101: Please Trust My Patience

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"Huh?" Neville looked at Kasenhis, completely confused.

"What's that saying again? To achieve greatness, one must master great skills. Besides, this broom really does need some proper repairs."

Their morning trip to Diagon Alley wasn't just about pets and brooms. Kasenhis' next stop was Flourish and Blotts.

"Hmm… Sir, have we met before?"

A bookstore employee, who had been organizing books on the shelves, suddenly froze up for some reason, his entire body going rigid.

"N-no, of course not… I've never met you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Kasenhis nodded, paid for his books at the counter, and left the store with Neville.

The moment the two of them were gone, the employee finally sighed in relief.

At the same time, a large, pitch-black anvil mysteriously appeared above his head.

CLANG!

"Heh, heh. You think you can offend the professor and just walk away? Not that easy!"

At noon, the two flew back to Hogwarts.

Neville, thrilled, took his big-faced cat and left the office.

Meanwhile, Kasenhis headed to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Professor McGonagall, do you know anything about Neville's parents?"

McGonagall placed her quill into its holder. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Did Neville ask you to do something? Are you asking for him?"

"Not exactly," Kasenhis replied. "I just recently found out—by chance—that Neville's parents are alive, but I heard they're in St. Mungo's, so I wanted to ask about it."

"The Longbottoms… They're a tragic case."

McGonagall sighed.

"On the eve of Voldemort's downfall, the Death Eaters went into a final frenzy.

"A large group of them broke into the Longbottoms' home.

"They tortured Frank and Alice relentlessly with the Cruciatus Curse.

"Since then, both of them have been mentally shattered, and they've been living in St. Mungo's ever since."

"I see… Am I allowed to visit them? I mean, does St. Mungo's allow visitations?"

McGonagall pressed her lips together.

"Kasenhis, you're just a professor. This isn't your responsibility.

"You don't have to carry this burden on your shoulders."

"How old are you, anyway? Twenty-six? Have you even had your twenty-sixth birthday yet? You're still just a kid yourself. You don't need to take on so much."

Kasenhis shook his head.

"I never really had anyone celebrate my birthday growing up. I don't even remember what month or day it was anymore."

"But no matter what, I'm a professor now. It's not just Neville—if any student is struggling with something they can't solve, I'll help them.

"Maybe I won't always be able to fix it, but having no ability and having no intention to help are two different things."

McGonagall sighed. "St. Mungo's, Spell Damage Ward. Just go to the nurse's station and ask for the Longbottoms."

She removed her glasses, massaging the bridge of her nose tiredly.

Before she could say anything else a soft teleportation sound filled the room.

McGonagall looked up at her now completely empty office and, with a helpless smile, let out a quiet proud laugh.

Moments later, she pulled out her wand, and a small, silver cat Patronus leaped out.

"Go ask Dumbledore when Professor Kasenhis' birthday is. He's bound to have some way of finding out."

The silvery cat twitched its tail, then darted through the office wall, heading straight for the Headmaster's office.

Meanwhile…

"Hello, sir, how can I help—wait… Professor Kasenhis?"

A nurse at the St. Mungo's reception desk—who had been writing something with her head down—lifted her gaze.

For a moment, her face looked exhausted—but the second she recognized him, her tiredness vanished completely, replaced by a look of genuine surprise.

"Sara? Congratulations! You really became a St. Mungo's Healer!"

Kasenhis, recognizing the young nurse, looked just as pleasantly surprised.

"Uh, hehehe… I haven't gotten my Healer's license yet," Sara admitted, looking half-embarrassed, half-proud.

"But hey, I'm still here, aren't I? A proud and honorable nurse!"

"All in all, not bad. Bright future ahead."

Sara nodded. "Right, Professor, who are you here to see? I can look them up for you."

"The Longbottoms—Neville Longbottom's parents."

"Oh, them? They're in Ward 49. I can take you there."

"No, no, no, it's fine. I should be able to find it myself. You stay on duty."

"Alright then. Take this visitor's pass. And Professor, next time, maybe… well, I hope you never have to come here—except to visit patients and me, of course!"

"Hah, I'll take that as a blessing!"

Before long, Kasenhis followed the signs through St. Mungo's and found Ward 49.

Even before he entered, he could hear various sounds coming from inside—not the kind of shouting or raving you'd expect from ordinary madness, but rather soft, unconscious murmurs.

He knocked on the door.

No response.

Then—

"Don't move. Stay still. Hands up."

Just as he was about to knock again, he suddenly felt the tip of a wand press against his back.

"No sudden moves. Stay calm. I have a visitor's pass."

Kasenhis quickly held up the pass for the other person to see.

When he turned around, he saw a man in a hospital gown, holding a small, ordinary wooden stick, pointing it straight at him.

"Ehhh…"

Kasenhis felt a bit awkward, but before he could react, a white-coated figure came sprinting down the corridor.

"Apologies, sir! Patients here tend to behave like this. Please don't take it personally."

"Uh, it's fine. And you are…?"

Kasenhis looked the newcomer up and down.

At least he was dressed properly—his uniform was neat, and there was a wand tucked inside his sleeve. So, probably not another psychiatric patient.

"You can call me Murphet. I'm a psychiatric healer at St. Mungo's, in charge of treating this gentleman—and, of course, the one inside as well."

Murphet waved his wand, and a soft, furry sleeping bag wrapped itself snugly around the man, securing him completely.

He then gently pushed him back toward the hospital room.

"…Oh, this is Mr. Longbottom?"

Murphet nodded. "Yes. He's the one you're visiting?"

"Yeah. Mind telling me how he ended up like this?"

As he spoke, Kasenhis helped Murphet carry Mr. Longbottom back into the room.

The hospital ward contained two beds and a small washroom—not very large, but immaculately clean, clearly well-maintained.

After placing Mr. Longbottom back on his bed, Kasenhis finally had a chance to glance at the other occupant of the room—

A woman sitting on the opposite bed, her vacant gaze fixed on the candy wrapper in her hands.

If this woman weren't so thin and frail, she would likely have been quite beautiful.

"This is Mrs. Longbottom," Murphet explained, standing beside Kasenhis.

"Yeah, I figured… But you still haven't answered my question."

"It's a complicated matter. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Yes. Please trust in my patience, sir."

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