HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

Kasenhis stepped off the dueling platform and approached the unconscious Quirrell sprawled on the ground.

After confirming that the man would likely be confined to the hospital wing for at least one to two weeks, he finally relaxed and withdrew his gaze.

As for the missing Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, he was confident there was someone who would be more than happy to take over.

Back in his office, Kasenhis did something rare: he pulled a bottle of champagne from his cabinet and made his way toward Hagrid's hut.

...

The next day...

Hagrid was up early, holding a bundle of red ribbons as he left his hut.

With Christmas just around the corner—even though it was unclear why wizards celebrated the holiday—the festive spirit called for a Christmas tree.

To the pine trees in the Forbidden Forest, however, those red ribbons were a death sentence.

Once marked, a tree's days were numbered. It was, quite simply, tragic.

Unlike Hagrid, Kasenhis had no morning errands. With no classes to teach, he strolled leisurely back to the castle and to his office, greeting every student he passed with warmth and cheer.

Once inside, he picked up the attendance roster and a sheet of parchment. One by one, he began preparing Christmas gifts for each student. When everything was ready, all that was left to do was wait.

Wait for Christmas.

...

Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!

Kasenhis stood at the Hogsmeade Station, observing the Hogwarts Express for the first time. He found the idea of a wizarding train imitating a Muggle locomotive quite intriguing. 

After all, a train powered by magic theoretically wouldn't need to produce smoke.

With the ticket Dumbledore had given him in hand, Kasenhis stepped onto the train. According to the headmaster, since the invention of the Hogwarts Express, nearly every young witch and wizard had ridden it. Kasenhis, however, had missed out on this experience since he hadn't attended the school as a student.

Dumbledore had gone out of his way to secure him a ticket so he could enjoy the novelty of the ride.

Of course, riding the train wasn't purely for leisure. Having packed up all his belongings from the Muggle world and moved them to Hogwarts, Kasenhis planned to spend the Christmas holiday at the school. This trip was more about making house calls and delivering gifts to his Muggle friends.

One stop in particular was the Longbottom residence. Kasenhis suspected that Neville's reserved nature stemmed from the overwhelming influence of his strong-willed grandmother. He had considered writing her a letter but found himself overwhelmed every time he tried. Letter-writing wasn't his forte—he always struggled to figure out what to say.

He much preferred face-to-face conversations. Sitting down with a cup of hot tea and some not-too-sweet yet fragrant pastries was far more his style. He relished showcasing the art of conversation.

Thus, the house call to the Longbottom family was born.

That said, he opted not to sit in the same compartment as Neville. Even though Harry and Ron were staying at Hogwarts over Christmas, leaving compartments with open seats, Kasenhis chose not to join them.

Being a professor, he felt it would be awkward for Neville if they sat together for the entire ride.

After all, making house calls like this was already quite... intrusive.

Time passed, and eventually, the train pulled into the Muggle-side station: Platform 9¾ at King's Cross. Kasenhis stepped off the train and quickly spotted the highly recognizable witch Professor McGonagall had described.

She was an elderly woman dressed in an intricately detailed wizarding robe, wearing a large, moss-green witch's hat, her expression stern. Everything about her radiated authority. Kasenhis thought she must have a close relationship with McGonagall—after all, their temperaments were uncannily similar, even if their fashion sense diverged. Where this woman leaned toward extravagance, McGonagall favored simplicity.

"Professor His, I am Augusta Longbottom, Neville's grandmother. That boy has written me enough letters to fill a trunk, all about you. Thank you for taking care of that poor child," Augusta said as she approached. She had noticed Kasenhis's towering presence amidst the sea of students.

"Kasenhis. Just Kasen is fine, Mrs. Longbottom," Kasenhis replied warmly. "I came primarily to discuss Neville's personality."

"That child's been causing you trouble?"

Augusta asked, her brow furrowing.

"No, no, absolutely not," Kasenhis quickly reassured her, waving his hands. "Not trouble at all. In fact, the boy is too obedient—too well-behaved. He's so quiet and reserved it's hard to believe he's in Gryffindor."

"Ah, I see... that boy's always been like that. Too... too timid. I always thought he belonged in Hufflepuff," Augusta replied, nodding in agreement.

Kasenhis nodded and was about to respond when a rapid patter of footsteps interrupted him. Neville came running over, his face flushed from exertion.

"Neville."

"Professor Kasen!" 

"Professor, would you care to join us for a meal at Longbottom Manor?" Augusta asked. 

"Of course, just a simple meal," Kasenhis replied with a nod. 

Augusta took Neville's small hand in her left and placed her right hand on Kasenhis's shoulder. In the next moment, the three of them appeared on a secluded island. 

Kasenhis gazed at the distant, grand yet understated manor with its classical design. 

If I were to renovate this place...

He quickly shook off the intrusive thought. This was no time for his usual whims about construction projects. 

Longbottom Manor now had only two permanent residents, plus Kasenhis as an outsider for the day. 

Of course, Kasenhis didn't know how many other Longbottom family members there might be in total, nor did he see a need to inquire. He was here for a house visit, not to conduct a census. 

At least for today, the expansive manor seemed to house just the three of them—discounting the house-elves quietly working in unseen corners. 

This also gave Kasenhis a clearer understanding of the level of authority Augusta Longbottom wielded.

Owning such a grand manor, how could she not be strong-willed?

Without a forceful personality, she would have long been taken advantage of by distant relatives who appear out of nowhere, ready to exploit her wealth.

After all, while the wizarding world has the Ministry of Magic, its efficiency is questionable at best. They are excellent at catching wizards performing tricks in the Muggle world—whether it's cooking, magic shows, or renovation—but when it comes to dealing with true crimes like murder and arson, they suddenly become as silent as the grave.

The three first sat in the parlor—though calling it "three" was a stretch. Neville had barely asked if he could stay and listen when Augusta shot him a look, and he obediently retreated to his room.

"Please, go ahead, Professor Kasenhis."

"What you just did is precisely what I wanted to discuss, Mrs. Longbottom. Your forceful demeanor has left the boy gasping for air. As a Gryffindor, he has already lost much of the courage that should define him under such pressure."

Kasenhis adopted the same mindset and eloquence he had used when negotiating with unreasonable clients during his brief foray into the renovation world. He was prepared to exhaust every ounce of his verbal skill to make his point.

Unexpectedly, Augusta didn't respond like those insufferable clients, stubbornly defending her methods. Instead, she sighed and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I am, of course, aware of all this. But, to be frank, it's not that I doubt Neville's potential—it's just that he never seems to do anything right."

___________

(～￣▽￣)～Read two weeks ahead of WN!

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