The situation had developed in such a way that none of them could have anticipated when the morning began: Ron had actually committed himself to another duel with Malfoy, this one scheduled to take place in about two months' time, with the entire school potentially serving as witness to what would be either his redemption or his complete social destruction.
As they watched Malfoy swagger away from their table with his arrogant gait, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, Ron finally sat down beside Harry with a tense expression.
"That was far too impulsive, Ron," Harry said in a low voice to avoid attracting attention from nearby students. "You have to realize that was exactly the kind of provocation Malfoy was hoping for. He just wants to humiliate you in front of the entire school."
Ron's eyes hardened with a determination that Harry had rarely seen before.
"There are still two whole months before that duel takes place," He replied with intensity. "That's more than enough time for me to improve significantly, which means I won't necessarily lose this time. And besides...…he just called Hermione a mudblood..."
"I didn't take his pathetic insults to heart at all," Hermione said without looking up from her largely untouched meal, though a slight smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "However, I do agree that he certainly deserves to receive a lesson in proper behavior, Ron."
Ron nodded with relief before turning his attention toward Harry with a serious expression. "Harry, could you help me practice dueling?"
For a moment, Harry was genuinely stunned by the unexpected nature of this request. In all their years at Hogwarts, Ron had never directly asked for help with anything related to magic or academic performance.
Then his surprise transformed into a warm smile of pleasure and determination.
"Of course I'll help you," He replied without hesitation. "Two months is a considerable amount of time when it's used efficiently. We can achieve a great deal of improvement in that period if we train consistently."
Meanwhile, Adrian had barely crossed the threshold of the castle's main entrance when he found his path blocked by the imposing figure of Professor McGonagall.
"Professor Dumbledore has requested your presence in his office," She informed him, her stern expression indicating that this was not a social invitation but rather an official summons. "Based on his manner when he sent his message, I believe the matter is quite important and potentially time-sensitive."
Adrian nodded his understanding and made his way through the corridors toward the headmaster's office; his mind was already working through various possibilities regarding what crisis or development might require this 'time-sensitive' meeting.
When he pushed open the door of Headmaster's office, he saw Dumbledore hunched over his desk, his attention completely absorbed by what seemed to be a large piece of parchment spread across its surface.
"Ah, Adrian," Dumbledore looked up from his examination, reaching up to adjust his spectacles with trembling fingers. "I've been waiting for your arrival for quite some time now. I hope Professor McGonagall didn't have too much difficulty locating you."
"It took her some time and effort to track me down," Adrian replied as he stepped closer to the desk, his curious gaze automatically focusing on the parchment that had been getting Dumbledore's attention. "What exactly is that document you're studying with such concentration?"
"It's a map," Dumbledore explained. "I've been using it to conduct searches for certain... important things."
Adrian moved closer to examine the parchment more carefully, noting its detailed geographical features and the various markings that had been added in different colored inks.
The cartographic information appeared to cover a large portion of central and southern England, with particular emphasis on rural areas and historical sites.
"Let me guess," He said after studying the map for several thoughtful moments, his mind connecting the dots between recent events and current concerns. "This search is related to Voldemort's activities and possessions. Specifically, you're looking for Horcruxes, aren't you?"
Dumbledore's fingers paused slightly in their movement across the parchment's surface, a subtle reaction that confirmed Adrian's deduction while simultaneously revealing his surprise at having his intentions identified so quickly.
"Your perceptive abilities continue to impress me, Adrian," He said with what might have been either admiration or mild concern about apparently how transparent his activities had become. "Very few people would have been able to make that connection based on such limited information."
In fact, Adrian felt that only matters directly concerning Voldemort could instigate this level of intense focus and concern from Dumbledore.
"So," Adrian nodded with growing understanding, "you summoned me here specifically to discuss this Horcrux research? I'm afraid my knowledge in that area of magic is somewhat limited, so I may not be able to provide the kind of assistance you're hoping for."
"Actually, that's not the primary reason for your visit," Dumbledore replied, shaking his head as he came around from behind his desk to face Adrian directly. "Do you remember the dark wizard you caught in the Forbidden Forest ten days ago?"
