NOVEL WEB Chapter 228: Chapter 119: Overbearing, Aren't You?
Hermione and Dumbledore both fully grasped the implications of Glenn's words.
Harry Potter, currently a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Harry Potter, Voldemort's self-proclaimed "archenemy" through his direct actions.
Harry Potter, also one of the many magical artifacts Voldemort created to escape death and achieve immortality—a Horcrux. And perhaps the most unique one, a living Horcrux.
It is known that Dumbledore and Voldemort are mortal enemies.
Dumbledore seeks to destroy Voldemort.
Dumbledore aims to cultivate a "Savior" capable of defeating Voldemort.
This "Savior" is none other than Harry Potter. (Glenn had roughly explained this to Hermione before.)
And for Voldemort to truly die—the nightmare of the British wizarding world, the Dark Lord leading the ruthless Death Eaters, the lingering terror haunting wizards for years—all of his Horcruxes must be destroyed before he himself suffers a fatal blow.
And Harry Potter is one of Voldemort's many Horcruxes.
So, for Voldemort to meet his ultimate demise, for the British wizarding world to be freed from his shadow, "Harry Potter" must be destroyed before Voldemort himself.
If one were to think more cynically, Dumbledore's efforts to secretly support Harry Potter as the "Savior," ensuring he remains in Voldemort's sights, could easily be interpreted as a plan to use Harry as bait. Ultimately, it would mean sacrificing Harry Potter, squeezing every ounce of value from him, and using his death as the price to finally end Voldemort, the seemingly indestructible Dark Lord.
Is this reality too hard to accept?
It's like the classic "Trolley Problem"—sacrificing the few to save the many. In this case, sacrificing Harry Potter to secure a bright future for the majority of the British wizarding community.
This harsh and cold reality was laid bare by Glenn, who now waited silently for Dumbledore's response.
Dumbledore, however, had calmed down. There was no hesitation in his demeanor. The answer—the path to the correct future—had already formed in his mind the day he learned that Harry was an "accidental Horcrux" created by Voldemort. It had been etched into his memory ever since.
"Sacrifice is inevitable."
There was no hesitation, no anger at Glenn for shattering any illusions of a rosy reality. After hearing Glenn's inquiry, Dumbledore immediately answered her question.
"But I can assure you, in the future I envision, Harry will not have to sacrifice himself."
Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes were extraordinarily calm, as tranquil as a pristine lake high in the mountains, unruffled by even the slightest ripple.
This calmness made Hermione uneasy.
This calmness reminded Glenn of her past self.
"I see," Glenn nodded. Although she wasn't privy to the details of Dumbledore's future plans, she could roughly surmise what he intended to do.
Glenn had no intention of passing judgment on Dumbledore's approach. It was his choice, after all, and it should be respected.
However...
"In that case, Professor, would you be interested in hearing my thoughts?"
"An alternative solution for dealing with this ticking time bomb that is Harry Potter?"
"A solution that is still in its theoretical stage."
---
"I get it, Glenn, but if you had such a good idea, why were you so... confrontational at the start? I guess that's the word—confrontational—when you asked Professor Dumbledore those awkward questions?"
Hermione was whispering to Glenn, her face visibly tired. Her bushy hair was completely frizzed out, looking particularly spectacular.
It was nearing noon. Having gone to bed late due to last night's events and the subsequent cleanup, Hermione had just woken up not long ago. For the first time in her life, she experienced the concept of "brunch." Even so, the young girl still hadn't had enough sleep.
She had woken up from hunger. The physical and magical energy she had expended the previous night had been immense. Exhausted, Hermione had gone straight to bed upon returning to her dormitory, completely forgetting to eat something to replenish her energy.
Because the commotion in Hogwarts Castle last night had been so great, nearly everyone in the castle had been awakened. Students from all four houses had been herded into their respective common rooms, where they were immediately protected by the professors who had rushed over.
Notably, Glenn had cast Confundus Charms on Hermione's dormmates beforehand, making them believe that Hermione had been with them all night. This minimized unnecessary leaks of information.
As for himself, Glenn had simply informed Draco of his nighttime outing and asked him to cover for him with their other dormmates before heading off to meet Hermione.
Fortunately, Dumbledore's safety announcement came almost immediately, allowing the bewildered students to return to their dormitories and rest.
However, having been startled awake, the students—now safe but intensely curious about the events in Hogwarts—found it hard to fall asleep again.
Fear and curiosity about the unknown, combined with mental tension, kept their minds racing even as they lay in bed. Most students ended up chatting late into the night before finally drifting off with unanswered questions.
Taking into account the significant events of the previous night and the students' exhaustion, Dumbledore had declared a day off at Hogwarts.
The Great Hall was still mostly empty. Most students were still asleep. Only Hermione, driven by hunger, Glenn, who rested through meditation like some kind of monster, and a few overachievers were present for the meal.
Because Dumbledore had been present throughout last night and had escorted them back to their dormitories, Hermione hadn't had the chance to ask her questions.
In her view, Glenn wasn't the type to intentionally ask awkward questions to make others uncomfortable. There had to be a deeper reason behind his actions last night.
Hermione felt she needed to find out.
"Awkward questions?" Glenn paused mid-bite, turning to Hermione with his usual expressionless face. The black silk covering his eyes gave him an air of mystery, but Hermione could tell he was genuinely puzzled and trying to recall.
It seemed Glenn was seriously reflecting on his memory.
"You know, about how to handle... Harry," Hermione prompted.
"If you're referring to that question, I don't think it was awkward at all," Glenn replied. "I just felt it was the right moment to bring it up, so I did."
"..."
Hermione's expression turned peculiar. She placed her small hand on Glenn's shoulder, which had reverted to its male form.
"Glenn..."
"?"
"I really shouldn't expect you to have any sense of reading the room!"
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