Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
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Professor McGonagall escorted Kyle to the dripping stone beast on the eighth floor and left, giving him the password as she went.
"Sherbet Lemon."
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In the Headmaster's office, everything was as usual. Fawkes was still lounging on the shelf, only slightly raising his head as a greeting to Kyle.
Kyle took out a handful of white safflower leaves as a gift and placed them beside the shelf.
Dumbledore didn't disappear this time; he sat there smiling, a familiar bottle on the table in front of him.
"I hope I haven't bothered you." Dumbledore stood up from his chair and handed Kyle the Antidote potion on the table. "You know, just like last time."
"Of course, Headmaster." Kyle nodded, taking the bottle. "I'll go give it to Mikel right away."
"Hmm… no rush. If you're free, could you keep this old man company for a chat?"
Seeing that Kyle didn't speak, Dumbledore continued, "Don't be nervous, just a casual chat, like when you were with Newt."
"I'm just a little surprised." Kyle scratched his head. "But Headmaster, um… I only have white sage leaves now, I really don't have any bellflowers."
"…"
"Fawkes has a good temper, he won't stay angry forever." Dumbledore's expression stiffened slightly, but quickly returned to normal.
"I received your Christmas present." He ordered Kyle a glass of fresh lemonade. "I finished reading it that day, and read it many times… it's truly fascinating."
At first, Kyle thought Dumbledore was just being polite, but the next second he realized he was wrong.
Because Dumbledore really did take two pairs of wool socks from the drawer of his desk.
One pair was red with gold trim.
The other pair was slightly smaller and was blue and pink.
However, both pairs of socks had a large letter "A" embroidered on them.
Kyle looked up and subconsciously asked, "These are... knitted by you?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said proudly, "I have a pretty good talent for knitting socks, and I succeeded on my first try."
Kyle opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.
What was wrong with the wizarding world?
The Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, an Order of Merlin first-class, the Chief Warlock of Wizengamot, the universally acknowledged strongest wizard in the wizarding world, Dumbledore... was actually proud of his talent for knitting socks?
Judging from his happy appearance, he even seemed a little proud.
"You knitted very well, Headmaster," Kyle said dryly.
"Thank you."
Dumbledore put away the two pairs of wool socks, then suddenly sighed, "My biggest regret this year is probably not getting you a Christmas present. It's really terrible."
Kyle waved his hands repeatedly.
He hadn't expected to receive a gift from Dumbledore anyway.
But then again, as a model student, Kyle didn't want Dumbledore to be constantly burdened by guilt.
It pained him to see an old man tormented by guilt.
"Maybe I should just ask for a present myself?" Kyle stroked his chin, thinking to himself.
Although it was a bit shameless, he didn't mind suffering a little for the headmaster.
Kyle's gaze instinctively shifted to the corner of the headmaster's office. There was a dusty mirror there; it probably wasn't worth much. Maybe he should choose that.
Or the roughly made stone basin next to it would do too. It was just for show anyway, so choosing something cheap like that, which could probably buy ten of these at a street stall, was perfect.
"It's so thoughtful of me,"
Kyle didn't hide his actions.
Beside him, Dumbledore seemed to have guessed something, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Just then, Kyle turned around. "Headmaster, could you bring me..."
"A glass of lemonade? Of course, no problem."
Dumbledore tapped the table and ordered another glass of lemonade.
"No, I meant today..."
"The weather is indeed nice today."
Nice weather?
Kyle glanced out the window; the snow had been falling all day and hadn't stopped yet.
However, Dumbledore didn't give Kyle a chance to speak. He also looked out the window and said with some emotion, "I didn't even notice, is it already this late?"
Kyle understood immediately.
Although he was a little disappointed that he couldn't help Dumbledore solve his problem, Kyle still said quite consciously,
"Then I'll go back first. Mikel is waiting to take his medicine."
"Would you like to take some snacks back?" Dumbledore opened a drawer, which was full of all kinds of candies and preserves.
Kyle wanted to refuse, but he suddenly noticed that the candies seemed to be high-end, and there were many kinds he had never even seen before.
"I thank you on Mikel's behalf."
When Kyle left the Headmaster's office, his two pockets were bulging with sweets.
The oak door closed.
In the Headmaster's office, Snape appeared from nowhere, glancing thoughtfully at Kyle's previous spot.
"I'm a little curious, Severus."
Dumbledore closed the drawer and hung a small, gleaming gold padlock on it.
"You specifically asked me to call Kyle here, so why did you hide away?"
"You let him leave too early,"
Snape said expressionlessly. "As we agreed, he should have stayed here for thirty minutes."
"The students all have their own things to do," Dumbledore said, taking a sip of his tea. "Severus, we can't take up too much of their time."
"Oh? Is that what you think…" Snape glanced at the Mirror of Erised in the corner before heading towards the door.
"Severus."
Dumbledore suddenly called out to him, "I think you have too much prejudice against Kyle."
Snape stopped and turned to ask, "What are you trying to say?"
"Kyle is a very good boy," Dumbledore said calmly. "I understand that he gave gifts to every professor on Christmas Day, even the least popular Mrs. Norris received a bag of dried fish."
"Oh…" Snape narrowed his eyes and asked again, drawing out his words, "What are you trying to say!"
"I think he may have simply forgotten his Potions professor."
Dumbledore smiled slightly. "You know, even I make such basic mistakes occasionally. It's normal. You can't be prejudiced against Kyle because of that."
"Perhaps he didn't forget."
Snape snorted, then flung open the door and left the Headmaster's office without looking back.
[End of the chapter]