Chapter 142: "The Forest Aftermath"

The next morning, after a terrifying night in the Forbidden Forest, Charles was sitting nervously in Headmaster Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore, looking both concerned and curious, had called him in to get a firsthand account of what had happened the night before. He had already heard a version from Hagrid but wanted to confirm the details with Charles.

Charles began to recount the evening's events, starting with the detention supervised by Hagrid that aimed to track down an injured unicorn in the forest. He then moved on to the unexpected and frightening duel he and Malfoy stumbled upon. Charles vividly described the scene: one figure cloaked in black, casting the deadly green Avada Kedavra curse, and another mysterious, handsome person who skillfully deflected the spells with conjured stone blocks.

Charles shared how a stray spell had given away their hiding spot, his fall while fleeing for his life, and near miss from a killing curse, which was blocked just in time by the quick actions of the mysterious defender.

He concluded his tale by explaining the sudden appearance of a centaur, which caused the cloaked attacker to flee. However, in a final desperate act, the attacker unleashed a massive fire, possibly to cover his escape.

"I am sorry, Charley, that you found yourself in danger once again at Hogwarts," Dumbledore began with a gentle tone. "I will make sure this does not happen again. Thank Merlin, you're unharmed. Could you describe this handsome person you mentioned? Have you seen him before? Did he speak to you?"

Charles replied, "It was too dark to see clearly, but I could tell he was handsome. I've never seen him before in my life, and he seemed quite angry at me, ignoring my questions."

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "He has a reason to be upset. It seems he was close to defeating his opponent until you inadvertently interrupted. But I am concerned about the presence of two powerful unknown wizards near the school. Their motives are unclear, and we must be cautious."

"Grandpa, I think they are after the Philosopher's Stone," Charles insisted. "And I believe the cloaked figure was Professor Snape. He wants to steal the stone for Voldemort. The centaur that escorted me mentioned Voldemort's interest in the stone."

Dumbledore's expression remained calm as he responded, "Charley, while your insights are valuable, I assure you the stone is secure and well-protected. And you must trust that Professor Snape is not involved in this. He has my complete confidence."

"But I saw him threatening Professor Quirrel, and everything points to him wanting the stone," Charles countered, frustration evident in his voice.

Dumbledore sighed. "I will investigate your concerns. Now, you should head to your classes, especially with exams approaching. You can't afford to miss your studies. Forget about the stone for now."

As Charles prepared to leave, Dumbledore's tone softened yet carried an underlying firmness. "And Charley," he added, "it's imperative that you keep last night's events confidential for now. I need to investigate this without any external interference. Please ensure your friends do the same."

Charles nodded solemnly, understanding the seriousness of the situation. "I'll make sure of it, Grandpa," he promised as he turned to leave the office, his mind swirling with thoughts of exams and the mysterious events of the night.

As Charles left the room, Snape stepped out from the shadows where he had been eavesdropping.

Snape spoke up, a hint of concern in his voice, "Dumbledore, was it wise to send those children into the Forbidden Forest for detention? With Quirrell out there, it was overly dangerous."

Dumbledore responded calmly, "It was necessary. I wanted to test their courage. Besides, Hagrid was with them; I expected no serious harm to come to them."

Snape frowned slightly, "I suppose. But I thought you'd be more cautious with the Potter boy, given his importance."

Dumbledore replied, "He needs to be tested. Facing such challenges is essential for him to be prepared for what's to come."

Snape shifted the topic, clearly uneasy, "Regardless of your plans for the boy, I believe it's time to deal with Quirrell. His behavior is becoming erratic and dangerous."

Dumbledore considered this but shook his head, "Not yet, Severus. And what about the other wizard who confronted Quirrell in the forest? What do you make of him?"

Snape answered, "I inspected the duel site. Whoever it was managed to extinguish a Fiendfyre, a feat no student could achieve. It's clear we're dealing with a skilled and powerful adult wizard."

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Indeed, it's troubling. We do not know his motives, and that uncertainty is dangerous."

Snape suggested, "He could be after the Philosopher's Stone as well. The temptation is great."

