Over the next few days, Adrian Wesson waited for the letter from Hogwarts while crafting the prosthetics Professor Kettleburn had requested.
Oh, and there was Harry, too. With so much on his plate, Adrian had given Harry several days off.
Even the most diligent student needs a holiday, doesn't he?
Besides, there would be plenty of chances for the Tree of Wisdom to share the same space as Harry later; there was no need to rush.
When Adrian arrived at the shop carrying a finished arm and half a leg, a sudden flurry of tapping came from the window.
A tawny owl stood on the sill, a heavy letter bound to its talons.
Adrian walked over and untied the envelope. The owl gave a low hoot and swept away on its wings.
He broke the seal. The familiar Hogwarts crest met his eyes, along with handwriting unmistakably stamped with Dumbledore's personal flair.
Adrian smiled faintly. He had waited a long time for this moment.
[Dear Mr Wesson,
First, please allow me to express my sincere admiration for your outstanding talent in the field of magical creatures. Professor Kettleburn has spoken of your abilities in the highest terms and has formally recommended you as his successor.
In light of your extensive knowledge and singular insight, I formally invite you to serve as Professor of Care of Magical Creatures and join the Hogwarts staff.
Before you officially take up the post, we would like you to arrive at Hogwarts before 10:00 on 15 July to complete a short series of practical tests to confirm your capability.
May wisdom and courage accompany you. I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts.
Headmaster
Albus Dumbledore]
Adrian folded the letter carefully and placed it in a small drawer.
"A little test, is it?" he murmured.
That would be Dumbledore's idea.
Hogwarts would never hire a professor lightly. Even with Kettleburn's recommendation, Dumbledore would insist on assessing him in person.
"Since he wants to see what I can do…" Adrian rose, rolled his shoulders and let his gaze rest on the door to the plantation. The smile at the corner of his mouth deepened. "Then I'll give him a bit of a surprise."
——
The appointed day came quickly.
When Adrian reached the front gates of Hogwarts, he spotted Professor Kettleburn from afar.
Kettleburn looked the same as ever, bursting with energy.
"Didn't expect you to be the one greeting me, Professor."
Adrian waved and strode up, steady on his feet.
He carried a suitcase and wore a brand-new black robe—the one he'd ordered from the Elegance-brand wizarding clothier.
"I'm here to tidy the things in my office," Kettleburn said. "Then the Headmaster suddenly handed me the task of receiving you."
"I thought Professor McGonagall would be the one to meet me," Adrian said lightly, his eyes roaming the high castle towers with a feeling both familiar and strange.
Kettleburn waved a hand; his limbs creaked audibly.
"She's likely rushed off her feet! The Headmaster's piled her with work. You know how it is—this is when we send out the acceptance letters to the students. Not a job where one can afford any slip-ups."
"No wonder."
Chatting as they went, Professor Kettleburn led him up to the Headmaster's office at the very top.
To be frank, when he'd been at school Adrian had been truly a "face in the crowd". Apart from slightly better marks, he'd had nothing particularly remarkable about him.
He doubted Dumbledore remembered him well.
For the record, Adrian had been in Hufflepuff.
"Ah, you're here at last, Mr Wesson."
A warm yet lively voice floated down from the top of the spiral staircase.
Right on cue, Dumbledore stepped out of the office.
Seeing the Headmaster exactly as he remembered him, Adrian felt an unexpected pang of nostalgia.
"Good morning, Headmaster." Adrian drew himself up, meeting the old wizard's eyes squarely—polite, and confident.
Dumbledore inclined his head. His gaze paused on the suitcase in Adrian's hand.
There was a glint of curiosity in those blue eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.
"I hear," he began in an easy tone, "you've prepared a set of prosthetics for our Professor Kettleburn?"
Adrian hadn't expected that to be Dumbledore's opening remark.
"That's right," Adrian replied, uncertain why Dumbledore had brought it up.
"The amusing thing is, I had planned to present him with a new set as a retirement gift." He stroked his beard and glanced at Kettleburn. "But he refused. He said his student would give him the finest pair."
Kettleburn gave a sheepish grin.
So that was it.
Adrian nodded. It seemed the Headmaster's gift had happened to coincide with his.
"I put a great deal of thought into the Professor's new arm and leg. I believe he'll be satisfied," Adrian said.
Dumbledore's expression brightened. "Then I must thank you. You've spared me a concern."
"However," he went on, lifting a hand in a gentle gesture of invitation, "pleasant as conversation is, we have a small test to complete. Mr Wesson, I'd like to see with my own eyes what has earned Professor Kettleburn's high esteem."
"My pleasure."
Adrian followed Dumbledore and Kettleburn to a clearing on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, beside Hagrid's hut.
"Hagrid!" Kettleburn bellowed.
Heavy footsteps sounded from behind the cabin.
Moments later the broad figure of Rubeus Hagrid came into view.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! Professor! And… Mr Wesson!" Hagrid's bearded face beamed like an overgrown child. "I've been waitin' fer this!"
Seeing Hagrid's excitement, Adrian couldn't help wondering what sort of "little test" this would be.
They couldn't have brought a fire-breather for him to wrestle, could they?
No, impossible. He dismissed the thought at once. A fire-breathing dragon wasn't something one "just fetched". Even if Dumbledore agreed, the Ministry would never allow a dragon at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore nodded to Hagrid, signalling him to bring it out.
"Comin'!"
Hagrid rubbed his hands briskly and hurried behind the hut. A moment later, accompanied by a heavy scraping, he pushed a massive iron crate into the clearing.
When Hagrid whipped away the covering cloth, Adrian's pupils narrowed.
They had brought a dragon after all.
For a heartbeat, Adrian could scarcely believe it.
The creature inside seemed still asleep, curled in a corner; its black scales threw off a cold metallic sheen in the sunlight.
"This is… a Norwegian Ridgeback?" Adrian cooled at once, naming the species from the ridge of black spines along its back.
"You have ten minutes to subdue the dragon before you," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Also, the anti-Apparition wards have been lifted temporarily."
With a light wave of his wand, the Headmaster made the vast iron cage vanish.
The Norwegian Ridgeback now stood unrestrained in front of them.
Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn immediately retreated to a safe distance, leaving Adrian ample room.
Dumbledore remained to one side, watching with keen interest.
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