Chapter 38
Only after seeing the Horcrux did Lucian truly understand why Dumbledore had spoken to him in such a roundabout way before.
The information he had previously passed to Dumbledore had not been in vain—the other man had actually managed to obtain the Horcrux.
'So, the real purpose of today's entire discussion was to test me? Dumbledore wanted to judge, based on my performance, whether he should tell me the secret of the Horcrux?' Lucian saw everything clearly in his heart and felt no anger toward Dumbledore's caution and probing.
Not to mention that the man had indeed guided him on the path forward. The secret of the Horcrux was indeed extraordinary. If this news were to leak out, those Death Eaters who had believed Voldemort would never return would surely regroup in full.
This had nothing to do with loyalty; it was the fear Voldemort had instilled in their hearts that ran deep. As long as Voldemort showed even the slightest sign of being able to make a comeback, they would immediately act to proclaim their loyalty, lest they be purged later.
Therefore, keeping the secret of the Horcrux tightly sealed was absolutely necessary.
Magic truly defied reason.
Voldemort had gained an immortal soul through Horcruxes, yet at the same time, he feared his secret being discovered. Thus, even to his most loyal Death Eaters, he would never reveal the truth about the Horcruxes.
So, on the night Voldemort was struck by his own curse, everyone believed he had died completely and now, Lucian was about to learn this secret—a secret Dumbledore had not even shared with Professor McGonagall.
He had decided to do so because he had sensed an astonishing coincidence: in the very second year that Voldemort's shadow reemerged, he had discovered Lucian and in just two months of teaching at Hogwarts, Lucian had discerned the secret of the basilisk from Harry and the others, and even helped him easily obtain the first Horcrux.
Dumbledore was willing to try believing—to believe that Lucian would be a crucial factor in opposing Voldemort.
"Do you know what this is?"
"A diary? I seem to sense an extremely dark magic emanating from it." Lucian 'frowned slightly,' pretending he did not know what the object before him was—this was indeed his first real contact with a Horcrux.
"It looks utterly unremarkable, doesn't it? If I hadn't witnessed with my own eyes how it bewitched a young witch and even drained her life force, I truly wouldn't believe such an evil thing could exist in the world."
"So what exactly is this?" Lucian's frown deepened, and his expression as he looked at Dumbledore grew even more serious.
"A Horcrux." When the word was spoken by Dumbledore, the entire atmosphere in the office sank, as if the very name itself carried a magical weight.
"This is a Horcrux? The darkest, most evil magical artifact in the world? Whose is it? Is there really a madman who would dare to split his own soul?" Lucian 'cautiously' examined the diary, not touching it rashly.
"It seems you already have some understanding of it." Dumbledore was not surprised—after all, Lucian had read every book in the Hogwarts library, including Moste Potente Potions wait, no—Secrets of the Darkest Art.
His expression grew grave, his tone heavier "What I am about to tell you involves the most dangerous secret in the wizarding world—this Horcrux's owner is not dead. That is only natural, because his soul has not yet been completely destroyed. It's owner is named Tom Riddle. Of course, he has another far more infamous name—"
Dumbledore observed Lucian's reaction as he slowly uttered a name charged with magic "Voldemort."
Boom!
Thunder suddenly rumbled outside the castle, lightning briefly dispelling the darkness in the sky and illuminating Dumbledore's and Lucian's faces with unnatural brightness.
Lucian glanced curiously out the window, then turned back to Dumbledore, his expression unchanged "So, the Dark Lord isn't dead yet? What state is he in now?"
"His body is gone, but his soul remains." Dumbledore answered Lucian's question precisely.
"His body was utterly destroyed in that accident, but because of the Horcruxes, his soul has not dissipated. At this moment, it is hiding in the forests of Albania."
"I'd like to ask—is his soul complete right now?"
"No. He is weaker now than he has ever been, barely surviving in Albania. But the terrifying part is that there are still some fanatically loyal Death Eaters who have not given up hope of finding him—people far more dangerous than you can imagine. They would even allow Voldemort's soul to possess their bodies. Therefore, with their help, he could make a comeback at any time."
"Why are you telling me this?" A probing look appeared in Lucian's eyes as he pretended not to know there were multiple Horcruxes.
As expected, Dumbledore soon continued "Tom's Horcruxes are certainly not limited to one. I suspect he may have made six in total, so that including the main piece in his own body, there would be seven portions."
"Seven is a powerfully magical number, and Tom, obsessed with dark magic, must have had an extraordinary fixation on it."
"So, even though we've already found one Horcrux, we still need to remain vigilant against his return, right?"
"Yes." Dumbledore affirmed Lucian's words, regarding him with some curiosity.
"You don't seem surprised by this at all?"
"I mean, if it were someone else hearing this news, they would be at least somewhat panicked."
Lucian rested his chin on his right hand, looking wearily at the diary in the center of the desk "I'm really not that panicked. After all, we have you, Headmaster, don't we? The Dark Lord may be a wicked and powerful dark wizard, but we have the greatest white wizard of the nineteenth century. I don't think I have anything to worry about."
"...This is the first time I've heard a sincere compliment that doesn't make me happy at all."
At this point, perhaps influenced by Lucian's gesture, a trace of weariness appeared on Dumbledore's face as well "I am 111 years old this year, Lucian. I am old."
He then looked outside the window and continued "I am neither as powerful as you say, nor can I bear everyone's hopes alone—even in my youngest and strongest days, there was always a group of people supporting me from behind. Without them, I could not have taken a single step. And now, it is even more so."
"You said earlier—that the reason you hid your name and lived in seclusion during the two years of the war was because you weren't strong enough—" Dumbledore looked at Lucian, his voice gentle like an old man speaking to his grandson.
"I don't think that's an excuse."
"In this world, brave people deserve reward, but those who, like you in your student days, chose to flee because their own power was insufficient—I don't think they should be harshly blamed. You had not undergone rigorous training, lacked experience and courage in fighting Death Eaters; it was perfectly normal not to dare face them."
"But this time?" Dumbledore's deep blue eyes seemed to contain infinite wisdom and magic, drawing one in irresistibly "You have now seen the path to becoming a legend. Given time, your achievements might even surpass Tom and me."
"I am very sorry for forcing you to come teach at the school last time. So this time, I have told you all the secrets and leave the choice to you. Lucian, Tom will return one day, sooner or later. This time, what path will you choose?"
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