Impressions (1/2)

The rain drizzled in the surroundings, and the streets before the orphanage's gave off a depressing and dark vibe.

This place seemed to be devoid of any childish laughter, and the streets were eerily quiet, as one could even almost hear the raindrops too clearly, as they seemed to echo right beside their ears.

However, the situation in Jack Frost's room was diametrically opposed to the outside, as candles and lamps illuminated the surroundings, driving away the darkness.

"You seemed to like Tarot cards." Dumbledore smiled as he asked, looking at the deck of the Tarot cards on the table.

He was sitting in the bed, and Jack was sitting across from him on a chair. He already introduced himself to Jack when he came in.

Then, he started looking around Jack's room when he noticed this.

"Yes, I believe it can interpret fate in a more precise manner. Even if it can only provide you with guidance and truth, it is more reliable than other forms of divination." While looking at the Tarot cards on his table, Jack responded. "It's also just my opinion." He finished his statement, knowing that not everyone would agree with him.

"Are you really a wizard?" Jack inquired with the insatiable curiosity of a child, his blue eyes fixed on the wand in Dumbledore's pocket.

Actually, he spoke up to prevent Dumbledore from asking further questions about his belongings and discovering any flaws.

"Yes." Dumbledore confirmed his suspicions by pulling out his wand from the pocket.

"I am not alone; there are many others. You'll meet them soon, and there's a lot for you to discover in this new world. You can have fantastic adventures." Dumbledore gave a brief introduction to the magical world in a very Gryffindor manner.

He can tell the child in front of him has an adventurous spirit just by hearing his goals.

Jack nodded enthusiastically, a smile on his face, as if he can't wait to visit that wonderful world dominated by inbreeds.

Before, he spoke while looking directly into Dumbledore's eyes, his heart calm and serene, and he was not afraid that Dumbledore would read his secrets through legilimency.

His self-assurance stems from the fact that he possesses an extremely powerful technique that he developed after drawing inspiration from the unlimited void.

Previously, when he experimented, he discovered that he could infuse endless information into others brains, literally overloading their brain in the process of comprehending this knowledge. The end result is death, because some knowledge can be very dangerous and fatal simply by knowing them.

It was like a simplified version of the unlimited void, but he soon discovered that he could control and fabricate some of the information and knowledge that he infuse, and he could also limit the infusion.

He devised an extremely effective technique. This is also when he realises he has a lot more control over concept of "infinity".

So, if Dumbledore tries to read his memories, he will see the perfect and yet contradictory "Jack Frost" through the fabricated images, just like described by Mrs. Cole not long ago. Actually, he really hopes this fools Dumbledore, as he spent a lot of time perfecting it based on what he saw in the movies.

This isn't easy to do, but his eyes provide him with enormous brain processing power, so it's doable.

His abilities and eyes also give him heightened perception. He was literally watching and listening in on their conversation.

He was wary of being caught at first. So, he just took a peek to see if Dumbledore could detect him, but he couldn't in the end, he become unscrupulous.

Finally, this can be a true killer move, as knowledge can be extremely dangerous, and simply knowing them can have disastrous consequences.

'I'd like to do something similar to what Deadpool did to Professor X in the comics.' Jack had a wicked thought in his head all of a sudden.

"Could you show me some magic, professor?" Jack drew his attention away from his chatty thoughts and back to the situation. Then, with genuine curiosity, he inquired.

Dumbledore showed a smile, as if he was expecting this situation. Nobody will be uninterested in the presence of magic.

So he immediately tapped his wand on the table, causing it to twist and morph into a bald eagle.

"Oh!" When Jack saw this, he was taken aback and approached the eagle to examine it.

When the eagle sensed it was getting closer to Jack, it flapped its wings and turned to look at him.

"Is it alive, Professor?" Jack asked with seriousness. He was very interested in learning more.

"No, it's just a sentient magical construct," Dumbledore was taken aback by Jack's sudden change, but he still answered his questions professionally.

"Can this be accomplished through the use of magic?" Jack inquired about completely transforming a non-living thing into a living being.

"It is attainable. But, for the time being, Jack, this knowledge can only bring you danger." Dumbledore forewarned Jack before he could ask any more questions about the subject. He also changed back the eagle.

