In the Headmaster's office, the phoenix chirped low in Dumbledore's ear.
"Gellert's been taken? Well ... those people have a nasty attitude. Fawkes we can't expect everyone to think like ourselves. They're just doing their job." Dumbledore whispered soothingly and Fawkes lowered his head to allow him to touch his feathers.
Felix brushed the air in front of him and a mirror appeared out of thin air.
Rune symbols shone around the edge of the mirror, its surface rippling like water. Through the layers of mist, a still image reflected: it showed a meadow with a giant Ouroboros snake hovering in midair.
Dumbledore stared blankly into the mirror, and after a moment, he pulled himself together and said.
"Felix, it's just the two of us now, and since Harry needs a little more time, we can talk a little longer."
Felix glanced absent-mindedly at Fawkes, who shrank back pitifully.
"As it happens I have something to ask as well - is it worth it, Albus?"
Dumbledore laughed light-heartedly.
"Just a year ago, around this same time, Voldemort asked me the same question." He looked into the mirror and said with some difficulty, "My answer is the same as it was then: it is worth it."
Felix frowned.
"I thought you'd come up with something better than a life for a life ... plus two soul projections."
"It is a necessary price to pay, for ... the greater good."
"I can't think of any 'greater good' than an Archmage." Felix said calmly, "You showed me that prophecy, you know better than I do how important an Archmage is in the current situation."
"But the question is, what do people need from me?" Dumbledore said lightly, "Wisdom? Strength? Reputation? I fear that even if I remain intact, I will not be able to live up to their expectations."
"You did half a century ago." Felix raised his voice slightly, "I remember a book calling you 'Protector of Muggles and Muggle-born wizards'."
Dumbledore laughed bitterly.
"You mentioned the same - just a protector and nothing more. You should know what happened to me - my sister became an Obscurial, my poor father died tragically in Azkaban, my mother lost her life trying to care for Ariana - and you know the source of all that pain. Felix, I was full of resentment, and I hope you understand what that word represents, which is why I hit it off with Gellert. At that time, I was no less dangerous than Gellert!"
Felix exhaled softly, dispelling the feeling of heaviness from his heart.
"You are afraid of becoming a second Grindelwald?"
"Yes, I am afraid." Dumbledore said frankly, "Only I know how close I am to crossing that line, I don't intend to ill-treat Muggles, but I have acquiesced that there will be a percentage of innocent people victimized. That number became larger and larger as I discussed it with Gellert, yet my conscience was numbed with empty justifications. Then reality hit me hard. I came to my senses, but the cost was too great to bear ... so I was constantly reminded that I could not have authority and that only school suited for me."
"I spent the years since then sheltering young wizards from Muggle families as much as I could, fighting against the abuse of Muggles and against war, have you noticed, Felix? This all happened naturally with the Statue of Secrecy working properly. But what if it all reversed? If the tragedies that happened to me came back again and again, if I had the power to sway the world, would I be able to keep a clear and sensible conscious? Without wisdom, force and prestige are but menaces."
Tears slid down the tip of his nose.
Felix's heart seemed to be clogged with something.
There was a moment of silence. At that moment, Harry appeared in the scene, staring up at the Ouroboros in mid-air - he could clearly sense a part of his own magic and emotions in the giant Patronus.
Dumbledore held out his hand, "I think it's time to transfer the charm."
"Is there enough time?" Felix asked in a low voice.
He looked into the mirror and the reflection showed Harry waving the wand, the huge Ouroboros twisting up and frozen for a while before the Ouroboros suddenly collapsed and scattered into a rain of silvery light. Like a morning mist in the mountains and forests, how it would reduce to nothing by the sunlight.
"That's enough, it's really quite simple." Dumbledore nodded slightly, "Only, when the charm is transferred, my magic must be removed and then replaced with yours. That could take a few hours."
"Then let's get started." Felix said as he lowered his eyes, fully realizing that he accepted a heavy responsibility from Dumbledore.
...
Time went back a quarter of an hour and a certain event with far-reaching implications in the future would soon take place.
