Chapter 842: The Missing Memory
Chapter 842: The Missing Memory
"What in Merlin's name is going on here?" Kyle muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead as he observed Dumbledore's bewildered expression. He had come to rescue the man, but before they could even exchange a word, a fight had broken out.
Fortunately, Dumbledore, despite his partial memory loss, seemed to be in a relatively lucid state. Upon realizing something was amiss, he temporarily abandoned the idea of erasing Kyle's memories.
It was evident that Dumbledore's temper was rather volatile at this moment. He would wave his wand at the slightest provocation, but his current weakness and inner reservations prevented more severe consequences.
Kyle conjured a chair for himself and sat down across from Dumbledore. "Professor, do you truly remember nothing at all?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "I don't remember."
"Then, have you never questioned it?" Kyle continued. "You believe yourself to be a Transfiguration professor, but that should have been during your middle age or even earlier. Your current appearance clearly doesn't match that age group."
"Because this isn't the first time I've been here," Dumbledore explained. "I can't recall the exact number of times, but I know I've returned many times, and the cumulative duration is not insignificant."
Kyle sighed in exasperation.
According to Dumbledore's words, he was aware of the discrepancy between his appearance and his remembered age but didn't find it problematic. He attributed it to the natural aging process during his repeated returns to the past.
"However, it seems the situation is entirely different from what I imagined," Dumbledore said, looking at Kyle. "Can you please tell me the truth?"
"Sure, but it's a complicated matter. Let me think about where to start..." Kyle rubbed his forehead.
"Take your time; we have plenty of it," Dumbledore said calmly, sounding like the familiar Hogwarts headmaster once again. "Let's begin at the very beginning."
Kyle took out the golden pocket watch. "This is the time-turner we used, a creation from a thousand years ago by Salazar Slytherin."
A surge of familiar memories flooded Dumbledore's mind as he gazed at the golden pocket watch, but they were hazy, like a forest hidden in mist, revealing only faint glimpses.
"Go on," he asked. "How did we come to possess something from a thousand years ago?"
"That's where my third-year comes in," Kyle began, recounting the events of the Chamber of Secrets in detail, including the petrification of the Hogwarts caretaker's cat during the Halloween feast. Dumbledore listened quietly, occasionally furrowing his brow but never interrupting.
"This time-turner connected everything, and after I returned to the correct timeline, it was preserved. However, it was completely broken at the time, and the one we're using now has been repaired by Professor McGonagall, Nicolas Flamel, and Professor Victor from Beauxbatons."
More vague memories surfaced in Dumbledore's mind, causing him to rub his forehead.
"Professor, are you alright?" Kyle asked with concern.
"I'm fine," Dumbledore assured him, taking a deep breath.
"That's it; there's not much more to tell," Kyle said, spreading his hands. "You used this to return to the present, which is this time."
"Then why did you come here?"
"Because you never appeared again after that," Kyle explained, raising his head. "Nicole believed you must have done something and were excluded from the correct timeline. My purpose here is to bring you back."
"So, you're saying that after using the time-turner, I disappeared?"
"Exactly," Kyle confirmed with a nod.
"If that's the case, things are a bit tricky," Dumbledore said after a moment of thought. "I think I understand why I lost part of my memory."
"Why?"
"Because I'm disappearing," Dumbledore stated calmly.
"Disappearing?" Kyle echoed, taken aback.
"Yes," Dumbledore affirmed, lifting his head to look at the window above the barn. "After this summer, I tried many ways to save Ariana, including the time-turner. I spent five years searching through all the knowledge I could find on the subject. I also have some understanding of time exclusion, thanks to Aberforth."
"I'm disappearing, and the missing memories are the most obvious manifestation of it," he continued, pointing to himself. "The same person cannot exist in the same time, so when my memories overlap with this time's version of me, I won't return."
An awkward silence filled the barn.
Kyle tightly gripped the time-turner in one hand while reaching out to Dumbledore with the other. "It's okay; once we go back, you should regain your memories. There's still time."
