"No need... Let's go back together." Aberforth's voice came from the woods.
He emerged from the forest carrying the pale-faced Aurelius on his back.
Aurelius's eyes were tightly shut, but thankfully, he was still breathing.
It looked like he had merely fainted.
Just as he had said, he could still hold on. He wasn't going to die yet...
In the blink of an eye, they had all Apparated back to the Hog's Head Inn.
Aberforth carried Aurelius up to the attic.
Li Weide, meanwhile, was kept behind by Dumbledore on the first floor of the inn, and the two sat together at the bar.
"I think you may have a few things to explain to me," Dumbledore said.
"Ah, tonight really was... an incredibly thrilling night, Professor," Li Weide said with feeling.
He was not lying about that. If his magical abilities had not improved so significantly recently, he would be in Nagini's stomach by now...
Dumbledore did not interrupt him and simply listened in silence.
Li Weide set the cage containing Nagini on the bar.
"What is that?" Dumbledore asked.
In truth, Dumbledore had wanted to ask Li Weide what it was earlier.
Li Weide had been carrying that cage the entire time and had never let go of it.
"Inside is Nagini," Li Weide said.
"Hm?" Dumbledore immediately looked at the cage again.
Sure enough, through the dense gaps in the cage, he spotted a small green snake.
"What exactly happened?"
Li Weide said, "I ran into her in the Forbidden Forest, and then she attacked me... In the end, I restrained her, shrank her with Transfiguration, and locked her in the cage."
Dumbledore looked at Li Weide in astonishment.
That calm tone of Li Weide's... made it seem as though he had no idea how shocking