"Hoho, this is only right, no need to thank me. Let's go, I need to get you back before Professor Snape finds out. Let's walk this time."
Dumbledore walked toward the door with his hands behind his back, a layer of black cloth veiling the Mirror of Erised. Iblis's slightly mournful voice came from behind him:
"Why aren't you afraid of me?"
"Well..." Dumbledore turned around. He squatted down and looked calmly at the girl, his bright blue and deep eyes behind half-moon spectacles brimming with a warm, gentle smile. "Actually, there are many things in this world that frighten me. I fear losing loved ones, I fear seeing peaceful and happy families torn apart, I fear situations spinning out of control...
I fear mysterious and powerful strangers harming everyone at Hogwarts, I fear losing this home, and above all, I fear plunging everyone into danger because of my own decisions."
He raised a hand to the girl's head, gently smoothing down her tuft of white hair. His deep eyes and expression held a gentle warmth. "But I realized I was being too hasty. You are a wizard of Hogwarts, a student I am meant to protect—how could I possibly fear you?"
"So this is the code you've set for yourself?"
"Perhaps. I only know that it's what I ought to do."
Dumbledore spread his hands, and a thick book appeared out of thin air. The pages flipped rapidly until they stopped at one, which bore the striking words:
Salazar Slytherin, founder of Slytherin House, was once personally taught magic by Merlin.
Though it was merely a single line, it truly existed in all the historical records at Hogwarts.
Iblis half-closed her eyes, her fingertips gently and carefully tracing every word on the page. "He did many things you call great, yet he gave up himself for the sake of so-called love and sank completely into ruin. Why on earth did he do it? How could a world that cast him aside ever forgive him?"
"And you?"
"Me?"
Dumbledore nodded, pointing toward the girl's chest. "It sounds like you were very close. Do you forgive him?"
Iblis let out a soft laugh and closed the book. "Let's go, I still have detention to serve."
As she reached the door, Iblis hesitated mid-step. "Uh, actually... there's no real need to rush back."
When Dumbledore brought Iblis back to the dungeon, the Potions class had already ended. Left with no choice, Dumbledore led a despairing Iblis to knock on Professor Snape's office door.
"Albus? Why are you here too?" Professor McGonagall opened the door to the Potions office, followed in turn by Sprout, Flitwick, and Snape.
Snape's face was as dark as night. Upon seeing the girl behind Dumbledore, his gaze turned terrifying.
"Is this a meeting time for the four Heads of House? It seems we've come at rather the wrong time, hoho. I merely came to drop Iblis off... oh..."
Dumbledore clearly grasped the situation—all four professors present in the office were looking for Iblis. With a wave of his hands, he chuckled, "My mission is accomplished. Enjoy your school life, Iblis."
With a shove from Dumbledore, Iblis was pushed straight into the office while the old man vanished on the spot. Under the gaze of the four Heads of House, the girl awkwardly scratched her head and gave a dry laugh. "Ha ha... good evening, everyone. Have you had dinner?"
"S-o, our Miss Grimm has managed to skip her Transfiguration class entirely, not only damaging the precious Red Mandrake Wood in the greenhouse, but even attempting to make off with dangerous branches, and to top it all off, she talked back to a professor during Charms and harmed a fellow student."
Snape looked down from his lofty height at the girl encircled by the four professors, his sharp gaze lashing at her repeatedly.
"To earn four precious opportunities for detention in a single day—it seems we have all underestimated Miss Grimm's... exceptional abilities."
"Ahem, Severus, actually I didn't give Miss Grimm detention. I simply had some questions regarding charms that I needed to discuss with her, and Mr. Malfoy is quite fine, completely uninjured..." Flitwick's voice faltered under Snape's icy, overpowering stare.
The girl in the center of the group spoke up. She smiled at Flitwick, the apology in her eyes inexplicably sincere. "I'll find some time to discuss charms with you. Consider it my apology to you."
Professor Sprout, who was always peace-loving, also spoke. "Actually, I came to cancel Miss Grimm's detention. This afternoon, Headmaster Dumbledore helped me check on the condition of the Red Mandrake Wood, and it was just as she said.
I had given it too much nutrient fertilizer, and it couldn't adapt all at once. I wronged Miss Grimm today, and Headmaster Dumbledore has also proven that she wasn't lying... so I merely wished to receive an apology from Miss Grimm for trespassing on the second floor of the greenhouse, without any need for detention."
"I'm very sorry, Professor Sprout. I heard it crying out in distress from the first floor, which is why I went upstairs to check on my own initiative. I apologize to you."
"Oh, I accept your apology, Miss Grimm. I hope such an incident won't happen again. But you said the Mandrake really likes me? How did you manage that?"
Seeing that Sprout and Iblis were about to start chatting, Professor McGonagall gave a light cough to signal them. Since the other two professors had already stated their intentions, she spoke up as well.
"Miss Grimm missed today's lessons, and she needs to catch up on today's material as soon as possible. Since Filius and Pomona's matters are not so urgent, Miss Grimm will report to my office for detention tonight to finish her work."
"Don't be so hasty, Professor McGonagall," Snape said softly. "Miss Grimm's performance in today's Potions class was atrocious. I need to have a proper talk with her about how to show respect to a professor."
"Hmm... you're right, Severus. Then I'll leave her to you; I'm sure Miss Grimm will find the time to see me." Professor McGonagall agreed instantly, as if this had been her intention all along—or perhaps she simply hadn't figured out how to deal with this girl whose thought process worked in such peculiar ways.
With that, she led the other two professors away, leaving Iblis alone to endure the torment of Snape's piercing gaze.
"Um, shouldn't I be heading down to the Great Hall for dinner, Professor Snape? The school rules don't state that a professor can prevent a student from eating normally, and detention only begins after dinner."
A bowl of spaghetti and plain water appeared in front of Iblis—it seemed Snape had prepared ahead of time. He sat back down at his desk and picked up his quill to begin grading essays.
"You have ten minutes to finish. Once you're done, your detention officially begins."
It's not like I'm going to run away... Iblis gave a helpless look at the man whose face was half-hidden by his hair. The man seemed to sense her gaze and raised his eyes.
"Since Miss Grimm isn't hungry, shall we begin?"
"I'm eating..."