HP: Pure-Blood Glory

"Maybe. I don't like making careless comments about things I don't understand."

Luke, hearing Dumbledore's words, whether intentional or not, showed no intention of dwelling on them.

Some things can't be explained with words alone.

If there's an opportunity to prove yourself to others, act—don't just speak.

Dumbledore could sense Luke's underlying displeasure and disdain, so he chose not to continue the topic.

"Professor, could you tell me what you saw in the mirror?"

Luke asked with a hint of curiosity. He genuinely wanted to know the answer. Before his reincarnation, he remembered hearing someone say that when the younger Dumbledore looked into the Mirror of Erised, he saw Grindelwald.

But when he watched the movie, Harry asked Dumbledore what he saw, and Dumbledore claimed it was woolen socks.

That was clearly an evasion, so Luke decided to ask for himself.

At this moment, Dumbledore glanced at the mirror, his gaze calm and warm.

"My family"

Just two simple words, yet they plunged Luke into silence.

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Earlier, I saw you coming out from the corner at the end of the third-floor corridor. Was there something there?"

Luke was taken aback. He hadn't expected Dumbledore to have noticed him.

No—more precisely, he hadn't expected Dumbledore not to go inside himself.

"Why didn't you go in to take a look yourself?"

Dumbledore merely shook his head and said, "Hogwarts is a magical place. The Headmaster here isn't omniscient, let alone omnipotent. For an old man, restraining curiosity is also a key to long life."

"I'm not entirely sure. It was a passageway leading down, ending at a door. I didn't go in," Luke answered honestly. He didn't think Dumbledore had lied in response to his earlier question, as he could perceive the soft white emotional dust—representing warmth and nostalgia.

"Why didn't you go in?"

"I felt like it didn't belong to me," Luke said with a hint of helplessness, sipping his tea. "It's a strange intuition, but I chose to trust it. Of course, it might also be because I don't currently lack any kind of legacy."

Frankly speaking, as a member of one of the oldest wizarding families, the magical heritage of the Gaunt family was already more than a single wizard could hope to master.

That's why, he was willing to give the notes on Transfiguration to Professor McGonagall, who, in return, gave Luke her own Transfiguration notes, more suited to his current level of study.

These notes were far more practical for Luke than the advanced ones, which ventured into expanding the uncharted boundaries of Transfiguration.

Dumbledore picked up his teacup, took a sniff, and showed an appreciative expression. After taking a sip, he nodded in approval.

"Excellent tea"

"If you like it, it's yours," Luke said casually, then grew solemn. "Professor, do all wizards eventually delve into forbidden studies?"

Dumbledore gave Luke a curious look, noting his unusually serious expression.

"I thought today's topic would only revolve around our respective positions," Dumbledore said with a radiant smile as he set down his teacup. "Essentially, yes, Luke—provided they truly reach the boundary."

"Magic is mysterious. It seems almost idealistic, yet it follows certain rules—it's not completely freeform. Its essence, its limits in certain aspects, are all areas we're deeply curious about."

"Once you reach uncharted territory, you'll feel an irresistible urge to explore. It's not strange at all," Dumbledore answered seriously.

"Throughout history, every great wizard has made contributions at the forefront of discovery. As for the forbidden… no one can predict which path a person might take when lost or desperate, nor can they be certain if the path they choose is the right one."

"Of course, I don't support those forbidden experiments. Like Tom—he ended up turning himself into something neither human nor ghost. Powerful, yes, but at the cost of so much more."

'Like his brain,' Luke thought sarcastically.

Dumbledore slowly stood, his demeanor gentle. "You might be a remarkable child."

"But I haven't been a very good teacher. I failed a student."

"I hope that, near the end of my life, I can teach one student well. If possible, I hope it's you, child."

With those words, Dumbledore walked out of the classroom, leaving Luke behind sitting in his chair.

Outside the classroom, Dumbledore glanced to the right side of the hallway, gave a kind smile, and then turned left, disappearing around the corner.

Fred peeked out from the right corner, with George just below him.

"Dumbledore already left. Why hasn't Luke come out yet?"

"Should we go in and check?"

"What do you think they talked about? Why was it so quick?"

"No idea. Let's go ask?"

"And what exactly do you two want to ask?"

A stern voice suddenly rang out behind them, startling the twins.

George flinched, instinctively trying to stand, only to bump into Fred's chin.

Fred, about to speak, bit his tongue from the collision, clutching his mouth in pain. Off balance, he toppled backward, dragging George down with him to the floor.

"Fred! What are you doing?!"

"'No whaa ars you doin!' (No, what are you doing!)" Fred mumbled through the pain.

Professor McGonagall, standing behind them, could only sigh and shake her head at the scene.

"What's going on here?"

Knowing the twins' usual antics, McGonagall suspected they were up to some new prank. If they were sneaking around, it usually meant they were preparing for mischief.

If they were acting openly, it meant they'd already succeeded.

To their credit, the twins never denied their pranks or avoided punishment, which was why, despite their troublemaking, they were still liked by most professors.

Their consistently good grades didn't hurt either.

Before the twins could explain, Luke walked out of the classroom, spotting them sprawled on the ground like a human pyramid.

"You two? Have you eaten yet?"

As he approached, he noticed Professor McGonagall.

The professor immediately furrowed her brows upon seeing Luke.

"You're involved too? What exactly happened?"

She doubted Luke would join the twins in a prank—surely they weren't trying to mess with him, were they?

Luke let out a long sigh.

"Nothing happened. I just eased the worries in an old man's heart."

*****

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