Dont forget to Vote and Review if you like story...
your comment make me motivate posting here
read full story in patreon : ilham20
Harry nodded and launched into his explanation right away.
He paused after every few sentences to gather his thoughts, and the headmaster's office stayed quiet except for his voice. Even the portraits on the wall—usually whispering among themselves—had gone still, listening.
Charlie was already bored. He turned his head slightly and looked at the gilded perch to the left of the desk.
Fawkes was watching him, head tilted with open curiosity.
Charlie met the phoenix's gaze, hooked two fingers, and made a soft clicking sound.
"Come on, then."
He even winked.
Why did this feel exactly like sneaking a kid a treat behind the grown-ups' backs?
Fawkes gave him a flat look and turned her head away with obvious disdain.
Charlie just grinned. He flipped his fingers and a piece of Sunshine Chocolate appeared in his palm. He peeled the wrapper with quick, practiced movements, broke the square in half between his fingers, and showed her the golden center.
Sunshine and Moon Dew. She'd probably like that.
Fawkes's eyes lit up. She launched off the perch without hesitation.
Charlie quickly raised his arm so she could land on it.
The sudden movement made both Dumbledore and Harry stop and turn.
"Sorry," Charlie said, looking sheepish under their stares. "She seems to like me?"
Dumbledore shook his head with a small, helpless smile and looked back at Harry. "Ignore him. Go on, Harry."
Harry shot Charlie another strange look, then nodded and kept talking.
Charlie, now off the hook, smiled at Fawkes and held the chocolate up to her beak. The phoenix ignored the chocolate itself and delicately pecked at the Moon Dew filling instead.
After a moment she looked like she wanted more. Charlie laughed quietly. "You like that, huh? I'll bring you more next time."
He glanced at what was left of the piece in his hand, then held it up toward the Sorting Hat in its glass case.
The Hat's embroidered mouth moved in a very clear shape: Piss off.
What a waste, Charlie thought, and tucked the rest away in his pocket.
He kept stroking Fawkes's feathers while he thought. So the feather that had floated into his hand earlier really had been hers. Was the message-sending ability hers, or Dumbledore's?
Her feathers felt ridiculously good—smooth as the finest silk.
He was still enjoying the quiet petting when Harry finally finished laying out everything he'd discovered and all his theories. He stared at Dumbledore, waiting for answers.
Dumbledore turned to Charlie instead, eyes bright with interest. "And you? Any thoughts?"
Charlie nodded seriously, then sliced his hand through the air like a judge delivering a verdict. "Perfect. We've got a conclusion. Let's investigate Snape, impeach him, attack him, and punish him. Hard."
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose. "All right. How exactly would you like to attack and punish Professor Snape?"
Charlie didn't miss a beat. "Dock his pay. Put him in detention. Oh—and take a hundred points from Slytherin."
Harry stared at him.
Charlie met the look without blinking, completely serious. "What? It's only fair. If we can dock points from Slytherin students when they mess up, why can't we do the same to their Head of House? If anything, we should dock more when the Head screws up."
A few of the portraits chuckled. One didn't—the sour-looking Phineas Nigellus Black clearly thought Charlie was being disrespectful.
Dumbledore only laughed softly. "Charlie's answer is certainly creative. But that's not what I was asking. Punishment can wait—we don't have solid proof yet, do we? Charlie, I meant your thoughts on the whole situation. Your read on it."
Charlie sighed. "I still don't have much of one. But…" He looked at Harry with tired resignation. "Fine. If you really want me to say something, here it is.
Right now there are two people standing in front of me. One of them never bothers to hide how aggressive and goal-driven he is. The other one makes it impossible to find a single flaw—everything he shows you is either helpful or makes him look good.
If I had to pick, I'd trust the first guy more, even if he's harder to deal with.
Nobody's perfect. Everyone's got ugly thoughts and bad habits they don't advertise. I'll always choose the person who shows you who they really are, even if what they show is rotten. At least you know what you're dealing with. The ones who keep everything hidden? You never know what's actually behind the mask.
For example—if you're on the street and a filthy, half-starved beggar gives you half a sandwich, versus some polished, charming guy who says he wants to take you in and give you the perfect life… I'm picking the beggar every time. Because the charming one is probably trying to sell you."
Harry looked confused. "What does any of that have to do with Snape?"
"If Snape were really up to something bad," Charlie said, "he'd be working overtime to look like the perfect, trustworthy professor."
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "All right, Harry. First, I'm impressed. You've uncovered quite a lot. Second, I appreciate you coming forward. That took courage. I'll look into Professor Snape myself. And please don't worry—the Stone is protected somewhere far safer than Gringotts. You have my word on that."
He glanced at the clock. "If there's nothing else, you should head down before dinner disappears. I'm sure Gryffindor will want to celebrate their hero from today's match."
Harry nodded, the weight on his shoulders visibly lighter. "Right. Good night, Professor."
