章 726: Interview for Divination Post

It was a cold, wet night, and many residents in Hogsmeade residents took shelter in their homes or the nearest inn. Standing at the bar, the bartender/owner of the Hogs Head Inn scowls as he wipes clean the bar. The Hogs Head Inn was rather clean when in comparison to the vile past standards but despite the mostly cleanliness of the pub. The pub still felt gruff and a bit shady just like usual. Ruffian-like wizards and the like smoke from the pipes as the air is filled with laughter, jeers, and even drunken voices. With the cold change in the weather, plenty of folk from the village stepped inside the pub for a pint and to warm up by the fireplace.

Aberforth reaches up and pushes his spectacles up the bridge of his long nose. His brilliant blue eyes are piercing much like that of his elder brother, Albus. At first glance, one might even argue they weren't related until one stared long enough to find the uncanny resemblance between the two men. Not that either brother would ever admit to such a thing.

With his wiry grey hair pulled back with a tie and a neatly trimmed beard, Aberforth actually had been on the receiving end of several appreciative witches' contemplative stares. Certainly, he lacked the charm and the way with words like Albus, but Aberforth was physically in much better shape than Albus, and younger to boot! That and he owned his own place of business and that was something mighty attractive in the eyes of these witches.

Aberforth turns his gaze from the crowd over to a dark corner, where his elder brother, Albus sits interviewing a wizard wearing very flamboyant robes. Aberforth snorts with annoyance, if he wanted to conduct interviews for the new Divination Professor, he didn't know why simply Albus have them at Hogwarts? Albus surely must be doing it to grate on his nerves!

"Oi, m' pint," a patron called out pulling Aberforth from his thoughts.

With a growl, Aberforth pours a pint of beer from the beer barrel into a mug, before slamming the bit of pint onto the bar. The foaming beer sloshes a bit over the sides, but the patron does not complain and hurries over to sit next to his friends. He wasn't foolish enough to pick a fight with the bartender of the Hogs Head Inn.

The bartender of the Hogs Head Inn was notorious for refusing to serve patrons, who annoyed him for weeks at a time. Even the rowdiest of drunks knew best then to push their luck with the bartender as he was quick to draw his wand and send a stinging hex their way. That sobered even the worst of drunks and quickly sent them packing on their way. The pub quiets a bit having noticed the irked expression on the bartender's face. Those that had yet to pay for their drinks hurry over and place coins onto the bar to pay for their drinks lest the bartender kicks them out for failing to pay.

Still scowling, Aberforth collects the coins and turns away from the sight of Albus. If he continued to stare at Albus, he'd surely become that much crankier. Turning away, he occupies himself serving drinks again, but despite himself, he keeps an eye on the door and peeks at Albus to ensure that he is safe. Not that he would ever admit to being concerned about Albus, he simply didn't want the Headmaster of Hogwarts to be murdered at his place! He'd never be able to die down the infamy and would surely be forced to close the place down!

In the corner of the pub sit two wizards, Albus Dumbledore and an even more flamboyant wizard than Albus if that was even remotely possible. Albus lightly tugs on his long silvery hair and beard with one hand as he listens to the wizard. Albus's long robe is rather demure a simple dark blue robe that sweeps to the floor with the tip of his buckled high heeled boots peeking out. His childlike blue eyes gaze firmly if not tiredly from behind half-moon spectacles that rest on a long, crooked nose that had been broken twice.

Albus nods his head sagely at the young foreign wizard from overseas. The muggleborn was rather handsome in a very flamboyant way with golden hair. The youthful wizards' crimson robes had ostentatious golden embroidery and he wore flashy turquoise, golden rings on his fingers. The young wizard in question was from across the ocean to the new continent isles known as Puerto Rico. The young man in question went by the name of Shanti Ananda. For the young man was a successful actor/performer in his own right in the muggle realm, but the muggleborn wizard now wished to embrace his true life's passion, Divination!

Albus smiles tiredly as he momentarily blanks out as Walter Mercado continues to discuss the intersection of the plants of Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus that would line up with the Frost Moon. By Merlin's beard, how long would this continue! Albus thought the young man abysmally long-winded. He'd already listened to four other candidates, and with the dreadful, but a rather horrifying realization that all Divination candidates seemed to be extraordinarily long-winded.

Not that Albus completely hated teaching Divination as it was rather nice to get up and out of the Headmaster's tower now and again. However, after climbing the stairs several times a day to teach Divination, Albus realized he wasn't as spry as he once was. After painfully pulling a muscle in his hamstring, Poppy sternly told him, "Albus, you aren't young anymore. Desist teaching immediately! You'll break a bone one of these days, mind my words!"

That and well, young Lucius Malfoy, the Chairman, and the Hogwarts Board were not pleased with the situation. They had given him until the start of the winter holidays before the board would do away with the position. Lucius Malfoy had argued that it was an archaic subject that no longer bore any usage in modern-day times. Several of the board members agreed with the Chairman and now Albus was running on a very thin time constraint, which he vehemently hoped soon would run out!

Albus had yet to find a Divination Professor that qualified sufficiently to fulfill the position at least according to his opinion. Albus most certainly was trying to find a professor per the Hogwarts Boards' orders, and he would utter that under oath! Now, he could not promise to answer the question if asked whether he had any intentions to hire a Divination Professor. And as it was presently going it looked like that would precisely be the final result!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Albus was able to extract himself from Shanti Ananda's divination. With a polite expression that seemed a tad forced, Albus courteously says, "Thank you, Mr. Ananda, for that-," he paused as if searching for a word, "-that insight. However, I do not believe that you are suitable for the post, but I commend your efforts and wish you well on your journey."

"It is understandable, I felt that might be the case for the stars never lie," Shanti Ananda answered in accented English. "Before I depart let me wish you a true wish that may come to be." Waving his hand, he adds, "Sobre todo, mucho, mucho amor!" And sends a kiss into the air as if asking the heavens to hear his pleas.

Albus's blue childlike eyes blink in utter bewilderment as if unsure as if what to make of the younger wizard's actions. With a whirl of his cape, the Puerto Rican wizard proudly marches out of the Hogs Head Inn with his head held high. Uncertain of what to think, Albus decides to take a sip of his steaming tavern piping hot cider. With a pleased expression, he takes another sip and waits for the last applicant a former student to arrive, Sybill Patricia Trelawney.