Oh, Headmaster, My Headmaster…

"Professor Dumbledore, I was just about to ask for your help."

Adam took the shrunken Sirius Black, sealed inside a bottle, from his pocket.

"Find some time to explain everything to him. I was a little busy at the time and didn’t get the chance. And one more thing—don’t let Harry see him right away. He needs a lesson to make him understand that this isn’t some adventure game."

"This wasn’t entirely Harry’s fault either…"

After placing Sirius Black on the bed and restoring him to his proper size, Adam watched Professor Dumbledore glance at the sleeping Sirius and sigh.

They had discussed what had happened after returning.

Harry had indeed been too reckless and too quick to believe the false visions Voldemort had sent him through the soul fragment, but they bore responsibility as well.

After Harry saw the image of Sirius being tortured by Voldemort, he had tried to verify Sirius’s whereabouts. Yet when he used the usual methods, he had been unable to contact a single member of the Order of the Phoenix…

"Then at the very least, he needs to realize that he is still far too weak."

Adam shook his head.

"Unless something unexpected happens, Hogwarts will be very peaceful from next term onward. No student at Hogwarts will be allowed to leave Hogwarts by illegal means during the school term. Let Harry study properly."

"That is what I hope for as well."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. All along—at least, that had once been the case—although he had regarded Harry as the hope of defeating Voldemort once and for all, he had never wanted Harry to face Voldemort while he was still a child.

He was still alive, and everyone in the Order of the Phoenix was still alive. Things had not yet reached the point where an ungraduated child had to face everything.

Afterward, Adam and Professor Dumbledore completed the transfer of the Hogwarts headmastership.

The headmaster’s authority, the headmaster’s duties, and a vast amount of information naturally became known to Adam as he became Hogwarts’s new headmaster.

The headmaster could command the portraits and ghosts within Hogwarts—though Hogwarts headmasters generally did not act so forcefully.

Beyond that, the headmaster could control the protective magic surrounding Hogwarts, such as the Anti-Apparition wards and the Unplottable enchantment.

Compared to that, things like controlling House Cup points were trivial powers.

In return, the headmaster was required to maintain Hogwarts’s normal operations, including but not limited to managing the staff, overseeing the students, and providing the funds needed to keep Hogwarts running.

"Hogwarts used to be funded and maintained by the headmaster?"

Adam looked thoughtfully at Professor Dumbledore.

The task of writing to new students had been handed to Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall, Hogwarts’s operating funds had been handed to the Board of Governors, and most of the other work had been assigned to the professors…

You really had it easy, Professor Dumbledore!

"Ahem, as for that, the Board of Governors took responsibility for it long ago."

Professor Dumbledore shrugged.

It has nothing to do with me. Why not ask the portraits in the Headmaster’s Office later and see which brilliant headmaster came up with that idea?

"All right, let us go to Hogwarts and introduce you to your new colleagues."

Professor Dumbledore smiled and winked at Adam.

Adam glanced at Sirius Black.

"Shouldn’t we wait for him to wake up and settle him in first?"

"There is no need. As you said, perhaps Harry should be given some time to think things through. Besides, I am rather eager to see their expressions."

"All right, Mentos."

Adam casually pulled out a Galleon and turned it into a Portkey leading to the Headmaster’s Office. That was an authority exclusive to the headmaster—a form of magic similar to the Fidelius Charm and the Unplottable enchantment. No one except Hogwarts’s current headmaster could use the Headmaster’s Office location in magic.

"I never thought I would have to return to the Office this way one day…"

Professor Dumbledore picked up the Portkey and vanished the next moment.

When the two of them appeared in the Headmaster’s Office, the surrounding portraits immediately erupted into noise.

"Good heavens, Dumbledore, you’re finally back! The connection to the contract suddenly broke just now, and everyone was terrified…"

The speaker was a very kindly-looking witch. She had left behind a half-length portrait in the Headmaster’s Office, and her face was filled with anxiety.

"Ms. Devant, thank you for your concern."

Professor Dumbledore smiled and nodded to her.

"Dumbledore, what just happened… Wait!"

Another portrait frowned at Professor Dumbledore, then looked at Adam, then back at Professor Dumbledore.

"You… handed the headmaster’s position over to this child?!"

"Oh, Efra, what nonsense are you talking about? How could that possibly… be?!"

Adam recognized the speaker this time. He had seen this portrait at Regulus’s place.

The least popular headmaster in Hogwarts history—an actual headmaster, unlike Umbridge and her Ministry of Magic self-appointment—and also the headmaster during the era of Hogwarts Legacy, Regulus’s great-great-grandfather: Phineas Nigellus Black.

At that moment, the old man rose directly from his seat within the portrait, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"By Slytherin, Dumbledore, what have you done?!"

"As you can all see, Adam Reed, Hogwarts’s next headmaster."

Professor Dumbledore still wore a smile.

"These are extraordinary times, but I believe Adam will be a fine headmaster."

With that, Professor Dumbledore waved his wand, and a portrait of himself appeared on the office wall. The Dumbledore within it sat in a chair, wearing a smile identical to Professor Dumbledore’s own.

Though the portraits found this utterly absurd, they were ultimately dead. They could only offer the current headmaster advice; they could not truly interfere with the headmaster’s decisions.

But someone could.

"Albus, Pomona and I received the message from your Patronus!"

Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout arrived together. Their voices carried from far down the staircase before they even came into view.

"Tell me you’re joking, will you? Adam has only just finished his fifth year!"

Seeing Adam in the Headmaster’s Office as well, the two professors froze.

"Filius, calm down. I am not joking. I think both of you know very well that Adam is fully capable of graduating already, don’t you?"

"But he hasn’t… Fine, but he has only just come of age! How can you make Adam take on such a dangerous duty?"

Professor Sprout glared angrily at Professor Dumbledore.

Pomona, has the position of Hogwarts headmaster become something dangerous in your eyes…?

Unable to cope with Professor Sprout in full protective mode, Professor Dumbledore looked at Adam and winked.

"Ahem, Professor Sprout, I was the one who wanted to become headmaster."

Leaning on the Wand of Darkness, Adam stepped forward to rescue Professor Dumbledore.

"In fact, I believe I am fully capable of serving as Hogwarts’s headmaster during this special period and keeping everyone safe…"