A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 115: Awarding of Honors

Chapter 115: Awarding of Honors

Felix Harp quirked a smile as he entered the reception room.

The room had been subtly enlarged with the Undetectable Extension Charm. It appeared modest from the outside, but inside, it resembled a scaled-down version of the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

Dark, glossy black wooden boards covered the floor, while the ceiling, painted blue, was adorned with twinkling golden symbols that moved and shifted incessantly.

Two rows of torches were affixed to each of the four walls, their red flames burning quietly.

Around twenty people were scattered across the room, forming seven or eight small groups.

Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, was surrounded by the largest crowd. He seemed exceptionally animated, his face beaming with smiles, his belly protruding with confidence—a stark contrast to his days at Hogwarts.

Not far from the entrance, Severus Snape engaged in conversation with a tall, thin middle-aged wizard with brown curly hair.

"Severus, you're here too," Felix Harp walked up to the two.

Snape looked at him in surprise, his eyes fixed on Felix. He murmured, "I didn't expect them to invite you. I don't recall you achieving any remarkable feats in the field of potions."

Felix chuckled. "Belby and I are friends. We correspond quite often."

Snape pursed his lips without saying a word.

Felix turned to the wizard. "Damocles, it's been a while."

The wizard before him was none other than the master potion-maker who had invented the Wolfsbane Potion—Damocles Belby.

Belby shook his hand warmly. "Felix, I'm delighted to share my joy with you."

Leaning in conspiratorially, he added, "I recently watched a Muggle performance, quite entertaining. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it."

"What's it about?" Felix inquired.

"A story of a gathering of cats?" he replied with some uncertainty. "Honestly, I've always thought it was an opera, but Muggles call it a musical. I can't quite grasp the distinction."

"Hmm…" Felix pondered.

Snape stood nearby, surprised by the conversation between them. Even Professor Caridy Babajee, who taught Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, wouldn't delve so deeply into Muggle life.

Interestingly enough, Felix had led Belby down this rabbit hole.

Their initial acquaintance had been marked by Belby writing a letter rebutting some of Felix's claims in a book. His tone was fiery, asserting that Felix had exaggerated. At the time, Felix had regarded him as a muddled pure-blood and responded with a creative array of mockery, complete with various data.

Surprisingly, Belby had taken it seriously, and he eventually wrote back acknowledging his mistakes.

Their correspondence had flourished, and Felix had even visited him a few times.

The master potion-maker was introverted and socially awkward, but beneath his exterior, he was sensitive and had a knack for the finer things. He had expressed his frustration in letters about how his obsession with potion-making had strained his relationships with his family.

Felix had advised him to find common ground with his family, to seek shared interests between his own hobbies and theirs.

Belby's choice had been opera.

From what Felix later learned, Belby had invited his family to watch a highly renowned magical opera during a family gathering. They had been perplexed but had willingly attended.

Later, Felix had casually mentioned that the Muggle world had its fair share of excellent operas...

In the midst of their conversation, Belby pulled someone over. "This is my brother, Cleaster, Cleaster Belby."

Felix looked at the shorter man with matching hair color. "Hello, Cleaster."

"Hello, Mr. Harp," the man said enthusiastically. "I've heard Damocles mention you. He holds you in high regard, he's bought a hundred copies of your books…"

"Cough, cough!" his brother interjected awkwardly.

Felix: "…"

Soon enough, other wizards in the vicinity noticed Felix and approached him, striking up conversations.

"Harp, long time no see. Heard you've taken up a position at Hogwarts."

"That's right. I'm in charge of Ancient Magical Scripts. Ogden, has things been busy with the Weasongamot recently?"

"Not much going on, I hardly bother with those things," the wizard grumbled.

Midway through, Fudge also came over to greet everyone. He hinted at an upcoming private gathering, but Felix Harp feigned not understanding, wishing him the best in his endeavors.

