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Chapter 912: Dumbledore's Ancestral Mistrust
Chapter 912: Dumbledore's Ancestral Mistrust
The next morning, a bright and sunny day, but the atmosphere in the Hogwarts Great Hall was inexplicably oppressive.
Everyone was dressed in their formal robes, silently eating breakfast, not a word spoken, and the vast hall was quieter than the library.
Well, not everyone was like that; there was still some noise from the Slytherin table, where Crabbe and Goyle were whispering to each other.
They had been released the day before, claiming they had discovered Malfoy's plot but were knocked unconscious by him at the scene.
Not even the professors, let alone most of the students, could believe their story, but Malfoy loyally testified on their behalf, taking full responsibility.
And so they were released and became heroes in the eyes of some Slytherins, enjoying their newfound celebrity status.
Of course, they dared not be too arrogant, having learned from the previous incident.
The few with poor judgment were still lying in the hospital wing.
Madam Pomfrey was a professional healer who would never tamper with treatments or make mistakes like giving the wrong potion.
However, due to her overwhelming sadness, she lacked the energy to maintain order in the hospital wing.
The hospital wing used to be a place of strict silence, almost as strict as the library, where even the slightest noise could get you kicked out.
But now, things were different. You could play a Quidditch match in the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have the heart to stop it. The doors were left wide open day and night, allowing anyone to come and go as they pleased.
As a result, the injuries of those Slytherins kept increasing; sometimes, just when they were about to heal, their faces would swell up again overnight.
Snape had no choice but to post guards at the hospital wing entrance, but the consequence was that the next day, those guards found themselves in the same situation, lying in bed, while Madam Pomfrey spent the entire day grumbling and scolding Snape for his foolishness.
However, this incident also made those Slytherins more well-behaved. Even if they wanted to celebrate, they could only do so secretly in private.
After breakfast, everyone departed the castle in an orderly manner, following Professor McGonagall's arrangements.
The funeral was held in front of the Black Lake, at a spot with hundreds of chairs already set up.
The guests who had arrived the day before were already seated, with Professor McGonagall and the Minister of Magic, Scrimgeour, at the front.
Chris was also present, although he had already guessed the truth, but the others didn't know. As a former student and one of the department heads in the Ministry, it would have been impolite for him not to attend.
Whether it was to represent the Ministry, his identity as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, or to not expose Dumbledore's plan, he had to show up and put on a performance.
Kyle also spotted Aberforth in the crowd... He sat there with a frown, as if Dumbledore had truly passed away.
Or perhaps he regretted that it wasn't real.
Aberforth should have known the truth, as Dumbledore couldn't have kept it from Ariana.
And Aberforth was Ariana's favorite brother; Kyle didn't believe he wouldn't know what had happened.
Kyle glanced at an old witch standing alone in the corner at the back.
"I didn't expect to see you here," Kyle approached her. "Has the Department of Mysteries become so idle?"
"No, it's more like I'm the one with free time," Ariana said with a smile. "Thanks to you, I've been working in the Department of Mysteries for almost a hundred years. I still remember when Hepzibah Smith first joined; she would get into all sorts of trouble every day."
"Oh, right, she's the head of the Department of Mysteries now."
"I see," Kyle nodded.
She's of great seniority... Just like Professor Marchbanks, who is officially the head of the Wizard Examinations Authority, but even the Minister would rush over to greet her.
Ariana's situation in the Department of Mysteries was probably similar.
"Even if they're not sympathetic, they won't blame an old woman over a hundred years old," Ariana said, her expression changing as more and more people took their seats.
"So this is how it feels..."
"What?"
"It's how Albus felt back in Godric's Hollow," Ariana said with a hint of amusement, shaking her head. "I guess my attendance at his funeral balances things out."
Kyle raised an eyebrow.
Dumbledore's Ancestral Mistrust?
Ariana didn't stay long, perhaps fearing she might burst into laughter. She left just as everyone took their seats and Hagrid walked out of the castle, carrying something.
Only Aberforth, who seemed addicted to the performance, remained, still sobbing.
Kyle really wanted to give him the Best Actor Award. Forget about the Death Eaters; even seeing him cry made Kyle want to run back to the garden to confirm whether Dumbledore was truly dead.
Why else would his brother be so heartbroken?
The short wizard at the front was also a familiar face; he had presided over the funeral of Alastor Moody, and now Dumbledore's.
Kyle couldn't help but wonder what expression would be on his face when these two people appeared together... It probably wouldn't be joy, and he hoped the wizard could hold up.
Having attended two fake funerals in a row, Kyle himself was exhausted. It wasn't easy to keep a straight face in such a solemn setting.
So, instead of going to the seat arranged by Professor McGonagall, which was too close to the front, Kyle added a chair for himself in the last row.
