I'm fighting Dumbledore?

[Mind Palace]

1992, Britain.

Deep within a derelict textile factory in London's East End.

The red light of a spell tore through the dust motes dancing in the dimness.

"Protego!"

Lin Du calmly waved his wand, and a semi-transparent barrier instantly materialized, deflecting the three stunning spells aimed at him. Ripples from the spell impacts spread across the barrier.

Five Ministry of Magic Aurors surrounded him in a fan formation, their wands pointed squarely at him.

"Lin Du! Surrender! You are suspected of illegally researching Dark Magic!" the lead Auror captain shouted sternly, his voice echoing through the empty factory.

Lin Du frowned slightly, his face showing no hint of panic.

He had come to Britain for a tour, solely to immerse himself in forbidden magical knowledge and explore the differences and origins of Eastern and Western magical systems.

He believed he had acted discreetly, limiting his research to theoretical discussions and harmless observations of magical phenomena. He had never harmed anyone with magic, and he didn't understand why he was attracting such "persistent" attention from the authorities.

"It's always like this, so unoriginal," he muttered softly, flicking his wrist. His wand moved as if an extension of his arm.

"Expelliarmus!"

A swift red light shot out. The Auror on the far right felt a numb shock in his hand as his wand flew from his grasp.

Almost simultaneously, Lin Du sidestepped, dodging another binding spell that flew towards him, and pointed his wand towards the ground.

"Transfiguration!"

Rusty bolts and chains scattered on the ground seemed to come alive, instantly twisting into several metallic tentacles that lashed out, ensnaring the ankles of two Aurors attempting to close in, tripping them to the ground.

"Stupefy!" another Auror seized an opportunity and cast a spell.

Lin Du didn't even look back, flicking his wand behind him.

"Impedimenta!"

An invisible wall of obstruction appeared between him and the spell. The stunning spell's light exploded against the wall, dissipating into nothingness.

His real attack had already been launched—a precise Petrificus Totalus froze the sneak-attacking Auror in his casting stance, his face a mask of shock.

The rhythm of the battle was entirely under his control.

His spells were precise and efficient, interspersed with ingenious applications of Transfiguration, turning the surrounding environment into weapons.

In less than two minutes, all five well-trained Aurors were incapacitated—two disarmed and bound, two petrified, and the captain was directly stunned by him.

Silence returned to the factory, broken only by the sound of slowly settling dust.

Lin Du let out a soft breath, his breathing steady.

He walked forward, tapping his wand lightly, moving the petrified and stunned Aurors to the wall, letting them lean against it. Their positions weren't comfortable, but it prevented them from lying on the cold ground.

"I hope after this, I can have a few peaceful days," he shook his head at the unconscious Aurors, his tone weary.

He was not a bloodthirsty person; his only desire was to pursue the mysteries of magic without disturbance.

However, just as he was about to turn and gather his scattered research notes, an indescribable chill gripped him—

A gentle yet vast magical fluctuation permeated the entire space silently, making the air feel thick and viscous.

Lin Du's muscles tensed instantly. He spun around, his wand immediately pointing in the direction of the sensation.

In the center of the factory, light and shadow rippled like water, coalescing. A tall figure solidified from illusion.

Silver-white hair and beard, piercing blue and wise eyes behind half-moon spectacles, and a robe embroidered with mysterious runes.

Albus Dumbledore stood there, his gaze calmly sweeping over the "arranged" Aurors by the wall, then landing on Lin Du, who was on high alert.

Lin Du's heart pounded violently after the initial warning, blood rushing to his eardrums.

He forcefully suppressed the instinctive tremor, gripping his wand tightly, not attacking rashly. Instead, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying a dryness he hadn't noticed himself:

"Headmaster Dumbledore..."

He recognized the legendary figure.

Years ago, as an exchange student from the East for a year, he had seen the Headmaster a few times from afar within the halls of Hogwarts.

That brief experience had instilled in him a deep respect for this man, hailed as the greatest White Wizard of the age.

Dumbledore offered a gentle smile.

"Good evening, child," his voice was calm. "I must admit, seeing this scene brought me a measure of relief. The Ministry's report described you as quite brutal."

Lin Du's heart clenched.

He knew too well the power of the man before him—he was the pinnacle of power in the magical world, the one who had ended the reign of two generations of Dark Lords.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Lin Du maintained his wand-holding posture but lowered the tip slightly as a sign of respect. "I was merely defending myself. As you can see, I didn't go too hard on these three groups of Aurors."

Dumbledore nodded gently. "I appreciate that. But do you know? It is precisely this 'restraint' of yours that makes Minister Fudge even more uneasy."

Lin Du frowned. "I don't understand."

"A wizard who researches Dark Magic but harms no one," Dumbledore's gaze deepened, "is, in the Ministry's eyes, more dangerous than a Dark Wizard who slaughters innocents. Because it implies your goal is not simple destruction, but something deeper."

Lin Du fell silent.

"I study Dark Magic to understand the essence of magic," Lin Du tried to explain. "Where I come from, we believe knowledge itself is neither good nor evil..."

"A familiar theory," Dumbledore interrupted softly. "Gellert said similar things when he was young."

The words sent a chill down Lin Du's spine.

He knew about Dumbledore's past with Grindelwald, and being compared to that Dark Lord was definitely not a good thing.

"I am not like him," Lin Du said firmly. "I only pursue knowledge, not power."

Dumbledore took a slow step forward, his robes unmoving in the still air. "That is precisely what makes me hesitate. I can feel a strong thirst for knowledge in you, but not the usual ambition or malice. However..."

The old man's gaze sharpened. "Experience tells me that the most dangerous paths often begin with the purest intentions. Your deep study of Dark Magic, even if it causes no harm now, could open Pandora's Box in the future."

Lin Du realized explaining was useless.

In the old man's eyes, he was likely a potential threat that needed to be nipped in the bud.

"Then, Professor, is there no possibility of reconciliation between us?" Lin Du made a final effort, trying to find a glimmer of hope.

He truly didn't want to fight the old headmaster; the chances of winning were so slim it made him despair.

Dumbledore sighed softly.

"I am sorry, child. Sometimes, to prevent a greater tragedy that might occur in the future, we must make decisions that seem difficult at the moment."

The Elder Wand in his hand lifted slightly, and the surrounding air instantly became heavy as lead.

"Now, please come with me."

Lin Du slowly raised his own wand.

"I refuse, Headmaster."