Vaulted principal's office

After that, a long time passed.

It was long enough for Gawain to quietly put away the fragments of his "murder weapon", the teapot, and hide them in a dragonskin pocket.

He also stood in the corner of the office, the farthest from Dumbledore.

"Oh, Gawain, you don't need to go through such trouble. If you like that teapot so much, I can give you one. ”

Dumbledore collapsed to the ground, his eyes finally clear.

"As for now, if you don't mind, can you help an old man? To be honest, I already feel the chill on my thighs..."

The White Wizard said weakly with a smile on his lips as usual as usual.

He tried to sit up as much as he could, but because he was too weak, he reluctantly gave up after two attempts.

Gawain stepped forward quickly, grabbed the old man's arm, and helped him sit down in a chair beside him.

A feeling told him that if he really let Dumbledore finish his sentence, he would lose something precious and pure.

"It looks like something has undoubtedly changed here, even though I don't remember. ”

Dumbledore cocked his wand and glanced around the office. He frowned, put his wand down again, and snapped his fingers.

A brand new tray appeared on the table.

Inside are ceramic teapots, teacups, and that never-changing snack bowl.

"Professor... Before, you were—" Gawain chuckled in his heart, and he said slowly as he pondered his words.

Even if he is aiming to be a court lawyer and can speak well, he is very hesitant to express himself at the moment.

- not about what happened in the previous office, but about how to clear oneself of "attacking the strongest white wizard in the world, the president of the International Federation of Wizards, the head of Wizengamot, the headmaster of Hogwarts".

In terms of rank, what he had just done was almost the equivalent of giving the Prime Minister a hard punch, and then pulling the Queen's wig off and pressing it on the Prince's head.

Although there are differences in the details.

But the essence is the same.

"It's over. ”

Gawain gripped his wand fiercely, wanting the initiator to feel the pain of the world.

As soon as Dumbledore got up from the stone basin, Gawain sensed something unusual.

Because on the old man's face, there is a layer of phantom.

No, it's not so much a phantom as it is more like his own human skin mask, but it's misplaced and still struggling.

"In its purest... Malice?"

Thinking of this, Gawain's right hand shrank.

A shallow layer of blisters formed on his right palm.

At the moment when the phantom appeared, the silver handle suddenly became extremely hot, like a charcoal fire.

That's anger.

Furious.

Attack.

The idea that the wand had transmitted to him was so clear that he subconsciously did so.

But it was absolutely not justifiable or justified, and he didn't read the damned Miranda warning that the Yankees liked, and apparently he couldn't put his wand in the dock and say it was all done.

"Not to mention the world of magic.

I hope it's at least a statutory law, or a case law, but not a sharia. ”

Gawain quietly gestured under the table.

But to his surprise, Dumbledore waved his hand to stop him from continuing.

"I forgot that this event itself has told me enough, please don't remind me again.

Some existences, even if they are known about it, can cause catastrophe. ”

Dumbledore whispered, looking very tired.

"Gawain, I know you're curious about what just happened, but I've forgotten about it.

What I can tell you now is only based on some rumors and legends, my personal speculation, or conjecture, or even the nonsense of an old man.

They are not necessarily right, and may well be wrong, and knowing them is not a good thing.

Even so, do you want to know?"

He looked into Gawain's eyes and said in a serious tone, even having to rest twice in between.

Gawain hesitated for a long time this time, so long that the tea was completely cold.

“... Yes, Professor. I want to know. ”

He nodded with difficulty, but did not regret it.

"As you may have realized, Hogwarts is no ordinary school of witchcraft and wizardry. ”

Dumbledore tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"There's too much prohibition, too much magic, too much protection, far more than a magic school needs. Even if it was built at a time when wizards were being persecuted and stormy, it was too 'extravagant'.

You know, that was a thousand years ago. ”

He took a sip of water and looked at Gawain.

A thousand years ago, there were many genius wizards.

The study of ancient magic and runes is also more "elite" than in modern times.

But in those days, the price of magical materials was also frighteningly high, and obtaining them often risked your life.

Want to build an almost "pompous" castle like Hogwarts, with protective spells and enchantments that last for thousands of years...

Not to mention the manpower expended, the cost of materials alone would have been enough to build at least five or six other ordinary schools, as Durmstrang did.

"The Big Four could have built a cheaper school and left their wealth to protect more wizards, but they did it.

Salazar Slytherin himself even contributed his family's domain and castle, along with the wealth he had accumulated over the centuries.

It's puzzling, isn't it?"

Dumbledore lifted his glasses.

"Definitely. ”

Gawain nodded.

Colin often says don't put all your money on one project. No matter how good the project is and how beautiful the prospect is, it is outright crazy.

Gambler behavior.

But the Big Four are not, and can't be, gamblers, and the fate of the entire wizarding world rests on their shoulders.

There is no room for negligence.

"I used to think so, until I saw another place with complex prohibitions, heavy protection spells, and the most powerful army I could find, and an idea came to me. ”

Dumbledore sighed, pulled a piece of golden candy from the small bowl and took it into his mouth.

"Azkaban?! Prison?"

Gao Wenmeng sat up straight, he had read about this place in books.

"We have awakened at different times, and when I realized the 'gift', I was already much stronger than you. He may have been deliberately avoiding me for fear of finding out something. It represents a twisted presence that evokes the deepest fears within you.

Do not disturb the sleeping dragon.

（Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus）”

At the mention of the school motto, Dumbledore's brow suddenly tightened, but it returned to normal in an instant.

"Alright, that's all for the bedtime story. It's getting late. It will soon be discovered that sometimes our gifts are also a 'burden'. ”

Dumbledore stood up, patted Gawain on the shoulder, and gave the order to evict him.

Although he was still confused, Gawain did not dwell on it anymore, but simply said goodbye to Dumbledore.

"Who is Ariana?

Why is it the gates of hell?

And also... Why would that damn melody be Dvořák's From the New World?!"

Come with questions.

Leave with more questions.

Walking briskly through the castle at night, Gawain felt as awkward as his own sister.

- Although I was dissatisfied, it was a success.

PS: Kissing your sister is a Western slang term for barely satisfying success.