Next to him was Hagrid's brother, Grawp, a giant wearing a jacket and trousers as big as a tent... The fact that a giant was wearing clothes was astonishing enough.
I couldn't believe it, but the ugly, boulder-like head of the giant seemed to show a hint of gentleness, perhaps due to the costume's influence.
Even when Hagrid returned, sobbing, the giant kindly patted his shoulder.
Merlin's beard, Kyle never thought he'd see the day when he'd witness understanding in a giant.
The giant's comforting gesture was so powerful that Hagrid's chair legs sank into the ground, and he himself swayed unsteadily.
Kyle struggled to hold back his laughter, lowering his head and shrugging his shoulders.
Fortunately, this action resembled crying, so it didn't attract any attention.
After an unknown period, the small wizard finally finished speaking, and the Phoenix's song once again filled the air, adding a touch of sorrow to the already somber atmosphere.
Then, the Merpeople began to surface and sing, and the Centaurs emerged from the Forbidden Forest, shooting countless arrows into the sky.
Such a grand scene... The Death Eater had indeed died a fitting death.
It was a shame that this honor should have belonged to either Crabbe or Goyle, and Kyle wondered if they'd ever regret it.
"Kyle."
Hearing his name, Kyle lifted his head and saw Scrimgeour approaching, but Chris was quicker and reached Kyle first.
"Sorry, Rufus, Diana has something she wants to tell Kyle. Could you wait for a moment?"
"Of course, I'll wait," Scrimgeour replied.
He couldn't refuse; Chris was Kyle's father, and everyone would yield to him.
"Thank you," Chris said, leading Kyle forward a few steps.
"Someone at the Ministry suspects that you killed Dumbledore," Chris whispered.
"Me?" Kyle raised his head and pointed at himself, "...killed Dumbledore?"
"Who said that!"
"I don't know," Chris shook his head, "but suddenly, this rumor started spreading. It's not just within the Ministry; it's out there too."
"What's the reason? Why would I do that?"
"There's no reason," Chris said, "It's strange, as if someone wants to shift the blame onto you and make you the public enemy of the wizarding world."
"I understand. This must be related to the Death Eaters hiding within the Ministry."
"Good that you realize it," Chris said, "I came here to tell you that no matter what happens, don't leave Hogwarts if that person is still here."
"Why would I leave?" Kyle chuckled, "The Death Eaters won't succeed in making me the public enemy with this. They're underestimating the situation."
"The professors witnessed Malfoy killing Dumbledore. That's far more reliable than hearsay."
"Wait, you don't think Scrimgeour believes it, do you?" Kyle suddenly recalled the Auror's behavior earlier.
"I'm not sure," Chris said, "I just wanted to give you a heads-up and let you prepare."
"Alright," Kyle felt like laughing; he had received treatment that even Harry didn't.
Should he be happy about this?
"Well, I'm planning to leave once this is over," Chris said.
"Be careful," Kyle warned, "I'm worried the Dark Lord might target you."
"It's not the first time," Chris spread his hands, "Though I'm not sure what you've done, I've indeed encountered more Death Eaters recently."
"Don't worry, your mother and I have more experience dealing with the Dark Lord and Death Eaters. If necessary, I can hide in the Department of Mysteries."
"Mhm," Kyle nodded.
"But I don't think that's likely," Chris continued, "Now that Dumbledore is dead, the Dark Lord's attention will probably shift to Hogwarts and come after you directly."
"It seems so," Kyle agreed.
"Alright, as long as you understand," Chris didn't elaborate further, "Though these rumors are just a minor distraction, they might cause you trouble. Be more cautious."
"Also, if Scrimgeour says something unpleasant later, you..." Chris paused, "You'll handle it. He's quite skilled in capturing Death Eaters."
Chris patted Kyle's shoulder and then left Hogwarts.
Almost immediately, Rufus Scrimgeour approached.
"Someone is targeting you!"
Scrimgeour's opening line, almost identical to Chris's, left Kyle feeling dazed.
So, Scrimgeour wasn't here to interrogate him?
"Chris already told you about the rumors, didn't he?" Scrimgeour asked, "About you killing Dumbledore."
"Yes," Kyle nodded, "Someone claims I killed Dumbledore."
"Don't worry, kid, no one will believe it," Scrimgeour assured him, "The Minister and we don't believe it. We all know how close you and Dumbledore were."
As if to prove his words, the Phoenix, having completed its task, naturally perched on Kyle's shoulder.
Scrimgeour's eyes flickered.
"Thank you for your trust, Director Scrimgeour. I won't take these rumors to heart," Kyle said.
"Sorry, I think I should find Professor McGonagall now. The school can't stay closed indefinitely, and there are decisions she needs to make."
"Wait a moment," Scrimgeour stopped Kyle, "I have one more question about Mr. Dumbledore."