Dumbledore nodded, absorbed in thought.

Snape continued, "Have you spoken to the centaurs? Potter mentioned they were quite communicative with the mysterious wizard. They might know something."

Dumbledore sighed, "Unfortunately, my relations with the centaurs are strained at the moment. They're upset that I haven't dealt with Quirrell, whose actions threaten the forest they protect and the unicorns."

Snape expressed frustration, "I don't understand why you insist on this course of action. We know the Dark Lord influences Quirrell. Wouldn't it be wiser to stop him now?"

Dumbledore replied quietly but firmly, "Trust me, Severus. I am doing what I believe is necessary." Then, breaking a brief silence, he added, "It seems we have some unexpected visitors."

As Snape turned towards the Door, it burst open, and Lucius Malfoy stormed in. His face was red with anger, and his eyes sparkled fiercely as he slammed his cane against the floor.

"Albus! This is outrageous!" Lucius exclaimed. "At first, I thought Draco was exaggerating, but then I remembered this is exactly the kind of thing you do, Dumbledore. Sending young people into danger! But how dare you send my son, the sole heir of the Malfoy line, into that dangerous forest? Especially when, if my sources are correct, there is a wizard hunting unicorns there! This is utterly unacceptable. How could you allow such recklessness?"

Dumbledore responded calmly, "Lucius, as far as I am aware, you've lost your position on the Board of Governors after losing the support of the Black family. You have no authority to make demands here at Hogwarts."

Lord Malfoy gave a disdainful snort, "My position on the Board might be compromised, but I still have allies there. After they read my son's letter about last night, they permitted me to confront you and demand a satisfactory explanation."

Dumbledore nodded slightly, "It's good to know you still have some connections. However, Severus and I are still looking into last night's events. I didn't make the decision to send first years into the forest for detention, and we will inform the Board once we have all the facts."

Lucius Malfoy stood firm in Dumbledore's office, his voice filled with frustration and anger. "This isn't going to work, Dumbledore. My son was nearly killed! I'm not going to sit around while you concoct some story. If I don't get an explanation right now, I'll go to the Daily Prophet. They'll jump at the chance to cover this after the Halloween incident," he threatened.

Dumbledore tried to calm the situation. "Lucius, let's not make this worse. Draco is safe, after all. And you must have other concerns, especially with the financial troubles since the Blacks withdrew their support. Focus on that, and I'll provide a full explanation later."

But Malfoy was unyielding. "Stop mentioning the Black family. I know your relationship with them isn't great either. If I involve them, they might even support me in blowing this up even bigger."

Dumbledore realized he was in a precarious position, knowing well that Sirius Black would seize the opportunity to retaliate for past grievances linked to his godson. 

With a sigh of concession, Dumbledore asked, "Alright, Lucius, what do you want to keep this quiet?"

Malfoy glared at Dumbledore with disdain. "You tell me, Dumbledore. What can you do to keep this quiet? Remember, my son nearly lost his life last night."

Dumbledore responded calmly, "I'm willing to support your return to the Hogwarts Board of Governors."

Malfoy remained silent, waiting for more.

Dumbledore continued, "I can also shield you from some of your adversaries during this challenging time. That's the best I can offer. Don't push me further, Lucius, or I might not be able to control what gets leaked to the press. Is that what you want?"

Snape, who had been quietly observing the tense exchange, saw a chance to improve the offer. He smoothly suggested, "And perhaps, Lucius, we could consider Draco for the Seeker position on the Quidditch team next year."

Realizing this was probably the best deal he would get without upsetting Dumbledore further, Malfoy agreed. "That would be... acceptable," he conceded, his tone less heated. "I'll look forward to hearing good news from Draco, Severus."

With a reluctant nod, Lucius turned and left the office, his fury somewhat eased by the promises made.

Once the door closed, Dumbledore let out a weary sigh and turned to Snape. "That resolves one issue. Severus, please focus on identifying this mysterious wizard. Leave Quirrel to me for now."

Snape nodded in agreement and departed, leaving Dumbledore alone with his thoughts about the mysterious figure disrupting his plans.