[Note: Read up to Chapter - 136 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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"Professor, after all these years, haven't you discovered the thirteenth use of dragon blood yet?"
Aris asked, puzzled, watching Dumbledore lost in thought.
In truth, he was grinning from ear to ear.
He'd just remembered that he hadn't completed the system's three daily questions today, so he figured he'd catch the old fox to earn some points.
After all his hard graft lately, he'd racked up over 8,000 academic points — enough to start spending.
Aris loved the feeling of constantly drawing cards and planned to keep at it until he hit 10,000 points.
Mostly because, while studying elemental magic, he often forgot he had unused points just sitting in the system.
To save those points, he hadn't even redeemed any magic crystals recently, still using his old stock.
But now, it was almost all gone.
Luckily, he had a good idea about the crystal's material makeup.
With more time, maybe he could fully analyse the crystal.
Of course, the biggest help came from his magical optical computer, 'Moss.'
With that powerful assistant, Aris had made great strides in his research on elemental magic, Merlin's magic circles, and those magic crystals.
"Child, do you really want to see me make a right fool of myself?"
Dumbledore suddenly smiled and shook his head after hearing Aris's question.
The boy couldn't help but think something was off — the old fox had actually gone back to his usual calm self.
Didn't that question faze him at all?
If it didn't, that meant the chance for double rewards was gone...
"Professor, you're joking..." Aris forced a smile.
"Well, let me have a think," Dumbledore said, pacing slowly in the Headmaster's '987' room, still smiling.
"About the thirteenth use of dragon blood..."
"Must have been twenty years ago, an old friend from the East told me that besides the twelve uses I discovered, there should be at least one more for Dragon Blood... At the time, he said..."
"There's a classic dish back home. If made with dragon blood, it might taste different. The dish is called Huǒ Lóng Xu Wo—no, that's not quite right. With dragon blood, it should be called... Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng!"
"So, the thirteenth use of Dragon Blood does exist... it's a dish called Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng. Though I've never tried it myself. If I get the chance, I'd love to!"
Listening to the silver-haired wizard chatter away like he was chatting with an old mate, Aris was completely gobsmacked.
So... the thirteenth use of Dragon Blood is to make a dish called Huǒ Lóng something something?
Who on earth came up with this mad idea?
It's absolutely bonkers!
The boy never thought his chance at double points would be dashed by a mere dish called Huǒ Lóng something something…!
Blimey, Dragon Blood and its mysteries!
Dumbledore's old friend from the East must be a chef by trade!
That's just brilliant answer.
"Why, you don't seem too chuffed with that answer?" Dumbledore smiled at Aris.
At the same time, the system pinged in Aris's mind:
[Congratulations, host! Your question has been answered. You've earned 200 academic points.]
No surprise there — the answer was simple!
Well, not exactly simple, just not very significant, so the system only handed out a modest number of points.
But hey, two hundred points are better than none!
Calming down, Aris thought of another question.
"Professor, that answer was a bit unexpected. Is there a fourteenth use for Dragon Blood?"
"Of course!" Dumbledore answered without hesitation.
"My old friend from the East also told me Dragon Blood can be used not only to make the regular Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng, but steamed Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng, fried Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng, and even grilled Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng."
"???" Aris gave him a baffled look.
I really underestimated him!
Is this really the same humorous yet sharp and knowledgeable Professor Dumbledore from the original books?
Hang on... humour?
Aris finally twigged that this old fox was probably just having a laugh at his expense!
"That's enough, Professor!" Aris said, sulking a bit. "What you're saying's making me hungry..."
"If there was a portion of dragon blood right in front of me now, I'd definitely whip it up into Huǒ Lóng something something!"
[Congratulations, host! Your question's been answered and you've earned 100 academic points.]
Blimey, not even 200 points this time!
This bug's so rubbish even the system's disgusted!
It's an absolute outrage!
"Mr. Shafiq, can you actually make Huǒ Lóng Xuè Wǎng?"
At first, Aris was just moaning casually, but Dumbledore took it seriously and his eyes lit up.
"You know, old timers like me try new things to feel a bit younger. Trying new foods is the way to get a bit of a surprise now and then. Sadly..."
"Even little things like that are hard to come by these days!"
"But Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans are brilliant — you never know what flavour you'll get next!"
"Professor..." Aris sounded convinced.
He thought it over seriously, then stretched out his hand. "Come on, hand over the Dragon Blood — I'll give it my best shot to make that bloody Huǒ Lóng something something stew!"
"That's the spirit!" Dumbledore said happily as he strolled over to the nearby material cabinet.
He pulled out a small bottle of dragon blood.
"That's it?" Aris said with a sneer. "I doubt that's enough to even make anything!"
"There's more to it than meets the eye," Dumbledore smiled mysteriously.
"This little bottle's been enchanted with a Traceless Extension Charm — the space inside is beyond what you can imagine!"
"A bucket's worth, then?" Aris perked up.
Dragon Blood was something special. If he really had a bucket of it, he could not only make a bowl of stew, but even have a bath in it!
Suddenly, Aris had a thought.
One of dragon blood's uses was apparently as a furnace cleaner. With all this stored here, could Dumbledore be using it for cleaning?
"A bucket, you say? You're underestimating me!" Dumbledore still smiled mysteriously.
"Alright, this deal's a go!" Aris snatched the bottle eagerly.
"I'll make you that Huǒ Lóng something something Stew — and all the rest of the dragon blood will be mine. I want to have a proper wash with it!"
As he said this, Aris happily tucked the bottle of dragon blood into his robes.
Well, that Traceless Extension Charm really is something else!
"Right, I've got one last question, Professor!"
