Dumbledore would certainly feel uneasy if something like this happened.
If last year the actions of the once-promising student Tom were still under his watch, where Dumbledore allowed the actors—Tom and Professor Quirrell—to follow the script he had prepared, then this year it felt as if the players had tossed the script aside and were charging around like wild, untamed beasts.
Last year, deep in the underground chambers, Dumbledore had seen with his own eyes the fragmented soul of Voldemort shrieking as it passed through solid stone. Yet in the end, he had done nothing to stop it. He had sensed the unnaturalness of Voldemort's existence and doubted whether any spell could truly affect him in that form.
His creed was simple: either do not strike at all, or when you do, strike to end it completely.
It had always been so—from the time he dueled his closest friend at the height of their powers, ending a clash that destroyed countless lives, to the years when Voldemort stirred chaos across Britain, while Dumbledore waited and watched, choosing his moments carefully rather than engaging in reckless battle.
What he had not expected was that while he spent his days and nights investigating how his former student had managed to slip the noose of death itself, his very foundation was stolen out from under him.
The Chamber of Secrets incident this year blindsided him.
Lucius Malfoy, ever the opportunist, seized the chance to strong-arm the school governors into signing Dumbledore's expulsion. It was a masterstroke of timing, and it left the headmaster cornered.
Though he had left Fawkes, his loyal phoenix, behind as a safeguard, even that had not brought him full assurance. For a man who had lived over a century, uncertainty was a far heavier burden than most could imagine. He could no longer afford mistakes.
Now, doubt gnawed at him. Was he growing old? Slower in thought, hesitant in action, no longer able to take the swift measures needed? The torment of these questions weighed on him.
Then, suddenly, word reached him that the matter had been resolved.
When Fawkes returned, Dumbledore knew the truth before setting foot back inside the castle.
And so he returned quickly, ready to steady the school once again.
But in all of this, his eyes could not leave Ted—the boy at the heart of the storm, the one who had slain the basilisk and destroyed the diary.
Especially when Ted had spoken privately with Lucius Malfoy, just outside the school, carefully phrasing his words so that Dumbledore himself could not help but overhear.
Ted had carried the conversation without a shred of fear or hesitation, whether speaking of Lucius or invoking the dreaded name of Voldemort. His composure and confidence gave the impression that he was the headmaster himself.
And in that moment, everyone forgot he was only a second-year.
His demeanor felt even more audacious than Tom's had once been.
This troubled Dumbledore deeply. T
ed needed guidance, firm but fair, for there was danger in brilliance without balance. The headmaster feared that, in his twilight years, he might be raising another Dark Lord.
So, it seemed natural that he would extend his watch to the hospital wing, quietly listening to Ted's words there as well.
…
Meanwhile, Ted lay in the hospital bed, listening to Ron's soft snores, eyes fixed on the ceiling as his thoughts turned.
In just one night, he had resolved to meet this magical world with open arms instead of shrinking away.
Since they would not dare to strangle him outright, then he would not hide.
If he played the obedient child, he would only be used. But if he became the troublemaker, then they would be forced to accommodate him.
Yes, he realized, this was how to survive: you had to cry loud enough to be heard if you wanted to be fed.
Hiding? Pointless. Avoiding? Impossible. Better to confront it head-on.
So be it. Done!
As for what Dumbledore thought—well, the headmaster couldn't exactly throw him into Azkaban, could he? No, he would try to "guide" Ted, shaping him into the weapon against Voldemort.
That suited Ted just fine.
Now, time to count the spoils of this misadventure. It had been a whirlwind: from visiting Hagrid's hut and seeing him arrested, to Dumbledore's removal, to burning the monstrous spider in the Forbidden Forest, to Ron's desperate confession, to forcing Lockhart into the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Draco Malfoy, and finally, the victory over the basilisk and the destruction of the cursed diary.
So much so that the night stretched endlessly, each hour dragging on until it felt like a week.
The first gain came from the burning of the acromantulas deep within the Forbidden Forest—an astonishing total of 12,960 experience points! Yet that trove had already been spent before the great battle.
