He feels pain for half a day even from a peck from Hedwig, not to mention a Phoenix... Isn't this a bit too much?
"Ah? No!" Kai shook his head, "I accidentally dropped Fawkes on the ground."
Kai waved his hand, not really wanting to continue the topic, and instead asked, "Why are you still here?"
"I'm waiting for you." Harry originally wanted to ask Kai what Dumbledore had meant by what he just said, but he closed his mouth again upon thinking of Kai's sleepy appearance earlier.
Forget it, better to ask Hermione and the others after going back.
"I'm fine, don't worry." Kai said with a wave of his hand.
The two parted ways in the next corridor, Harry returned to Gryffindor's common room, while Kai headed downstairs.
...
Ten minutes later, curfew time arrived.
A figure swiftly crossed the quiet eighth-floor corridor, quickly arriving in front of the stone gargoyle.
Seeming as though it knew someone would come, the stone statue jumped to the side without waiting for a password, revealing the passage behind it, and the light spreading out from the Headmaster's Office illuminated the person's face.
It was Snape, returning again and pushing open the oak door.
"Dumbledore, I already... what's happened to you?"
Snape just started speaking but suddenly found the situation in the room to be a bit unusual.
Dumbledore's hair was a mess, as if he had just been attacked, with silver-white strands scattered everywhere.
Snape casually picked up one, examined it closely, it seemed to be... a beard?
"What happened here?" he couldn't help but ask, "The Dark Lord attacked you just now?"
"Worse than that..." Dumbledore looked at the scattered beard with heartache and sighed, "How's it going on your side?"
Snape didn't ask any more, and said, "I've already spoken with Draco, he seems a bit unconvinced."
"Yes, it's understandable." Dumbledore waved his wand, and the Headmaster's Office returned to being clean and tidy.
"After all, it's his first time being entrusted with a major responsibility, naturally, he wants to show his capabilities."
"Entrusted with a major responsibility?" Snape sneered, "The Dark Lord never intended for him to live, it's a punishment directed at Lucius Malfoy!
"Giving Draco the task of killing you, what a ludicrous mission, even he himself can't accomplish it."
"It's not entirely impossible..." Dumbledore said with a smile, "What Tom couldn't do doesn't mean others can't, you know I never maintain vigilance before students."
Speaking to this point, Dumbledore suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but touch his diminishing beard.
He realized this wasn't a good habit, it would be better to change it if possible... at least must remain vigilant when facing certain students.
"So how did your chat go?" Dumbledore continued to ask, "Did he agree with your suggestion?"
"He should not act recklessly afterwards." Snape replied.
"That's good." Dumbledore said, "The child's soul hasn't been completely engulfed by darkness, there's still a chance to turn back."
"Are you referring to his last-minute decision to abandon the plan and knocked Katie over?" Snape asked.
"That's just part of it, also the most straightforward manifestation." Dumbledore replied, "Severus, who do you think planned this, was it young Mr. Malfoy?"
"The Opal Necklace was indeed bought by Draco." Snape was silent for a moment, "But this morning, Narcissa left Malfoy Manor, no one knows where she went."
"Really?" Dumbledore looked out the window, "Seems Minerva was right, I really shouldn't have agreed to let students go to Hogsmeade at a time like this."
"Severus, could you please keep a closer eye on Mr. Malfoy afterwards."
"I certainly have no problem with that." Snape said, "But on the other hand, being attacked for no reason, do you think he will let it go?"
"You can rest assured about this, I will find another opportunity to chat with Kai." Dumbledore took off his glasses and cleaned them.
The reason he kept Kai behind was due to this matter, letting him not pursue it was certainly not possible, but Dumbledore believed that his own veiled hint would somehow make him restrain himself a bit.
After all, there's too much of a gap between them, if Kai really wants to deal with Malfoy, the latter won't even have the chance to resist... Umbridge at St Mungo's is the best example.
It's just that no one expected a small episode in the meantime, he hadn't had a chance to mention it before being interrupted.
Dumbledore touched his beard again, for a moment, he even suspected if it was Kai's deliberate intention to stop him from speaking about this topic, but upon deeper thought, it seemed too far-fetched.