After Dlux left, silence enveloped the rotunda. Dumbledore looked in the direction of the Aurors' departure, not saying a word, not knowing what he was thinking.

Snape turned his head and stared at Ning An and Daphne, and stopped talking.

"You don't know anything, do you? Ning'an? Dumbledore's voice suddenly rang out, and he lowered his head and looked at Ning An again.

"Yes, Mr. Headmaster—" calmly met the silver-haired old wizard's gaze, and although the eagle-like gaze pierced him, Ning An still pretended to be a little anxious and said:

"That's all I know, can you tell me how Carly is?"

The silence lasted for about five seconds, and Dumbledore slowly withdrew his gaze, and for some reason there was a slight disappointment and worry on his face, and the old wizard cleared his throat,

"I'm sorry, Ning'an, I don't know what happened to Kalidora-"

He sighed, as if realizing that this was not a good topic, and the conversation shifted

"Okay, I think you two should go back and rest first, Mr. Delix will probably be here to investigate for a while, and don't tell anyone about today's events when you go back." Dumbledore looked tired.

"But sir! Carly, she-" Ning An still wanted to ask unwillingly.

"That's enough, Ning'an, the Ministry of Magic and the Aurors will take care of Calidora's affairs." Snape walked over, his broad, bat-like black robe flicked, and pulled over to Ning An and Daphne.

"Come here, I'll take you back."

Unquestionably ordered, Snape stood between the two and Dumbledore, and seeing that Dumbledore didn't say anything more, Ning An had no choice but to follow Snape with Daphne and leave the headmaster's office with an unwilling face.

Snape led them to the two ugly gatekeepers at the door, gave Ning An a slightly meaningful look, and then turned and walked towards the headmaster's office.

Seeing Snape walking away, Daphne gently attached to Ning An's ear and whispered, "What should I do next?" ”

Ning An sneered, he changed his expression as if his face had changed, he still had a confused and unwilling expression just now, and at this time he returned to his usual indifferent appearance.

"What can we do? The Aurors have not been able to find a clue, what have we done-" He spoke in a tone that did not match his calm countenance at this time, and he winked at Daphne, and he added:

"If you have the chance, you can go to Mr. Dlux and see if there are any new developments, he doesn't seem to have a good impression of me."

Daphne nodded understandingly, and the two of them left the eighth floor talking all the way.

Behind the gate guarded by the giant beast, on the original quaint gate, a large ear grewed, Snape stood behind the door, and with a light touch of his wand, the ear turned into a cloud of smoke and disappeared.

He walked slowly towards the principal's office inside.

Rounding the circular staircase and pushing the gleaming oak door back open, Snape returned to the large, circular room, where Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, looking like he was waiting for him.

"How's that, Severus."

Dumbledore frowned, under normal circumstances, you would hardly see this wise wizard show such an expression, because there is hardly anything in this world that can stump Arbus? Dumbledore.

"Daphne? Greengrass is lying. The cold voice with a dull nasal accent rang out in the office, and Snape dismantled Daphne with a single word.

"What about Ning'an?" Dumbledore didn't seem surprised by Snape's words, and he continued to ask flatly.

Snape was silent, his gloomy face as if it was going to rain, and his Adam's apple moved, but he made no sound.

"Can't even you find out?" Dumbledore's brow furrowed even tighter, Snape had never seen him look so troubled, even in the face of the Dark Lord back then, the great wizard would always be so confident.

"His Occlumency—Very Strong"

Snape was silent for a long time, and finally said something that even he didn't believe.

Snape wasn't just a master of Mind Retrieval and Brain Occlumency, he was a master at it!

Even in the face of Voldemort, Snape's Occlumency would protect him from the Dark Lord's thoughts.

And yet, now, he can't break through the mind of a sophomore? This is terrible news, especially when the student is clearly linked to a disappearance.

Snape found out that Ning An was practicing Receptivity last semester, but Ning An's mind control ability was still very immature at that time, but it was precisely because he was surprised that he could initially complete Regency and brain occlusion in the first year, so Snape cherished his talent and continued to give him some help.

But what happened, after a summer vacation, Ning An's brain occlusion surgery underwent a qualitative change, which can no longer be explained by talent, unless he is the reincarnation of Slytherin, how could this kind of thing happen?

