Dumbledore walked through the chaotic carriages to the very last compartment, where he found Ares Delfino.
Ares was curled up on the seat, using a dragon-hide suitcase as a pillow. His face was pale, and the exhaustion between his brows was clearly not feigned.
"You're here, Professor Dumbledore," Ares gasped, making a move to get up.
"Oh, just stay like that, Ares," Dumbledore stopped him. He stepped into the compartment. The penetrating glint in his deep blue eyes vanished in a flash, replaced by warmth.
"Words cannot express my gratitude, and I have never been more glad of a decision than I am now, Ares. You know, I mean the decision to invite you back to Hogwarts."
"You flatter me, Professor," Ares said, still panting. "I was just doing my duty."
"Yes, yes..."
Dumbledore took off his half-moon spectacles, wiped the corners of his dry eyes, and sniffled emotionally.
"Truly moving... Although I did not witness that terrible scene with my own eyes, I believe you must have done everything in your power... risking your life to stop the runaway train?"
"Oh, indeed I did."
Ares looked "humble."
"I had to, didn't I... I couldn't ignore the lives of so many children, bright as the morning sun, vanishing before my eyes. I had to save them, even if it cost me my own life!"
"Truly moving!" Dumbledore emphasized again, looking at Ares, who was so "weak" he seemed about to faint.
"I imagine you must be eager to know what happened?"
"Oh, that can wait, Ares," Dumbledore said with a faint smile.
"The priority is to ensure your physical well-being. Go to Hogwarts. I trust you will get ample rest there... After that, you will have to face the reality of your impending fame, Ares. If the Ministry doesn't award you an Order of Merlin for today's events, it will surely spark public outrage."
"You know I've never cared for empty fame."
"Yes, I can see that."
"Could the Order of Merlin be exchanged for gold? If the Ministry really insists on commending me..."
"I'll see what I can do, Ares."
"Oh—and the Ministry fined me 300 Galleons a while back, Professor Dumbledore. If possible..."
The corner of Dumbledore's mouth twitched a few times.
"I will apply to the Board of Governors to increase your salary by 300 Galleons a month, Ares. Now... get on the carriage. Can you walk? Oh, let me help you with magic."
Dumbledore said, waving his wand to levitate Ares.
"Oh, wait a moment, Professor Dumbledore—"
Just out of the compartment, Ares looked back at the dragon-hide suitcase on the seat as if remembering something, extending a trembling finger.
"That... my entire fortune!"
Dumbledore's gaze followed the finger to the dragon-hide suitcase against the wall. His silver eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.
"Don't worry, Ares. The house-elves will bring your property safely to the school."
" Phew... No, Professor Dumbledore," Ares insisted. "That suitcase... to ensure safety, I cast a spell on it—it cannot be moved by magic or spatial folding. It can only be carried by hand."
Dumbledore had no choice but to go over and lift the suitcase... One tug, two tugs... It didn't budge!
"The speed at which you accumulate wealth is truly astonishing, Ares."
"Oh, it's nothing. Just the rewards of hard work."
"It can at least be lightened with magic, right, Ares? I imagine this suitcase weighs at least several hundred pounds?"
"Seven hundred pounds," Ares said. "Yes, it can be lightened... Thank you—Oh, it looks like you need to exercise more, Professor."
---
As a hero, Ares naturally deserved special treatment.
He didn't have to squeeze into a carriage with others; a separate carriage had been prepared for him.
The Thestral pulling the carriage seemed to appreciate Ares's heroic deed as well. As he passed by, it lowered its grotesque head and nuzzled Ares's cheek affectionately.
"Well then, see you at Hogwarts."
Dumbledore stood by the carriage, waving with a smile at Ares, who was being examined by two Healers inside.
The Thestral flapped its bat-like wings, and amidst the howling wind, the massive carriage rose into the air.
Dumbledore watched until the carriage disappeared into the darkness. Then, the gentle smile on his face melted away.
There was a commotion at the front of the train. While moving Marcus Flint off the train, the Healers accidentally banged his broken leg against the doorframe, and he was shouting curses.
Dumbledore, looking older than usual in the torchlight, didn't go to check on Flint's injury. He just stood by the carriage, brow furrowed deeply, staring at the scarred and battered exterior of the Hogwarts Express.
After a long while, he moved.
Dumbledore boarded the train again and returned to the compartment where Ares had just been.
He stood at the door, scrutinizing everything inside. His blue eyes seemed to genuinely glow with starlight.
"Is something wrong?"
Severus Snape approached with silent steps. The injured had been moved away, so Snape felt he could speak plainly.
His empty eyes flashed with suspicion as he scanned every wrinkle on Dumbledore's face.
"Was this just a simple accident, Dumbledore—or is it something else?"
"It's too early to conclude, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly.
"But there are indeed some unreasonable aspects... Did you notice, Severus? While the train lost control to such an extent, this compartment remained perfectly normal. There isn't even a crack on the window glass.
Did Ares protect his compartment with magic?
It doesn't look like it... There isn't a trace of magic left. All magical traces, including the train's own defensive charms, were... dissolved. Yes, dissolved... But I believe Ares isn't capable of such a clean job."
By the end, Dumbledore's voice had turned into a murmur, as if talking to himself.
After pondering for a while, Dumbledore stopped thinking.
He walked into the compartment and picked up the glass from the table, his movements natural, as if he had planned to do so all along.
The glass had clearly held something; the sides were cloudy, and a layer of light red residue coated the bottom.
Dumbledore sniffed it himself, then handed the glass to Severus.
"Can you determine what this is, Severus? I imagine it should be easy for you? After all, you taught him Potions."
"What's certain is that it contains dragon blood," Severus said, also passing the rim of the glass under his nose, his gaze heavy.
"As for the rest..."
Severus glanced sideways at Dumbledore, responding to his concerned look with a curl of his lip.
"Just as you said—it's too early to conclude."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly but firmly, ignoring Severus's mockery.
"Find out its ingredients and effects, Severus... I think this is crucial for understanding our new colleague."
There were no other valuable clues in the compartment. After giving his instructions, Dumbledore turned and left the compartment, getting off the train with agile steps.
He didn't go to the front of the train to check on the severely injured students being evacuated last. Instead, he strode along the tracks in the direction from which the Hogwarts Express had come.
"Where are you going?"
Severus chased after him, staring at his back.
"To take a look ahead, Severus."
Dumbledore's soft reply dissipated instantly in the wind.