This time, Dumbledore fell into a long silence. Time seemed to stand still, and even the air around them held a trace of gravity.
Only after a long while did he speak slowly, his tone solemn as he stressed, "Compared with how powerful one's magic is, I believe there are many more important things, such as a person's soul and character."
"Sounds like his grades weren't very good." Herman feigned a look of regret and sighed softly. "I suppose mine probably won't be very good either."
Seeing that Herman had misunderstood him, Dumbledore explained, "Actually, he was an outstanding student of magic, with a remarkable gift for understanding and applying it. I firmly believe that, given time, you too will distinguish yourself and achieve something in the field of magic. Take this morning, for instance. The Transfiguration you performed was exquisite, both in its timing and its results."
"Transfiguration?" At Dumbledore's words, Herman's heart gave a sudden lurch, as though struck by a heavy hammer. This morning? Does he mean when I taught those Black people a lesson? Had Dumbledore already been secretly watching me then?
His heartbeat abruptly quickened, and an inexplicable nervousness welled up within him. Seeing Herman's face turn deathly pale in an instant, Dumbledore inexplicably felt a little more cheerful, like a hunter who had finally caught his cunning prey.
Finally, I've got something on this little fellow, he thought. Still, on careful reflection, compared with what the previous orphan had done at his orphanage, Herman's behavior, though somewhat out of line, was understandable.
Yet this only made Dumbledore more concerned. Herman was a calculating child, far more aware than his peers of how to use magic to secure greater benefits for himself. This was an advantage, but it could also become an inducement for him to stray down the wrong path.
But with Tom's cautionary example before him, Dumbledore did not intend to burn things to frighten him. He decided to try a different approach; as it happened, there was somewhere he needed to visit.
"I don't think what happened yesterday counts as breaking the law." Herman worked to steady himself, doing his best to pretend he knew nothing of the magical world's rules. Still speaking from an ordinary person's perspective, he continued methodically,
"I've studied British law carefully. That was entirely legitimate self-defense. More importantly, no one reported it, so the police won't open a case."
"Indeed, as you say." Dumbledore nodded slightly and replied calmly, "But in the magical world, there is one rule of vital importance: the International Statute of Secrecy. Like the sword of Damocles hanging overhead, it absolutely forbids wizards from using magic on Muggles. Once it is violated, the consequences are unthinkable."
Herman's eyes shifted, and he quickly countered, "But didn't you just use magic too, Headmaster? Director Margery mistook that photograph for one of me, and she didn't even notice that the photograph was moving."
A hint of slyness flickered in his eyes, but Dumbledore was entirely unperturbed. He nodded without hesitation and freely admitted it. "So, we're even. This will be a secret between you and me. No third person will know."
"Deal!" Herman agreed without hesitation. At this moment, he had no idea that wizarding law did not fully apply to young wizards who had yet to enroll in school, especially children like him who had lived in the Muggle world for years.
Under normal circumstances, once a young wizard's accidental magic was discovered, the Ministry of Magic would send staff to deal with the aftermath and give the young wizard some basic magical education.
However, Herman was cautious and always covered his own tracks. Had Hogwarts's Book of Admittance not detected him as a prospective student, and had Dumbledore not arrived early enough to happen upon this scene, perhaps no one would have discovered his magical talent even by the time Herman came of age and returned to his home country.
Then, like an inquisitive child, Herman pressed on. "You said what I used was Transfiguration? Is making objects change shape however I want magic? I always thought it was some kind of superpower."
There was a trace of reluctance in his words. After all, suddenly learning that the "golden finger" he was so proud of was not unique, but a magical ability that anyone might possess, inevitably left him somewhat disappointed.
"It is indeed magic," Dumbledore explained patiently, a gentle smile on his face. "However, you are exceptionally gifted, able to control what should be chaotic, disorderly bursts of magic with perfect precision. That is not something just anyone can do. Your talent for controlling magic far exceeds that of your peers."
"Then why call it Transfiguration? I feel like calling it the superpower of moving things with my mind sounds classier and cooler." Herman tilted his head and asked with a puzzled expression.
Dumbledore smiled and continued, "First, you must understand that everyone's talents differ slightly, and accidental magic manifests differently in each person. For some, objects nearby slowly float into the air, as though drawn by invisible threads; for others, it triggers violent explosions. What makes your accidental magic unique is that it allows objects to change shape according to your wishes. This is the most primitive application of Transfiguration. It seems simple, but in truth, it holds endless mysteries and possibilities."
Herman remembered his ability to make people lose their memories. Since Dumbledore had already witnessed his magic anyway, he might as well go all the way, so he continued asking, "Then is my ability to make people lose their memories also because of my talent?"
