Chapter 334: The Old House
Chapter 334: The Old House (Please subscribe, favorite, and vote!)
The late spring sky was clear and cloudless, and the sunlight brought warmth to the earth. However, the forest outside Little Hangleton felt none of this. The ancient trees cast a dense, chilling shadow, making Liam shiver uncontrollably as he stood in the woods.
"Don't be nervous. You should trust Professor Mad-Eye Moody and me", Dumbledore said in a gentle tone.
"It's fine. I just felt a bit cold when I stepped into the shade. By the way, Professor, where are we exactly?"
"This is the old home of the Gaunt family. They claim to be direct descendants of Slytherin. Voldemort's mother was born here, and his supposed Slytherin bloodline originates from this family", Dumbledore explained.
"Slytherin's descendants? But this—", Liam pointed at the dilapidated shack, his disbelief evident. Knowing something was one thing, but seeing it with his own eyes was another. He found it hard to associate this shack with the name Slytherin.
"But that is the truth", Dumbledore said slowly. "The Gaunt family is a very ancient wizarding family, known for their restlessness and violence. Due to their habit of intermarrying, these traits became more pronounced with each generation. They lacked reason and had a penchant for extravagant displays, so their wealth was squandered long before Voldemort's maternal grandfather. They eventually fell to this state."
This proved that the problems of intermarriage were evident, whether one had magic or not. It just took longer to surface when magic was involved.
"Alright, let's clean this place up. Liam, you can look for anything unusual", Dumbledore said, waving his wand to clear the collapsed roof. Liam took out his portable Alchemy Array and a pile of bottles and jars, preparing to search for traces of magic. Professor Mad-Eye Moody, after glancing at the two, gripped his wand tightly and remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings.
As Liam placed a few drops of blood and a pinch of mixed powder on the Alchemy Array, the hexagram's six corners ignited with blue-white flames. Under Liam's spell incantation, these flames began to move rapidly along the runes and lines of the Alchemy Array. Finally, the entire array was alight with flames.
The materials at the center of the Alchemy Array slowly floated into the air and, under Liam's gestures, mixed together. They eventually formed a green, glowing powder.
"All who pass leave a trace", Liam chanted in Ancient Latin. As he spoke, a sudden gust of wind blew the powder from the Alchemy Table toward the room Dumbledore had just cleared.
Soon, the entire house was enveloped in a glowing green mist. The powder slowly settled, eventually covering the entire floor.
"It's done", Liam said to the waiting professors. Dumbledore smiled and walked directly into the ruins of the Gaunt home, while Mad-Eye Moody leaned against the doorway, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.
As Liam stepped into the room, Mad-Eye Moody whispered, "I didn't misjudge you. You did a good job."
Most of the powder had disappeared, but in about five or six spots, a faint green glow remained. This indicated areas with residual magic, significantly narrowing down their search.
They began searching from the strongest to the weakest magic resonance. Each spot yielded some items, but the Gaunt family's decline was evident. The items they found were nothing more than broken trinkets, worthless.
"Alright, let's see what this is." Dumbledore approached the spot with the weakest reaction: behind the decorative stone slab above the fireplace. After clearing the dust from the headboard, they could see a rough carving of a snake on the stone slab.
"The Gaunt family badge? This place certainly fits Voldemort's character. When he placed these things, he would definitely have a sense of ceremony, not just placing them randomly." Professor Dumbledore explained as he waved his wand to remove the stone slab.
Strangely, there was nothing behind the slab, only a solid stone. However, there was a rectangular green glow on the stone.
"Ah, it's an illusion." Before Liam could do anything, Dumbledore immediately identified the trap. After waving his wand a few times with no response, a silver-white glow emitted from his wand.
Under the illumination, a recess appeared on the stone. A golden box was placed inside the recess, and many green runes floated around the opening.
"Repel harmful magical creatures, fireproof, weatherproof, reinforce, curse rebound—" Professor Dumbledore read out the functions of the runes one by one as Liam watched closely, learning how Dumbledore identified and neutralized these protections.
"Alright." Professor Dumbledore extended his hand and picked up the golden box from the recess. He had avoided the area with the densest magic and then created a hole in the stone to retrieve the box.
Seeing that Professor Dumbledore intended to open the box right there, Liam quickly stepped forward to stop him. "Professor, we have the item; there's no need to rush. Wouldn't it be better to handle it in your office?"
"Indeed, I was a bit hasty." Dumbledore stopped reaching for the box and pulled out a dragon skin pouch from his pocket, placing the box inside. Liam could feel that the pouch was made of genuine dragon skin, not the dragonhide gloves listed on the students' supply lists each year.
The accumulation of a century-old wizard was truly impressive, both in knowledge and wealth. It seemed that the true strength of the Purebloods needed to be reassessed. Perhaps each of those families had a few ancestors ready to rise from their coffins in their basements.
After confirming that there was nothing left behind in the room, the three of them boarded the Phoenix Express and returned to the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts.
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In Professor Dumbledore's office, the three of them gathered around the table, staring at the golden box on it.
"I've already checked the box and found no issues, so I'll open it now." Dumbledore extended his hand toward the golden box, but Liam stopped him again.
"Professor Dumbledore, this golden box was crafted by the goblins using special materials and techniques that block all our detection methods. What if there's a curse inside? You mentioned that the person is skilled at manipulating minds. Even a few seconds of control could have dire consequences. I think it would be better if I open the box. That way, if anything happens, you can easily control me."
"I'm not so old that I need a child to take the risk for me." Mad-Eye Moody also stepped forward. "I'll do it. Liam, you're too young. Some curses could kill you instantly. I think I can hold out longer, and Albus can control me if anything goes wrong."
In the end, Professor Mad-Eye Moody took on the task of opening the box, with Liam standing behind Dumbledore, watching him warily.
(End of Chapter)
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