Hogwarts headmaster's office.
After Gerald left, Dumbledore fell into a weird silence. He kept rubbing the black seal in his hand, his brows locked tight.
"What are you worried about, Dumbledore?" After a while, a mustached middle-aged man in a painting on the wall suddenly spoke up. "Shouldn't you be happy to see your best student come back?"
This mustached man was the former Hogwarts headmaster, Armando Dippet. He quit decades ago over the Chamber of Secrets mess and died just last month.
"Hmph! He's probably upset because that kid is too good," Phineas said from another painting.
This headmaster was once called the least popular one in Hogwarts history, because he came from Slytherin and pushed pure-blood ideas.
"Is that true, Dumbledore?" The eyebrows in Armando's painting bunched up, and he said softly: "Do you really think this kid will turn out like Tom?"
"No, he won't." Dumbledore snapped out of it and shook his head a bit. "He won't end up like Tom. I can tell."
"Then what's the worry?" Armando sounded confused. "He's such a polite and kind kid. You can't hurt his feelings over some gut feelings!"
"I'm worried about that politeness exactly." Dumbledore let out a sigh. "He's way too grown-up, grown-up in a way that doesn't fit a kid."
"What do you mean? You think someone's swapped his soul?" Phineas raised an eyebrow with a teasing tone.
"You know about reincarnation from the old East?" Dumbledore put the black seal from his pocket on the table and spoke in a low voice. "It means a soul goes through hell's cycles and comes back to life."
"Proof shows that's nonsense." The female headmaster who hadn't spoken yet, Dilys Derwent, jumped in. "After death, you might turn into a ghost, but no coming back as someone new."
"Maybe I'm overthinking it." Dumbledore nodded, agreeing with the old-timer.
But his tight brows stayed put, eyes glued to the pattern on the black seal. It was a fancy design that looked like a long sword. This pattern matched the blood-red mark on his top student's face exactly.
The last owner of this black seal was the "First Dark Lord" Gerald Fernandes from four hundred years back.
This is an Actor: I bet Dumbledore's super torn right now, thinking I'm tight with that first Dark Lord.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: No doubt! With hard evidence like that, anyone would link you to Gerald.
Doujin Artist: I don't get it! I can buy you wanting to be a good teacher, but feeding old Dumbledore this intel—what's up? That's straight-up baiting suspicion. If Gin pulled this, I'd call him dumb!
Curly-haired Guy: Hey, why me getting slammed?
Doujin Artist: Cause you are dumb, obvious.
Curly-haired Guy: Who says? Gin-san, where'd I act dumb? Friends or not, talk smack like that and I'll sue for slander!
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Your question's worded wrong. Ask yourself where you're NOT dumb.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Yep, same here!
Curly-haired Guy: You rotten girls at it again?
Lazy Kitten: Huh? Straight to rotten girls? Blanket insult? You're begging for a fight, huh? News flash: when I snap, even I get scared!
Soul Society's Villain: Cut the sidetrack. Let's hear Anzen explain. Why leave Dumbledore that clue on purpose?
This is an Actor: Said it before, not my clue. Group rules added historical carryover when planting the character. Gerald's real in this world, so his old stuff showing up is normal.
Amegakure Village's Angel: But honey, you knew and let it ride? Your power could wipe that clue easy.
This is an Actor: Easy, yeah, but pointless. Truth is, I wanna see how Dumbledore deals. Will he plot to take me out, or try something else? You guys not curious?
Machete Girl: Curious, sure, but full exposure kills the fun.
Lin Fengjiao: And he'll waste tons of time spying on you.
This is an Actor: Spy? Useless. Eyes don't always see truth. He sees what I let him.
Lin Fengjiao: Fine, I overthought.
Lin Jiu finally got it—group leader's no real Gerald. He's a god in Gerald's skin, just playing pretend for kicks here.
Goal's not wrecking the world, just soaking up the role-play joy. Suspicion, hate, fans, worship—all side spice.
Plot twists any way, fun stays.
Doujin Artist: Spy fails, he'll still watch you. Limits stuff you do?
This is an Actor: He'll watch, but his watchfulness... got me back teaching at Hogwarts smooth. Dumbledore's pure Gryffindor—thrill-seeker. Keeping threats close is his jam. No limits on me.
Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Right, early Potter books' schemes were his hands-on work.
Curly-haired Guy: Old coot's no saint, loves bait-and-snake tricks! Crack his chest, heart's filthy!
Doujin Artist: Pfft, filthier than yours? Others dirty tops, yours pitch black!
Curly-haired Guy: Bull, Gin-san's heart shines crystal clear!
Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Why crystal clear? You painted it with pig fat as varnish.
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