"Professor Son killed You-Know-Who?"
"I feel like the Dark Lord wasn't actually that impressive..."
"Yeah, or maybe Professor Son is just too strong. Did you see that Ki Magic? The power was terrifying."
"That settles it. I'm waking up at six tomorrow to train with Professor Sun!"
"Me too!"
"Count me in!"
Seeing Voldemort dissipate into nothingness under Goku's ki blast, the students—who had been screaming in terror moments ago—were momentarily stunned. Then, a wave of feverish excitement swept through the hall.
It was understandable. They had grown up believing Voldemort was an unspeakable nightmare, a dark wizard of unfathomable power. Yet, today, they had watched him shriek in pain after being kicked in the head, and then get vaporized while trying to run away.
This psychological "de-mystification" happened instantly. To these children, the Dark Lord who "Must Not Be Named" was no longer a god of death; he was just a target that didn't move fast enough.
'This is the spirit they need,' Dumbledore thought, nodding to himself.
He didn't bother explaining that it was only a soul fragment, nor did he warn them about the possibility of resurrection. He simply waved his wand to repair the Great Hall's ceiling, directed Snape to remove Quirrell's remains, and ordered the feast to continue.
Only when wizards stop fearing Voldemort can they truly face him with their full potential. Besides, this was the perfect advertisement for the Ki Magic course.
...
"So that was Voldemort? He didn't seem very tough—way weaker than you, Grandpa Dumbledore," Goku said candidly as he sat back down at the high table.
Having been at Hogwarts for two months, he had heard the stories. He knew Harry's parents had died at the villain's hands. He had expected a grand, earth-shaking battle. Instead, he had barely started to use his strength before the fight was over. It was quite a letdown.
"The real Voldemort is far more powerful than what you saw today," Dumbledore whispered, telling a small, strategic lie. "He has mastered many terrible dark arts. That was merely a fragment of his soul. He used a very specific, ancient dark magic—even if we destroyed that fragment, he isn't truly dead. He could return in the future. We must find a way to break that magic to finish him for good."
"He can come back to life? Then I definitely have to have a real fight with him when he does!" Goku's eyes lit up at the prospect of a rival stronger than Dumbledore.
Dumbledore smiled. "Of course. If I discover he has returned, I will notify you immediately."
The optimal solution was to uncover the secret of Voldemort's immortality. If that failed, the "Second Plan" involved Hagrid, the new generation of Ki-trained wizards, and the Boy Who Lived. And if that failed, he had his ultimate trump card: Goku.
Dumbledore knew Goku wouldn't stay in this world forever; he would likely leave soon. There were no opponents left here to challenge him, which contradicted Goku's philosophy of constant self-improvement.
By ensuring Goku remembered there was a powerful foe like Voldemort here, Dumbledore ensured the boy would likely return one day to check in.
It was a bit manipulative, playing on Goku's love for battle, but Dumbledore felt it was a necessary pivot. To safeguard both the wizarding and Muggle worlds, he had to be flexible—so long as he didn't cross his own moral lines.
"By the way, Goku," Dumbledore continued, "I noticed the dragons in the Hebrides aren't providing much of a challenge for you anymore. Soon, I will take you on a tour of different countries to find some... notorious dark wizards for you to face."
"Dark wizards? Great! I promised Nymphadora I'd help her catch some."
"Perfect. Once you catch them, you can give them to her as a gift. I imagine she'd be quite happy."
...
The Halloween feast ended, but it remained the sole topic of conversation for weeks. By the next morning, the registration for Ki Magic had tripled.
Time flew, and soon it was Christmas. While many students went home, many stayed. Goku's routine remained: physical training with the students in the morning, and the study of magical theory and charms in the afternoon. By now, he had nearly finished the entire fifth-year curriculum.
"Today, I shall teach you the spell you have been most eager to learn: Apparition."
On Christmas Day, Dumbledore finally felt Goku was ready. Apparition was a high-level magic involving spatial displacement. It was notoriously dangerous; a lack of focus could lead to "Splinching"—leaving half of one's body behind. Usually, students had to be seventeen and in their sixth year to even apply.
But Goku had the foundation now, and as for "psychological stability," Dumbledore wasn't worried. The boy's mind was as sturdy as a mountain.
"The secret to Apparition lies in the three D's: Destination, Determination, and Deliberation," Dumbledore explained. "First, focus your mind entirely on your goal..."
Goku listened with uncharacteristic intensity. Dumbledore lectured until dusk, finally preparing for a preliminary attempt.
"This magic is not easy. Many sixth-years spend a whole term on it and fail. So, don't rush. Take it slow, remember the three D's—"
"Apparate!"
With a sharp *crack*, Goku vanished from the Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore froze, his mouth half-open. "Wait... I was going to say we should go outside the castle first..."
He was stunned—not just because Goku had succeeded on his first try, but because he had done it *inside* Hogwarts. Goku wasn't the first genius to succeed on a first attempt; Dumbledore himself had been one of them. But the castle was protected by ancient wards that prohibited Apparition. Even Dumbledore usually needed the assistance of Fawkes the Phoenix to bypass them.
Unless you were a House-Elf, Apparition inside the walls was impossible. Was it because Goku used ki instead of magic power? Dumbledore suspected that was part of it, but it didn't explain everything.
***
Read 20 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666