A Conversation with Dumbledore

"Eli, Eli..."

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

This seemed to be the second time already, didn't it? In such a short time since school began, he had passed out twice from magical exhaustion. Who knew what dangerous things awaited him next?

As they watched the troll collapse in the gray light, Harry, who had thought he was doomed, shakily climbed to his feet as if he had survived a catastrophe.

"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 a month, was about to kick the bucket!

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

"Eli!"

Harry instantly snapped out of it and lunged to Eli's side, looking at him with his eyes shut and his face pale.

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

He was panicking. He truly, desperately feared losing another good friend.

Eli had clearly told him not to come over just now. If not for him, would Eli have been fine?

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

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

Hermione hurriedly checked him over. Seeing that there was not a single wound on Eli's body and that his breathing remained steady, she finally relaxed.

They had not needed to come here in the first place. If they had not come to the restroom to find 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 guarantee that she had never seen that spell in any book. A spell capable of killing a troll in one blow was absolutely not something a young wizard could access!

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

A terrifying spell.

"Ah... how dare you!"

A cry came from the doorway. Professor McGonagall stood there, one hand pressed to her chest in horror, with Snape, Quirrell, and several other teachers 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 exactly what happened here at once!"

Her students had nearly died at the hands of a troll, and McGonagall was unusually furious.

Harry and Ron Weasley stammered, not knowing what to say. If they told McGonagall that they had driven off their friend and then come running here to play with a troll, would they be beaten to death?

"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 studious student.

Hermione did not dare meet McGonagall's disappointed gaze and lowered her head. "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 absurd joke.

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

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

Snape's expression changed drastically. He rushed over as if mad and roughly shoved Harry aside.

Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, hurried over.

"Professor... Eli should have just fainted..."

Hermione softly reminded them, but no one answered her.

Madam Pomfrey drew her wand and carefully examined him. "Mr. Hall has indeed only fallen unconscious. It appears that he exhausted his magic in a short period of time."

Only then did McGonagall's expression ease slightly.

Snape took out a bottle of potion. After Madam Pomfrey fed it to Eli, color gradually returned 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 rose into the air and was carried off to the hospital wing.

Only the three reckless children remained, trembling beneath the professors' stares.

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

McGonagall then looked at the two fools beside her. "And you two."

Harry and Ron Weasley both shuddered.

"You should know what incredible luck it was for several first-year wizards to survive a troll! Five points each."

The three of them looked a little better. Though they had not gained any extra points, at least the gains and losses canceled each other out, right?

McGonagall glanced at the motionless troll on the floor. "Mr. Hall exhausted his magic for his friends. I will award him fifteen points!"

McGonagall gave the three of them a deep look. Her eyes seemed to say that if she caught them again, they would regret it!

"Celebrate your damned luck!"

McGonagall and Snape, whose gaze could kill, hurried away, and the three of them left as well.

Only Professor Quirrell remained.

As McGonagall and Snape walked down the corridor, she asked, "Can you tell what spell that was?"

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

Snape's expression was grim. A strange spell and Eli's magical exhaustion—this practically laid the answer out in front of them!

Eli's memory stopped at the moment before he fainted. He could still feel the frantic release of magic.

The gray light had been suffocating.

Was this a dream?

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

The sound of water?

Eli followed the sound, and sure enough, a small river lay ahead.

"What's that?"

There seemed to be three men by the riverbank, blocked by the flowing water.

Eli thought they would be at a loss, but then he saw them draw their wands.

Wizards?

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

The men happily stepped onto the bridge.

Someone wearing a strange cloak appeared.

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

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

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

He simply gave up trying to move, because he could see clearly that he was in the hospital wing.

"Sigh, exhausted again."

Eli could only lie on the bed in boredom. At least it was rare rest amid all his studying.

"Would you like to try this? It might help you a little."

Eli turned his head. Dumbledore!

He did not know when Dumbledore had sat beside his bed, holding a box of candy and picking through it.

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

"Professor?"

"I actually just arrived as well. I heard that a first-year wizard took care of a troll. Such youthful recklessness. Here, try this."

Dumbledore picked out one and handed it to Eli.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. When I was young, I got one that tasted like dog droppings. It made me terribly sick."

Eli accepted the candy with a look of disgust.

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

Eli did not quite dare eat the candy.

Dumbledore froze, then changed the subject. "Hurry and eat it. You may feel better afterward."

His curiosity now fully aroused, Eli refused to let it go. "Actually, I still want to know why you know what dog droppings taste like."

That innocent expression and those childlike eyes made Dumbledore want to give him two hard slaps.

Kids these days were so annoying!

There was no getting around this subject. Dumbledore tactically adjusted his glasses and said awkwardly, "You know, when one is young, one tends 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 willing to lead the way!

Eli did not dare press the matter any further. He truly feared that Dumbledore would kill him to keep him quiet in a fit of embarrassment.

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

"Bleurgh..."

Eli nearly threw up on the bed. Was this a smelly sock?!

"Ah, it seems it was not a very good flavor. But that is perfectly normal."

Dumbledore explained calmly, but Eli could clearly see him smiling!

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

The two chatted idly.

But Eli was anxious. Dumbledore could not possibly have come specifically to make small talk with him, right? It had to be about yesterday's spell!

But since Dumbledore had not brought it up, Eli could not mention it first, lest he be led around by the nose.

But why did Dumbledore seem completely unhurried?

You have to ask!

Old Dumbledore, were you really that free?

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

Were you here to question him or mooch off a child's snacks?!

This rotten old man was truly wicked!

In the end, Eli was the one who could not hold out any longer. If you keep eating, what am I supposed to eat?

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

Dumbledore seemed to have been suddenly reminded. "Aha! I was just about to ask you. That was truly a powerful spell!"

I'm just going to watch you and admire your Oscar-worthy acting. Come on, pour me a cappuccino.

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

Eli could not be bothered arguing with this scheming old fox. He still needed to figure out the 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 very anxious. I wanted to kill the troll and save Harry, and then I cast that spell."

That was indeed what had happened. Even now, Eli found the killing intent from that moment frightening when he thought back on it.

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

"[Ultimate Death]."

Dumbledore pondered for a moment. Then those eyes that seemed able to see through everything met Eli's.

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

The instant he met those deep pupils, Eli was greatly shocked. Something in his mind seemed to be trying to burrow inside.

He instinctively resisted, his extraordinary soul beginning to struggle against that power.

But that power seemed to bear no ill intent. After meeting resistance, it withdrew.

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

Eli looked at the candid Dumbledore with a complicated expression. He had never expected him to directly admit that he had intended to probe Eli's thoughts.

"Professor..."

Dumbledore stood and smiled at Eli. "Your talent truly surprises me, both in spells and in the soul. But I think it is time to return you to your friends. They seem unable to wait any longer."

He winked at Eli, then turned and walked out.

Fine, leave 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 walked out.

It seemed he even ate another Every Flavour Bean.

"Bleurgh..."

Dumbledore's retching came from outside the door.