A late-night talk

Will thought back over his recent behavior.

Eat, attend class, grind experience; finish class, eat, grind experience; beat up classmates, have a late-night snack, grind experience.

Nothing wrong with that. Perfectly normal Hogwarts student behavior. Could this really be because of that one Confringo I cast in the common room?

As he pondered this, Will arrived at the entrance to the Headmaster's Office and spoke the password: "Sherbet Lemon."

Inside the Headmaster's Office, portraits of former headmasters covered the walls, while the still-filthy Sorting Hat sat on a nearby cabinet. Dumbledore, sporting a great white beard and wearing purple pajamas patterned with stars, sat in his office chair, playing with Fawkes beside him.

"Professor Dumbledore, I heard you wanted to see me?" With a clear conscience, Will sat down opposite Dumbledore without even using Occlumency.

It wasn't that Will didn't know how.

Although he had made some progress with Occlumency, he didn't think he could resist Dumbledore's Legilimency yet. Besides, his system was as uncommunicative as a corpse. It never spoke to him and merely kept recording his experience gains.

He hadn't done anything evil, nor did he intend to. Rather than use Occlumency as though he had something to hide, he might as well be open about everything.

Besides, wouldn't a young wizard his age using Occlumency actually seem more suspicious?

"No need to be so formal. Would you like some chocolate cake?" Dumbledore gestured toward the cake on his desk.

"Of course." Will didn't stand on ceremony at all, reaching out to take a slice. "Delicious. A little sweetness makes people happy."

"Ah, yes. It's what Muggles call dopa-something."

"Dopamine, Professor. You read Muggle theories too?" Will sounded a little surprised.

"Of course. The progress Muggles have made is plain to see. They're always coming up with little inventions. Mr. Berens, don't imagine this old man is quite so set in his ways. I'm merely keeping up with the times alongside the wizarding world. Young witches and wizards didn't always come to school by train, you know."

"Really? Then I suppose the wizarding world has made some progress after all. Ha..." Will was skeptical. Everything he had read during his few years of contact with the wizarding world suggested it was a stagnant pool. Wizards looked down on Muggles and had no desire to advance, preferring to remain stuck in their ways. As for taking the train to school—hah. The pure-blood families had put plenty of pressure on the Ministry of Magic back then. It was only after Dumbledore stepped in that people stopped daring to complain.

The Ministry of Magic making progress? More like Dumbledore making progress.

"Have you settled into life at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore poured Will a steaming cup of black tea.

"Pretty well. It's more comfortable than home."

"Oh, home..." Dumbledore blinked. "Ah, Filius told me about your circumstances. You're very strong, Will.

"I've also seen how diligently you've studied this past week. But you have plenty of time ahead of you. You can afford to relax a little. At your age, I hadn't even read more than a handful of books. You could make more friends and enjoy your school life. If you're always absorbed in books and magic, you may miss out on a great many things.

"And you could spend a little more time with your classmates."

Now Will knew why Dumbledore had summoned him. Perhaps he had seen a hint of Tom—He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, alumnus of Wool's Orphanage, leader of the Death Eaters—Riddle in him.

But was that Will's fault? He would have loved to relax. If Dumbledore had taken out that walking two-hole socket early on, he might genuinely have been able to. Knowing full well that Voldemort would take over Hogwarts in the future, and that plenty of people would die before Harry Potter defeated the noseless wonder and saved the world, how could he slack off?

Did he have a death wish?

"Professor Dumbledore, I like reading, and I like learning magic. Every time I learn something new, it gives me satisfaction. It makes me happy. I just want to learn and explore. I have friends of my own, and I cherish their friendship.

"As for those classmates, if they didn't call me a Mudblood, perhaps I'd be willing to have a proper conversation with them."

Dumbledore fell silent for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. "Everyone says I'm the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had, but when it comes to educating students, I'm certainly no match for Professor McGonagall. You may laugh, but even now, I don't know how to deal with exceptionally gifted young witches and wizards."

"You're a great educator." Will took another slice of chocolate cake. Only half the cake remained now.

"Well, Will, I'm always afraid my actions might set them a bad example, yet I also worry that standing aside and doing nothing might allow them to stray down the wrong path." Dumbledore sincerely shared his thoughts with Will.

"There was once an extraordinarily gifted young wizard. He came from humble beginnings, but was sorted into Slytherin.

"He soon demonstrated his talent. He studied hard and earned excellent marks. He was charming, modest, and polite. Not only did he win his professors' trust and affection, but he also quickly gathered a group of followers.

"If I had seen his true face then, perhaps I could have prevented the series of tragedies that befell the wizarding world."

"You mean Voldemort?"

"Oh, Will, you're very brave. Few wizards dare speak his name."

"I'm brave because the most powerful light wizard in the world is sitting opposite me."

"Voldemort possesses powers I will never have." Dumbledore picked up a slice of chocolate cake. "Though many people don't believe it."

Dumbledore handed the cake to Will. "When Voldemort studied here, he appeared courteous and exemplary in both conduct and academics, though we later learned that it was all a masterful disguise."

"My boy, I'm very worried about you."

"Because I'm like Voldemort?"

"No. You're very different from him. You don't conceal your likes and dislikes. You show genuine kindness toward certain people, and you have true friends. Rather than Voldemort, I think you resemble someone else. I worry that power might lead you astray, that you might lose yourself in the world of magic." Dumbledore's voice was wistful.

"Promise me, my boy, that you won't dabble in dark magic too early or too lightly. It will affect your emotions and your mind."

"You won't stop me from studying dark magic?"

"I cannot. You'll encounter it sooner or later. All I can do is offer you some advice beforehand."

Will stared at Dumbledore in surprise for a long moment. "Thank you, Professor."

Clearly, Dumbledore had changed his approach toward exceptionally gifted young wizards like Will.

"Go back and get a good night's sleep. Then enjoy your weekend." Dumbledore popped the last piece of cake into his mouth and saw Will off.

Afterward, Dumbledore turned his gaze toward the Sorting Hat. "Old friend, would you care to talk to me about Will?"

"An ill-mannered young wizard." The Sorting Hat was clearly reluctant. "He actually called me a 'filthy, inflexible hat.'"

"Clearly, he's straightforward." Dumbledore smiled. He was quite pleased with Will's undisguised, unguarded manner.

"Oh, Albus, I think he called me filthy because you haven't cleaned me in years." The Sorting Hat sounded disgruntled. "As for the boy himself, he's dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"Yes. That boy is the sort of wizard who pursues knowledge, and he has considerable ambition. If no one guides him, I'm afraid he'll end up taking a terrifying path. Think of Herpo the Foul. Think of Mad Wizard Luther. Those fellows were all madmen who pursued knowledge." The Sorting Hat offered two frightening examples.

Dumbledore pondered in silence...

Then the Sorting Hat spoke again. "You know, that boy wanted to go to Hufflepuff. Impossible. He's nothing like a Hufflepuff. I could never make that decision.

"He's a born Slytherin, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore sighed, seemingly with a great deal on his mind...