Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 87 86: That Year, That Night, That Truth
7 p.m.

Outside the Hogwarts headmaster's office, the ugly stone statues were different from those in other places. It was Ian's first time here, and he whispered the password that Dumbledore told him.

"Jelly slugs."

Falling with the sound.

The stone statue tilted its head to make way, and Ian slowly walked up the spiral staircase. After climbing all the way up, he saw the solemn wooden door with a brass door handle.

There is no need to twist it.

Ian just knocked lightly on the wooden door, and the door knocker seemed to come alive, flapping its little wings as if trying hard to open the door, and the wooden door slowly opened silently.

The never-extinguished candles emitted a gentle light, and the most solemn hall of Hogwarts appeared before Ian's eyes. The rows of bookshelves in the spacious room were particularly eye-catching.

Since Dumbledore didn't seem to have any intention of holding him accountable, Ian wasn't too nervous. After all, he was the victim who was beaten up by the crowd.

He looked around the room with interest.

Ian saw portraits of former principals hanging on the walls. Each one was lifelike, and the principals were almost all looking at him in unison.

"Has another little wizard caused trouble in school?"

"It was that little fellow, as I remember him, the little boy whom Dumbledore could not forget."

"Shut up! You big mouth!"

After a bit of noise, the portraits fell silent and stopped moving. They just pretended to smile as they stood on the wall, but their eyeballs still moved following Ian's steps.

The Most Toxic Magic

"Evil Tome"

Blood Oath

"The Secret of Cutting-Edge Black Magic"

……

In addition to books such as "Breaking Up with the Female Ghost", "Traveling with Ghouls", and "Holiday with the Hag", there are also many collections that can be called banned books on the bookshelf.

They were just quietly arranged on the bookshelf in alphabetical order like ordinary books, as if they were not worried at all about the trouble that might arise if someone stole one.

"After all, there are so many principals watching."

Ian looked at the portraits on the wall that seemed to be playing the "one, two, three, statue" game with him. Whenever he looked over, the principals pretended to be frozen in time.

"Hello, Sorting Hat, I heard that you reported me to Professor Snape." Ian looked around the office for a moment and looked at the Sorting Hat that had been pretending to sleep since he entered the office.

"Huhuhu~"

Its snoring became a little louder.

No matter how Ian picked it up and tossed it over and over again, the Sorting Hat was like a Sleeping Beauty that could not be awakened, and it showed no intention of responding to Ian's questions at all.

"Am I not brave enough?"

Ian tried to take the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat, but all he got out was a piece of dandruff that belonged to some unknown little wizard.

It’s as big as a little finger, very exaggerated.

"nausea!"

He shook his hands in disgust, then rushed to the sink to wash for a while. When he went back to the main hall, Dumbledore, who had asked him to wait in the office, had not returned yet.

The Sorting Hat continued to pretend to be asleep.

"If I go to the Mediterranean in the future, it must be related to you! If that's the case, I will take you sailing no matter what!" Ian didn't care whether the Sorting Hat was really sleeping or pretending to sleep. He grabbed it, used Transfiguration to turn a stone into a brush, and then began to wash the Sorting Hat in the sink.

"The next batch of little wizards will thank me." Every time Ian brushed the Sorting Hat with the brush, he would whisper "Merit +1" in a repeater voice.

Apply soap.

Brush brush.

Apply soap.

Brush again.

at last.

After being manually cleaned, the Sorting Hat could no longer hold back.

"I should have sorted you into Gryffindor!" A heart-wrenching voice fell, and a dazzling sword fell out from the hood of the Sorting Hat.

This is a relic from ancient times. The sword shines with dazzling golden light, as if it contains the power and courage of the sun. Each of the bright rubies inlaid on it is like a burning flame.

fiery.

Yet still gorgeous.

"Nonsense! I am a Ravenclaw. Smell it. Fortunately, I haven't washed my robes yet. Can't you smell a scent of approval on them?"

Ian retorted indignantly and picked up the sword on the ground.

