Chapter 40: A Day at Hogwarts
"I received your letter, Miss Hamilton," Dumbledore said slowly after Lyra had sat down. "You wish to receive an advance on your salary, correct?"
"Mm... mm!"
I never thought I'd be asking Dumbledore for money... Please forgive me, Lord Grindelwald.
Lyra lowered her head and said in a small voice, "I promised... M-Mr. Lupin."
"Remus has already informed me of this matter," Dumbledore nodded slightly, unwrapping a Fizzing Whizbee from the table. As he ate, he said, "You wish to purchase ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potion, correct?"
"Mm... mm." Lyra nodded slightly, her eyes fixed on the table, not daring to look up.
The number of people watching me right now might have set a record... A record for the maximum number of onlookers observing Miss Hamilton.
"I understand," Dumbledore nodded. He slowly pulled a sheet of parchment from a drawer under the desk and looked it over.
"Hmm..." He was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Miss Hamilton, according to the report in my hand..."
"In the past month or so, you have already advanced approximately three hundred and twenty-five Galleons."
"Th... that many?" Lyra looked up at Dumbledore in surprise.
"Ah... I don't mean to doubt... your... meaning..." After meeting Dumbledore's gaze for a few seconds, Lyra quickly lowered her head and muttered.
Actually, I do doubt it! I suspect Dumbledore is cooking the books! How could I have spent that much... I just bought a new wand, a few robes... a cauldron... some formation materials... ah...
I also seem to have bought some books... and stayed in the tavern room for over a month... and I've never paid for a meal...
Even with all that, it definitely doesn't add up to... more than two hundred and fifty Galleons, right?
Or maybe two hundred and eighty... Anyway, it can't be three hundred!
"Because, Miss Hamilton, as a newly hired professor at Hogwarts, according to the Board of Governors' regulations, your monthly salary is... fifty Galleons." Dumbledore paused, looking at the stunned Lyra. "So Hogwarts has already advanced you about six months' salary."
"Therefore... to ensure your survival after the term starts," Dumbledore lowered his voice, "I cannot advance you any more salary."
Lyra bit her lip, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come out... Like asking to borrow money...
Ah... whether it's borrowing money from people or borrowing money from Dumbledore...
Lyra could never bring herself to ask.
Watching Lyra silently fiddling with her fingers, Dumbledore gave a small smile.
"However, Miss Hamilton." He tapped the table lightly. "I have some good news for you."
"Because Miss Lyra Hamil performed her duties as a Ministry consultant so well..."
"Rufus has sent me a stipend of fifty Galleons for you."
Why didn't you say that earlier?!
Lyra looked up at Dumbledore in astonishment, only to see him blinking, looking rather helpless.
"It can't be helped, Miss Hamilton. Sometimes an old man's memory isn't what it used to be..."
You remember me from fifty years ago... yet you can forget where the fifty Galleons in your pocket came from?
"You..." Lyra gritted her teeth and glared at Dumbledore. She knew he was teasing her! This old coot... After I defeat him, I'm going to burn his beard off with a spell...
"Here are those fifty Galleons." Dumbledore smiled and shook his head, taking a small pouch from his robes and placing it on the table.
In the next second, Lyra snatched the pouch. She gave Dumbledore a wary look, then began counting the coins one by one.
Dumbledore looks like the type who might secretly pocket a few coins...
In Lyra's eyes, the Headmaster of Hogwarts and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot was a villain who deceived children, played cruel jokes, and was insidious and cunning.
After all, he even did something as terrible as defeating Lord Grindelwald!
After counting twice carefully, Lyra confirmed the money was all there.
Only then did she let out a sigh of relief... Good, the easy part of getting the money is done. Now comes the hard part... going to Diagon Alley to buy things...
Just as she was thinking this, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Also, Miss Hamilton... Remus is not just my friend."
"So regarding the brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion... I can offer you some personal assistance."
"Personal... assistance?"
"Correct." Dumbledore stood up slowly. "Please follow me."
"Ah... okay..." Lyra, a bit confused, followed Dumbledore out of the Headmaster's office and down the spiral staircase into the corridor.
Walking on the wooden floor, Dumbledore said slowly, "I can provide you with some of the ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potion."
"Or rather, a professor can."
"P-Professor?" A colleague? It couldn't be Hagrid, could it? If it's Hagrid, I'd rather buy them myself...
Lyra glanced fearfully out the window at the Hogwarts grounds.
"Professor Severus Snape." The name Dumbledore spoke made Lyra sigh in relief, and instinctively ask,
"Is Professor... Snape human?"
"Ah..." Dumbledore froze for a moment, then chuckled. "Naturally... Severus is Hogwarts' most outstanding Potions Master."
"Th... that's wonderful..." Lyra was instinctively happy.
This Professor Snape must be much easier to deal with than Hagrid... at least he's smaller.
But is it really okay for us to just go ask him for ingredients?
Lyra knew how expensive the ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potion were... The fifty Galleons Dumbledore gave her would barely cover them.
Are you planning to use your authority as Headmaster to bully a lowly Potions professor? Just like you tricked me into working for the Ministry Aurors!
Even though you gave me fifty Galleons, that is still a stain on my career as a member of the Zauberpartei!
So she asked in a small voice, "Is that... a bit... not... not very good?"
"..." Dumbledore seemed surprised that Lyra would think this way. He stopped and looked at her. "Do not worry, Miss Hamilton."
"I will compensate Severus in other ways." He blinked. "In ways you cannot imagine."
I am not at all curious about how you compensate him...
But hearing that Dumbledore wasn't abusing his power made Lyra feel much more relaxed.
However, this raised a new question. "Then why... don't you just have Professor Snape brew the Wolfsbane Potion for Mr. Lupin?"
"Mr. Lupin was so..." Lyra wanted to say 'shabby,' but after a few seconds of thought, she changed it to: "Destitute."
"Ah... that question..." Dumbledore was silent for a few seconds. "Perhaps you can ask Severus."
"However... you had best not expect an answer."
What does that mean?
Lyra suddenly felt a sense of foreboding... Could it be that something happened between Professor Snape and Mr. Lupin?