A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

The turmoil had ended, and Felix felt a wave of relief wash over him.

Bending down, he gathered the shattered remnants of the wand from the ground, still replaying the recent battle in his mind. All in all, he'd performed admirably, nearly matching Voldemort blow for blow. Perhaps he'd appeared somewhat disheveled at the end, dodging that exaggerated killing curse, but his primary objective had been achieved—Felix had roughly estimated Voldemort's power range, providing a foundation for their next encounter.

A smirk played on Felix's lips as he suddenly realized the situation seemed to have reversed from a decade ago.

Voldemort had repeatedly challenged Dumbledore because he believed he was on the rise in power. That was the only reason he'd engaged in what appeared to be self-destructive actions. Now, the tables had turned. Felix was the one continually improving, more than willing to engage with Voldemort. But Voldemort surely didn't share the sentiment; he probably wished to end Felix outright the next time they met.

"Perhaps it'll be quiet for a few months," Felix pondered. In this battle, Voldemort hadn't returned empty-handed. He'd concluded something grim: Felix was on par with him now.

This was a fundamental truth in the wizarding world. The gap in abilities among wizards wasn't as vast as one might assume. Even elite wizards like Snape, McGonagall, or Moody would struggle to withstand multiple curses, let alone the Avada Kedavra, an overpowered spell. So when Voldemort realized he could face two equally skilled wizards at any moment, his movements would become more enigmatic, more elusive, only appearing when assured of absolute safety.

"What will Voldemort do next? Search for a suitable wand, sow chaos, cause discord, passively wait for an opportunity..." These were the three strategies Felix envisaged. According to his estimation, Voldemort would likely attempt them in sequence.

Firstly, the quest for a fitting wand.

Coincidentally, Felix shared the same need.

While tales of powerful wands abounded in the magical world, delving into them often proved futile. Many regarded such stories as fairytales, making them rare to pursue, let alone find a suitable match.

Felix possessed some knowledge of wandlore but was limited to understanding the distinct properties of different wand materials. As for determining which rumor was more credible or founded, he was at a loss. Nonetheless, he could seek counsel from those knowledgeable in this domain—Dumbledore and the proprietor of Ollivanders.

If Ollivander could fashion a personalized wand for him, it'd be even better. He had plenty of hair and wouldn't mind sacrificing a bit for a custom wand. Amusingly, Voldemort faced a conundrum; he didn't even have eyebrows.

"Voldemort's strength is truly excessive, particularly his assaults," Felix muttered to himself, then chuckled dryly. "But Dumbledore's mastery over Transfiguration utterly outshines Voldemort's combat system."

Felix, Dumbledore, and Voldemort—the three apex figures in the wizarding world.

Yet, upon closer inspection, their magical paths diverged. Felix's knowledge was extensive, not just restricted to magical theory but also encompassed research akin to Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw's pursuits. His grasp of conventional spells was commendable. Dumbledore, the eldest, polished by time, had almost no weaknesses but excelled remarkably in Transfiguration. Voldemort pursued a single path, progressing swiftly after absorbing Slytherin's heritage, veering towards dark magic. Perhaps he had interwoven his understanding of death into dark arts, resulting in the most potent spellcaster among the three.

If given the choice, Felix would rather confront Dumbledore. His mastery of ancient magic could rival Transfiguration, and he could prolong the battle or employ ancient spells for offense.

Magic, Transfiguration, Dark Arts—forming an elusive cycle, making Felix marvel at fate's mysteries.

However, now that he stood alongside Dumbledore, it was Voldemort who should be feeling the headache.

...

As Harry woke in the bedroom of Black Manor, he heard Ron's loud snores nearby.

Getting out of bed and slipping on his glasses, the room's contents became clear. He glanced cautiously at Ron, who was sound asleep. It was only now that Harry had a moment to ponder.

Firstly, he had received the Order of Merlin—the pocket was empty when he checked, as expected. The gold medal lay beside his pillow, wrapped in a purple ribbon. After the ceremony, he was briefed on the fishing operation's plan. After a considerable period of anxiety, he finally received concrete information, but things took an odd turn afterward.

He'd seen Voldemort.

From the discussions he'd overheard, it seemed Voldemort had hidden his powers within a vampire's body. Harry's breath hitched; the wording felt hauntingly familiar, akin to what Dumbledore had once mentioned.

He shivered, worried that he might silently die like the vampire he'd seen during the day.

His mind started buzzing; it felt like someone was speaking to him.

But Dumbledore had assured Bones that there wouldn't be any adverse effects, neither for him nor for others. Others... Harry mulled over the term, finding it a bit grating. He glanced at Ron, who was deep in slumber, which eased him somewhat. At least Ron wasn't concerned about drawing his wand and attacking him out of the blue.

But did Dumbledore's assurances hold true? Harry harbored doubts.

His situation was pretty unique, wasn't it? If there were others with lightning-shaped scars on their heads parading around, it would surely be documented in some book. Hermione would zealously seek it out and excitedly inform him of another unlucky soul sharing his fate.

Even without her searching, people would automatically link that person's name with his and marvel at the magic's wonder.

But the truth was, there was only him, unharmed after being hit by the Killing Curse, even Professor Snape denied the resurrection notion. Only him. Harry thought, even though it was in no way his doing.

Because his case was so rare, it led back to the previous question—was Dumbledore's statement accurate?

>

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