Doubts About the Portrait

"You want to learn Dark Magic to save people?"

Lucien met Dumbledore's gaze without flinching, and was about to answer—

"Snort."

A slightly high-pitched voice came from the direction of the principal's portrait.

Phineas, who had just returned from the portrait frame at his family's Black Ancestral Home, overheard this conversation as soon as he entered the Headmaster's Office.

He first glanced in the direction of Sharon's portrait, confirming that the bespectacled headmistress from Ravenclaw was not in the frame; instead, there were rows of neat bookshelves extending into some unknown corner.

Sharon is probably either reading behind some bookshelf or taking a break.

The level of intelligence displayed in Magical portrait varies.

These portraits of Hogwarts' past headmasters belong to a group with a high level of intelligence and a greater degree of freedom.

After all, they are also responsible for providing advice and solutions to the current principal. If they can only mechanically repeat a few sentences, they are not qualified to shoulder this responsibility.

Phineas looked at Morgan's portrait again and found that the reckless, foolish Lions who only knew how to duel was also gone.

That way, someone won't hit you on the back of the head with a book as thick as a city wall, nor will someone choke you or elbow you.

After confirming that it was safe, Phineas spoke in his slightly high-pitched voice:

"Albus, this kid's showing his true colors! Don't be fooled. This is just a test. Once he gains your trust, he'll gradually become more audacious—just like Tom Riddle Albus Armando back then!"

Upon hearing this, Lucien turned to look at the portrait of Hogwarts' most unpopular headmaster.

He discovered that Phineas was stroking his goatee, scrutinizing him with a wary gaze, as if he were a wolf cub trying to sneak into a sheepfold.

Lucien didn't think anything of it; it was a perfectly normal reaction.

After all, anyone would be wary if a young wizard who is still in school suddenly expressed a desire to learn Dark Magic and curses.

Lucien shifted his gaze slightly, wanting to see if the portrait of Principal Armando, whom Phineas had mentioned, was there.

Well, thankfully he wasn't there.

Armando Dippet — the Hogwarts Headmaster before Dumbledore and Tom Riddle's headmaster during his time there—his portrait is now empty, nowhere to be found.

Otherwise, this old wizard, who was over three hundred years old, would surely have been severely attacked in the heart by Phineas's harsh words.

Armando was fooled by Tom's carefully crafted image as an "excellent student" during his school days.

If Dumbledore seen through young Tom's true nature and repeatedly warned Armando, the old headmaster might have actually agreed to let Tom stay at the school as a Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts after graduation. Wouldn't that have been tantamount to opening the door wide for Voldemort in the future?

So if Phineas heard Armando's words, it would definitely make the former principal, who was already feeling guilty, even more upset.

Although drawing a portrait won't actually cause any heart attacks or anything like that, it's always hard not to feel a pang of sadness and unease.

This time, however, none of the principals spoke up to refute or ridicule Phineas.

Because they also value this conversation.

Although Phineas's words were harsh, they largely reflected the sentiments of the other figures in the portraits.

A young wizard still in school wants to learn Dark Magic and curses?

The reason given was to save lives?

Isn't that a bit too absurd?

The portraits watched all this silently, the firelight from the fireplace casting dancing shadows on their faces.

Some particularly perceptive headmasters also vaguely sensed that Dumbledore's demeanor just now seemed a bit off, unlike his usual composure and calmness.

Logically speaking, there should be very few people or things that could cause Dumbledore lose his composure, right?

Lucien turned his head to focus his attention back on Dumbledore, but before looking away, he quickly glanced at Phineas.

Ha, I'll have to go to your Black family's ancestral home to find that House-elf and ask for Voldemort's Horcrux.

Hopefully, you won't be visiting someone's home and happen to witness that scene.