During this time, more people arrived in the room. Most of them were experts in the field of potions and members of the Weasongamot. There were also a few Ministry of Magic employees and a couple of reporters.

A commotion at the entrance drew Felix's attention. He looked up to see a short, plump witch dressed entirely in pink.

As she walked by, a strong scent of perfume wafted in the air.

The witch headed straight to Fudge and engaged in conversation with him in a high-pitched voice.

Belby frowned. "She's the host for today, and it's the one thing I'm not pleased about."

"That's—"

"Dolores Umbridge, head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office and, of course, a member of the Weasongamot. Her reputation at the Ministry isn't great; she's a rather stringent person…"

The witch suddenly burst into giggles, causing Belby to tightly close his mouth.

Soon, the ceremony officially began.

Umbridge stood on a raised platform, facing the thirty-odd guests below, her sweet smile on display.

"As a member of the Weasongamot, I'm honored to stand here and preside over this award ceremony. I'd like to express special thanks to Minister Cornelius Fudge for his trust in me. Without his sagacious leadership…"

At first, Felix Harp listened attentively, but after ten minutes had passed, he began to drift off. While he was accustomed to exchanging pleasantries with strangers, he had never experienced such a lengthy discourse.

When she reached the twenty-minute mark, the murmuring from below grew louder. Umbridge had to retrieve her wand from her pocket, tapping the wooden platform before her to hush the crowd.

Felix's gaze wandered from the pink bow on her hair to the wand in her hand—a birch wand about eight inches long.

After three or four more minutes, when the commotion resumed, Umbridge finally got to the point.

"Let us welcome today's protagonist—Damocles Belby, for his outstanding contribution in inventing the Wolfsbane Potion. He is awarded the Order of Merlin, Second Class!"

Belby ascended the platform with an expressionless face.

"—And the guests of honor, Augusta Longbottom and Minister Cornelius Fudge."

The head of the Weasongamot Affairs Office, an elderly wizard, handed Belby a gilded certificate, then was promptly ushered away.

Umbridge then handed a box to Fudge, who eagerly opened it, revealing a golden medal with a purple ribbon inside.

Fudge hung the Order of Merlin around Belby's neck, shaking his hand warmly.

Felix noticed that Belby's smile appeared rather forced.

Flashes of white light and the sound of "clicks" filled the room as photographs were taken.

Next, Fudge delivered an enthusiastic speech, praising "Belby's exceptional contribution, which eradicated the centuries-old threat of werewolves, marking a historic milestone."

Felix invoked his "earplugs charm" around him and turned to Snape, speaking in a low voice.

"Why haven't I seen Dumbledore?"

Snape squeezed out a sentence between his teeth. "He rarely participates in such events unless he deems them truly necessary."

"He's the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, isn't he?" Felix asked.

"That's an honor, Felix. The Wizengamot, aside from presiding over the trials of Dark Wizards at the end of the war, spends most of its time on trivial matters. Do you think Dumbledore would engage in that?"

With Snape's explanation, Felix Harp gained a new understanding of the organization.

The Wizengamot had a grand reputation as the wizarding world's highest court, functioning as a combination of a court and a parliament. However, in practice, their jurisdiction often overlapped significantly with other departments of the Ministry.

Wizengamot members could be divided into two categories: those renowned in various fields who were invited to join, and those who formed the Wizengamot Affairs Office, responsible for routine management and paperwork.

Yet, they fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Magic.

Ordinary law-breaking cases were tried by this department. Only in cases of significant controversy were all members of the Wizengamot invited to serve as a jury and cast votes.

Even so, the Ministry often appointed judges directly.

...

As they exited the reception room, Felix inquired of Belby, "Do you have any plans lately?"

Belby let out a long breath. "I plan to take a break and explore new things—wasn't that your suggestion?"

A thought suddenly struck Felix Harp. He sized up Belby and, just as the potion master appeared somewhat flustered, he finally spoke—

"Damocles, are you interested in experiencing some campus life?"

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