Hogwarts: The Exemplary Wizard I Am Chapter 908: Tom's Dilemma - Novel Cool

Chapter 908: Tom's Dilemma

Chapter 908: Tom's Dilemma

The only benefit of the Ancient Runes professor was perhaps the extra time he had compared to other professors.

On the first day of school, Kyle followed the tradition of this class and disappeared into the Hogwarts castle.

Well, except during mealtimes, of course.

The office assigned to him by Professor McGonagall seemed more like a display, empty without even a chair, causing Hermione to question her path when she came to ask questions.

But this was an old tradition; after all, Professor Babbling's office was similarly bare when she was around.

Outside, heavy snow fell, and occasional thumping sounds echoed from the Black Lake—the giant squid slapping the ice to scare students playing above.

In a nearby cottage, Kyle poured two cups of tea and handed them to the two identical individuals sitting across from him.

"So, your memory has returned?" Kyle looked at the two Draco Malfoys before him, "I'm sorry to ask, but which one of you is the real one?"

Kyle had been in the garden and only learned of Malfoy's return from St. Mungo's after receiving a message from Dumbledore.

Moreover, Dumbledore had thoughtfully brought the two of them along when delivering the message.

"It's him!" The 'Malfoy' on the left immediately pointed at his right-hand counterpart, "I just drank the Polyjuice Potion before coming here, and it'll probably take over an hour to return to normal."

Malfoy remained silent, his expression complex as he looked at Kyle.

"Does our deal in Knockturn Alley still stand?"

"It seems your memory has indeed returned," Kyle said.

"Yes, I remember everything," Malfoy replied. "And I know that you didn't keep your promise."

"What do you mean..." Kyle raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you already at Hogwarts?"

"But that wasn't your doing; it was the Dark Lord..." Malfoy explained, "He found a way to get me back to Hogwarts."

"Do you think that someone confirmed as a Death Eater can simply turn over a new leaf and return to school?" Kyle chuckled.

"Don't forget that the current Headmaster is Minerva McGonagall, who values student safety above all and isn't as easy to persuade as Dumbledore."

"If I hadn't found Professor Dumbledore to plead your case, she wouldn't have allowed a former Death Eater into the school, not even at the request of the Minister of Magic."

Malfoy stared at Kyle without blinking, seemingly confirming the truth of his words.

Kyle, on the other hand, remained calm.

Malfoy's return to Hogwarts was a decision made after discussions between him and Dumbledore, who later convinced Professor McGonagall. No matter how you looked at it, Kyle had played a part in this.

Kyle didn't speak, and neither did Malfoy, and the atmosphere fell silent for a while.

"I can tell you about the task the Dark Lord gave me," Malfoy finally spoke after an unknown duration, "But you have to promise me... No, Dumbledore must promise to rescue..."

"You don't have a choice," Kyle interrupted Malfoy, not allowing him to continue.

"Since Narcissa Malfoy took you to see Snape, you couldn't continue to side with the Death Eaters."

"You should be grateful that the Dark Lord doesn't know what you've done yet. Otherwise, he would have made his act at the entrance of the Ministry of Magic even more convincing."

Kyle naturally understood what Malfoy wanted—to rescue Lucius and Narcissa. However, he couldn't make such a promise, and neither could Dumbledore.

He was certain that Lucius and Narcissa were under tight surveillance by Voldemort, serving as a means to control Malfoy.

Rescuing them would essentially be equivalent to declaring war on Voldemort.

Given Voldemort's character, there was a high likelihood that he would kill them upon discovering any irregularities.

"I'm begging you, Kyle," Malfoy pleaded, "Please help me, even if it's just for the information I've provided or the donations my father can make to the school, including all the Malfoy family's wealth..."

He was well aware that his request was excessive, but he had no other options at this point.

The Malfoy family had already failed Voldemort too many times, and their continued failures had displeased him. If he didn't complete this task, Lucius and Narcissa's lives were undoubtedly at stake.

But the task wasn't something he could accomplish... In other words, Voldemort never intended for them to survive.

To be honest, Kyle hesitated.

But at that moment, Dumbledore's voice came from outside.

"I can agree to your request."

He pushed open the door and entered, sitting next to Kyle and asking,

"You want to save Lucius and Narcissa, right?"

"Yes, Professor," Malfoy replied, immediately abandoning Kyle as his focus shifted entirely to the greatest white wizard upon seeing Dumbledore.

"Please, Professor."

"I can agree to your request," Dumbledore said, "But can you share some information with us? We've been waiting for this."

"The Dark Lord sent me to kill you," Malfoy stated without hesitation.

Dumbledore's expression remained calm, and he didn't seem overly surprised, as if he had anticipated this outcome.

Again?

Kyle raised an eyebrow.