"Ron? Hermione? What are you doing here?" Harry tossed Snape's greasy hair uncomfortably and was surprised to see the two men running up the stairs head-on.
Ron's jaw dropped, obviously not expecting to bump into Snape. Hermione stammered, "Yes, sorry, Professor Snape, we wanted to come up and see - oh, I mean, we've followed the professors' instruction on keeping order, and now all the underclassmen have returned to the common room, with only some of the upperclassmen remaining in the great hall, and they refused to leave-"
Harry blinked, he had almost forgotten that he currently possessed Snape's face.
"I see." He said stoically. After saying that, he continued down the stairs.
"It's incredible how we got away with it just like that!" Ron said, patting his chest with fear, "I thought for sure we were going to be punished, if we got detention, the last part of the term's time off would be ruined - what's wrong with you, Hermione?"
Hermione stared expressionlessly at the corner of the stairs, where Harry had just disappeared.
"How odd - Professor Snape actually called us by our first name."
"Oh! It does seem a bit odd when you put it that way." Ron scratched his head, "But we better should meet up with Harry first, even if we can't see him, we can ask the other professors for information."
"Well, you're right." Hermione said, and the two continued up the stairs.
Meanwhile, in a room with closed doors and windows on the first floor of the castle, Professor McGonagall kept twiddling her thumbs in the darkness, glancing every now and then at the unconscious man on the couch - just a short while ago, they had been colleagues.
Knock, knock!
A knock at the door woke her up. She took out her lace handkerchief and wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, and returned to her usual solemn and serious appearance. Then she opened the door to her office and Professor Sprout stood outside.
"Pomona, you're back! Oh, and you too, please come in-"
Professor Sprout walked in and exchanged a glance with McGonagall. Right behind her, a dark-skinned man entered, he no longer looked young, his face held a grave look, the wrinkles on his forehead curving into the same curve as his sagging mouth, and he wore a dark blue wizard's robe with a brooch pinned to his collar, his grey curly hair clinging to the top of his head as he walked in and removed his hat.
Before Professor Sprout could introduce him, he voluntarily offered a hand.
"Hello, I'm Babajide Akingbade."
Professor McGonagall was slightly surprised, "The new Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards?" Babajide nodded, and at that moment four lean-looking male wizards in formal attire entered, "These are the members of the law enforcement team I brought with me for this escort - Rodney." He said stoically as a middle-aged male wizard walked over to the couch and lit his wand to examine the unconscious Grindelwald.
"Go away, you ugly bird." The team member said, and Fawkes, who acted as the light source in the room, glared at him with displeasure.
Professor McGonagall furrowed her brow.
"Can you turn on the light?" Babajide said, "The light is a bit dim. My crew might not be able to see well."
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and said nothing as she took out her wand and waved it, a soft light spilling down from the ceiling and the office suddenly became very bright.
"A magic lamp?" Babajide said with interest, "I've been meaning to find a chance to talk to Mr. Hap about a mess ... and certainly also with Dumbledore, I was hoping to listen to his wisdom, but this matter at hand is crucial."
Sprout let out a sudden gasp and the two men turned their heads to look at Sprout who stammered, "He, he used a Stinging Jinx."
"Mr. Akingbade, your law enforcement process is too rough. This is abuse." Professor McGonagall said with a stern face.
"No, it is a necessary inspection, Professor." The team member grinned as he tilted his head, "No problem! He's sleeping deeply, next is the Incarcerous Spell, the Full Body-Bind Curse, the Silencing Charm- I've read an internal file which says he's clever with words-"
Babajide cleared his throat, "Rodney, stick to the plan, you don't need to show off your eloquence here." Rodney stopped talking and just pulled out shiny handcuffs and leg shackles and strapped them on Grindelwald.
One member of the team pushed the door open and another raised his wand and pointed it at Grindelwald, whose body floated in mid-air as his head and limbs hung down helplessly from the force of the handcuffs and shackles.
