Seeing the information on the System screen, Theodore's expression stiffened.
No way.
This worked too?
For someone like Dumbledore, reaching a Life-and-Death Friend relationship was extremely difficult.
After all, Dumbledore rarely opened his heart completely.
Theodore had previously reached Close Friend with him only because Ariana had appeared, which narrowed the distance between them.
As for Life-and-Death Friend, Theodore had originally estimated that he would have to accompany Dumbledore into the underworld and meet Ariana's soul before it became possible.
But now, through this bizarre coincidence, Dumbledore had apparently concluded that Theodore shared the same bloodline and regarded him as a blood-related junior.
Just like that, Life-and-Death Friend was achieved?
Theodore also understood why Fawkes was so close to him now.
It was because Theodore carried the aura of the ancient phoenix race from the primordial world and could use the Phoenix-Perched Wutong Flame.
Fawkes was a sacred magical creature in the wizarding world, but compared to an ancient phoenix, he was no different from a mud loach beside a true dragon.
Perhaps even that comparison was flattering him.
After all, some mud loaches in the primordial world might still have distant ties to dragon variants.
Fawkes had no such connection at all.
No wonder he was so affectionate that it almost looked like flattery. He must have sensed a direction for his own evolution from the aura of the ancient phoenix race.
Dumbledore must have misunderstood because of that and concluded that Theodore was connected to the Dumbledore family.
But wasn't this misunderstanding a little too huge?
If Theodore accepted it, wouldn't that be deceiving a lonely old man?
System, look at my proud backbone. Look at my invincible Dao heart. Am I the kind of person who would do something like this just for a tiny little reward?
The next moment, a new message appeared on the System screen.
[Your relationship with South Pole Immortal has reached: Life-and-Death Friend.]
[You have obtained an opportunity related to the Innate Five Direction Flags.]
[The Innate Five Direction Flags were formed from five lotus leaves of the thirty-six-petaled Chaos Green Lotus. Each one is a supreme treasure of the primordial world with immeasurable power. All five flags are held by peak quasi-saints or even Saints.]
[If all five Innate Five Direction Flags are gathered, they may be used to form a formation and display the might of the Chaos Green Lotus leaves.]
[Even a Saint would find it difficult to break through. They are among the strongest defensive treasures in the primordial world.]
[Please note: what you have obtained is an opportunity to search for the Innate Five Direction Flags. The flags themselves will not be directly issued. Whether you can find them depends on your own effort and fortune.]
Theodore drew a deep breath.
The Innate Five Direction Flags?!
Those were supreme treasures of the primordial world!
The Purple-Gold Crown of Auspicious Clouds in his possession was a destiny treasure. When fully activated, it could summon layers of auspicious clouds and was already extremely wondrous.
But compared with any one of the Innate Five Direction Flags, it was far inferior. A casual wave of any one flag could summon ten thousand layers of auspicious clouds. The gap was too great.
And if he collected all five, he would gain a defense even Saints could not break.
Even if it was only an opportunity, it was still enough to make countless mighty beings in the primordial world fight over it.
At that moment, the System displayed a confirmation prompt.
[Does the host confirm giving up this opportunity?]
Theodore's expression froze.
After hesitating for one ten-millionth of a second, Theodore declared with righteous conviction,
"Caring for lonely elders is a noble act. How can that be considered deception? We cultivators must do good deeds and accumulate virtue. It is our duty!"
At the same time, Dumbledore looked at Theodore's ever-changing expression and found him more and more endearing.
So handsome.
So talented.
The more he looked, the more he seemed like a Dumbledore.
But whose bloodline could he be?
Dumbledore went through almost every possible distant relative in his mind, yet none of them matched.
Theodore's age did not fit.
A moment later, a thought struck Dumbledore like lightning.
"Could it be Aberforth?"
The more Dumbledore thought about it, the more possible it seemed.
After all, Aberforth was already so old, yet he had never married.
Over all these years, it would be understandable if he had occasionally met a woman and acted impulsively.
Besides, Aberforth ran a pub.
That made it even more reasonable.
A pub owner and a drunken female customer sparking something late at night, then that bloodline spreading years later — perfectly normal.
It was only pitying Theodore, who had grown up in a Muggle orphanage.
If not for awakening the Dumbledore family bloodline this time, he might never have known he still had relatives in the world.
They had to make up for Aberforth's mistake and let Theodore recognize his ancestry. They must not allow resentment to take root.
Thinking of this, Dumbledore chose his words carefully and said,
"Theodore, I know this is sudden, but I think you may still have blood relatives alive."
"Would you be willing to come with me and see?"
Theodore looked completely blank.
Huh?
No.
What was happening now?
Before Theodore could figure it out, Dumbledore carefully took hold of his sleeve.
With a crack of Apparition, Theodore and Dumbledore appeared outside the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade.
The sound of Apparition woke Aberforth. He came out cursing, and when he saw Dumbledore, he cursed even louder.
"Albus, what are you doing?"
"Do you know what time it is?"
"Don't tell me you think one Christmas together means I've completely forgiven you!"
Dumbledore looked serious.
"Aberforth, of course I came because this is important."
"Look at this child…"
Aberforth froze, confused. Clearly, he had no idea what Dumbledore meant.
Bringing a child here in the middle of the night?
What kind of operation was this?
Seeing Aberforth's blank look, Dumbledore drew a deep breath and felt deeply disappointed.
Aberforth, did you really forget what you did?
This had to be the bloodline he had recklessly left behind after drinking. Perhaps a grandson or great-grandson, though even a son was not impossible.
And he had forgotten everything?
I do not remember teaching you how to be a scoundrel, Aberforth!
After all these years, I have never forgotten that person. Could you learn from me for once?
Thinking of this, Dumbledore felt bitter, but with Theodore present, he could not directly scold Aberforth.
If Theodore, poor child, learned that Aberforth did not even remember what had happened, how hurt would he be?
So Dumbledore looked at Aberforth deeply.
"Don't you feel something familiar about this child?"
"Aberforth, he carries the bloodline of the Dumbledore family."
Hearing this, Aberforth's pupils contracted sharply.
His gaze became filled with horror, as if he had thought of something terrifying. Even his voice began to stammer.
"You… you say this is Dumbledore blood?"
"Albus… this… could this be…"
"No way. It can't be what I'm thinking, right?"
Dumbledore let out a relieved sigh.
It seemed Aberforth had finally remembered the absurd thing he had done in the past.
He nodded.
"That's right, Aberforth. It is exactly what you are thinking."
Aberforth staggered back two steps, looking utterly horrified.
"Albus, after all these years, how did you do it?"
"This… when did you and Grindelwald have a child? You two actually managed to invent that kind of magic?"
"If reporters find out, your reputation is finished!"
Only then did realization dawn on him.
"So you want him to grow up here with me and claim to the outside world that he's my child?"
"You old fool. This is absurd. Absolutely absurd!"
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