This time, Aris was ready to drop a bomb — a question Dumbledore absolutely couldn't dodge.
"If you've got more questions, just fire away!"
Having just answered two of Aris's questions, Dumbledore was brimming with confidence.
"Ahem!" Aris cleared his throat, his face turning serious.
"This one's about the soul. I want to know... how to make a Horcrux."
As the words left Aris's mouth, the headmaster's office fell into an eerie silence.
Dumbledore, who had been smiling moments before, suddenly turned sharply to look at Aris, as if he'd heard something unbelievable.
The boy caught a flicker of panic in the old wizard's eyes — or maybe it was shock from the sheer weight of the topic.
"How to make a Horcrux?"
"Aris, how did you come to know about Horcruxes?"
He was so shocked that he even called out Aris by his first name…
Almost immediately, Dumbledore strode over and grabbed Aris's wrist firmly.
"What exactly are you trying to do with this question? I need you to be honest with me!"
"Professor!" Aris frowned slightly.
The old man's grip was surprisingly strong, but his body was too frail to handle any physical struggle.
He hadn't expected the usually calm and collected Hogwarts headmaster to react so fiercely at the mention of Horcruxes!
"I'm just a bit curious. I've been reading some books about the soul recently. They vaguely mentioned this kind of dark magic that can split a person's soul and grant a sort of immortality. It's called a Horcrux, I think..."
"This question's been nagging at me. I don't want to make a Horcrux myself — splitting your soul sounds far too evil and not really a good idea. The idea of becoming some incomplete version of myself makes me feel repulsive!"
Aris chose his words carefully as he explained.
He knew that if he didn't answer this seriously, Dumbledore might well lose his temper.
Judging by the original story, all this traced back to Tom Riddle — Voldemort back in his school days.
Dumbledore carried a heavy guilt for that incredibly gifted young man turning dark.
He often thought that if he'd cared just a little more as a teacher, maybe the Dark Lord wouldn't have risen.
Or perhaps Tom Riddle wouldn't have gone down the wrong path.
This burden had long been a knot in Dumbledore's heart...
Aris was certain of all this and figured Dumbledore wouldn't want to answer his question.
Though it felt like poking at old wounds, Aris hadn't expected Dumbledore's reaction to be so strong.
At that moment, Aris felt a twinge of regret.
But then he thought, maybe this was a chance to help Dumbledore open up.
Perhaps that would be a good thing after all.
The silver-haired wizard looked at Aris, his mood seeming to settle a little.
He suddenly turned, walked back to the table, and took a big gulp of black tea.
Then he placed his hands on the table and fell silent.
After a pause, just as Aris was wondering if he should break the silence and change the subject,
the old wizard's deep, world-weary voice finally broke through:
"I can't answer that question."
"Believe me, Mr. Shafiq — just like you said, nobody wants to learn about such dark, evil magic. Even glancing at it leaves a permanent scar on an ordinary person's heart, let alone trying to study it..."
"Only those who are utterly wicked, who treat life and soul as mere toys, would think to split their soul just to survive."
"You don't need to know the answer, and you certainly don't need to know how that vile thing is made, because one day, if you find yourself truly interested... well, by then, maybe... you'll have already crossed the point of no return."
Dumbledore's tone was low, tinged with a sadness that felt heavy and distressing.
In that moment, he seemed like a parent desperately trying to stop their child from making a terrible mistake.
That sadness made Aris feel uneasy.
"Professor... you don't need to worry so much," Aris said, taking a deep breath.
"I know the whole Tom Riddle thing is a wound you can't easily heal, but the path he took — no one led him there, and no one forced him. Some things are like the turn of fate; no one's will can change them."
"A person's past shapes their character."
"And I'll never be Tom Riddle!"
"Because even in my darkest moments, I can still see love in this world."
"I know I'm not alone."
At that moment, Aris thought of Luna and Uncle Xeno.
Just as he said, when he first came into this world, he was pretty lost — but luckily, he met the Lovegood family.
His words flowed through the Headmaster's office like clear spring water.
They seemed to cleanse the very soul, and the old man leaning on the table slowly straightened, as if he'd found new strength.
"I believe you," Dumbledore finally smiled once more.
But compared to before, his face was still a tad pale.
"Professor, I'm sorry," Aris said sincerely, bowing his head. "Today, I was a bit too bold. I shouldn't have been so curious or done anything to make you uncomfortable."
"But my thoughts haven't changed."
"I'll always be here, waiting for you to share the answer when you're ready."
Aris looked Dumbledore straight in the eye, his gaze steady.
"Because, to me, the more fear and terror there is, the more we need to understand and conquer it."
"Only by truly understanding something can you defeat it."
With that, Aris gave the old Headmaster a deep bow, then turned and left the office.
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"Only by understanding can we win!"
As Aris's back vanished behind the spinning statue, Dumbledore's mumbling voice echoed again.
Then, as if something had clicked, he smiled wryly and shook his head.
"Mental strength... I'm actually not as good as an eleven-year-old child!"
"It's quite funny, really — so funny!"
The silver-haired wizard suddenly burst into laughter, his chuckles growing louder and louder, startling even Fawkes perched nearby.
"Alright then!"
"Every era needs a determined leader..."
"Aris Shafiq, maybe Gellert was right. You're destined to shake up this stagnant wizarding world..."
"Now, I finally understand what that means!"
"And I feared you'd go down a dark path, like Tom Riddle..."
"I'm old and muddled. It's truly... ridiculous!"
"Hahaha~"
The laughter echoed in the Headmaster's office for several minutes.
There was so much packed into that laugh.
Even if Aris were there, he'd struggle to tell whether Dumbledore was happy or sad, or if he had gone completely senile.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 136 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]