"Good night, Professor," Charlie added, half-raising a hand.
"Charlie, stay a moment," Dumbledore said.
Harry gave Charlie another bewildered look—how many times had that happened today?—then left.
Once the door closed, Charlie dropped into the chair across from Dumbledore. "Professor, is there something else? I'm starving."
"It won't take long," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Who do you think is trying to steal the Stone?"
Charlie didn't hesitate. "No idea. Professor Chambers?"
Dumbledore's mouth twitched. "Do you really think so highly of him?"
Charlie shrugged. "You're not going to believe whatever I say anyway. You already know the real answer."
Dumbledore studied him for a long moment, then asked, "Why do you think I keep asking what you know?"
Charlie frowned. "My grades aren't even that good. And Hogwarts doesn't exactly offer a class in detective work."
Dumbledore's gaze drifted toward Fawkes, though it seemed like he was looking past her. His smile stayed, but his eyes were complicated. "How should I put this? Before I became headmaster, I once knew a student very much like you. Orphaned. Brilliant. Polite. Focused. Extremely capable."
Charlie's tone was dry. "Let me guess. He was my father. He died fighting Death Eaters, just like Harry's parents. Now you're projecting onto me out of guilt and affection."
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. It's simply that… as you said, that student made it impossible to find fault with him."
Charlie nodded like something had finally clicked. "Ah. Got it. So he was hiding something huge. Total villain material."
Dumbledore nodded once.
"So you're worried I'm the same?" Charlie asked. "Hiding some secret evil streak?"
"Oh, I don't believe anyone is born evil," Dumbledore said. "And I don't think you're secretly a budding dark wizard. I'm simply… regretting that I didn't notice the ambition in that other student sooner. That I didn't try harder to steer him onto a better path. So when I see someone with similar traits, I can't help paying closer attention."
Charlie raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"
Dumbledore nodded.
"I even tried to find your parents," he added quietly.
Charlie's expression sharpened.
"Don't tell me who they are," he said. "I don't want to know. And you just finished saying I never show anything negative, right? Well, here's some negativity. I don't care who they are."
He meant it. He was a transmigrator. The idea of caring about some random biological parents he'd never met was absurd.
Dumbledore shook his head. "You misunderstand. I couldn't find them. My curiosity comes from the abilities you've shown. The way you can harvest natural energy—that isn't something ordinary young wizards can do. So I wondered about your parents. Perhaps it's an inherited gift."
Charlie went very still.
"So you think I'm a half-blood?" he said slowly. "Like… part non-human?"
"Or perhaps a protected bloodline," Dumbledore said. "Something that shields their identities from magical searching."
Charlie stared at him for a long moment, then a slow, genuine smile spread across his face.
"Well. I like that answer a lot."
A half-blood explanation. Perfect cover. Anything strange he did from now on could be blamed on mysterious ancestry—and it came with Dumbledore's implicit stamp of approval.
He stood up and brushed off his knees. "Thanks for the identity, Professor. Really. And thanks for not actually finding my parents. I prefer it this way."
Dumbledore looked relieved. "I was worried I'd offended you."
"Not at all," Charlie said. "Anything else? Because I'm about to pass out from hunger."
Dumbledore thought for a moment, then shook his head.
Charlie turned to leave, then paused at the door to look back at Fawkes. He winked. "Next time I'll bring you more sweets."
He glanced at Dumbledore. "Not him, though."
Fawkes let out a bright, cheerful trill.
Dumbledore watched Charlie go, then turned to the phoenix with a faintly betrayed expression. "Was that aimed at me?"
Fawkes trilled again, noncommittal.
Dumbledore sighed and opened a drawer, revealing several pieces of Moonlight Chocolate. "Fine. I'll just buy my own."
He unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth, eyes closing in quiet satisfaction.
Charlie made it down to the Great Hall just in time. Most students had already left, but dinner was still being served.
The second he sat down at the Ravenclaw table, Harry leaned in. "What did the headmaster want?"
"He told me about my parents," Charlie said.
He needed this rumor spreading as fast as possible. No better time than right now.
Harry's eyes went wide. "Seriously? What did he say? Are they Muggles or wizards?"
"Are they okay?" Hector asked quickly. "Are they coming to see you?"
Hermione looked anxious. "Do they want to meet you?"
Charlie shook his head. "None of that. He couldn't find out exactly who they are. Said it was unusual—there are spells that should reveal a young wizard's parents. But he thinks one of them might not be human."
Ron nearly choked. "What?!"
Up at the head table, Professor Flitwick's wine glass froze halfway to his mouth. He looked sideways and caught Snape's eye.
"Oh, Severus," Flitwick said brightly. "Did you hear that?"
Snape turned away without answering and focused on his plate.
Flitwick grinned, knocked back the rest of his drink, and set the glass down with a satisfied clink before leaving the Hall.