The Sword of Gryffindor has the unique ability to choose its wielder, and most of the time it only obeys the call of those who have true courage, noble hearts, and the determination to fight for justice.

"You rude little brat, I have no sense of smell, put me back now!" The Sorting Hat seemed to be very resistant to water, but it had already been washed clean.

Old but no longer shabby.

"Now that's two approvals!" Ian hung the sword of Gryffindor around his waist, wiped the moisture off the Sorting Hat, and put the unhappy Sorting Hat back in its place.

"I have been saving up this armor for a thousand years..."

The wrinkled face of the Sorting Hat was filled with a feeling of despair. The portraits on the wall were all trying to hold back their laughter, and some of them couldn't help but make a hissing noise.

Ian turned around suddenly, wanting to catch the culprit, but he didn't expect the portraits on the wall to react faster than each other. He only saw Dumbledore's figure appear at the door.

"Principal Dumbledore, you really make no sound when you walk." Ian looked surprised. He had been frightened by Dumbledore before, but he didn't expect that he still couldn't prevent Dumbledore from approaching secretly.

"It seems that you had a lot of fun playing with the Sorting Hat." Dumbledore had a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes fell on the long sword at Ian's waist.

"Principal Dumbledore, have you also noticed that I am brave, loyal, kind, peace-loving, fearless, just, and trustworthy?"

Ian lifted his robes to reveal the great sword of Gryffindor.

"..."

Dumbledore was silent for a long moment before he spoke.

"Although it's not that unexpected, Mr. Prince, I'm afraid you'll need to keep this sword with me for a while. There are things that require it to complete... Sorry."

A very sincere statement.

Ian didn't feel disappointed either.

He himself has no swordsmanship.

"Just let me take it around Gryffindor House. Well, I don't mean anything else. I just want them to know that I am courageous, loyal, kind, and peace-loving..."

Ian was trying hard to hide it.

But he hadn't finished speaking yet.

"Qiang!"

The cry of the phoenix at the office window that seemed to be always open interrupted Ian's idea of ​​ascending the throne in a foreign place. The phoenix Fox, which had become much smaller in size, suddenly flew towards Ian again.

Not surprisingly.

Fawkes landed on Ian's little head again. Ian had gotten used to it, so he took out the freeze-dried food that he had not been able to feed to Professor McGonagall in cat form from his pocket.

"Qiang!"

Fox had no intention of eating, and his barking sounded like he was cursing. Ian put the freeze-dried food in front of his nose, but he didn't smell anything strange.

Just at this time.

"Dumbledore! Look what he did to me! Quick! Send this brat to Azkaban! I know someone there!"

The Sorting Hat suddenly started to complain hysterically to Dumbledore.

"It looks good in a different style." Dumbledore commented on the new look of the Sorting Hat with a jolly smile, which made the Sorting Hat a little stunned.

"Yes...really?"

It's a lot quieter.

"But my armor..."

Although the Sorting Hat seemed to be coaxed, it still felt a little reluctant.

After all, it is the accumulation of thousands of years.

"Bah bah bah!"

Ian rushed to the trash can and vomited several times. Then, with the Phoenix Fox as steady as a rock on his head, he walked back and raised the freeze-dried food in his hand.

"Principal Dumbledore, would you like some snacks?"

His voice seemed to be eager to share.

But Dumbledore was clearly not yet blind.

"I still prefer eating a pile of cockroaches." Dumbledore decisively rejected the freeze-dried candy in Ian's hand, walked to his desk and took out a pile of brown candies to fight back against Ian.

"Want some?"

The brown things in his hand might be candies in the shape of cockroaches, but they might also be real cockroaches disguised as candies. Whether he won or lost, Ian would feel disgusted.

"no thank you."

Ian put the freeze-dried food back into his robe. It was a little spoiled, but he didn't plan to waste it. Next year he could feed it to Banban, the dwarf who ate everything.

When the mouse is not full.

I don't think Scabbers Pettigrew would mind eating some fermented foods.

"How about some other snacks?"

