A Conversation with Dumbledore

"Eli, Eli..."

The voice grew fainter and fainter as Eli, his magic depleted, gradually lost consciousness.

This seemed to be the second time, didn't it? In such a short time since the start of term, he had already passed out twice from magical exhaustion. Who knew what dangerous things lay ahead?

The three watched as the Troll collapsed amid gray light. Harry, who had thought he was doomed, trembled as he rose to his feet, like a survivor of a disaster.

"Harry!"

Ron Weasley ran over and threw his arms around Harry. He had truly thought that his good brother, whom he had known for barely over a month, was about to die!

Still shaken, Harry nodded blankly. The two of them saw Hermione Granger shaking Eli, who appeared to have lost consciousness.

"Eli!"

Harry instantly snapped back to his senses and lunged to Eli's side, staring at Eli's tightly shut eyes and pale face.

"What happened to him? What happened to Eli?!"

He was panicking. He was truly terrified of losing another good friend.

Eli had clearly told him not to come over. If it had not been for him, would Eli have been alright?

Guilt spread through Harry's heart, while Ron Weasley pressed his lips tightly together.

"He should have only fainted. He isn't injured."

Hermione hurriedly examined him. Seeing that Eli did not have a single wound on him and that his breathing was still steady, she finally relaxed.

They had not needed to come here in the first place. If they had not come to the bathroom looking for her, Eli would not have had to protect her and...

She had clearly seen that spell just now. Eli had definitely cast it.

She could swear that she had never seen that spell in any book. A spell capable of killing a Troll in a single blow was absolutely not something a young Wizard could access!

When that gray light had been released, she had even felt her own life force draining away.

A terrifying spell.

"Ah... how could you dare?!"

A shriek came from the doorway. McGonagall stood there clutching her chest in horror, with Snape, Quirrell, and several other professors behind her.

McGonagall had nearly fainted from the horrifying sight before her!

A Troll lay on the ground, with several students beside it!

"You will explain to me immediately what happened here!"

Her students had nearly died at the hands of a Troll. McGonagall was unusually furious.

Harry and Ron Weasley stammered, unsure of what to say. Would McGonagall beat them to death if they told her they had angered their friend, then come running over to play with a Troll?

"It was all because of me, Professor."

"Granger?"

McGonagall looked at this usually well-behaved young witch in surprise. She had always thought highly of this diligent and eager student.

Hermione did not dare look into McGonagall's disappointed eyes. Lowering her head, she said, "I read about Trolls in books. I thought I could handle one myself, so..."

The disappointment on McGonagall's face was undisguised, while Snape looked as though he had heard an utterly ridiculous joke.

"Miss Granger... Oh, is that... Eli?"

McGonagall spotted Eli lying beside Hermione. Her face suddenly turned pale, and she staggered over.

Snape's expression changed drastically. He rushed over like a madman and roughly shoved Harry aside.

Madam Pomfrey from the Hospital Wing hurried over.

"Professor... Eli should have only fainted..."

Hermione reminded them softly, but no one answered her.

Madam Pomfrey drew her Wand and carefully examined him. "Mr. Hall is indeed only unconscious. It appears that he severely depleted his magic in a short period of time."

Only then did McGonagall's expression ease somewhat.

Snape took out a bottle of potion. After Madam Pomfrey fed it to Eli, color slowly began to return to Eli's face.

"I need to take this child to the Hospital Wing first."

With a flick of Madam Pomfrey's Wand, Eli slowly floated into the air and was taken to the Hospital Wing.

That left only three stubborn little fools, trembling beneath the professors' stares.

"Miss Granger, I always thought you had more sense than most people, but this time you have truly disappointed me! Because of your severely mistaken judgment, Gryffindor will lose ten points!"

McGonagall looked toward the other two idiots. "And you two."

Harry and Ron Weasley both jolted.

"You should know just how fortunate it was for several first-year Wizards to survive a Troll! Five points each."

The three of them looked a little better. They had not earned any extra points, but at least the gains and losses balanced out, didn't they?

McGonagall glanced at the motionless Troll on the ground. "Mr. Hall exhausted his magic protecting his friends. I will award him fifteen points!"

McGonagall gave the three of them a long look, as if her eyes were saying that they would be in for it if she caught them again!

"Celebrate your damn good luck!"

McGonagall and Snape, whose gaze could kill, hurried away, and the three followed after them.

Only Professor Quirrell remained behind.

McGonagall and Snape walked down the corridor. "Can you tell what kind of spell that was?"

"No. But one thing is certain: it was a spell similar to the Killing Curse!"

Snape's expression was grave. A strange spell and Eli suffering from magical exhaustion—it was practically putting the answer right in front of them!

Eli's memories stopped at the moment before he passed out. He could still feel his magic pouring out wildly.

The gray light had been suffocating.

Was this a dream?

It was a forest, nothing special about it. There were no cries of birds or beasts, nor any rustling leaves.

The sound of water?

Eli followed the sound. Sure enough, there was a small river ahead.

"What is that?"

There seemed to be three men by the riverbank, with the flowing water blocking their path.

