Chapter 810: Boggart

Dumbledore fell silent.

This silence lasted until they reached the center of the field.

At this time, Sean would know that in the face of love, saints and mortals are no different, and the greatest wizard in the magical world is no different from Muggles.

"Let's do it here, our first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.

It's hard to imagine I still have students to teach; what an expectant responsibility..."

Dumbledore said; he seemed to have returned to the kind appearance in Sean's impression.

He waved his wand and conjured an old wardrobe.

Dumbledore walked over and stood beside the wardrobe, and the wardrobe suddenly shook, banging against the wall.

"Do you know what's inside?"

Dumbledore said calmly.

"I think there is a Boggart inside."

Sean answered.

"Ah, yes. Boggarts like dark and enclosed spaces,"

Dumbledore said as if teaching a student,

"Wardrobes, gaps under beds, cupboards under sinks... Now, the first question I want to ask you is: what is a Boggart?"

"It's a shape-shifting thing; it turns into whatever it thinks will scare us the most."

Sean's voice grew lower and lower; he felt more and more that this was too cruel.

"Yes, I don't think I could have said it more clearly."

Dumbledore said,

"So, the Boggart staying in this dark cupboard doesn't have a specific shape yet; it doesn't know what the person outside the cupboard door is afraid of. No one knows what a Boggart looks like when alone, but as soon as I let it out, it immediately turns into what each of us fears most. This means,"

Dumbledore continued,

"We have a great advantage in front of a Boggart. Sean, have you discovered this advantage?"

"Yes, Professor—because there are two of us, it doesn't know what shape to turn into."

"Very correct."

Dumbledore nodded,

"When dealing with a Boggart, it's best to go in pairs.

This confuses it:

Should it turn into a headless skeleton, or a flesh-eating slug?

I once saw a Boggart make this mistake—it wanted to scare two people at the same time, and ended up turning itself into half a slug, not scary at all.

The spell to repel a Boggart is very simple, but it requires powerful willpower.

You know, what really finishes off a Boggart is laughter. What we need is to force it to turn into an image we find funny.

Now I teach you this spell, repeat after me... Riddikulus!"

Dumbledore missed this feeling; a long time ago, his students were Newt, Lita;

Not so long ago, his students were James, Lily, Severus;

Now, his student was Sean Green... he liked this student very much; sometimes he would see his favorite things in his student.

"Riddikulus!"

Sean seemed very adaptable to Headmaster Dumbledore's sudden guidance.

"Very good, so now let's try it. Move away a bit, Sean."

Sean retreated to the side of the cupboard, leaving only Dumbledore standing in front of the wardrobe.

A spark shot from the tip of Dumbledore's wand and hit the spherical door handle.

The wardrobe door suddenly swung open, but no monster rushed out; there was only a bewildered and kind witch, looking timid and very cute.

But Dumbledore turned his head away the moment he saw her; Sean quickly drew his wand, and the cupboard door closed in the blink of an eye.

"You don't need to do this."

Sean frowned.

He had guessed early on how the old wizard was going to let him see Ariana.

That was to let him see the old wizard's most fearful thing—his Boggart, his sister, the dead Ariana.

"Oh, it doesn't matter..."

Dumbledore sat on the lawn, his beard still trembling slightly,

"Sit here, come over, child. Let me tell you a story."

The wind blew gently, and clouds rolled and unrolled over the field.

"There was once a wizard, a wizard we should all despise.

His sister was attacked by Muggles because she accidentally revealed magic.

This attack made her spirit very unstable, unable to control her own magic.

His father was very angry, cast spells on those Muggle boys for revenge, and was arrested because of it.

Died miserably in Azkaban.

But what about him? He had talent; I have to admit he was excellent. So he wanted to run away. He wanted to become outstanding. He wanted to be dazzling.

Look at what he did; he soon maintained frequent correspondence with the most famous magic masters of the time, including the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel, the well-known historian Bathilda Bagshot, and the magic theorist Adalbert Waffling.

Several of his papers were published in academic journals such as "Transfiguration Today," "Spell Innovation," and "Practical Potions Master."

Before graduation, he and another equally excellent wizard, Elphias Doge, also planned to travel the world as soon as they graduated.

They were already preparing to set off for Greece in Diagon Alley, but at this time, the news of his mother Kendra's death arrived—his mother died taking care of his sister.

So, he had to give up the plan to travel the world and return home to take care of his sister."

Dumbledore's narration was frank and indifferent. At this moment, his gaze swept over Sean's head and looked toward the distant valley.

"So he resented all this.

After his mother passed away, he had to be responsible for taking care of a disabled sister and a willful brother; he returned to the village full of resentment and pain.

He thought he was trapped, wasting time!

But he forgot, his brother had always been shouldering his responsibilities, and only his brother could soothe his sister when her emotions were out of control, but he just happened to forget...

His brother was very angry because of his selfishness—

Think about it, he actually wanted to leave here with someone else, escape here, escape this place that trapped him.

He was too selfish, Sean, more selfish than you, a very selfless person, could imagine.

Later... reality appeared in the face of his brother, who was rough-tempered and uneducated, but far more excellent.

He didn't want to listen to the truths his brother shouted at him. He didn't want to hear that he was dragged down by a weak, unstable sister, unable to go and complete his plans, make Muggles submit, and make wizards great!

He, his companion, and his brother's argument escalated into a duel. His sister... after his mother and his brother had taken such careful care and looked after her... fell to the ground and died."

His companion ran away, leaving only him to bury his sister, learning to pass the days in guilt and extreme sorrow; that was the price of his shame."

Dumbledore smiled; that smile was as bitter as straw on a wheat field, hanging with a kind of fragile strength.

This was his whole life, just constantly saying goodbye, running away, trying to forget, yet never wanting to forget. In the end, his hands were empty, and his heart was scarred. ===== CHAPTER 811 =====