Chapter 532: The Truth Is the Only Unimportant Thing
Chapter 532: The Truth Is the Only Unimportant Thing
Felix folded the newspaper. "Chirp!" Valen called out.
It wasn't finished yet!
"Alright, seriously, you should improve your reading speed. Where are you now?"
Valen pointed to a paragraph in the middle of the newspaper with the fork in his hand.
"Eldertree Staff?" Felix muttered. "I'll tell you a story about the Chamber another day." He continued sipping his cereal, ignoring the curious glances around the Great Hall. After finishing breakfast in peace, he appeared in Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts.
There was already a guest there.
A short, plump, bald man squeezed his bulky body into an armchair, his chubby hand picking up a sugar-coated pineapple from a nearby box and chewing away, his walrus-like silver beard sticking with bits of sugar.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I have something to report", Felix said, calmly observing the man. The man wore a brownish-purple velvet coat, and the shiny copper buttons groaned under the strain of his swallowing.
It was strange how he could think of a Thestral eating, but Thestrals were much thinner than this Wizard.
Slughorn glanced at Felix casually, his mouth suddenly stopping, "Is this him, Albus?" He asked Dumbledore, who sat across from him, looking almost pitifully thin in comparison.
"Felix Hep", Felix said politely, "If you're asking for my name."
"Ah, of course, who else could make such an impression?" The Wizard said, nimbly jumping out of his chair and reaching into his coat pocket with his other clean hand, pulling out a soft purple velvet handkerchief to wipe his fingers meticulously.
"I've been looking for a chance to meet you", he said, extending his chubby hand to Felix, "The famous Felix Hep, the pride of Slytherin."
"You flatter me", Felix said, shaking his hand. He felt his fingers become sticky but knew it was just a psychological effect. He asked tentatively, "Mr. Slughorn?"
The Wizard's face lit up, his protruding belly trembling rhythmically.
"Sit here..." Slughorn gestured for Felix to sit closer to him, speaking with the authority of the host. Dumbledore smiled, finding the situation amusing, as Valen jumped from Felix's shoulder, tugging at Dumbledore's trouser leg and pointing with a pink little finger at Fawkes, who was perched on a shelf.
"Chirp?"
Dumbledore magically produced a piece of candy and winked at Valen, "Sharing is the key to friendship."
"I agree with you, Dumbledore", Slughorn said loudly, sitting down next to Felix and settling back into his chair, wriggling to find the most comfortable position. After a moment, he sighed contentedly, "Would you like one, Felix?" he asked enthusiastically.
"No, thank you", Felix said, "I'm allergic to sweets these days."
"I go through phases like that too", Slughorn said with a hearty laugh, picking up another pastry, "Sometimes I have a particular sweet I crave, and I indulge until I don't want to touch it for years... That was when I was younger. Now, I prefer a little bit of everything."
"A wise observation", Felix said briefly, wishing it hadn't been illustrated with sweets. He watched as Valen climbed onto the table, standing on its spindly legs and staring at Fawkes, who perched on a gilded perch. Valen held the candy and swayed on the table, while Fawkes gave it a sidelong glance.
Dumbledore and Slughorn watched with interest.
"Cockroach Cluster, some people don't like it, but it has a unique flavor", Dumbledore said. As he spoke, Fawkes quickly extended its head from the perch, snatching the cockroach-shaped candy from Valen's hand and swallowing it, the long beak making a crisp "crunch."
The three of them looked away, satisfied.
"Ah, I'll get the item you requested", Dumbledore said to Slughorn, standing up and walking around the spiral staircase to the second floor.
As his figure disappeared up the stairs, Felix felt Slughorn's eyes quietly observing him.
"You're more approachable than I imagined", Slughorn said after a few seconds, "I mean, many people have mentioned you in their letters, and it's hard to believe the wide range of opinions about you."
"That's not surprising", Felix said.
"Oh, well, you're right, everyone has different perspectives. I heard some rumors, for example, about your background... although I don't care at all—really!" Slughorn said, then went on to describe his extensive network of contacts over the years, people he claimed were "in key positions." Many of them were Wizards from Muggle families, as he said, and he had no bias regarding bloodlines.
Felix could tell from the gleeful expression on the man’s face that he had a passion for collecting. So Felix suggested that he write a memoir, documenting all the brilliant students he had taught. Upon hearing this, Slughorn’s face lit up, and he seemed to feel as if he had found a kindred spirit.
“Back when I was the Head of Slytherin, I discovered that young wizards from Muggle backgrounds always brought me all sorts of new ideas. It’s truly remarkable… of course, I mean the exceptional ones. From this perspective, their presence is essential, bringing fresh blood to the stale magical world… It’s a shame I didn’t retire two years later.” He stared at Felix with intense eyes, as if regretting having missed out on a precious treasure.
“Do you still keep in touch with those students?” Felix asked. From the snippets he had heard during the summer, the old man lived in a very remote place.
“Sigh, I originally planned to hide away and lie low. You know, things will get chaotic soon, and I don’t get along well with those dangerous types, but they will definitely come looking for me… I have a feeling,” Slughorn said, “and that’s when Dumbledore appeared.”
