At night, the bright moonlight and the waves that constantly hit the cliff have accompanied Hogwarts Castle for thousands of years like a day. The first week of school is about to pass, and the energetic young wizards have passed the initial excitement period. Tonight, except for the clanging armor in the castle, the occasional portraits who stayed up late and whispered, and the Peeves who patrolled the territory as usual, it was quiet and peaceful.
"You know who that person is, don't you?"
In front of the two ugly gargoyles on the eighth floor, Professor Snape asked Dumbledore expressionlessly. His black cloak fluttered behind him as he stood in the dim corridor. His cold eyes gazed through Dumbledore's calm face, as if trying to read his mind.
"What made you have such a misunderstanding, Severus?"
Dumbledore shook his old face in surprise, his long beard that reached his waist shone with silver light under the moonlight shining through the window, and his eyes looked innocent. He wore a purple robe with golden stars, and a matching hat that tilted slightly to one side. He smiled gently, as if he had nothing to hide.
Snape pursed his thin lips and did not say anything more but turned and left directly.. He knew that Dumbledore was playing dumb, and that he would not admit anything. He also knew that arguing with Dumbledore was futile, and that he would not get any answers from him.
Dumbledore stood still and did not move. He stared at Snape who was leaving quickly until his back disappeared at the corner of the corridor, then lowered his silver eyebrows and walked into his office.
Fawkes, who rarely moved around, was perched on the golden branches in the fire basin and had fallen asleep. His red and gold feathers glowed faintly in the dark, and his long tail swept the floor. Dumbledore leaned on his office chair, his slender fingers crossed and placed on the desk, silently looking at the portraits of the Hogwarts headmasters hanging on the wall.
According to the usual habits of these portraits, they should also be asleep at this time, but tonight, none of them were asleep. They stayed quietly in their own frames, and their eyes were all focused on the empty frame behind Armando Dippet. They were waiting for the return of the former headmaster who had gone to investigate the Black Manor.
The waiting process was extremely long. The former headmasters couldn't stand the loneliness and talked to each other in a low voice. Some of them discussed the latest news from the wizarding world, some of them reminisced about the old days, and some of them complained about the current situation of Hogwarts. Only the only living person in this office, Dumbledore, maintained admirable patience. He listened to their conversations, but did not join them. He waited quietly and calmly, his eyes fixed on the empty portrait.
"It has been confirmed, Dumbledore!"
Finally, the original owner of the empty frame came back. Without waiting for anyone to ask, he said in a jubilant voice,
"No, during this period of time, there is noone alive in the Black Manor except for an old house-elf. My clever great-grandson has never gone back."
"Clever?!"
Armando Dippet's portrait exclaimed in a very stiff and sarcastic voice. He was a bald, wrinkled man with a long, silver mustache and a pointed beard. He wore a high-collared, black robe and a pince-nez that magnified his small, beady eyes. He had a severe and strict expression, and he spoke in a pompous and authoritative tone,
"Black, I think you must know that your 'clever great-grandson' is a dirty, stinky traitor, right?"
Armando Dippet's naked mockery was like stabbing a hornet's nest, and Phineas immediately yelled! He shook his goatee and rushed into Dippet's portrait to argue with him, shouting something like 'Noble Black Family', 'The Wizengamot must have made a mistake', 'The child is innocent', 'you are targeting me' and so on. If it weren't for Dilys Derwent's timely intervention, there might have been a wonderful duel between ex-headmasters in the office.
Ding, ding-
"Please keep quiet, everyone, I can't let this historic office be ruined in my hands."
Dumbledore tapped the table with his fingers and said calmly. The command of the current headmaster of Hogwarts had a strong binding effect on these portraits. Under Dumbledore's intervention, the portraits returned to their own frames. Armando Dippet and Phineas Black's portraits were next to each other, but they looked in different directions and ignored each other. They were like two proud lions who refused to admit defeat.
Even after her death, the respected Dilys Derwent asked the key question on behalf of all the headmasters,
"Do you know what the purpose of that kid breaking into the Black Manor is, Albus?"
"Oh, this question–" Dumbledore took off the half-moon glasses on his nose, rubbed his brow lightly, and smiled helplessly,
"I have some guesses, and I think my guesses are very close to the truth."
"What is it?" Dilys Derwent asked eagerly. She was a woman with a kind face and a neat bun. She wore a white nurse's uniform and a red cross on her chest. She was the only headmaster who had also been a healer at St. Mungo's Hospital.
"It doesn't matter, Dilys–" Dumbledore, who got the answer, leaned back on the chair and said tiredly, "What matters is that he did it."
The topic of Bryan Watson seemed to have been discussed more than once in this office. The portraits knew how much Albus Dumbledore valued the young man. Seeing Bryan make another almost 'crazy' move, their hearts were covered with a layer of gloom.
"By the way–" The kind Dilys Derwent hesitated, "Could it be a mistake, Albus, according to what you said, the dark wizard hid his magic very well. Maybe, I mean, you have to admit, everyone has a blind eye, right?"
"I don't have to rely on appearance and magic to recognize who a person is, Dilys–" Dumbledore's deep blue eyes sparkled, and he said gently. He put his glasses back on his nose, and looked at the photo frame behind Armando Dippet.
The office fell silent again. According to the opinions of most headmasters, they all thought that Dumbledore should take action and send Bryan to Azkaban, but in fact, they all knew that even with the Dementors guarding, Azkaban might not be able to hold this level of wizard.
"Evil is evil, Albus." Armando Dippet said firmly, "We should strangle the evil in the bud while we still have the ability to do so, Albus, if Azkaban can't hold that disobedient brat, then you should kill him directly!"
"I see it now!"
Dippet's suggestion immediately detonated Phineas, and he sprayed saliva at Dippet, "You are jealous, right? jealous that the great Slytherin House has produced another outstanding genius, you want to destroy him!"
Phineas Black in the potrait was a middle-aged man with a thin face and a goatee. He wore a green robe with silver snakes, and a ring with the Black family crest.
Phineas's defense hit too many people, and many headmasters stood up and accused Slytherin, and Armando Dippet was even more straightforward, "Great Slytherin House? Huh, I think you must not forget the panic that the Chamber of Secrets left by Slytherin brought to Hogwarts last year!"
He pointed at Phineas with his finger, and reminded him of the incident that had almost destroyed the school.
"That chamber is not that simple!" Phineas retorted, "Albus has told us that the chamber has a different magical environment. To be honest, I am very grateful to Bryan Watson. He cleared the slander that has been circulating in the wizarding world for a thousand years against Salazar Slytherin himself. Slytherin himself left the chamber and the Basilisk for a different purpose, not to slaughter the young wizards in the school!"
Phineas's statement was the conclusion after a joint discussion, not his own opinion, so Armando Dippet did not refute, but remained silent. He knew that Dumbledore had indeed confirmed Phineas's words, and that he had found evidence to support them.
As if he had won a holy war, Phineas straightened his chest, looked at Albus Dumbledore with gleaming eyes, and said proudly,
"Do you want to hear my opinion, Albus, about Bryan Watson?"
"I look forward to hearing your insights, Phineas," Dumbledore smiled sincerely and said, "I'm sure your wisdom will show us the way."
Phineas, who was praised by Dumbledore, was inspired. He seemed to return to the days when he was the current headmaster of Hogwarts and had the power. He glanced at Armando Dippet, who was also looking at him coldly, cleared his throat,
"First of all, there is a question that needs your honest answer, Albus–"
After getting Dumbledore's nod, Phineas Black's small eyes showed a shrewd light, "Up to now, Albus, can you still deal with Bryan Watson?"
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