The Dark Lord's Curse

Ever since the night he entered Hogwarts after Christmas, tonight was only the second time Amosta had entered Dumbledore's office. It was not that Amosta feared the greatest White Devil King of the age, but as the saying went, it was not the thief you had to fear, but the thief who had set his sights on you.

Amosta had not forgotten how Dumbledore had kept an eye on him in the days after his fifth-year battle with that Dark Witch in the Forbidden Forest.

The circular office had not changed much since his visit over a month ago. The only difference was that Phoenix, who had still been a chick when they last met, had now entered its adolescent stage. Its body was covered in brilliant crimson-gold feathers, and it was currently perched in the brazier, sleeping soundly with its head tucked beneath its wings. Even Amosta's footsteps as he passed had failed to wake it.

Dumbledore seemed to be writing back to someone. When he saw the somewhat weary Amosta enter, the light glimmering in his sapphire-blue eyes was far gentler than it had been during their first meeting.

"Good evening, Headmaster Dumbledore. I hope I'm not disturbing you." Amosta nodded in greeting. "Professor Snape told me that you seemed to have something you wished to discuss with me."

"Ah, indeed I do."

Dumbledore gestured for him to sit down. He wore a smiling expression, but there was a trace of reproach in his voice. "I'm afraid, Amosta, that I have no proper wine to entertain you with this time. And judging by your current state, I don't think you should be drinking anything alcoholic either."

Amosta smiled but said nothing. He could tell the old man was up to something!

There was nothing novel about the pleasantries. Dumbledore sincerely thanked him for his noble conduct in keeping watch over the young wizards day and night and working tirelessly to protect their safety. He also subtly expressed concern over Amosta's current health and asked whether he needed to rest for a while.

He wants me to rest? Has something unknown happened that made Dumbledore decide to drive me out of the school early?

"Thank you very much for your concern, Headmaster Dumbledore." Amosta was cautious, unwilling to say a word more than necessary. "Catching the culprit behind the attacks is the task entrusted to me by the Board of Governors. I must be responsible for my work and for the safety of the young wizards. Until the culprit emerges, I will not leave my post without authorization."

"Oh, what a noble sense of responsibility. The young wizards' safety is indeed important, but Amosta, your health is equally important to me." Dumbledore appeared moved by Amosta's response. He blew his nose, then removed his glasses and wiped away the moisture on the lenses. "Severus and Minerva have mentioned this to me several times. They expressed concerns about your excessively devoted way of working. Both of them hope you will not keep yourself so tense. Even if another attack occurs, it will not be your responsibility."

Amosta's brow twitched. He was a little confused. Had Dumbledore summoned him here just to express his gratitude?

"Especially Minerva. She believes that, with no further clues at present, rather than having you spend so much time searching for the attacker, it would be better... Ahem. She told me she had mentioned something to you during the Christmas holiday. Oh, speaking of that, I truly feel ashamed. She seems to think that the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor I hired is not quite competent and has delayed the young wizards' studies."

Just as he thought, Dumbledore had been holding this in all along!

Dumbledore frowned in distress and fell silent. Amosta's eyebrows rose high, and the corners of his mouth twitched repeatedly, but he did not answer at once.

An awkward, suffocating silence abruptly descended. In the office, only Dumbledore's Alchemical Devices, whose purposes were impossible to discern, gave off crisp, wind-chime-like clinks and chimes.

"Let me ask first, Headmaster Dumbledore—"

After a long while, Amosta was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "If I refuse your request, you won't have me arrested and sent to somewhere like Nurmengard or Azkaban, will you?"

"Oh, of course not, Amosta."

Dumbledore chuckled. "This is entirely my fault, Amosta. I came to ask for your help. In truth... ah, sometimes I truly wish someone would understand my difficulties. Finding a qualified Defence Against the Dark Arts professor is far harder than discovering the twelve uses of dragon blood—"

Amosta pressed his lips together, his expression revealing no extra emotion. "There has always been an unconfirmed rumor about the professor for this subject, Headmaster Dumbledore."

"I cannot deceive you, Amosta." Dumbledore's expression turned solemn, and he nodded. "Although there is no direct evidence, ever since I refused Voldemort's application for this post, no professor has been able to remain in the position for more than a year."

Amosta sat there calmly, in no hurry to offer an opinion.

"However, with two Defence Against the Dark Arts professors at the school at the same time, and with you teaching for only a few months, I believe the risk is manageable."

You believe the risk is manageable, so why don't you teach it yourself? Amosta rolled his eyes inwardly and remained silent in thought.

"I can pay you for an entire year, Amosta, if you are willing to help those children with such promising futures." Dumbledore's tone was earnest and persuasive.

In the office, Amosta sat in his chair and contemplated Dumbledore's request. He neither agreed nor objected, merely saying that he needed to consider it carefully.

The Dark Lord had placed a curse on this position, and the curse was so powerful that it had never weakened over the decades. Even Dumbledore could do nothing about it. One could imagine how much effort the Dark Lord had put into it back then.

According to Amosta's thoughts during the Christmas holiday, he certainly would not have accepted such an unpredictable and risky job.

The reason he had not refused immediately now was that Amosta had new considerations.

Before receiving this assignment and entering Hogwarts, Amosta had instinctively assumed that it would probably take only a few months to resolve. Otherwise, the Chamber of Secrets case would interfere with the adventure the great savior Harry Potter was meant to experience next school year.

But the actual situation might not be like that.

Because of his intervention, the plot of the original book had certainly already undergone considerable changes. That also meant the ending that had originally been predetermined had, in fact, already changed.

If that Heir was truly a very cautious person, then there was no need for him to provoke Amosta.

If the Heir had made up his mind to compete with Amosta in patience, then Amosta, passively waiting for clues, was almost destined to lose this war of attrition. After all, he could not stay at the school forever over this matter.

Under these circumstances, the information Potter's little group had already gathered became extremely important. As long as they could provide one crucial clue, Amosta was confident he could follow the trail and find the Chamber of Secrets before anyone else.

Amosta had also considered how to further gain Potter's trust. The conclusion he reached was that if he continued to bear the label of Investigator, he would likely find it difficult to break through Potter and his two friends' psychological defenses.

But if he changed identities—for instance, if he became a professor—things might become easier. At the very least, frequent opportunities for contact would make his relationship with them friendlier.

"Then..."

Having made up his mind, Amosta took a deep breath.

He waved his wand and cleared the cluttered desk in an instant.

"Let me see what your curse can do, Mr. Dark Lord."