Chapter 121
Albert thought deeply about the matter, especially after realizing how strange it was.
It made no sense that both he and Hermione had passed through that place, yet only he had been affected while nothing had happened to her.
That was… peculiar.
He decided to set those thoughts aside for now. What mattered most was recovering quickly so he could return to that place and uncover its mysteries.
But his body needed care first. The healer had told him he would need at least a full month to recover from the severe injuries to his head and his left leg.
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On the other side of the castle…
Professor Snape and Dumbledore were in the headmaster's office, engaged in a serious discussion.
This time, unlike his usual calm demeanor, Dumbledore was visibly unsettled. He paced back and forth across the room without stopping.
Snape broke the silence that filled the office:
"Did you see what happened, Dumbledore? I believe he has solved the riddle you were pondering!"
Dumbledore didn't answer at first. He simply stopped walking, moved toward his chair by the desk, and sat down.
At last, he spoke:
"I am certain now that what happened to that boy… is the same as what happened to Harry years ago."
Snape's expression immediately darkened at the mention of Harry's name.
He stood abruptly and addressed Dumbledore in a sharper tone:
"What are you saying, Headmaster? I don't understand!!"
Dumbledore cast a cautious glance at the door, then gestured for Snape to lower his voice.
Snape finally sat back down, calmer now.
Dumbledore continued:
"Do you remember what you told me before You-Know-Who attacked the Potters' home?"
Snape's face shifted again, this time to sorrow. Painful memories surfaced—the days when he had been aligned with the darkest of sides, as one of Voldemort's followers.
He replied:
"Yes… I was the one who told You-Know-Who about that prophecy! But I never knew it was about Harry and Albert!!!"
Dumbledore raised a hand gently, urging him to calm down.
"There is no need to apologize. What's done is done. The question is—what will you do if the children learn that you were the reason their loved ones were killed?"
Snape gave Dumbledore a hard, piercing look.
"Tell me directly, Headmaster. Why did you bring me here, just to remind me of a story that tears my heart apart?!"
Before Dumbledore could answer, they both heard movement outside the office door.
It was Albert. He had come intending to tell the headmaster he wouldn't be attending his classes that day.
But before he could knock, he overheard something shocking in their conversation.
Dumbledore's voice carried through the door:
"When You-Know-Who attacked the Black household thirteen years ago, a fragment of his soul attached itself to young Black—without his knowledge. That means the boy now carries within him a piece of that demon's soul. And this connects directly to the prophecy Trelawney revealed to me a month ago!"
Snape was stunned. He had never expected Albert to be drawn into the matter so directly. This meant that Albert and Harry were both bound to You-Know-Who.
Snape, still unable to fully accept the weight of these revelations, asked:
"So this means… it wasn't Harry alone who caused You-Know-Who's downfall?!"
Dumbledore nodded silently, staring out the window.
Albert's hand, which had been raised to knock on the door, dropped lifelessly to his side. What he had just heard made his knees weak—he couldn't even stand properly.
He had never imagined such a fate for himself.
Shock consumed him, and for the first time in a long while, he truly felt the shadow of death looming over him.
Albert thought, trembling:
"Does this mean… if Voldemort returns, one of us must die for the others to live?!"
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Author's Note:
This last revelation concerning the hero will play a crucial role in the final events of the story. Stay alert, for this marks the true beginning of Albert's suffering in the future!
To be continued …