Chapter 185: Theoretical Possibility
Chapter 185: Theoretical Possibility
A month has passed since Algernon was killed by the Death Eaters.
Scrimgeour, a highly capable Auror, clearly shared Sherlock's suspicions.
There were other Death Eaters within the Ministry of Magic!
However, he had yet to identify them, or perhaps there were too many suspects. The high-ranking officials were fence-sitters, aligning with whichever side had the upper hand. Before the situation in the Wizarding World became entirely clear, they were unlikely to fully commit to one side.
The overt investigation lasted only a week before the tense atmosphere at the Ministry of Magic began to ease.
However, Scrimgeour did not truly relax. He simply shifted the investigation to a more covert level.
This time, with no additional casualties, he was fortunate to receive only a warning and keep his position. But if it happened again, no one would be able to protect him.
The news of the Ministry of Magic being breached was known to many, so it was impossible to completely suppress the information.
As Minkan had predicted, the next day's Daily Prophet front page featured a report on the incident.
Without the cover of Sherlock capturing four Death Eaters and a traitor, this time it became a pure scandal, severely damaging the Ministry of Magic's reputation and credibility.
It was said that Minkan personally visited Hogwarts to have Dumbledore make a statement, which helped calm the public opinion in the Wizarding World.
The more turbulent the times, the higher Dumbledore's prestige in the Wizarding World. His presence alone prevented the Dark Lord from acting recklessly.
In peacetime, with no immediate threats, some began to forget his importance and view him as a nuisance.
The Ministry of Magic returned to its normal operations.
Even though Sherlock knew that the Lestrange family's vault might contain a Horcrux, he did not rush to retrieve it.
His main goal at the moment was not this. As long as Voldemort did not know the secret had been leaked, the Lestrange family would not dare to move the cup.
The item was not going anywhere, so Sherlock was not in a hurry.
After confirming the main research focus with Madame Selwyn, he had a clear task.
The Department of Mysteries appeared mysterious to outsiders because no one knew what the researchers were studying.
But upon closer inspection, the so-called mysteries were actually quite limited.
Death, time, souls, prophecies, and the human mind, among others.
In the field of time magic, previous wizards had made significant practical discoveries, with the Time-Turner being just one example.
When Sherlock first joined the department, Madame Selwyn did not expect him to immediately take on crucial research. Instead, she had him start by familiarizing himself with the materials related to time magic.
These materials were extensive, clearly not something that could be mastered in a few months. Therefore, even with a concrete task and work, Sherlock still had time to delve into his own research.
During this month, the Black Magic Secrets book that Amy had found had nearly been worn out by his constant reading, but he still had not figured out how it could help him.
One day, while casually flipping through the Soul Protection Magic used by the original owner's mother, Selena, to refresh his mind and change his approach, a sudden insight struck him!
Soul magic required one's own soul to protect another soul, whereas Horcrux magic involved actively tearing the soul apart.
From this perspective, the two magics that act on the soul actually share some commonalities!
Could they be slightly interconnected? Perhaps the characteristic of Horcrux Magic that tears the soul and attaches it to an object could be modified, and the soul protection aspect of Protective Magic could be enhanced with other elements, allowing both to coexist and complement each other?
Sherlock's mind was instantly sparked with inspiration.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly, feeling that the direction he was thinking about was entirely feasible!
Although such an endeavor had nothing to do with returning to the correct timeline, Sherlock was still enthusiastic about it.
It wasn't just to help Snape achieve his dream; it was also the excitement of solving a long-troubling math problem, much like he had in his previous life during his school days.
Whether it was Horcrux Magic or Soul Protection Magic, both were the pinnacle of soul magic in the Wizarding World.
With his current knowledge, Sherlock was certainly not equipped to merge the strengths of these two magics, but he was now in the place with the most mysterious knowledge in all of Britain's Ministry of Magic, which could provide him with countless theoretical supports.
He hurriedly pushed open the door to his office, intending to find some materials in the Hall of Souls. As he stepped out of the Hall of Time, he happened to meet a young man coming out of the Hall of Brains.
They glanced at each other, nodded, and went their separate ways without much conversation.
Sherlock naturally recognized the young man.
Barty Crouch Jr., one of the squad leaders in the Auror Office, whose father was none other than Barty Crouch, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the direct superior of Scrimgeour.
With outstanding grades from Hogwarts and a stellar performance as an Auror, combined with his father's influence, Barty Jr. was undoubtedly a rising star in the Auror ranks, with even Kingsley trailing behind him.
Since coming to the Ministry of Magic, Sherlock had had no interaction with him, at most exchanging a nod as they passed by.
However, Barty Jr. seemed to be visiting the Department of Mysteries more frequently lately.
In the month since Algernon's death, this was the fifth time Sherlock had encountered him.
But Sherlock only found it a bit strange and didn't give it much thought.
Anyone could be a traitor, but for someone like Barty Jr., a surefire winner whose father firmly supported the Ministry's fight against Voldemort, to become a traitor would be too absurd.
He entered the Hall of Souls, where, as the Silencer of the Hall of Time, he buried himself in a mountain of soul-related materials, neglecting his primary duties.
This situation continued for several days, and even Amy, who had grown accustomed to living with him, found it boring and decided to visit the Hall of Souls to find him. The Silencer of the Hall of Souls was seething with resentment, feeling that Sherlock was encroaching on his job. Madame Selwyn was about to intervene when, five days later, Sherlock finally emerged from the Hall of Souls with his hair as messy as a bird's nest.
The Department of Mysteries had ample resources, and he now had the theoretical basis.
Combining Horcrux Magic and Soul Protection Magic was theoretically feasible!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
