Chapter 70: Ethan Shafiq?
The atmosphere in the Headmaster's office quieted down. Even the portraits of the Headmasters on the wall listened quietly to this story.
Many of them had contacted the Shafiq family when they were alive and knew they were truly mysterious, mostly loners, loved adventure, and didn't make friends easily.
After a long while, Ethan asked softly, "Then, who was the murderer? Death Eaters or Voldemort?"
Dumbledore was somewhat surprised at his courage to say that name, but soon shook his head. "Neither. Although it was indeed when Voldemort was rampant, it really wasn't them this time."
"So, who did it?"
The old man sighed. "Actually, the ones who killed your parents were a group of exiles wandering in the wizarding world. Most of them were wanted criminals from various countries, roaming around in organized groups.
They tried to rob your ancestral home. But because your parents resisted desperately, they were repelled, though both were seriously injured.
At that time, you had just been born not long ago. Your father unfortunately died on the way to St. Mungo's Hospital."
"And my mother?"
The old man's voice turned hoarse. "Your mother, however, was not so fortunate. She survived, but the injuries were too severe, and she passed away two months later, unable to hold you even once."
Although your mother sent word to your grandfather, she didn't know when he would arrive, and she had no one she trusted to take care of you. So she temporarily placed you in an orphanage.
Unfortunately, your mother passed away at St. Mungo's before your grandfather could get there. He arrived too late because of some complications, and by then you'd already been moved around several places and eventually adopted."
Ethan fell silent after hearing this. This was quite different from what he'd guessed when he'd learned he wasn't a biological child.
Although he'd later considered this possibility, he was still very sad after Dumbledore revealed the truth.
After a moment, he continued asking: "What about the other members of the Shafiq family? Why were there only the two of them? Doesn't it say the owner of the Pandanus wand is destined to live long? Why didn't anyone help them?"
"Maybe because the Shafiq family was too mysterious, so Ollivander wasn't clear about the situation of the wand owners.
In fact, by your parents' generation, the Shafiq family population was already very sparse.
On your father's side, there was only Rhett. On your mother Jenny's side, only your grandfather Cyril Shafiq was still alive." Dumbledore corrected Ollivander's wrong information.
"Rhett and Jenny? I see." He repeated the names.
"What about those criminals? Were they executed?"
His emotions were unstable, and the red light in his eyes flickered.
Dumbledore examined his eyes, trying to gauge what he was thinking, and didn't answer right away.
"Headmaster, were those criminals executed?" he asked again.
The old man spoke with pity in his voice. "Them? They weren't completely wiped out. Although Cyril has been working hard these years, taking action himself and using his connections to get the Ministries of Magic in various countries to strike at these people, there are still a few murderers roaming around."
Dumbledore finally couldn't help but ask, "Ethan, what's wrong with your eyes?"
Ethan looked genuinely puzzled. "What's wrong? My eyes are fine."
"There's a red light flashing in your eyes. Did you never know?"
"I don't know. Headmaster, if there's nothing else, I'll go first." Now that his doubts had been resolved, he didn't want to stay in the Headmaster's office any longer.
"Wait." Dumbledore stopped Ethan, who had already stood up.
"This is for you." He took out a wooden photo frame.
"This is? My parents and me?" Ethan looked at the young couple with blond hair and black eyes on it. The woman was holding a baby who had its eyes closed and was grabbing randomly.
"Yes. Cyril gave this to me.
He said if it's confirmed you are the missing Shafiq, let me give it to you.
Also, he asked me to ask you if you are willing to return to the Shafiq family.
Ethan bit his lip and finally shook his head. "Headmaster, please refuse for me.
I admit I am from the Shafiq family, but I don't want to return to them.
I will remember them forever and will avenge them, but giving up my current family to return to Shafiq is unnecessary."
He looked at the photo for a long time, studying the movements and smiles of the three people on it.
"Do you really not consider returning to the Shafiq family? Cyril has never stopped looking for you these years.
Even if you don't want to return to the family, could you at least meet this poor old man?" Dumbledore still hoped he could change his mind.
Ethan hesitated. When he learned his parents hadn't abandoned him intentionally, he had lost the anger that had driven him to question them in the first place.
As for this grandfather he had never met, he could understand the old man's feelings, but he didn't want to cause misunderstandings or hurt Sofia and Albert's feelings.
He finally rejected the proposal.
Ethan left, but another figure appeared in Dumbledore's office.
"You heard it too, Cyril," Dumbledore said to the old wizard.
The old man wore black robes embroidered with silver threads on the cuffs and collar, a walking stick in hand. His blond hair was streaked with white, and there was something of Ethan in his bearing.
A disappointed smile crossed his face. "It doesn't matter. It's good that he values affection so much. I'd like to meet his adoptive parents first. Presumably, they will understand a lonely old man like me.
"Besides, I don't have many years left. I just hope to spend more time with him before I die."
"Is your injury still not healed?" Dumbledore asked. He was concerned about Cyril, not only because he had known him for a long time, but also because Cyril was currently one of Hogwarts' school governors.
The British Shafiq family had long supported Hogwarts' operations. After Rhett died, Cyril had temporarily inherited this position.
Cyril shook his head. "It won't get better. Although our family has always used Pandanus wands, we really can't be called long-lived. Even dying at sixty, I count as a long-lived person in the family."
"Thank you, Dumbledore, for helping me find the last descendant of the family. I need to prepare to visit his adoptive parents."
"You're welcome. It was also a coincidence." Dumbledore saw Cyril off to the gate of Hogwarts and watched him Apparate away.
When he returned to the Headmaster's office, he fell into deep thought.
After a long time, he whispered to himself: "The last descendant of the Shafiq family..."
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