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Chapter 358: Dumbledore's Return
Chapter 358: Dumbledore's Return
Voldemort meticulously listed the tasks he needed to accomplish in his notebook, contemplating the magic, ancient runes, and spells he would employ. He noted the vague parts for future consultation with Professor More and planned to borrow books from Mrs. Pinns for the spells he hadn't fully grasped.
Mrs. Pinns seemed to have read every book in the library, as she could instantly locate the required books even with Voldemort's vague descriptions. Despite her extensive knowledge of the library, Voldemort always saw her holding a book whenever their paths crossed.
Unless a student violated the library's rules, in which case Mrs. Pinns would rush over with anger, chasing them away with a stern demeanor.
And just like that, it happened again...
A group of quarreling students, chased by a worn-out feather duster, fled the library with their hands covering their heads. Other students, who had been whispering, now stared in disbelief at the unusual sight.
The old feather duster flew back to the librarian's desk, landing in a wooden barrel. Its feathers ruffled and smoothed, almost as if it were breathing.
Mrs. Pinns tidied her loose hair, returned to her desk, and upon seeing Voldemort waiting, finally offered him a faint smile.
"What books do you need this time, dear?"
A few minutes later, Voldemort returned to his seat, carrying a thick stack of books. He noticed someone sitting next to him.
"Harry?"
Harry nodded, about to speak, but Voldemort gestured for silence and waved his wand, muting the surrounding sounds. They were now left with a faint buzzing, like distant bees, barely audible if one didn't pay attention.
"Now we can talk," Voldemort said. "Didn't you know about Lupin?"
Harry nodded and then shook his head.
"I didn't know, but just now... Professor McGonagall told me."
He lifted his eyes, concern evident as he asked, "So, is it true? Lupin... transformed into a werewolf in public and attacked passersby?"
"He transformed on the streets of Hogsmeade, but no one should have seen it," Voldemort explained.
The vampire who witnessed the transformation was likely being pursued by Dumbledore, so it didn't count.
Those vampires wanted to publicize the incident in the newspaper, but Voldemort had been monitoring the Daily Prophet for several days, and it remained calm. People were even losing interest in the three fugitives.
Instead, Minister Fudge had issued a decree prohibiting government officials from giving interviews to the Flowing Mirror, which reportedly sparked some opposition.
When Voldemort saw this news, he sent a message to Coliver, the equivalent of a TV station director on the Muggle side, asking them to send a request to the Ministry every few days to interview Professor Umbridge.
After a brief pause, Voldemort continued, "Moreover, he didn't attack passersby. Hagrid was there, and he subdued the frenzied Lupin. Dumbledore arrived promptly, and no one in Hogsmeade was injured."
"But... how did he suddenly transform?" Harry asked, still worried. "I asked Hermione, and she said it's not typical werewolf behavior."
Voldemort knew Lupin must have been ambushed, but he didn't speculate. Instead, he said, "Trust Professor Dumbledore—he's investigating, and he might tell us why soon."
Harry nodded and fell silent for a while before speaking again.
"I just hope Lupin can return to normal soon... I asked Professor McGonagall to visit him, but she didn't allow it..."
"I also heard that Lupin wasn't sent to St. Mungo's. Professor McGonagall only mentioned that professionals were helping with the treatment, but I don't know who they are..."
Voldemort remained silent, observing Harry's expression.
Harry had always admired the healer, and if he knew it was Professor Snape, his least favorite person, he'd probably think Lupin was already in danger.
I heard that yesterday, during Potions class, Professor Snape scolded all the first-year Gryffindor students to tears, and even his favorite Slytherin students weren't spared...
Vold wisely swallowed this news.
...
On Sunday afternoon, Vold finally received a message from Dumbledore.
He rushed to the Headmaster's Office without knocking, and the oak door was flung open.
"Bang!"
The door slammed into the wall, making an explosive sound.
Snape, with a dark expression, strode out. His terrifying gaze seemed ready to kill, and even seeing Vold didn't ease the tension. He merely snorted, flicked his black robe with one hand as the wind billowed it, and strode up the spiral staircase.
He didn't even wait for the stairs to slowly descend; he hurried down with a series of quick steps.
Vold awkwardly lowered his hand that was about to greet him and knocked on the open door.
"Come in, Vold," Dumbledore said.
Vold entered and saw the Headmaster looking disheveled, as if he had just returned from outside. The gray cloak hanging beside him was slightly damaged, and his long white beard was covered in dust.
Dumbledore didn't even bother to cast a Cleansing Charm on himself. Instead, he took out a box of lemon drops from the cabinet and enthusiastically offered Vold, "Would you like one?"
Vold shook his head, "Thank you, but I don't like them. They're too sweet."
"What a pity, these are my favorite Muggle sweets," Dumbledore said, putting the box away and then popping one into his mouth.
He squinted slightly, looking quite content.
Vold couldn't help but smile. Then, with a wave of the Headmaster's hand, a glass of pomegranate juice appeared in front of Vold. After thanking him, Vold took the glass, took a sip, and didn't rush to ask questions.
Seeing Dumbledore, Vold's initially anxious mood calmed down.
Soon, the table was filled with various sweets, including treacle tart, honey tart, and sticky toffee pudding, covering the long table.
Dumbledore carefully considered for a moment before solemnly choosing a honey tart as his first sweet of the day and once again recommended his beloved treat to Vold.
This time, Vold didn't refuse. He took a pudding—among all the sweets on the table, it was the least sweet.
Dumbledore took a bite and then sighed, "Sorry, but when I'm with Severus, his expression makes it seem like I'm eating poison, and it ruins my appetite."
"You've had a tough few days, haven't you?" Vold said understandingly, then asked curiously, "Did those vampires give you a hard time?"
"The vampires aren't the problem; it's the people behind them that are troublesome."
Dumbledore seemed to think of something, and his expression turned sharp for a moment before returning to normal after a few seconds.
"I have some good news," he said with a smile, "Lupin has regained his sanity, and tomorrow afternoon, he should be able to transform back. At that time, you can take Harry with you to visit him in the Infirmary."
(End of Chapter)
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