章 24: 24: Erised <I> Desire
As soon as they stepped out of the tavern, Hagrid couldn't contain himself any longer.
He grabbed Kasenhis by the shoulders and began shaking him enthusiastically.
"Kasen! Professor Kasen! Do you know what this is? A dragon egg! A dragon egg! I've always wanted to raise a dragon—always! A dragon, can you believe it?"
"Okay... okay, a dragon… a dragon. I get it. I get it."
Kasenhis responded, utterly resigned as Hagrid continued shaking him like a rag doll.
"Right then! I'm heading straight to my hut—I can't wait to start hatching this beautiful creature. Oh, and Professor Kasen, could you do me a favor? Swing by the library and grab some books on dragons? Stuff on hatching, raising them, and maybe something on identifying dragon species?"
Still clutching the egg, Hagrid spun circles around Kasen in his excitement, nearly undoing the man's already tenuous grasp on consciousness.
"Fine, fine, I'll do it! Just stop spinning around, Hagrid. I'm begging you," Kasen muttered, trying to steady himself.
By the time they returned to Hogwarts, the two of them looked more suspicious than they had any right to be.
Hagrid sneaked off to his hut with the dragon egg held like a precious gem, while Kasen stumbled his way back into the castle, groggy and bleary-eyed.
His first stop was the headmaster's office. Upon seeing Kasen, Dumbledore's face lit up with excitement, and he eagerly waved him over.
"You really must see this," Dumbledore said, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. He stood up from his desk, grabbed Kasen's arm, and led him to one corner of the office. There stood an ornate, resplendent mirror.
"What do you see?" Dumbledore asked, his voice filled with intrigue.
"I renovated Hogwarts from the inside out with one block after another," Kasenhis blurted out instinctively.
Dumbledore, standing beside him, gave him a look so warm and friendly that it bordered on unsettling.
"I must say, Kasen, if we were to put the Sorting Hat on you, you'd undoubtedly be sorted into Hufflepuff," Dumbledore said with conviction.
"Why Hufflepuff?" Kasenhis asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because even your deepest desires are so simple and comforting. I can't imagine you fitting into any other house."
"...Desires?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"Exactly, desires. This is the Mirror of Erised. It reflects the deepest yearnings of one's heart. But with something as charming as your vision, I'd rather call it a dream than a desire."
"And to be honest, I've never stopped you from remodeling Hogwarts. If anything, I sincerely hope you'd start with the headmaster's office," Dumbledore added, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
Kasen tapped his knuckles against the mirror, watching his reflection mimic the motion. The version of him in the mirror even gave him a polite salute back.
"Well, that'll have to wait until I have some free time. Honestly, teaching students isn't exactly a walk in the park," Kasen replied.
"Understandable," Dumbledore said. "Now, I need to move this mirror to another room. Care to join me?"
"Are we doing this by hand?"
"Of course, we'll use magic," Dumbledore replied, placing one hand on Kasenhis' shoulder and the other on the edge of the mirror. With a resonating hum, the pair, along with the mirror, vanished from the headmaster's office and reappeared in an empty classroom.
"Harry will like this gift," Dumbledore said, gently setting the mirror in place. "But I don't intend to give it to him. I only want him to experience it."
"When will you let him experience it? Honestly, why not just let him use it in your office?"
"After Christmas. I don't want to get too close to him too soon. It's not the right time yet."
"Ah, Christmas! You've just reminded me—I haven't prepared any Christmas gifts yet," Kasenhis suddenly shivered as if realizing the weight of his oversight.
"And who do you plan to give gifts to?" Dumbledore asked with a knowing smile.
"Everyone at Hogwarts! Neville, Harry, and their friends, of course. My students as well. The twins love pranks, so I'm thinking of making them a gadget that can send people flying—harmlessly, of course."
"George might like a new Quidditch robe, and Angelina mentioned her broomstick is uncomfortable to ride... then there's Cedric... and..."
Kasenhis continued, rattling off names and ideas, his enthusiasm uncontainable.
Dumbledore watched him with a warm smile, his eyes twinkling. "Kasen, I must say, you are truly full of love."
"Love? Maybe."
Kasenhis shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Honestly, I haven't met my mother yet. But I can feel that she lived well."
"Death is but the next great adventure, Kasen. I'm sure she is doing well in whatever world her soul is right now."
"Uh..." Kasenhis felt a little awkward. He couldn't exactly tell Dumbledore that she really was in another world, even though the headmaster's perception wasn't too far off.
Oh well, no need to dwell on it.
"By the way, almost forgot—I was drinking with Hagrid at the Hog's Head when a hooded figure managed to coax out the method to calm the three-headed dog through a... bet with Hagrid. I suspect it was Quirrell, so I also told him how to open the piston door."
"Ah, how considerate of you. Saves trouble all around—not just for you, but for Quirrell and Tom as well," Dumbledore replied with a smile.
"Maybe. Anything else you need? If not, I'll be on my way." Kasenhis asked.
"Nothing else, but remember to share the method to open the piston door with Harry. Those four caused quite the commotion during today's flying lesson, nearly giving Madam Hooch and Minerva heart attacks."
"And poor Mr. Malfoy. He ended up being hung from a tree by Mr. Longbottom's levitation spell."
"Just as Mr. Malfoy had hung Mr. Longbottom's Remembrall in a tree barely two minutes earlier," Dumbledore added with a chuckle.
Kasenhis smirked, his expression unmistakably amused.
"Well, petty skirmishes between young wizards are pretty normal—especially when they're evenly matched."
"Indeed. And it's good news on two fronts: Poor Mr. Longbottom, bolstered by the support of his beloved professor, has regained his confidence and begun standing up to other students' bullying."
"And Harry, during this little escapade, showcased extraordinary flying talent. I must say, he'll make an excellent Seeker—just like his father."
When Dumbledore spoke about such delightful events, his face naturally lit up with a smile.
It reminded Kasenhis of his junior high homeroom teacher, a petite and kind-hearted elderly lady.
Her face was always adorned with a smile, revealing her front teeth—so gentle, so compassionate.
And wise.
"Well, I suppose I should congratulate them then."
"That's not all I wanted to mention," Dumbledore continued. "What I really wanted to tell you is that they're likely headed to your office. Mr. Longbottom is very eager for your approval and praise. Right now, Harry has just left Minerva's office and is probably on his way to yours."
"Ah... oh... is that so? Do I still have time to get there first?"
"I imagine Mr. Longbottom would be more than willing to wait for you—even past curfew—risking being caught for wandering after hours," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye.
"Looks like I'd better hurry back then."
"I truly wish you had been one of my own students, though I may not have been the most adept teacher for you," Dumbledore added as he adjusted his glasses.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Kasenhis shrugged and stepped out of the empty classroom.
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