At Hogwarts with Academic Master System

[Note: Read up to Chapter - 97 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]

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"Cockroach Cluster!"

As Dumbledore murmured the password, the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the Headmaster's office slowly rotated aside, revealing the spiral staircase beyond. The silver-haired old wizard didn't seem the least bit bothered that Aris had heard the password.

In fact, it seemed almost deliberate—perhaps so Aris wouldn't need to ask for it the next time he came calling.

"What'll it be, then? Bit of black tea? Or a sour soda? I've a few tucked away," Dumbledore offered, removing his hat and placing it neatly on the stand before turning back to Aris with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Headmaster. Tea would be perfect," Aris replied politely with a nod.

Dumbledore gave his wand a casual flick, and a teapot began to pour itself as he observed the boy closely. "You're not the slightest bit nervous, are you?"

There was no trace of fear or anxiety in Aris' expression—something rather unusual for an eleven-year-old, especially one who had just caused a stir most adults would shy away from.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow, Headmaster. What exactly should I be nervous about?" Aris replied, eyes wide with innocence, perhaps even feigning a touch of cluelessness.

"Oh, do cut the act," Dumbledore chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "You've got quite the knack for playing dumb, haven't you?"

Then his tone shifted slightly, not stern, but curious and pointed.

"Now, tell me—why did you claim that studying the nature of magic is vital to the future of the wizarding world? What's truly going on in that clever little head of yours?"

"Headmaster, I reckon you already see it more clearly than I do," Aris replied, dropping the mask. At this point, pretending seemed pointless. If Dumbledore truly wanted to read his mind, it'd take him all of five seconds.

The fact that the old wizard had chosen instead to sit down and speak face-to-face suggested something else entirely. Perhaps, on some level, Dumbledore shared a few of his thoughts—or at least, was open to the conversation.

"You know," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "you had better ways to make your point. Causing such a stir at the start-of-term feast… doesn't exactly strike me as the move of a clever young man."

Aris took the cup of tea Dumbledore offered and gave it a sip.

It wasn't bad—slightly sweet, with just a hint of brown sugar. Oddly pleasant. He'd never thought to add brown sugar to black tea before.

"But it was the most effective way, wasn't it?" he said at last.

"So your grand plan was to make sure everyone in the castle knew your name by the end of the evening. Then what?" Dumbledore's tone took a curious turn—just a touch more probing.

"Ah, I think you've got the wrong idea, Headmaster," Aris replied, his voice calm and sincere.

"I'm not trying to stir up factions, nor am I trying to tear down Hogwarts' way of doing things. I've no interest in being the centre of attention for its own sake."

He placed the teacup down gently, then continued.

"The only reason I said what I did tonight was to get an answer—an answer I've been chasing since before I even stepped foot in this castle. I just want to understand the true nature of magic… and Professor McGonagall once promised me she'd help me find it."

"Mr. Shafiq," Dumbledore said suddenly, his voice taking on a more serious edge. "You can speak freely here. Why don't you go on—share more of your thoughts about Muggles?"

"And tell me—how did you come to know so much about them?"

"To be quite honest, if I hadn't done a bit of homework myself, I might not have understood some of the terms you mentioned earlier—'chemistry,' 'physics'... These are fields of Muggle study, aren't they?"

Aris didn't answer right away.

He paused, then glanced at Dumbledore with a thoughtful, almost cautious look.

"Headmaster, forgive me if I sound rude—but I do want to ask, honestly... have you ever properly studied chemistry or physics? The disciplines Muggles use to explain the laws of nature?"

There was a short silence, then Dumbledore gave a solemn nod.

"To tell you the truth… yes, I have looked into them. And precisely because I have, I know that what you said tonight wasn't baseless rambling."

"But surely you also realise," he added gently, "that the wizarding world runs on its own set of rules. Magic and spell work—well, they're not something that can be explained away by what you called 'science,' wouldn't you agree?"

Aris nodded slowly, but there was a spark behind his eyes now—a fire.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. Modern science can't yet explain magic or the principles behind spellcasting."

"But that's exactly why we need to study more. That's why we need to keep exploring."

His tone grew firmer, more passionate with each word.

"Headmaster … have you ever considered that if we could understand the true nature of magic—if we could unravel the principles behind spells using scientific reasoning—then maybe, just maybe…"

"We could one day fully control magic."

"I don't just mean casting spells the way we do now. I mean true mastery. A day when we don't just use magic, but understand it at its core."

"Perhaps we could develop magic into an even greater form of civilisation. Everything science can do—we should be able to do it more easily with magic. But the reality is… we can't."

"Muggles have, through sheer technological progress, built machines that can fly through the skies!"

"They've invented devices that let people chat with one another from thousands of miles apart!"

"They've even created supercomputers—machines that can store, link, and even generate data on their own!"

"As time marches on, the pace of technological advancement will only accelerate. One day, it may leave magic completely in the dust."

"And when that day comes, it won't be Muggles marvelling at wizards—it'll be us, standing around in awe of what they've created."

"We'll realise that the things magic can do—science can do too. And in many cases, faster, cleaner, and far more efficiently."

"And let's not pretend otherwise, Headmaster Dumbledore—you've seen the current state of the wizarding world for yourself."

"Stagnant. Outdated. Lacking any spark of innovation. How long do you reckon we can keep hiding in the shadows of the Muggle world? Ten years? Twenty? A hundred at most?"

"No... it's better to blend in than to hide. That's how I see it."

"Not to vanish, not to dominate..."

"But to live—not in fear, not in secrecy—but by truly integrating with their world, and doing it the right way."

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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!

[Note: Read up to Chapter - 97 on P patron at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]