The Old Wizard
It's a completely different experience from Apparition. When using the Portkey, the surrounding scenery rushes past so fast that it's impossible to see clearly, as if being pulled forward by an invisible hand. After a dizzying spin, the scenery stops changing.
Lucien pressed his temples to relieve the slight discomfort caused by the long-distance travel.
Before me stood a simple wooden door, devoid of any decoration.
Before he could even take in his surroundings, the door opened automatically.
An old wizard in a long robe sat by the window.
His face was ordinary, neither fat nor thin, with the wrinkles typical of his age. His gray hair was neatly combed, and his long robe was dark gray and somewhat old. The light from the window shone on him, making him look like an ordinary, soon-to-retire old scholar.
Meeting such an "ordinary" old wizard was actually a bit unexpected for Lucien.
He thought he would see a pair of heterochromatic eyes—eyes that Mr. Scamander called "more mesmerizing than jewels," eyes described in countless books of History of Magic as "captivating."
But now sitting by the window is just an ordinary old man.
Lucien looked into the old wizard's eyes—they were clearly ordinary eyes, greyish-blue, somewhat cloudy, with fine wrinkles at the corners. Yet, he felt a kind of magic in those eyes, drawing him in and making him want to explore what lay hidden beneath that calm surface.
While Lucien was observing the old wizard, the old wizard was also observing him.
This is the little wizard that Al always mentions. The old wizard thought to himself, his gaze sweeping from Lucien's hair to his boots, and then back from his boots to his hair.
A teenager would never recognize him in his current state. Back then, he used this trick to fool a group of Auror from America—those Auror walked right past him without recognizing him.
Dumbledore stood to the side, about to begin the introduction.
The old wizard spoke first, his voice hoarse and casual. "So you want to learn curses from me? Fine. For Dumbledore's sake, you'll have to duel me first, then I'll teach you."
Upon hearing this, Dumbledore's expression changed slightly—he hadn't mentioned this before. He turned to look at Lucien, trying to signal the boy not to act impulsively. However, his eyelids twitched involuntarily.
Lucien now held a wand in his hand, looking eager to try it out.
Those dark green eyes stared at the old wizard without fear or hesitation, even carrying a hint of—expectation?
The old wizard glanced around the room and slowly added, "This space is too small."
Before he could finish speaking, Lucien had already waved his wand.
The walls of the entire room began to recede. The space seemed to be pulled apart from all sides by an invisible hand; the ceiling rose, the floor extended, and the furniture slid silently along the edges. In an instant, the originally cramped room became as large as a football field. The surrounding walls became distant lines, and above the ceiling was a soft, inexplicable white light.
More than enough for a wizard duel.
Of course, this refers to duels between regular wizards.
The old wizard surveyed his surroundings, inwardly admiring the technique. "Impressive. The Undetectable Extension Charm is used with such skill, the magic output is stable and precise, without the slightest fluctuation. This method—it's very similar to the magic that certain annoying fellow excels at."
Thankfully, Lucien wasn't carrying a suitcase, nor was a furry little head peeking out of his pocket. Otherwise, the old wizard would have questioned what Lucien's surname actually was.
Seeing that Lucien had even prepared the venue, Dumbledore was puzzled as to why the boy had suddenly become so enthusiastic about dueling today.
A crimson flame ignited in the center of the room. The flames surged and parted to both sides, from which emerged a Phoenix that had returned to its adult form. Its feathers shimmered with golden and red luster in the firelight, and its long tail feathers trailed behind it.