Homecoming from Hogwarts

"Harry, how are you, Harry!"

"Oh, your face!"

"What's with all this blood, Harry?"

After a dizzying moment, they returned to the Hog's Head Inn.

The light of the torches illuminated three slightly pale faces. As their nostrils moved, a stale greasy and fishy smell made their stomachs churn.

The faint and ferocious roar coming from afar reminded them of the current situation of their Hogwarts.

Harry staggered back two steps and fell into a soft embrace.

The jade plate hanging in the sky inadvertently jumped into his green eyes, making Harry realize that they might not have been away for long.

The cool moonlight and the sweet fragrance that he smelled at the tip of his nose quickly dispelled the dizziness that was lingering in his mind. He took a few deep breaths and stood up straight.

"I'm fine, Ginny--"

Harry turned his head and looked at Ginny. After once again experiencing an unspeakable adventure, the girl's soft features aroused the eagerness in his heart, and he wanted to give her a hug at all costs.

But unfortunately, now is not the right time.

Harry said softly, turning his head and looking across the anxious faces.

Sirius stood beside him and supported his arm. Harry smiled at him to indicate that he was fine.

Others. Harry's eyes fixed on Snape's face, looking at that cold face, he laughed at himself in his heart.

He was not Professor Braine, nor was he Snape's favorite disciple, so the concern he had just noticed at a glance must have been his illusion.

"You really had a fight with Amosta?"

Sirius asked anxiously.

The blood on Harry's collar, the spots of new flesh on his cheeks, and Ron and Hermione's messy clothes all indicated that they seemed to have fought with someone.

"Oh, there's no—"

Harry explained,
"Actually, something else happened. We are in the future, uh."

"Just keep those things in your heart and let them become a secret known only to the three of you."

Dumbledore winked at Harry and smiled.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and was very grateful to Dumbledore for his understanding.

He was wondering if he should tell everything, especially the part where he was taken to the future by Delphi.

"We have accomplished our mission, Professor Dumbledore!"

Harry opened his palm, holding a small glass bottle containing a small amount of blood sample, and there was excitement in his voice.

This was not only because he completed the task, but also because he was sure that Professor Brian was not dead.

Harry believed that if he told the news, it would boost everyone's morale, but unfortunately, Professor Dumbledore asked him to hide their experience.

"Of course I know you can do it, Harry, Ron, Hermione -"

Dumbledore looked at them with infinite love.

When Harry got closer to Dumbledore, he realized that Dumbledore seemed to have aged a little in the short time they were away.

His left hand was even more withered, like half of a mummy hidden in a tomb, never seeing the light of day, and his normal right hand was no longer strong, the skin on his hand was drooping and covered with ugly age spots.

His silver hair and beard had lost their luster, and except for his unusually bright eyes, Dumbledore looked like a dying old man.

The one that people should really worry about now is Professor Dumbledore -
Harry looked at Dumbledore who took the blood sample tremblingly and thought sadly.

It seemed that no one realized or, at the moment when Professor Brian disappeared, the confused people were unwilling to think about the worse possibilities.

Grindelwald silently supported Dumbledore, and in his dark silver eyes there was only the panting Dumbledore.

"Ah, this is it."

Dumbledore stared at the bottle Harry handed him and uttered a few wheezing laughs.
"Amosta spent countless efforts and he actually did it"

"What shall we do now, Dumbledore?"

Snape asked with a stern face.
"Go find Amosta, you know where he is, right?"

"Don't worry about Amosta, Severus--"

Dumbledore gave Snape a reassuring look.

"We are going now. I am going to -" "I think I should go back, Dumbledore -"

Narcissa said palely, focusing everyone's attention on herself.

"You still have to go back, Mom!"

Draco suddenly clenched his mother's hand, his expression full of rejection.

"I am the only one who can get information about the Dark Lord now, Draco—"

Narcissa smiled at Draco.
"Don't worry, Draco. I can tell the Dark Lord that I am going to find a potion to treat his injuries and to get some information--"

"You can't fool him, Narcissa—"

Dumbledore said,
"Besides, I don't think there's any point in asking any more questions now. Stay with Draco and everyone else—"

Narcissa hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Very well, now, I want to--"

Dumbledore was about to say what he was going to do, but his skinny body suddenly began to shake, and he seemed unable to stand, and he was about to collapse!

The scene of people calling Harry just now happened again to Dumbledore.

Two-thirds of the people in the Hog's Head were pushing towards Dumbledore, helplessness and panic on everyone's face.

Behind the bar, Aberforth stared blankly at the person with whom he had been at odds for almost his entire life. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He subconsciously looked at Ariana on the wall.

The young girl still smiled and looked at Dumbledore tenderly.

"Albus-"

Professor McGonagall was holding Albus's other hand with tears streaming down her face.

She could feel the body of the Hogwarts headmaster, whom she respected, gradually losing his life force under the large robes.

"You should be going to St. Mungo's now, Albus!"

Remus shouted in an almost rude tone,
"Excuse me, can someone get a healer over here so we can get Albus to St. Mungo's for treatment!"

"Don't waste the precious energy of those busy healers, Remus—"

Dumbledore blinked his eyes wearily. Although he was about to die, he could still see the deep sorrow in Remus' eyes.

He smiled at Remus. At everyone.
"Oh, really, Minerva, it's probably a little early to be mourning for me—"

Finally, Dumbledore said to Professor McGonagall,

"I feel like I'm in pretty good shape and should be able to hold on for a few more days."

"You need to rest now, Albus!"

Professor McGonagall's eyes were filled with tears and she blew her nose heavily.

"I shall soon have countless hours to sleep, Minerva, so... Oh, Gale—"

Dumbledore raised his head with an effort and looked at Grindelwald on the other side.

From beginning to end, Grindelwald never persuaded Dumbledore to rest. He understood him.

"What do you need me to do?"

Grindelwald whispered in Dumbledore's ear.

"And one more thing"

Dumbledore gasped.

"Take me to school and Harry—"

"I'm here, Professor Dumbledore!"

Harry, who was pushed to the back, squeezed forward desperately. His green eyes were filled with sadness. He looked at Dumbledore and recalled the day he entered Hogwarts five years ago.

He met the Headmaster of Hogwarts for the first time during the Sorting Ceremony.

A kind-looking, slightly neurotic old man.

"You follow Gail and take us there. I want to see what the founders left for us."

(End of this chapter)