Chapter 602: Dumbledore's Memory
Chapter 602: Dumbledore's Memory
Hogsmeade.
Even though school was not in session, the village was bustling with activity, and every shop was open for business.
After all, as the most famous wizarding village in all of Britain, Hogsmeade attracted not only students but also numerous graduates and curious witches and wizards who frequently visited.
However, there seemed to be an unusually large crowd today, and foreign witches and wizards were spotted all along the roads.
But their destination was not the more popular shops; instead, they headed towards an inconspicuous pub on the edge of the village.
The Hog's Head.
Kyle looked up at the sign above the entrance and then walked in alongside Dumbledore.
It was evident that the place had been cleaned, but either the effort was perfunctory, or the grime and dirt had become one with the floor, as the effect was barely noticeable.
Not only did it pale in comparison to the Three Broomsticks, but even the Oak Tavern in the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary looked cleaner.
The only redeeming factor was that the cups here were clean—shiny and seemingly brand new.
While this would be expected in any other pub, it was a rare sight here... After all, everyone knew that if you wanted to drink at the Hog's Head, bringing your own utensils was a must.
When Kyle entered, he found that the place was already quite full. In addition to the foreign faces, there were also several familiar ones.
For instance, Dug McMahon, who had written to him before, Professor Lockhart from Beauxbatons, and the Hogwarts professors... All except Snape and Hagrid were present.
Additionally, the owners of the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, and Zonko's Joke Shop were also there, having closed their shops to gather in this small pub.
Upon seeing Dumbledore, everyone stood up, and at the same time, they also noticed Kyle beside him.
A portion of them instinctively looked at Kyle's forehead and then wore incredulous expressions.
They had expected Dumbledore to bring Harry Potter, but the person before them did not have a scar on his forehead and was clearly not the famous savior.
However, those who knew Kyle did not find this strange at all.
"Well met again, young one," McMahon greeted warmly. "I hope my letter did not cause you too much trouble."
"When I received your reply, someone reminded me that I shouldn't involve you in such dangerous matters, and I realized they were right," he added.
"It's quite all right, Mr. McMahon," Kyle said. "Ever since that night I encountered the mysterious man, it was inevitable that I would be involved. It's not as if I was dragged into it against my will."
"So, you really did see him?" McMahon pressed. "With your own eyes?"
"Indeed," Kyle confirmed, as everyone in the bar turned to stare at him, their gazes unwavering.
Unfazed, Kyle continued, "His appearance is so distinctive that I believe anyone would be hard-pressed to mistake him for someone else."
Someone else was about to ask a question, but Professor McGonagall timely intervened and steered the conversation in another direction.
"Now, now, Dug, I think we'll save those words for later," she said, pulling Kyle to the side. "We have plenty of time."
"Very well, I'll leave it be for now," McMahon said, returning to his seat and calling out to the bartender, "A cherry soda, please."
The owner of the Hog's Head casually tossed a red bottle in his direction, but it didn't seem like he intended to send it all the way.
However, McMahon didn't seem to mind. He simply moved his finger slightly, and the bottle on the bar counter slowly floated over to him.
"A bit pricey... But no matter, Albus will pay," he said with a shrug.
"Of course, it's only right," Dumbledore chimed in. "But what we'll be discussing later is important, so I hope everyone will stay as clear-headed as possible and refrain from ordering strong drinks."
A while later, just as the clock was about to strike seven, the door was closed after the arrival of Professor Quirrell, and a golden glow appeared on the doorknob, hanging there like a lock. Then, the walls rippled, and the entire room seemed to be encased in a giant soap bubble.
Kyle guessed that this was probably some form of protective magic.
"Excellent, everyone is here.
"I assume you have all heard about Voldemort's resurrection?"
Dumbledore's expression was solemn as he continued, "I must tell you, it is true. Just two months ago, I faced Voldemort myself, and I am certain it was not an imposter but the real Voldemort. He has returned."
Kyle then provided some additional information, filling them in on the events that had transpired before Dumbledore's arrival and what he had learned from Harry about Voldemort's resurrection.
A murmur of discussion filled the bar, even though many had already known the answer; some still voiced their doubts.
This was understandable, as even in the wizarding world, there were no known accounts of a wizard returning from the dead, aside from becoming a ghost.
Dumbledore, however, did not immediately address their concerns. Instead, he pointed his wand at his head and extracted a shimmering, ribbon-like strand of light.
Hearing things second-hand could never be as convincing as witnessing it firsthand, so he decided to let them see his memory for themselves.
Dumbledore placed his memory into a prepared Pensieve and tapped the magical runes engraved on its rim with his wand.
The next second, a bright green light appeared out of thin air in the bar.
Everyone was startled by the unexpected Avada Kedavra, and a few of the more timid individuals even ended up sitting on the floor.
However, most people quickly realized that this was not a real Killing Curse but a memory of Dumbledore's.
This method of viewing memories up close was identical to the one in Nicolas' opera room.
Everyone fell silent and watched intently, including Kyle, who was thoroughly engrossed.
Neither he nor Harry had been allowed to remain on the mountain, so they had no idea what had transpired up there.
Most of the spells Dumbledore used in the memory were familiar to Kyle, and he even considered some of them to be quite commonplace.
Yet, when cast by Dumbledore, these same spells took on a whole new level of power and effectiveness.
There was a Floating Charm that dug out half a mountainside... a Transfiguration Spell that turned stones and trees into giants... and a Crushing Spell that reduced countless sharp knives to dust...
The battle broadened Kyle's horizons and exposed him to a variety of unique combat styles.
As for the Death Eaters, unfortunately, they were not a part of Dumbledore's memory, except for the occasional fleeting glimpse of their shadows.
Finally, the memory ended with Voldemort being flung away by a stone whip and lying powerless on the ground, while Dumbledore was bitten on the arm by a fiery serpent.
The room fell into a stunned silence; everyone was shocked by the power displayed by both Dumbledore and Voldemort, and they were grateful that one of them was on their side.
"That is what happened," Dumbledore said after a few minutes. "I know many of you are hoping that Voldemort, having just resurrected, would be weak, but as you have just seen, that is not the case.
"He remains as powerful as he was decades ago."
Although it was difficult to accept, the truth was right in front of them, and they had no choice but to acknowledge it.
"Albus, what should we do now?" someone asked. "Should we take the initiative and declare war before he fully regroups his Death Eater forces?"
"That would be difficult," Dumbledore shook his head. "I understand Voldemort, and he won't give us that opportunity.
"So, we must make other preparations... for the war that is to come." As he said this, he glanced at Kyle involuntarily.
However, Kyle was still replaying the details of Dumbledore's battle with Voldemort in his mind and did not notice.
"Tell us what to do, Albus," MacFay, the first to stand up, said firmly. "I will cooperate with you fully."
"Count me in..."
"Me too!"
One after another, people stood up to show their support.
"I would like to ask all of you to keep an eye out for any signs of the Death Eaters and help us gain more allies," Dumbledore said seriously. "I am certain that Voldemort won't remain quiet after his resurrection, and our best course of action is to stay vigilant and thwart his schemes and conspiracies."
(End of Chapter)
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