Hogwarts' Golden Glory

"Coming!" Sirius kicked the door open, carrying a tray piled high with food.

Tom said this was a "special meal to celebrate the exoneration of a wrongfully convicted criminal."

The tray held sizzling grilled sausages, golden French fries, a mountain of mashed peas, and two glasses of frothy butterbeer.

Harry suddenly remembered Dudley's five-meal-a-day diet and almost burst out laughing.

They ate huddled together on that small bed, salt from the fries falling onto the worn sheets.

Sirius tells Harry's father embarrassing stories from his student days.

When James tries to use magic to write a love letter to Lily but ends up turning his quill into an angry parrot.

Harry laughed so hard he spilled butterbeer on his shirt.

"I'll take you to school tomorrow," Sirius suddenly said, his gray eyes shining brightly in the candlelight, "as a parent."

Harry's heart suddenly started racing.

He was never taken to school by his parents.

In the past, I would see a family surrounding their child.

He could only pretend not to care about that empty spot.

"And then..." Sirius's voice trailed off, "I'm going to find Remus. There are some things... I owe him ten years."

Outside the window, the last ray of sunlight disappeared.

The lanterns in Diagon Alley lit up one by one, like stars on the ground.

Kane Malfoy stood in the center of the living room of Black's old house, golden light flowing from the tip of his wand.

Under his direction, the dark green wallpaper gradually turned into a warm camel color, and the black lacquered furniture lost its somber luster, revealing the texture of natural wood.

"Change the curtains to ivory white."

He told Kreacher, "We can keep the family portrait, but we'll have to add a silencing spell. I don't want to hear the old lady yelling every time I come here."

The old elf reluctantly snapped his fingers, and the heavy black velvet curtains transformed into a light linen fabric.

The sunlight was finally able to shine through, illuminating those corners that had once been shrouded in darkness.

"The carpet is too old."

Kane tapped the worn-out rug with the Black family crest on his toe. "Replace it with a Persian-style handwoven rug."

Kreacher mumbled and did as he was told, but as he tried to hide Regulus's picture, Kane's wand immediately pointed at him: "Put that frame on the mantelpiece. Wipe it three times a day."

Tears immediately welled up in the old elf's large eyes: "Kreacher...Kreacher will..."

Kane looked around the newly renovated living room and finally placed a bouquet of white roses in the vase by the entrance.

The flowers seemed out of place in this century-old house, yet strangely harmonious.

"Change the flowers weekly," he ordered. "Now, send me back to Hogwarts."

Kreacher bowed and snapped his fingers.

With a soft "snap," Kane's figure vanished.

The old elf stood alone in the suddenly brightened hallway, looking around blankly.

His withered fingers unconsciously traced the frame of Regulus's photograph, and for the first time, he didn't bang his head against the wall.

Kane appears at the top of the spiral staircase.

Dumbledore is feeding Fawkes cookies.

Without looking up, the old headmaster said, "Lemon Snowball? Or some of the newly arrived Pu'er tea?"

"No need, Professor." Kane stood in the doorway without moving. "If there's nothing else, I need to prepare for tomorrow's Potions class."

Dumbledore finally raised his head, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles gleaming with insight: "I'm curious, what makes the Malfoy heir so interested in an old mansion?"

Kane lightly stroked his wand. "It's just an investment, Professor. The location of Black's old house is very valuable."

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Dumbledore's blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles.

He put down the lemon shabu-shabu in his hand, and the silver teaspoon clinked against the porcelain plate, making a crisp "ding" sound.

"An interesting point of view." The old headmaster slowly leaned back in his chair.

"But I noticed that you took something special from Regulus Black's belongings."

The silver instruments in the office suddenly sped up, emitting a rapid clanging sound.

Fox raised his head, his golden eyes staring directly at Kane.

Kane's fingers paused slightly, but his expression remained calm: "You mean that rusted locket? It's just a family keepsake."

"A souvenir wouldn't make a Malfoy so interested."

Dumbledore gently waved the Elder Wand, and a wisp of silver memory rose from the Pensieve.

"Sirius mentioned in his letter that there was a...intriguing inscription on the inside of the locket."

Memories unfolded in the air, revealing Regulus Black's neat handwriting:

"To the Dark Lord: By the time you read these words, I will be dead..."

Kane narrowed his grey-blue eyes slightly: "It seems Black is more talkative than I thought."

Kane knew that even without news of Sirius Black, Dumbledore would have known about these things anyway.

"What concerns me more," Dumbledore's voice suddenly became unusually clear, "is why someone would risk their life to exchange for something that seems like an ordinary locket?"

The office temperature seemed to drop suddenly.

The portraits of all the past principals on the wall held their breath, and even the usually talkative Phineas Nigelles covered his mouth tightly.

Kane chuckled softly and walked up to the other person. "You already have the answer in your heart, don't you?"

"I just can't believe that Tom Riddle has fallen to this level."

Dumbledore sighed. "It seems you know far more than I thought."

Dumbledore slowly set down his teacup, the ceramic making a soft "click" as it touched the wooden tabletop. "I think we need a more frank conversation."

He waved the Elder Wand, and a complex soundproofing spell enveloped the entire office. "When did you first find out?"

"Voldemort left my father a dark magic item and told him to keep it safe."

"And this dark magic item, I call Riddle's Diary." Kane looked directly into the headmaster's eyes.

At the same time, brain occlusion surgery was performed.

"That thing can think, it can seduce, and it can even control wizards—it goes far beyond the scope of ordinary black magic items."

Dumbledore's eyes flickered behind his half-moon spectacles: "Does your father know about your discovery?"

"Father just thought it was a dark magic artifact." A cold smile appeared on Kane's lips.

Fox suddenly spread its wings, and firelight swirled among its golden feathers.

Dumbledore gazed silently at the phoenix, as if engaging in some kind of silent communication.

Your guess is correct.

The old headmaster finally spoke, "How many do you think Tom made?"

Kane took a small silver box from the inner pouch of the dragon skin.

I'd guess there are seven.

"Seven..." Dumbledore repeated softly, "a number of great magical significance."