, Hogwarts surely considers matters more thoroughly than either of us. Among all the headmasters throughout the years, there has never been a mediocre wizard… After all, Hogwarts does not make mistakes. Perhaps Jon Hart's extraordinary youth is also something Hogwarts took into account."
Unlike her reaction to Phineas Black, Professor McGonagall clearly held great respect for Dilys Derwent.
"Perhaps my view is too narrow," she sighed deeply. "You must make the choice yourself, Mr. Hart… Since Hogwarts has chosen you, it means your future destiny will be bound to it."
"I choose Hogwarts as well," Jon said without the slightest hesitation, nodding firmly.
Many of the portraits on the wall looked at him with approving expressions.
"Very well." Professor McGonagall nodded as well. "Mr. Hart… from this day forward, you are the master of Hogwarts Castle and the lands surrounding it. You will hold full authority over this school… At the same time, you will bear the responsibility of protecting it and leading it forward until the end of your life. Are you willing to do so?"
"Of course I am," Jon replied solemnly, nodding again.
"I will inform Pomona and Filius… and Horace and Severus as well—heaven knows where they've gone!" Professor McGonagall shook her head helplessly. "In that case, I shall take my leave, Headmaster Hart."
With that, she strode out of the Headmaster's Office and down the spiral staircase.
"And… I will announce this publicly at Professor Dumbledore's funeral later!" Professor McGonagall's voice drifted up from below. "It will certainly become another enormous headline…"
Now only Jon remained in the Headmaster's Office.
"It seems Minerva doesn't trust you at all, Jon," Phineas Black said with undisguised glee once she was gone. "After all, you are the youngest Headmaster in Hogwarts' history… likely the weakest as well… and perhaps the one who will receive the least support!"
Jon merely gave a casual smile.
To be honest, Professor McGonagall's attitude didn't surprise him at all. No matter what he said to her right now, it wouldn't make any difference.
But he had already made a promise to Albus Dumbledore.
No matter how much resistance he faced, he would have to protect Hogwarts… protect this castle.
...
Jon strode down the spiral staircase and headed back toward the Great Hall.
After all, he still had his salmon waiting.