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After waking up, Hermione showed no displeasure about Glenn's sudden embrace before she fell asleep.
There was no particular reason - she had grown numb to it, gotten used to it. Since she couldn't resist anyway, she might as well enjoy it. After all, she quite liked being held by Glenn.
Glenn escorted her back to the Gryffindor common room, as Hogwarts was still under lockdown.
While Hermione was sleeping, Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes had appeared once in the Room of Requirement. Seeing the young girl asleep, Fawkes let a few flames form words in the air: "Come to the Headmaster's office when you're free."
After delivering Dumbledore's message, Fawkes transformed into flames and vanished.
Glenn headed downstairs, and as for why he didn't take the secret passage to the Headmaster's office...
Only Dumbledore could reveal the secret passage from the eighth-floor corridor to his office. Glenn had spent considerable time feeling along the walls searching but found nothing. This intrigued Glenn, as he couldn't detect even the slightest magical flow where the passage should be.
As expected of Dumbledore - Glenn's knowledge was still too limited in comparison.
With no other choice, Glenn had to take the detour through the passage behind the gargoyle on the third floor.
This time the gargoyle stepped aside before Glenn could even pull out his parchment. Glenn nodded at it in friendly acknowledgment.
Knocking and entering the Headmaster's office, Glenn found Dumbledore already seated on a small sofa for visitors, holding some snacks.
"Professor Dumbledore, I'm here." Glenn calmly sat down on the sofa opposite Dumbledore, who snapped his fingers to make a cup of hot tea appear before Glenn.
He had already learned from Hermione about Glenn's two favorite beverages.
Iced lemonade in summer, hot tea in winter.
Any kind of tea would do - Glenn neither recognized nor was picky about varieties, though of course better-tasting ones were preferred.
Glenn took a sip of the warm tea. Not bad - slightly bitter with a sweet aftertaste, light and to his taste.
He savored the tea while quietly waiting for Dumbledore's questions.
Silence fell over the scene.
Until Dumbledore's mouth twitched as he watched Glenn's cup being refilled for the seventh time. He finally broke the silence, asking seriously, "You saw him?"
Glenn set down his teacup, not bothering with Dumbledore's cryptic question. His tone remained even: "If you're referring to Voldemort possessing Quirrell, then yes."
...
Silence fell again.
Dumbledore felt his temple throbbing.
That's it? Just that?
You, a young wizard, did something so momentous last night, and this is your only reaction?!
He took a deep breath, pushing away the urge to throw the cheeky boy out, his tone notably weaker, "It seems you discovered Voldemort's infiltration of Hogwarts early on. Even so, your actions were extremely dangerous and reckless."
His blue eyes showing traces of concern, he continued: "I know you're special, but that's no reason for a young wizard like yourself to try fighting Voldemort alone. Although you're standing here unharmed now, what if..."
"There are no 'what ifs,'" Glenn said calmly. Though Hermione had told him interrupting others was very impolite, he did it anyway, because this incident itself was Dumbledore's fault.
Dumbledore's actions had disregarded others' safety - this was an undeniable fact.
"When I decided to do this, I had already made thorough preparations and was ready to face the consequences. I believe that whatever I want to do and am capable of doing, after my preparations, will be accomplished without exception - as it has been from before, is now, and will be in the future," Glenn said seriously.
He had always acted within his capabilities, never attempting anything beyond his ability - this was true in his past life and would remain so in this one.
But if some things required risking his life, then so be it.
"Your tacit permission allowed a half-destroyed Voldemort to enter Hogwarts. I felt this threatened Hermione's and my safety. After a month and a half of observation, I was completely confident I could attempt to kill Voldemort and escape unharmed. Although yesterday's operation didn't achieve my expected results, I can confirm he suffered severe, irreparable injuries that will certainly limit his movements."
In that instant before the recoil threw him back, Glenn had clearly seen the bullet pierce Voldemort's arm and explode, sending flesh flying.
At minimum, the right side of Quirrell's body would be shattered - whether they could survive would depend on their fate and Voldemort's abilities.
Glenn had traded severe injuries to his right side for the destruction of Quirrell-Voldemort's right side - quite the connection between the three of them, when you think about it.
Quirrell-Voldemort: Leave me out of this!
Dumbledore was stunned by Glenn's words, his lecture caught in his throat, unable to either continue or swallow it back.
He had actually thought Voldemort's roar yesterday was just anger at being ambushed.
But you're telling me you actually wounded him? Severely at that?
Dumbledore knew Glenn wouldn't lie, so this must be the truth.
Although Tom was only a soul fragment now, surely he hadn't become this weak?
Well well well, if it isn't Tom Riddle~ Haven't seen you in a few days, what happened to you?
Dumbledore fell into contemplation.
Wait, what was I going to say just now?
This boy had disrupted his train of thought again.
After a while, Dumbledore felt he needed to defend his "tacit permission."
