After an extended period, Dumbledore's weathered eyes slowly opened. His gaze fixed on the struggling figure of Gollum, caught in the throes of drowning. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore cast a spell, causing a gentle slumber to embrace the tortured creature.
Fudge, standing nearby, seized the moment to inquire, "How about it?"
Dumbledore, remained silent for a moment. Finally, he uttered three words that hung in the air, laden with uncertainty, "Hard to say."
The enigma of Gollum's memories confounded Dumbledore. The relentless onslaught of the Cruciatus Curse had left his recollections in tatters, blending reality with the fabric of his own fantasies.
How else could Dumbledore explain the surreal scenes unfolding before him?
Questions swirled in his mind. Why did a place like the Misty Mountains exist? What about the ancient Fagon Forest, dwelling place of the ancient Ent race, adjacent to those mist-shrouded peaks? Dwarves, elves, hobbits—the very fabric of a different world seemed interwoven with their existence.
And then there was the looming threat of the Dark Lord Sauron, aspiring to dominion over all.
"Was this an alternate reality?"
Dumbledore grappled with a sense of bewilderment, a creeping panic settling in. Gollum's fragmented memories painted a vivid yet terrifying picture.
Dumbledore, found himself confronting the realization that perhaps he never truly comprehended the vastness of the world.
Could there be an elusive realm beyond the wizarding world's boundaries?
Just as wizards concealing their existence from Muggles, there might be concealed realms of the Holy White Council, hobbits, elves, and dwarves?
In this moment of uncertainty, Dumbledore faced a disquieting truth: perhaps there are really hidden existence s in this world.
"It's hard to say, what does this mean?" Dumbledore's voice trembled with an unease that seldom visited him.
Fudge wore an ugly expression, assuming Dumbledore held crucial information, shrouded in reluctance to share.
"Any clues about that ring?" Fudge pressed, a palpable tension between them.
Dumbledore cast a knowing glance at Fudge, nodded solemnly, and began to unveil a tale woven in the threads of a different reality, "The Ring of Power... forged by the Sauron. This ring possesses the power to command the world. Yet, the ring now rest in the possession of a hobbit named Baggins. Stolen, lost, and Gollum, the tortured soul, remains unaware of its current whereabouts."
"That's it?" Fudge raised an eyebrow, eyeing Dumbledore with suspicion. Sauron's name was the only piece of news he hadn't heard before.
Gollum, in his incessant ramblings, had made it abundantly clear that Baggins was a notorious thief. Anyone who dared to pilfer his precious treasure would soon become the subject of Gollum's tirades.
"That's all," Dumbledore confirmed with a nod. He sensed that divulging more information to Fudge might stir unnecessary trouble. The intricacies of other matters were better left unsaid.
Dumbledore wasn't concerned about Fudge seeking out other Legilimency masters. Gollum's erratic moods and complex memory fragments made him a challenge for anyone attempting to delve into his mind. Only a select few, including Dumbledore and Snape, possessed the skill to navigate Gollum's memories. Fudge lacked the capacity to enlist others with such talents.
Especially when it came to the news about The Ring of Power, Fudge was to be kept in the dark. The potential repercussions of such information leaking could send shockwaves through the entire wizarding world.
"Now it seems that the Holy White Council's target is The Ring of Power. How we handle this hobbit depends on your decision. My suggestion is... talk to them," Dumbledore advised Fudge. Despite his lack of personal interest in the The Ring of Power, Dumbledore found himself intrigued by the unfolding events at Hogwarts, a restlessness growing within him like a buried nail.
"I'll think about it," Fudge responded, casting a glance at the slumbering Gollum before leaving the cell in the company of Dumbledore.
....
The following day arrived, In Hogwarts, within the Gryffindor quarters, an excited atmosphere enveloped Harry and Ron as they unwrapped their Christmas presents. Harry's uncle and aunt had gifted him a coin, a curiosity for Ron, unfamiliar with Muggle money.
Observing Ron's ecstatic expression, Harry found the Christmas present surprisingly agreeable. Alongside the coins, he received a handmade flute from Hagrid and a large, dark sweater knitted by Ron's mother—a special creation from the Weasley family.
"Here's a hefty box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione."
Ron eagerly tore open the Chocolate Frog, muttering to himself:
"Looks like we sent her a candy box too... let me check this out. Oh! This is so pretty!"
Ron unveiled Artel's gift, discovering several postcards from Switzerland and an assortment of unique Swiss sweets.
"Muggle candy, right? Looks delicious! Is this called Swiss..."
Ron bit into a fondant, glancing at Harry, who held a liquid-like, silver-grey cloak.
"Oh, God!"
Ron sprang up from the floor, pointing at the cloak in Harry's hand and exclaimed:
"I've heard of this thing! It's... it's an invisibility cloak!"
Lowering his voice with a touch of awe, Ron continued:
"This is definitely a rare, precious invisibility cloak. I bet you could put it on and disappear!"
The room echoed with the excited screams of the two friends as they experimented with the cloak. Harry eventually removed the Invisibility Cloak, revealing a note that fell from it.
****
[Your father left this thing for me before he died, and it should be returned to you now. I hope you use it well.
I sincerely wish you a Merry Christmas.]
****
The note remained unsigned, leaving Harry and Ron puzzled. After a brief quarrel, the Weasley twins and the various Percys barged into the room.
"Look, Harry got a Weasley sweater too!"
George grinned, teasing Percy:
"Percy, why not wear a sweater! P stands for prefect, you should embrace it..."
George was well aware that his prefect brother had a penchant for authority and was engrossed in a dull, intimidating book titled "How Prefects Gained Power."
After some playful banter, the group left the dormitory to join the Christmas banquet. Hogwarts generously treated the students staying over, filling the long table with an array of festive delights—roasted turkeys, potatoes, roasts, steaks, and small sausages.
Harry and Ron relished a joyous feast, while the older students headed to the dance after a light meal. Hogwarts, adorned in festive cheer, resonated with an atmosphere of happiness and celebration.
.....
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