In July 1992, at London, England inside the Knowledge Society, Levi Wells was teaching a course related to Dark Magic Knowledge with two capable assistants. The classroom had been carefully arranged, and the students were focused on the lesson. Everything looked orderly and calm on the surface.
"Last time, we talked about how the power of Unforgivable Curses depends on the size of our malice," Levi Wells said. "We also discussed how incantations can instantly amplify negative emotions to increase the lethality of dark magic. Today we will continue this topic, and Joel Wiley, you will give the first report."
"Yes, Professor!" Joel Wiley answered.
The assistant whose name was called felt his heart tighten as he walked to the podium with a serious expression. After he took his place, a few familiar students quietly clenched their fists at him in encouragement, and Joel Wiley returned a brief smile. To any observer, the teaching atmosphere looked warm and cooperative, as long as one ignored the subject being studied.
Joel Wiley cleared his throat and was about to speak when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that the professor had already tightened his grip on his Wand and was striding forward. That movement usually meant only one thing. The Auror had arrived.
"There is a wizard intrusion," someone said. "Joel Wiley, take them and use the Portkey to leave. Gilmere, stay with me and face them," Levi Wells ordered. "Yes!"
Holding his Wand, Joel Wiley led the students away, and not a single person panicked during the process. They were already used to dealing with the Auror. In their eyes, those people were far from a real threat compared to the professor and the two assistants.
Instead of worrying about being caught, many of them were annoyed that the lesson had been interrupted. "Damn the Auror," one student muttered. "I stayed up two nights preparing for this class, and they had to show up now."
"Relax," a long-haired student replied as he followed the group. "The professor will deal with them in less than half an hour, and we will just continue somewhere else."
Their complaints were not scolded. In fact, the students, the two assistants, and even Levi Wells himself shared the same thought. Dealing with a few Auror members would take only a minute if they did not have to hold back and avoid killing anyone.
This time, however, something was different. "You transformed this entire classroom with Transfiguration?" a gentle and aged voice said. "Levi Wells, you are even more impressive than I imagined."
The voice arrived faster than anyone expected, followed by a tall figure stepping out of the light. Once they recognized who it was, all sound vanished from the room. Every pair of eyes locked onto the figure, trembling with shock.
Standing before them was the strongest white wizard recognized since the nineteenth century, Dumbledore. In his hand, he was holding the house-elf Bartton, who had been responsible for security. The loyal elf struggled wildly, trying to break free despite knowing who his captor was.
"Oh, my friend, could you relax a bit?" Dumbledore said softly.
An invisible pressure accompanied his words, pinning Bartton in place so that he could only make weak noises. "Everyone leave immediately," Levi Wells said calmly. "Joel Wiley and Gilmere stay."
Joel Wiley, who had been leading the students away, tightened his grip on his Wand and stepped to his professor's side without hesitation. He exchanged a glance with Gilmere, seeing the same fear in the other's eyes, yet neither of them wavered. No matter where they were, they would stand with their professor.
"Joel Wiley, Gilmere, the Three Talents formation," Levi Wells ordered. "Yes, Professor!"
They took positions to his left and right, forming fixed sixty-degree angles behind him. With a dull boom, Levi Wells pointed his Wand at the ground, and blue light rose from beneath his feet. In an instant, it connected the three of them into a six-pointed star array.
"The Three Talents formation?" Dumbledore asked with a smile, holding his own Wand. "Is this your own research?"
He did not rush to attack. His calm confidence suggested that as long as he stood there, the outcome was already decided, no matter how many people opposed him. Even so, he was still considering what to do next.
"Professor, are you here to arrest me?" Levi Wells asked.
Since Dumbledore was not making the first move, Levi Wells saw no reason to attack either. "The Ministry came to me," Dumbledore said. "They insist that a dark wizard comparable to Herpo is being born, someone who deceives others, gathers followers, and repeatedly uses force to resist Auror arrests, causing great harm."
"Professor, you do not believe that, do you?" Levi Wells replied. "It is clearly exaggerated."
Dumbledore studied Levi Wells carefully, emotions stirring as he looked at a student who had graduated fourteen years ago. Back then, his attention had been on James and the others, and he had barely noticed this quiet student. During the wizarding war, this student never appeared in anyone's sight, and Dumbledore had assumed he was dead.
Fourteen years later, Levi Wells had risen without a sound, becoming someone the Ministry now feared. In every era, there were wizards who sought the power of dark magic for their own ends. This time, it seemed that a dangerous path had once again reached students connected to Hogwarts.
"Levi Wells, you put me in a difficult position," Dumbledore said. "If possible, I do not want to raise my wand against a student I was once proud of."
Holding his Wand, he quietly sensed the emotions of the students who were leaving. There was unease, sadness, anger, and hope, but no fear. The only fear present was directed at his arrival, not at Levi Wells.
Toward Levi Wells, the students felt only concern and hope, with no sign of being controlled or coerced. Although they were pursuing dark magic, he was indeed different from Tom. Precisely because the danger had not yet spread, Dumbledore felt he needed to act before it did.
"Then, Professor, can we reconcile?" Levi Wells asked.
Having read the Harry Potter series, Levi Wells knew exactly how strong Dumbledore was. He was a top-tier existence in the wizarding world, a figure found only in legends and biographies. After defeating Voldemort, there had been no second wizard worthy of his personal intervention.
That was why Levi Wells could not understand why Dumbledore had come in person. Although the Ministry banned the study of dark magic, Levi Wells had never harmed anyone with it. Even when facing the Auror, he relied on Transfiguration and stunning spells, leaving them without so much as a minor injury.
The Ministry's baseless accusations should not have convinced Dumbledore. There were plenty of dark wizards far worse than him, so why target him alone? What Levi Wells could not know was that his restraint had been seen as provocation, pushing the Ministry to seek Dumbledore after repeated failures.
At this moment, only one question filled his mind. Could this battle be avoided?