A Closed Time Loop! The Mystery of Ariana's Life and Death! (Continued)

"Y-you... wait." Dumbledore looked at the raw chickens in Black's hands. "It seems you have a few more raw chickens?"

"Uh... yeah..." Black sheepishly stuffed the raw chickens into his pocket.

After all, he had swiped them from the kitchen.

Strictly speaking, they were Hogwarts property.

Dumbledore was so annoyed by his little gesture that he laughed.

"All right, I won't blame you for taking a few extra chickens. The school isn't so strapped for funds that it cares about something like this."

"What I mean is... could you do me a favor?"

There was a hint of unease on Dumbledore's face.

Black's expression stiffened. "You want me to summon Aunt Ariana, don't you?"

"Mm... I... I know I should let go, but... I've always wanted to say something to her..."

"...To say I'm sorry..."

"Only then can I truly let go."

Dumbledore's face was filled with wistfulness.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I may not be able to do that," Black said.

"Hm? Why? Has she been gone for too long, making her impossible for you to summon?" Dumbledore asked anxiously.

"That's not it. As long as she died and didn't become a ghost wandering the human world, I can summon her back from the World of the Dead," Black said, shaking his head.

"Then why can't you summon her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Actually, when I first gained this ability, the first spirit I tried to summon was Aunt Ariana's."

"But... I tried many times, and none of them succeeded."

"It was as if... Aunt Ariana wasn't in the World of the Dead."

Black raised his eyes and stole a glance at Dumbledore.

"Not in the World of the Dead? Does that mean..."

Dumbledore's face held shock, anticipation, and joy...

Well, it was the classic fan chart expression.

"Yes... Either she