"Tell me, Mr. Knight, does your status as a Muggle-born not weigh you down?"
"Not at all. Frankly, it plays absolutely no role in my vision of the future."
"And what is your vision of the future?"
"Let's start with why it doesn't matter. What depends on it? The possibility of a career in the ministry, the selection of a suitable wife, the agreement of the masters to train? The ministry does not interest me. A future life partner is an unresolved issue, though there are some thoughts. Not all masters will accept a Muggleborn as an apprentice? Well, if a master is more interested in potential connections than a successful apprentice, there's nothing I can do about it. The world is so vast, so much unexplored and unseen by me, that to sit only in England and think that the whole world is limited to it is not my style."
"What about money and social support of the House?"
"Money is a means to an end, not the end itself. If it suddenly turns out that I am incapable of earning money, then knut my price as a wizard. I live in the ordinary world and very often pass through the Leaky Cauldron here. I am truly amazed at the number of adult wizards who are incapable of basic self-care. Even now, as a student, I know enough to keep myself afloat. Plus, I have some thoughts on ways to make a living, too."
And this is true.
"Also, thoughts of earning money are not yet formalized, but we'll fix that in the next school year."
"Commendable, Mr. Knight," Delphine smiled sincerely. "And yet House's support could give you even more opportunities."
"You know, Lady Greengrass, I'll be honest with you. At Hogwarts, I have the opportunity to observe many students. So many of the students from wealthy families are mediocre who don't even want to learn magic. But take children from disadvantaged families, like the Weasleys. Among them, only one is a total loser, and the rest, as far as I know, are working hard for their future and are very successful in their chosen field. Except for the younger ones. It seems to me that the reason for this lies in the greenhouse conditions that parents create for their children. But the only thing that can grow in a greenhouse is vegetables."
Delphine smiled sincerely.
"A reasonable and valid point of view."
It was on this phrase that our order was brought, and we began our leisurely meal. Catherine, the waitress, dealt with two other tables, but she always changed dishes on time and accurately according to the instruments. Only after dinner, when tea was brought, for the sake of which we had once more departed from the tradition of eating, did business talk begin, and Lady Greengrass began it, assuming a more relaxed and less formal posture. I relaxed a little, too, leaning back in my chair.
"I'll be frank with you, Mr. Knight. When I received your letter, I couldn't deny myself the weakness of not gathering information about you. A splendid academic record, but you do not stand out with your accomplishments in magic. An extremely narrow social circle of one Muggleborn. Turned out to be more than successful at school spells and used an oversaturated Stupefy magic and a massive Patronus spell, though not bodily. You are indeed interesting as an apprentice."
"That's good to hear."
"Certainly, I wonder from whom you learned not only of my status as a master but that I take apprentices at all. There is, however, some suspicion, for I have a very good memory for faces. And one notorious fugitive not so long ago made a deal with the smugglers for his evacuation from the islands, not forgetting to celebrate it in the pub with a former teacher of DADA, praising himself. Talked about how he had "only" for a ring, reached his target, and tricked the "death eater's son." However, everyone is entitled to secrets."
A slightly predatory smile gave Delphine's face even more appeal. After interacting with a lady like that, how in the world could you even look at ordinary peers? But there was another question: why do idiots cause so much trouble?
"But despite everything, I'm not really suited to a student who hasn't yet graduated from Hogwarts. The reason isn't about knowledge - basic school knowledge doesn't play a role. It's about age and body shape. Let me explain some of the nuances. Martial Magic is a complex discipline with no unimportant or insignificant elements. An important component is physical training. There is no point in doing very specific training if the proportions of the body keep trying to change. In addition, you will have to train in other disciplines. Otherwise, I will not be able to pass on the specifics of experience and knowledge. The various "Dark Magic" and so on. I don't think you're ready for something like that."