By the Bck Lake, a cream-colored Labrador was running, chasing after fluttering butterflies with all its might.

  The butterflies would rise and fall, effortlessly outpag the puppy, leaving it barking in frustration.

  This cream-colored Labrador was her than Garlon, and its owner was sitting under a rge tree, reading.

  Warm sunlight bathed Eda, with the occasional breeze lifting her golden hair.

  It was still m, and there weren't many people by the ke yet, so Eda had unleashed Garlon to let it roam freely.

  It had been half a month sihe start of term, and Garlon had bee familiar with Hogwarts. During the first few walks, Garlon would timidly tuck its tail and follow closely behind Eda, but that was no lohe case.

  As the sun grew a bit tht, more people started gathering around the ke.

  On weekends when they couldn't visit Hogsmeade, the sic Bck Lake was a good alternative, and there was even a ce of spotting the giant squid ier.

  Eda called Garlon back, fastening its muzzle and leash. It was about time to leave—the growing crowd and noise made it no longer an ideal pce to tinue reading.

  "Didn't expect to see you here, Twist."

  Just as Eda was about to leave, someone called her name from behind. She turo see Professlover Cecil, dressed in a dark blue robe, holding his pipe.

  "Professor Cecil, good m."

  "Out here reading? M is indeed a fiime for that," Professor Cecil said as he approached, bending down to gently pet Garlon. "What's its name?"

  "Garlon."

  "Not a bad hough a bit on, but still quite popur," Professor Cecil said as he stood up, looking at Eda. "Would you mind wasting a bit of this sunny m walking with me?"

  Professor Cecil walked ahead while Eda followed slightly behind, holding Garlon's leash. her of them spoke. If it weren't for their unusual attire, the two might have looked like a grandfather taking his granddaughter for a stroll.

  "I've heard some things about you from Dumbledore," Professor Cecil said, turning to Eda. "You're a brave girl, but not very smart."

  Eda remained silent. She didn't uand why Professor Cecil had randomly asked her to walk with him, but she figured it was safer to say less. She waited quietly for him to tinue.

  "I suppose I'm the first to tell you that," Cecil added. "You're brave because you're willing to face darkness head-on. But you're not smart—also because you face darkness head-on."

  His words were a bit roundabout, but Eda uood the gist.

  Fag Fawly alone had indeed been a foolish move. Last year, she had plenty of opportuo tell Professonagall, but instead, she had decided to bear the burden on her own, almost losing her life in the process.

  "It seems you've grasped my meaning. Yrades are excellent, which shows you have a good head on your shoulders, but you've only been using it for academiot for anything else," Professor Cecil tinued as he packed tobacto his pipe. "I hope you don't mind me saying that?"

  "I don't mind," Eda replied. She didn't particurly mind Professor Cecil smoking, but even if she had, he would've smoked anyway. The fact that he bothered to ask was already a courtesy.

  Professor Cecil packed the tobacco, put the pipe in his mouth, and though Eda didn't see him light it, the tobacco began to burn. Magic truly made life more ve.

  "Someone once said something simir to me, though he never plimented me. To him, I was as dumb as a troll," Eda remarked, thinking of She old bat who stantly criticized her yet had helped her immensely. His words, though harsh, were meant to guide her.

  Cecil's advice, oher hand, was much easier to hear. Snape's approach ofte like he utting in effort only to be unappreciated.

  Professor Cecil stopped walking and leaned against a rge rock by the ke. Smiling, he said, "You're the best-looking troll I've ever seen."

  "Getting old—just a few steps and I already feel tired. I 't pare to Dumbledore. That old bee, the older he gets, the sharper he bees," Cecil added with a ugh. "Funny enough, I was caught by Dumbledore ba the day."

  Before the school year started, Eda had heard that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was a friend of Dumbledore's. She had never imagihat he was once a dark wizard, a former Azkaban inmate, and that it was Dumbledore who had personally caught him. That was a lot to take in!

  A cloud of blue smoke obscured Professor Cecil's face, making it hard for Eda to read his expression, but there was no trace of bitterness in his to sounded more like he was recalling a youthful mistake.

  "You mentioned in css that you once paid a heavy price…"

  "That's right—my family and my freedom. Isn't that heavy enough?" Professor Cecil asked. "Would you like to hear my story?"

  Eda hadn't expected to stumble upon one of her professors during a m reading sessio alone end up walking with him and learning his life story—what a surprising turn of events!

  Professor Cecil took a deep drag from his pipe and slowly exhaled, his thick gsses uo hide the sadness in his eyes.

  He began to speak in a slow, measured tohe first time I came into tact with Dark Magic was during Grindelwald's reign. Everyone's attention was focused on Grindelwald and his followers, so who would notie fanatic out in the tryside, obsessively pursuing the Dark Arts?"

  As Cecil reted his tale, Eda couldn't tell how much was true and how much was embellished, but ohing was clear—the sorrow in the old man's eyes was real.

  Cecil had been born into a wizarding family. He had two older brothers and a younger sister, but he was the most gifted of them all. At Hogwarts, he was the top student and even became Head Boy. His future had seemed bright.

  Two years after graduating, Cecil had fulfilled his dream of being an Auror at the Ministry of Magic.

  He had mapped out every step of his future carefully, but three years ter, tragedy struck, disrupting all his pns.

  That tragic summer, Cecil lost his mother and sister. They had go shopping when a Dark wizard brutally murdered them.

  Desperate for revenge, Cecil used all his es to track down the Dark wizard responsible. Without notifying anyone, he went aloo front the man at his hideout.

  But the young Cecil was no match for the Dark wizard. He had no choice but to flee i. By the time he returned with other Aurors, the Dark wizard had vanished without a trace.

  His pn for vengeance had failed.

  After that, Ceever found any trace of the Dark wizard again. Because of his stubbornness, he had missed his ce for revenge.

  Cecil began to show up te to work, started drinking heavily, and the former Head Boy seemed to vanish. His life spiraled into chaos. Nightmares haunted him—ses of his mother and sister being murdered, the Dark wizard's cruel grin, and his ow uhe wizard's powerful spells.

  Gradually, Cecil became obsessed with that immense power.

  While tinuing his search for the Dark wizard, he secluded himself in the tryside, diving deep into the study of Dark magic.

  During his time at Hogwarts, Cecil, like many others, had viewed Dark magic as something terrible, something to be feared. But as his researto it deepened, he discovered its immense power and grandeur. His perspective shifted—magic itself was never wrong, only the people who wielded it were.

  Cecil mastered many incredible Dark spells, growing stronger and more powerful. His thirst for revenge only intensified. But despite his growing power, he never found the Dark wizard.

  The prospect of revenge became more distant, and he could only bury himself in his studies of Dark magib the pain.

  Then one day, an old friend visited him, bringing news—good news.

  _________

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