Silence fell over the office.
Dumbledore prodded the memories in the Pensieve with his wand. Tywin's image faded, and the silvery substance returned to its opaque state.
The light from the Pensieve cast a soft glow on Dumbledore's face. He was quiet for a moment, then sighed.
"William, there's nothing wrong with love, even when it's between two people of the same gender. But when it comes to discussing such feelings—especially when they're unreciprocated or misunderstood—one must tread carefully and avoid quick assumptions."
Though the topic felt slightly awkward, William appreciated Dumbledore's honesty. After all, he mused, the norms here were a bit different from those back home, not to mention the times.
Thankfully, Dumbledore soon moved on. "From what I've observed, Professor Tywin indeed harbored deep, unusual feeling for James. That attachment began the day James saved him."
"Then… the person who transformed into Professor Snape with Polyjuice Potion—was that Tywin?"
"I believe so, yes."
"But how is that possible? I mean, wasn't Tywin speaking with you at that exact time?"
"Which would mean… one of them must have been fake?"
"Both were real, William," Dumbledore replied.
"Wait—what? How could he be in two places at once?"
"Alright, William." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, cutting him off. "I can't reveal more just yet, or it could affect your time here."
"What do you mean, Professor?"
"I was originally supposed to be at the Ministry right now, but since you came to me this morning, things have changed. And so, here I am." Dumbledore's gaze intensified as he looked directly at William.
"Before we continue, I need to ask you one question."
"What is it, Professor?"
"William, how many loops have you been through?"
Dumbledore's piercing gaze was unwavering.
A sudden realization hit William like a wave. He was beginning to understand why he was here, and a feeling—more like a certainty—surged within him.
He gripped the ring on his finger, his knuckles turning white, though he barely noticed.
"William?" Dumbledore called gently. "You look a bit pale. Are you alright?"
William instinctively tried to twist the ring, but it wouldn't budge. He shook himself out of his thoughts.
Dumbledore leaned in, his crooked nose almost brushing William's face, his blue eyes examining him carefully.
"It seems my question has sparked a realization?"
"Yes, Professor," William said slowly. "I think I have a guess."
"Oh?" Dumbledore's interest was piqued. "Tell me."
"I… am I caught in some kind of… time loop?"
He realized he hadn't simply gone back to April 20th, nor was he experiencing some "Final Destination"–like premonition of future events. No, he was genuinely trapped in a time loop.
The clue had been in Dumbledore's hints, but also in the many movies he'd seen in his previous life—movies like Groundhog Day, Triangle, Edge of Tomorrow, Happy Death Day, and ARQ. He'd watched more than a few of them.
In Groundhog Day, Phil found himself reliving the same day every morning: always February 2nd, Groundhog Day. Every event around him played out the same, as if he were stuck in an endlessly looping recording.
No matter what, every morning Phil woke up to the same radio broadcast, exchanged the same greetings, and faced the same people and events—only he retained any memory of the previous loops.
In Doctor Who, the Doctor had been trapped for over 4.5 billion years in a looped day to save Clara.
Just like them, William was now caught in his own time loop.
Of course, to confirm his theory, he would need to wait until tomorrow to see if it was, once again, April 20th.
Dumbledore motioned for William to raise his right hand, studying the ring's intricate, ancient design under the soft light.
"You're right, William. You are in a unique kind of loop; time is effectively frozen and will keep you here, on this same day."
William frowned. "But Professor Binns said the Ravenclaw Bronze Ring could let someone travel to any point in time."
Dumbledore shook his head. "I've had to remind students countless times that history is often entangled with untrustworthy legends. Widely accepted tales can be misleading—like with this ring."
"Professor, can you explain what this ring actually does?"
Dumbledore stood up and moved to the window, and William joined him, gazing out over the landscape of Hogwarts.
The silver crescent moon shone in the deep night.
It was a scene that seemed as old as time itself.
Dumbledore took a deep breath, as if savoring a view he could never grow tired of. "Isn't it magnificent, William? Do you know what Hogwarts was originally built for?"
"To train wizards, to pass on knowledge?"
"Close… but not quite. That was only a means to a greater end."
"A greater purpose?"
Dumbledore looked directly at William.
"In simple terms, the founders created Hogwarts to study certain secret knowledge—knowledge so valuable that only a few elite minds could ever understand, preserve, and pass it on."
"What kind of secret knowledge?" William's heart raced slightly.
"Over millennia, people have called it Ancient magic. It's said to possess boundless power, capable of creation and destruction alike…"
"Does something like that truly exist, Professor?" William felt as though he were hearing an old legend.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Does it not? Think about it: the prophecies from tarot cards, the Book Of Changes that glimpses past and future, Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone with its power to grant immortality… all these things are fragments of the Ancient Magic."
"So, Professor Dumbledore," William ventured, thinking carefully, "do you believe that the Ancient magic refers to the entirety of accumulated magical knowledge? Are all known spells part of this Ancient Magic?"
"No," Dumbledore replied with a firm shake of his head. "The Ancient Magic is distinct from modern magic—it exists in a wholly unique form and is quite real."
"You've seen it?" William asked skeptically.
"Oh, not only have I seen it," Dumbledore replied, "but it's even been used before. That ancient power once defeated the Dark Lord and continues to shield someone to this day."
Dumbledore's gaze remained fixed on the dark sky as he spoke.
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