Helga counted on her fingers and realized that she had indeed worked for exactly one year.
Could it be that the legendary curse had taken effect on her as well? But she had not sensed any curse placed on herself!
Helga fell into confusion.
Whether she had been cursed or not was something she could certainly distinguish. Besides, what kind of curse could possibly affect a wizard of her level and still produce such effects?
"Professor White, are you alright?" Dumbledore's voice came from not far away.
Helga turned her head and saw Dumbledore standing nearby, staring at the ceiling where the rain was pouring down.
"Hogwarts Castle always manages to surprise me. I've worked and lived here for so many years, and this is the first time I've discovered that the ceiling here can actually produce rain."
"Hogwarts Castle is our greatest treasure." Hearing Dumbledore's words improved Helga's mood a little.
She explained that after a thousand years of accumulation, no one fully understood all the enchantments embedded within the castle anymore.
That was the truth.
Even as one of Hogwarts' founders, Helga found the castle somewhat unfamiliar now. Over the course of a thousand years, too many brilliant wizards had left their marks here, and it had changed greatly from what it had been in their time.
Of course, the most fundamental, original things had not changed, such as Rowena's moving staircases and the girls' dormitory stairs Godric had devised.
"I think the teachers and students of Hogwarts are our greatest treasure," Dumbledore replied with a smile, gently countering Professor White.
Helga paused for a moment, then admitted that Dumbledore had a point.
"This is a question without a fixed answer. Everyone has their own view. Are you not planning to stop the rain?" Dumbledore pointed at the ceiling that was still pouring down rain.
By now, a layer of water had already accumulated in the corridor, and Helga's office had been thoroughly flooded.
Helga nodded, directly used her authority to forcibly shut down the weather spell, and waved her wand to sweep away all the water on the floor.
"Do you need help?" A small flame appeared at Dumbledore's fingertip.
He thought he could use the power of his domain to help Professor White tidy up her office.
"Thank you." Helga was perfectly capable of cleaning the office herself, but considering her astonishingly bad luck recently, she decided it might be safer to let Dumbledore help.
Dumbledore did not waste time. He immediately began manipulating the power of his domain, trying to restore the flooded office to normal.
However, the power of the domain interacted strangely with the energy stored within the puppet parts scattered around the office. Before Dumbledore could react, a new explosion erupted.
Boom!
Helga skillfully conjured a wall, blocking the shockwave from the explosion.
Dumbledore fell silent. The scene before him brought back many memories.
Those previous Defence Against the Dark Arts professors had seemed to experience similar incidents as well, though Professor White's situation was particularly explosive.
"Professor White, do you plan to continue teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts next term? There are actually quite a few other positions available at the school," Dumbledore said, recalling the original purpose of his visit today.
He felt that for Professor White's mental and physical well-being, it might be better to offer her a different job.
"Of course I'll continue! Why wouldn't I!" Helga was stirred up by the suggestion.
She truly intended to keep teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts. She wanted to see for herself what this so-called curse could possibly do to her.
Dumbledore: …
Looking at the office that had already been reduced to ruins, he suddenly felt that Professor White was exceptionally stubborn.
"Then… very well." Dumbledore decided to respect Professor White's choice. However, he would make preparations on two fronts and begin searching for a backup candidate for the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, just in case.
"This is the contract. If you change your mind, let me know at any time." With a complicated expression, Dumbledore took out a scroll of parchment and handed it to Helga.
Helga signed her name on it without even looking.
"Good luck," Dumbledore said before leaving.
Helga then began cleaning up her office.
She first disposed of the items that had been completely destroyed, then packed the things that could still be used into a bundle.
Looking at the scattered fragments of parts on the floor, Helga felt a pang of heartache. Several days of hard work had all gone to waste.
She had already completed most of the parts for the order and only needed to finish assembling them before shipping, but the two explosions had turned all her efforts into nothing.
"Sigh…" Helga let out a long breath.
Knock, knock!
Just then, an owl carrying a letter flew in through the open window.
Seeing the office in complete disarray, a hint of confusion flashed in its large eyes.
But as an owl, the recipient's surroundings were not its concern. Its only job was to deliver the letter.
It landed directly on Helga's shoulder and extended the claw that held the letter toward her.
"Thank you." Helga thanked the diligent little owl and casually took a strip of dried meat from her pocket to feed it.
While the owl enjoyed the treat, she took the letter and opened it.
The letter was from her old friend Salazar, and attached to it was a ring.
Helga's expression gradually changed as she read the contents of the letter. When Salazar mentioned whether she intended to continue teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, a wry smile appeared on her face. She was certainly going to continue—at least until she resolved the so-called curse.
If even she backed down, then who else could solve the problem?
When she reached the part about the Resurrection Stone ring, her expression immediately became serious. A stone that could bring the dead back? One of the Deathly Hallows? That was truly interesting.
Helga slipped the Resurrection Stone ring into her pocket, planning to study it later.
After finishing Salazar's letter, Helga fell into thought.
If Salazar came here, things would probably be much easier for her. At the very least, she would not have to craft the parts alone anymore.
Once the thought appeared, it immediately took root in Helga's mind.
Without hesitation, she began writing a reply to Salazar and tied the letter to the owl's leg.
During this time, the owl obediently stood on her shoulder, enjoying the dried meat she had given it.
"Off you go." She gently patted the owl's wing, signaling that it could leave.
The owl flapped its wings and flew off, leaving a pile of droppings on Helga's shoulder.
Helga: "…"
Expressionless, she cleaned the mess off her shoulder and then walked straight toward her dungeon without looking back.
After going through a bit of trouble, she finally arrived there. This was her personal classroom, a relatively safe place.
In the dungeon, the troublesome streak of bad luck finally stopped. Helga could now calmly wait for Salazar's arrival.
____
12 Chaps ahead at Patreon.com/HornyFBI