Two weeks later, Sean finally reached the day of the special examinations he had arranged with Dumbledore.
According to their agreement, if he achieved Outstanding in all six subjects, he would no longer be required to attend those classes for the rest of the semester.
On the first Monday of October, Sean sat alone in a classroom.
Professor McGonagall served as the proctor.
That day, Sean would take three exams, and the remaining three would be completed the following day.
Sean looked down at the Defense Against the Dark Arts test paper and thought to himself:
Jovic clearly doesn't want me to pass this easily.
For two consecutive days, Sean was absent from his regular classes.
The first-year students all knew he was taking the special examinations.
Whispers spread through the year as everyone speculated whether Sean could actually pass.
On Wednesday morning, during the second class period, Professor Snape called Sean out of the classroom.
"Professor," Sean asked immediately, "have the results come out?"
Snape's expression remained cold.
"Grylls, Dumbledore's tolerance toward you is a privilege. I suggest you don't waste it on foolish behavior."
"So… I passed?" Sean asked.
Snape clearly didn't want to announce the result too eagerly.
He knew Sean was talented—but he feared that excessive praise might lead him to lose himself.
"Yes, Grylls."
"For the remainder of this semester, you will not need to attend those six classes."
Sean felt a quiet surge of satisfaction.
From now on, his schedule would be far more flexible.
He would have plenty of time to practice Dark Magic and Occlumency.
The only classes he still planned to attend were Potions and Flying.
Well… actually, not Flying.
Ever since that humiliating fall, Sean had never attended another flying lesson.
Even though Madam Hooch encouraged him not to give up, Sean seemed fundamentally incompatible with broomsticks.
Sean's reputation quickly spread throughout the entire school.
At first, the upper-year students had only occasionally heard of Sean Grylls, the famous Boy Who Lived with exceptional talent.
But now, they were genuinely impressed by his ability.
Among all the current students at Hogwarts, no one had achieved what Sean had done.
Completing six end-of-term examinations during the first month of school.
Even Tom Riddle had never been this high-profile during his time at Hogwarts—despite possessing the ability to do so.
Sean even tried to apply to audit higher-year classes, but Snape strongly opposed the idea.
So Sean spent most of his free time in the library or his dormitory.
"After grinding through a whole month, I finally have time I can control," Sean muttered.
He walked alone through the quiet corridors.
At this time of day, most students were still in class.
Based on Snape's schedule, Sean estimated that Snape should currently be teaching second-year Potions.
"Professor… mind if I borrow a few ingredients again?"
Sean headed toward the storage room in the dungeons.
After Cedric had helped him obtain the recipe for the Magic Power Restoration Potion, Sean had never found the time to actually brew it.
Now that he finally had plenty of free time, it was the perfect opportunity.
Four of the required ingredients could be found in Snape's storage room.
The remaining two were located in Professor Sprout's greenhouse.
Sean successfully found the four ingredients in the storage room.
Just as he was about to head toward the greenhouse to "borrow" some Scarlet Fern, someone appeared from the other end of the corridor.
"Mr. Grylls."
Sean froze.
Dumbledore was strolling toward him leisurely, a gentle smile on his face.
The moment Sean saw him, a chill ran through his heart.
I've got a bad feeling about this.
This definitely isn't good news.
Sean forced a polite smile.
"Professor, is there something you wanted to see me about?"
Dumbledore chuckled softly.
"No need to be nervous."
"You don't have a class right now, do you?"
"Walk with me for a bit."
The two walked side by side across the courtyard lawn.
Dumbledore chatted casually about Sean's studies.
Sean simply smiled and nodded politely along the way.
Then suddenly, Dumbledore changed the topic.
"How is your study of Dark Magic going?"
Sean instinctively nodded.
"Quite well, Professor."
Then he froze.
"…Wait."
Sean looked up at Dumbledore in shock.
How does he know about that?
Oh right… Snape and Dumbledore are on the same side.
"Professor… you know about the Ouroboros Society?" Sean asked cautiously.
"Yes."
"I have known about it since the day it was founded."
Sean was stunned.
"Then why allow it to exist?"
"If you know they're teaching Dark Magic, why haven't you disbanded it?"
Instead of answering, Dumbledore casually raised his wand and cast a spell at the grass.
Sean immediately recognized it.
Ghoul's Kiss.
Sean blinked in surprise.
Dumbledore smiled.
"Surprised?"
"I know a little Dark Magic myself."
"It is indeed a type of magic with considerable power."
Sean couldn't deny that.
Dark Magic had been created primarily for destruction and killing, so its power often far exceeded ordinary spells.
He had experienced this firsthand.
"I maintain a neutral stance regarding Ouroboros teaching you Dark Magic," Dumbledore continued.
"Magic itself has no inherent good or evil."
"Even the Unforgivable Curses can sometimes be used to save lives."
Sean frowned.
"Professor, some of them learned Dark Magic in Ouroboros and later joined the Death Eaters."
Dumbledore nodded.
"That was their choice."
"I know Dark Magic as well, yet I am not a Death Eater."
"Hogwarts teaches you for seven years."
"But after graduation, your life will still be your own responsibility."
"Dark Magic possesses great power."
"You must learn to control it, rather than allowing it to control you."
Dumbledore's tone was calm but deeply serious.
Sean nodded sincerely.
"I understand, Professor."
Dumbledore raised his left hand and tapped his palm with his wand.
A silver necklace appeared instantly.
At the center hung a red gemstone.
Dumbledore handed the necklace to Sean.
"Use your talents wisely."
"Lead Slytherin toward the true honor it deserves."
Sean paused.
Not long ago, Kurt had said something very similar.
But Kurt had been trying to lure him toward darkness.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, was clearly trying to guide him toward the light.
Sean examined the necklace.
Under his Magic vision, the necklace emitted a soft white glow.
He looked up.
"Professor… what does this do?"
Dumbledore smiled gently.
"It protects the light within your heart."
After saying that, he turned and walked away across the courtyard.
Sean watched his retreating figure.
"As expected of an old professor," he muttered.
"Even his answers are full of hidden meaning."
Then another thought struck him.
"Wait a minute…"
"Is Dumbledore basically recruiting me?"
"Does he want me acting as his insider among the Slytherin students?"
"I'm not interested in playing that game for three years and then another three years."
Dumbledore truly had high hopes for Sean.
He was a gifted child.
But more importantly, he was not someone bound by rigid rules.
Through this conversation, Dumbledore clearly hoped Sean would never fall into darkness.
Hogwarts might be the greatest magical school in Britain.
And Dumbledore might be the greatest headmaster in its history.
Even so—
He was not all-knowing.
During the decades he served as headmaster, many Hogwarts graduates had still gone on to become Death Eaters.
And Dumbledore did not want Sean Grylls to become the next Tom Riddle.
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