Dumbledore's Cover

He slowly withdrew from his inner reflection and summed up what he had "gained" this time.

The risks were immense, but so were the rewards.

He had successfully confirmed his bold theory: he could use his powerful soul to "filter out" a spell's intent and absorb its pure energy directly.

It worked!

"Ryan! You're awake!"

A voice filled with both surprise and delight rang in his ears.

It was Madam Pomfrey. She was holding a steaming potion, and the moment she saw Lin Yuan open his eyes, her face filled with relief.

"Oh, thank goodness! How are you feeling, dear? Is anything bothering you? Dizzy? Nauseous? Dumbledore said you suffered a powerful magical shock. Merlin, three whole days! I thought..."

The kind school matron chattered on as she briskly checked Lin Yuan's condition.

"I'm fine, Madam. Just a little tired." Lin Yuan smiled. His voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but his eyes were clear, without a trace of confusion.

Just then, the hospital doors swung open.

Professor McGonagall strode in with her usual brisk pace, but her normally stern, composed face now bore a rare, unmistakable look of guilt and lingering fear.

She hurried to Lin Yuan's bedside. As she looked at the student who had just returned from the brink of death, even the sharp eyes usually hidden behind her square spectacles softened.

"Mr. Ryan," Professor McGonagall said, her voice much lower than usual. "I... I must apologize to you. As deputy headmistress and your Head of House, I made an unforgivable mistake. I should never have sent first-years like you into the Forbidden Forest to carry out such a dangerous punishment without adequate protection."

Her lips pressed into a stern line, a sign of how deeply she blamed herself.

"If... if Headmaster Dumbledore hadn't arrived in time and confirmed that the curse had somehow been greatly weakened, and that you were only struck by its dissipating energy... I can't begin to imagine what might have happened."

Lin Yuan immediately understood.

"The weakened curse" was clearly the official explanation Dumbledore had given to conceal the truth.

A first-year student surviving a direct hit from the Avada Kedavra Curse would cause a sensation if the story got out—one that might rival Harry Potter's "Boy Who Lived" fame.

And he, an "Eastern student" with no powerful connections, would instantly find himself thrust into the spotlight, watched around the clock by countless eyes.

That would deal a devastating blow to his quiet efforts to analyze the world and convert spiritual energy.

Dumbledore was protecting him in silence.

"You don't need to blame yourself, Professor." Lin Yuan took the easy way out, speaking calmly. "The Forbidden Forest is full of unknown dangers. We should have known what we were getting into when we entered. Besides, I wasn't completely unprepared. Some protective charms passed down through my family in the East seem to have helped at a crucial moment."

He casually made up an excuse.

The East, family, protective charms—mysterious, unverifiable words like these made the perfect shield.

Professor McGonagall was evidently willing to believe this more plausible explanation.

She relaxed, but insisted, "Even so, I was still at fault. To make it up to you, I'll personally help you catch up on the lessons you missed while you were in the hospital."

When she had finished, she gave Lin Yuan a complicated look, mingling approval, concern, and a trace of confusion, then turned to leave.

She still had plenty to deal with, such as explaining to the Ministry of Magic why a shadow resembling Voldemort had appeared in the Forbidden Forest.

Professor McGonagall had barely left when hurried footsteps and hushed voices arguing reached the doorway.

"Keep it down, Ron! This is a hospital!"

"I know! I'm just excited! Harry, do you think Ryan's already well enough to get out of bed and play Quidditch?"

"Shut up!"

The hospital room door creaked open, and three heads cautiously peeked through the gap.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

The moment they saw Lin Yuan sitting up, the three of them rushed inside.

"Ryan! You're absolutely amazing!" Ron led the way, his face full of admiration. He lowered his voice, but his excitement was obvious. "We heard everything! You faced off against a mysterious dark wizard, and he hit you with a curse, but you acted like nothing had happened! Firenze brought you all back to the castle, and Hagrid said you saved Harry!"

"Ron!" Hermione shot him a sharp glare, then turned to Lin Yuan, worry plain on her face. "How are you feeling? Are you really all right? I looked it up in Difficult Magical Injuries and How to Handle Them. It says powerful magical shocks can have all kinds of aftereffects, including memory loss, disrupted magic, and even changes in personality..."

She rattled off a list of frightening consequences as though reading out ingredients, clearly having spent the last three days worrying herself sick.

Harry, meanwhile, had been standing silently at the back.

He looked at Lin Yuan, his green eyes filled with gratitude, guilt, and deep confusion.

Only after Ron and Hermione had finished checking on him did Harry step forward and speak quietly. "Ryan... thank you. He was after me. I could feel it... The scar on my forehead hurt terribly. You stepped in front of me."

He paused, then asked the most important question: "Why?"

Lin Yuan looked at the future "Chosen One," his thoughts racing.

He obviously couldn't say, "Because your death would mess up my chance to observe the main story of this world," nor could he say, "I don't know why that guy opened with an Avada Kedavra."

He simply smiled and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "We're classmates, aren't we?"

The simple words "We're classmates" left Harry momentarily stunned.

He had been bullied relentlessly while growing up at the Dursleys' home. After arriving at Hogwarts, he had made two friends, Ron and Hermione, but deep down he had always felt different and alone.

Lin Yuan's plain yet powerful words washed over him like a warm current, striking the softest part of his heart.

That's right. Classmates.

It was as simple as that.

Seeing Harry's moved expression, Lin Yuan knew they could leave the subject there.

He tactfully changed the subject, asking them about their classes over the past few days and discussing a few minor points in Potions Mastery with Hermione.

The mood in the hospital room soon lightened.

Yet amid their easy conversation, Lin Yuan's thoughts had already drifted toward more distant matters.

This experience had brought great rewards, but it had also exposed a serious problem: he couldn't keep waiting for Voldemort or some other dark wizard to "serve up a meal."

That approach was far too passive and too risky. The slightest slip could damage his soul, and that was no joke.

He couldn't spend every day chasing Death Eaters and dark wizards, asking them, "Hit me with a Cruciatus Curse," or "Hit me with an Avada Kedavra," could he?

That would be far too strange.