"Mr. Akingbade," Professor McGonagall said gravely, "I'm not sure if Dumbledore informed you, but he wanted the whole process to be strictly confidential, and especially not to allow him to regain his consciousness."
Babajide replied calmly, "You have a point."
He arced his wand through the air and Grindelwald's face was covered by a black visor. Seeing that Professor McGonagall was about to say something else, he offered a smile, "All right, Professor, take me to Dumbledore. Leave the professional stuff to them, these lads have been dealing with the most dangerous prisoners for years."
Professor McGonagall's lips pursed into a slit as she walked behind, and when everyone was out she stood in the doorway and locked eyes with the Phoenix, "Thank you, Fawkes. You can go back now." Fawkes nodded at her and spread his wide wings as his body burst into flames. Professor McGonagall then closed the door to her office.
A glow of fire shone through the doorway to her feet, then converged again.
"Is that a phoenix?" Babajide muttered in sudden surprise, "I didn't recognize it earlier."
"It's called Fawkes." Professor McGonagall said distractedly, "Mr. Akingbade, there's something you may not know - Headmaster Dumbledore has handed in his resignation to the school board, just today ... alas, and he, he can't wait to embark on a trip," she sniffled, "and I'm not sure you'll be able to meet him."
They crossed the corridor and arrived at the grand staircase when a clamour came from downstairs. "What's going on?" Professor Sprout asked suspiciously, and she glanced downstairs when suddenly a silvery transparent head emerged from the steps, startling her.
"Murder! Someone's killing people!" Peeves yelled excitedly as he whistled loudly.
Professor McGonagall called out, "What's going on, Peeves? Is that one of your pranks?" Peeves winced, he was a little intimidated by Professor McGonagall and therefore replied in a greasy tone.
"There's a scuffle, Professor, little crybaby against a couple of grown-ups, wand against wand," Peeves said with a smile, "and I was just about to tell Filch, maybe his little wooden stick can hold them apart- "
"Little crybaby? Student?" Professor McGonagall's eyebrows knitted together as she hurried down the stairs.
"Yeah, that Longbottom - but he's not that much fun now as he was in the first and second year." Peeves chased after her, humming along the way as his two legs pretended to step on the stairs, but his legs kept sinking beneath the stairs. "Shut up, Peeves!" Professor McGonagall yelled back, and she already reached the ground floor, where the entrance hall is crowded.
Someone shouted, "Professor McGonagall's here!" The crowd parted to either side in a swish, allowing Professor McGonagall to see both sides who are facing each other. On one side, it naturally turned out to be four members of the International Confederation of Wizards' Law Enforcement Team, and on the other side...
"Longbottom! Abbott! Finnigan! Thomas! Goldstein! Greengrass!" Professor McGonagall shouted the names of those who held their wands in their hands one after another in anger, then she turned to the other side, "And you two, Weasley and Lovegood, what do you want to do?"
The students whose names had been called lowered the tips of their wands nervously, and they looked at one person in unison - surprisingly it turned out to be Neville.
"Mr. Longbottom, did you do all this? Give me a reason." Professor McGonagall's chest rose and fell dramatically.
"I want to know too, who are they?" Neville turned red and pointed at the four members of the International Confederation of Wizards law enforcement team and yelled, "Hannah and I were coming out of the great hall when we saw them very rudely dragging a man down the stairs, and although his face is masked, I recognised him as Professor Bagshot, and I clearly remember the flower pattern on his shirt and trousers!"
"They are law enforcement officers of the International Confederation of Wizards." Professor McGonagall said weakly, "Mr. Longbottom, you are too impulsive."
"That's because you didn't see what they did?" Neville shouted, his eyes glistening with tears as they turned red. "They, they-" he stammered out of anger.
Hannah Abbott took his hand and said in his place.
"Professor McGonagall, it's true that we don't know the identity of these people, but they were not acting like law enforcement officers at all just now, they were like thugs who broke into the school. They had Professor Bagshot's knee on the step and his head on the floor! As you know, Neville has great respect for Professor Bagshot ... He approached and asked a couple of questions and was attacked with a spell."
