Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Truth

The Great Hall at Hogwarts was filled with a unique Halloween atmosphere—flocks of bats fluttered along the walls and across the ceiling; clusters of low clouds, conjured by weather charms, swirled above the tables, as if rain and thunder were brewing within them. Huge pumpkins lined the hall, some towering nearly as high as half a floor. Inside their hollowed bellies, bright candles flickered in the shifting shadows cast by the drifting clouds above the tables.

On the dais, a skeleton band played, each skeleton wearing a wide-brimmed Mexican straw hat. The musicians strummed guitars and vihuelas, played trumpets and flutes, while two lead singers sang enchanting ballads.

"Remember me, though I have to say goodbye..."

The lively yet wistful folk song carried both joy and sorrow, enthralling the young wizards nearby, leaving them feeling unusually lighthearted.

Yet, Siwen felt an overwhelming sadness. It was not just the exhaustion from overusing his mind, but also the song itself, which reminded him of a life once lived, of the friends and mentors he’d left behind in Kamar-Taj, separated now by two worlds...

In memories already growing faint, he thought of his teacher. Master Yao had long said he’d lived too long, grown too weary, and wanted to find a successor to guard this world in his stead. Yet Siwen had failed his expectations, choosing instead to embrace this new world. Who, then, could his teacher find to succeed him...

But all music must come to an end. When the song finally drew to a close, Siwen pulled himself back from the lingering melody.

Unnoticed, tears were streaming down his face.

Thunderous applause filled the hall. Abraxas, sitting beside Siwen, looked at him in disbelief and asked, "What’s wrong with you? How did you end up crying like this?"

Feigning nonchalance, Siwen pulled a napkin from the short wooden holder before him, wiped away his tears, and replied with practiced composure, "The song was just so beautiful, so moving."

Not far away, Alcione had clearly noticed Siwen’s strange behavior as well. She leaned over with concern. "Siwen, are you alright?"

At the same time, she turned to Abraxas, her tone stern. "Malfoy, did you bully Siwen?"

"Me? Bully him?" Abraxas, taken aback by Alcione’s obvious partiality, looked thoroughly aggrieved. "Just think—who in first year could possibly bully him?"

By now, Siwen had collected himself. Hearing Abraxas’ words, he felt a trace of amusement, so he said to Alcione, "Don’t worry, Al. I’m fine. As for whether Abraxas could ever bully me..."

He glanced at Abraxas, teasing him. "If he put just a little more effort into his studies, maybe—just maybe—he’d stand a chance."

"I see how it is—you two are ganging up on me!" Abraxas groaned, face darkening, and turned his attention to the meal before him.

Siwen smiled knowingly, and happened to glance at the staff table.

Headmaster Dippet sat in the center, in the grandest chair, dressed—unusually—in a bright red formal robe, looking quite festive, though entirely at odds with the spooky Halloween atmosphere. The professors took turns approaching him with their congratulations, most bearing gifts, and the old headmaster responded cheerily to each.

According to Dumbledore, Headmaster Dippet had just celebrated his three-hundredth birthday a few days prior. But being frugal by nature, he had refused to hold a separate banquet for the occasion, choosing instead to celebrate with the staff during the Halloween feast.

Then, Siwen suddenly noticed two empty seats at the staff table. Aside from Professor Kettleburn—who had recovered and was now growing used to walking with a wooden leg, and was presently engaged in a heated conversation with the headmaster—there was still one more staff member absent from the feast.

"Abraxas," Siwen said, tapping him on the shoulder. "This is both the Halloween feast and the headmaster’s three-hundredth birthday celebration. Which professor would dare to skip such an important occasion?"

Abraxas, now curious, looked over at the staff table. "There really is a professor missing!" he remarked after scanning the table. "But how am I supposed to know who it is?"

Mobley, overhearing their conversation, raised his head, eager for amusement. "We’ve almost finished eating, so why don’t we try to figure out which professor is missing?"

"Great idea!" Abraxas agreed. "Whoever finds out first gets first dibs on copying Siwen’s and Gomez’s homework from now on!"

"Deal!" Mobley’s competitive spirit was instantly ignited by this proposal, and he began counting off the professors at the staff table with wide, searching eyes.

"You didn’t even ask our opinion…" Siwen and Gomez exchanged helpless looks.

Gomez added, "The problem is, they haven’t even memorized all the professors. If the one who’s absent is someone they don’t recognize, how are they ever going to figure it out?"

Siwen nodded in agreement.

But Abraxas was undeterred, brimming with confidence. "It’s all about connections—so I’m sure to win!"

Mobley, lacking Abraxas’s connections, could only widen his eyes to an exaggerated degree, searching even harder for the absent professor.

Siwen watched them, bored, and stifled a yawn. Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him.

"Was Professor Lore here?!" He sprang to his feet, asking urgently.

Abraxas and Mobley were both startled, and after checking the staff table, realized that it was indeed Professor Lore who was missing.

The two were dumbfounded, protesting, "Siwen, that’s not fair! You’re ruining the game!"

But Siwen had no mind for their complaints—his mind was racing. Thanks to his excellent memory, every event since the start of term replayed vividly—

The first night after the official start of term, he’d broken the rules to search for a lost kitten, wandering the castle at night, only to run into Professor Lore, who was also out after hours. It was only thanks to Ghost Siwen’s cover that he hadn’t been caught.

After Thursday’s astronomy class, he and the Slytherin first years had run into Professor Lore in the entrance courtyard, just as Lore was coming up from the spiral staircase leading to the dungeons.

That same evening, rather than returning to his office, Professor Lore had taken a circuitous route back to the entrance courtyard. Siwen had found this odd, and sent Ghost Siwen to follow, but the pursuit was interrupted by a chance encounter with Scholar Angulo.

Later, he and Professor Kettleburn had been attacked in the Forbidden Forest. At Defense Against the Dark Arts the following week, Siwen had found something strangely familiar in Professor Lore’s eyes, though the feeling had passed by the end of the lesson.

And then today, after speaking with Dumbledore, Siwen had discovered that he’d been placed under a Confundus Charm without realizing it—a charm that had lingered so long it had begun to affect his daily life...

A single coincidence might be just that—a coincidence. But so many coincidences are no longer chance, but the truth.

The truth was this: the black-clad, bandaged wizard in the Forbidden Forest was none other than Professor Lore, and it was he who had sabotaged the castle’s magical nodes!

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