After a lunch meal with the Weasley twins, Ryan and the others leave the joke shop and head straight to Hogwarts Castle. The defenses around the castle were much better than before, especially the size of the patrols was much larger than before.

While many of these patrols are made up of volunteers from the temporary residents of Hogsmeade who have recently taken up residence, the level may not be very high. But their appearance proves from the side that the previous panic has slowly ended, and everything is starting to go on track.

Ryan and the others had planned to go back to their room to deal with some things first, and then talk to their friends. As soon as they walked up the foyer, a flash of fire exploded in front of them, and a small phoenix flew out of the flames. After dropping them a tight roll of parchment note, another flash of fire vanished.

"It looks like Professor Dumbledore, and I think he spotted me as soon as we walked into the castle. Ryan said as he took the note, and unfolded it. "Just like our manor, as a complex with a large number of magic circles and alchemy products, its owner always has control over any information in this building. ”

"And what's written on the note?" Hermione asked, looking at Ryan as she unfolded the note, "We've just come back to school from outside, what is Dumbledore doing to find us in such a hurry?"

"I don't know, because it's just an invitation to his office for a cup of tea. Ryan handed the note to Hermione, and Hermione saw that it contained only a simple invitation and a password for today's headmaster's office. Nothing beyond that.

"Sandwich marshmallows. After reaching the door of the headmaster's office and reading the command, the stone monster jumped to the side and gave way to the spiral staircase of the headmaster's office. Circling up to the oak door, Ryan knocked on the door, and the door opened.

The principal's office remained as it was, and a circular office was filled with all sorts of small strange sounds. Professor Dumbledore's silverware was still placed on the small table next to it and on the partition at the back of the desk, each turning, puffing out puffs of smoke. The Headmaster's phoenix stood on a tall gilded perch behind the door, as it had done before, and it chirped to greet Ryan as he looked at it.

Just as Ryan looked at everything in the office with a slightly nostalgic gaze, the door creaked open. Headmaster Dumbledore stepped out of one of the doors above, and stood on the platform to greet Ryan. "Ryan, Hermione, it's a pleasure to see you again after such a long time. ”

"We too, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Headmaster. After watching the headmaster walk down the stairs to the high-backed chair, Ryan nodded slightly. "Did you come to us today for something?"

"Sit down, you don't have to be so nervous. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore appeared in front of the large desk, along with the small coffee table in the middle of the chair. "It's just something very simple that I want to talk to you about. ”

"Black tea and refreshments, right, honestly, you don't taste like young people your age at all. Instead, it's like the taste that people my age like. As they sat down, Headmaster Dumbledore said, and as his words fell, a pot of black tea and a small plate of snacks appeared on the coffee table.

"Thank you for these refreshments, the familiar taste of black tea and dim sum at school is always so nostalgic, although I have only been away from this place for a month, it feels like I have been away from here for a long time. After drinking half a cup of black tea and eating a little heart, Ryan put down the teacup and said in a somewhat emotional tone.

"Yes, school always leaves us with some indelible memories. Dumbledore nodded in agreement, and then said, "The reason why I was in a hurry to call you here today after you returned to school is because there is something I need to talk to you about. ”

Ryan and the others leaned forward slightly after hearing Professor Dumbledore begin to speak, staring at Dumbledore in a gesture of attentive listening, only to see Professor Dumbledore speak. "I've heard that you raided quite a few manors the other day. ”

"Yes, you're right. "For the previous month, we had been fighting almost every day. It has to be said that the strength of those Death Eaters now comes mainly from the various products produced by their estates and the command of the native British Death Eaters, after destroying some of the manors and eliminating a group of local Death Eaters, we can clearly see that the resistance of the Death Eaters is weakening, and the number of innocent victims has been greatly reduced. ”

"I know, I also knew about this from my sources before. Professor Dumbledore nodded. "But I must say, boys, you're a little too aggressive. ”

"Radical?" Ryan said after repeating the word, a little puzzled. "Do you think my actions are radical? But I don't think my actions are radical, and I can even say that my actions are mild. ”

"Isn't that radical?" After raising his hand to support his half-moon glasses, Dumbledore looked at Ryan's face seriously, as if trying to see what Ryan was thinking in his heart, "You know, the wizards who died in the previous month are almost the same as those who died when Voldemort was most active in the last war, which is a huge loss for wizards in England." ”

"But, Professor. I can guarantee that everyone we kill deserves to die. Hermione couldn't help but stand up and argue, "Some of the people we killed had either innocent blood on their hands. Either a deadly spell was used in battle. It can be said that even if we take so many lives, every killing is to save people. ”

"Yes, I know. Dumbledore waved his hand for Hermione to sit down, and then said, "I assure you, I never thought that what you did was for some evil purpose. As an old man in his 100s, I can trust my own vision at this point. It's just that I think the means you've taken have crossed certain borders. ”

"Yes, we know that killing is the worst means. "But admittedly, sometimes it's the most effective. Now, for example, do you think there is a better way to stop the evil deeds of the Death Eaters who take pleasure in slaughtering Muggles?"

"Ugh-" Dumbledore sighed softly, while showing a tired expression, "I know that there are people who can't turn back now, many of them were my students, and I really didn't expect this to happen." I still remember when they entered the school, they were so innocent and lively—"

Seeing that Dumbledore began to reminisce about the past, Ryan and Hermione glanced at each other and did not interrupt him. Ryan knows that Dumbledore has been through a lot when he was young, losing his parents, sister, and brother, and turning against like-minded friends and lovers. So after going through so many things, Dumbledore did put all his energy into his students after that.

Therefore, the current situation of Hogwarts graduates fighting is not what the Headmaster wants to see, coupled with all kinds of pressures after the outbreak of the war, Professor Dumbledore is actually under a lot of pressure in his heart now.

As the leader of the White Wizard, he can't show his weak side in front of everyone. So now, Professor Dumbledore didn't maintain the appearance of the most powerful white wizard after meeting someone who was at least equal to him in strength. As a result, his mood fluctuated a little bit, and he began to talk about some past events.

Ryan didn't interrupt, but listened quietly. After all, Ryan knows that if he is under psychological pressure, he can talk to a lot of people. And Dumbledore's identity is only for everyone to confide in him, and he can't confide in others. In the current situation, which has been very bad, Mr. Chancellor must have accumulated a lot of pressure, and it is a good thing for everyone to have a chance to talk.