Dumbledore stuffed the pile of cockroaches into his mouth himself. Like a hospitable and kind old man, he gestured to Ian to sit opposite him with his hand, which was still stained with some candy.

"Is steak okay?"

Ian didn't eat much that night. After all, Marcus Flint was always staring at him, which greatly affected the speed at which he competed with his two roommates and other young wizards for meat.

"Can't it be dessert? I should only have dessert here."

Dumbledore looked embarrassed.

Ian pondered for a moment.

"Then have a honey steak."

He made concessions.

"..."

Dumbledore was speechless for the second time today. He stared at the little wizard in front of him for a long time, then clapped his hands at the empty air.

A cup of honey water appeared in front of Ian.

Most likely it comes from the house-elves who usually hide their bodies secretly.

Ian looked a little disappointed.

"There should be some steak left in my stomach." This could probably be considered a kind of spiritual comfort. After drinking the honey water, Ian ate the honey steak in another way.

"..."

Dumbledore looked a little dazed.

"Okay, Headmaster Dumbledore, I'm ready to debate with you." Ian drank all the honey water in one breath, then sat upright and waited for Dumbledore's sermon.

"Mr. Prince, there is no need for any debate between us. After all, I know very well that you have maintained sufficient restraint in this conflict, which is something worthy of praise." Dumbledore's eyes were like two bottomless pools, and his gentle and powerful voice carried an indescribable emotion.

"It's bullying! They bullied me as a group!"

Ian corrected Dumbledore's wording indignantly.

"Yes, that's right. I happened to pass by and witnessed this thing that shouldn't have happened... I think Severus should be able to educate his students well. I have sent the frightened little wizards to him." Dumbledore nodded and did not refute, but comforted Ian according to his words.

"I'm the one who was scared. Look, my stomach has become thinner because of fear." Ian sighed with lingering fear and patted his hungry stomach.

"..."

Dumbledore's expression changed slightly, and he was quite helpless. "As I said, Mr. Prince, I should have witnessed the whole process without missing anything."

He emphasized the word "whole process".

"I just want some compensation."

Ian smiled awkwardly, no longer having any hope, and spoke more honestly. Fox, who was lying on top of him, seemed to have built a nest on his head.

"In fact, there are two reasons why I didn't try to stop you. The first is that I wanted to see how you would deal with this kind of thing. The second is that you defined this conflict as a duel."

Dumbledore also seemed very frank, not hiding his own selfish motives. His voice was neither hurried nor dragged out, with a gentle and powerful feeling, "Dueling is a sacred thing, a ritual of honor. Even I can only stand aside and ensure that no one of you will get into trouble because of it."

"Of course, your performance did not disappoint me. It is a lesson that will be remembered by others, but it does not really hurt anyone. Such restraint is rarely seen in wizards who control power."

"Especially the amazing lighting spell at the end. Even I almost couldn't react to it... Well, this special creativity is really very realistic."

Dumbledore's tone became a little strange.

Ian pretended not to hear.

"My original intention was to guide them to do good and make them realize their mistakes. If they can compensate me, maybe it will prove that they can still be saved."

Ian still did not give up fighting for compensation.

His choice of words caused Dumbledore to remain silent for a long time.

"I think the Slytherin gentlemen and ladies must have realized how inappropriate their behavior was, but it is obviously not easy for you to get compensation from them."

Dumbledore spoke politely.

"Is it because Marcus Flint's family has a lot of connections in the Ministry of Magic?" Ian always remembered that Marcus Flint mentioned this many times during the two conflicts.

This guy is even more typical than Malfoy before he even started school.

"It's because the proud wizards of Slytherin always find it difficult to bow down to others." Dumbledore's answer was totally unconvincing and it was estimated that it could only fool the young wizard who had never seen the world.

Ian knew very well how quickly these Slytherin pure-blood wizards would kneel before Voldemort.

Ok.

They didn't bow their heads.

They kowtowed directly.

"Sure enough, it's because Marcus Flint's family is backing them up. These so-called ancient families are like this. They won't admit their mistakes even if they make them."

Ian sighed.