"Has there been some new development in that investigation?" Adrian asked with new interest.
"Indeed, there has," Dumbledore confirmed with a grave expression. "Tell me, Adrian, are you familiar with Theodore Nott?"
"Theodore Nott?" Adrian repeated, searching his memory for details about this person.
After a moment's consideration, a mental image of a thin, unusually tall figure appeared. If his memories were accurate, Theodore was a Slytherin student in Harry's year, though Adrian had to admit that his impression of the boy was shallow and incomplete.
Theodore Nott had never distinguished himself academically, socially, or disciplinarily during his time at Hogwarts. He was neither particularly talented nor troublesome, neither popular nor notorious but simply one of those students who seemed to drift through without making any significant impact on their surroundings or drawing attention from faculty members.
However, Adrian did recall that the Nott family was included among the so-called Sacred Twenty-Eight, that self-proclaimed elite group of supposedly "pure" wizarding bloodlines that had maintained their genetic isolation through generations of arranged marriages and social exclusivity.
"Is Theodore somehow connected to that dead dark wizard?" Adrian asked.
"The dark wizard you killed in the forest was actually Theodore Nott's father," Dumbledore revealed with calm directness. "Theodore Nott Senior was among the very first Death Eaters to pledge their allegiance to Voldemort during his initial rise to power.
Like several other prominent members of Death Eaters, he managed to escape imprisonment in Azkaban through various legal manipulations, and political connections after Voldemort's downfall."
Adrian nodded with understanding.
This outcome was the inevitable fate that awaited all those who chose to follow the Dark Lord, he reflected with some emotion. Voldemort had never treated the Death Eaters as subordinates or allies, and only saw them as expendable pawns that could be sacrificed at any moment to advance his own agenda.
The case of Nott Senior was a perfect example of this philosophy. Despite years of loyal service as a veteran Death Eater, his ultimate reward had been subjugation under the Imperius Curse and eventual death in service to a cause that regarded his life as worthless.
"How have you chosen to handle this delicate situation, Professor?" Adrian inquired with genuine curiosity. "What about young Theodore Nott? How is he coping with his father's disappearance, and what does he know about the circumstances?"
Dumbledore's expression grew more troubled.
"Theodore probably doesn't know about his father's true fate," He replied with a weary sigh.
"I have decided to inform him that his father was discovered to be under the influence of Voldemort's Imperius Curse before being killed during an attempt to resist that magical control. Most tragically, I will also have to tell him that not even a body remained to be recovered for proper burial."
"No body remained?" Adrian asked with obvious puzzlement, clearly remembering the intact corpse he had transported from the forest to Dumbledore's office. "That corpse was missing only one hand when I brought it to you, so why..."
Before he could complete his question, Dumbledore provided the explanation that clarified this apparent inconsistency.
"After I just confirmed the dead man's identity, the corpse spontaneously burst into flames and was completely consumed. This was apparently the result of some form of dark magic designed to eliminate physical evidence through magical self-destruction. The spell work involved was quite ingenious, actually."
"I didn't detect any such magical signature or enchantment when I examined the body," Adrian said with a frown.
"The spell was activated remotely through the Dark Mark branded into his flesh," Dumbledore continued.
"No one could reasonably have been expected to anticipate such a thing. In fact, I haven't shared the complete truth about this incident with anyone else yet. At this moment, only you and I have full knowledge of what actually occurred in that forest clearing. Oh, and Miss Skeeter, though her understanding is also incomplete given her limited perspective on events."
"What about the Ministry of Magic?" Adrian asked, feeling genuine surprise. "Shouldn't this type of incident involving Death Eater activity be reported immediately to them?"
Logically speaking, transferring responsibility for such matters to the Ministry's Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, or possibly the Auror Office, would be the most proper and convenient course of action. The Ministry had both the legal authority and the investigative resources necessary to handle cases involving dark wizards and potential terrorist activity.
However, Dumbledore had apparently chosen to conceal the incident completely from official channels, it was a decision that seemed quite strange for his usual standards.
"The Ministry of Magic cannot be considered trustworthy under current political circumstances," Dumbledore replied with a shake of his head.
