Louis had no doubt about Dumbledore's control over Hogwarts.
If Louis were to take out the Invisibility Cloak now, it would be no different from declaring to Dumbledore: I was here tonight, and the theft of the dragon has something to do with me!
Nothing escaped Dumbledore's eyes—not Charlie Weasley and his companions arriving from outside the castle, nor even Hagrid's secret attempt at dragon-raising.
If there was anyone who could deceive Dumbledore's gaze, Louis was confident that he was that person—but only so long as he made no mistakes.
If he slipped and exposed himself before Dumbledore, then it would be nothing but self-destruction.
As for why Dumbledore couldn't sense the Cloak right now—that was because what Louis carried wasn't a spatial ring but a fixed-point teleportation device, linking to an unknown and mysterious space.
It was either too far away, or not even in the same dimension, for Dumbledore to perceive.
"What a pity. Looks like I can't examine this so-called Deathly Hallow." Louis's expression shifted as he pulled out a tool he hadn't used in a long time.
[Magic Hand].
Ever since his mental strength had reached its peak, this low-tier item had become almost useless. Under Louis's mental control it could exert a shocking thirty tons of force—but that was its limit. With the same psychic power channeled through the Rooster Talisman, Louis could easily unleash hundreds of tons.
Still, right now the Magic Hand had its uses.
Louis couldn't be sure whether the legendary wizard might perceive his Stand. Since a Stand was a spirit-body, someone with overwhelming mental power could at least sense its presence, if not see it.
By contrast, the Magic Hand was truly unseen. Only its wielder—and its victim—could ever perceive it.
Louis guided the Magic Hand, carrying the [Portable Private Space Teleport Point], toward another part of the castle.
His spiritual energy could already blanket most of Hogwarts, so the Hand's range had grown absurd.
Eventually he chose the front gates of the castle. Using the Magic Hand, he activated the ring, drew out the Invisibility Cloak, and draped it over a statue by the entrance. Then the Hand swiftly returned with the ring.
The entire time, Louis kept his eyes fixed on the Marauder's Map. Almost the instant the Magic Hand moved, Dumbledore's name suddenly appeared on the parchment—as though he had Apparated straight there.
"Apparition, huh? And here I thought it was forbidden inside school grounds… So, Headmaster's privilege, is it?" Louis muttered, watching Dumbledore's name dart swiftly across the map's area before shaking his head.
Once the Magic Hand returned, Louis put away the map and tossed the ring back into his Reality Marble.
Enough. Time to sleep!
Inside the Reality Marble, Norbert was once again bonked on the head by a falling ring. If not for Louis's lingering aura on it, the dragon would have howled in protest.
But he didn't dare—since that transparent figure still hadn't finished with him, and was currently nagging endlessly about the "self-cultivation of a gardener."
Bloody hell… who tries to train a dragon to be a gardener?
Norbert didn't realize it, but his intelligence was quietly growing under the phantom's constant rambling.
—
At the front gates of Hogwarts, Dumbledore stood holding the Invisibility Cloak, his eyes filled with doubt.
He hadn't found whoever had taken it. That person seemed never to have existed—or else had simply vanished into thin air.
"My speed was already so fast. In three seconds, where could they possibly have gone?" Dumbledore could not believe anyone else in the school could bypass the wards and Apparate as he could.
But the truth was undeniable—the other party had simply disappeared. And that ability… troubled him.
"Were they also watching Harry? Or is there another reason?" Dumbledore's gaze lingered on the Cloak in his hands. "They must have noticed the mark on it. That's why they threw it away. But if they had the power to block my detection, why not just take it somewhere beyond my reach and hide it there?"
Magical sensing always had limits—beyond five kilometers, even Dumbledore would lose the signal on the Cloak's mark.
Perhaps the thief simply didn't understand the Cloak's true significance.
It was a simple enough explanation. Yet Dumbledore refused to underestimate an enemy.
"Or perhaps they are bound to Hogwarts—unable to leave. That's why they were forced to discard the Cloak." Wisdom gleamed in Dumbledore's eyes. "So who here has such an ability, yet cannot depart from the castle?"
Naturally, his mind turned to the one who had helped the three-headed dog breach the castle walls. He had never uncovered that person's identity, but his instincts told him they were still hidden somewhere within Hogwarts.
Thus, Dumbledore's suspicions fell upon Chuan. Based on all available clues, the mysterious figure aiding Voldemort (Chuan) was the likeliest suspect.
"A person who helps Voldemort, yet does not truly stand at his side… What exactly is their purpose?" Dumbledore mused, staring at the Cloak in his hands.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden clatter of hooves.
Turning, Dumbledore saw a centaur galloping from the Forbidden Forest.
It was a strikingly handsome centaur with golden hair, and on his back sat a small boy.
The sight was shocking—for everyone knew centaurs were fiercely proud, never allowing anyone to ride on them. Unless, of course, it was someone they deeply respected.
For example—Harry Potter.
Once again Harry found himself benefiting from his famous name. Even the centaurs knew of him! But before he could bask in the feeling, he saw who was waiting at the gates—Dumbledore.
At once, Harry's face turned troubled.
The centaur halted before the Headmaster. Realizing there was no escape, Harry slid down and stepped forward. "Headmaster, sir."
"Good evening, Harry. And good evening to you, Firenze." Dumbledore inclined his head toward the centaur. "Thank you for bringing Harry back safely. You've protected him well."
"It was only what I should do," replied the centaur called Firenze. "I saw the mysterious one—that creature was drinking unicorn blood to sustain itself. It was far too dangerous for Harry Potter to remain there."
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