Klein's first Saturday at Hogwarts was quite fulfilling. Aside from a minor incident in the morning, he had spent the entire day immersed in a sea of knowledge.
Learning was a joy. The old saying hadn't lied~
"Smooth on the outside, cold in nature and sweet in taste. It can treat most heat toxins, but it can also be used as the main ingredient in a poison. In other words, its properties can be transformed under certain conditions. So where should I start with my experiment?"
At the table, Klein was still pondering the medicinal properties of the Sheep Liver Fruit.
He was so engrossed that he even forgot to eat the steak he'd taken a bite from. It wasn't until a House-elf's magic whisked away his plate that he finally came to his senses, a hint of guilt appearing in his blue eyes.
"Wasting food is bad. I'll have to be more careful next time."
Muttering to himself, Klein rose from the table.
With the library still open, he decided to look up some information before curfew. But before he could leave the dining hall, the baby-faced boy approaching him made him abandon the idea.
"Draco, are you all right?"
Klein went up to the Malfoy Young Master and asked with concern.
"Who? Oh, Klein. I'm fine."
Draco, who had been walking along lost in thought, jumped in fright. Once he'd collected himself, he ran a hand through the strands of hair on his head. His face was paler than usual, and the smile tugging at his lips looked strained.
"Hey, mate, who did you run into in the library?"
After twitching his nose slightly and glancing at the book tucked under the other boy's arm, Klein asked casually.
"It was Professor Quirrell, the one who teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts. Oh, he also asked me to tell you that he'd like to invite you to his office next Wednesday at seven in the evening to discuss improving spells."
Remembering what had happened in the library, Draco blinked and answered honestly.
"An invitation from Professor Quirrell? Got it."
A thought stirred in Klein's mind, and he reached out to pat Draco on the shoulder.
A glint of light flashed by.
"All right, I'm off to the library. You should go eat. Mealtime's almost over."
Quietly withdrawing his magic, he gave Draco a gentle smile.
For some reason, when Draco saw that smile, the fatigue weighing on him seemed to ease.
After saying goodbye to his friend, who was unaware that Klein had secretly cast a Calming Charm on him, Klein walked straight out of the dining hall. But instead of heading to the library, he went directly up to the Seventh Floor and made his way to Dumbledore's office.
"Password."
The stone beasts flanking the wooden door asked in unison.
"Cream Honey."
Klein spoke softly.
Creak~
The door swung open, and he stepped inside.
"You're here."
Dumbledore wasn't surprised to see Klein behind his desk. Ever since they'd formed an Alliance, the two of them had met almost every day.
"Sit down. I've already written and sent the letter, so there's no need to worry."
He looked up and invited Klein to take the seat opposite him.
But Klein didn't move. He simply watched Dumbledore in silence.
"Muffliato."
The old man understood. He picked up his wand and flicked it, blocking all outside eavesdropping.
"Voldemort has appeared."
Once the Muffliato took effect, Klein spoke in a low voice.
"Hm?"
Dumbledore's heart jolted, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.
"He's in the castle. Quirinus Quirrell. He's Voldemort. There's no mistake."
His expression remained as calm as ever as he leaned forward slightly.
"Let's go for a walk and kill him while we're at it. It'll be quick. It won't take much effort."
"Wait, don't rush!"
Dumbledore took a deep breath, struggling to keep up with Klein's pace.
What was he talking about? How could Quirinus Quirrell possibly be Voldemort?
Quirrell was an outstanding wizard from Ravenclaw whom Dumbledore had watched grow up, step by step, until he became the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
But...
Quirrell's recent behavior had indeed been rather strange.
The old man narrowed his eyes. Suspicion flickered behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Evidence. Do you have any evidence?"
Suppressing his doubts, Dumbledore decided to hear Klein out first. This was a serious matter, and he had to be cautious.
"I smelled him."
Klein hadn't wanted to bother with Voldemort's nonsense just yet. After all, they could have stayed out of each other's way.
Besides, having someone who liked to run around causing trouble distract the outside world's attention suited him just fine.
But now that noseless Peeves had set his sights on him and dared to interfere with his studies?
Sorry, but that was unacceptable.
"Smelled him?"
Dumbledore was at a loss for words, though he could understand the reasoning.
Powerful wizards usually had sharp instincts. If Klein said there was something wrong with Quirrell, then Quirrell very likely was up to something.
As for whether this might be a scheme...
Come now. If Klein really wanted to do something, no one in the castle could stop him. There was no need for him to go to all the trouble of making up a lie.
The events of the Gringotts break-in at the end of July flashed through Dumbledore's mind. He also recalled what was hidden inside the Mirror of Erised. Rubbing the Elder Wand, which had changed hands, he gradually grew solemn.
He hadn't expected Voldemort to sneak into the school right under his nose.
He couldn't allow this!
"Klein, stay here for now. I'll go have a word with Professor Quirrell."
Having made up his mind, Dumbledore stood and grabbed the Elder Wand, concealing it in his wide sleeve. After a moment's hesitation, he sat back down and shook his head.
"No, that won't do. It's not the right time."
"You're worried about involving innocent students, aren't you?"
One look at Dumbledore's expression, and Klein immediately understood why he'd sat back down.
As headmaster, Dumbledore always put the safety of his students and staff first. Approaching Quirrell rashly might put innocent people in danger.
At that thought, Klein blinked. Suddenly, an idea came to him.
An idea that would make Voldemort behave himself and stop bothering him, improve his reputation among the public, and erase the Magical World's ingrained impression of Grindelwald...
"In that case, let's put on a little act for Voldemort."
With a smile tugging at his lips, Klein took the seat opposite Dumbledore.
"You mean..."
A multitude of possibilities flashed through Dumbledore's mind, leaving him confused.
"First, everyone outside believes Voldemort is dead. No matter what your reason for getting rid of him, Professor, the Ministry of Magic—especially Cornelius Fudge—will only decide that it was a farce you staged yourself.
"You know how it is. You can never wake someone who's pretending to be asleep."
"Just like this morning."
Dumbledore picked up the thread.
"Exactly. Just like this morning."
Klein nodded.
"We can keep an eye on Voldemort and make sure he doesn't act rashly. Once everyone is in position..."
His eyes brightened as he raised a finger.
"Then it'll be the perfect time to strike."
Before you continue