Dumbledore's Little Magic, Immortality?

The small house where the Mirror of Erised is located.

Suddenly, a distorted shadow, resembling the flow of water from a toilet bowl, appeared before Lucien, quickly transforming into a tall, elderly man with silver hair and a silver beard.

Dumbledore looked at Lucien, who had a faint smile on his face, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Lucien, you're really perceptive; you actually managed to spot this little magic."

Little magic?

Well, it's small in terms of scale.

Even with his Eye of Magic Sight activated to its maximum, Lucien spent a long time observing the room before finally capturing a magic ball the size of a mosquito.

But in terms of construction, the magic Dumbledore used for remote surveillance was incredibly complex.

At first glance, Lucien only saw a seemingly chaotic mass of magic, but upon closer inspection, he discovered the interwoven and overlapping magical structures within it.

Some of the magical incantations Lucien had only seen in ancient spellbooks, and only in bits and pieces.

Ah, truly worthy of being called the greatest wizard of the century.

The magic that was pulled out was anything but ordinary.

"Principal, I was just lucky tonight."

There is very little self-deprecation in Lucien's statement.

Because during the last Quidditch Match, he hadn't even noticed Dumbledore's surveillance spell.

The venue was too spacious at the time, and there was a huge flow of people.

In that situation, I wanted to find a magical trail the size of a mosquito that could move...

The Eye of Magic Sight is not yet refined to that extent.

The room is small, there's no magical interference from other people, and Dumbledore hasn't been able to undo the spell yet.

That's why Lucien was able to discover it.

Dumbledore shook his head.

"Luck, very few people in the entire school have that kind of 'luck'."

"And, Animagus..."

"Lucien, do you remember that you were just a first-year wizard?"

Dumbledore was both amused and exasperated. He could accept that the young wizard had become Animagus while still in school.

After all, more than a decade ago, several hot-blooded and adventurous young men had already tried it and succeeded.

But how old is Lucien?!

Dumbledore remembered that Harry's father, James Potter, and his friends also tried to become Animagus in their fifth year.

While those teenagers were undoubtedly gifted and blessed with considerable luck, they had ultimately accumulated several years of experience and learning, developing a certain level of expertise in the field of Transfiguration...

The child in front of me is only in first grade and has only been formally exposed to magic for about half a year.

But it has already reached this level in Transfiguration!

In addition, Dumbledore also noticed it.

Lucien did not use his wand when switching between human and animal forms.

This is a skill that only a highly skilled Animagus can master.

But how long has Lucien been Animagus?

Dumbledore suspected it was on Christmas Eve.

He happened to be visiting an old friend at the time and was not at Hogwarts.

But according to the ghosts' accounts, a massive storm suddenly broke out that night!

This made it hard for Dumbledore not to draw connections.

Animagus requires a solid foundation in Transfiguration, as well as a great deal of luck.

The most common non-human factors that can cause problems are that the Mandrake leaves are illuminated by moonlight during the second full moon, and that thick clouds can also lead to failure.

And we must wait for that thunder and lightning storm.

This kind of wait, lasting several weeks or months, is quite normal.

Even a wizard with extremely bad luck could endure waiting for years without any problem.

But how long has Lucien waited?

Is it a month?

A rare look of confusion appeared in Dumbledore's bright blue eyes.

He couldn't help but wonder, could this little wizard Lucien really be that lucky?

As for the claim that a thunderstorm was intentionally created...

Dumbledore didn't believe that a young wizard who had only been learning magic for six months could reach his level.

Moreover, the storm created by magic will ultimately affect the Animagus ritual.

But Dumbledore had just observed Lucien's Transfiguration process, which was very smooth and natural, without any hesitation.

"Lucien, if you don't mind, could you demonstrate the Animagus Transfiguration?"

Lucien nodded slightly, skillfully conjuring up the image of an owl in his mind.

His form instantly transformed into an ordinary owl.

And you know what? The more common an animal is, the better its camouflage.

In the Muggle world, owls are quite rare in some areas.

But this is the Wizarding World, you know. Owls have been working for wizards for countless years, and generations of owls have been diligently serving as messengers.

Aside from their own pets, owls are the animals wizards are most familiar with.

If it were a conspicuous animal like a crocodile, brown bear, or Lions, it wouldn't be convenient to swagger around in a crowd.

Moreover, thanks to Loki's Faceless Manifestation granting him the strongest Transfiguration, Lucien's Animagus Transformation are not limited to a single animal.

