With the help of the kind ghost, Harry passed the stone gargoyle and arrived at the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts.

He stepped into the spacious, beautiful circular room and noticed portraits of various wizards lining the walls.

The elderly figures in the frames seemed perpetually half-asleep, emitting faint snores. And yet, whenever Harry looked away, the people in the portraits would secretly peek at him, whispering among themselves in hushed tones.

The white-bearded old man Harry had met yesterday sat behind the desk.

Dumbledore was dressed much the same, with his half-moon spectacles and silver-white beard, though during the summer, with no students at Hogwarts, his attire was more casual. He wore a long woolen dressing gown and a nightcap, looking like a disheveled old man who had just woken up.

"Ah, how was your first night at Hogwarts, Mr. Potter?" He set down a letter he had been holding and looked at Harry, his bright blue eyes behind the half-moon glasses calm and gentle.

Harry took a deep breath to ease his nerves.

"Good morning, H-Headmaster."

"You may call me Professor Dumbledore."

As Dumbledore spoke, the chair in front of Harry pulled itself out.

"Sit down, my boy. Your nervousness only gives you away. I'm sure your teacher has been whispering unflattering things about me behind my back." He smiled mischievously and winked at Harry.

Harry, who had just stuck his butt to the chair, spoke hurriedly, "N-no, Professor Dumbledore! My teacher didn't say anything bad about you! He just... just told me to think more!"

"Thinking is indeed something one should always do." Dumbledore stretched out his fingers and twirled them around his temple, "Our brains is like a tuna. It can only show its value if it keeps moving. Only death can stop it."

Harry was a little confused by this strange metaphor, but his attention was soon captured by the sudden appearance of butter cookies and tea in front of him.

"Eating sweets first thing in the morning isn't good for the teeth, so I usually settle for a biscuit or two."

Perhaps it was Dumbledore's relaxed demeanor, or perhaps the old man simply had a natural ability to put people at ease, but Harry, who had been tense, gradually began to relax.

Still, he didn't forget the reason he had come here. After hesitating for a few seconds to gather his thoughts, he spoke, "Professor Dumbledore, my teacher and the others will be fine, right? The Ministry of Magic won't make things difficult for them, right?"

Dumbledore set down the letter in his hand. Harry noticed that the letter looked dirty and the paper was full of wrinkles. It seemed that the person who wrote it lived in a very bad environment. There were even a few grey hairs stuck to it… possibly from some animal.

"Let's set aside the trial that the Ministry of Magic is going to hold on them for now, Mr. Potter. Perhaps we can first discuss another matter."

Dumbledore met Harry's eyes.

"You're well aware of who your teacher really is, aren't you?"

"He's the Potions Professor at Hogwarts, the Head of Slytherin House, and a renowned Potions Master in the Wizarding World..."

"You know that's not what I'm asking about."

Dumbledore said calmly. Looking into those eyes made Harry feel a little helpless for a moment. He lowered his head and didn't speak again.

The office fell into a brief silence, and after a few seconds, Dumbledore's voice sounded again, "From the very beginning, he told you the truth… everything he could say. I never expected Severus to have such courage, but I must admit, I admire his honesty."

"However, for a child, especially a 9-year-old, to live and study alongside the man who caused so much pain, to call him 'teacher' every day... that burden, that torment, is too much to bear."

Dumbledore's voice was soft, carrying a tone of genuine sincerity.

"Here and now, you have another choice to make, Mr. Potter. You may return to your aunt's home and resume your former life. When your magical abilities manifest and you come of age, Hogwarts will send you your letter as promised."

His words made Harry lift his head again.

The 9-year-old boy no longer hesitated or avoided the question. Instead, he spoke with absolute conviction.

"I'm not going back, Professor Dumbledore!"

His certainty and resolve caused a glint of light to flash across Dumbledore's spectacles. The old wizard asked him patiently, "Can you tell me the reason? Is it because the Dursleys treated you poorly, or because you truly trust Severus now?"

"I haven't forgotten what my teacher told me… that he's my enemy. But he can teach me so much!" Harry struggled to put his thoughts into words.

Dumbledore clasped his fingers together and looked as if he was listening attentively.

"And yet, in all these days of travel, he hasn't taught you a single spell. What have you learned from him?"

"From the very start of the journey, I asked Sanguini." Harry said in a somewhat hurried tone, "I asked him if he loved Patty. My teacher told me… he showed me in Nick's memories… that the moment Sanguini met Patty, he fell in love."

"He was willing to throw himself into danger for her, to trade his own life for hers. I didn't understand how something like love could drive a person to that point!"

"It was not until last night that Sanguini finally answered me that he loved that girl and they had the most beautiful love story! And Eldred… he helped Sanguini, risked everything just so Sanguini could find happiness. They had the truest friendship!"

"It was my teacher who showed me all of this, and it was my teacher who taught me how people should treat each other!"

"This is something I never experienced at Aunt Petunia's. Maybe Aunt Petunia loves me. Maybe she doesn't. But I don't understand any of it."

"I haven't learned any advanced magic or powerful spells from my teacher yet, but I've learned this. I know these things exist in the world… things more moving than any story, greater than any book..."

"I don't know how to explain it... but Professor Dumbledore, ever since I met my teacher, I've learned so much. Even if he's my enemy, I still want to keep traveling with him. I still want to learn from him!"

Harry spoke in a rush, as though afraid that if he spoke too slowly, the old man before him might misunderstand.

And Dumbledore had been listening to his speech carefully without interrupting him from beginning to end.

By the time Harry had finished what he wanted to say, his breathing was uneven, and silence settled over the Headmaster's office once more.

Then, a smile finally appeared on Dumbledore's originally calm face. Under Harry's nervous, hopeful gaze, he spoke.

"Even if you are still a child, you should have the power to make your own decisions. If this is truly what you wish, then no one can stop you, Mr. Potter. You may continue your travels with your teacher."

Harry's face lit up with relief. He might not have fully grasped the situation, but he could tell that this was his teacher's boss giving his approval!

"However…' Dumbledore added, "There is someone who must join your journey. An old acquaintance of your teacher's. Though life has left him rather down on his luck, I think you'll be glad to know him."

When Dumbledore said these words, Harry subconsciously glanced at the sloppy letter stained with hair of some unknown animal placed on the table.

"But… will they be found innocent?"

Though his attention had wavered, Harry's mind was still fixed on his original question.

"That will depend on the Wizengamot's judgment."

"Will you speak for them?" Harry asked hopefully.

"I cannot openly take their sides." Dumbledore winked at Harry, "Because as the Chief Warlock, I have to make the final verdict."