"Don't startle the snake yet, Snape." Dumbledore rubbed his brows, he was really feeling a little tired at this time, things were going a little more than he expected, and fate seemed to have forked, blurring the clear lines again.

The crisis that was supposed to be dealt with has new variables, which makes this wizard who combines wisdom and strength also feel uneasy.

"We need to know what he's trying to do, you know, Snape, Voldemort, who will come back one day, lurking in the shadows, never giving up."

Dumbledore's eyes rarely brought a pleading, "I know you like him very much, you appreciate him, Snape - help me, watch him for me...... Look at him, don't let him-"

"Are you worried that Ning An will become a Death Eater?" Snape said coldly, but without denying what Dumbledore had said.

"No, no—" Dumbledore's long silver beard was blown up by him, "Not a Death Eater, Snape, you know he can't be a Death Eater." ”

In the spacious room, Dumbledore's voice echoed, and the portraits of the headmasters of the past also looked at the two people standing in the center, listening to their words, some with solemn expressions, some with curious faces, and some with disdain, but they all listened attentively.

Even the phoenix Fawkes on the perch stared at Dumbledore spiritually, with a serious expression, as if he felt the troubles in his master's heart.

Dumbledore rose from his chair and paced to his desk, recalling, exclaiming in a long tone, "His talent is horribly terrifying." ”

Snape nodded, "But you just said he couldn't be a Death Eater?" ”

"Have you ever looked closely into his eyes? Well? Snape? Dumbledore turned around and walked behind Snape, still talking

"Smart, deep and ambitious, do you know who it was the last time I saw such a look?" After a circle, Dumbledore walked back in front of Snape

"-Tom? Riddle! ”

Snape looked at the old wizard in surprise, his sallow face flashing pale. Of course he knew who Dumbledore was talking about.

"And Nimman is more talented than Riddle...... It should be said that he is much more talented, and Riddle can't practice Occlumency to this extent in the second grade. ”

Dumbledore muttered to himself, he rarely had such a nagging moment, unless things were gradually out of his control

"So you understand? Snape? - He won't be a real Death Eater, and if he goes down that path, he'll only become the next Dark Lord! - An even more powerful Dark Lord! ”

Snape couldn't help but shudder, he subconsciously thought that Dumbledore was joking, two Dark Lords? How can that be reality unless it's in a nightmare?

But Dumbledore's serious look shattered Snape's self-deception, his emaciated figure shook slightly, and the terrifying figure in his mind gradually coincided with Ning An, and the movements and demeanors of the two people seemed to slowly merge together, and then raised his wand at the same time and pointed it at himself.

"Scared—" Snape snapped back to his senses and breathed a sigh of relief, the back of his black robe was already soaked in cold sweat, how long had he not been so alarmed?

"But he's just a kid, isn't he?" His hooked nose twitched, still unrelenting.

"Yes, Snape, it's because he's a kid that we can guide him." Dumbledore sat back in the seat behind his desk that belonged to Hogwarts' most learned sages.

He whispered to Snape, "I just wanted to remind you, don't forget, he's also a wizard. ”

"I see." Snape didn't say anything more, he nodded, but the look on his face was complicated and became more solemn and gloomy.

"Bang-" The heavy door closed slowly after Snape left, and Dumbledore took off his half-moon glasses and tiredly placed them on the table.

Fawkes spread his wings and flew off the perch, landing on Dumbledore's shoulder, as if comforting his tired master.

"I think you need to rest, Dumbledore." The voice came from a hanging frame close to the ceiling, and in the picture of an old witch with long, curly silver hair, looking at him worriedly.

"Thank you for your advice, Dalys." Dumbledore stroked Fawkes, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Daphne lied, and Ning An undoubtedly had something to hide about Calidora, but he couldn't take drastic measures, which would undoubtedly push Ning An to the other side that Dumbledore didn't want to see.

But things are confusing, what happened, there is no doubt that all the changes are related to the disappearance of Calidora, maybe this is also the focus of figuring out the changes in Ning'an, so where is the breakthrough in Calidora's disappearance.

"Only from Daphne? Greengrass got started. Dumbledore thought to himself.