Julian slept like the dead through the entire night and most of the following morning, only waking around lunchtime. Ugh, I need to remember not to make any plans after absorbing the other horcruxes. I feel like I'm carrying an extra hundred pounds, he complained to himself at once. Thanks to having some time to digest what he had gained, the bulging veins and reddened skin were gone, but he still felt unpleasantly heavy and bloated. Moving sluggishly, Julian climbed out of bed and headed into the dorm bathroom for a shower. He had fallen asleep in his clothes the night before, and dried sweat still clung to him.
The hot water running over his body did wonders for the aches, while also washing away the grime coating him. Once he was done, he used a quick spell to clean his clothes, got dressed again, and then left the dormitory. It was no surprise to Julian that news had spread through the castle about Harry, Ron, and Hermione braving the forbidden corridor and ending up almost completely hospitalized because of it. Hermione had escaped uninjured, but both boys had picked up a collection of injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to broken bones in Ron's case.
McGonagall might have made the giant chess set nonlethal for the school's children, but she certainly had not weakened it enough to stop it from breaking bones. Ron had already been patched up and sent out of the hospital wing by Madam Pomfrey, but Harry was still unconscious because Voldemort's final desperate attack in phantom form had injured his mind. According to the less than patient healer, however, he would recover just fine. Julian was relieved by that outcome, since he had genuinely been worried that his presence might have disrupted this event.
Julian had long since noticed that the world itself seemed to be trying to keep canon events on course, which made him think there might actually be some truth behind that prophecy after all. Honestly, there was no other explanation for why events kept unfolding in ways so eerily similar to the books despite how actively Julian had interfered. The biggest changes he had observed were Harry being free from his dreadful aunt's family and Grindelwald's actions. Beyond that, very little had truly altered the story in any major way.
You would think Daphne and Tracy joining the group would count, but no, when it came to the final confrontation it had once again come down to the golden trio. Julian was fairly sure most of the story would continue following that same pattern, or it would have if he were not already planning to heavily derail future events. One example was his intention to get Sirius freed legally over the summer while also taking on an apprenticeship under a wizard during the break. That reminds me, I still need to submit an application for that so I can get a list of options, Julian thought calmly.
...
After briefly visiting Harry in the hospital wing without Madam Pomfrey's permission, he made his way to McGonagall's office. He knocked on the door and waited until he was invited inside a moment later.
"You may enter," McGonagall's tired voice called from behind the door, so Julian pushed it open.
The moment she saw who it was, she sighed. "I assume you are not here to make my job harder the way your friends have, correct?" she asked, sounding slightly rude.
Julian chuckled, completely unbothered. "You know, my hands are entirely clean when it comes to that whole affair," he said honestly.
"This time, perhaps. But do not think I have failed to notice those rather large gaps where your presence should have been," she replied in a warning tone.
Julian shrugged. "I'm not here about any of that, though. I came to discuss my housing arrangements for the summer. I would like to formally apply for the apprenticeship program," he said with a small grin.
McGonagall sighed and rubbed at her forehead. "I should have known you would choose that option. You do not strike me as the sort who can remain idle for any real length of time."
"I will come to you within the week with a list of applicants for the position of your instructor. If that is all, please show yourself out, and do try to stay out of trouble, would you?" she said, sounding almost pleading by the end.
Julian merely grinned, stepped back out of the office, and closed the door behind him. From there, he headed toward the nearby workshop. Once inside, he transfigured a comfortable chair for himself and pulled out a book on veritology from Greed so he could relax with it, leaving the door open in case any visitors wished to come in.