It also allows for fine-tuning of an animal's external characteristics, such as its markings, eye color, and fur...

Unlike typical Animagus, which often retains fixed characteristics after transforming into an animal.

For example, the tabby cat that Professor McGonagall Transfiguration has a square eye-like stripe around its eyes.

Upon seeing Lucien Transfiguration an owl, Dumbledore help but clap his hands softly.

"That's amazing."

"Lucien, your talent, your gift of Transfiguration, is truly unparalleled in the world!"

"Coo coo."

Hearing this perfectly normal owl call, Dumbledore found it amusing, and his eyes behind his glasses narrowed into crescent shapes.

"Lucien, the owl image really suits you."

"Its senses are acute, and it appears approachable, but it is still a bird of prey at heart."

Lucien, now in the form of an owl, flapped his wings, took a slight flight, and then gently landed.

Seeing this, Dumbledore's smile deepened, as if he had thought of something, and he said with a light laugh:

"Lucien, did you personally deliver all those Christmas presents we received?"

The owl turned its head halfway around, then turned it back and nodded gently.

There's nothing I can do about it; I just became Animagus.

It's like a child getting a new toy.

I have to give it a try myself.

Anyway, the gifts weren't many, and compared to the proper owl resting in the shed, Lucien's work was really not tiring.

Whenever there are holidays or other holidays, and there are many letters and packages, the owls in the shed will all come out and fly from morning till night.

Lucien transformed back into human form and spoke:

"Principal, are you satisfied with the Christmas present I gave you?"

Dumbledore stroked his long beard, his eyes softening considerably.

"The socks you sent are so soft and warm; I haven't received them in years..."

"Of course, that little machine you gave me is great too, it's really interesting."

As he spoke, Dumbledore flipped his hand and conjured up a strangely shaped machine.

It looks like a reclining spider, holding a ball of yarn in its center, with several slender "spider legs" fluttering up and down, weaving the yarn toward a wool sock.

Dumbledore fiddled with a button on the machine.

"Your Transfiguration technique is superb, and it also incorporates Alchemy. You learn things really quickly."

Lucien responded politely:

"This is also thanks to the professors who taught the course and your meticulous guidance."

"I still have so much to learn about magic."

Upon hearing this, Dumbledore chuckled.

"Everyone likes a good student. How about it, would you like to learn this little magic trick for remote detection?"

Seeing the obvious light and joy in Lucien's eyes, Dumbledore added:

"This spell also has some limitations. It's complex, its duration isn't very long, and it can only maintain a limited number of spells at the same time."

Therefore, it cannot be used to monitor every corner at all times.

Dumbledore's statement did not surprise Lucien.

The more complex and precise the magic, the more limitations it naturally faces.

"Lucien, when I use this magic, I can only focus on the most important people and things. You understand what I mean?"

Lucien nodded.

"I understand, like Harry, like the Sorcerer's Stone?"

Add it here ___(·∀·)

A hint of surprise flashed in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Oh, you already know about the Sorcerer's Stone?"

"This speed is faster than I expected."

Lucien acted naturally, taking a chocolate card from his pocket and showing it to Dumbledore.

"I first heard the name Nicolas Flamel from Hagrid, and then I happened to see the contents of this card, which mentioned the legendary Alchemy again."

"Yes, I recently read a book that also features this remarkable person who was a full 665 years old."

Dumbledore listened to Lucien's analysis, which was very logical and clear.

Upon seeing his own portrait on the card, Dumbledore adjusted his glasses and said with a rather helpless tone:

"I know you and Hagrid are good friends. He's a very reliable person, a partner you could entrust your life to."

"But sometimes, if it's a secret..."

Lucien couldn't help but chuckle at Dumbledore's words.

Yes, Hagrid the Great Leaky, the Half-Giant who drinks Veritaserum like water.

"Headmaster, you actually wanted to use Hagrid to let Harry know about this and get in touch with Nicolas Flamel, right?"

Dumbledore couldn't help but sigh, and said softly:

"Lucien, you're very smart, you could even say you're too smart."

"Harry must feel so relaxed and comfortable having a friend like you; all his problems will be solved..."

"But sometimes, people need to face difficulties independently in order to grow, don't they?"

Lucien understood what Dumbledore meant.

It's the Chosen One training program, isn't it?

The goal is for Harry to constantly confront Voldemort through repeated trials and tribulations.

