Hogwarts' Golden Glory

Voldemort's snake eyes gleamed dangerously: "Who suppressed it?"

"Kingsley Shackle, a senior Auror in the Auror Office, and a former subordinate of Moody. His report describes it as a 'rare natural magical phenomenon'."

"Shackles..." Voldemort noted the name down. "Continue to monitor him. Also, I want you to find out everything about Kane Malfoy's behavior at Hogwarts—his grades in every course, every professor's comments, and everyone he's been in close contact with."

"Yes, Master. Also... Evan Nott of the Nott family has disappeared. He went to Malfoy Manor three weeks ago and hasn't been seen since. Old Nott is very uneasy and is investigating in private."

Voldemort remained silent for a moment. Evan Nott was a pawn he had sent to test Lucius, and now he was missing…

"Ignore him," Voldemort finally said. "Lucius Malfoy will have to make a choice sooner or later. Now, investigate Kane with all your might. I need to know all his weaknesses, all his fears, and everything he cares about."

The communication array dimmed.

Voldemort lay coiled on the rock, his crimson eyes like two ominous lamps in the darkness. He began to formulate a plan in his mind:

Step 1: Speed ​​up the search for and recovery of all Horcruxes. The ring from Gauntlet's old house, the chalice from Gringotts, the locket from Black's old house (if it's still there), and Nagini—that loyal serpent—needs to be crafted into the final Horcrux.

Step two: Study the purifying runes used by Kane to find ways to counter or reverse them. If it were possible to transform that purifying power into a weapon that corrupts the soul…

Step 3: Plant spies among Kane's people. Hogwarts is the best place; there are too many people there to exploit.

Step Four: Wait for the Right Moment. Kane is growing rapidly, which is good—the more powerful the vessel, the higher its value. The best time to seize him is when he has grown powerful enough, but before his soul is fully stable.

A twisted expression, almost a smile, appeared on Voldemort's snake-like face.

"Lucius, my loyal servant...you have given me a perfect gift. Your son will be the most perfect body for my rebirth in the world."

Outside the cave, the night wind blew through the forest, making a mournful sound.

Inside the cave, the darkest ambitions are brewing.

Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office

At the same time, thousands of miles away at Hogwarts, the atmosphere was completely different.

The principal's office was filled with silver magical instruments that spun, emitted smoke, and jingled softly. On the walls, portraits of past principals pretended to be asleep, but their ears were perked up.

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his enormous desk, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles looking gently at Alastor Moody sitting opposite him.

Fox stood on the perch, preening his fiery red feathers, occasionally raising his head to look in a certain direction—the direction where Ig was.

"So," Dumbledore pushed a cup of honey tea toward Moody, "Kane Malfoy single-handedly fought Tom, saved a werewolf tribe, and even founded a... 'Moonshadow Alliance'?"

Moody picked up his teacup, but didn't drink; he just held it in his hand. "Not alone. I was there, and Remus Lupin was there too. But that kid was definitely the mastermind. He devised the plan, he set up the magic circle, and he improved the potion. Lupin and I were more... the executors and the insurance providers."

Dumbledore nodded, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "What's your assessment of him?"

“Dangerous,” Moody said without hesitation. “Not because he wants to do evil—I haven’t seen that tendency in him so far. It’s because he’s too smart, too proactive, and… lacks reverence.”

"No reverence?"

"Regarding the rules, the traditions, and 'how things should be done'." Moody's prosthetic eye spun wildly, while his real eye remained fixed on Dumbledore. "He's only thirteen, Albus. What should a thirteen-year-old do when facing the Dark Lord? Fear? Run away? Seek help from an adult? But Kane Malfoy's reaction was: analyze the opponent's weaknesses, devise a battle plan, allocate resources, and then confront him head-on. This isn't something a normal child would do."

Dumbledore fell silent. He looked at Fawkes, and the phoenix let out a soft cry, conveying a complex emotion—admiration, wariness, and a hint of…friendship? Was it because of Igor?

“Fox can sense the phoenix,” Dumbledore said softly. “Its name is Igor, a gift from Gellert to Kane. Gellert’s judgment of character is always accurate; if he chose Kane…”

"Grindelwald?" Moody's voice rose an octave. "That old madman got involved?"

"Gellert has left England for other places. But he left a seed." Dumbledore stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the stars in the night sky. "Cane Malfoy is that seed. The question is, what flower will it bloom?"

Moody stood up, tapping his wooden leg on the ground. "Albus, I have to be blunt. That kid's building a force. The werewolf tribe is just the beginning. If he keeps going, in a few years there might be a third force in the wizarding world—not your Order of the Phoenix, not Voldemort's Death Eaters, but his… Pragmatic Alliance. He'll bring together all the marginalized forces: werewolves, vampires, giants, house-elves, and who knows what else."

"You think this is a bad thing?"

“Not necessarily.” Moody walked over to Dumbledore. “But he’s uncontrollable. He doesn’t take orders from anyone, including you. He has his own ideas and his own methods. And he’s incredibly efficient—from having an idea to putting it into action, there’s almost no hesitation.”

Dumbledore turned, his blue eyes gleaming with a deep light: "Alastor, do you remember why I invited you to teach at Hogwarts next semester?"

"Teach Defense Against Dark Magic. And keep an eye on that kid while you're at it."

"Not entirely." Dumbledore smiled. "I hope you can teach him something. Not control him, but... guide him."

It helped him understand that power is not just a tool for trading and control, but also a bridge for protection and healing.

Moody scoffed, "You think I can teach him? That kid probably knows more ancient magic than I do."

"But you understand human nature," Dumbledore said. "You understand darkness, you understand sacrifice, you understand how to uphold principles in dire straits. These are the things Kane Malfoy lacks most now. He's too rational, so rational that he almost ignores the complexity of human nature."

The two were silent for a moment. The instruments in the office emitted a regular humming sound.

"So what's your stance?" Moody finally asked.