Dumbledore nodded noncommittally.

"In fact, Severus will definitely need to spend some effort to calm the impact of this incident for you. The main pressure still comes from the families of those little wizards."

"Mr. Flint's relatives do have a lot of connections in the Ministry of Magic. After all, the Flint family has a long history, and the families of other pure-blood wizards also have some power to a certain extent."

"Mr. Prince, you are more mature than many young wizards. You must be able to see clearly that right and wrong are not important in the eyes of a certain type of adult wizards."

Dumbledore seemed to be reminding Ian not to go after those Slytherin students again.

"You're right."

Ian nodded helplessly.

He touched the Gryffindor sword, which he could only hold in his arms because he was sitting down. He wished that this sword had once been given the meaning of killing first and asking for permission later.

pity.

No.

"It looks like not only will I not get any compensation, but I also have to pray that I won't be pestered by a swarm of flies. Uncle Professor Snape must be worried sick about me."

Ian felt a little bored.

He clearly just wanted to study hard and make progress every day, but how did he end up in such a mess? Everything seemed to be out of his control since Marcus Flint was cast under the Imperius Curse.

"Don't think that Severus always looks like he is gritting his teeth at you. In fact, he is happy to do these things for you. This can more or less allow him to gain some spiritual self-forgiveness."

Dumbledore spoke softly.

"Self-forgiveness?"

Ian frowned.

"It is up to him to tell you, if he is ready." Dumbledore whispered in a low voice, with a meaningful tone.

good good!
Riddler, huh?
Let’s all be riddlers together!
Don't rush anyone!
"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore. I think if there is nothing else, I should go back early to prepare for tomorrow's classes."

Ian knew very well that Dumbledore had asked him to come to his office not just to praise him for doing the right thing. The headmaster of Hogwarts was probably not so idle.

Especially at this moment when the Ministry of Magic has intervened to investigate the cause of death of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You know, Senior Penelope has already revealed to Ian that she had talked to Dumbledore.

Relying on Old Deng's brain.

I'm afraid the other party has already guessed something.

of course.

The reason Ian was sure of this was that when he first entered the principal's office, he saw a bookshelf that seemed to have been moved in not long ago, filled with many very old and outdated books that did not belong to any magical knowledge, such as "Song of the Soul" and "Merlin: Between Life and Death".

"Goodnight, Headmaster Dumbledore."

Ian took the reluctant Fox off his head and put it back on the gilded perch where Fox should be. He waved his hand and prepared to run towards the office door.

"Mr. Prince!"

as predicted.

Dumbledore could no longer sit still.

"what?"

Ian looked back in confusion. "The Sword of Gryffindor."

Dumbledore looked at the things Ian was holding in his hands with a helpless tone.

"Oh, I almost forgot, sorry." Ian scratched his head, walked to the Sorting Hat looking very embarrassed, grabbed the Sorting Hat and stuffed it into the hood.

"Slow down! Slow down! Ah! I get it! I get it! Not Slytherin, not Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor, I should sort you into the Dementors' lair!"

"This is murder! Look, Dumbledore! He's stabbing me with a sword!" The Sorting Hat screamed and contained the Sword of Gryffindor. Its tone sounded quite aggrieved.

Seeing Ian was about to leave again.

Dumbledore hesitated for a moment but finally raised his hand to stop him.

"Mr. Prince, don't you want compensation?" Dumbledore's eyes flickered behind the frame, and for some reason he suddenly brought up the topic that had already ended.

"I just hope that group of pure-blood nobles will not bother me. Maybe there is a child of the school director among those guys today. He can use his connections to force me to drop out of school?"

Ian asked tentatively.

But Dumbledore slowly shook his head.

"Of course I can't agree to this. As long as I am still the headmaster of Hogwarts, the school directors cannot interfere with my decision-making. This is what we agreed upon in the beginning."

Dumbledore stated his position.

immediately.

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "It may not be appropriate to say this, but I still want to ask you to go on a trip with me tonight."

talking.

Dumbledore stood up.

With a heavy face, he extended his hand to Ian.

