"And I'm also sorry for what I did afterward..." Albus Dumbledore continued, his eyes filled with regret as he looked at Jon.
Jon couldn't help but frown.
"After that, I kept trying to guide you and teach you... My actions were sometimes harsh, sometimes selfish..." Dumbledore said slowly. "They may have caused you some pain..."
"I must also thank you for your teachings, Professor Dumbledore..." Jon replied calmly. "You taught me many things."
"There's no need for such insincere words. You can pour out anything you'd like to say about how detestable and repulsive that old codger Dumbledore is... It would actually make me feel better." Dumbledore shook his head lightly.
"You were meant to follow your own path, live your own life... But I didn't respect your choice. I forcibly dragged you into the war between Tom and me..."
"Actually..." Jon hesitated for a moment. "Professor, I don't mind..."
"You've always been a good boy, but you really don't need to say things you don't mean just to comfort me." Dumbledore sighed. "You originally wanted to go to France, didn't you... You knew Tom would return, knew he and I would eventually face each other, so you wanted to avoid everything..."
"When Everard overheard your conversation with Madame Maxime, I understood everything... and I decided to stop you."
"So... you put my name into the Goblet of Fire?" Jon asked tentatively.
"Yes, exactly for that reason." Dumbledore nodded. "Forgive an old man for being selfish… for trying to hold on when he shouldn't... I've always been like this, whether I want to admit it or not."
"When Peter told me Tom's general plan, I became afraid... because in a sense, I was dancing on a tightrope. Tom is an extraordinarily gifted wizard—every bit my equal. If that soul-splitting curse hadn't dulled his mind... I feared I would lose, I feared too many would die in this war. So I used you..."
"I put your name in the Goblet of Fire, and the Goblet chose you... Yes, Jon, you are not like Harry-Potter."
"That fake Alastor used a Confundus Charm to add Harry's name under a fourth school, ensuring he became the only candidate; but I put your name under Hogwarts. You outperformed every opponent despite being years younger than them. You earned the Goblet's recognition and became Hogwarts' champion... though these results were already within my expectations."
"Am I supposed to feel honored?" Jon asked helplessly.
"No... you should feel angry," Dumbledore said calmly. "Once the Goblet spat out your name, you had no choice but to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, binding you to my side... For the past two years, I've deeply, deeply regretted that decision."
"Honestly, I was furious at the time. That feeling of having no choice was truly awful..." Jon nodded. "But it only lasted a short while..."
"Because you're not as selfish as I am. And your counterattack was brilliant—letting the fake Alastor take your place and be killed by Tom. A truly genius idea..." Dumbledore looked at Jon again with an apologetic expression. "You succeeded in giving Tom Harry's blood, and you turned Alastor into a 'double agent'... You helped me tremendously a year ago. Without you, nothing would have gone so smoothly..."
"I'm sorry, truly sorry... I should have told you everything and let you leave back then, but I chose to hide it all instead... The greatest difference between you and Gellert lies in your kindness and your capacity for love; yet I shamelessly used that again."
"Because I was still afraid. I never expected Cornelius to react so strangely—I even suspected he might have been under the Imperius Curse... Without the Ministry, I found myself at a disadvantage in my battle with Tom... So at the last moment, I changed my mind. I felt I still needed your help, and I kept you here for another year."
"It's fine... I mean, I'm used to it by now!" Jon lifted the Butterbeer and took a sip.
...
"I owe you so much..." Dumbledore picked up the grimy mug and drained the Butterbeer in one gulp.
"There's no such thing as owing anything, Professor Dumbledore..." Jon said quickly. "You're my teacher. You've taught me so much. I just hope you won't keep me in the dark again..."
"Then what else do you want to know?" Dumbledore nodded solemnly and asked.
Jon's expression grew extremely serious. "For example... Astoria's situation?"
"The Blood Curse," Dumbledore said gravely. "Miss Greengrass was fated to bear this curse even before her birth. I personally suppressed it, delaying its eruption for ten years... But judging from the current situation, my spell wasn't as effective as I hoped."
Even though he had long suspected it, Jon still felt his heart sink.
"Is there truly no other way?" he asked with lingering desperation.
"At least none that I know... I've never been particularly skilled in these forms of dark magic." Dumbledore shook his head. "That's why I left you that copy of The Secrets of the Darkest Art... I hoped you might find an answer within."
"I have the faintest idea... but only a faint one..." Jon murmured, his voice soft as a mosquito's hum.
"I can only wish you luck, Jon." Dumbledore gently patted his shoulder. "I'll help however I can—if it's within my power."
...
The Butterbeer in Jon's cup was already gone.
"One last thing..." Dumbledore said. "There's one final matter I must tell you, so you'll need to come back to the castle with me."
"Mm." Jon set down the grimy mug and nodded.
He turned to the portrait of the frowning young girl and said softly, "I think we should go now, Miss Dumbledore."
A smile bloomed on Ariana Dumbledore's face. She gave Jon a gentle smile and waved.