Looking at the old man who had taken him out of the orphanage and always treated him so well, Edward found the words he wanted to say next stuck in his throat.
They all said that Dumbledore was an old honeybee, that he was always plotting something and manipulating everything, but looking back at the original story, everything he did was simply to protect Harry and the students of Hogwarts.
He was a kind, righteous, and deeply admirable old man.
"Hoo..."
After a long while, Edward let out a long sigh and made up his mind. "Professor, what I'm about to say might sound bizarre, but it's my genuine experience. Just now..."
"You suddenly vanished from Hogwarts for over twenty minutes just now."
Dumbledore said suddenly, "It was neither Apparition nor a Portkey. It was as if you had been completely erased from this world. You know, ordinarily I certainly couldn't keep track of hundreds of students, but you are the only one staying at school this summer." He paused, took off his half-moon spectacles, and said earnestly, "If you tell me that the time you disappeared was spent going to another world, I should probably shout out, 'Oh, Merlin's beard,' and choose to believe it."
Edward froze.
"Oh, Merlin's beard."
He truly shouted it out, then nodded thoughtfully. "So that friend of yours is... what's that term Muggles use nowadays? An alien?"
"...Something like that."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Even aliens are joining Hogwarts with me as headmaster, what more can I say?"
"Welcome, you are welcome at any time."
Chapter 6: My Name Is Audrey
To be honest, Edward had racked his brain for all sorts of reasons and excuses on the way over, but unfortunately not a single one had the slightest chance of persuading the White Wizard.
That was why he had chosen to give up so quickly and intended to make a clean breast of it, only for Dumbledore to guess most of it before he even spoke.
Was this the weight of the greatest White Wizard?
"Then, is that friend of yours here?"
Edward unzipped the leather pouch, placed it on the floor, and called out in Loenese, "Audrey, come up."
Dumbledore stood up, glanced down into the leather pouch, and said earnestly, "Leaving a lady staying down there is hardly the behavior of a gentleman~"
Audrey climbed out of the leather pouch, breathing slightly, and looked around in curiosity. She was soon captivated by the lifelike portraits of the headmasters on the walls, unable for a moment to tell whether they were truly paintings or windows.
Dumbledore stepped forward quickly and took her hand in a very gentlemanly fashion, steadying her as she walked up. "Might I ask the name of this lady?"
Audrey blinked her large eyes and turned to Edward for help. She could not understand what Dumbledore was saying, though she could roughly tell that he seemed very kind, like an old scholar well-read in books, yet the hidden sharpness in his gaze indicated that he was not as simple as he appeared on the surface.
"Sorry, she doesn't speak English." Edward naturally transformed into a human translator and introduced them: "This is... well, the headmaster of this magic school, Professor Albus Dumbledore. He is asking for your name."
"This is Audrey Hall."
Dumbledore held Audrey's hand and placed a brief, phantom kiss upon it. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Hall."
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore."
Edward thought for a moment and asked, "Professor, can she learn magic? I mean, I'm actually not sure if she's a Muggle, considering she's already seventeen."
"Rest assured." Dumbledore smiled. "Her ancestors must have had very powerful warlocks. In a sense, she is even purer than those pure-blood families; she simply lacks the opportunity to learn magic."
Purer than pure-blood? Was it because of the peculiarity of the Beyonder world, because the potion had altered her constitution, or because ancestors of the Hall Family had indeed produced powerful Beyonders?
"Miss Hall, on behalf of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I welcome your enrollment."
Without beating around the bush, Dumbledore extended the invitation directly. Although Audrey could not understand the words, she politely pinched the hem of her skirt and curtsied.
The headmasters in the portraits burst into applause to welcome her, and Phineas Black was particularly excited, shouting loudly, "A warlock this pure simply must join Slytherin!"
"I shall have Minerva prepare the admission letter and related procedures as soon as possible."
So the matter was resolved just like that?
Was Dumbledore overly confident in his own strength, did he simply have the stomach for it, or was there some other reason?
Edward hesitated for a good while before asking, "Professor, don't you want to ask me anything about Audrey, or the place I went to after I vanished?"
Dumbledore smiled faintly. "There is no rush, we have time." At that, he seemed to recall something. "Ah, right, you will be going back to that place, won't you?"
"In half a month."
"Understood."
He winked at Edward. "If you intend to tell me anything later, I am always ready to be your listener. Well, then, let me fulfill the duties of a host."
"Wait, Professor, I want to make an Unbreakable Vow with Audrey. Can you act as our witness?"
Dumbledore was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Of course."
Edward extended his right hand toward Audrey. "Use your right hand to clasp mine."
Audrey hesitated for a few seconds, then grasped his right hand.
"Sorry, I need to wrong you a bit further-kneel face-to-face with me."
"..."
Fine, she could only comply.
