Jane Yu's lingering questions weren't answered until the new school term began.
Amid his busy schedule, Dumbledore finally found time to have a "heart-to-heart" conversation with her.
"I believe we have achieved a preliminary victory," Dumbledore said, his face radiant. "In every respect."
His piercing blue eyes, filled with relief, rested calmly on her.
"Everything is improving—be it the Ministry of Magic finally getting back on track, the public beginning to see the truth, or even yourself... and me as well."
Jane could sense that Dumbledore had returned to his usual gentle and magnanimous self, exuding an air of hope.
"So, what happened next?" she asked. "Did Voldemort and those criminals escape?"
Dumbledore's tone was calm and composed, as though the earth-shattering events were merely mundane occurrences.
"Oh, about that, as the papers reported, Azkaban was destroyed, the Dementors vanished, and some Death Eaters escaped. Naturally, Voldemort also escaped. I believe the reports are fairly accurate."
Jane felt as though she had plunged into icy water.
She found it incomprehensible how this could be described as "everything is improving" or "a preliminary victory."
"I think we have very different definitions of 'improving,'" she said, her expression blank. "This is terrible—"
Dumbledore nodded lightly, his gaze fixed on her, and sighed deeply.
"Yes, but I must say, Jane, you've done a great deal in this matter."
Jane let out a bewildered "Ah," and as the implications sank in, the icy water surrounding her seemed to grow even colder.
Could it be that her release of the Obscurial had inadvertently freed all the Dementors and Death Eaters from Azkaban? And had even disrupted Dumbledore's one-on-one duel with Voldemort, allowing the Dark Lord to escape?
Such an act, akin to aiding a prison break for the villains, could easily land her a life sentence!
Jane pulled the blanket over her head in horror.
The words "No hope in this life" practically radiated off her, enveloping her in an aura of despair potent enough to sustain ten dark spirits.
"If I say I didn't mean it—" she said desperately, "is it still not too late—?"
But Dumbledore's eyes suddenly gleamed with a mischievous glint, and he said in a rollercoaster-like tone of praise:
"I think it's too late, because I must immediately commend you."
Jane let out another bewildered "Ah."
"Azkaban, the haven for Dementors, was maintained to uphold a facade of peace and prevent their retaliation against wizards. For years, the Ministry of Magic, to save manpower, not only refrained from destroying the fortress but also, against opposition, sent prisoners to them as free sustenance."
Dumbledore smiled faintly, as though achieving a milestone, and relaxed.
"But now, once and for all, Azkaban has been destroyed, and the Dementors have been eradicated by you. This kind of abuse and torment of prisoners should come to an end in wizarding history—although your method of releasing the Obscurial was somewhat unexpected, causing me considerable effort to clean up the aftermath."
At this point, Jane suddenly realized something was amiss.
Those roasted geese, grilled pigeons, salted chickens, oysters, and barbecued pork she had feasted on in her dream... Could it be...?
Images of scabbed bodies, black robes, and withered, pale limbs flashed through her mind—
This made her stomach churn violently, and stomach acid surged up her throat and into her mouth!
"Ugh—!"
Dumbledore watched Jane with a hint of pride.
In his imagination, he had expected to see a slightly embarrassed but jubilant child celebrating her achievement—
But he was utterly shocked!
"Jane, what's wrong?"
He called out urgently as he watched Jane bury her head and retch into the sink.
Little did he know that the only thought left in Jane's mind was—
She would never dare to binge eat again!
...
Watching Jane, who had only just recovered after downing several bottles of potion, Dumbledore felt his conscience pricked.
He hadn't anticipated that his light-hearted prelude would provoke such an intense reaction from her.
"Ahem." Dumbledore coughed awkwardly. "In any case, ignoring the process, the outcome is good, isn't it?"
"If we hadn't intervened, think about what could have happened. All the criminals would have been released, the truth covered up by Fudge, and no one to stop the Dementors from joining Voldemort's ranks... The current situation is the best possible outcome."
He tried to steer the conversation in another direction.
"But, Jane, next time you do something like this, I hope you'll consider the psychological endurance of an old man over a hundred years old..."
Jane looked up at Dumbledore's face and noticed that every wrinkle seemed to reveal helplessness and... shyness?
She blinked in confusion to confirm she wasn't mistaken—it was indeed a strange sense of shyness.
"I know you're trying to spare my feelings," Dumbledore said hesitantly. "But perhaps such things would have been braver when I was younger... So many years have passed, and many things are no longer my priority..."
Jane felt that she had uttered more bewildered "Ah" sounds in this moment than she had in her entire life.
"In old age, I prefer to be with family," Dumbledore said softly.
His gaze shifted, staring blankly out the window at a certain corner, lost in thought.
After a long while, he continued.
"Of course, I'm not saying I don't want to see him again. It's very difficult for someone to truly repent for their mistakes. I welcome him to the right path. I'm grateful to witness his change while I'm still alive."
"But for me, it was truly too sudden... especially during the battle..."
No one could understand the shock he felt when Grindelwald suddenly appeared in the middle of his one-on-one duel with Voldemort!
He was so startled that the half-formed water prison spell collapsed, nearly drenching himself in front of the two of them, and almost giving Voldemort the chance to strike a critical blow.
Jane blinked in confusion. She finally realized what Dumbledore was talking about—it was the reinforcements she had painstakingly brought in!
"I know you wanted us to meet," Dumbledore continued. "But after everything that has happened, after so many separations and farewells... I've long stopped holding those things as dearly. Our time and youth are long gone."
"Wait." Jane couldn't help but interrupt. "I think I just followed the Deluminator to the Lemay couple's place to bring reinforcements?"
Dumbledore gave her a helpless look, filled with endless tolerance, and sighed.
"I understand, I understand."
Jane half-opened her mouth, utterly baffled.
What exactly had her guardian understood?
He seemed to understand everything, but why did she understand nothing?
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