RioRaRyu
patreon
Chapter 218: I Have Done My Best
🕑 Added 2025-07-03 02:44:05 +0000 UTCNoah’s journey back to his alma mater was smooth, with one notable exception: once again, Noah expressed his desire to take Lily as his future disciple, and Snape guarded him like a hawk.
Everything else went well.
Both Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick warmly welcomed Noah’s return. For Professor Flitwick, Noah was undoubtedly his most proud student—perhaps the only one of his kind.
To be honest, Noah was at a loss for words regarding Snape’s attitude. He had witnessed the birth of his daughter, and if it hadn’t been for his suggestion, Lily Snape might not have existed at all. Noah had kindly offered to become her teacher, yet Snape’s response was less than gracious.
Feeling slightly resentful, Noah left Hogwarts. His visit had been worthwhile, but Professor Flitwick lamented that Noah had come back at the wrong time. Otherwise, he would have loved for Noah to give a speech to all the students in Ravenclaw.
Noah’s achievements were remarkable, especially his creation of the wizard alliance, which had secured all the available spots at Kamar-Taj University for Hogwarts students.
Looking at Professor Flitwick’s pitying expression, Noah shook his head.
Noah wasn’t interested in giving speeches, especially since he wasn’t sure what he would even say if he stood on the podium at Hogwarts. Fortunately, that wasn’t going to happen, or Noah would have had to find an excuse to avoid it.
After visiting Hogwarts and meeting with his former professors, Noah decided to visit Dumbledore. The Minister was busier now than when he first assumed the role, and with Christmas upon them, Noah hoped Dumbledore might have some free time.
Noah went straight to the Ministry of Magic. After revealing his identity, he was granted a meeting with Minister Dumbledore.
Dumbledore seemed younger than before, his energy vibrant. “Why are you back, Noah?” he asked, recognizing him immediately, though his eyes widened at the surge of magic emanating from Noah.
“I spent half a year introducing Evan and the others to life at Kamar-Taj. Since everyone went back to London for Christmas, I thought I’d come back and visit,” Noah explained as he casually took a seat.
“It’s good to return often,” Dumbledore smiled. “Filius has been saying that you are his most proud student.”
Noah chuckled. “I went to see the professor, and he wanted me to give a speech. Honestly, I have no idea what I’d say up there.”
“How have you been? And how are Mr. Kane and the others?”
“All good. They’ve become fairly competent Kamar-Taj magicians, so I worry less about them now.”
“Thank you, Noah. There will be more Hogwarts students in the future, and I hope you can look after them.”
Noah’s face darkened at this. He had enough on his plate leading students once—leading more sounded exhausting! However, seeing Dumbledore’s expectant gaze, Noah reluctantly agreed to figure something out later.
“At worst, I’ll have Evan and the others lead them, like class presidents. If there’s any real problem, they can come to me,” Noah thought. This idea seemed more manageable and had been in his mind for a while, but he hadn’t acted on it until now.
If things went as Noah expected, most Hogwarts students who entered Kamar-Taj would likely be members of the Mage Alliance. This would make leadership and management much simpler.
Beyond discussing the students, Noah and Dumbledore touched on various topics. Dumbledore shared updates on the British Ministry of Magic, including the suppression of the pure-blood aristocracy due to the betrayal of the Malfoy family. Lucius Malfoy had little hope left, but his son Draco had made strides, shedding his Death Eater status and joining the Mage Alliance. If not for some misfortune this year, Draco might have been admitted to Kamar-Taj.
Noah found it particularly interesting that Dumbledore shared his own plans. He didn’t find the position of Minister of Magic as comfortable as being a professor at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had considered stepping down, and if he did, returning to Hogwarts as a professor might be a viable option. He mentioned Arthur Weasley as a potential future Minister, though Arthur seemed hesitant about taking the role.
Noah didn’t comment much on this, as he knew that the tenure of a Minister of Magic could span decades. If Dumbledore stepped down after ten years, maybe Hermione would be ready to take on the role, considering her interest in the Ministry of Magic.
Though Noah couldn’t intervene directly, he figured he could offer advice if needed. As for Arthur, it was unclear whether he’d accept the position.
After their conversation, Noah inquired about Nagini. Dumbledore confirmed that the snake was doing well now, with fewer dangers surrounding her.
They spoke until Dumbledore’s workday was nearly over. With a polite farewell, Noah left the Ministry and returned to the orphanage where Ms. Hefin was preparing Christmas dinner. While the holiday didn’t hold much personal significance for Noah, the children were excited, and Ms. Hefin was hopeful they’d enjoy the festivities.
Harry, of course, ran to the party this year. After hearing from Longbottom that Noah and his friends had returned and that his adoptive father, Sirius Black, was at Hogwarts, Harry decided to join them for Christmas.
Noah and Ms. Hefin welcomed him warmly. Harry was curious about life at Kamar-Taj, particularly since his situation mirrored Draco’s. Like Draco, Harry had been rejected from Kamar-Taj despite performing well on his exams, all due to limited spots. Now working in the Auror Department, Harry was determined to try again next year.
Noah encouraged him, sharing some insights into life at Kamar-Taj. After everything, Noah and Ms. Hefin returned to Kamar-Taj themselves. They didn’t have the luxury of long holidays, and the students were still immersed in their competitive training.
In Kamar-Taj, training was measured by scores, and one’s usual performance mattered. If a student kept facing someone they couldn’t beat, they risked being in danger of not graduating, unless they achieved perfect scores. This rule, introduced by Noah, had earned its share of complaints from students, but it was still in place.
Noah chuckled to himself, recalling his own college days, when he didn’t take attendance seriously and ended up with a poor performance score. “I’ve done my best!” he thought.
Time passed quickly, and Noah slipped back into his peaceful routine. Evan and the others had done well, not just the three under Noah’s direct mentorship, but all of Hogwarts students. Now second-year students, they had taken on real leadership roles as class leaders under Noah’s guidance.
Noah adopted a simple philosophy for the year: approach him when necessary, but leave him to enjoy his peace when there were no urgent matters. His hands-off approach soon spread to other team leaders, and Kamar-Taj’s management began to take shape.
As time entered the new millennium, Noah approached his most challenging step toward becoming a senior magician, but just as this milestone approached, Master Ancient One suddenly sought him out.
