Finally, this exhausting day came to an end.
The first-year students completed a unique Sorting Ceremony in the hospital ward, one they would remember for the rest of their lives. Afterward, the school distributed a batch of easy-to-eat food.
Most of the new and returning students, once confirmed to be unharmed, were allowed to return to their dormitories for the night. Most of the Healers from St. Mungo's also evacuated, leaving only a few behind as assistants to Madam Pomfrey.
The staff were equally exhausted. After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Ares, they too went back to rest.
Although the night was deep and the full moon crossing the high point of the sky signaled the arrival of a new day, Dumbledore still hadn't slept.
He had taken off his purple robe with gold embroidery and changed into snow-white pajamas and a nightcap.
Unlike usual late nights, when Dumbledore would be huddled by candlelight either reviewing documents and books or writing replies to parents, academic organizations, and official or unofficial wizarding leagues...
He wasn't even discussing things with the portraits of past Headmasters behind his desk. His brow was etched with worry, and he paced... back and forth behind his desk.
"I sent him off."
His black wizard robes billowing behind him like a cloak, Severus Snape walked into the Headmaster's office and spoke lazily to Dumbledore.
"Thank you, Severus—"
Dumbledore stopped pacing, hiding his worry.
He looked at Severus calmly, his spirits lifted.
"Did our Minister leave any final instructions?"
"He seemed in high spirits—"
Snape said in a tone of amusement.
"He asked me to tell you that if time permits, when Ares Delfino's Order of Merlin, First Class is approved, he will come personally to preside over the award ceremony... and he might bring a few reporters."
"Yes—"
Dumbledore showed no surprise, just nodding calmly.
"We all know Cornelius is keen on such things."
From his tone, Snape knew Dumbledore wanted to end the conversation there. But he didn't leave. Instead, he tilted his head, studying Dumbledore, maintaining his lazy demeanor.
"What about that matter?"
"You mean?"
"Surveilling Delfino—"
A playful glint appeared in Severus's eyes.
"Do you still want me to do it, Headmaster Dumbledore, after he risked his life to save a train full of students?"
Bathed in the gentle warmth of midsummer, a chill suddenly drifted through the Headmaster's office—not enough to freeze, but enough to unsettle.
"Yes."
Dumbledore's blue eyes behind the half-moon spectacles fixed on Severus. His voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear.
"Severus, I want you to continue."
"My, my—"
The answer wasn't surprising. But Severus still curled his lip into a somewhat exaggerated smirk.
"I am confused, Dumbledore. In your eyes, are there any good people left in this world?"
"Oh, regarding 'good' and 'bad,' my view has always been that the line between them is very blurred.
At any time, describing a person as a 'good person' or a 'bad person' is biased. Therefore, we need to constantly remind ourselves to avoid falling into the side of 'evil'—"
Of course Dumbledore understood Snape's sarcasm, but he remained unmoved, his tone calm.
"Of course, if you have a wiser argument, I would be happy to listen, Severus."
Hmph—
Under Dumbledore's penetrating gaze, Snape's expression darkened. He understood that these words were also a warning to him.
"I understand."
Snape turned to leave, his voice muffled.
"I'll keep an eye on him for you."
"Be cautious, Severus... If Ares Delfino truly accepted my employment and entered the school with some ulterior motive, he will be a wizard a hundred times more dangerous than Quirrell."
Dumbledore's voice chased after him. Snape paused for a moment by the golden perch where the phoenix rested.
"Also, don't forget to find out the ingredients and effects of that potion," Dumbledore added.
---
The young wizards had mostly returned to their dormitories, including Hermione. In this ward, only Ares remained.
He gazed out the window, his eyes following the gibbous moon hanging in the sky until it was obscured by Ravenclaw Tower and vanished from his sight.
In the midnight silence, the Forbidden Forest swayed, the sound of the forest like ocean waves, just as he remembered.
Ares withdrew his gaze and pointed at the dragon-hide suitcase on the bedside table.
In the gloom, he extended his middle and index fingers together. The air at his fingertips shimmered, extending into a "glass dagger."
Hum!
Ideally, nothing in this world, no matter how hard, could withstand a spatial cut. But when Ares's glass dagger touched the dragon-hide suitcase, a mysterious magical energy radiated from the mottled dragon-hide patterns, dissolving Ares's glass dagger into a gentle breeze.
Ares retracted his fingers, looking not particularly disappointed.
He had tried on the train; almost no spell worked on this suitcase...
But subtly, the suitcase didn't block Ares's penetrating vision. He could see the gold inside—seven hundred pounds of it.
Did he know I couldn't open the suitcase, so he left it deliberately to provoke me into agreeing to help?
A suffocating silence followed as Ares rejected this idea in his mind.
If that were the case, why make the suitcase unshrinkable and unmovable by magic?
This would only attract Dumbledore's attention...
Dumbledore would definitely notice the massive amount of gold bars stuffed inside. He would definitely guess this suitcase doesn't belong to me.
Ares's breathing grew slightly heavy, his eyelids trembling in the darkness.
Thinking about it this way, it seems like that person is deliberately using this box of gold to deepen Dumbledore's suspicion of me.
Larry Gaspard.
This wizard could absolutely not be a follower of Voldemort.
Moreover, he seems to know me very well.
He stopped Quirrell from robbing Gringotts—but that's unlikely to be an accidental encounter.
So, that means he knew Quirrell was going to rob Gringotts beforehand?
How could he know?
Leaving a map in the office was stupid enough; Quirrell and Voldemort wouldn't be stupid enough to brag about their plans everywhere.
He said he was ordered by a "Great Personage" to infiltrate Hogwarts and obtain an item?
Who is it?
What does he want? It seems only the Philosopher's Stone fits.
So, he plans to replace Quirrell?
He said: "You see what is happening, or is about to happen in this world, more clearly than anyone else"?
Many chaotic thoughts intertwined and pulled at Ares's mind, but he couldn't straighten them out.
Gaspard will definitely come knocking again. Ares was certain of this.
" Huff—"
Amidst the sound of his own breathing, the exhausted Ares lay down and closed his eyes.
"Did I run into a seer?"
Ares murmured, drifting into sleep.