(End of Chapter 842)
"But Dumbledore took a step back, evading Kyle's grasp.
'I'm sorry, but I can't go back yet.'
'But Professor, you must know that nothing can be changed,' Kyle said earnestly, looking at him, 'Perhaps it's because you wanted to change something that you're being rejected by time, trapped in the past.'
'No, you're wrong,' Dumbledore shook his head, 'I haven't changed nothing, and I have a feeling I've succeeded.'
'Succeeded? What have you changed then?'
Kyle was getting angry, especially after seeing Dumbledore's face, pale and bloodless, a result of his extreme mental exhaustion.
Kyle had experienced something similar, though he hadn't lost his memory, but it wasn't pleasant either, feeling like his head was in a constant mess.
But he had only gone back three months.
But how long had Dumbledore been here... According to his previous description, the cumulative process of the loop had been at least several decades, or even longer.
Kyle pushed open the granary door, 'Look, you've returned to this time and lost all your previous memories. No matter how many times you come back, it will always be the same.'
'Even if you save Ariana, one day you'll return here, and everything will start over, looping endlessly. What's the point of it all!'
'Because of you,' Dumbledore suddenly smiled, 'You weren't there in the previous loops, but now you're here.'
'I came to save you,' Kyle said.
'That's the change,' Dumbledore said calmly, 'According to what you said, you don't belong in this era, and your very presence here is enough to prove the point.'
He laughed suddenly, 'I guessed it, 'I' plan, and I succeeded.'
'Your plan is to use me?' Kyle raised an eyebrow.
'Not using, but helping,' Dumbledore staggered to his feet, 'This matter requires someone from outside time to get involved, so I ask you to help me...'
Kyle remained silent.
Now was the best opportunity; if he took Dumbledore and left, the two of them could smoothly return to a hundred years later, and everything would be back on track, solving all the problems.
But if he chose to stay and help Dumbledore... everything that followed would become an unknown.
Whether or not they could save Ariana aside, the current issue was that Dumbledore might be rejected by time again, regardless of success or failure.
His memory would definitely be missing a portion again, and no one knew how many years it would be, or perhaps it might disappear as he said.
Moreover, even he himself might be rejected by time... If that were the case, they wouldn't be able to return.
Kyle was torn and didn't speak for a long time.
Dumbledore wasn't in a hurry either; he quietly sat and waited by his side.
The sky gradually brightened, and the sun hung in the sky at a slant. Someone pushed open the door and stepped out of the house, starting a new day of busyness.
Godric's Hollow became lively.
Kyle finally lifted his head.
He looked at Dumbledore, took a deep breath, and said, 'Professor, you won't leave here, will you?'
'Yes,' Dumbledore said firmly, 'This is the closest I've been to success, and I won't give up no matter what.'
'What if I insist on taking you with me?' Kyle drew his wand, and a crimson flame began to gather at its tip.
'You've lost most of your memories, and your body is extremely weak. Defeating you doesn't seem like a difficult task.'
Before Kyle finished speaking, the original flame had transformed into a small fire dragon, coiling around the wand.
'Even I, at my age, can't use the Incendio spell so skillfully,' Dumbledore laughed, 'I think you must be my most accomplished student.'
'What you're saying is useless, Professor,' Kyle raised his arm, 'I just want to take you back... You promised me that you'd only look at Ariana, but you broke your word.'
'I'm sorry,' Dumbledore said, 'If you want to kill me, I won't resist, or you can leave on your own, it's not related to you anyway.
'But if you insist on taking me away... I'll resist!'
Dumbledore's voice was light, but it was exceptionally firm.
Just like he said, this was the only chance to possibly save Ariana, and he wouldn't give up, no matter the cost.
As for whether Kyle would leave or not, it didn't matter; his appearance here represented the beginning of change, and that was enough.
Dumbledore also drew his wand, and in his extremely weak body, a mighty magic power gathered once more.