"Mr. Prince, after this trip, I promise that you won't have to worry about the pressure from the pure-blood family anymore, and you will get the apology and compensation you want from them."

"If you want to study with peace of mind, you can study with peace of mind."

An argument that is hard to refuse.

Ian had no choice but to put on a smile and turned around and walked away.

"My pleasure."

There was a hint of reluctance in his tone, but Ian still raised his hand and shook it - the next moment, the world was spinning, and Ian seemed to hear the sound of a clock and the turning of pages of a book.

The surrounding scene was shaking.

soon.

The unfamiliar scene replaced the headmaster's office of Hogwarts. It was a valley with gentle sunshine and grass, as well as a town that was very familiar to Ian in his memory.

"What kind of magic is this? Apparition? It's different from the previous experience!" Ian stared blankly at the small town not far away that he had only seen in the hazy illusion.

“It’s just a memory.”

Dumbledore looked at the town in the distance with a very complicated expression on his face.

"memory?"

Ian was shocked by the extremely realistic and immersive experience. He could even smell the fragrance of the grass on the ground and touch the fluttering butterflies around him. The trees were lush and the green leaves rustled in the breeze. Everything seemed real, without any sense of fantasy or falsehood.

"A relatively complex application of memory magic. Perhaps I have delved too deeply into this area..." Dumbledore's tone began to become depressed.

"Godric's Hollow." Ian suddenly spoke.

Dumbledore, who had originally had a gloomy expression, suddenly brightened up.

"Ian, please allow me to call you that... Can you... Can you lead the way for me?" Dumbledore, who had been glorious all his life, now seemed extremely cautious.

Ian turned to look at the old man beside him. He was at a loss, timid and weak. All the emotions that should not appear in Dumbledore seemed so easy to sense at this moment.

This was the first time Ian sensed Dumbledore's clear thoughts and ideas.

"My pleasure."

Still the same answer.

Ian roughly understood where the end of the memory led to, and he was also a little curious about what kind of person Ariana was in Dumbledore's memory.

Walk along the grass onto the path.

Ian is in the front.

Dumbledore was behind.

He seemed to need others to give him the courage to pave the way forward so that he could embark on the road home in this memory. The sunlight shone on the two of them through the gaps between the leaves.

The old post office, the bar in the breeze, and the steeple-shaped church are all the same as Ian remembered. The only difference is that there are many more passers-by along the way in this town.

“Is this thing edible?”

Ian saw a vendor selling pancakes. He went up to him out of curiosity, but found that he could not interact with the vendor at all, nor could he eat the pancakes that tasted hot to the touch.

The pancake went into my mouth.

But I can't chew it to get any taste, nor can I really swallow it into my stomach.

"This is just my memory, Ian." Dumbledore watched Ian snatching food from many passers-by without giving up. He couldn't help but remind him helplessly.

Ian was finally completely disillusioned.

He walked back to the front, leading Dumbledore through the town, and finally stopped in front of a house on the edge of the town. The unmarked house was exactly the same as Ian remembered.

"I met her here. Although she is the only one in the town, the fruits there are really edible." Ian was still a little concerned about the pancakes.

just.

Dumbledore, however, was already trembling and lowered his head.

“We’re all here.”

Ian felt extremely clear sadness, pain, and the desire to escape, and he realized that this memory might be the day Ariana died.

“You don’t have to keep forcing it.”

In the end, Ian suppressed his curiosity and whispered a reminder. After all, he had already responded honestly to the principal's wishes.

"I have already realized your peculiarity, so this is not for me, Ian." Dumbledore took a deep breath and raised his head.

The image of the house was reflected in his frame, and the color in his eyes could not be seen. "This is perhaps the only lesson I can teach you."

The words fell.

The hesitant headmaster probably didn't have the courage to enter the house. Ian only felt the scene around him change, and then he and Dumbledore were already in the house.

Three people were arguing, one of them was a boy with blue eyes and blond hair, with a rebellious temperament. Ian felt that the other person was probably the man.

as predicted.

