The chaotic footsteps faded rapidly, and the peering eyes in the darkness retreated. However, a suffocating silence now hung in the desolate air.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Professor Dumbledore."
Ares was the first to break the stare. He withdrew his gaze, a smile of pleasant surprise on his face.
"Though, thanks to you, I likely wouldn't have escaped my fate today!"
"Perhaps it was someone else who was destined for a grim fate, Ares. The way you punished that vampire was both efficient and... elegant."
The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the greatest light wizard of the age, the living legend—Albus Dumbledore—turned to face Ares. A hint of humor flashed at the corner of his mouth, but then, a sharp, penetrating gaze erupted from his brilliant blue eyes. It carried a heavy pressure, enveloping Ares completely.
"However—I share your sentiment, Ares. Regarding our reunion, that is."
Dumbledore's aged face wore a pleasant smile, yet his tone carried an undeniable weight.
"I'm sure you wouldn't mind satisfying an old man's curiosity, Ares. Specifically, regarding why you happened to be... well, right outside that particular house."
"No special reason, Professor Dumbledore," Ares replied briskly, his answer flowing smoothly. "Just wandering around. Or, you could say I was curious about this ancient underground city and decided to explore it."
A sudden silence fell. The two stood opposite each other in front of the ruined hut, neither speaking, both weighing, both judging.
"I see."
After a long moment, Dumbledore nodded with a slight smile. With his words, the rigid tension in the air melted like snow in spring.
As if by tacit agreement, both began walking toward the cathedral exit. Ares asked the question he was expected to ask.
"And you, Professor Dumbledore? What would an upstanding, noble wizard like yourself be doing in... a filthy rat's nest like this?"
"Oh, it's a good thing it's dark down here, Ares. I haven't blushed this much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."
A puddle of bloody mud blocked their path. They split up, each hugging a wall to bypass it. Dumbledore chuckled.
"Yes, yes... I don't come here often. This time it was for—well, I might as well tell you, Ares. I came here for Quirrell."
"Quirrell?"
Having navigated around the bloody pit, they rejoined shoulder-to-shoulder. Ares blinked, feigning pure curiosity.
"Correct."
Dumbledore nodded slightly, his voice calm.
"You remember Professor Quirrell, of course? When you were expelled, he even spoke on your behalf. So, presumably, you are also aware of the terrible crime Quirrell committed half a month ago?"
"Yes, I heard. But I still can't bring myself to believe it," Ares said, his tone heavy and his eyes filled with 'grief.' "Is it true, Professor Dumbledore? Could it be... could it be a mistake?"
"I also sincerely hoped that the accusations from the Ministry and Gringotts against Quirrell were, like the recent charges against you, a complete misunderstanding."
Dumbledore kept his eyes fixed on the cathedral ahead, his voice calm and unwavering (a gloom flashed deep within Ares's eyes).
"But after an investigation, I can conclude that the facts are exactly what we wished they weren't."
"What exactly happened?"
The two walked into the cathedral. Dumbledore's aged voice echoed through the long, damp corridor.
"Quirrell planned it for a long time. He used the Imperius Curse to hijack a goblin. After entering the underground vaults, the curse on the goblin was washed away by the Thief's Downfall. The goblin raised the alarm, and many guards immediately rushed over to stop Quirrell's crime. In the ensuing fight, Quirrell's identity was exposed. The report in the Daily Prophet is basically true."
"Basically?"
Ares stepped out of the corridor first, moving onto the spiral staircase that hugged the wall leading up to the main hall.
"Correct."
Dumbledore followed behind Ares, watching his back as he climbed the stairs.
"I imagine the Gringotts goblins wanted to prove to the public that their defenses remain strong and reliable. Therefore, when being questioned by Aurors and interviewed by Daily Prophet reporters, they deliberately omitted some details."
Ares knew Dumbledore would explain further, so he didn't press.
"—Besides the goblins, there was a wizard who arrived to stop Quirrell... His name is Larry Gaspard, a merchant. He rushed over immediately after hearing the goblin's warning and fought bravely against Quirrell. From what I know, he was the one who knocked off Quirrell's hood."
"Cunning goblins," Ares clicked his tongue.
"Their behavior is understandable."
Dumbledore followed Ares into the cathedral's main hall. They stood beneath a rusty chandelier.
"After all, they guard the wealth of the entire wizarding world. If people lose faith in them, the consequences would be catastrophic for everyone."
Slanted sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bronze clock face above, illuminating the side of Ares's face and hiding the ripples in his dark eyes.
"So, how does this relate to your visit to the underground Knockturn Alley?"
"Ah, I was just getting to that, Ares."
Dumbledore's silver beard and hair drifted in the draft from above. His blue eyes clearly reflected Ares's face—no longer childish, yet still retaining a hint of youth. He smiled.
"After the incident, I felt I had to take some responsibility—Quirrell was my employee, after all. I searched Quirrell's office. Honestly, I didn't have much hope. Since robbing Gringotts is a capital offense, I assumed Quirrell wouldn't leave any loose ends. But surprisingly, my luck held out."
Dumbledore's smile deepened, his tone becoming lighter.
"I found a map in Professor Quirrell's office."
"A map?"
Ares raised an eyebrow, showing interest. "Don't tell me..."
"Exactly as you guessed."
Dumbledore nodded.
"It took me a while to figure out where the address marked on the map was—after all, I don't come down here often."
He paused, then continued.
"I believe the house we just met in was likely a safe house Quirrell arranged for himself beforehand. My thinking was that in a worst-case scenario, or perhaps if he succeeded in stealing the treasure, he would need a place to lay low and evade capture."
"A reasonable deduction."
Ares raised his eyebrows even higher, looking at the gaunt old man before him.
"So, you stayed inside that house alone for half a month without leaving?"
Pop, pop!
With two crisp cracks, Ares and Dumbledore Apparated to the surface. Beneath the brilliant sunlight, the shadows of the two men overlapped on the clock face.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, his gaze burning. He looked at Ares with a pleasant smile, yet his tone carried a childish complaint.
"I admit, it wasn't a pleasant time. It's too damp and cold down there; my knees were aching constantly. And, I think I might have guessed Quirrell's intentions wrong. I didn't wait for Quirrell, but by chance, I met you, Ares..."