Chapter 333: The Search
Chapter 333: The Search
"Try not to be so nervous", Professor Dumbledore said, using his wand to conjure a cup of tea and a chair. He gestured to Liam, "Sit down and have a cup of tea. Professor Mad-Eye Moody praised you, saying you are already on par with many Aurors. That's why I thought of asking you to help us with something."
Liam didn't say anything at first, just quietly held the teacup and listened. Soon, Dumbledore asked the question he had on his mind, "Do you know about Horcruxes?"
"I know a bit about them", Liam replied, looking at Dumbledore. "Alchemy covers this topic, and in Alchemy, Horcruxes are categorized under human Alchemy."
"Oh? Since you know about Horcruxes, would you be willing to share your thoughts on them?" Dumbledore seemed interested, leaning forward slightly as he looked at Liam.
"Um, how to put it—", Liam thought for a moment before continuing, "It feels like a case of losing the forest for the trees. It's the simplest method of immortality I know, but the drawbacks are too significant. If it were me, I'd rather pursue the Rose Madonna Fragment."
"So you believe that creating a Horcrux is not a good method?" Dumbledore ignored the parts he didn't understand and pressed further on the topic of Horcruxes.
"Yes, unless the person is desperate or has no other options. Any other method would be better", Liam pretended to be ignorant of something, but Dumbledore quickly returned to the subject.
"What if I told you that Voldemort used this method to try and achieve immortality?" Dumbledore's blue eyes, hidden behind his half-moon glasses, sparkled with a mischievous glint.
"Isn't he a Pureblood? From what I know, he always claims to be a descendant of Slytherin and advocates for Pureblood interests. He shouldn't be unaware of the issues involved", Liam feigned surprise.
"Unfortunately, for various reasons, he was unaware of the potential problems. For now, let's set this aside. The reason I called you here today is that I have roughly determined the location of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. I need your help to deal with it."
Is this a test of loyalty? Liam didn't mind. Besides, with the knowledge that Voldemort has Horcruxes, it makes sense to take advantage of his current weakened state to eliminate some of them.
It was also understandable why Dumbledore had chosen Liam. In Dumbledore's eyes, Liam's skills were on par with those of a fully grown wizard. Calling upon a professional Alchemist to help break Voldemort's magical traps was a logical choice. Dumbledore was a complete pragmatist, always opting for the best solution available.
Moreover, for Dumbledore, nurturing new talent was important, especially since he was over a hundred years old. Given that Harry Potter's skills were not yet sufficient, and for safety reasons, Dumbledore found it reasonable to involve a student who was skilled and had a good relationship with Harry.
In the original story, Dumbledore had faced Voldemort's Horcruxes alone, but that was due to his overconfidence. After the battle at the Ministry of Magic and his subsequent confrontation with Voldemort, he felt immense pressure, which led to some confusion in his actions.
The Diary and the Crown have already been destroyed. The remaining Horcruxes are the locket at Sirius Black's house, Hufflepuff's Golden Cup, which might be in a Gringotts vault, the ring at the Gaunt shack, Nagini, and Harry Potter, who was inadvertently turned into a Horcrux.
Based on the available information, the Horcrux Dumbledore mentioned destroying today definitely won't be Harry Potter, and the likelihood of it being Nagini is low, as Harry should be dealt with last, and Dumbledore might not yet know about the recently created Nagini. The remaining options are the Golden Cup, the ring, and the locket. It's unclear which one Dumbledore has identified.
"Everyone ready? I believe we can proceed with today's journey", Dumbledore said with a smile. He then gestured for Fawkes, who was perched on a shelf, to fly down and allow everyone to gently grab hold of the phoenix's tail. Once everyone was prepared, he initiated the Illusion Apparition.
This method of travel was truly unpleasant, feeling like being stuffed into a pipe and then forcefully ejected. After this ordeal, they found themselves standing on a country path, flanked by tall, tangled hedgerows. The sky above, a clear and vivid blue, seemed like a forget-me-not flower in late spring.
"Where are we, Dumbledore?" Professor Mad-Eye Moody asked directly. As one of Dumbledore's old comrades, he naturally inquired when things were unclear.
"I visited this place a long time ago and almost forgot about it. Fortunately, we didn't end up in the river", Dumbledore said, with Fawkes letting out a couple of indignant chirps, as if protesting the professor's criticism.
"Alright, Fawkes, you've never led us astray", Dumbledore said, petting the phoenix, then turned to Mad-Eye Moody. "This is the hometown of Voldemort's mother. I believe he hid a Horcrux here."
Upon hearing this, Liam looked around but saw nothing but hedgerows, offering no clear view of the surroundings. However, after walking a few steps with Professor Dumbledore, they turned left, and the landscape opened up. A valley stretched out before them, with a small village nestled between two steep hills. The church and cemetery were clearly visible.
On the opposite slope of the valley stood a dilapidated mansion. Several windows were boarded up, the roof tiles were missing, and ivy had spread over the entire building. It looked damp and desolate, as if it had been abandoned for years.
This must be Little Hangleton, and that decrepit mansion is the Riddle House. Young Voldemort performed a deed similar to Arthas's here. After a brief glance at the famous ruins, Liam followed Dumbledore's lead.
After a steep descent, they did not enter the village. Dumbledore used magic to create a human-sized opening in a hedgerow and motioned for everyone to pass through.
Compared to the previous path, this one was even worse, barely qualifying as a path at all. Under Dumbledore's guidance, they waded through knee-high grass. The ground beneath the grass was uneven, pitted with rocks. Liam took the initiative to support the mobility-impaired Mad-Eye Moody, who did not refuse the offer.
Finally, they reached a small forest, and Dumbledore stopped, drawing his wand. "I think we need to be on high alert from here on. Be ready for a fight at any moment."
Liam drew his wand and, with his other hand, retrieved Gryffindor's Dagger from his Dimensional Pouch.
"Being prepared for close combat in a narrow space is a good idea", Mad-Eye Moody said. "In my younger days, I had a very useful dagger and was skilled at using non-magical weapons in tight spaces. I was quite good at it, until a curse hit my knee—"
As Mad-Eye Moody spoke, they entered the forest. Fortunately, the forest was not cluttered with obstacles, containing only one extremely dilapidated house.
The house was in a state of utter disrepair, and at first glance, Liam didn't even recognize it as a house. The roof had completely collapsed, and the windows were nothing but broken holes. Various plants had overgrown the structure, almost completely obscuring it. The thick moss on the stone walls made it look like a small hillock.
"Well, I think we've arrived", Professor Dumbledore said, standing before the remains of the house.
(End of Chapter)
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