Chapter 120. Professor Kettleburn, Super Clever!
"Merlin's pants, that scared me to death..."
Duncan let out a heavy breath and leaned against a boulder to rest.
Voldemort's rage-filled gaze just now was like two sharp swords.
It was extremely threatening and terrifying.
"Even when he's attached to someone else he's this strong—if he restores his own body, that'll be unbearable!"
"No wonder he could swagger for so long even in front of Dumbledore."
"Voldemort seemed to call Dumbledore's name just now.
The old man has probably sensed the disturbance in the forest and is coming!"
"I have to leave quickly too, or it'll be hard to explain to the old man later."
Duncan wiped the sweat from his forehead, put away the swordsman statue, and let the magical creatures enter the case.
Dragging his exhausted body, he prepared to leave.
After maintaining the storm-convergence magic for a long time, he felt like a sponge that had been squeezed dry.
There really wasn't a drop left now!
Just as he lifted his leg, a loud bang suddenly burst from where Voldemort had been.
Two old men appeared out of thin air, each gripping one of Fawkes's feet, and both looked rather grim.
One of them was Albus Dumbledore, and the other was Professor Kettleburn.
No one knew why the two of them were together so late at night.
Dumbledore carefully surveyed the remains of plant ice sculptures on the ground.
"This is a most fearsome form of Dark magic."
"Who would unleash this kind of magic near the school?
We must catch him quickly!
At the very least, we must drive him away from the school!"
Professor Kettleburn frowned; his words were full of concern.
If that wizard were to harm the students in the castle, that would be disastrous.
Then Hogwarts would be on the front page of The Daily Prophet, and the Ministry of Magic would keep giving them trouble.
Dumbledore inclined his head slightly, swept his gaze around, and said softly, "Who was the person fighting him?
Why did they break out into such a fierce clash?
You also saw those clouds gathering in the sky earlier—no simple matter..."
Professor Kettleburn listened in silence and glanced at Dumbledore.
This old fellow was so calm; he must be holding plenty of information and simply didn't want to tell him.
But if he wouldn't tell, then he wouldn't.
Anyway, if something happened to the students, the Ministry wouldn't be holding him responsible.
Professor Kettleburn pursed his lips and shifted his gaze elsewhere, examining the traces left by the fierce battle on the ground.
Suddenly, his sharp eyes caught something amiss in a patch of shadow cast by the trees.
There, on the surface of the soil, was a vague, broad footprint.
It looked familiar—like an Erumpent's?
Professor Kettleburn looked it over, ready to tell Dumbledore beside him—then his movements froze.
An Erumpent?
There were no Erumpent habitats within hundreds of miles around the castle!
Only Duncan's case held two of them.
Could it be...
A shocking, almost unbelievable, but highly plausible suspicion rose in Professor Kettleburn's mind.
"Have you found a lead, Silvanus?"
Dumbledore noticed Professor Kettleburn's change and asked softly.
"N-no.
I was merely shocked by the sheer power of this Dark magic."
A seasoned old hand indeed—Professor Kettleburn answered casually with a steady face and, without a trace, wiped away the marks on the ground.
Unlike his outward calm, his heart was roaring.
Merlin's beard, the traces here might actually have been left by Duncan fighting someone.
Which magic was it that Duncan cast?
Was it Dark magic, or those storm clouds gathering in the sky?
But whichever it was, the child is only a first-year!
He felt he might have underestimated the level of excellence of the Scamander boy.
At the same time, Professor Kettleburn had another thought.
He wanted to persuade Newt to let Duncan join the Kettleburn family.
He was willing to pay all his wealth for it!
He just didn't know whether Newt would agree...
However... it seemed that Tina had the final say in their family now?
While Professor Kettleburn's thoughts were running wild, Dumbledore arched an eyebrow at him, then walked off in another direction.
"Dumbledore!" Professor Kettleburn suddenly called out.
"What is it?" Dumbledore halted and looked back.
"I'll check over there!" Professor Kettleburn said.
He had seen footprints on the ground over there as well.
Since he had decided to clean up after that lad, he had to clean thoroughly.
Dumbledore studied the slightly odd Professor Kettleburn, nodded lightly, and turned to go elsewhere.
Professor Kettleburn let out a quiet breath, trotted over, and put on a show of seriously inspecting the surroundings.
Out of the corner of his eye, seeing that Dumbledore hadn't turned back, Professor Kettleburn flicked his wand swiftly, and all the footprints on the ground vanished.
"Lad, you'd better thank me for this!"
"Otherwise, if Dumbledore saw them, he'd surely suspect you."
"Then he'd think you'd violated your agreement with him, and it wouldn't be easy for you to bring magical creatures to the school in future!"
Professor Kettleburn thought with satisfaction, already planning how to brag about his merits to Duncan and win even more of Duncan's favour.
Catching sight of Professor Kettleburn's occasional silly grin, Dumbledore's eyes grew doubtful.
What was with this old fellow?
He'd never seen him look so daft before!
Dumbledore felt sure Professor Kettleburn was hiding something, so he moved closer without a word and quietly observed.
But the remaining traces on the ground had already been cleaned up by Professor Kettleburn, and Dumbledore found nothing at all.
"What's the matter, Dumbledore?" Professor Kettleburn asked with feigned puzzlement, laughing secretly to himself.
"Nothing.
I've finished checking over there.
Have you found anything on your side?" Dumbledore replied.
"No.
When a man gets old, his eyes go.
Trying to see things clearly here is too hard..." Professor Kettleburn shook his head with a sigh, looking like someone unwilling to admit he was ageing.
"What about you?
Have you found anything?"
"I haven't either..." Dumbledore suppressed the urge to retort and answered in kind.
He knew Professor Kettleburn wouldn't do anything to endanger the school, so he didn't press too hard.
"What a pity!" Professor Kettleburn glanced at Dumbledore.
It was as if to say: Old fellow, you're telling fibs—how very sneaky!
Dumbledore returned the look.
"Indeed, a pity.
It's late.
Since those two have fled, let's head back..."
Professor Kettleburn nodded in agreement.
"Let's go, let's go.
Once you're old, the body doesn't hold up; stay up a bit past bedtime and you feel exhausted."
Dumbledore's steps faltered.
He wanted to ask: "And when you're wrestling magical creatures, how is it that your body manages just fine?"
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