After two years, Tver finally tasted his father’s cooking once again.
Curiously enough, as the patriarch of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families, his father actually ran a French restaurant in the Muggle world!
Fortunately, the Foley family was extremely low-profile and rarely interacted with other wizards, so word had never gotten out.
Even if it did, it would hardly affect the family’s standing.
“Now that you’ve graduated, have you thought about what you want to do?” Belinda asked suddenly.
“Why not help out at my restaurant?
Or open a Chinese place right next door?” Miles suggested.
“I’ve already applied for a teaching assistant position at Hogwarts,” Tver said cautiously, taking care not to mention that the position was for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
“Why the sudden interest in Hogwarts?” Belinda stared in surprise, forgetting to put down her fork.
“You were the one who insisted on going to Durmstrang back then.”
“Durmstrang is a bit too extreme.
I want to take this opportunity to study different kinds of magic.” This was the excuse Tver had prepared in advance.
Miles pondered for a moment.
He didn’t recall there being a teaching assistant position in his memories.
“That sounds fine, but a teaching assistant?
When did Hogwarts start having that position?”
Both Miles and Belinda were Hogwarts graduates.
Tver’s adamant refusal to attend Hogwarts years ago had caused them no small amount of grief.
“I requested it specifically.
Otherwise, Hogwarts wouldn’t let a fresh graduate teach young witches and wizards.”
In truth, Tver suspected Hogwarts only agreed to his application because they wanted to dilute the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
“Hogwarts certainly needs an assistant or two, otherwise the professors would work themselves to death.” Miles nodded in approval of his son’s choice.
“Which class are you assisting?”
Oh no.
Tver swallowed hard and mumbled at a speed even he could barely catch, “Defen’ ‘ark arts.”
“What?!” Belinda bolted upright, kicking her chair back so violently that it slammed onto the floor.
“I will not allow you to touch Defense Against the Dark Arts!”
“No way, you actually heard that?!” Tver’s jaw dropped.
“Of course I did!
I’m your mother, and anything that mumbled is bound to be trouble!” Belinda put her hands on her hips, her eyes turning red with anger.
“I will absolutely not let you touch that class!
In my seven years at school, we had seven different Defense Against the Dark Arts professors.
The most unfortunate one lost an entire arm!”
Miles quickly tried to placate her.
“Tver understands the curse better than we do.
There must be a reason why he chose this class.
Why don’t we hear him out?”
Had it been anyone else, Tver wouldn’t have possessed the patience to explain, let alone deflect.
But the people standing before him were the parents who had supported him for years.
He needed to present his pre-arranged excuse.
“Do you remember what happened when I was eleven?” Tver decided to comfort his parents with a white lie.
“In truth, I was afflicted by a similar curse.
But don’t worry, during my years at school, my mentor helped me break it long ago.”
“As you know, my mentor and Headmaster Dumbledore share a complicated history, so he asked me to try and lift the curse on this position.”
“Even if I can’t lift it, it won’t matter.
I’m only a teaching assistant, after all.
The curse won’t latch onto me.”
Tver had told his parents about his mentor.
At first, they had been deeply skeptical, but his consistent ability to cast the Patronus Charm had put their worries to rest.
Little did they know, as long as a wizard possessed absolute conviction in their beliefs—even evil ones—they could still cast a Patronus…
Belinda’s focus, however, was anchored on what happened seven years ago.
“So, when you were so weak back then, it was because you were on the verge of death?
Why didn’t you tell us something so important?
I am your mother!”
Belinda grew more distraught as she spoke.
To a mother, her child’s safety was paramount.
As for the history between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, she couldn’t care less…
Well, she did care, but purely for the sake of gossip.
“I didn’t want you to worry back then,” Tver said, stepping forward quickly to wrap his mother in a hug.
“And look at me now, I’m perfectly fine.
Healthy as can be.”
Miles walked over as well, gently moving Tver’s hands aside to hold his wife and murmuring comforting words.
“Tver isn’t reckless.
Even if there is danger, Dumbledore is at Hogwarts.
He won’t just stand by and watch Tver get hurt.”
“Besides, the Foley family has connections.
We can always ask some highly knowledgeable wizards for help.”
The two of them embraced tenderly, discussing which famous wizards were skilled in curse-breaking, completely ignoring Tver, who was left exchanging awkward looks with Jeff.
“If you like, I can offer you a hug, but please make it quick.
I still have to clear the dishes,” Jeff teased.
“…Gee, thanks, Jeff.”
In the end, Belinda and Miles agreed to Tver’s decision.
“But only as an assistant!
If I ever find out you’ve tried to become the actual professor for that class, I will lock you in the cupboard for the rest of your life!” Belinda warned sternly.
This made him breathe a sigh of relief.
His parents were his greatest solace, and securing their blessing had been his primary goal in returning home first.
Sometimes, he couldn’t help but reflect.
Compared to other transmigrators who roamed alone in unfamiliar worlds, having loving parents who cared deeply for him was truly a blessing.
Tver spent the rest of his time at the manor before his Hogwarts interview.
Despite his two-year absence, nothing in his room had changed.
Jeff cleaned it daily, so it remained pristine.
The bedding, however, had been replaced.
In Belinda’s words, graduation marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Life at the manor was simple.
When his father was free, he worked as a chef at his London restaurant; otherwise, he spent his time keeping Belinda company.
As for Belinda, her life was even simpler.
Shopping and going to the movies were her primary endeavors.
She behaved far less like a witch and much more like a leisurely high-society lady.
Tver spent his days inside.
Compared to the militaristic environment of Durmstrang, life at the manor was incredibly relaxed.
Yet, he felt no discomfort adjusting to it; if anything, he preferred it.
At least he didn’t have to deal with tireless students constantly challenging him to duels.
He had never been fond of wandering about.
On the contrary, staying in his room and reading was his greatest joy.
He spent a few days organizing his collection of books.
If he became a Hogwarts teaching assistant, he would undoubtedly have to live in the castle.
But that wouldn’t be necessary until term started on September first.
He could pack the rest then.
However, if an Auror were to lay eyes on this collection, they would likely arrest him on the spot.
The titles of these books looked far from respectable.
Works like *Principles of Dark Magic: How to Correctly Cast Dark Magic*, *Belief Control: Enhancing the Power of Your Dark Magic*, and *The Origins of Curse Magic* were more than enough to earn Tver a permanent suite in Azkaban—and a VIP one at that.