In the end, Maverick had to promise to help Hogwarts find a replacement Potions professor, and not just anyone. Of course, they didn't necessarily need to match Snape's level of talent, that would be asking for too much. Instead, someone considerably above average in skill, with a reputation worth having, that was old Dumbles' minimum requirement.
Easier said than done. But considering he would have the old bat working for him, the trouble was more than worth it.
That was all assuming, of course, that Snape agreed in the first place, though Maverick was fairly confident he would. Dumbledore also shared much the same assessment. After all, what Maverick had put on the table was the sort of offer that would have given almost anyone pause, regardless of who they were.
The old Headmaster was also well aware that a master potioneer like Snape spending his career teaching teenagers was, in the most straightforward terms possible, something of a waste of his own brilliance. Research was where he belonged, improving existing formulas, discovering new ones, pushing the boundaries. That was what he ought to have been doing.
Dumbledore let out a long, weary sigh. With a flick of his hand, an ancient-looking book appeared in his grasp, its weathered cover and yellowed pages making it look as though it had been sitting untouched for centuries. He opened it and promptly buried his nose in it, making his meaning perfectly clear. The meeting was over, and Maverick was politely being shown the door.
Maverick watched the old man's dramatic performance in silence, the corner of his lips curling upward slightly. Good thing he didn't mention yet that he was also planning to quit after three years.
He filed that conversation away for later, after the exams perhaps, then turned and left the office as well.
---
Time flew by with little regard for anyone and before long, the final days of the academic year also passed into the past.
It was a relatively quiet week, mostly revision, revision, and more revision for the students, while the professors stayed busy finalising the exam materials.
On the Sunday that followed, examinations began as scheduled. First came the exams for Years One through Four, spread across three days, then on the fourth day, the O.W.L. examinations which were overseen by officials from the Ministry, and finally, on the Thursday after, the N.E.W.T. examinations for the graduating students.
Staying true to his aversion to procrastination, Maverick marked every paper he taught on the very day it was sat, and by the time the week drew to a close, he found himself without a single scrap of work left over before the school year ended.
And on that note, lively as the year had certainly been, he was pleased to see his students had done fantastic work in both subjects he taught.
No Trolls to speak of this year, either in Alchemy or Muggle Science. The average number of Outstandings stayed close to last year's, while the average of Exceeds Expectations had improved slightly over the year before. In Muggle Science particularly, nearly every student had aced their papers, most earning either Outstanding or Exceeds Expectations, with only a small handful falling any lower.
That held true for the N.E.W.T. students as well. Maverick found real satisfaction in knowing that, as they stepped out into their lives beyond Hogwarts, they would be that much better prepared for the world waiting for them. At least he was sure there wouldn't be anyone asking what the specific function of a rubber duck was. That wouldn't just be humiliating for that individual, but for the whole magical civilization.
Who said it would only be Muggles caught off guard by magic? It was very much a two-way street, particularly with the Brits.
Especially now, with the magical world no longer a secret and the two worlds slowly beginning to blend into one, he had no wish for any of them to stand there completely clueless the moment they encountered something unfamiliar out in the Muggle world.
At the very least, after seeing Muggle technology, they wouldn't be standing there wondering how any of it was possible.
That was the whole purpose of Muggle Science from the very beginning. Maverick was never expecting his students to become experts in Muggle technology, or scientists outright. He simply wanted them to understand how Muggle society functioned, to grasp the basic logic behind the things they were bound to encounter.
The graduates will be more than ready for that. And for next year and so on, he would ask Dumbledore to make the subject mandatory as part of the mandatory graduation requirements.
---
The closing feast this year ran a little differently. The traditional awarding of the House Cup was never announced, instead, the year's individual highlights were celebrated in turn, with certain names singled out for recognition, along with thanks and appreciation extended to Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, their students, and their schools alike.
The highlight of the evening, of course, belonged to the six champions of the Triwizard Tournament, particularly one Cedric Diggory, the sole champion of the competition who would be heading home with his pockets considerably fuller of gold.
"…this is just depressing. I still can't believe you actually lost to that pretty boy…"
Ron Weasley clapped half-heartedly, as though performing some tedious chore while glancing sideways at his best friend. Harry gave a simple shrug and continued applauding with the rest of the hall.
"It's just a few thousand Galleons..."
Whether the Boy Who Lived felt a flicker of envy was a matter open to some debate, though he hid it rather well if he did.
What kid wouldn't want all that attention for themselves? But it wasn't jealousy, not quite.
Harry was genuinely happy for Cedric. It was only that a part of him wished, even if just a little, that he had gone for the Cup instead of...
He let out a sigh. It was all that inherently evil Tom Riddle's fault. If not for him, chances were it would be his own name that was being echoed through the castle instead.
"Just. A few thousand. Galleons?"
Ron stared at him utterly deadpan. "Mate, I know you're loaded, but we sure as hell aren't—"
"—for Merlin's sake, Ronald, give it a rest..."
Hermione shot him a sharp look. Ron wasn't being particularly subtle with his complaints, and other students were already starting to stare.
The applause meanwhile went on for a full minute, and Diggory savoured every last second of it.
Before bringing his speech to an end, Dumbledore announced that the Triwizard Tournament would return every four years, with the three schools taking turns as hosts.
And, as one final note, he reminded the entire Hall once again, in the sternest tone he could manage without saying anything unsuitable for children's ears, not to do anything foolish once they returned home.
In short: nothing they wouldn't already have done the year before.
Students and staff alike then gathered outside the castle to bid farewell to their newfound friends from the other two schools. A whole year spent together, even as competitors, was enough time for some genuine friendships to take their place.
"I must admit, little raven, I haven't had this much fun in a single year in a very long time." Olympe Maxime approached Maverick with her alluring smile, and without so much as a word of warning, leaned down and pulled him into a full, generous moment of fan service. Maverick, for his part, found absolutely nothing to complain about.
She repeated the gesture with Dumbledore next, then moved along the rest of the Hogwarts staff, and finally Hagrid, though that particular exchange looked more awkward than anything else to Maverick.
He made a mental note to ask the big guy about it later, he had nearly forgotten the whole business entirely. Did something actually come of it, or…
As for Karkaroff, he observed the necessary formalities well enough, though Maverick could tell the man was counting down the seconds until he could leave.
No matter. He would be paying the guy a visit soon enough regardless, whether or not Karkaroff had actually followed through on what he had been told to do.
---
Choo—Choo—Choo—
The Hogwarts Express soon enough began its journey carrying all the children back to King's Cross Station, a plume of steam rising into the afternoon sky as the train pulled away from Hogsmeade Station in the distance.
Maverick watched it for a moment before deciding that there was little reason for him to linger at Hogwarts any longer as well. After giving old Dumbles a quick heads-up, he opened a portal on the spot and disappeared from the fortress, his destination firmly set for home.
Before diving into the political chaos unfolding around the world, he wanted to spend at least a day with his family first. Hogwarts may have enjoyed a relatively quiet couple of weeks, but the rest of the world, after all, was an entirely different matter.
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