The two knelt face-to-face in front of Dumbledore, their right hands clasped tightly.
Dumbledore tapped his wand against their intertwined hands. A momentary trance flickered through his eyes as he vaguely saw himself years ago, back in his most innocent and carefree days, doing the exact same thing with a young companion.
Pity that the two of them had ultimately parted ways.
With a solemn expression, Edward spoke in Loenese, "Audrey, you will not actively leak my secret to any of you people, will you?"
Audrey's emotions grew tense as well, and she said, "Yes, I will never tell!"
A thin, crimson flame shot out from Dumbledore's wand, tightly wrapping around the hands of the two.
Although the scorching heat of the flame caused no physical damage, it made them feel the pain of being burned.
Continuing in Loenese, Edward said, "Nor will you ever speak of the existence of another world to others without my consent, will you?"
Audrey bit her lip and nodded. "Yes!"
A second flame coiled around their hands.
Edward took a deep breath and uttered the third sentence: "Can I trust you forever."
She nodded heavily. "You can!"
The wand spat out a third flame.
Looking at her, Edward said, "Alright, it is your turn. The Unbreakable Vow is mutual; it is your turn to state the conditions of your oath."
Audrey hesitated for a few seconds. "You are certain you will not hurt me, and that you will definitely bring me back, right?"
"I am!"
"Then that is enough!"
The flames gradually dissipated, as if sinking into their skin. With that, the Unbreakable Vow was successfully forged.
Dumbledore withdrew his wand, a nostalgic smile on his face. "I hope this vow serves as a testament to the affection between the two of you in the days to come, rather than a shackle."
"I believe it is the former!"
Edward did not doubt Audrey's kindness; making the vow was merely to add an extra layer of insurance.
He turned to Audrey and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Audrey. You came here passively because you were implicated by me, yet I forced you to endure the pain of being scorched and bound you with a contract."
She, however, broke into a sweet smile. "Actually, your doing this makes me feel much more at ease, doesn't it?"
Edward froze, then understood her meaning.
Dumbledore coughed and asked, "Do the two of you intend to stay kneeling like this the entire time?"
Edward hurriedly helped Audrey to her feet, releasing the small hand he had been gripping tightly.
At that moment, a flash of fiery red brilliance suddenly appeared in the office, trailing a long streak of flame as it circled the air before finally coming to rest on Dumbledore's shoulder-it was Fawkes the phoenix.
"Hello there, Fawkes." Edward greeted it.
Fawkes immediately turned its head away; it was not particularly fond of this mischievous student who constantly eyed its feathers.
Dumbledore listened intently to what Fawkes murmured in his ear, then said with an apologetic expression, "I'm very sorry, a matter of great importance requires my immediate attention. Edward, Miss Hall is in your care. I will have Minerva arrange accommodation for her. Oh, and you had better teach Miss English to Miss Audrey as soon as possible."
"Alright, Professor."
"Oh, don't forget to take these Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."
Dumbledore waved his hand and prepared to Disapparate away with Fawkes, but Edward couldn't help asking, "Professor, aren't you even a little..."
He blinked and smiled. "Didn't I say just now? Everyone has some secrets, don't they?"
Accompanied by a sharp crack, Dumbledore and Fawkes vanished.
"Wow! Is this also the magic you spoke of? Instant movement?" Audrey asked in pleasant surprise, her mind already beginning to conjure images of mastering this Beyonder Ability.
"Well, it's considered a relatively profound magic, at least one I haven't mastered yet." Edward shrugged. "Alright, I'll take you to get something to eat first, and then we'll go find Professor McGonagall to arrange a place for you to stay."
The Hogwarts Kitchen was located directly beneath the Great Hall, adjacent to the Hufflepuff Common Room. People often said that Hufflepuff students were all foodies, and the truth was not far off.
There were far too few recreational activities at school, making delicious food one of the very few sources of joy.
Along the way, Audrey acted like a curious toddler, yet remained thoroughly restrained-until they passed those bizarrely complex stairs that looked as though they suffered from ADHD, prompting her to finally blurt out, "Are these used to defend against foreign invaders?"
"I imagine it's merely a special form of art."
Heaven knew whether the person who invented these stairs originally had a grudge against Hogwarts students.
Since it was summer vacation, the kitchen was much more leisurely than usual. Most of the House-elves were listless, while a few rare ones brawled over the scarce remaining chores.
"Respected Mr. Edward, what do you need me to do for you?"
A sharp-eyed House-elf Apparated right in front of them, staring with bulging eyes filled with eagerness.
"Uh, prepare two portions of dinner for me, please."
"Just two portions?" It clearly looked somewhat disappointed.
"Then... two more?"
"Glad to be of service, sir."
The House-elf vanished in another Instant Movement, cheerfully casting magic to begin cooking.
Before you continue