The standoff between the two made the dilapidated granary start to shake, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
'Never mind, I give up,' Kyle suddenly laughed, waving his wand to disperse the fire dragon.
"I must admit, in your current state, I'm afraid I might accidentally kill you."
"I agree," Dumbledore said, leaning on his chair, "I can only cast Incendio a couple more times at most, but I'm sure you know more than just that spell."
"You taught me another one, a Runic magic." Kyle shrugged, "It's quite useful, but it's a bit loud. Forget about this abandoned granary, the whole street might be in danger."
"Then I truly owe you my life." Dumbledore smiled, "When do you plan to leave... Oh, and after you return, please help Hogwarts find a new headmaster. You mentioned that Minerva was the Transfiguration professor, right? I think she'd be a great choice; she's very responsible."
"No, I'm not planning to return yet." Kyle sat back down, "I'm staying to help you."
"Aren't you afraid?" Dumbledore hesitated, "I was being selfish just now, asking for your help. But if you stay, you might be rejected by time, just like me."
"That's a possibility." Kyle admitted, "To be honest, I am afraid, but after carefully reviewing my memories, I discovered something intriguing that I hadn't noticed before. So, I've decided to stay."
"What memories?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"This one..." Kyle picked up the Time Turner and examined it closely. "It was taken away by you, so why did it reappear and end up in my hands?"
"Oh?" Dumbledore's eyes widened, "You've figured something out."
"It's hard to explain." Kyle shook his head, "Normally, you should return to the correct timeline and then send it back, which was my initial thought. But now it seems like I was the one who sent it back."
Dumbledore's eyes lit up, but he remained silent, calmly watching Kyle as he asked, "What do you think this means?"
"I'm not sure..." Kyle frowned, "I don't understand time, but perhaps... this is the correct time, and the past that was preserved."
Dumbledore's eyes brightened even more.
"Besides that, there's one more thing." Kyle continued.
"Tell me."
"It's about someone I met, but I can't talk about it now." Kyle put away the Time Turner, "Anyway, because of this discovery, I decided to take a chance."
"What time is it now?"
"Eight o'clock," Dumbledore said.
"How do you know?" Kyle asked, "Is there a clock here?"
He looked around, and apart from a few protruding wooden beams, there was nothing else in the granary.
"It's the rooster from the Potter family," Dumbledore explained, "They always crow at eight o'clock, and that's how Gellert and I would meet every day."
As he mentioned it, Kyle indeed heard a faint crowing sound.
"Also, young Gellert and I would return at 10:23."
"I noticed that earlier," Kyle said, "The timing is so precise."
"That's when Ariana had her accident." Dumbledore's voice was heavy.
"So, when you two returned, she..."
"Yes," Dumbledore closed his eyes, "After we returned, Aberforth would be furious because of my sudden departure, and we had the most intense argument in our history.
"Gellert was searching for the Invisibility Cloak, but to no avail. Already angry, he exploded at Aberforth's scolding, and the two started fighting, using the most vicious spells on each other."
"Could Aberforth beat Gellert?" Kyle doubted that it was a fair fight; he believed it was more like Gellert brutally beating Aberforth.
"He's still my brother," Dumbledore sighed, "I subconsciously chose to help him, which made Gellert even angrier. So, the fight between two became a battle of three."
"Ariana saw everything from the attic, and she ran to stop them..."
At this point, Dumbledore choked up, his eyes welling with tears.
But Kyle understood.
Aberforth and Gellert were already engaged in a deadly fight, and Dumbledore, to stop them, would have fought with all his might.
Ariana, a Silencio user, was just an ordinary girl who couldn't even cast Lumos. Running into a battle between wizards, the outcome was foreseeable.
Any spell could potentially kill her, and the Silencio within her might even explode under the influence of magic.
Thinking of the little girl who longed for friends and would be delighted by a piece of candy, Kyle sighed.
Now, even knowing the dangers of staying, he was more determined to help.
He couldn't help it; his heart was too soft.
...
Chapter end
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