The current headmaster of Hogwarts had silver hair and a beard that reached his waist, and a pair of half-moon spectacles perched on his hooked nose.
He had clearly arrived in a hurry, still dressed in the magenta robes of a Alliance member, with a silver "W" embroidered on his chest, and a black cloak worn over it, making him look both mysterious and fashionable.
"Professor Dumbledore!"
Harry was just taking a cupcake from the fridge to eat when he saw him, and hastily swallowed the cake, nearly choking himself.
"Luckily, Wade came up with a solution. The Ministry of Magic has dropped the pursuit of Sirius, and Fudge left with his people a few minutes ago."
Lupin said, using Aguamenti to conjure a glass of water for Harry, then invited the headmaster to sit down and asked,
"Would you like a glass of mead, sir?"
"Oh, is it mead from the Three Broomsticks?" Dumbledore asked.
"Of course."
"Then you must pour me a glass."
Dumbledore sat on the sofa, a hint of regret in his voice as he said,
"That's a bit unfortunate. I thought I might catch up with Fudge! So... what clever method did you use to convince him? As far as I know, Fudge isn't someone who gives up on his goals easily."
"Well... about that..."
Wade rubbed his nose and briefly recounted what had happened earlier.
Lupin poured the mead into several transparent glass cups. The honey-yellow liquid emitted a sweet aroma and a faint scent of alcohol.
He waved his Wand, and the cups floated automatically towards each person.
"I get some too?" Harry asked in surprise.
"This mead has a very low alcohol content, almost like a drink. You can have a glass too," Lupin said.
Harry took a small sip, finding it tasted just like a drink, sweet and sour, with the unique aroma of honey, very delicious.
He listened to the others talk, slowly sipping his mead until the glass was empty.
Wade had mentioned being thirsty earlier. Now, holding the mead that seemed like a regular drink, he took a couple of sips after every few sentences. By the time he finished explaining Fudge and his people's second departure, and the black-robed Auror's final blessing, his glass was empty.
Seeing this, Lupin chuckled inwardly at the children's eagerness for the drink, then waved his Wand to refill their glasses.
After listening to Wade, Dumbledore's lips curved upwards, and his blue eyes twinkled with amusement.
"A very clever method. Without causing any conflict, you managed to save Sirius from imprisonment—Wade, you always surprise me."
"Yes, I was already ready to cast a Spell... I never thought that just a few words could actually make Fudge leave."
Lupin said, equally surprised.
"...I thought you might be displeased, Professor Dumbledore." Wade hesitated, then said honestly.
"Oh? Why?" Dumbledore asked.
"Because the first time I drove Fudge away, I had Sirius use the names of the Alliance and Grindelwald..."
Wade confessed.
He knew the slogans from when the Alliance was rampant, thanks to Dumbledore privately tutoring him. He also knew about the complicated relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
His gray eyes looked at Dumbledore with a hint of worry, as if fearing he would be hurt by it.
Dumbledore was momentarily stunned, then chuckled.
"Fudge is afraid of such big trouble, so he would naturally hesitate. Once he realized his suspicions were baseless, he would retreat."
"Your approach was very correct—using the limited information available to cleverly protect those around you—I'm very proud of you, Wade."
"Oh... thank you."
Wade lowered his head, holding his glass, and thought for a moment.
There was a question he knew he shouldn't ask, but a peculiar impulse inside him kept urging him to voice it.
"Professor Dumbledore," Wade said, "If you thought Grindelwald wanting to break the Statute of Secrecy was wrong back then, is it right now?"
Dumbledore paused again, then after a moment's thought, said, "No one is absolutely right, Wade. But causing war and harming the innocent is definitely wrong—Wizard civilization can only develop better in the cradle of peace."
"Oh..." Wade responded again, neither warmly nor coldly. Dumbledore suspected he wasn't even listening, because his next sentence was: "Professor, I remember you had red hair when you were young."
"Of course," Dumbledore said with a sigh, sensing something was amiss.
"Oh... so are you related to the Weasley Family?" Wade asked.
Dumbledore: "...Red hair isn't a special race, and not everyone with red hair is related to the Weasley Family."
Wade: "...Oh."
Harry blinked, pointing at Wade and whispering to Lupin, "What's wrong with him?"
"...Is he drunk?"
Lupin looked at Wade's glass, which had somehow become empty again, and wondered, "This mead isn't very strong!"
"Regardless, he probably needs to sleep now. I'll take him to his room."
Dumbledore stood up and waved his Wand, and the small sofa Wade was sitting on lifted slightly off the ground, then slowly floated forward.
Harry quickly led the way. "My room's upstairs!"
The house had the same layout as the Dursleys' place, with only three rooms suitable as bedrooms—one for Lupin, one for Sirius, and one for Harry.
Because the Ministry of Magic was strict about regulations in this area, Lupin and Sirius couldn't freely use the Undetectable Extension Charm to expand space. Otherwise, they might really receive two Azkaban experience tickets.
Although Harry hadn't been able to spend the night in this house recently because he had to stay at the Dursleys', his room was already overflowing with clutter. Harry's homework, textbooks, Quidditch models, and wizard robes were strewn everywhere.
Feeling embarrassed, he quickly ran ahead to his bedroom to tidy up, then shoved all the clutter into the closet.
Wade seemed oblivious to being transported. He was like someone sitting on an escalator, ascending the stairs, all while continuing to ask questions with a serious expression—
"Professor, do you think abolishing the death penalty is correct?"
"—If the British Wizarding World still had capital punishment, Sirius would have died twelve years ago, and he wouldn't have had the chance to clear his name."
"Professor, if time could turn back, to when you were young… would you still make the same choices you've made in this lifetime?"
"—I don't think so. I have many regrets I'd like to change, but there's no chance to live life over again."
"Professor, can you Apparate to the moon?"
"—No, even I would die at such a distance. Plus, there's no air on the moon, so there'd be no way to breathe."
Wade's questions were strange and varied, but Dumbledore patiently answered each one, then floated him onto the bed in the bedroom, even pulling the covers over him.
"Get some good rest, Wade," Dumbledore said gently. "You look very tired today."
"Dumbledore!"
Seeing him about to leave, Wade suddenly sat up, and with a wave of his hand, the Wardrobe Space clattered open in the center of the room.
Dumbledore turned back, looking surprised at the sight.
The closet doors suddenly burst open with a bang, and several Magic Golem cats dragged a bearded man, walking backward, out from inside.
"This is one of the Werewolves who kidnapped Alchemist."
After saying this, Wade flopped back onto the bed, pulled the covers up to his chest, and fell asleep instantly.
The few Magic Golem cats left outside the space exchanged glances, then quickly scurried into the Wardrobe Space. The massive wardrobe swiftly folded back up, finally transforming into a tiny pencil case on the floor.
Dumbledore: "…"
After a moment, the Headmaster picked up the pencil case from the floor, gently placed it by Wade's pillow, and then "floated" the bearded man out.
Only one chapter tonight.
The second chapter will be added tomorrow.
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