Chapter 258: Fleeing from Death
Chapter 258: Fleeing from Death
In a certain apartment in Devon, Nicolas Flamel was sitting in an armchair, reading a book. His eyes occasionally drifted to the mechanical clock on the mantelpiece as he awaited the visit of a dear friend, who was undoubtedly running late.
A knock on the door soon sounded.
"Albus, it's unusual for you to be late," Nicolas remarked as he opened the door and greeted the elderly wizard. Only this longtime friend could have knocked on the door of the apartment without triggering the protective magic.
"There were some Observers," Dumbledore explained his tardiness. "A few Muggles had fallen under the Imperius Curse, and it took some time to deal with them."
"It seems that Voldemort has indeed set his sights on the Philosopher's Stone," Nicolas said with a resigned expression.
"He will never get past our defenses," Perenelle assured him with a smile. The two of them had lived for centuries, and there was little they hadn't encountered.
"Yes, he is still weak and unlikely to breach the outer protective spells," Dumbledore agreed, nodding. "But he remains a nuisance."
Life for the Flamels had not been significantly impacted. They rarely ventured out anymore, and while the Elixir of Life granted by the Philosopher's Stone kept them alive, their bodies had become frail with the passage of time.
A month ago, Nicolas had sensed the approaching threat and hastily returned to Britain from France, taking refuge in this apartment protected by the Fidelius Charm.
His pursuers had not given up, tracking him all the way to Britain, only to be thwarted by the Fidelius Charm.
Later, Dumbledore informed Nicolas that the one seeking them was likely Voldemort, who aimed to use the Philosopher's Stone to restore his strength.
This was not welcome news.
The Flamels relied on the Elixir of Life created with the Stone to sustain their existence. Should the Stone be taken, their lives would effectively come to an end.
They had reached out to Dumbledore, who had offered to help resolve this predicament.
After all, should Voldemort regain his strength and rise again, the wizarding world would likely never know peace.
"However, I'm surprised you could make time to come here," Nicolas said, glancing at the purple invitation on the mantelpiece. "I recall that today is the date of the alchemy gathering. Sera is probably displeased that I haven't attended as I promised."
"I attended a few times initially, but I found it rather dull, so I stopped going," Dumbledore said as he added three sugar cubes to his tea. "There haven't been any new members in a long while."
"It seems you haven't been paying much attention to their affairs lately," Nicolas remarked. "Sera told me he has found an exceptional child, as talented as you once were."
"I'm aware," Dumbledore said, his interest in Albert piquing slightly. "His name is Albert Anderson, and he is quite skilled in ancient magical languages. We've exchanged a few letters, and he even managed to outwit Hector."
"Hector?" Nicolas furrowed his brow in thought. "Oh, now I recall. That was the young man I met at the opera house in France. Hector sought me out for a divination regarding his gold card."
"What happened after that?" Perenelle inquired, more concerned about the outcome. "Did Hector retrieve his gold card?"
"Yes, they eventually reconciled their differences," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Hector helped clear up the misunderstanding regarding Mr. Anderson."
"We understand why you are here, and if you truly need it, we can give you a piece of the Philosopher's Stone," Nicolas said with a sigh, bringing the conversation back to the matter at hand. The Stone was too important to them; losing it would mean death, and they were not willing to take that risk.
Of course, Nicolas also knew of his friend's concern regarding Voldemort. He would not mind lending Dumbledore a piece of the Stone.
Perenelle produced a small object and placed it before Dumbledore. "Here it is."
Dumbledore's eyes widened in surprise as he examined the object. "This is a fake? I've seen the Philosopher's Stone before, and this replica is almost identical."
"Indeed, it's a failed attempt," Nicolas said with a grin. "Even you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The success of the Stone was more of a fortunate accident, and even I couldn't replicate it exactly. While I can create similar stones, they don't possess the same effects."
"This is a clever idea," Dumbledore said, holding the stone up for a closer inspection. "However, the timing isn't right yet."
"Not the right time?" Nicolas repeated, puzzled.
"Yes, not yet," Dumbledore affirmed. "I need to lure Voldemort out and assess his current state. As you know, there are few who can survive as he does, existing like a ghost yet not truly one."
"There is a case that fits your description," Perenelle recalled. "According to records, the despicable Herpo the Foul was the first Dark wizard known to have created a Horcrux."
"Herpo the Foul?" Nicolas scowled, evidently recalling unpleasant memories.
"It was about two hundred years ago when we encountered him," Perenelle's voice trailed off as she reminisced. "Herpo somehow learned of us and sought to take the Philosopher's Stone. It wasn't a pleasant affair, but with the help of some friends, we defeated him."
"Is Herpo dead?" Dumbledore asked.
"I don't know. Perhaps," Nicolas replied with a shake of his head. "We never heard from him again after that."
Horcrux.
Dumbledore was familiar with this obscure and sinister branch of magic. The Hogwarts library even contained books on the subject.
However, Dumbledore had no evidence to suggest that Voldemort had indeed created Horcruxes.
Later, during the years when Voldemort had vanished, Dumbledore had discovered traces of his presence in the forests of Albania. All signs indicated that Voldemort had survived the rebounding Avada Kedavra curse due to the existence of a Horcrux.
This was not a positive development. Should a wizard create a Horcrux, the only way to truly kill them was to find and destroy it.
While the creation of a Horcrux by an ordinary wizard might not pose a significant threat, as their physical body could still be destroyed, leaving them in a weakened state, the same could not be said for a powerful wizard like Voldemort. Even if he were weakened, it would only be temporary, and he would inevitably find ways to restore his strength.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Perenelle asked, concern etched on her face as she looked at Dumbledore.
"If that is the case, it is indeed troubling news," Dumbledore sighed. "Given what I know of Voldemort, I fear he may have created more than one Horcrux."
"That's impossible," Nicolas frowned. "Splitting the soul would make it extremely unstable. Creating multiple Horcruxes would be madness."
"Yes, Voldemort is indeed a madman," Dumbledore agreed. "Consider the new name he gave himself."
Fleeing from death...? (End of Chapter)
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