บท 372: What Are You Worried About?
บรรณาธิการ: Atlas Studios
Dumbledore was equally surprised at Nick's explanation.
When he saw the Time-Turner, he was surprised at how damaged it was, but he did not expect Ivan to have the ability to affect its operation.
Dumbledore recovered from his surprise and addressed Nick.
"His name is Ivan Hals, and he's a young wizard in his third year. I'm sure you'll like the name!"
"Hales? The one who protected the Philosopher's Stone last time?" Nick Flamel muttered to himself for a while, then remembered who Dumbledore was talking about, and immediately took a liking to Ivan.
"Yes!" Dumbledore nodded.
"That's quite a coincidence. I used to read about him in the Daily Prophet when I was reading the papers…" Nick Flamel said with a smile.
Dumbledore noticed a number of newspapers on the table, the topmost of which were articles on Ivan, and remembered that Nick had a habit of reading every edition.
"I thought he was supposed to be a potion genius. Does he know something about alchemy?" Nick Flamel wondered. It wasn't easy to influence the flow of a Time-Turner, and one would have to be highly skilled in alchemy.
"I'm afraid he's an extremely rare all-rounder…he's made some very useful magical tools over the past two years, and I'm told they've been purchased by the Ministry of Magic," said Dumbledore, impressed.
"That's quite an interesting young wizard…" Nick Flamel laughed. Even in his long career, he had never met anyone as accomplished as Yvonne, who was only twelve or thirteen.
This piqued the interest of Nick Flamel, a wizard he had never met.
"Albus, if you know him so well, what do you think of his character?" Nick Flamel asked suddenly.
"Why? Are you interested in another student?" Dumbledore laughed.
"We'll have to see if it fits. I can't let you take advantage of my wealth…" Nick Flamel pursed his lips.
After living for over six hundred years, Nick Flamel had come to terms with many things, so he was prepared to donate all of his books to the Three Major European Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry upon his death, leaving only this house and a few other items of alchemy to be buried with him.
After all, none of the students he took in in his early years could outlive him.
However, Ivan's presence rekindled Nick Flamel's interest in taking him on as a student, and he wondered if this was fate's doing.
"Hales? It's hard to say…" Dumbledore paused, frowning, and did not give a clear response.
"Oh, so even you can't figure it out? You're troubled?" Nick Flamel was surprised. No matter how talented Yvonne Harris was, she was only a twelve-year-old wizard.
"He was a very complicated young wizard, and I beg your pardon for using those words on a child!" Dumbledore said, looking wistful.
Dumbledore did not express his opinion directly to Nick Flamel, but instead tried to explain to Nick Flamel, as much as possible from an outsider's point of view, what Ivan had been up to in recent years, so that Nick could judge for himself.
Of all the students he taught, Ivan was undoubtedly the most special, seeing many wonderful qualities in him, such as bravery, intelligence, loyalty to his friends, the ability to resist temptation (returning the Elder Wand), and so on…
However, it is also clear that Ivan is desperate to improve his skills, willing to risk his own life in the process, and extremely good at lying and hiding things from others.
When he finished speaking, Dumbledore looked at Nick Flamel in silence, anticipating his comments.
"Brilliant… truly brilliant!" Nick Flamel exclaimed, applauding.
"Albus, are you sure you're talking about what really happened, rather than where you heard the fairy tale?"
Nick Flamel found it hard to believe that the young wizard, Ivan-Harrs, had ever had such a magical experience! The experience of fighting a troll, flying on a dragon, and facing off against You-Know-Who twice was legendary!
"I guess I'm in luck!" Nick Flamel exclaimed.
Dumbledore smiled wryly, thinking that Nick Flamel was being overly optimistic, regarding Ivan as a young wizard who could easily go astray without guidance.
It is because Ivan is so good that he requires vigilance and attention, to guide him in the right direction…
"Can you imagine, Nick? When an eleven-year-old boy defeats the legendary Dark Lord, his first instinct is to hide as much of his true self as possible, try to shift the glory to his friends, and try to make up excuses to fool me."
Remembering his conversation with Ivan at the end of his first year, Dumbledore felt a headache coming on, as he could not understand what was going on in Ivan's head, as he had never felt this way about Tom as a child.
"You're just upset because you feel that Hales is growing out of your control!" Nick Flamel said nonchalantly, not caring about Dumbledore's earlier comments.
"Then let me ask you something… did Hulse hate Muggles? Wanted to kill them?"
"No! He has no ill will towards Muggles… and is closely related to a Muggle-born child." Dumbledore shook his head.
"Or is he arrogant, vicious, condescending, and obsessed with the study of the Dark Arts?" Nick asked, enunciating each word.
"Hardly!" Dumbledore shook his head again.
"Then what are you worried about?" Nick Flamel asked, puzzled. "You can't impose your standards on him, Albus! Not everyone is a saint. Isn't it normal for a capable young wizard to have his own ideas?
So what if he wants to do something about it? There's nothing wrong with someone else being Minister for Magic! It's better than some incompetent idiot taking office…"
Nick Flamel did not care about Ivan's shortcomings, as Dumbledore claimed, which were negligible compared to Ivan's exceptional abilities.
Moreover, he had the impression that none of the exceptionally talented individuals were self-effacing, and it was normal for them to want to stir up trouble.
These people are responsible for the progress of the world…
"Or did you see something of yourself in him, and brood over it?" Nick Flamel asked Dumbledore, suddenly realising something.
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