"That's Aurora's grandfather, Gellert Grindelwald. I think you have already looked up information about him." Dumbledore's eyes were full of complexity.

In this scene, there are him, his younger brother, his old friend... and his deceased relatives.

"Me, and my brother, Aberforth." Dumbledore introduced the people arguing one by one. He had red hair and his brother was equally handsome.

It’s just that the young Aberforth is thinner than the young Albus. Both of them have a head full of red hair. Although their appearance is almost the same, there are also subtle differences.

Ian's gaze finally turned to the room, where he saw the little girl huddled in a corner, looking a little flustered. She wanted to step forward to stop the fight but was frightened by the atmosphere.

In their teens.

The mentality of a seven or eight year old.

It's normal to be timid about such a scene.

"Ariana."

Ian whispered softly.

Dumbledore had closed his eyes, with sparkling eyes.

"We have been keeping her at home. Bad things happened to her when she was a child, so she hated her own magic and became an Obscure due to our negligence."

The old principal's voice was trembling.

"Obscure? I remember reading in a book in the library that a young wizard who has been suppressing his magic power may develop a parasitic power called Obscurus in his body."

"People who become Obscurials usually do not live past the age of ten. The Obscurials will perish along with their hosts. In extreme cases, the Obscurials may be assimilated into an Obscurial."

Ian realized what terrible thing had happened to Ariana.

"It could have been solved... It must have been... I can do it..." Dumbledore murmured in pain, shifting his regretful gaze away.

"Because of the Obscurus?"

Ian guessed that this was the cause of Ariana's death.

"Keep watching."

Dumbledore whispered back.

in the scene.

The three of them were really arguing.

"Your plan is crazy and terrible. What Ariana needs is a quiet environment, not the noise of war. I will never allow you to drag her into the quagmire!"

The thin Aberforth scolded his brother, "Albus, do you want our sister to be hurt again? You are simply crazy!"

His scolding.

The young Albus Dumbledore was in a state of confusion and struggle. However, at this time, the blond Gellert Grindelwald stood up and directly pushed away the aggressive Aberforth.

"Cowardly fellow, your sister was harmed by Muggles and ended up in this situation. Shouldn't the Muggles be held responsible for her tragic fate of not being able to reach adulthood?"

"If we can change the world and make those Muggles behave themselves, we can avoid such tragedies and bring Muggles who hurt wizards to justice!"

Gellert Grindelwald was very emotional.

"Your stupid brain doesn't realize the problem! Escape? That will only lead to our destruction. Your brother and I have the ability to change the living environment of all wizards!"

"The world will be harmonious!" Gellert Grindelwald turned to look at the young Dumbledore. His voice was firm and had an extremely inflammatory tone.

"Albus, for us, for the future of wizards, and for revenge for your sister!" Gellert Grindelwald's words made Dumbledore, who was beginning to waver, gradually become firm.

"We have to do it! Someone has to start it!"

He spoke in a deep voice to his brother Aberforth.

"Are you going to abandon us? Abandon me, abandon Ariana, abandon our home, and go crazy with this student who was expelled from Durmstrang?"

Aberforth looked incredulous.

Full of shock.

There was also an irrepressible anger.

"We will win."

The young Dumbledore simply responded in this way, just like the old him now. The young man in the memory scene did not dare to turn around and look at his sister in the corner at this moment.

"It's all because of you, you shameless and sinister liar! You lunatic! It's you who bewitched my brother! Get out of my house now and go back to where you came from!"

Aberforth drew his wand in a threatening attempt.

Gellert Grindelwald looked disdainful.

"Aberforth, calm down!" Young Dumbledore tried to persuade Aberforth, but his eyes were red with anger. He had already lost his mind as he was determined to identify Gellert Grindelwald as a home destroyer.

"Shattered to pieces!"

Aberforth cast an extremely terrible curse on Gellert Grindelwald, but Gellert Grindelwald, who was prepared, just raised his hand to block Aberforth's attack.

Between two brothers.

