I've Never Seen Such a Shameless Little Wizard

"Of course I know some magic is dangerous."

Andy scratched his head and chuckled. "I just came to scout the place out tonight. I wasn't planning to read anything. I haven't even finished all the books outside yet, so why would I be thinking about the books in the Restricted Section?"

As he said this, Andy suddenly realized that tonight might be an opportunity.

The white-bearded old man before him stood at the pinnacle of Combat Power in the Wizarding World. Even secretly reading hundreds of forbidden books probably would not gain him as much as a few casual pointers from this man.

"The Headmaster's Office is on the Eighth Floor, right? Headmaster, shall we head back together? We're going the same way anyway."

Andy shamelessly said, "If we run into a Patrolling Professor on the way... Headmaster, you can put in a good word for me."

Dumbledore: "..."

Dumbledore had taught for nearly a century, yet this was the first time he had encountered a Little Wizard as shameless as Andy.

Caught red-handed by the headmaster while wandering the halls at night, this Little Wizard was not only unafraid, but had even invited the headmaster to wander the halls with him.

"Perfect. I suppose it is about time to sleep," Dumbledore said with a genial smile.

Andy was smiling broadly as well. "Headmaster, you're getting on in years, so you should make sure to sleep early and rise early. That's the only way to stay healthy. And only if you're healthy can you live to a ripe old age."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Dumbledore blinked at Andy. "I happen to be one hundred and ten this year. It seems my health is still fairly good."

Andy swallowed.

There was no way to continue this topic.

"Do you have any secrets? How do you usually keep yourself healthy? My Grandfather and Grandmother are both quite old, and I hope they can live as long as you."

Andy asked with a serious expression, "I've noticed that wizards usually live longer than Muggles. I heard Muggles retire in their sixties, yet you're still working diligently at over a hundred years old. It's truly admirable."

Dumbledore felt that tonight's conversation could not continue either.

"Perhaps it has something to do with my fondness for sweets," Dumbledore began talking nonsense.

As they spoke, the two left the library. Dumbledore casually locked the door behind them, then continued, "Of course, one must also maintain a positive mindset."

"I think your mindset is quite good."

After flattering him, Andy got straight to the point. "Headmaster, does the secret to a wizard's long life have something to do with magic?"

"Collins, I often tell people that death is merely another great adventure."

Dumbledore glanced at Andy as they walked. "Wizards do not live longer than Muggles, but magic does make our bodies appear healthier."

Appear? Andy understood a little more.

"Headmaster, you don't seem to be afraid of death?" Andy asked.

"I am prepared to welcome another great adventure at any time."

Dumbledore's tone was calm, but he immediately changed the subject. "I would have thought someone your age would not ponder death."

"Everyone dies. I don't think it's a topic that needs to be avoided."

Andy spread his hands nonchalantly. "But unlike you, I don't really like adventures."

Dumbledore smiled meaningfully. "Ah! I had already noticed that."

Andy's face darkened. "Can you keep it a secret?"

His repeated hesitation at the Restricted Section had indeed looked rather foolish.

No longer discussing death, Dumbledore casually asked, "Do you like magic very much?"

"Of course. I think magic is amazing."

The moment magic was mentioned, Andy immediately perked up. "And magic has so many unsolved mysteries. For example, what are the origin and nature of magic? Why can magic accomplish such miraculous things? What is the upper limit of magic? Why can we use magic..."

There were too many things Andy wanted to know. Too many unsolved mysteries of magic were waiting for him to explore.

"Enough, enough!"

Dumbledore had a headache. "If you keep asking, dawn will be here before we know it."

"Uh!" Andy scratched his head.

Dumbledore continued, "I'm afraid you'll need to explore those questions one by one yourself."

"You don't know either?" Andy was somewhat puzzled.

"Some I know, some I don't, and some I only understand halfway."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Those questions are still too distant for you. But fortunately, you are young now. You have plenty of time to find the answers."

As they spoke, they had already reached the Eighth Floor.

Andy pushed his luck. "Headmaster, the night is long, and I have no desire to sleep. Why don't we go to the Astronomy Tower to look at the moon? The moon is perfectly round tonight. We can talk about life, talk about our dreams."

Dumbledore: "..."

"When you get old, your body is no longer what it used to be."

Dumbledore rubbed his aching lower back. "If you want to look at the moon, why not ask your little girlfriend? What's so interesting about looking at it with an old man like me?"

Andy sighed.

I think it's disgusting too, but you're so knowledgeable!

In the end, Andy still failed to look at the moon with Dumbledore. Dumbledore returned to the Headmaster's Office, while Andy returned to the Ravenclaw Dormitory.

From beginning to end, Dumbledore never mentioned deducting points.

Andy did not care about losing points, and Dumbledore knew that Andy did not care about losing points.

Hogwarts' point deduction system existed to punish Little Wizards who made mistakes. Since Andy did not care about losing points, this so-called punishment naturally had no meaning.

Lying in bed, Andy recalled what had happened that night.

The library's Restricted Section really was separated by only a rope. There was no protective magic on that rope, but there was an alarm spell.

As long as someone crossed the rope, Dumbledore would know.

The purpose of doing this was naturally to allow Little Wizards who truly wished to improve themselves to learn more advanced magic.

As for his conversation with Dumbledore...

Those conversations had seemed like casual chatter, but Andy felt that he had gained a great deal.

Especially regarding the lifespan of wizards.

Dumbledore had said that wizards did not live longer than Muggles, but magic could make wizards appear healthier.

If this topic were extended further.

When Little Wizards experienced magical outbursts, they could make anything happen just by wishing for it—so did this so-called wish fulfillment also include preventing aging?

Andy felt that it probably did.

It was just that once a wizard passed the age of eleven, their magic would gradually stabilize.

And stable magic clearly no longer possessed the ability to make wishes come true. Yet it could still make a wizard's body appear healthier.

Besides that, although Dumbledore had not answered Andy's long string of questions, he had told Andy to seek the answers himself.

He said he knew some things, did not know some things, and only half understood others.

But this undoubtedly proved one thing: some questions did have answers!