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Chapter 369: Dumbledore's Punishment
Chapter 369: Dumbledore's Punishment
"Damn it, it was clearly a Blasting Curse! He's lying, that was obviously a Stunning Spell!"
In the headmaster's office, Snape roared, "Could a simple Flame Curse have such power? Does that fool Lupin think we can't even tell the difference between a Flame and a Stunning Spell?"
"Calm yourself, Severus," Dumbledore said, picking up a teapot from the side. "Would you care for some tea?"
"Tea? How can you think of tea at a time like this?" Snape stared at Dumbledore as if seeing him for the first time. "Someone used a Stunning Spell to destroy an office within these school walls! Even when that...that man was here, he never dared to use such dangerous dark magic so openly."
"I know, Severus...I know," Dumbledore said, pouring a cup of tea nonetheless.
Snape took a sip, found it too hot, and set it back down. "You should investigate how he learned the Stunning Spell in the first place!"
"On this point, I disagree," Dumbledore shook his head. "Lupin told me he didn't hear any incantation. Perhaps Kyle, upon suddenly seeing what appeared to be his friend's 'corpse', experienced a magical outburst..."
"A magical outburst that produced a Stunning Spell?" Snape's expression darkened further, feeling insulted. "Are you suggesting that's a likely occurrence?"
"It's not impossible," Dumbledore mused. "Kyle witnessed the use of a Stunning Spell back in his second year, and he was right in the midst of it. It's not a pleasant memory. And then there are Boggarts, creatures that feed on people's deepest fears. Perhaps Kyle, in the midst of his magical outburst, subconsciously recreated that experience..."
"Hmm...that's quite normal, nothing unusual about it," Dumbledore added.
The headmaster's office fell silent.
Snape stared at Dumbledore incredulously, his expression akin to someone being forced to down a mouthful of Neville Longbottom's poorly brewed potion.
"Do you take me for a fool?"
"Of course not, Severus. You are one of the most gifted potion masters I have ever encountered, and one of the youngest heads of Hogwarts in its history. That is beyond dispute," Dumbledore replied.
"But..."
Dumbledore changed the subject. "Your focus on potions has left you lacking in other areas... Magic, after all, is a wondrous and unpredictable thing."
Knock knock
Just as Snape was about to retort, the sound of knocking interrupted him.
"So soon?" Dumbledore stood up. "Severus, would you mind informing Hagrid? Kyle might be a bit late for his afternoon class."
"Just make sure you don't regret it," Snape muttered, taking a deep breath and turning to open the door to the headmaster's office.
Outside stood Professor McGonagall and Kyle.
Snape's lips twitched, but he said nothing as he walked past them.
After Professor McGonagall also left, Kyle was alone with Dumbledore.
"Please, take a seat," Dumbledore said, gesturing to a nearby armchair.
Kyle walked over and sat down. He had expected Dumbledore to ask him questions or chastise him severely...but none of that happened.
Dumbledore merely waved his hand calmly.
Instantly, the table between them was laden with various dishes of food.
"Have lunch here... It's not as lively as the Great Hall, but the food tastes just as good."
Dumbledore winked. "As headmaster, I often get treats that the students don't, like this honey cream pie."
He pushed a plate towards Kyle. "Try some."
Kyle cut a small piece and put it on his plate, but he didn't eat it.
Dumbledore's preference for sweets was well-known, but for Kyle, they were often too sweet. And honey cream...the name itself was enough to make his teeth ache.
Half an hour later, the last dish of pudding vanished, and a teapot and a glass of lemonade appeared on the table.
"Can you tell me why?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.
"I'm sorry, Professor," Kyle apologized, offering no explanation. "I just wanted that Boggart to be gone for good."
"Was it because you saw your friend's 'corpse'?" Dumbledore inquired.
Kyle nodded.
It was the first time he had experienced such a blank moment, his body reacting instinctively before he could process what was happening.
"I see... I understand," Dumbledore said softly, his hand pausing in mid-air as he held the teacup. "I can empathize with your reaction."
He couldn't bear to imagine what he would have done if he had turned around and seen Ariana's corpse.
Perhaps... he would have done the same as Kyle, or even worse.
Dumbledore's eyes flickered, and he placed the teacup back on the table, adding two more sugar cubes.
"However, Kyle, regardless of the reason, you have severely broken the school rules. As punishment, I must deduct one hundred points from Hufflepuff."
"And you must promise me that you will never use any form of Dark Magic within the castle again."
Kyle was taken aback. He hadn't expected Dumbledore's punishment to be merely a point deduction.
While one hundred points sounded like a lot, it was a rather painless punishment, especially for Hufflepuff, who valued food more than anything.
"I promise, Professor," Kyle said.
"I hope you'll remember that," Dumbledore said, looking up at him. "By the way, you also need to compensate Professor Lupin for his office. Make sure to replace everything, from the tables and chairs to the windows.
If you don't have enough Galleons, I'll have to write a letter to your parents."
"What?!"
Kyle, who was drinking lemonade, choked a little. "Can't we find some other reason and have the school reimburse it?"
"Of course not," Dumbledore said, giving him a strange look. "This was your mistake, after all."
This boy, what did he think of the school governors?
Well... it wasn't entirely impossible, but it wasn't necessary either.
"Alright, you may go now," Dumbledore said. "You should still be able to make it to the first Care of Magical Creatures class."
Kyle hesitated, "I have one last question, Professor."
"Go ahead and ask."
"Is there any way to defend against a Boggart?" Kyle asked hesitantly. "For example, using the Mind-Blocking Charm?"
"I'm afraid that would be difficult."
Dumbledore's expression remained calm as he explained, "Boggarts are akin to another form of the Mirror of Erised; their ability leans more towards reflecting your inner fears rather than spying...
Unless you master the Mind-Blocking Charm to a very high level, it's unlikely to be effective."
"Like you, Professor?" Kyle asked.
"If I wished to, yes," Dumbledore said. "However, there are far more suitable methods to deal with Boggarts, all of which are much more useful than the Mind-Blocking Charm.
"You could also consult Professor Lupin about it. I recall him teaching a useful little spell to the third-years yesterday."
"Riddikulus?" Kyle asked.
"It seems you already know," Dumbledore said. "Yes, the standard answer from the book. Simple yet effective."
Kyle frowned, "But it doesn't prevent the Boggart from transforming, does it?"
"At the very least, you won't need to create such a ruckus," Dumbledore said half-jokingly. "You can't go around blowing up offices every time..."
...
(End of Chapter)
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