"Glenn, I wasn't letting Voldemort roam freely in Hogwarts. I've been monitoring his every move. I believe you've realized his target is the Philosopher's Stone. The possessed Quirrell couldn't do anything too troublesome without his actions being interfered with," Dumbledore winked at Glenn. "Besides, he could never get the Stone, as you know."
He continued: "I had the professors set up corresponding challenges before the Stone. Of course, this wasn't to prevent Voldemort's theft, since Quirrell also helped design one of the challenges. I had other plans."
Dumbledore finally revealed his entire plan to Glenn. He knew Glenn naturally possessed Occlumency that even he couldn't penetrate, so Voldemort certainly couldn't extract information from his mind. Thus, Dumbledore felt quite secure.
Glenn raised an eyebrow, his tone growing colder: "So because you had other plans, you let such a dangerous individual stay at Hogwarts? He wouldn't cause trouble? Then what about the troll released on Halloween? What if he discovered the deception and decided to take others down with him in a violent outburst?"
"Your plans probably need a long time to complete, but did you ever consider everyone else's safety in the meantime?" Glenn didn't give Dumbledore a chance to catch his breath, firing questions like a machine gun, not even bothering with honorifics anymore.
In Glenn's view, ignoring present dangers to focus on future matters was both irresponsible and foolish.
Dumbledore possessed the strongest power in Britain and led the anti-Voldemort faction. Being able to eliminate the threat directly but instead allowing Voldemort's soul fragment to run amok, rather than suppressing it immediately, pursuing elaborate future plans while neglecting immediate concerns - if this was true, then Dumbledore was truly just an indecisive man.
But could this centenarian really be so poor at reading situations? Glenn found it unlikely.
These actions made no sense; Glenn couldn't understand them.
But there was another possibility.
There might be information he wasn't aware of - information that was the source of Dumbledore's concerns.
"I don't care about others' safety, but this involves Hermione's safety, so I acted. If there are similar situations or plans in the future, just tell me beforehand, and I'll take Hermione to hide somewhere, to avoid disrupting your plans again." Glenn was always direct, disregarding Dumbledore's status and power as he expressed his thoughts.
Dumbledore smiled bitterly, unable to argue. He knew this was just how this young wizard was.
Besides, this baiting operation had indeed been somewhat dangerous - Dumbledore had been a bit too aggressive in trying to test Harry.
His original intention and plan had been for Harry to inadvertently learn someone was trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone, then go with his friends to stop them, growing through the challenges along the way.
Although Harry's suspicions had unexpectedly fallen on Snape rather than the actual thief Quirrell, the outcome wouldn't be much different - following the clues, he would inevitably bring his friends to face the challenges and protect the Stone.
As for why do this?
Because Harry was the prophesied Chosen One, the hope - Dumbledore wanted him to grow quickly.
At any cost.
And indeed, as Glenn suspected, Dumbledore was concerned about certain matters. Voldemort wasn't so easily killed.
"What exactly are you worried about, Dumbledore?" Glenn raised his head, his black eyes meeting Dumbledore's blue ones.
(He hadn't had time to put on the black alchemical silk before coming to the Headmaster's office)
Dumbledore gazed into Glenn's black hole-like eyes and felt momentarily lost, as if he might disappear into them. He immediately sensed something wrong and snapped back to clarity with a mental shake.
Dumbledore was somewhat shocked - he had actually been affected by Glenn.
Changes brought by the Obscurus perhaps?
Dumbledore silently speculated before calmly answering Glenn's question: "Voldemort cannot be easily killed. Otherwise, he would have died that night when Harry's parents were killed, when the Killing Curse he cast trying to kill Harry rebounded due to an ancient magic of love Harry's mother had placed on him. The fact is, Voldemort clearly had other methods to survive even with his soul destroyed - this is why I've hesitated to move against him."
"I have suspicions about Voldemort's methods, but I can't tell you because they're too evil and might lead one down an irredeemable dark path. Though I say this, these are just my suspicions. I want to confirm the secret of his survival through this soul fragment possessing Quirrell. Only then can we truly destroy him in the future." Dumbledore appeared very serious, striving to justify his actions.
Glenn nodded - this made more sense, but he still wouldn't forgive Dumbledore's actions that had threatened the safety of those close to Glenn. However, since he had already disrupted Dumbledore's plans, they were even now, and he didn't feel the need to say more.
"Actually, there's more." Seeing Glenn nod, Dumbledore felt somewhat relieved and decided to reveal his Chosen One training plan, hoping perhaps to gain Glenn's help. "This involves a great prophecy about Harry Potter. Would you like to know why people call him the Chosen One? It's not just because he caused Voldemort's death once as an infant."
"Not interested. Goodbye."
Glenn quickly stood and left the Headmaster's office, politely closing the door.
He had sensed the approach of trouble.
Dumbledore's words caught in his throat, his mouth twitching.
This brat!