Eli thought they would be at a loss, but then he saw them pull out their Wands.

Wizards?

With a wave of their Wands, a bridge extended from the riverbank, and the river could no longer block their way.

The men happily stepped onto the bridge.

Someone in a strange cloak appeared.

Eli tried desperately to make out that person's face, but it was as though a layer of mist always stood between them, making it impossible to see clearly.

The world suddenly began to collapse, and his consciousness finally returned to reality.

The smell of potion stung his nostrils, while the familiar weakness and pain spread through his body.

He simply gave up trying to move, because he could see clearly now. This was the Hospital Wing.

"Sigh, I overdid it again."

Eli could only lie on the bed in boredom. It was a rare chance to rest amid all his studies, at least.

"Would you like to try this? It might be of some use to you."

Eli turned his head. Dumbledore!

He had no idea when Dumbledore had sat down beside his bed. The old man held a box of sweets and was picking through them.

Tsk. If you want to eat them, then eat them. Stop picking through the box. This old man had no manners.

"Professor?"

"I only just arrived myself. I heard that a first-year Wizard took down a Troll. Youthful recklessness indeed. Here, try this."

Dumbledore picked one out and handed it to Eli.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. When I was young, I once got a dog-droppings-flavored one. It disgusted me terribly."

Eli accepted the candy with a look of disgust.

"Then how did you know it tasted like dog droppings?"

Eli did not really dare eat the candy.

Dumbledore froze, then changed the subject. "Go on, eat it. You might feel better afterward."

Eli's curiosity had been thoroughly stirred, and he would not let it go. "Actually, I still want to know how you knew what dog droppings taste like."

That innocent expression and those childlike eyes made Dumbledore want to smack him twice.

Kids these days were so annoying!

There was no getting around this subject. Dumbledore tactically adjusted his glasses and said awkwardly, "You know, when you're young, you tend to be more curious."

Watching Dumbledore's embarrassed expression, Eli slowly raised a thumbs-up.

A legend was still a legend. He really had been brave enough to lead the way!

Eli did not dare press further. He was genuinely afraid that Dumbledore might kill him to silence him out of embarrassment.

He swallowed the Every Flavour Bean Dumbledore had handed him in one bite.

"Blegh..."

Eli nearly threw up on the bed. Was this rotten socks?!

"Ah, that does not seem to be a very pleasant flavor, but that is perfectly normal."

Dumbledore explained calmly, but Eli could clearly see that he was smiling!

Eli looked at him resentfully, but did not dare make a sound. Little Eli was very humble.

The two chatted on and off.

But Eli was anxious inside. Dumbledore could not possibly have come specifically to make small talk with him. It had to be about that spell from yesterday!

Yet Dumbledore did not ask, and Eli could not bring it up first, lest he be led around by the nose.

But why was Dumbledore acting as if he was not in a hurry at all?

You need to ask!

Old Dumbledore, were you really that free?

Eli watched Dumbledore chat while unwrapping the snacks his friends had brought him. He was almost done eating them!

Had he come to question him, or to mooch snacks off a kid?!

That rotten old man was really bad news!

In the end, Eli was the one who could not hold back any longer. If you keep eating, what will be left for me?

"Professor, I have a question about yesterday's Troll."

Dumbledore looked as though he had just been reminded. "Aha! I was just about to ask you. That was a truly powerful spell!"

I'm just watching you, watching your award-winning acting. Come on, pour me a cappuccino.

"So, what kind of spell was that exactly?"

Eli could not be bothered to argue with this old schemer. He first needed to figure out what spell he had cast yesterday.

Dumbledore set down the snacks in his hand. "Actually, I should be asking you, Eli. Can you still remember how you cast that spell?"

Eli thought carefully. "I remember. The Troll was about to kill Harry, and I was desperate. I really wanted to kill the Troll and save Harry, and then I cast that spell."

That was indeed what had happened. Even now, when Eli recalled it, the killing intent he had felt then terrified him.

A sharp glint appeared beneath the half-moon spectacles. "Do you still remember the incantation?"

"Ultimate Death."

Dumbledore pondered for a moment. Then those eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything locked onto Eli's.

"I think I ought to congratulate you on creating a new spell."

The moment he met those deep pupils, Eli's heart shook. Something seemed to be trying to burrow into his mind.

He instinctively resisted, his extraordinary soul beginning to fight against that force.

Yet that force seemed to hold no malice. After meeting resistance, it withdrew.

"Forgive me, child. Please understand an old man's concerns."

Eli looked at the candid Dumbledore with a complicated expression. He had not expected him to directly admit that he had intended to peer into his thoughts.

"Professor..."

Dumbledore rose to his feet and smiled at Eli. "Your talent truly surprises me, whether in spells or in the soul. But I think it is time I returned you to your friends. They seem unable to wait any longer."

He winked at Eli, then turned and walked out.

Fine, go if you want—but he even grabbed a handful of Every Flavour Beans.

Dumbledore opened the Hospital Wing door, and Harry and the others had indeed arrived.

After greeting them, he left.

He seemed to have eaten another Every Flavour Bean.

"Blegh..."

Dumbledore's retching came from outside the door.