While enhancing the child's magical abilities, it also cultivates the courage to face Voldemort, his archenemy.

In any case, according to that Prophecy, only this the Boy Who Lived could truly defeat Voldemort.

Dumbledore was also convinced of this.

That's why he almost explicitly told himself not to interfere too much in Harry's upbringing.

but...

Lucien recalled the assessment he had heard a few months earlier when he encountered the centaur Firenze in the Forbidden Forest:

"... You will change the trajectory that those people were meant to take..."

In this magical world, Prophecy cannot be changed, and people truly have their own predetermined destiny.

But Firenze, the centaur's master of Prophecy, claimed that Lucien would alter the course of those around him, changing their destinies...

If things really do change, to what extent can I change myself?

At least for now, looking at Harry alone...

Because of his own tutoring, Harry made progress in potions early on, instead of having to wait until he came across the Half-Blood Prince's notes to make rapid progress in potions.

This change is real and obvious.

As for the future the Chosen One personally defeating Voldemort...

It's not clear yet; we'll have to wait and see.

However, Lucien also caught a key word in Dumbledore's words.

Very easy?

I cannot agree with that.

Lucien pulled a test paper from his pocket; it was Harry's final exam paper.

"Headmaster, would you like to see Harry's recent behavior?"

Dumbledore nodded and took the paper from Lucien's hand.

He was actually quite curious about how well Harry was doing with Lucien's teachings.

Dumbledore already knew that Lucien was tutoring Harry, and he also learned from Snape that Harry's progress in potions was quite remarkable.

But he really didn't know what Harry usually learned from Lucien.

As Dumbledore scanned Harry's exam paper, he grew increasingly astonished.

"Harry, does that kid usually do these kinds of problems?"

Lucien shook his head.

"No, this is the final exam. It covers a lot of topics, including subjects like spells, the History of Magic, and herbs—subjects studied in the first year. I designed all of them."

"There were also practical exams back then, such as brewing potions, growing herbs, or casting spells."

"Normally, the focus is on potions, though, when it comes to teaching Harry..."

Upon hearing Lucien's words, Dumbledore couldn't help but wipe his forehead.

"Wow, that's quite a lot of knowledge."

Dumbledore didn't say was that he felt Lucien had tested more knowledge points than the school's curriculum had covered.

Each subject requires a bit more, and when you add them all up, it's not a small amount.

"Well, the children are still young. Wouldn't it be better for them to learn in a happy environment?"

Dumbledore asked tentatively. He certainly encouraged the students to study hard, but he also felt that Harry was still a first-year student who had just come into contact with magic, and it was not appropriate to cram so much knowledge into him all at once.

However, Lucien shook his head, his tone very serious.

"Principal, I really like an ancient Chinese poem, 'If you don't work hard when you're young, you'll regret it when you're old.'"

"You should learn as much as you can while you're young."

"And look, these are Harry's results from his previous tests."

Lucien then took out several more exam papers and assignments and showed them to Dumbledore in chronological order.

Dumbledore reading from the beginning and slowly moved on, nodding as he read.

"Yes, Harry's progress is quite obvious."

"Yes, Harry is actually quite talented, especially in potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Lucien paused,

"Harry paid my tuition well, and after the second year, I want to formally begin teaching him Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Principal, I believe that practical experience is absolutely indispensable, but a solid theoretical foundation should also be established simultaneously, or even in advance."

Dumbledore agreed with these words, and his eyes gleamed with admiration.

"Lucien, Harry is really lucky to have a friend like you."

"Have you considered staying at Hogwarts as a staff member after graduation?"

"I think you have a real talent for being a teacher, and your personality is quite suitable."

Lucien did not give a direct answer to Dumbledore's suggestion.

To be honest, being a teacher, especially at Hogwarts, is indeed a very good choice.

While educating students, I also strive to improve my own knowledge base.

However, I might travel the world after graduation; after all, one should not only read ten thousand books but also travel ten thousand miles.

Many magical ruins exist around the world, and different regions possess their own unique knowledge.

Wow, what a wonderful world!

"Thank you for your recognition. If I am fortunate enough to stay at Hogwarts after graduation, I will definitely consider it carefully."

Dumbledore a smile, quite pleased with Lucien.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he reached into his pocket and then took his hand out again.

Lucien saw Dumbledore's hand slowly open, revealing a translucent red gem.

"Lucien, what are your thoughts on immortality?"