Just as the white-haired Demulan disappeared into Diagon Alley carrying a case full of evidence of Brando's crimes, Brando, entirely unaware of what had happened at Gringotts, was holding a magnifying glass in Hogwarts Castle, painstakingly examining the notebook before him with a troubled expression.
"Clearly, Professor Dumbledore, this is just an ordinary notebook. There's no Dark Magic on it whatsoever."
In Professor Jobana's office, Dumbledore, who was struggling to keep a straight face, and Professor Jobana, who looked utterly bewildered, watched the puzzled Tiago and shook their heads somewhat hesitantly.
"Do you really think so, Mr. Brando?"
"Well..."
Tiago hesitated. The devious Old Bumblebee had neither denied Tiago's assessment nor offered his own. He was acting like a mathematics teacher invigilating an exam, looking over the students' papers and endlessly sighing and shaking his head without saying anything useful.
"Let me take another look."
As Tiago picked up the magnifying glass again to examine the notebook radiating sinister energy on the desk, Dumbledore smiled faintly, glanced at the clock on the wall, and calmly worked out the timing of Roy's operation.
Meanwhile, Tiago, who had fallen for Dumbledore's bluff, had sunk into profound self-doubt. He ran his slender fingers over the notebook again and again, his expression growing uglier with each result his probing produced.
That's strange. If Dumbledore says so, there must be some Dark Magic enchantment on it, surely?
Tiago certainly didn't take Dumbledore for a fool. The problem was that he hadn't realized Dumbledore was taking him for one.
After examining the notebook over and over, Tiago finally gave a helpless smile. He shook his head and conceded defeat to Dumbledore, who was sitting leisurely in the corner.
"Professor Dumbledore, I truly can't detect any magic on this at all. Please enlighten me."
Dumbledore shook his