He eagerly awaited an affirmative answer, hoping that he truly possessed a special talent unlike anyone else's.
At Herman's question, Dumbledore could not help chuckling. "No, that isn't true magic. During your bursts of accidental magic, you simply directed your magic into their brains without meaning to. It's rather like giving them a hard blow with a stick. When the brain suffers an impact, memory loss naturally becomes more likely."
"All right. I thought I was exceptionally gifted." Herman gave an awkward smile and inwardly sighed. So I didn't awaken some miraculous Byakugan. I just used too much force.
Dumbledore looked at Herman's slightly embarrassed expression, paused for a moment, then said earnestly and gravely, "You are indeed exceptionally gifted. There is no doubt about that. Although your magical strength can currently only be considered above average, your degree of control over magic is exceedingly rare among children your age. And you achieved this without any instruction whatsoever, which makes it all the more remarkable."
At Dumbledore's praise, a radiant smile immediately spread across Herman's face, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.
After all, this praise came from Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, a highly revered figure in the magical world. His recognition filled Herman with immense pride.
Looking at the young wizard before him, so full of vitality and potential, Dumbledore found his thoughts drifting involuntarily back to those years.
An orphan as well, and just as exceptionally gifted-this was also an important reason he had come to recruit him personally. Otherwise, Spinner's End was just across the river nearby, and Snape could have completed the recruitment with a short walk. Why come himself?
However, from what he had seen so far, although Herman and Tom had similar backgrounds, the two were entirely different.
First, this orphanage was warm and pleasant, with a friendly, harmonious atmosphere. From their brief interaction, Dumbledore could genuinely sense that Director Margery truly loved the children and devoted herself wholeheartedly to every matter at the orphanage, large or small, caring for them in every way. Here, the smiles blooming on every child's face came from the heart, full of innocence and joy.
Second, although Herman was somewhat withdrawn and did not much like interacting with others, at least he did not bully the other children. Compared with Tom back then, he was better by who knew how many times.
Of course, Herman's previous use of magic in self-defense could naturally never be allowed to happen again.
But as for what had happened before his arrival, he would pretend not to know for now. Overall, Herman was still a kindhearted, good child.
Moreover, judging by the magical talent Herman had displayed, he had tremendous potential in Transfiguration and excellent control over his magic. Given time, he would certainly achieve extraordinary things in the field of Transfiguration.
As a master of Transfiguration, Dumbledore naturally had a particular fondness for such exceptionally gifted students. In today's magical world, fewer and fewer children were willing to devote themselves to studying Transfiguration.
"Now, back to the matter at hand." Dumbledore cleared his throat, his expression returning to its usual solemnity. "Although you have accepted all this far more readily than I imagined, I must still introduce Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to you in detail. It is simply that I haven't handled recruitment in many years, and I'm a little out of practice. Read this letter first, and if you have any questions, you may ask me at any time."
As he spoke, Dumbledore drew an envelope bearing a red wax seal from inside his robes, as though performing a conjuring trick. The seal bore Hogwarts's crest: a majestic lion, a sly, lively snake, a wise eagle, and a loyal, dependable badger surrounding a sturdy shield. On the back of the envelope, the words "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" were embossed in bold, forceful gold lettering, gleaming with a mysterious, enticing light in the sunshine.
Herman accepted the envelope with both hands trembling slightly. At Dumbledore's encouraging look, he carefully opened it.
Its contents were exactly as described in the original work, congratulating him on his acceptance to Hogwarts and listing in detail all the supplies he needed to prepare for school.
Suppressing his excitement, Herman pretended to know nothing and asked, "Where do I buy all these things? Can I pay in pounds?"
"Diagon Alley!" Dumbledore answered succinctly. He then patiently introduced Herman to this magical shopping street and the wizards' unique currency system, giving him a preliminary understanding of how the magical world's economy worked.
"Then could you take me there?" Herman's eyes lit up, and he quickly seized the opening Dumbledore had given him. At the same time, he calculated inwardly that London was a long way from here, and a train journey would take most of the day. If there were high-speed rail, it would be acceptable. With no speed restrictions and considering only the distance, perhaps he could get there in about half an hour.
"Of course. That is also part of recruitment." Dumbledore agreed immediately and without hesitation, a kindly smile on his face. "But before that, you must accompany me somewhere first."
"Where?" Herman asked curiously. When I watched the films, I never heard anything about recruitment involving visits elsewhere. Could this be a hidden perk of being recruited by the headmaster?
His mind was filled with all manner of fanciful ideas, and he was full of anticipation and curiosity about the place they were about to visit.
"Somewhere not very pleasant. I hope you never go there." Dumbledore's expression instantly grew serious.