Nearly Headless Nick Wants to Become Headless Nick

Lin Du's gaze lingered on Nick's pearly white spirit form for a moment before he reacted.

He immediately understood Dumbledore's plan—

Ghosts had already passed on; the Basilisk's fatal gaze could only petrify them at most, not truly kill them.

However, the thought of targeting a sincere and friendly ghost like Nick made Lin Du frown slightly.

He still clearly remembered how enthusiastically Nick had introduced him to Hogwarts' history during his exchange year, even accompanying him on a late night when he was lost to find his way back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Why Sir Nicholas?" Lin Du turned to Dumbledore, his tone showing disapproval.

"If I may be so bold, Headmaster, if you must choose a ghost to 'be attacked,' wouldn't Peeves be a more suitable candidate? At least he could lighten Mr. Filch's workload considerably."

A flicker of amusement flashed in Dumbledore's eyes, but he quickly regained his solemnity. "I did consider Peeves, Professor Lin. In fact, I informed several ghosts I trust about the Basilisk's existence and our plan. Peeves... is clearly not suited for keeping secrets."

He paused. "More importantly, if we were to 'petrify' Peeves, the students likely wouldn't feel panicked. Instead, they might think this 'Heir of Slytherin' was ridding the world of evil—

Think about it, Mrs. Norris and Peeves, the two most troublesome presences, dealt with one after another."

Lin Du had to admit Dumbledore had thought things through.

But he still had doubts. "Even so, having Sir Nicholas take on this risk..."

"It was my own choice, dear Professor!" Nick suddenly interjected, his voice echoing with the ethereal resonance unique to ghosts.

He gracefully floated forward a short distance, his translucent eyes shining with an unusually eager light.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You see, if I'm petrified by the Basilisk, Madam Pomfrey or some other healer will have to find a way to break the petrification, right? At that point, I can formally make my request—ask them, while they're healing me, to also, completely,"

He excitedly gestured to his neck with his hand, "chop off my head! That way, I can finally meet the entry requirements for the Headless Hunt!"

An eerie silence fell over the office.

Lin Du opened his mouth, unsure how to respond for a moment.

He looked at Nick's expectant face and his perpetually wobbling head, feeling a sense of absurdity.

His instinct told him this idea was unrealistic—

Ghosts were strong projections of the deceased left in the human world; their forms were already fixed. How could they change through a mere "healing"?

But he caught Dumbledore's gentle gaze, which seemed to suggest he shouldn't shatter the ghost's centuries-old obsession.

So, Lin Du swallowed the doubt that had risen to his lips and instead offered Nick a slightly strained smile of admiration:

"This... is indeed a bold and creative idea, Sir Nicholas. For the safety of Hogwarts, and for your personal... pursuit, your spirit of dedication is admirable."

Nick puffed out his chest happily (though this made his head wobble even more), as if he could already see himself riding a ghost horse, soaring with the Headless Hunt. He eagerly stepped forward, opening his arms to hug Lin Du in gratitude—

"Oh! Dear Professor!"

Before Lin Du could react, Nick's translucent body passed straight through him.

Instantly, Lin Du felt as if he had been submerged in the Black Lake in December. A bone-chilling cold pierced through his limbs, making him shiver uncontrollably.

"Sorry, sorry!" Nick apologized hurriedly, though his face was still beaming with excitement.

"I always forget this... Well then, Headmaster, Professor, I shall take my leave! I'll go to the 'attack' location to prepare now!"

He bowed gracefully, humming a tuneless little song, and drifted through the wall.

The office door closed softly, leaving only Lin Du and Dumbledore once more.

The cold sensation seemed to linger. Lin Du rubbed his arms and said dryly, "Headmaster, is it... not a bit unethical to exploit an honest ghost's obsession like this?"

Dumbledore's gaze, peering through his half-moon spectacles, held a hint of weary gentleness. "Believe me, Professor Lin, I asked several trusted ghosts. Nicholas was the only one who... well, was actively willing to cooperate. Let's just say it's to fulfill this old man's plan. Please don't shatter his dream for now, alright?"

Lin Du looked at the white-haired Headmaster before him, silently grumbling inwardly (after all, Nick was likely older than Dumbledore's great-grandfather), but ultimately swallowed his words and shrugged helplessly:

"Alright, you're the boss."

"Then, let us return to our previous topic," Dumbledore's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, his gaze sweeping over the silver urn again. "Regarding Harry and the others, it seems they're planning to 'borrow' something from Severus. Aren't you going to... secretly provide some convenience?"

"Help?" Lin Du raised an eyebrow and immediately shook his head. "Headmaster, the Chosen One needs to learn to solve problems himself. He can't always expect a nanny to clean up his messes. Besides,"

A look of lingering fear crossed his face. "Professor Snape's wand tip sparks whenever he sees me now. I don't want to provoke that angered bat demon again."

"But I heard your relationship has improved recently?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with slyness.

"That was after I believed your... ghost... advice," Lin Du nearly blurted out an impolite word but stopped himself in time. "I thought Professor Snape harbored some hidden, awkward tenderness. And the result? His curses at the Duelling Club were aimed squarely at me! I don't have the guts to test his limits anymore."

Dumbledore chuckled softly, his voice gentle. "Severus is a very kind person, just not good at expressing it. Don't be fooled by appearances, Professor Lin."

"Let him keep his 'kindness' for his potion ingredients," Lin Du waved his hands dismissively, resolutely changing the subject. "Moreover, the Monthly Exams are coming up soon. I need to prepare well and bring some Eastern-style 'academic pressure' to the bright students of Hogwarts. The subsequent arrangements will be up to you, Headmaster."

Seeing Lin Du's resolve to leave, Dumbledore could only nod helplessly. "Alright, may Merlin bless Severus's storeroom."

Lin Du walked to the door, his hand already on the brass doorknob, but suddenly paused, as if he had thought of a crucial question.

He turned back, his face wearing an expression of extremely serious inquiry, and looked at Dumbledore:

"Headmaster, one last question—are the Chosen One and Voldemort, are they actually related?"

"?"

Lin Du looked with satisfaction as the old Headmaster was uncharacteristically speechless. Only then did he happily pull open the door and, humming a tuneless little song similar to Nick's earlier, leave the Headmaster's office.