Dumbledore's words left William silent and deep in thought.
Saving Hagrid and Robert would be straightforward, he figured—all he'd need to do was avoid Professor Tywin entirely that morning and drag him to Ravenclaw Tower no matter the obstacles.
But, to fully understand the entire incident? That was an entirely different challenge.
For instance, Tywin had gone to Dumbledore's office earlier that day, yet Robert still ended up dead. What happened after Tywin left the Headmaster's office, and how did he end up clashing with Professor Snape? William didn't have any answers to these questions.
"Professor, do you know the full story behind this incident?" William asked.
Dumbledore sat up straight, his sharp gaze locking onto William.
"William, I won't pretend to be all-knowing," he said carefully, "but I do have a complete understanding of the incident."
William was about to press him for details, but Dumbledore shook his head as if he already anticipated the question.
"Even though I know," Dumbledore replied, "I can't tell you. This is something you'll need to uncover for yourself."
"Why?" William was puzzled.
"It's a test, William. You have inherited Ravenclaw's legacy and been given the gift of a time loop. This presents a unique opportunity, one that led me to a decision."
"This challenge is not only Ravenclaw's test but mine as well. I need you to experience this on your own."
William frowned.
In a somber tone, Dumbledore added, "William, I'm old. The future is uncertain and likely fraught with difficulty. I can't place all our hopes on a single path; I need to make preparations.
"But in you, I see new hope. Do you understand?"
"But I'm just a first-year student, Professor," William replied quietly.
His mature soul might help him learn faster than his peers, and his talent might excel in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Potions, but that didn't make him anything close to Dumbledore.
If even the Headmaster couldn't solve this, what hope did he have?
"Don't forget, William," Dumbledore said, seeming to read his thoughts, "you have the time loop. If 'time is man's greatest foe,' then it's now the one thing you have in abundance."
Dumbledore's voice softened, almost pleading. "William, I must caution you—while you investigate and seek a way out of this time loop, don't let it become your only focus. Remember, there is a greater purpose."
"A greater purpose?"
William pondered Dumbledore's words, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the engraved eagle on the ring.
—Time is mankind's greatest enemy.
This ring, Dumbledore explained, was designed for those chosen to study Ancient Magic. And Ravenclaw left it so that her successors might acquire infinite wisdom.
Wisdom was the root of all power, and the simplest way to gain wisdom was through books and study.
If he broke the time loop immediately by learning the truth from Dumbledore, he'd squander the incredible potential this ring offered him.
It dawned on him that Dumbledore might actually want him to stay in this loop for years if necessary, training himself like "The sword god of Shilipo" until he could walk out with skills that would make a veteran Auror jealous.
[tl/n: it's a reference from a meme when a player couldn't find a plot point when he started playing the video game "Legend of Sword and Fairy" and practiced in the beginner area for half a year until he reached lvl 71 and could overpower almost all other high-level players.]
Now that was hardcore.
Of course, William couldn't have anticipated any of this. He'd arrived here barely remembering the general storyline, and now he was being selected by Dumbledore.
It was as if Dumbledore had declared, "After much consideration, I've chosen you for this role."
And so, without any better option, William took a deep breath and accepted the challenge.
Dumbledore smiled approvingly. "Good. This could be a rare opportunity for you to become an inheritor of Ancient magic.
"But first, I have some practical advice."
"What advice, Headmaster?"
"Firstly, don't attempt to leave the castle. This ring's power is intertwined with Hogwarts' accumulated magic. Wearing it is akin to signing a contract with the castle. If you attempt to leave, it will break the contract, possibly causing severe backlash."
William nodded quickly, like an obedient chick pecking at grain.
"My second suggestion: proceed carefully, one step at a time. If I'm correct, Tywin attacked the Ministry and obtained a magical artifact, which may have led to your current confusion."
"I imagine you'll understand it all soon enough."
"Professor," William asked, just before leaving, "how do you know about this ring? Did you ever use it yourself?"
Dumbledore shook his head as though reminiscing about a distant person or memory.
He chuckled as he said; "No, I haven't. But when I was young, I was deeply engrossed in such ancient matters—and lost sight of many things along the way."
Dumbledore sighed deeply, an undertone of regret colouring his words. "I was fine with that, but you needn't make my mistakes."
William understood in that moment that, Dumbledore too, had his own stories.
Both he and Dumbledore had histories of their own, but while Dumbledore was a seasoned old man, William was only a young boy.
He barely remembered how he made his way back to his dormitory.
It was late, and as he lay in bed, he found himself unable to sleep. His thoughts churned with excitement and anxiety.
With the time loop, William would no longer age and would retain all his memories, just as Dumbledore had said. He could stay in this cycle as long as he wished, using the time to build up his skills and knowledge.
The thought of mastering seven years of coursework within this endless day filled him with exhilaration. Who wouldn't want the power of an Auror while still being a first-year?
And though William barely remembered the plot of Harry Potter world, he knew one thing about Voldemort—that he wasn't truly gone.
No, if Voldemort had been defeated for good, he would be like Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, dispatched quickly and almost as an afterthought. A true final boss had to be menacing, after all.
If Dumbledore foresaw William facing Voldemort one day, then he would need to use this ring to its full potential, preparing himself thoroughly.
With this endless day, he could do things he'd never dreamed of—exploring the restricted section of the library, learning secrets no other student dared to uncover.
And, of course, investigating Professor Tywin would be essential to breaking the loop. But William wouldn't rush his way out.
Following Dumbledore's advice, he decided to focus on building himself up, taking a solid year or two to hone his skills.
At precisely eleven fifty-nine and fifty-nine seconds that night, William, though wide awake, felt his eyes involuntarily close, slipping into sleep without even realizing it.
He slept soundly, without any weird dreams, until morning.
join my patreon for 65+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/HyppoTL