Fellow Travelers

"Well, it's getting late, so I'll take my leave for today."

After thoroughly understanding Dumbledore's intentions, Li Wei stood up, ready to depart.

"Li Wei."

Just as he was about to open the door, Dumbledore suddenly called out to him.

"There's just one last small matter I'd like to ask of you—it has nothing to do with our plan, it's a personal favor. I hope you can look after Harry more in the future."

"How should I look after him? Do you want me to train him, or do you want me to give him preferential treatment?"

"Hmm—both sound tempting. If he were to receive your dedicated training, perhaps he could completely exceed my expectations."

Dumbledore had originally intended for Li Wei to simply be lenient with Harry—after all, this young man was destined to face extremely difficult challenges in the future, so at the very least, he should be able to have a happy and complete school life.

However, Dumbledore had also watched Li Wei grow up—although he had rarely invested much effort in Li Wei during his student years, he was fully aware of Li Wei's growth trajectory—absolutely astonishing!

Unlike Voldemort, whose abilities were innate talents, Li Wei had reached his current level solely through extreme self-discipline and his own discovered learning methodologies. It was precisely because of this that his achievements were even more valuable.

Even if Dumbledore were to switch places with him, he wouldn't be confident of achieving what Li Wei had.

If Harry were also handed over to Li Wei for tutelage, Dumbledore couldn't even imagine how effective it would be.

Seeing Li Wei still looking at him, Dumbledore hesitated, which was rare.

"I'd like to ask for your opinion."

"My opinion isn't important; what's important is what outcome you wish to achieve?"

"..."

Dumbledore wished Li Wei wasn't so understanding at this moment and could have directly offered a solution.

After much thought, he couldn't make a decision. Even Li Wei himself didn't understand why this question could make Dumbledore so indecisive.

"If it's really that difficult to choose—" Li Wei offered a suggestion, "Why not leave the decision to Harry himself? Let him choose how."

"Let him choose himself?"

"Yes, his father and I were classmates, so he's also half a buddy to me. If he wants to slack off, I'll look after him.

Conversely, if he wants to work harder, I'll help him grow faster. What do you think?"

Dumbledore still hesitated.

He wasn't sure if Harry possessed the maturity to make the right choice at this moment.

But then he thought, even if he chose incorrectly, what would happen? It would simply mean everything would return to its original track.

With that thought, Dumbledore spoke:

"That's a very thoughtful approach. I don't see any reason to refuse."

"Then let it be so. However—I don't like the feeling of dragging someone along. I won't approach him until Harry shows an attitude of wanting to improve.

It's getting late, get some rest, Professor."

Li Wei waved his hand and turned to leave.

"Creak."

After he left.

Dumbledore, back in the quiet Headmaster's office, let out a deep sigh and sat back down in his chair.

"Li Wei."

Recalling his encounter with this remarkable young man today, Dumbledore felt a sense of long-lost exhilaration in his chest. How long had it been since he had communicated with someone like this?

Not to mention, the other party had the ability to discuss the essence of magic with him.

"Viewing all magic as a decomposable phenomenon?"

Dumbledore stood up again and extended his right hand.

Above his broad palm, firefly-like points of light gradually gathered, quickly forming a sphere.

Dumbledore quietly gazed at this sphere of light—under another mindset, this spell-forged orb had become something entirely different in his eyes.

He didn't stop the action, his palm still upturned.

The points of light continued to gather, but the sphere never grew larger; only its radiance intensified.

Gradually, the speed of the continuously gathering points of light increased, forming lines, which quickly converged into thick columns. In the end, no more points of light were generated, but the sphere of light in Dumbledore's palm flickered faster and faster, as if new energy was constantly gathering within it.

"Gurgle—gurgle—"

The sphere of light emitted bubbling sounds, as if something was condensing inside.

The sound grew more rapid—more rapid—as the energy compressed.

"Crack!!!"

The intense light filled the entire office, making it as bright as midday in the desert, and it lingered for a long time.

Dumbledore raised his wand and waved it gently, and the light filling the room finally dissipated.

He quietly sat back down.

Without a word.

After an unknown amount of time, a light, pleased chuckle suddenly rang out in the office.

"Interesting."

"Didn't I already warn you to be careful?"

As Li Wei walked out of Dumbledore's office, an impatient voice sounded in his ear.

A tall figure, blended into the shadows by the corridor window, emerged silently—he was so silent, it was as if he had been standing there all along.

"Snape? How long have you been here?"

"Answer my question!"

Snape's voice carried a hint of barely suppressed anger.

If they hadn't been outside Dumbledore's office, he would have already roared.

Facing all this, Li Wei felt somewhat bewildered.

He couldn't help but frown and say, "Can you be more rational?"

"Rational? What do you expect me to be rational about!

I warned you like that, yet you still made such a mistake!"

Snape seemed on the verge of a breakdown.

He paced back and forth anxiously, as if trying to find a solution, but in the next moment, he impatiently strode forward, his head nearly bumping into Li Wei's nose.

"What were you thinking? Huh?! Causing such a commotion in the school, setting your sights on a cat? Did you even consider the consequences?!"

"Snape, don't rush."

Li Wei soothed the huffing Snape, maintaining his infuriatingly calm tone.

"How could I possibly experiment on a cat—and even if I did, you wouldn't have found out—didn't you see the blood writing on the wall?"

"The Chamber of Secrets? You expect to get off with some vague legend like that? There isn't the slightest bit of evidence to suggest Slytherin ever built even a secret broom shed!

Let me tell you, McGonagall won't believe this, she's very wary of you right now!"

"Is that so? Is that what she really thinks? This is the saddest news I've heard today."

"When you're saying these things!"

Snape was truly about to lose it!

He grabbed Li Wei's collar and asked anxiously:

"So? What did Dumbledore say? How does he plan to deal with you? Revoke your professorship and send you back to Azkaban? Speak!"

"No, we reached a consensus."

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