Back then, Ted had poured it into his growth, leveling himself and sharpening his spells until every drop of experience had been consumed.
Now, the pool brimmed again: 154 + 350 + 2160 + 8850 = 11,514 experience points.
The numbers had meaning. 154 was the leftover balance, 350 came as the reward for the quest
[Sleep Like a Baby (Blue)]— the reward from Lockhart when he reset himself. 2,160 points were earned for destroying the diary, and 8,850 came from slaying the basilisk itself.
Yes, [Millennium Basilisk]. Level 14 Magical Creature / Level 2 Transfigured Creature / Level 1 Ancient Beast.
The monster's fall had yielded 8,850 points, though Ted suspected the number had been trimmed.
Ron's exploding wand had taken a heavy toll on the serpent, and no doubt that damage reduced the final share.
Beyond experience card, there were card rewards—
The acromantula's demise brought forth a scatter of eight white and green cards. Big slabs of white, translucent meat gleamed like jelly.
[Large Spider Meat (White)], Material Card x2
A thin belt of spider silk stretched taut between his fingers.
[Acromantula Spider Silk Sac (Green)], Material Card x2
A bottle of murky green liquid shimmered faintly.
[Acromantula Spider Venom (Green)], Material Card
A severed eyeball, glowing with eerie light.
[Acromantula Spider Eye (Green)], Material Card
A skittering shadow flitted across the treetops.
[Hidden Instinct (Green)], Material Card
And at last, a pair of pale-blue mesh shoes, knitted with surprising finesse.
[Spider Shoes (Green)], Item Card
The materials were straightforward enough—useful for potions or crafting—but the Hidden Instinct card was rarer. It could be grafted onto other cards, bolstering their power or bestowing fresh abilities.
The shoes, on the other hand, were both whimsical and practical. Once equipped, they lent agility (+1) and granted the ability to walk on walls and ceilings.
A note scrawled in the margin warned: wall-walking demanded core strength, so don't push your luck with too much weight.
Despite their bizarre origin, the shoes had a strangely modern flair, as if a wizard tailor had taken inspiration from Muggle sportswear.
Next came the reward from Lockhart's quest—the [Forgetfulness Charm (Obliviate) (Blue)]. A one-use card, but upon activation, it upgraded the spell to Level 5 immediately.
Ted almost laughed.
Both of his Defense Against the Dark Arts professors—Quirrell and Lockhart—had ended up sacrificing themselves in their own ways, leaving him unexpected gifts. He could only bow his head in gratitude.
Then there were the rewards tied to the basilisk and the diary. These were no common cards—they dripped with danger.
A red-bordered card flickered, showing a black shadow grinning behind a victim, a faint green tether binding them.
[Life Parasite (Red)]
Spell Card
Select a target to parasitize, siphoning magic and vitality slowly to empower yourself.
Uses: 1/1
Note: The process demands finesse—you must break through mental defenses and magical resistance.
Next, a blue-bordered card revealed a pale soul drifting from a fallen body.
[Ghost Transformation (Blue)]
Spell Card
Use: Transform a dying target into a spirit bound under your control.
Uses: 1/1
Note: Use with caution. A spirit too powerful may resist and turn on you.
Another blue card glowed softly, containing a crystalline ball of condensed magic.
[Magic Essence (Blue)]
Material Card
Rare, potent, with countless applications.
Finally, a simple but potent card: a blue border framing the words +1000 EXP.
[Experience Card (Blue)]
Experience Card
Increases 1000 experience points upon use.
Uses: 1/1
The diary, a one-time Horcrux, had given up these spectral prizes as it shattered. But the two spell cards—Life Parasite and Ghost Transformation—were terrifying in their potential. They felt like collector's items crafted by the Dark Lord himself, his twisted signature etched into their design. To wield them openly would be to invite whispers of a new heir to Voldemort's throne.
The Magic Essence would serve another day, to forge or enhance something greater. The Experience Card, though modest, was a pure gain.
And then came the cards from the basilisk…
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Word count: 1469
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