This wasn't the first time Malfoy had attempted to assassinate Dumbledore, but since he had failed in the past, why did Voldemort think it would be different this time?

It seemed like Voldemort was just looking for an excuse to eliminate the Malfoy family.

As the three of them exchanged glances, Cedric, standing beside them, felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

He had just heard some astonishing news.

The Dark Lord had used the Malfoys to threaten Draco to assassinate Dumbledore, but Draco had immediately turned around and revealed this information, siding with Hogwarts. He had even pleaded with Dumbledore to rescue his parents.

And from what Draco was implying, this wasn't the first time he had done something like this; he had previously passed on messages to Kyle as well.

A double agent? But was it appropriate for him to be privy to such confidential information? What if he inadvertently exposed it?

Cedric squirmed, torn between not wanting to hear more and worrying that leaving at this moment would be impolite.

"It's fine, Mr. Diggory," Dumbledore said with a smile, as if he could read Cedric's thoughts. "I trust you completely, just as I trust Kyle."

"That's easy to say," Cedric sighed, "but some secrets can't be kept just by keeping your mouth shut."

Legilimency wasn't an advanced spell, and Veritaserum was even simpler. Working in the Ministry of Magic, he couldn't guarantee that he could keep the secret.

"Don't worry," Dumbledore continued, "only a few people know about your membership in the Order of the Phoenix."

"Well... alright, then." After a moment of hesitation, Cedric relaxed and sat down.

He was also curious about what would happen next.

"Please continue, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said. "How do you plan to kill me? Tom should know that it's not an easy task."

"Yes," Malfoy nodded, "that's why he gave me this."

He tremblingly took out his wand, his eyes filled with fear, as if it were a bundle of explosives that could ignite at any moment.

"Hmm?"

The moment Dumbledore saw the wand, his expression turned serious.

He bent down and examined the wand placed on the table.

"What a terrifying piece of Dark Magic."

Cedric moved closer, perplexed. In his eyes, it was just an ordinary wand.

"This... is my wand," Malfoy said shakily. "But the Dark Lord modified it... it can cast the Killing Curse once..."

"Is that all?" Kyle felt like laughing.

A wand capable of casting the Killing Curse didn't seem like a big deal.

Many Death Eaters knew the Killing Curse, but none of them had managed to kill Dumbledore.

The Dark Lord's assistance seemed a bit too casual.

"Not quite," Dumbledore pushed up his glasses. "If I'm not mistaken, this Killing Curse is designed to rebound, right?"

"Yes... yes," Malfoy confirmed.

"Rebound?" Kyle asked. "What does that mean?"

"It's simple," Dumbledore explained. "You can think of it as a combination of the Killing Curse and the Shield Charm. If the spell doesn't kill the target, it will automatically rebound onto the caster."

Kyle understood.

"So, if Malfoy doesn't kill you with this spell, he'll die himself?"

"That's right," Dumbledore chuckled. "Tom's method forces me to choose between sacrificing myself or watching my student die before my eyes."

"And he made it obvious on purpose, ensuring I would notice." Dumbledore's laughter contrasted with the coldness in his voice, colder than the snowy weather outside.

Kyle clicked his tongue.

Voldemort's move was indeed ruthless, no wonder Dumbledore was so angry.

Malfoy was a Death Eater, but when he returned to Hogwarts, he was still a student. Given Dumbledore's character, he wouldn't stand by and watch his student be killed.

Even knowing it was a trap, he would most likely take that Killing Curse himself.

However...

"Did the Dark Lord forget about the Phoenix?" Kyle muttered.

Although Fawkes had just undergone a rebirth, this magical creature couldn't die. Even if he ate the Killing Curse, it wouldn't affect him.

At most, his growth cycle would be extended, and he'd have to spend a few more years as a fledgling.

Dumbledore, who had been burning with anger, suddenly froze, his body stiffening for a moment.

"Professor, you didn't forget, did you?" Kyle looked at him suspiciously.

"Of course not," Dumbledore's voice was slightly stiff. "I just... don't want Fawkes to go through another rebirth for me. It wouldn't be fair to him."

"Oh, then Fawkes is really lucky." Kyle smirked, his smile not reaching his eyes.

He was now certain that Dumbledore had forgotten about Fawkes.

When he had plucked Fawkes' tail feathers to knit socks, he hadn't been polite at all. Why was he being so considerate now?

"That's right, Tom did forget about the Phoenix," Dumbledore abruptly changed the subject, his voice stiff.

"He's the most staunch pure-blood wizard, looking down on all half-blood and Muggle-born wizards, let alone magical creatures.

"In Tom's eyes, everything from the Phoenix to the Fire Dragon, or even the caterpillar, is classified as livestock."

"Mmm," Kyle said noncommittally, not adding anything further.

