Chapter 4: A Temporary Appointment
After Dumbledore finished speaking, Douglas fell silent.
He was no longer looking at the situation as a reader from the Muggle world.
Now he was a wizard living inside that world.
Because of that, he noticed details—details that perhaps even Dumbledore had overlooked at the time.
But Douglas hesitated.
If he spoke, it might sound as though he were defending Quirrell.
Worse, he might even be mistaken for one of Voldemort's sympathizers.
And that was not a label anyone wanted.
Dumbledore seemed to notice Douglas's hesitation.
"Mr. Holmes," he said calmly, "is something troubling you? Or do you have something you wish to say?"
Douglas glanced at him and chose his words carefully.
"Professor, what I'm about to say is only speculation based on what you've told me. It doesn't represent any particular stance of mine."
Dumbledore nodded lightly, a piece of pastry between his fingers.
The casual gesture didn't completely ease Douglas's caution.
But he understood the Headmaster's intention and decided to speak.
"The first point is the garlic in the scarf."
Douglas leaned forward slightly.
"Professor, do you truly believe that explanation?"
"There's a section about vampires in the third-year Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook."
"I don't recall anything about vampires fearing garlic."
He shrugged.
"In fact, I once met a vampire in Mexico who loved garlic."
Douglas paused before continuing.
"So let's assume something bold."
"What if that scarf wasn't meant as protection at all?"
"What if it was a signal for help?"
Dumbledore studied him with a look of quiet admiration before shaking his head slightly.
"The garlic smell was only speculation," he said. "My assumption was that it might have been some sort of potion."
Douglas nodded immediately.
"You're the Headmaster. I'll defer to your judgment."
Then he hesitated before asking carefully,
"Headmaster… with your abilities, would it be possible for you to see Voldemort on the back of Quirinus's head without removing the scarf?"
Douglas remembered something from the original story.
Dumbledore had once seemed able to notice Harry even while Harry was wearing an invisibility cloak.
Which raised an interesting possibility.
If Dumbledore could see through that thick scarf—
Well…
Dumbledore seemed to catch the strange direction Douglas's thoughts were heading.
"Ahem."
He cleared his throat.
"First of all, I appreciate that you can speak Voldemort's name directly instead of using You-Know-Who."
"Secondly… in certain circumstances—emergencies, for example—I might be able to perceive things others cannot."
He raised a finger.
"But that is certainly not something I use casually."
He smiled faintly.
"Perhaps you should place a little trust in an old man."
Then he added more seriously,
"In truth, under normal circumstances I never noticed anything unusual beneath Quirinus's scarf."
Seeing Douglas's increasingly curious expression, Dumbledore quickly shifted the conversation back.
Douglas's face grew serious again.
"That means Voldemort must have been able to conceal himself inside Quirinus at will."
"He wouldn't have been visible on the back of his head all the time."
"Otherwise, with your abilities, Headmaster, you would have discovered him much earlier."
Douglas continued calmly.
"And even without Voldemort involved, based on Quirinus's ability…"
"If he truly intended to kill Harry Potter, he wouldn't choose to cast a curse in public."
"Especially not one so easily interrupted."
At that point, Douglas almost joked that anyone who had watched enough detective shows in the Muggle world would have planned something far cleaner.
But he quickly suppressed the thought.
Now was not the time for jokes.
The man sitting across from him still suspected that he might be connected to Voldemort.
After all, the Defense Against the Dark Arts position…
Had a reputation.
For years it had only been filled thanks to Dumbledore's personal connections.
Almost no one willingly applied for it.
Except for a certain Potions professor who had been requesting the job for years.
After listening, Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully.
"That does seem somewhat crude."
He leaned back.
"If we follow your reasoning… could it have been a warning from Quirinus?"
When he finished speaking, the gaze behind his half-moon glasses softened noticeably.
In truth, when Douglas spoke Voldemort's name without hesitation, Dumbledore had already formed a new impression.
