After dinner, night gradually deepened outside the castle.
William sat comfortably on the sofa, performing the final adjustments on the monitoring book. Compared to a forest, the castle's interior structure was far more complicated—corridors crisscrossed everywhere, and the number of statues required far exceeded those placed along the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
After confirming that the optimal surveillance density was one statue every ten metres, William sorted the live feeds carefully by floor, tower, and public area to prevent the images from becoming cluttered.
"Almost done."
Seeing the pages filled with clear, orderly live images, William nodded in satisfaction. Just as he closed the book and prepared to find Filch, someone knocked forcefully on the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
This was not the knock of a polite visitor—it sounded more like someone venting frustration.
William opened the door with a flick of his wand.
Severus Snape stood outside.
Snape looked even more grim than usual; under the dim corridor lighting, his sallow skin seemed tinged with green.
"You accepted the Defence Against the Dark Arts position?" Snape asked bluntly, his tone edged with agitation.
William leaned casually against the doorframe and nodded.
"Yes. It was decided in the Headmaster's office earlier."
"I thought you agreed to teach Alchemy," Snape said through clenched teeth. "How can you possibly teach two subjects at once? Alchemy requires extensive experimentation, and Defence Against the Dark Arts—"
"Alchemy is only four lessons a week, Severus," William interrupted with a shrug. "With proper scheduling, it's entirely manageable."
"Did you request the post from Dumbledore?" Snape stepped forward, his black robes swirling. "You have no idea how demanding that subject is. You'll be dealing with students as dim as trolls. Teaching two subjects? I wouldn't be surprised if you collapsed at the lectern one day."
William merely smiled lightly at what sounded more like a curse than a warning.
"On the contrary, Dumbledore enthusiastically invited me to take the role. It would have been rude to refuse," he replied warmly. "Still, thank you for coming all this way to check on my health, Severus."
"It seems that despite the years, our friendship remains as deep as ever—"
Bang!
The door slammed shut before William could finish. The echo thundered through the empty corridor, and angry footsteps quickly retreated—most likely toward the Headmaster's office on the eighth floor.
William stared at the closed door without the slightest anger.
"Anger is a fiendfyre that will ultimately consume everything," he murmured, quoting an old wizarding proverb.
He actually understood Snape perfectly. His entire life was basically watching the woman you'd loved for years suddenly throw herself into someone else's arms—especially when that person hadn't done anything at all, merely stood there and won. Anyone would find that hard to accept.
---
Headmaster's Office, Eighth Floor.
"Chocolate Frog."
The password had barely been spoken when Snape pushed the oak door open and stormed inside.
"Why him?" Snape demanded, bracing both hands on the desk. "Why did you personally ask William to take the Defence Against the Dark Arts post?"
Dumbledore showed no annoyance at the outburst. He simply looked up over his half-moon spectacles.
"Ah, Severus. Would you care to sit down and have something to drink?"
Before Snape could refuse, a chilled glass floated toward him.
"I don't—"
"Do try it," Dumbledore said, raising his own cup. "William just taught me this method—iced lemon tea. Quite refreshing. Perfect for summer… and for calming the mind."
At the mention of William's name, Snape's expression darkened further, as if a fly had fallen into the drink.
He didn't even glance at the glass.
"You travelled all over Britain looking for candidates. Why didn't you tell me?" Snape demanded bitterly. "Why go to all the trouble of inviting William Shafiq?"
"You have more important responsibilities, Severus," Dumbledore replied calmly. "You teach Potions, which is already a demanding subject. You do not have time to take on another."
"I could teach Defence Against the Dark Arts exclusively!" Snape shot back, his voice trembling slightly. "It was the position I applied for from the beginning. And you know about the curse. Others refuse because they fear death—but Potions carries no such risk. You could easily hire a Potions Master who wishes to retire here, instead of letting me learn only after the fact that the position went to someone else."
Dumbledore fell silent for a moment and set down his cup.
"There is no point discussing this now, Severus," he said gently. "William has already accepted the post. His contract has been signed. The matter is settled."
"If another opportunity arises... or if a suitable Potions professor is found—you may speak to me again." He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "If there is nothing else, I must ask you to leave. I have spoken too much today."
Snape stood rigidly, breathing hard. After a long pause, he straightened, his face returning to its familiar cold emptiness.
"You think I'm unfit for the role," he said with a bitter sneer. "And you believe William Shafiq is suitable?"
"He's not as harmless as you think, Dumbledore."
Dumbledore remained unmoved, fingers interlaced on the desk.
"If you're referring to the brief period in his fourth year when he joined the Slytherin group you were part of and experimented with Dark Magic…"
Dumbledore shook his head mildly.
"He left after only two months and never showed any dangerous obsession thereafter. Wizards who can step away from Dark Magic of their own accord, especially while still underage are rare. Consider the other members of that group."
"Furthermore, during the war, the Shafiq family funded certain parties, yes, but no member ever truly joined Voldemort. As for William himself…" Dumbledore continued calmly, "after graduating, he spent a year training at St Mungo's Hospital."
"Both Healers and patients spoke highly of him. No negative records whatsoever. After that, he lived among Muggles for two years in London, obeying the Statute of Secrecy and using no harmful magic."
"Only then did he enter the Ministry."
For the first time, genuine shock crossed Snape's face. Many of these details about William were things even he had never known.