Before Darren could react, he felt as if the sky were spinning, and the whole person seemed to be squeezed out of a water pipe.
"Good boy, have a piece of chocolate, and you'll feel much better."
As Darren steadied himself, Dumbledore's aged voice reached him, accompanied by a large piece of chocolate.
Curiosity piqued, Darren took it. He'd heard that chocolate in the wizarding world was different, known to lift spirits, relieve fear, and combat fatigue. He recalled Lupin giving Harry chocolate when he was frightened by Dementors.
Taking a tentative bite, a warm current coursed through his body.
"Magic is truly magical!" Darren couldn't help but marvel.
Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Magic is indeed a wondrous thing. Severus, why keep your home so dark?"
Dumbledore inquired with a touch of helplessness.
Snape scoffed sarcastically. "Albus, unless your brain is filled with mustard, you'd know I haven't been home in a long time." He would prefer living in Hogwarts to facing the memories his home held, memories of Lily.
Snape's eyes seemed even more hollow.
Darren paid it no mind, focusing on the layout of Snape's house. A two-bedroom, one-room residence with tightly drawn curtains, giving it a dark appearance.
The living room had a massive fireplace, surrounded by emptiness, a clear sign that Snape had cleared out his house. Even a thief would cry and leave.
"The flames are kindled." Dumbledore pointed to the fireplace, lighting it up. He deftly retrieved a large jar, extracted a small handful of shiny powder, and handed it to Darren. "This is Floo Powder. Toss it into the fireplace, say 'Hogwarts,' and step in."
Snape eyed Darren and, with a touch of reluctance, tossed the powder into the fireplace, uttering "Hogwarts." In an instant, he disappeared.
Darren blinked, thinking Snape was a tough nut on the outside but considerate on the inside. Knowing Darren might be unsure about using Floo Powder, he offered a demonstration.
Smiling shyly under Dumbledore's approving gaze, Darren dropped the powder, stepped into the fireplace, and vanished.
In a dazzling moment, Darren found himself in a spacious office.
Snape, expressionless, swiftly left upon arrival.
Only a witch with a pointed hat and a stern expression sat in an office chair, engrossed in writing something. Seeing Darren emerge, she quickly stood up, eyes filled with amazement and lips trembling slightly.
"Darren... It's really you! Dumbledore sent a message saying you've been found... I'm so relieved; soon, your brothers will be reunited."
The witch didn't look directly at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and speaking with a serious tone.
"Child, Lily would be thrilled to know you've grown so much!"
"Well, Minerva, Lily would indeed be delighted. Her two children have grown up, and Darren hasn't been lost in the great adventure. But I have some matters to discuss with Darren," Dumbledore interjected as he stepped out of the fireplace, brushing off ashes.
"No, Albus, didn't you see the wound on this child's head? He needs treatment and bed rest!" Professor Minerva McGonagall frowned, displaying the fierce protective instinct of a lioness.
Dumbledore chuckled softly. "It can wait a bit, maybe ten minutes. Mr. Darren and I have some private matters to discuss."
Professor McGonagall reluctantly agreed, pursing her lips. "Ten minutes, and I'll be keeping track!"
"No problem, Darren, come with me."
Dumbledore led Darren to his office.
They arrived at a pair of grotesque gargoyles.
"Password."
"Chilled lemon juice."
"Alright, you're always right."
The gargoyle stepped aside, revealing a staircase as the wall split in half.
Darren followed Dumbledore up the staircase.
This, too, was a scene straight out of the original book.
Portraits of past headmasters adorned the walls, accompanied by numerous silver items creating a melodious clanging sound.
"Tweet, tweet..."
Darren heard a burst of bird calls.
Turning around, he spotted an ugly, featherless little bird perched on a stand, squawking its name.
"It's a Fawkes, a phoenix. It was injured the other day, so I allowed it to undergo a rebirth. Wait until it regrows its feathers, and you'll see its beauty."
Dumbledore assumed Darren might not understand and offered an explanation with a smile.
Darren looked astonished, wondering if his phoenix egg could be better than Fawkes.
Although the phoenix described in the original book was handsome, all Darren saw was a featherless turkey. It looked ugly. However, for the sake of human design, he asked worriedly, "Will it still be alright? Who hurt it so cruelly?"
[Ding, Father +20].
Darren scratched his head in confusion, and Dumbledore provided a nonchalant response, "It was an accident, Darren, an unexpected one."
"Well, it should be beautiful in the future," Darren politely commented.
Fawkes tilted his head to look at Darren. For some reason, it felt like Darren was particularly favored by the phoenix. If it didn't already have an owner, it might have considered becoming Darren's phoenix.
Dumbledore stared at Darren in amazement. If Fawkes liked Darren so much, could it be that Darren shared the same blood as him—a phoenix? Dumbledore pondered whether the Potter family had a phoenix bloodline.
The specific details were a closely guarded secret, but he vaguely recalled hearing about the first-generation Mrs. Potter having a phoenix bloodline. Could it be that this child had inherited it?
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