"When school started?"
William was stunned for a moment, finally remembering what "when school started" meant—a crazy ghost had bothered him at the start of the term, and it turned out to be the one in front of him?
"I wasn't laughing at you, I just remembered something happy."
"What happy thing?"
The ghost named Helena pressed on.
"If this matter is resolved, I might get a raise."
William quickly fabricated an excuse, then looked at Professor McGonagall with pleading eyes—after a month at school, he probably understood that Dumbledore was unreliable, and the deputy headmistress managed the funds.
"Of course," Professor McGonagall nodded as expected, then turned to Helena. "It's perfectly normal for young professors like Professor William, who are a bit strapped for cash, to be happy when something that could lead to a raise comes along."
Professor McGonagall played peacemaker—a Quanzhen Sect member meeting an old imp, the ghost of the founder's daughter, what else could she do but humor her? Anyway, the ghost didn't seem very bright, so humoring her would do the trick…
"Then what do you think about me stealing the diadem?"
Helena stared at William, refusing to let go.
'What can I think? I received Eastern education. How would I know how to judge a Western child stealing their parents' wealth? Not to mention this is a magical society, who knows what's different!'
"I'm not quite sure. I didn't receive a Hogwarts education. My teacher taught me with a different way of thinking. A child stealing from their parents isn't considered theft."
Since that teacher died in a lab accident, William directly put the blame on him.
"Of course, correspondingly, parents' discipline of their children doesn't have to be limited by legal regulations. If they make a mistake, appropriate corporal punishment can be used. If the beating is too severe, others will intervene, but no one will think there's anything wrong with the beating."
"There's such an education?"
Helena stared at William, her eyes full of suspicion.
"Yes, Eastern education seems to be like that."
Professor Flitwick stepped forward to vouch for William.
"So, what if the beating is severe?"
She stared at William.
"If the beating isn't severe, accept it. If it's severe, you can just run."
William answered without hesitation.
"What about murder?"
"Murder is a crime everywhere."
"Professor Flitwick, is what he said true?"
Helena stared at Professor Flitwick.
"Of course, I've heard of it, and I've researched it."
"Then she's the one who was wrong, not me—" She smiled happily, staring at William. "You have a deceitful face, but you're not as deceptive as he is. He's much more understanding than you."
Who is he? And why do I have a deceitful face!
But William didn't say anything to provoke this incoherent ghost.
"I've watched your classes—" The ghost said aimlessly, but William quickly realized she was referring to him. "You always seem to be teaching those students things that aren't in the textbooks, but they listen very happily."
"But now I seem to know, it really is very enjoyable." She smiled and walked towards Dumbledore.
"Professor Albus Dumbledore, am I recorded in those headmaster's notes?"
"Of course," Dumbledore smiled gently.
"Then, should the diadem belong to me?"
"Undoubtedly, Madam Helena."
"Last time, I gave it to a student who made me happy, his name was Tom—" She pointed at the tattered diadem. "Now I'm going to give it to this Professor William, is there any problem?"
"That is your freedom, Miss Helena."
Dumbledore's expression was full of tenderness, but William, who was in a state of shutdown, felt nothing at all.
A secret treasure passed down for a thousand years, the diadem of Hogwarts' founder—it was just given to him?
By the time he thought of refusing, he found that the room was already filled with white light, emanating from the ghost in front of Dumbledore.
"Oh, right, tell that scoundrel Bloody Baron he deserved it!"
Before the last of the light vanished, the ghost named Helena spoke her final words.
"This is?"
William was startled by this change. Can ghosts also die?
"It's cause for celebration," Dumbledore's gaze turned to William. "Miss Helena has overcome her last fear of death. She has decided to move on instead of lingering at Hogwarts."
"Professor, I don't quite understand."
William frankly admitted his shortcomings.
"Madam Ravenclaw eventually died of a serious illness, supposedly from pining away. Now it seems Miss Helena was Madam Ravenclaw's emotional burden at the time. Also, due to the guilt of theft, Madam Helena lingered in the castle, afraid to face death," Dumbledore patted William's shoulder. "Clearly, your words gave her the courage to face her mother."
"But I only said a few words, nothing out of the ordinary."
William shook his head; he didn't believe that a thousand years of entanglement could be resolved with just a few sentences.
"Perhaps it was just that one sentence, or perhaps it was just bringing out this diadem. In any case, once the diadem and your words appeared simultaneously, Miss Helena's reason for lingering disappeared." Dumbledore looked at William, his expression gentle. "I had prepared a thorough explanation, but now it seems I'll have to change it."
'Explanation?'
William hadn't reacted—there was too much happening today, even his training in Azkaban couldn't help him fully process it all.
"Of course, I originally thought I'd have to persuade Professor Flitwick, but now that diadem belongs to you." Dumbledore softly repeated the unbelievable news to William. "I'm sorry, Professor William, but perhaps we'll have to destroy this diadem."
"Destroy it!"
Before William could react, Professor Flitwick's shriek had already drowned out all other sounds.
"Albus, what kind of joke are you playing!"
Professor Flitwick was truly angry—first, Ravenclaw's diadem appeared, then Ravenclaw's daughter appeared, and before he could process the whole event, an accident happened: the ghost of Ravenclaw's daughter resolved her inner turmoil and decided to accept death, and Ravenclaw's diadem was given by her to someone not from her house.
These events were already hard for him to accept, and now Dumbledore declared that he wanted to destroy the diadem!
If it weren't for Dumbledore's long-standing prestige as headmaster, Professor Flitwick would have pulled out his wand and initiated a duel right then.
Destroy the diadem! Is that something a person would say?
"It's too dangerous, you should know that, Professor Flitwick, even Severus couldn't see through the traps on it."
"Then investigate it properly, Albus. If Professor Snape can't figure it out, does that mean you can't either?"
Professor Flitwick stared intently at Dumbledore.
"Professor William?"
"I have no objections," William had recovered by now—though the diadem sounded powerful, he had no confidence in dealing with a diadem that could delete memories and files. Why not let Dumbledore handle it? Was he supposed to keep it and research it himself?
What a joke, he was afraid of having it but not living to use it.
When it came to his life, he had absolutely no greed.
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