Jack, on the other hand, refused to give up and began bombarding Dumbledore with questions about magic and the wizarding world. For, fiction can never truly portray reality.

"During the school year, Jack, you will have all the time in the world to ask questions." Dumbledore had a headache over this child who thirsted for knowledge; he thought he could entice him into Gryffindor, but it appears Ravenclaw is a better fit for him. "We have to leave to get the supplies you'll need for the school year."

"I also need to meet your friend, Tom."

"Professor, how am I going to pay for these supplies?"

"I don't have a single penny, and the economy is still in shambles as a result of the Great Depression; even funds for compulsory education for us have been delayed." Even though Jack was aware of the situation, he still asked for an explanation.

He desperately needs money!

"You don't have to be concerned about that. Hogwarts will cover everything, so you can immerse yourself in an ocean of knowledge with no worries." To Jack's dismay, Dumbledore provided a hazy response.

"I'm going to meet Tom, Jack."

"In the meantime, get ready." After seeing his casual clothes and also because he doesn't have much free time, Dumbledore gave some final instructions. He finally got to his feet and walked to the door.

"I will." He heard Jack's response before finally leaving his room, not noticing the drastic change in Jack's expression as the door closed.

Dumbledore's thoughts were no longer on Jack as he stood before another black door and knocked on it.

Creak!

"Who are you?" With the opening of the door and a gloomy voice, a boy with black hair and brown eyes appeared before Dumbledore.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I am a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dumbledore responded to his questions, his blue eyes meeting Tom's rather apathetic gaze and expression.

'He definitely has a problem.' Dumbledore had such a thought, and for a child to have such an expression and state of mind says a lot.

"Oh, you must be the same as we are." Tom's response was light, and he didn't show much emotion. "Please do come in." He stepped aside to allow Dumbledore to enter.

As he entered Tom's room, Dumbledore didn't say anything after hearing his words. The room was dark and gloomy, with only a lamp on the table emitting a faint light that illuminated some of the darkness.

The room also had a depressing vibe to it.

Dumbledore could tell the difference between Jack and Tom just by looking at them.

"What do you mean 'same,' Tom?" Dumbledore's blue pupils began to glow with light as he unexpectedly asked such a question.

"I mean, we're different, aren't we?" As he saw Dumbledore sitting on his bed, Tom responded with another question, without giving much thought to the previous question or even Dumbledore.

"We are, indeed, clearly different." Dumbledore confirmed with a gentle smile, then mused. "As you might have guessed, Tom, the extraordinary power within you is magic."

"Magic." Tom mumbled this word, his expression finally showing some curiosity and excitement, but his eyes were always filled with disdain when he looked at Dumbledore. "Magic is truly incredible; it allowed me to do many things that would otherwise have been impossible." He shared his thoughts on magic.

"Oh." Dumbledore had an odd expression on his face. "How did you use magic?"

"I have the ability to move things without touching them. I can make animals do whatever I want without having to train them. I have the ability to cause bad things to happen to those who try to harm me. I have the ability to inflict pain on them if I so desire." Tom spoke in a gloomy tone, which echoed in the quiet room. "I can also do a lot more with magic."

He didn't notice the change in Dumbledore's eyes as he heard his words.

"What happened?" Tom inquired because Dumbledore's expression struck him as strange.

"Nothing, Tom." Dumbledore looked at Tom for a moment, his tone changing to stern. "You should address me as professor or sir, Tom."

After hearing the stern tone, Tom's expression finally changed. He wanted to respond, but when he looked into Dumbledore's blue eyes, he unconsciously shivered, so he nodded and spoke rather hoarsely, "Yes, professor."

"Would you mind performing some magic?" After some silence, Tom finally asked this crucial question.

Dumbledore did not respond or take any other action, but the cabinet in the room caught on fire and began emitting smoke.

Tom's eyes widened as he took in the scene, as he hadn't expected to see anything like this. His eyes were filled with fear and slight awe.

But, just then, a strong wind blew into the room, sweeping toward and swirling around the cabinet. The flames were quickly extinguished.

"Are you all okay?" From the other side of the door, a worried voice could be heard. "I just saw fire; is everything all right?"

As a result of this voice, a strange atmosphere descended on the room.