Alex went on, "We ran two tests on Gringotts, an assault and an infiltration, and both times, Gringotts failed. The facts show that with proper preparation, an average Auror-level wizard can sneak into Gringotts and steal from the middle and shallow vaults without detection.
And if you have five skilled and careful wizards working together, they can even break into the deep vaults, steal, and get out unscathed."
He explained further, "That's exactly why Gringotts recently agreed to a major security overhaul. Some vulnerabilities only show up when you actually test them.
This safety drill isn't just for the students, the professors are part of the test as well."
Alex's smile grew confident. He hadn't personally led the operation at Gringotts; instead, a few Aurors from the Ministry carried out the exercises.
When the goblins found out that a heavily guarded vault had been emptied without a trace, they were absolutely shocked.
Snape frowned skeptically.
"Such a huge event, and no one mentioned it?
Are you sure you're not making this up?"
He just couldn't believe it.
Alex smiled faintly when he heard the words.
"Heh, how could the goblins of Gringotts spread such embarrassing rumors everywhere?
Everyone involved in the exercise has been given a strict gag order. Besides, I hope no one here will go around spreading nonsense.
Even if you mention Gringotts, you definitely won't admit to anything."
Then he turned to look at Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, do you think this request can be accepted?"
Dumbledore, who had been lost in thought, was startled by the sudden interruption.
"Hmm?" he replied.
Then he quickly added, "I don't have a strong opinion on the matter, but how do you plan to carry out this so-called 'safety drill'? It shouldn't cause any real danger, right?
It would be terrible if someone got hurt during a practice."
"Don't worry," Alex assured him. "It's just some basic exercises. As for the specifics, I'd prefer to keep them under wraps. After all, the whole point of this kind of drill is to be unexpected, the time, place, and events all need to be kept secret."
Whether he was joking or not, there was a slight smile in his eyes.
"Alright then, let's move forward. Hogwarts has been too peaceful for too long. It's definitely time for everyone to develop a sense of urgency." Dumbledore nodded in agreement, exchanging looks with the other heads of house.
He seemed supportive, though a bit absent-minded at the moment.
"That's all I wanted to report today. Since I'm still busy with my work at the Ministry of Magic, I might get back to school a bit late, but I promise I'll be there before September 1st. I hope you can understand," Alex said apologetically.
After the meeting, Dumbledore quickly pulled Hagrid aside, as if there was something urgent to discuss.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall took Alex aside to show him around her office and the theory classroom.
Speaking of which, Dumbledore had indeed been very generous with
Alex.
The school had assigned him a top-notch personal office on the fifth floor of the main tower, a space that was spacious, well-decorated, and second only to the heads of house offices and the Headmaster's office.
McGonagall led Alex into the office and began to explain its history.
"Alex, this used to be the office of Professor Melles, who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. She retired after that mysterious young man graduated and supposedly cursed the position. Since then, the people who took the job haven't stayed long. Most of them worked from temporary offices, so this one has been empty for a while. But the house-elves still keep it spotless. I hope you like it."
Alex smiled warmly and walked over to the window, gazing out at the beautiful Black Lake.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'm very happy here. I didn't expect to have such a wonderful view."
He looked around with genuine interest, still amazed that he had returned to Hogwarts, not as a student, but as a professor.
McGonagall returned his smile and joined him by the window.
She had always admired Alex, not only for his connections with the German Ministry of Magic but also for the things she knew about his friendship with Sirius Black.
To her, Alex was someone who deeply cared about his friends and was very emotional.
After a moment, she spoke softly, her gaze distant.
"Alex, I'm sure Dumbledore told you… that child will also be starting school this year."
"You mean Harry," Alex said, nodding thoughtfully. "I haven't seen him in ten years. I wonder how he's doing."
"When I left Harry in your care, I understood a bit about the environment he was growing up in," McGonagall replied quietly. "But his situation might be more complicated than you realize."
She paused before adding, "When you see him again, please don't blame Dumbledore. He's only ever thought about what's best for Harry's safety."
Alex frowned slightly.
"What do you mean? Is there something wrong with how Harry's been raised?"
McGonagall didn't answer directly.
Instead, she shifted the conversation.
"Anyway, I remember Dumbledore mentioning that you'll need to travel between campus and off-campus frequently because of your work with Wilson's Arcane Alchemica. I'll give you a special pass. With it, you won't trigger the school's protective magic when you come and go from Hogwarts."
At Hogwarts, disapparating is strictly forbidden, and there isn't a fireplace linked to the outside world.
The only Floo Network that allows travel is the one in Dumbledore's office.
So, to leave or enter Hogwarts, you either have to go through the headmaster's office or exit the castle by other means.
"Don't worry about that," Alex said casually, shaking his head.
He pulled a small, finely crafted leather bag from his belongings and, to McGonagall's surprise, took out a door from it.
Without much fuss, he installed the door onto the wall beside them.
Smiling, Alex explained, "If you want to get back to Wilson's Arcane Alchemica, you can just step through here, I won't trouble you with it."
McGonagall watched Alex's unexpected actions and gave a wry smile, shaking her head.
"I guess I was silly to worry about something like this for you, a master alchemist. But you'll have to keep that door guarded, don't let any strange people wander in."
"No worries," Alex replied confidently, twisting the handle and opening the door with a welcoming gesture. "This door won't open without my permission. Please, Professor McGonagall, let me take you to Diagon Alley for a drink or two. The last time we had tea there was eleven years ago."
Time flew by, and half a month later, on August 1st, Hagrid once again stepped through the door of the Leaky Cauldron into Diagon Alley.
This time, he was accompanied by a thin boy.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Harry!" Hagrid said with a warm laugh, looking down cheerfully at the boy beside him.
Harry, experiencing the wizarding world for the first time, stared around with wide eyes, amazed by everything he saw.
Crowds bustled around them, some vendors hawked products with strange names, while groups strolled along the street, or stopped to admire shop windows filled with magical items.
People chatted animatedly, sharing the latest news.
"Did you hear Wilson's Arcane Alchemica recently signed a new contract with some mysterious singer named Celia? Her voice is supposed to be absolutely beautiful!"
"That's old news, I heard that ages ago. Your information's pretty outdated," came a quick reply nearby. "I also heard that her album was recently included in the 'Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Blind Box.' I even saw someone win it with my own eyes!"
"Then what are we waiting for? A blind box only costs 10 Sickles. Let's try a few! Even if you don't win the record, you won't lose much!"
He watched the girls run deeper into Diagon Alley, chatting and laughing, which made him curious.
"Hagrid, what exactly is this blind box they keep talking about?"
Hagrid scratched his head and chuckled.
"Blind box, huh? I think I heard Alex mention it once. Sounds like he spent some money trying to clear out the stock... Well, from what I understand, it's a kind of lottery where you don't know what you're gonna get. These things get pretty popular when they first come out. If you're interested, I can show you later. You've got plenty of teaching supplies to buy, and the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica is just the place for that."
Harry looked up nervously at Hagrid, who towered over him like a giant.
"But how am I supposed to afford all this? I don't have any money," he said hesitantly.
Hagrid grinned and pointed ahead.
"Where do you think your money is, Harry? Gringotts, the wizarding bank! Nothing's safer than Hogwarts, well, once they've improved their security, of course."
He reached into his coat pocket, as if searching for something.