"Damn it, the Fire-Making Charm! He's lying—that was clearly Fiendfyre!"
Snape was practically roaring in the Headmaster's office. "Could a Fire-Making Charm possibly be that powerful? Or does that fool Lupin think we're too ignorant to tell the difference between a Fire-Making Charm and the Fiendfyre Curse?"
"Calm yourself, Severus. I can hear you perfectly well; there's no need to get so worked up." Dumbledore reached for the teapot beside him. "Tea?"
"At a time like this, you have the nerve to ask if I want tea?" Snape glared at Dumbledore as though he were a stranger. "Someone used Fiendfyre to destroy an office at Hogwarts! Not even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would have dared use such dangerous dark magic so openly when he was here."
"Yes, Severus... I'm aware." Dumbledore continued to pour a cup, offering it to Snape.
Snape, visibly bristling, took a sip, only to put the cup down as though scalded. He continued, "You must find out how Kyle learned to cast the Fiendfyre Curse!"
"On that point, I disagree with you." Dumbledore shook his head. "Remus told me he didn't hear an incantation. Perhaps Kyle was simply shaken by seeing his friends' 'bodies,' and it triggered a magical outburst…"
"A magical outburst? Producing Fiendfyre?" Snape's expression grew increasingly sour, as though his intelligence were under assault.
"It's not impossible." Dumbledore mused, stroking his beard. "Kyle did encounter Fiendfyre back in his second year, a terrifying experience he barely escaped. And then there was the Boggart, a creature that preys on a person's deepest fears. Kyle may have subconsciously recalled that encounter, and under stress, reproduced it. Such magical storms can act unpredictably…"
Silence filled the Headmaster's office.
Snape looked at Dumbledore in disbelief, as if forced to drink a foul potion brewed by Neville Longbottom. "Do you take me for an idiot?"
"Of course not, Severus. You are the most talented potions master I have ever met, and one of the youngest Heads of House Hogwarts has ever seen. There's no question of that."
"But…" Dumbledore continued, switching his tone, "you've devoted yourself to potions to such an extent that perhaps… other areas lack your attention. Magic is a mysterious and infinitely complex force, Severus."
"Knock, knock…"
Snape, preparing another retort, was cut off by a knock at the door.
"Right on time." Dumbledore rose from his chair. "Severus, could you ask Hagrid to come in? Kyle might miss the beginning of his next class."
"I hope you don't regret this." Snape took a long, controlled breath, then turned to open the door.
Standing there were Professor McGonagall and Kyle. Snape's mouth twitched slightly, but he said nothing, brushing past them.
Professor McGonagall offered a brief nod and left Kyle alone with Dumbledore.
"Please, sit down," Dumbledore said, gesturing to a cushioned armchair before him.
Kyle walked over and took a seat, bracing himself for a barrage of questions or, worse, a stern reprimand. But neither came.
Instead, Dumbledore merely waved his hand in a calm, casual motion, and the small table between them was instantly laden with a variety of delicious foods.
"You can have your lunch here… it may not be as lively as the Great Hall, but the food is just as good," Dumbledore said with a wink. "And as Headmaster, I happen to have a few treats that aren't served in the cafeteria—like this honey cream pie."
He pushed a slice toward Kyle. "Go on, give it a try."
Kyle cut a small piece and placed it on his plate but didn't eat it. Anything Dumbledore liked tended to be too sweet for his taste, and honey cream… even the name alone sounded far too sweet.
Noticing Kyle's hesitation, Dumbledore merely smiled and brought the plate back to himself, happily enjoying it. The two of them shared lunch in the quiet of the Headmaster's office, an atmosphere that was somehow both warm and unusual.
After about half an hour, the last plate of pudding disappeared, and Dumbledore set a pot of black tea and a glass of lemonade on the table.
"Can you tell me why?" Dumbledore asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"I'm sorry, Professor," Kyle replied, without offering further details. "I just wanted to make sure that Boggart was gone… completely."
"Was it because you saw the 'body' of your friend?" Dumbledore asked gently.
Kyle nodded.
For the first time, his mind had gone blank, his body acting on its own. By the time he'd regained control, it was already too late.
"Yes… yes…" Dumbledore's hand, holding his teacup, paused for a moment in mid-air before he softly continued, "I can understand."
He couldn't imagine what he might have done if he'd turned around and seen the body of his sister, Ariana. Perhaps… he would have reacted the same as Kyle, or worse.
Dumbledore's gaze flickered, and after a brief silence, he placed the teacup back on the table and added two more sugar cubes.
"But Kyle, regardless of your intentions, you've still seriously violated school rules. As punishment, I'll have to deduct one hundred points from Hufflepuff."
"And you must promise me that you'll never use any dark magic inside the castle again."
Kyle blinked, a bit taken aback. He hadn't expected Dumbledore's punishment to be limited to just a points deduction. A hundred points might sound harsh, but in reality, it was one of the lightest punishments he could've received. Hufflepuffs valued their points less than, say, Gryffindors—they'd take this better than they would a meal cutback.
"I promise, Professor," Kyle said.
"See that you do." Dumbledore nodded. "Also, you're responsible for arranging a new office for Professor Lupin—desks, chairs, windows, the works. If you don't have enough Galleons, I'll have to contact your family."
"What?!" Kyle, in the middle of sipping his lemonade, nearly choked. "Couldn't you… come up with another reason and get the Governors to cover it?"
"Certainly not," Dumbledore replied with a wry look. "This was your doing, after all." He gave Kyle a bemused smile. The boy apparently thought the Governors were quite gullible. Well… perhaps they were, but there was no need to take advantage of it.
"Alright, you may go," Dumbledore said, "you should still be able to catch the first Care of Magical Creatures class."
But Kyle didn't move. "I have one more question, Professor."
"Go on."
"Is there any way to defend against a Boggart?" Kyle asked hesitantly. "Like… with Occlumency, perhaps?"
"I'm afraid not," Dumbledore replied, his face thoughtful. "A Boggart is like a different sort of Mirror of Erised—it's not so much looking into you as it is reflecting what you hold within. So unless you've mastered Occlumency to an exceptionally high degree, it would be very difficult to block."
"Like you?" Kyle asked.
"If I chose to," Dumbledore said with a slight smile, "but there are better ways to deal with Boggarts than Occlumency. You might want to ask Professor Lupin; I believe he taught the third years a handy little charm just yesterday."
"Riddikulus?" Kyle asked.
"Ah, so you already know it," Dumbledore nodded approvingly. "Yes, the textbook answer. Simple, but quite effective."
Kyle frowned. "But it doesn't actually stop the Boggart from transforming," he pointed out.
"Well, at least it keeps things a bit quieter," Dumbledore said, a hint of humor in his eyes. "You can't go around blowing up an office every time…"