Although Aberforth has strength far beyond his peers, he is obviously much weaker than Albus and Gellert Grindelwald. The excellent people are facing those who stand on the top of the mountain.

"Heart-breaking and bone-cutting!"

Gellert Grindelwald retaliated without mercy, with an incredibly fast and tricky angle, and Aberforth was immediately knocked to the ground, twitching in pain.

"Damn it! Gellert, stop it, this is my brother!" Young Blido became anxious, drew out his wand, and cast a spell directly at Gellert Grindelwald.

Interrupted Gellert Grindelwald's spellcasting.

"He obviously can't see the future trend clearly and doesn't know what we wizards should do. People like him are stumbling blocks that deserve to be scorned on our road to success!"

Gellert Grindelwald looked displeased, but still stopped casting the spell. Unexpectedly, after being rescued by the young Dumbledore, Aberforth tried to sneak attack him again.

"Intestines detached from the body!"

It is an extremely cruel curse.

This directly angered Gellert Grindelwald who dodged sideways.

"You are courting death!"

He obviously wanted to kill.

"Calm down! Gellert!"

The young Dumbledore was very nervous, fearing that his brother would be killed by Gellert Grindelwald. However, Gellert Grindelwald obviously didn't want to listen to his dissuasion anymore.

melee.

Happens at this moment.

Screams and roars filled the room.

"Stop... stop hitting me... please." Ariana, curled up in the corner, had a look of fear on her face, and black mist was constantly emerging from her body.

however.

None of the three noticed.

"Ian, this lesson is very important for you." The elderly Dumbledore suppressed his surging grief and spoke tremblingly. His voice full of regret had just fallen.

A terrible spell was blocked by the Iron Armor Charm.

The direction has shifted.

Ariana, who had already had an attack, slowly fell to the ground under Ian's horrified gaze. Her face was pale, and her eyes quickly lost the color that should be in a living person.

Aberforth immediately pounced on Ariana, Gellert Grindelwald turned pale, and the young Albus Dumbledore stood there blankly with his wand raised.

"this!?"

In disbelief, Ian suddenly looked at the disappearing memory of the melee. The direction of the spell was exactly where the young Dumbledore was standing.

All of a sudden.

Ian's emotions were in turmoil.

It's hard to calm down.

"For some things, there is no chance to regret." The memory did not disappear completely, and the scene did not return to the office, but turned into a meadow in the valley with a breeze blowing on the face.

The river in the valley is crystal clear, like a silver ribbon, winding through the green valley. The sunlight gently penetrates the mist and caresses a lonely tombstone.

【Where the treasure is, there the heart is also】

Ian saw the words engraved on the tombstone. The elderly Headmaster Dumbledore beside him seemed to dare to squat down and gently touch his sister's name on the tombstone only at this moment.

"Did you kill Ariana by accident?"

Ian spoke after a long silence.

"Didn't you already see it?"

The principal laughed miserably, his voice filled with sadness and pain.

Ian's eyes flickered slightly. He silently looked at the old man in front of him who seemed to have suddenly aged. For the first time, he felt the greatness that people attributed to Dumbledore.

“Thank you for teaching me this lesson.”

Ian bowed slightly.

"My uncle said that I was born with a natural Legilimency. The truth may be different, but I think I am pretty good at capturing other people's emotions and thoughts."

"So, you didn't do a very good job of covering up today."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

Dumbledore suddenly raised his head, his eyes showing a hint of panic.

"Stop talking, kid. Your memory won't lie!" The trembling voice was more violent and tougher than before. His face was already covered with tears.

"What I saw was a memory, not a fact."

Ian's eyes were shining.

"Your Legilimency is indeed much stronger than an old friend I know. Sometimes, it does allow you to see secrets that should not be told."

"It's powerful, but also dangerous."

Dumbledore stood up tremblingly and took another deep look at the tombstone in his memory. The scene around him began to become blurry and dizzy.

"I hope this secret will rot in your heart forever."

Ian's ear.

Dumbledore's pleading voice was heard.

On that day.

He lost his sister.

I can't lose my only brother again...

(End of this chapter)