"Let's return to our previous topic." He turned back to Malfoy. "The task the Dark Lord gave you was to use the Killing Curse on Dumbledore when you're alone with him, right?"

Malfoy nodded.

The reason he thought this task was impossible was that he didn't believe Dumbledore would sacrifice himself to save him.

It was only natural.

When faced with a choice between Voldemort's only rival, Dumbledore, and a former Death Eater, Malfoy, it was obvious who would be the better option.

Even Malfoy's own answer wasn't entirely convincing.

In his eyes, this was Voldemort's doing.

"I have a question that's a bit off-topic," Kyle said. "Was this really the Dark Lord's plan?"

"I... I don't know," Malfoy shook his head before continuing, "but when he found me, there was someone else with him."

"Who?"

"Aaron," Malfoy replied.

Just as he suspected...

Kyle rubbed his forehead.

Ever since learning about what had happened to Malfoy, he knew Aaron's involvement was a given.

Look at their group.

Voldemort, whose soul was shredded to pieces, and Barty Crouch Jr., who had been under the Imperius Curse for an extended period and imprisoned. The rest had also endured years of torture in Azkaban.

Not a single one of them had a sound mind, except for Aaron.

But... Aaron should have known that Dumbledore had a Phoenix by his side.

Kyle rubbed his forehead again.

At this point, Malfoy, eager to provide more clues, added, "He's a newly recruited Death Eater, but he's highly valued by the Dark Lord. His position among the Death Eaters even surpasses that of my father."

"Now he's a well-known Death Eater, and his status is higher than Lucius's," Kyle whispered.

Malfoy opened his mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment.

It seemed to be true, but something still felt off.

"The only thing Malfoy can do now is provide funds for Voldemort," Kyle continued. "Once your underground vault is empty, Malfoy will be of no further use."

"No, it's not like that. My father was just..." Malfoy trailed off.

"Was it also out of necessity that you gave Ginny the Dark Lord's diary and that the attack during the Quidditch World Cup was forced upon you?" Kyle scoffed.

Malfoy could be excused, but Kyle had no intention of dealing with Lucius. If it weren't for Dumbledore's sudden appearance, he would never have agreed to Malfoy's request.

As he had said earlier, Malfoy had no choice but to betray Voldemort, especially after regaining his memories.

Regaining his memories meant that Voldemort could see him, and even if he miraculously completed this assassination mission, Voldemort would never forgive a traitor.

So, Malfoy couldn't hide anything; he had no other option but to reveal the task.

What a shame... Dumbledore's arrival was truly ill-timed.

The atmosphere fell silent once more.

Fortunately, at that moment, Cedric's body began to return to its original form, breaking the tension.

As Cedric was taller, Malfoy's robe was tight on him, creating a comical sight.

Dumbledore adjusted the robe to fit Cedric better.

"Well, that's all for today," he sighed softly. "I'm glad you shared this with us, Mr. Malfoy..."

"Wait, Crabbe and Goyle should also know about this, and..."

He paused, his eyes filled with hesitation.

"What else?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Malfoy seemed to have made up his mind. Taking a deep breath, he said, "You should also keep an eye on Crabbe. He's changed a lot, and I barely recognize him. He's just like those insane Death Eaters."

"We will," Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Malfoy. If the need arises, I'll contact you again. But for now, you should return to the castle and prepare for your afternoon classes. Remember not to be late."

"Oh, and before that, you need to talk to Mr. Diggory. He'll fill you in on what's been happening lately."

"I understand, Professor," Malfoy said.

He stood up and left the cottage, with Cedric quickly following behind.

"I've been impersonating you lately."

"There's not much to worry about. There's just a girl who always greets you, but I don't know her, so I've been ignoring her."

"And Crabbe and Goyle, they fainted in the Slytherin common room before I came here. You'd better come up with a decent excuse... They're quite troublesome."

...

Their voices gradually faded away.

Kyle turned to Dumbledore, "Professor, you really agreed to Malfoy's request?"

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore replied. "His request was reasonable, wasn't it? And the information he brought is significant; in a way, it saved my life."

"No, what I mean is, it's not easy to fulfill," Kyle shook his head, not paying attention to the meaning behind Dumbledore's words.

Dumbledore had agreed to save them, and it had nothing to do with him. He didn't bother to get involved.

"The Dark Lord won't let Lucius and Narcissa show up again. We have no idea where they are.

"Since you've agreed to Malfoy's request, it would be embarrassing if you can't keep your word."

"I hadn't thought of that..." Dumbledore said, "but I have another plan that should save their lives."

"What plan?"

"Mr. Malfoy completes the task," Dumbledore winked. "By then, Tom will need all the help he can get and will naturally spare Lucius and Narcissa."

...

(End of Chapter)

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