The students burst into a fit of righteous indignation.
Professor McGonagall's eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at the four members of the enforcement team. They stood their ground with expressionless faces. At that moment, Babajide came over and asked solemnly, "Rodney, is what this student was saying true?"
"It seems so." Rodney blinked, "Can someone explain why so many students are speaking up for a wicked dark wizard who has done a lot of evil things?"
"What evidence do you have to claim that?" A student shouted indignantly.
"Evidence?" Rodney said contemptuously, "There is more than enough of that sort of thing to satisfy everyone, you don't know what he did when he was young, and if it wasn't for someone sheltering-"
"Rodney!" Babajide snapped.
He looked around the room and after a moment's reflection, he said, "Allow me to introduce myself to you all: Babajide Akingbade, current Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards-" The students around the room looked at him in surprise and then as if asking for confirmation, they looked at Professor McGonagall, who nodded slightly.
A whisper resounded in the entrance hall.
"I assure you on my own honour that this man in front of you is definitely a dark wizard and one of the most dangerous kind at that. He escaped the prison that held him a year ago, and this time it was Headmaster Dumbledore who personally subdued him and handed him over to us." Babajide said.
The students looked at each other. Could it be another fake Moody case? But it is quite bold to apply for a professor job at Hogwarts, even Professor Black only became a professor after clearing his name.
"Of course, I know that you were not aware of this, so your courage to defend your professor is commendable. I will not hold you responsible for this, but if you cross the line any further, it will be a violation of the law. You should think carefully." At the end of his sentence, his tone became increasingly stern.
Many of the students showed timid and cowering expressions as Babajide looked around and with a wave of his hand, four members left with the unconscious Grindelwald in tow.
"Wait, um - Mr. Akingbade?" Neville gathered the courage to take a step forward and whispered, "I'm sorry, it was my fault. I just wanted to ask - can I have a word with Professor Bagshot? Just a few words, I'd like to ask in person-"
"Absolutely not!"
Those words didn't come from Babajide but from Professor McGonagall's mouth. She said firmly, meeting a crowd of surprised eyes, "I won't allow anyone to wake him up."
The entrance hall went silent, except for a snort from the Rodney team member, and the man next to him tugged on his sleeve as they made their way through the crowd and out of the castle. There was a quiet sigh of relief in Professor McGonagall's heart because, although she didn't know the reason, she had finally completed the task Albus had given her.
"All right, everyone disperses," she said authoritatively when she turned her head, "leave this place, where are prefects? Take responsibility."
The students all scattered, all the while feverishly discussing what had just happened and the identity of Professor Bagshot, only Neville was frozen in place as he pulled the broken sneakoscope out of his pocket, he had envisaged many possibilities, but he never anticipated this parting scene.
On the other side, the four members of law enforcement arrived at the carriage halfway up the hill from the castle.
"You're being a bit impulsive Rodney, I know your family has a grudge against Grindelwald." One member of the team said, as he gently manipulated Grindelwald into the carriage and then got in himself. "But you shouldn't have attacked that student, even if it was to scare-"
"I didn't."
"What?"
"I didn't want to scare him, I just wanted to knock him out. But for some reason, it didn't work even though the spell clearly hit him." Rodney wondered aloud as he stared at his wand in confusion, had something gone wrong?
He glanced at Grindelwald, who lay in the middle of the two members, and waved his wand twice at random, and Grindelwald's exposed skin instantly became red and swollen, as if he had been whipped.
"Rodney! I'm warning you-"
"I'm sorry, Captain." Rodney shrugged and lowered his head as he continued to look at his wand, "So it didn't fail. So what the hell happened then? Some kind of hidden defensive spell?"
As he spoke, the carriage suddenly jerked and the black carriage raced off into the dark night sky. The breathing under the black mask sharply increased, and the skin on his wrists that looked like whip marks and bee stings suddenly turned red.
At that moment, in the headmaster's office, two hands clasped tightly together.
An arcane pattern emerged and then climbed up Felix's wrists as if they are alive.
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