noveltune Chapter 71 True Equality
Chapter 71 True Equality
Chapter 71 True Equality
"How could that be?" Dumbledore's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet headmaster's office as he slowly walked to the headmaster's desk.
Long, slender fingers gently brushed across the front of the robe, smoothing out a non-existent wrinkle.
He then calmly sat down in the guest chair in front of his desk, his posture upright yet relaxed, his hands naturally folded on his knees, as if he were simply having an ordinary afternoon tea chat.
His azure eyes fell upon the pair of silver-white bracelets lying on the table, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.
"The significance of these little gadgets, Mr. Lynch," his voice was calm and gentle, like the surface of a black lake in late autumn, without the slightest ripple, "is merely a...necessary reminder,"
When certain boundaries are tested or certain rules are violated, it can remind me so that I can intervene in time to correct... or salvage certain mistakes..."
His gaze slowly rose, passing over the table and landing on Lin Qi, who sat upright in the principal's chair: "However, now."
He nodded slightly, his tone carrying a hint of understanding, even a strange, almost approving regret, "You sitting here means I've lost the ability to stop you, so this bracelet is naturally unnecessary..."
Lin Qi's lips curved upwards into a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
He frowned slightly and shook his head noncommittally: "There's no need to flatter me, Headmaster Dumbledore. A temporary advantage won't make me lose my head. Besides, I'm not in a position of power right now, but rather I've earned the right to have an equal dialogue with you."
"We have always been equals," Dumbledore responded gently, his tone as if stating a perfectly natural fact.
"No, we are not." Lynch's index finger twitched slightly in the air, his tone calm but firm.
He leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Dumbledore's blue eyes that seemed to see right through people: "Until a few tens of minutes ago, none of us were."
I am a prisoner within the high walls of Hogwarts, and you are the warden who holds my freedom in your hands.
When you hold a magic wand and I am empty-handed, there is never any true equality between us.
There is only false equality, an equality built upon your moral beliefs. It only exists when you are willing to abide by them; when you do not want to, it is more ephemeral than a wisp of smoke in the air.
I admit that your moral standards are entirely trustworthy.
But to entrust everything to the whim of another? Lin Qi slowly leaned back in his wide chair, his fingertips tapping lightly on the wooden armrest, each syllable conveying a resolute tone. "This is a situation I absolutely cannot tolerate."
Dumbledore looked directly into Lynch's eyes: "You've gone to extremes once again..."
Mr. Lynch, I must remind you that your current situation is entirely the consequence of your own choices.
I did not impose this on you without reason.
"Sigh..." Lin Qi sighed softly, "We're back to square one..."
I can't convince you, and you can't agree with me.
We each stand within our own high walls.
But... none of that matters anymore.
I went to great lengths and overcame numerous difficulties to get here, not to have another endless debate with you.
Rather, it's to access the contractual rights that allow me to stand on equal footing with you, and to gain the right to truly engage in dialogue with you as an equal!
"I believe we have been having an equal dialogue." Dumbledore leaned back slightly, his right hand habitually stroking his long, silvery-white beard.
"No," Lynch shook his head. "You're just making everything 'look' like we're having an equal conversation."
You have created a false atmosphere of equality.
But if you peel back this false facade, in your eyes I'm probably always just a 'tool' with special value.
A secretive source of intelligence that needs to be treated with caution, or a "high-level enforcer" who can confront Voldemort's threat directly and is worth investing resources in.
That's it.
You never truly saw me as an equal partner, someone with whom you could make decisions.
The essence of our relationship is that of a controller and a controlled.
This will not change as long as you possess the power to defeat me at any moment.
In fact, you can throw me back into that stone house whenever you want.
Our position, the scales of our power, have never been equal.
"Until now..." Lynch stared at Dumbledore with his dark eyes. "Now...we can really talk about the serious stuff about our cooperation."
"Excuse me for interrupting," Dumbledore said, sitting up straight and raising a hand in a gesture to stop them from continuing.
His tone became more serious. "Before you begin, I have a question that I need a clear and unambiguous answer from you."
"This place," Dumbledore's gaze slowly swept over the headmaster's office, which seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gray gauze, "is the core and most secret defensive line of Hogwarts Castle, and its very existence is top secret."
For thousands of years, it has only existed in the memories passed down by successive principals, serving as their last line of defense and trump card in protecting the castle.
Every headmaster, upon assuming this responsibility, swore an oath by the oldest and most inviolable magical pact never to reveal this secret to anyone other than their successor, whether living or dead.
He refocused his gaze on Lin Qi's face, his azure eyes carrying a palpable pressure.
"Mr. Lynch," he asked in a deep, powerful voice, enunciating each word clearly, "I need to know how you knew about this place, and how you broke through the layers of ancient protective magic to enter here silently."
After all, according to the protective magic mechanism set up here, I would receive a magical warning the moment anyone tries to enter, allowing me to return in time to stop the intruder.
But I received no warning whatsoever while you were entering this place.
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on Lynch's face: "Your answer concerns the survival and safety of Hogwarts Castle, and the lives of every student and every professor here."
Tell me how you did it.
I need to know the answer to this question.
Dumbledore's tone was so serious and earnest that it revealed his determination not to give up until he got a definite answer.
Lin Qi looked at him and saw those deep blue eyes staring intently at him.
Lin Qi remained silent for a moment, then, meeting those piercing eyes, he finally spoke slowly:
"Alright, since you insist on asking, I'll tell you."