"I'm sorry.

[ Ding, Paternal Points +100 ]

[ Ding, Paternal Points +100 ]

Darren once again wore a guilty expression.

Dumbledore was speechless.

He shook his head with a bitter smile. "I'm not asking you to apologize, child. I know why you did it. It's just that you need to care about yourself too. When you're drunk, you could easily become the target of their rumors.

Those people might capture you. Just thinking about what you might face then makes me shudder.

I'm an old man. Please don't make my heart keep rising and falling, all right?"

Darren's expression grew even more guilty and embarrassed.

"I'm sorry."

[ Ding, Paternal Points +100 ]

[ Ding, Paternal Points +100 ]

Dumbledore was at a loss for words.

He shook his head and sighed.

He understood.

The child before him was not Harry.

This child was too well-behaved. He had no way to continue.

"Fine, then, Harry, I must criticize you as well. In the homework I assigned you, it seems you played no role at all... Harry, you need to understand, this was meant to keep you alive, but you..."

Harry felt incredibly guilty.

He barely dared to raise his head.

"I forgot."

"Yes, you forgot. You certainly have a lot to do every day—watching Professor Snape and Malfoy, playing Quidditch with Ron. I understand."

Dumbledore said he understood.

But Harry lowered his head even further.

Darren wanted to open his mouth and maintain his paternal persona.

But Dumbledore stopped him.

"Oh, Darren, don't speak. Harry needs to be taught a lesson...

He should know that we have made many efforts to help him defeat Voldemort, yet he forgot."

Harry practically buried his head beneath the table.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster."

The Bold Ones!!

After admiring Harry's guilty expression for a