boyutpedia Chapter 52 The Dispute in the Principal's Office
Chapter 52 The Dispute in the Principal's Office
The spiral staircase to the Headmaster's office ascended slowly. Karen followed behind Dumbledore, her heartbeat gradually calming. The wooden steps of the spiral staircase creaked softly, and the portraits on the wall pretended to be asleep, but occasionally peeked out with one eye to observe them. Karen stole a glance at Castor beside her and found that the teacher's expression remained calm and composed, as if using the Unforgivable Curse was a trivial matter.
"Lemon Olaf," Dumbledore said before the stone beast, his voice tinged with weariness. The stone beast leaped aside, revealing a spiral staircase behind it.
In the headmaster's office, sunlight streamed through the high windows, illuminating the exquisite silverware, and tiny dust motes danced in the beams of light. The portraits of past headmasters on the walls feigned sleep, but Karen could sense their eyes darting about. Fox preened his feathers on his perch, emitting a soft chirping. In a corner of the room, the Sorting Hat sat quietly on its shelf, its worn brim casting a shadow.
"Please have a seat." Dumbledore gestured for the two to sit in the comfortable armchairs, then went around to his desk. His fingers lightly traced a delicate silver object on the table—a constantly rotating model of a galaxy. His fingertips touched, and his deep blue eyes scrutinized them through his half-moon spectacles. "I think we need to talk about what happened today, especially... the use of certain spells."
Castor leaned back in his chair, relaxed, as if this were just an ordinary conversation. His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, making a rhythmic sound. "Albus, you know my position. That little bastard threatened my student and even threatened to use his family's influence to retaliate. He needs to understand that some lines cannot be crossed." His voice was calm, yet as dangerous as an undercurrent beneath the ice.
"The Crucifixion is not a teaching tool, Castor." Dumbledore used Castor's real name, a rare occurrence for him, his voice carrying a warning, "especially not in the corridors of Hogwarts." His silvery eyebrows furrowed, and the wrinkles on his face appeared even deeper.
Cullen glanced at Castor in surprise; this was the second time he had heard Dumbledore address his teacher by his real name. He noticed Castor's lips twitch slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.
Castor sneered, his voice crisp and cold like shattered ice: "So you'd rather watch pure-blood brats run rampant because of their family background? Let them think they can threaten and harm others with impunity?" He leaned forward, the folds of his robes gleaming subtly in the sunlight. "Albus, you're too idealistic. I know what these scum think. Fear is sometimes more effective than reason."
Dumbledore didn't respond immediately, but turned to Cullen, his gaze softening: "What do you think of today's events, Cullen?"
Cullen hadn't expected the question to be posed to him. He pondered for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tracing the patterns on his wand. "Selwyn and the others were indeed at fault, but I admit my retaliation was excessive. However, I don't believe my actions were wrong." He paused, his grey-blue eyes looking directly at Dumbledore. "As for the Crucifixion Curse… I'm not sure if it was the right thing to do, but it certainly… worked."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, his eyes behind his half-moon spectacles gleaming with wisdom. "An honest answer. Cullen, do you know why the Unforgivable Curse is called 'Unforgivable'?"
"Because they target a person's soul and will directly, Professor," Karen replied, recalling what he had read in the Defense Against the Dark Arts: "The Imperius Curse deprives free will, the Crucifixion Curse inflicts extreme pain, and the Killing Curse takes life directly... Using them corrupts the caster's soul." His voice was soft, yet clearly audible in the quiet headmaster's office.
“A textbook answer,” Castor scoffed, his fingers ceasing their tapping. “But the real world isn’t a textbook, Karen. When you face a real enemy, they’ll use the most vicious curses against you. Moral fastidiousness is meaningless in a life-or-death situation.” His blue eyes stared directly into Karen’s, as if trying to see into his soul.
Dumbledore sighed softly, his voice carrying the weight of years: "Castor, we've discussed this. Hogwarts should be a safe learning environment, not a training camp for dark wizards." He turned to the portraits of past headmasters on the wall, seemingly seeking support, but the portraits all pretended to be fast asleep.
"Safe?" Castor raised an eyebrow sarcastically, his fingers unconsciously reaching for the pocket containing the black gem. "Four students were able to ambush their classmate in the corridor today, and you still think it's safe here? Albus, I don't know what you're thinking." His voice suddenly sharpened. "Karen has talent, real talent. He needs to learn to protect himself, by all necessary means."
The tension between the two professors grew palpable, and Karen could sense that their long-standing ideological differences were now laid bare. Fox shifted restlessly on his perch, letting out a low growl.
Finally, Dumbledore broke the silence, his voice regaining its calm: "Cullen, starting next week, you will be in solitary confinement with Professor McGonagall every Monday night. Also…" He gave Castor a meaningful look, "I expect you to reflect on what you've learned today—not just magical skills, but also the moral boundaries of using them."
Castor stood up, the meeting clearly over. His robes drew an elegant arc behind him. "I will continue to teach Karen alchemy, Albus. As for the method... I have my own way." His tone was firm and unwavering.
Dumbledore didn't object, but added, his voice suddenly sounding old: "Castor, stay a little longer."
Then he said to Karen, "Karen, you can go back now. Remember, any form of violence leaves a scar, some visible, some...deeper." His blue eyes stared at Karen, as if he could see into his soul.
Cullen nodded and turned to leave the headmaster's office. As he closed the heavy oak door, he heard Dumbledore's deep voice from inside: "Castor, I think we need to talk about the Blood Pact..."
As Cullen descended the spiral staircase, his mind was in turmoil. Everything that had happened today felt like a nightmare—Selwyn's ambush, his own retaliation, Castor's Cruciatus Curse… and Dumbledore's final warning. His fingers unconsciously traced the wound on his shoulder, which still throbbed with pain.
The sunlight streaming through the corridor windows was still bright, and the laughter of students playing in the courtyard drifted in; everything seemed so peaceful. But Karen felt that something had changed forever.
Karen took a deep breath and looked up at the white clouds drifting past the corridor window. She wondered if she could still keep her appointment with Professor Castor for tonight's lesson.