He suddenly looked angry. “He wanted something from me, oh, I can’t say what exactly—” he waved his sugar-coated fingers, “I’ve worked with him before, and I know his character; he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He even found a young person to persuade me!”
Felix smiled, knowing who that person was—Harry.
“I’m just saying this in private, but it was a despicable move,” Slughorn leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, “but it was clever. He hit my soft spot. I’m old, and my heart has softened, especially when it comes to the children of my favorite students…” He sighed deeply, his walrus mustache curving comically, “by the way, she was also from a Muggle background.” He picked up another pastry.
“Lily was a genius, full of spirit and talent, and she knew the value of gratitude… Ever since she found out my birthday, she would send me a thoughtful gift every year, without fail, even after she graduated. When I read about her death in the newspaper, I knew no one would ever send me those cozy knee warmers again… sigh, good people don’t live long.” He muttered, blowing his nose loudly with a handkerchief.
Felix wasn’t sure how to respond, but Slughorn had already smoothly moved on to another topic.
“You don’t know how Dumbledore gets people to talk. He brought wine on my birthday, saying it was to celebrate, but he couldn’t fool me; I knew what he was up to! But I couldn’t refuse a sumptuous dinner, even if both the old and the young had ulterior motives… The worst part is, he used me and then left me to fend for myself. I asked him to introduce me to the two youngest Order of Merlin recipients, but he kept pushing me away, saying I wasn’t a teacher at the school and shouldn’t bother them… He even suggested I write them letters!”
Slughorn said with indignation.
At that moment, Dumbledore appeared at the top of the stairs, speaking in a tone that suggested he found the situation amusing:
“Dear Horace, of course I wasn’t targeting you. In fact, the media has been trying to arrange interviews with me, but I’ve been rejecting them all, citing the potential disruption to their studies. I don’t think it’s good for them to know they suddenly have a bunch of admirers; it would only confuse their young minds.”
Dumbledore handed a package to Slughorn.
“Thank you,” Slughorn said, a rare occurrence, as he struggled to stand from his armchair and took the package. He grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and tossed it into the fireplace, where a green fire blazed. “I’ll be back, Dumbledore!”
Slughorn stepped into the fire, hesitated, then pulled back. He fished a small bottle from his pocket and threw it to Felix. “Give this to Harry Potter. It’s a belated birthday gift.”
He stepped into the fire, clutching the package, and disappeared in a comical spin.
Felix looked at the tiny bottle in his hand—it was Felix Felicis. He put it away and turned to Dumbledore, his voice serious. “Albus, I need to speak with you.”
“About the Elder Wand?”
“You’ve seen today’s newspaper?” Felix asked.
“Not just today’s newspaper,” Dumbledore replied.
"What?"
"This morning, I contacted some friends in France, Bulgaria, Norway, and even the United States. They told me they saw similar articles, but not today. The earliest records date back to a week ago."
Felix frowned.
Voldemort’s plan was thoroughly executed, achieving three goals at once. In his understanding, Voldemort had three objectives: first, to create trouble for him, making it impossible for him to focus on other matters for months; second, to test the authenticity of the Elder Wand using the lives of others; and third, Voldemort might have a secret hope that this incident could drive a wedge between him and Dumbledore.
After all, if there were Dark Wizards constantly lurking around the school, Dumbledore might genuinely become discontented. If he were Voldemort, he could easily control a few unfortunate individuals to infiltrate the school, coupled with a media campaign...
But with such a grand and public move, Felix felt that Voldemort might have other plans in mind.
The school? The Ministry of Magic? Or Durmstrang? He pondered these possibilities in his mind.
"Voldemort has finally given the Death Eaters something to do while they're hiding", he said with a touch of sarcasm.
"This move has indeed caught us off guard. If the news had been limited to Britain, I believe we wouldn’t be so passive... But by now, quite a few people might have illegally entered Britain", Dumbledore said. "I’ve contacted Amelia; she will be here shortly."
Felix nodded.
"What are your plans next?" Dumbledore asked.
"Two things... First, I need Ms. Bones to clarify the situation to the public. Her word will be more convincing than mine. With her testimony, at least the British wizarding community won’t fall into chaos."
"Reasonable", Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Second", Felix’s eyes gleamed with a strange light, "spread the word that I have a way to prove the doubts from the outside world, and welcome British wizards and foreign wizards to ‘witness’ it." He emphasized the word 'witness.'
At that moment, he looked sharp and determined.
By 'witness,' he meant a challenge.
They say I possess the Elder Wand, but I don’t need it. I can still make all those who covet its power feel despair with my bare hands. Felix grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. He actually started looking forward to that day.
"Felix..." Dumbledore paused.
"Don’t worry", Felix glanced at him, "if possible, I won’t take lives, but don’t expect them to come out unscathed." In Voldemort’s case, the shadows lurking in the dark would only envy and fear him more, but for Felix, it would become a problem.
He seemed too low-key.
