Dumbledore sighed softly. "Truly, appearances can be deceiving."
Kingsley nodded in solemn agreent. "Albus, is it really possible that such intense Dark Magic fluctuations are coming from that child?"
Dumbledore glanced at him. "Unless there is an invisible Dark Lord standing behind him, yes. Is there a problem?"
Kingsley's expression turned grave. "A significant one. If he were an adult wizard, he'd be headed straight for Azkaban.
If he were a student at Hogwarts, his wand would be snapped. But the fact that even you don't recognize him suggests he hasn't been registered.
The Ministry has no protocols for punishing or containing a child of this nature."
"You forget one thing, Kingsley. Hogwarts is exactly the place for such cases. I suspect the boy's acceptance letter is already sitting on Minerva's desk, awaiting a signature," Dumbledore said.
"For now, our mission is simply to investigate this young gentleman and his... extraordinary affinity for the Dark Arts."
With a gentle smile, Dumbledore led Kingsley toward Kane.
"I believe a good boy who uses Dark Magic to perform tricks for socialites wouldn't refuse to perform for an old man, would he?"
If Kane had heard Dumbledore, he might have considered it. But he didn't hear the Headmaster; he heard Maxwell.
"Two wizards have eyes on you."
Kane stiffened. He looked up and imdiately saw Dumbledore and Kingsley—two n dressed in eccentric robes, holding wooden sticks, practically screaming 'I am a wizard' to the world.
Fortunately, his efficiency today had been high. The two socialites had generously tipped him a full hundred pounds. With the cash in hand, his imdiate instinct was to pack up and vanish!
Kane hurried away, leaving the two ladies bewildered. They soon saw the strangely dressed n pursuing the boy. Feeling a surge of justice for the "charming little magician" who had just made their day, the won moved to intercept Dumbledore and his companion.
However, Kingsley gave his wand a subtle flick. The two ladies instantly beca dazed and wandered back to their car, their mories of the interference already blurring.
"Maxwell? Are they still behind ?" Kane ducked into an alley. Yesterday, Harry was just an untrained kid he could brush off.
Today, these two—one in his pri, the other a silver-haired elder—looked terrifyingly powerful. He needed to avoid a direct confrontation at all costs.
But he soon realized Maxwell's scouting was unnecessary. Dumbledore and Kingsley were already standing right in front of him.
"Young man, would you be interested in performing a trick for us? I saw your work back at the intersection," Dumbledore asked warmly.
Kane sighed inwardly. He took off his hat. "Certainly. Please, hold this hat with both hands."
Dumbledore followed the instructions. The mont his fingers touched the fabric, he felt its true nature: ice-cold, bone-chilling, and saturated with an incredibly sinister Dark Magic.
Even a wizard who had practiced the Dark Arts for eighty years might not possess energy this pure. For an eleven-year-old... was he a natural-born conduit for the shadows?
While Dumbledore reflected, Kane was busy executing his escape. Since these two had essentially outed themselves as wizards, he didn't need to hide his cards.
He willed his own shadow to manifest a second black top hat, which crawled up his leg and into his hand. He handed it to Kingsley.
"And you as well, sir." Kingsley looked at Dumbledore, received a nod, and took the hat.
"Now, please press the openings of the hats together. Get ready to witness a miracle," Kane said with an air of mystery.
Dumbledore and Kingsley cooperatively pressed the hats together. When they looked up again, they saw nothing but Kane's back as he sprinted away at top speed.
The hats in their hands dissolved into a tangled ss of shadow chains, locking their wrists together. One end of the chain even rooted itself into the ground, pinning them in place.
"An instinctive application. It's etched into his very marrow," Dumbledore comnted, eyeing the shadows.
"So, you're saying so unknown Dark Wizard is masquerading as a child?" Kingsley muttered.
"Quite the opposite. I suspect the Dark Magic is innate to this child. He uses it as naturally as breathing... I certainly can't use Transfiguration with that level of subconscious ease."
Dumbledore began to dismantle the shadow chains. It wasn't difficult; Kane's eleven-year-old reserves were no match for over a century of Dumbledore's refined power.
"Where to next?" Kingsley asked, shaking off the remaining darkness.
"He's a clever boy, but not an evil one. I doubt he's prepared a 'three-burrows' escape plan yet. To his motel, then," Dumbledore commanded calmly.
As Dumbledore and Kingsley waited to "squat" on him, Kane was walking back, eating a hot dog and chatting with Maxwell.
"We've known each other so long, and you didn't even offer to help."
Maxwell raised an eyebrow. "You handled it beautifully on your own. Besides, this isn't the Constant; my authority doesn't carry here.
Unlike you, who sohow managed to... 'borrow' a portion of the Shadow Authority and bring it into the light."
"Maybe it's talent. Who knew the shadows would cling to even after I escaped that place?" Kane sighed, taking a large bite of his hot dog.
The Shadow Authority wasn't as convenient as people thought. The entity back in the Constant had been robbed of a piece of itself, and it wasn't happy.
Last night was proof—sending Shadow Creatures to hunt him down and drag his soul back to the abyss.
Maxwell seed to sense his distress. "You are in the physical world now. The shadows of the Constant are weakened when they reach this far, but your internal shadows are not.
Tonight is your chance. If you're prepared, you might even be able to tear away a few more pieces of authority from Him."
"I know. I won't be as pathetic as I was last night," Kane said. He had reached the rundown motel.
He pulled his key from his pocket and walked toward his room. Suddenly, he froze. His instincts scread.
He dropped the key and turned to bolt, only to run straight into Dumbledore and Kingsley once more.
"Young gentleman," Dumbledore said gently. "Your magic trick isn't quite finished yet."
User Comments
0 comments from readers