A wizard who could face darkness directly was far more suitable to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts than someone who feared even saying the Dark Lord's name.
Of course…
There was another possibility.
Dumbledore also wanted to keep an eye on this unusually talented young man.
After all, the last student who had hidden his identity and ambitions so carefully had been named Tom Riddle.
Douglas, meanwhile, felt a little uneasy under the Headmaster's gaze.
Especially considering certain rumors he had heard about Dumbledore's personal life.
The thought made him even more eager to activate his mysterious System and escape as quickly as possible.
Dumbledore noticed Douglas's sudden discomfort.
For a moment he wondered if he had reached his conclusion too quickly.
After a moment of thought, he pulled a sheet of parchment from the stack of documents beside him.
With a flick of magic, several lines of text vanished.
He picked up a quill and began writing.
While he worked, he spoke casually.
"Merlin's socks, Douglas. I should probably tell you something."
"Regarding the Defense Against the Dark Arts position…"
"I had originally planned to invite another well-known writer to take the role."
Douglas frowned slightly.
Was that really true?
Dumbledore smiled and gestured toward the candy box on the table.
"If the news seems bitter, I recommend taking a piece of honey candy."
"You can enjoy something sweet while listening to an old man finish his story."
Douglas accepted the suggestion without hesitation.
He picked a piece of candy and popped it into his mouth.
Dumbledore finished editing the parchment and set down his quill.
Then he folded his hands on the desk.
"Perhaps I overestimated the influence of an old wizard like myself."
"After receiving my invitation, the gentleman declined."
"In fact, I had even considered visiting him personally."
He smiled faintly.
"But Minerva reminded me that several months ago you wrote to Hogwarts applying for the position."
"And that gave me an idea."
"Why not invite another writer to try?"
"Even if he insists on publishing under a pseudonym."
At that point, Dumbledore blinked with the playful expression of an elderly troublemaker.
He slid the parchment across the desk.
"This is the appointment letter for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."
"You may wish to review the terms."
Douglas unfolded the parchment.
It was nearly two feet long and filled with dense clauses.
His eyes quickly found the key line.
"…Appointed as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts (Temporary)…."
Douglas looked up in confusion.
"Professor… this is…?"
Dumbledore seemed unsurprised by the question.
"Oh, exactly what it says."
"Mr. Holmes, I hope you understand that while the Headmaster does appoint professors personally…"
He paused slightly.
"Your age presents certain concerns."
"Of course… if I remember correctly, the last person appointed as a professor at twenty-one was Severus."
He smiled faintly.
"But Severus had already made remarkable achievements in Potions."
"And when Horace Slughorn retired, he personally recommended Severus to succeed him."
Dumbledore tapped the parchment.
"As for you, Mr. Holmes—if we speak honestly—aside from your anonymous literary success, your qualifications consist mainly of excellent academic results."
He raised a reassuring hand.
"But you need not worry."
"This is simply a probationary appointment."
"It reduces the possibility of… minor disagreements between you and the other staff."
"If you successfully complete this academic year and earn the approval of both the students and your colleagues…"
"Then the appointment will automatically become permanent."
Douglas nearly rolled his eyes.
Reduce minor disagreements?
Among the current Hogwarts staff, who would least want to see him return?
Only one person came to mind.
And that person was perfectly capable of making life difficult for him—even under Dumbledore's supervision.
Still…
Douglas didn't find the temporary appointment particularly objectionable.
A probationary period?
Fine.
He could accept that.
Seeing Douglas agree so easily, Dumbledore was slightly surprised.
In fact, he had prepared several inspirational speeches meant to guide young people entering their careers.
After all, most young wizards had a certain pride.
And Douglas had never been especially easy to persuade during his student days.
Dumbledore adjusted his glasses thoughtfully.
"In fact," he said casually, "I have a small suggestion."
(End of Chapter)
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