In Britain, his 'feats' were whispered about in dark corners, and no one would dare to challenge him easily.
But abroad, his name was relatively unknown. Well, not entirely, Felix thought. Many had seen him in action during the Quidditch World Cup, but he couldn’t be sure of the extent of the impact.
When the clock struck eleven, the fire in the fireplace flared up again.
Amelia Bones stepped out, looking travel-worn.
"You’re all here", she said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "it’s been confirmed that a group of people have entered the country illegally. Kingsley Shacklebolt and his Auror team conducted surprise inspections in Knockturn Alley and Hogsmeade, apprehending over a dozen foreign wizards, two of whom are wanted criminals in their own countries."
"The actual number in hiding will be much higher", Dumbledore said softly.
"We believe so too", Ms. Bones said.
"There’s a problem with the Daily Prophet—its editor must have been under the Imperius Curse", Felix said suddenly.
"That’s correct. We tested him with the Thief’s Downfall, but Barnabas Cuffe doesn’t remember anything, and it’s hard to determine if he’s pretending in the short term", Ms. Bones said, pausing to look at Felix. "Mr. Heap, I need to know, the wand in your possession..."
Felix waved his hand, and a black wand flew toward her.
"I did have a new wand custom-made by Mr. Ollivander, a replica of my first wand—thirteen inches, ebony. The only difference is that the wand core is my own hair", Felix said, gesturing for her to proceed.
Ms. Bones looked apologetic. "I apologize for the intrusion." She took the wand and gave it a gentle wave, but the wand showed no response, even resisting her magic.
"You should be able to notice its characteristics—extremely exclusive, suitable only for me." Felix said softly, calmly spreading his hand. The wand forcefully broke free from Ms. Bones' grip, flying over to him and circling around him while emitting an excited hum.
"So you should also be able to deduce that this is the wand most suited for me."
Ms. Bones watched this scene in amazement. To her, the wand seemed overly lively, and she nodded instinctively.
"Wait, your hair?" She looked at Felix with a peculiar expression. "Do you have magical creature blood in you? Oh, sorry, you don't have to answer..."
Felix's face darkened. This was why he didn't want others to know about the wand core material, especially acquaintances like Sirius and Severus. Although these two had vastly different personalities, they would undoubtedly agree on one thing—Felix would be laughed to death.
"The use of hair is related to my unique magical path", he explained simply.
"I can vouch for this", Dumbledore said.
Ms. Bones assumed he was referring to unique magic and didn't press further. After a brief discussion, the three of them reached an agreement.
"Oh, by the way", Ms. Bones said as she was about to leave. "Tonks reported to me about the large puppet guards at Durmstrang. I took a walk around the entrance and could sense their extraordinariness... Do you think the Ministry of Magic could purchase a batch?"
"Sure, I'll talk to Remus about it", Felix said. "But don't have too high expectations for them. Their current defense mechanisms are quite rigid, and they can only serve as a restraining force at best."
"Can they reduce casualties among combat personnel?" Ms. Bones asked.
"Of course."
"That's enough", Ms. Bones said with a smile, leaving through the fireplace.
Felix also got up to take his leave. He needed to make some preparations for the upcoming events. He was rather optimistic; in his view, this was a good opportunity to promote the Runic Script system and expand the influence of 'Future World' company. It all depended on how he approached it.
Valen waved goodbye to Fawkes, who let out a proud cry.
As Felix walked to the door, Dumbledore hesitated for a moment and called out to him, "Actually, I know who the Elder Wand belongs to."
Felix turned around and looked at him deeply.
"It doesn't matter anymore", he said.
"Indeed", Dumbledore nodded slightly. "In this confrontation, the truth is the only thing that doesn't matter."
"—But I'm still interested", Felix added.
Dumbledore was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. "Alright, if you insist... It's in my possession."
By now, the news in the morning paper had spread throughout the school, and students were enthusiastically discussing the topic of the "Top Ten Wands."
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Title: Just a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor
Also a Harry Potter fanfiction, written by Da Hai Chuan, who previously wrote "My Hogwarts Has Serious Issues." There's a link at the bottom.
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When Sherlock Forrest arrived in the Harry Potter world, he had neither the Golden Thumb nor the memories of his original host. Looking at the Hogwarts appointment letter in his hand, he pouted.
"Just a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, that's all."
...
A few years later, the Daily Prophet interviewed Harry Potter, one of the Top Ten Wizards of the 21st Century.
"What was the happiest day of your life?"
Harry's face broke into an involuntary smile.
"The day Professor Slughorn released us from class early."
"What was the day you least wanted to experience again?"
Harry's face immediately darkened.
"Every year's Halloween."
"Why is that?"
He covered his face in pain, even breaking down into sobs.
"Because on that day, Professor Forrest would wish me a Merry Christmas!"
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Alternative Titles: "Please Shut Up, Professor Forrest!" "On the Matter of Defeating the Dark Lord with Just a Few Words from a Professor", "Surviving at Hogwarts Just to Live a Healthy and Happy Life"
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(End of Chapter)
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