Chapter 139: Two Memories
Chapter 139: Two Memories
The office was silent.
An elegant silver instrument on the desk corner spun, emitting small puffs of smoke and ticking softly.
"Your testimony is very useful, Felix", Dumbledore said, his eyes beneath his thick silver brows thoughtful as he stared at the diary. "He is even more deranged than I imagined."
"Are you talking about Voldemort?"
"I prefer to call him Tom, Tom Riddle. It's his original name. In school, he never shied away from it, and the professors called him Tom rather than his last name, Riddle", Dumbledore explained.
Felix reflected that Voldemort must have had a much more pleasant school life than he did.
"Is it because he created more than one Horcrux?" Felix asked.
"Exactly, Felix. This magic is even more evil than you can imagine. It involves splitting the soul to achieve immortality—"
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I'm not interested in the details. Do you have any other questions?"
Dumbledore blinked and smiled approvingly. "Felix, you have more self-restraint than I did at your age... I do have one more question, though."
He folded his hands on the desk. "I want to know more about what happens when an Horcrux is destroyed."
Felix had anticipated this. He also had two things he wanted Dumbledore to know. He turned to look at the black cabinet behind him. "Why don't you see for yourself, Dumbledore?"
He turned back to see Dumbledore's surprised expression.
The old man said, "You mean the Pensieve? Many wizards avoid using it..." This was a reaction he hadn't expected at all.
"Exactly. I saw it last time I was here, and the cabinet was open", Felix explained. "As for avoiding it, I do have reservations, but I believe that since Voldemort isn't dead, he will return one day, and you are the one he fears the most."
Dumbledore shook his head, his weathered face lined with wrinkles. "Felix, I am old", he said, waving his hand. The black cabinet door opened, and a shallow stone basin floated out and landed on the table in front of them.
Felix examined the Pensieve. This magical artifact was ancient and rare, with strange carvings around its rim—mystical letters and symbols.
He recognized some, but many were beyond his knowledge.
Inside the Pensieve was a pool of silver liquid, resembling bright silver but constantly flowing. Felix drew his wand and gently touched the tip to the surface, causing the silver light to swirl softly.
He then pressed the wand to his forehead, and Dumbledore whispered, "Felix, I must thank you for your trust."
Felix smiled mischievously. "Oh, Headmaster Dumbledore, I'll only show you the most crucial memories. I'll keep the private ones well hidden—no matter how close you get to someone's face, you won't find anything."
Dumbledore's first genuine smile of the evening spread across his face.
A thin, shimmering silver thread was drawn out and added to the Pensieve. Felix stirred it with his wand, merging the thread into the silver light.
Both men extended their hands, and as their fingertips touched the silver surface, a powerful pull drew them in. They didn't resist, allowing themselves to be pulled into the Pensieve.
The first memory was brief—
A house-elf lay on the ground, and 'Felix' summoned the Blazeblade, pointing it directly at the diary.
The Horcrux screamed in its dying moments, "No, I can tell you the secret to conquering death—"
But 'Felix' showed no hesitation, driving the blade through the Horcrux, and the voice abruptly cut off.
The memory ended there.
Their figures reappeared in the office, and Dumbledore's expression was complex, tinged with an inexplicable sense of relief.
He looked at Felix: "I am proud of your choice. During the war, many famous Wizards were easily swayed by him, not to mention the secret of his victory over death."
Dumbledore didn't even mention why Felix could master the Fiendfyre Curse to this extent.
At other times, he might have advised Felix not to delve too deeply, but now, compared to the temptation of a Horcrux, these concerns were utterly insignificant.
And this was precisely what Felix wanted to tell Dumbledore first.
The next memory unfolded—
In a pure white space, ice-blue and bronze magic intertwined into a massive vortex, continuously tearing at the diadem, with wisps of black mist seeping out.
Dumbledore looked at the scene with a peculiar expression. Across from 'Felix' stood a beautiful and serious witch. Helena was with her, and they were speaking, but Dumbledore couldn't hear a word, and even their faces were blurry.
"Is this what you call privacy?"
"We are discussing my magical path", Felix said briefly.
Dumbledore tightly closed his mouth. This was the kind of secret that powerful Wizards kept to themselves. He turned his attention to the vortex in mid-air, marveling at it.
After a while, a blurry face burst out of the diadem, only to be instantly shredded by the vortex.
Dumbledore sighed with a mix of admiration and sorrow, but he noticed that they didn't leave the memory. After a moment, he heard the only sentence in the entire memory.
It was Rowena Ravenclaw speaking to Felix: "I will remake the diadem as your reward."
These words echoed endlessly in the empty white space.
Dumbledore looked at Felix, who was nodding in agreement. The next second, the memory ended.
The air in the office was quiet, and neither of them spoke first.
After a while, Dumbledore said resignedly, "I understand your meaning. The diadem is yours, and no one can take it from you. If anyone has objections, I will vouch for you."
Felix smiled brightly, "Thank you so much, Headmaster Dumbledore. I was worried that some shortsighted governors or Ministry officials might cause me trouble."
As he spoke, Felix deftly used his wand to erase his memories, making them vanish completely.
Dumbledore suddenly felt a pang of sadness. He waved his hand, "Take the diadem."
Felix politely took his leave and turned to go.
As he stepped out of the office, he smiled with satisfaction, knowing that he had achieved his goals.
His main objectives were threefold: first, how to weave the diary into his story, second, how to dispel any doubts Dumbledore might have about Felix's interest in Horcruxes, and third, to secure the diadem's ownership without any compromise.
So, after telling his story, he presented two memories, corresponding to the second and third objectives. The second objective was the most crucial.
He was so cautious because he knew that Dumbledore had once harbored concerns about him, fearing he might turn to the dark side and become the next Dark Lord.
Moreover, Dumbledore was over a hundred years old and couldn't afford the cost of a misjudgment. Felix, on the other hand, was only 22 and far from reaching his peak.
Given his past actions, Felix understood these concerns.
So, he had to be more meticulous, engaging in a battle of wits with the old Headmaster to dispel his doubts.
'I must be a considerate person.'
Runic Script Professor
(End of Chapter)
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