Chapter 234: It's More Terrifying When Nothing Is Found

"So, I assume you now realize just how foolish your actions were?" Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "You're still young, with plenty of room to grow. There's no need to rush into defeating adult wizards."

"Yes, I understand. I'm very sorry," Wade replied.

His attitude was so genuinely sincere and polite that it left Madam Pomfrey with no room to continue scolding him. 

In the end, she could only issue a couple of mild reprimands before hurrying off—there were still a few young wizards in the hospital wing who hadn't been discharged yet!

As the spiral staircase automatically descended, a distinct sense of relief was evident in Dumbledore's office.

Wade raised his hand to knock on the door, but before he could, Dumbledore's voice called out, "Come in, Wade."

Wade entered and saw that the headmaster's office was as mysterious as ever. On one side, the Pensieve rested on a shelf with silver mist swirling lazily inside it.

On the walls, portraits of past headmasters and headmistresses were gently snoring. Whether they were truly asleep or merely pretending was unclear.

Wade recalled reading about the mystical contract that bound these portraits to the school. 

Hogwarts' magic sustained their existence, and regardless of what kind of person they had been in life, as portraits, they were obligated to assist the current headmaster.

Of course, unrecognized "headmasters" like Umbridge weren't covered under this contract.

Dumbledore, who was now cleaning his glasses, appeared somewhat weary as he said:

"Poppy is one of the people I find hardest to handle. Fortunately, she's quite fond of you."

A soft cooing sound drew Wade's attention. He turned and saw Fawkes, now fully transformed with vibrant gold-and-red feathers, perched on its stand. 

Wade hadn't noticed the phoenix when he first entered; it must have landed there silently.

"Oh, yes," Dumbledore chuckled. "Fawkes is quite fond of you as well."

"More like, fond of the magical toy pets I make," Wade quipped, then quickly changed the subject. "Professor Dumbledore, I wanted to ask—how much do you know about Professor Abigail?"

"I suspected you'd want to discuss this," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye. "I hear you gave her a very enthusiastic welcome yesterday."

"Indeed," Wade said dryly. "My bones nearly got broken. I've never encountered a wizard so skilled in combat."

"Honestly, you surprised me as well," Dumbledore admitted.

With a wave of his wand, two boxes of pink ice cream appeared on the desk.

"But let's enjoy a treat while we chat."

Wade casually picked up one of the boxes, then asked directly, "Did she train with Muggle military forces?"

To avoid being sidetracked by Dumbledore's usual cryptic storytelling, Wade decided to get straight to the point.

"Mm, not bad," Dumbledore said, taking a bite of the ice cream. 

He squinted slightly from the cold, and then paused briefly before continuing: "Professor Abigail has led a colorful life. She's one of the rare wizards who understands Muggles deeply—she lived in the Muggle world for many years."

The headmaster smiled as he observed Wade listening attentively with the ice cream in hand and said:

"But I can't reveal someone else's personal history. If you want the details, you'll have to wait until you get to know Professor Abigail better and hear it from her directly."

Wade opened the lid of his ice cream, scooped out a spoonful, and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Then, do you know if she might still be carrying a gun? A Muggle firearm?"

"I do know. It's one of Professor Abigail's personal habits—like how we always carry our wands to feel secure," Dumbledore replied. 

"I can assure you that she would never use such a weapon on her students. Unlike your previous two professors, she's a reliable person."

—Really?

Wade gave him a skeptical look.

"Moreover, I think it's not a bad idea for students to gain some understanding of Muggle weapons." Dumbledore added. "In fact, Professor Abigail mentioned to me that she plans to demonstrate the power of Muggle weapons during Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

"You agreed to that?"

"Of course."

"But..." Wade paused for a moment, then said, "As far as I know, handguns are one of the least significant types of Muggle weaponry..."

"Which is why Professor Abigail has also arranged for some... well, surprises." 

Dumbledore said casually, "You need to learn how to defend not only against dark creatures but also against Muggle methods."

Wade was taken aback.

In the original storyline, Dumbledore had never entertained such ideas. In that version, everyone carried an unspoken arrogance and disdain toward Muggles, and the two worlds were almost entirely segregated.

Was it Professor Abigail who made him see this as necessary?

Or is it something else...?

"Professor," Wade asked, raising his head, "did you encounter something during your investigations?"

Dumbledore looked at him. Through his glasses, his expression was unreadable.

After a long silence, he finally said, "We haven't discovered much, child."

"Haven't... discovered anything?" Wade's eyebrows subtly twitched.

"Yes... that's even more frightening than finding something," Dumbledore sighed. 

"We thought that if magic couldn't track anything, there might be some clues among the Muggles... but there's nothing."

"No witnesses, no rumors. We even had a Muggle check those surveillance things they have at airports, and still, nothing."

"Our enemies... they've infiltrated deeply among the Muggles, erasing every trace. In this regard, we're far behind," Dumbledore said, his voice tinged with unhidden fatigue and concern.

However, upon seeing the boy's youthful face in front of him, he quickly realized his lapse. Instantly, he concealed all his emotions again.

"This isn't typical, you know... Most wizards are completely ignorant of Muggles, let alone their technological advancements," Dumbledore continued in a calm tone. 

"We need to find a new direction for our investigation or wait for their next move. As long as they act, there will always be traces left behind. If it hasn't been too long, we're bound to find something."

It had been over a year since the Muggle couple realized something was amiss, which made finding people so difficult.

If it were only a matter of days or even weeks, Dumbledore would have ways to track down even the faintest clues.

In this regard, Scamander is also a skilled investigator.

Wade didn't doubt this. But as he walked out of the headmaster's office and glanced back at the gradually dimming light, a wave of unease rippled through his heart.

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