Marvel: Trading with Worlds

After class, Kain was the first to leave the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. He headed straight to the Forbidden Forest to practice magic. If he lingered, there was a high chance that some of the female students would stay behind and waste his time.

Unfortunately, the magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest were unusually docile and showed no inclination toward chaos, leaving Kain to focus on practicing the Flying Curse and Fiendfyre instead.

The Astronomy Tower

From the top floor of the Astronomy Tower, Dumbledore gazed into the distance, his eyes fixed on the Forbidden Forest. High above, a red streak of fire danced through the clouds like a firework.

"The Flying Curse," Dumbledore mused. "I don't recall seeing any book on that subject in the Restricted Section. It seems our Professor Pent learned this magic from... other sources. What do you think, Severus? Doesn't it remind you of Fawkes?"

Dumbledore pointed in the direction of the glowing fire and turned to Snape, who had just stepped onto the tower.

"This magic is only known to Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix," Snape replied flatly. "If you didn't teach him, it's likely the Death Eaters did. And now, our dear Professor Pent has been practically living in the Restricted Section. Dumbledore, don't you have any concerns about this?"

Dumbledore gave an enigmatic smile. "It seems that Professor Pent isn't just gifted in common magic—he shows considerable talent with darker magic as well."

Dumbledore's tone was calm, but his twinkling eyes betrayed a sense of curiosity. He had visited the Forbidden Forest and observed Kain practicing Fiendfyre. 

The precision and control with which Kain wielded the destructive flames had surprised him. Considering Kain's unusual abilities, which might have been influenced by a phoenix, Dumbledore had no cause for alarm—only intrigue.

"And Animagus," Snape added curtly. "Though he's been discreet, the scent of mandrake root is hard to hide."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said, his voice light with reminiscence. "Much like in the old days. Apologies, Severus. I had only heard about his skills in Transfiguration. I hadn't realized he had already mastered Animagus transformation."

Snape's lips tightened. Dumbledore's explanation did little to placate him.

"If you already know everything, there's no need for me to say more," Snape snapped before turning and leaving the Astronomy Tower.

Last school year, Quirrell had been possessed by Voldemort. This year, the school had gained a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who could perform the Flying Curse and control Fiendfyre. Snape's wariness was justified.

Yet Dumbledore remained unbothered. He trusted Newt Scamander's recommendation of Kain, and from his own interactions with the young professor, he was convinced Kain's motivations were purely academic. 

Kain showed no interest in the ideology of pure-blood supremacy. Even his goddaughter was a Muggle-born witch. Such a person, Dumbledore reasoned, was unlikely to have ties to the Death Eaters.

While Kain's nightly excursions to the Restricted Section had initially been concerning, Dumbledore had come to admire his ability to control Fiendfyre with remarkable precision.

 Snape, however, was overthinking the matter, and Dumbledore hoped he would come to a similar understanding in time.

Kain's Office

"Godfather, these are from the senior students. They asked me to pass them on to you," Hermione said as she entered Kain's office, placing a stack of gift boxes on his desk.

"Also," she added, "Ron wanted me to ask—do you have any messages for Ginny? Or are you planning to check in on her yourself?"

"It's fine. Her mental state hasn't been great lately—she's been overthinking things. You can suggest she read a collection of jokes. By the way, who sent this gift? Why is it full of garlic and onions?"

Kain opened the gift box and was immediately hit by the sharp smell of raw garlic and freshly cut onions. The pungent odor made him choke. Was this meant to be a gift, or was someone playing a trick on him?

"I'm not sure," Hermione said, her large brown eyes darting nervously. "A lot of seniors were giving gifts at the time."

Fortunately, Kain was too preoccupied with glaring at the offending contents to notice Hermione's guilty expression.

"By the way, Hermione," Kain said, turning his attention back to her, "I might leave Hogwarts for a while during periods when I have fewer classes. I'll be using the Vanishing Cabinet over there." He gestured toward the cabinet hidden behind a curtain in the corner of his office. 

"The other end connects to my home in Diagon Alley. Only you and I are allowed to use it, but remember—no skipping classes."

Hermione's eyes lit up slightly at the mention of the Vanishing Cabinet. She hadn't expected such a convenient tool to be at her disposal.

"I understand, Godfather. I'll make sure to inform you before I use it."

Kain nodded. Once the expansion of the greenhouse was complete, Professor Sprout's herbology class would resume. At that point, his own teaching schedule would be lighter, giving him more time to return to Diagon Alley and handle business matters through the cabinet.

Recently, Kain had worked with Guy to secure exclusive contracts with many herbal-producing regions. The agreements, which included high liquidated damages, gave Kain's magical materials store a dominant position in the market. 

As a result, several prominent European wizarding families, including the Delacour family, had approached Guy with letters requesting supply contracts for rare magical materials, such as those sourced from dragons.

Kain's business was flourishing, but he preferred to keep his work life and school responsibilities separate.

"One more thing, Hermione," he added decisively. "If any more senior students try to give me gifts, tell them this behavior is strictly prohibited. Students should focus on their studies, not on sending presents!"

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