Avada pushed the door open and stepped inside. He saw Dumbledore seated behind his desk, Hagrid standing tall and broad in front of it, and Kettleburn—also quite tall, yet still looking oddly diminutive beside Hagrid—panting heavily, his entire face flushed red.
"Professor."
Avada nodded to Hagrid and Kettleburn, receiving two rather forced smiles in return, then turned to Dumbledore. "Professor… is the truth really as the notice says? You used time—"
"Silvanus, Hagrid, could you excuse us for a moment?"
Dumbledore suddenly raised a hand, cutting Avada off. He looked up at Hagrid and Kettleburn. "There are some things I'd like to discuss privately with Ken."
"Very well, Professor," Kettleburn muttered gruffly. "But please, be sure to keep in mind—"
"Thank you for the reminder, Silvanus. I will," Dumbledore replied with a smile.
Only after Kettleburn had dragged Hagrid out of the headmaster's office did Avada, at Dumbledore's nod, finally continue.
"Professor, is the truth really what the notice claims? Is that also what you learned using the Time-Turner?"
"Ah. And that," Dumbledore said, leaning back into a more relaxed posture, "is precisely where the problem lies, Ken. I did not obtain a Time-Turner."
"What?! Why not?"
"I wrote to the Ministry the very day you proposed the idea, requesting a Time-Turner to investigate the truth behind the coma incidents. Logically speaking, with my guarantee, they should not have refused."
"But a few days later, I was quite surprised to find that the Ministry had suddenly become very strict about procedures. Since there was no clause explicitly stating that the Headmaster of Hogwarts or the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot could directly apply for a Time-Turner, they claimed they could not issue one to me. Instead, I would have to go through an extremely complex application process and a personal review—and even if approved, it would take at least half a year. That was what their reply stated."
"Immediately afterward—almost on the very same day I received that reply—the news arrived that a majority of the Board of Governors had agreed to form an investigation team and station it at Hogwarts."
"..."
Avada frowned. "They… were setting a trap for you?"
"That is exactly Professor Kettleburn's conclusion as well," Dumbledore said with a nod and a smile.
"But why?"
"This was my oversight."
Dumbledore suddenly sighed, the ease and warmth on his face swept away in an instant. "The reaction of the hardline pure-blood faction exceeded my expectations."
"The hardline pure-blood faction? You mean… the speech at the end of last term?"
"Precisely. Sit down first—this will be a long conversation. You don't have anything urgent, do you?"
"No, Professor."
"Then let us have a pot of tea and talk it through. Now, where was I? Ah, yes—the hardline pure-blood faction…"
Dumbledore tapped his temple, looking for all the world like a forgetful old man nearing the end of his years. "Last term, I made it almost explicit that my goal was to change the deeply entrenched ideology of blood purity within magical society, not to directly threaten the concrete interests of pure-blood families. I even expressed my willingness to acknowledge the ancient honor of pure bloodlines. Coupled with the momentum of Voldemort's capture, I believed this would make those obstinate individuals restrain themselves. It seems I was mistaken."
"You mean to say… that everything—from the coma incidents to the Time-Turner—was an act of retaliation by the hardline pure-bloods?"
Avada found it difficult to believe. Voldemort had been completely brought down—where did those people find the audacity to dance on the head of the strongest wizard in Britain?
"Perhaps yes. Perhaps no," Dumbledore said calmly. "The investigation team bypassed me entirely when they released their findings, and they took away every single one of those so-called 'Banshees' without letting me see them. I have no hard evidence to prove that they are the true culprits, or that the supposed Banshee attacks never existed at all."
"Isn't that obvious enough?" Avada said, an uneasy feeling stirring in his chest at Dumbledore's attitude. "And didn't Professor Kettleburn say it himself? Banshees simply cannot dive dozens of meters underwater to enter the pipes. If you just tell everyone this, wouldn't their scheme collapse on its own?"
"That might work within the school," Dumbledore replied with a helpless smile as he looked at the anxious, youthful face before him. "But what about the wider magical society?"
"If they wished, they could put it on the front page of the Daily Prophet tomorrow—detailing how Albus Dumbledore absurdly enraged Banshees with roosters, and how he incompetently achieved nothing after more than a month of effort. Then that research institution would publish a report 'proving' that the Banshees had indeed mutated to gain the ability to dive. And after that—what do you think would happen?"
"An enraged magical society would rise up against you," Avada said, not realizing his voice had gone hoarse. "They would force you to resign. No… maybe not. Your prestige is immense—nearly all witches and wizards are your students, everyone reveres you. And Banshees being able to dive is far too absurd. Unless they plaster detailed bloodline charts across the newspaper, no one would believe it—"
"You still misunderstand magical society, Ken," Dumbledore said, shaking his head with a faint chuckle. "The truth is, the vast majority of wizards have no idea whether Banshees can dive or not. Add to that the sensational claim of 'mutation,' and most people will readily accept their narrative. Even if a small number of magical creature experts know it to be impossible, their voices will be drowned out by the crowd."
"As for my personal prestige—that is easily dealt with as well. All they need to do is exaggerate how tragically the students suffered, how severe the supposed aftereffects were, and that will be enough to ignite public fury. Or, if they wish to be gentler, they can simply say that while I was once wise, I am now senile and unfit to continue."
"..."
Avada fell silent for a long while. He lowered his head, then raised it again, resolve hardening in his eyes.
"Expel me, Professor."
"Hmm? Why?"
"It was my faulty foresight that led you to add the roosters to the paintings," Avada said firmly. "Those people claim the Banshees were harmless to begin with, and that the roosters were what provoked them into attacking students, right? Then say it was me—say I secretly added the roosters to the paintings, and that you merely felt it was harmless and didn't stop me. That would lessen your 'responsibility' considerably, and at least buy you more time to prepare a counterattack…"
"Hahahaha…"
Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh, clutching his beard and shaking his head, his eyes nearly narrowing to slits. "Why are you so eager for me to remain as headmaster, Ken?"
"Huh?"
Avada was caught completely off guard. "Does that even need a reason? You're the protector of the entire school—"
"Oh? Am I?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. "Because from where I stand, I seem to be the one bringing trouble upon this school."
"…You mean your declaration of war against bloodline ideology?" Avada looked even more confused. "But all you did was what was right. Aren't the real troublemakers those bastards who would harm students for their own selfish interests?"
"And that is why I say I am the one who 'brings' the trouble," Dumbledore replied gently. "Very well, Ken—you seem unconvinced by that explanation. Let me ask you a different question. If I were to step down from the position of headmaster, as they desire, would they continue attacking students?"
"…I don't think so."
"And would they shut down Hogwarts, or dismiss all the current professors at once and replace them with new ones who would indoctrinate students with extreme bloodline ideology, encouraging discrimination or even violence?"
"If they weren't idiots… probably not."
"Then that is enough."
Dumbledore's smile widened. "You see, once I leave, the students will not be endangered, my professors will not be expelled, and Hogwarts will not be corrupted—at least for now. In that case, does it really matter whether I remain headmaster or not?"
(End of Chapter)