"We are both well aware that Voldemort and his Death Eater supporters have begun to resume active operations, but unfortunately there is never a shortage of willfully ignorant people in positions of power, and even worse, there are quite a few of them occupying critical decision-making roles at the moment."
Adrian immediately understood that this criticism was directed mostly at Fudge, the current Minister of Magic, whose political survival depended mainly on maintaining the illusion that the wizarding world remained safe and stable under his leadership.
Indeed, if Fudge were to learn about this incident, he would almost certainly choose to classify it as nothing more than an isolated case of common criminal activity.
The Minister would go to large lengths to avoid connecting the event to Voldemort in any way, as such a connection would destabilize his entire political capital and potentially destroy his career.
"So how exactly did Rita Skeeter become involved with Theodore Nott's father in the first place?" Adrian asked feeling curious about the chain of events that had led to such an unlikely partnership.
"That question involves a somewhat complex sequence of developments," Dumbledore replied, reaching up to adjust his glasses again.
"Two days ago, I conducted another interrogation session with Miss Skeeter. Although the process was somewhat unpleasant for all parties involved, I did manage to extract some crucial information from her, specifically, that she had posted a task request at one of those secretive underground trading venues, and through this channel she had hired Mr. Nott Sr."
"What an absolute fool," Adrian muttered, shaking his head with a mixture of disbelief and contempt.
He genuinely could not understand where Rita Skeeter had found the courage or perhaps reckless stupidity to involve herself with the kind of dangerous criminal networks that operated in the wizarding underworld.
Such organizations dealt regularly with dark wizards, illegal curse specialists, and folks who had no moral constraints regarding the methods they used to complete their contracts.
Now the entire sequence of events had become crystal clear in his mind. Because he had learned of Rita Skeeter's illegal Animagus transformation, she had posted a task in the underground world, wanting to find a Dark wizard to deal with him.
One of Voldemort's supporters, operating under cover within the underground world, had accepted this contract and infiltrated the school grounds with the intention of carrying out whatever Rita had paid for.
The subsequent confrontation in the Forbidden Forest, the manifestation of Voldemort's consciousness through the Dark Mark, and the eventual death of the controlled Death Eater had all happened inevitably from that single moment of Rita's panic and poor judgment.
It was remarkable, Adrian thought, how his casual comment about Rita's secret identity had triggered such a widespread chain reaction of dangerous events.
One really did need to be more cautious regarding both words and actions in the Wizarding World.
With the resolution of the dark wizard investigation, that particular crisis had finally been brought to a conclusion. However, Adrian sensed that Dumbledore had not summoned him to his office just for the purpose of providing this detailed briefing on recent developments.
After taking a thoughtful sip of the tea that had appeared at his elbow, Dumbledore suddenly spoke. "I have been considering inviting you to join the Order of the Phoenix."
Adrian looked puzzled, his eyebrows rising as he processed this unexpected development.
"The Order of the Phoenix?" He repeated with apparent confusion. "I was under the impression that organization had been officially disbanded years ago, shortly after Voldemort's apparent defeat."
Although the Order of the Phoenix had technically operated as a secret organization during its active period, most people who had lived through that era had at least heard rumors and stories about the group of witches and wizards who had opposed Voldemort outside the official channels of the Ministry of Magic.
Adrian was naturally no exception to this general awareness.
"I never actually announced any formal disbandment of the organization," Dumbledore replied with a slight smile.
"Our activities were merely suspended temporarily while we waited to see whether Voldemort's defeat would prove to be permanent or just a temporary relief. Now that it has become clear that he will return, I am planning to rebuild and reactivate the organization in preparation for the conflicts that lie ahead of us."
'The Order of the Phoenix...'
Adrian pondered for a moment.
Joining Dumbledore's organization would certainly not be disadvantageous. After all, eliminating Voldemort permanently from the wizarding world was one of his own primary long-term objectives.
However, there was a more important question now.
"Professor Dumbledore," Adrian asked gravely, "are you certain that Voldemort will return?"
Dumbledore fell silent for a while upon hearing this.
Then...
"I'm certain," He said calmly. "And it will be within the next year."
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