"What?"
"I mean, did he leave anything behind?" Scrimgeour once again glanced at the phoenix, seemingly unintentionally.
"I'm saying, a wise wizard like Professor Dumbledore must have made many arrangements beforehand, and I'm curious about his past actions."
"Oh?" Kyle looked at Scrimgeour.
"I don't know what you're implying, Director Scrimgeour, but I truly don't know of any plans or arrangements Professor Dumbledore had made."
Kyle's expression remained unchanged. "Why don't you ask Professor McGonagall? As the Headmistress, she would know more than I do."
"Yes," Scrimgeour frowned, and his expression seemed to change for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
"But I heard that you were the first to arrive when Dumbledore was in trouble, right?"
"Yes," Kyle didn't deny it. "The other professors were there too."
"That's true, but you were faster than them," Scrimgeour said, sounding a bit impatient. "As far as I know, the professors rushed over as soon as they heard the commotion, but they were still a step behind you."
"I'm not underestimating you, but how could you be faster than the professors?"
"Because I had a broom," Kyle replied matter-of-factly. "Isn't it normal for me to arrive at the tower faster than the professors while I was maintaining my Firebolt, the fastest broom currently available?"
"Why were you maintaining your broom?"
"For the Quidditch match," Kyle blurted out. "It reminded me of my experiences on the pitch, and I took it out to reminisce. It just so happened to come in handy."
"Then..."
"Director Scrimgeour, do you still suspect that I killed Professor Dumbledore?"
"No, that's the one thing I don't doubt at all," Scrimgeour shook his head. "I just want to know what happened in the tower before the professors arrived."
"There were only three of you there, right? After Malfoy did what he did, you only disarmed him instead of killing him?"
"Huh?"
Kyle was momentarily speechless... Wasn't killing Malfoy an option in an Auror's mind?
"And..." Scrimgeour didn't seem to care about Kyle's thoughts, and he glanced at Fawkes again. "He also seems to have left you with a considerable inheritance, a phoenix, which is quite rare in the wizarding world."
"Fawkes isn't an inheritance," Kyle corrected. "To be precise, he never belonged to Dumbledore; he is a free being, just like you and me. If he wishes, he can go anywhere at any time."
"Well, what about Malfoy? He killed Dumbledore, and you're not angry at all?"
"You didn't have such a good temper when you were in Godric's Hollow."
It had to be said that Scrimgeour was quite perceptive, as he had noticed many inconsistencies, even though they were all just guesses.
The time difference and Malfoy's situation were indeed loopholes.
To be fair, if this wasn't a prearranged plan but the truth, there was no way Malfoy could have left the tower unharmed... It was even questionable if he would have made it out in one piece.
Kyle rubbed his fingers together; Dumbledore should have consulted him beforehand instead of making such a big decision on a whim, giving him such a huge surprise.
At least with his help, the plan wouldn't have been as full of loopholes as it was now.
"Because this is Hogwarts, and neither Professor Dumbledore nor Professor McGonagall would allow me to kill a student."
"Even if that person is a Death Eater?"
"But he still has the identity of a student," Kyle said.
"Director Scrimgeour, I was only slightly earlier than the other professors. If you calculate it carefully, it might only be the time it takes to cast a spell."
"If you still don't believe me, why not ask Malfoy? He should be able to tell you the complete truth, and his words would be more convincing than what I'm saying now, right?"
Scrimgeour didn't speak; he just stared into Kyle's eyes, as if trying to determine how credible his words were.
"Of course, if the Ministry is running low on Veritaserum, I'd like to recommend Professor Slughorn from Potions class. He should be able to meet your needs."
"That's not necessary. We still have Veritaserum."
Perhaps the previous relationship of tens of thousands of Galleons had played a role, as Scrimgeour didn't get the answers he wanted, but he didn't lose his temper either. He maintained a relatively friendly expression.
"I hope we can continue to cooperate in the future."
"Definitely," Kyle said. "The wizarding world might become even more dangerous in the future, and only by joining forces can Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic have a chance to defeat the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord."
"It's great that you think so," Scrimgeour smiled.
"No, it's not just me. Headmistress McGonagall and all the professors think the same. We always stand united. I hope you can convey this message to Minister Bones as well," Kyle said.
When Kyle mentioned 'Minister', he intentionally emphasized the word.
"I will!"
Scrimgeour's expression turned a bit sour, and he didn't continue the conversation with Kyle. He turned and left.
Kyle didn't know if he would go to Malfoy, but it didn't matter if he did.
How could he and Dumbledore have left such an obvious loophole? Even without Kyle's intervention, Dumbledore had already made all the preparations.
Even if Scrimgeour forced a pint of Veritaserum down Malfoy's throat, he would only get the same answer as before.
...
(End of Chapter)
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