Charlatan

Albert felt he should seize this opportunity to have a proper talk with Dumbledore and, while he was at it, find a way to get the Headmaster to clear up some of his doubts.

Previously, he had avoided too much contact with Dumbledore entirely because his Occlumency was not yet good enough, and he had not wanted to reveal the extent of his magical abilities too early. But things were different now. He was already an adult and had won so many international awards. Dumbledore surely knew something about him by now and bore him no ill will. They should be able to communicate properly.

Of course, the most important thing was that Dumbledore might be dead in a few years.

To be honest, Albert had always felt that when legendary figures like Nicolas Flamel and Dumbledore died, taking all the knowledge and skills they possessed into the grave with them, it was an extraordinarily wasteful extravagance. Much of the knowledge and techniques they had mastered had never been passed down, and the magical standards of the entire wizarding world had directly fallen by a notch with their deaths.

Before heading to the Headmaster's Office, Albert took out his notebook and reviewed the notes inside. They were questions he had organized over the past few days, which he intended to have Dumbledore answer during this meeting.

At the thought of using the Headmaster as a useful tool, Albert could not help curling his lips in pleasure. He quickened his pace and followed the Eighth Floor corridor to the Stone Beast.

"Cockroach Clusters," Albert said, giving the password.

The Stone Beast immediately hopped aside, and the wall behind it split directly down the middle, revealing the spiral staircase concealed behind it.

Albert stepped onto it and rode the magical version of