https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-396-The-Potion-Worth-Three-Hundred-Galleons/12538689/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-398-The-Music-Room-That-Caught-His-Eye/12538694/
Chapter 397: The Coronet and the Horcrux
Chapter 397: The Coronet and the Horcrux
At the dining table, Nico pushed a plate of ribs towards Kyle and said with a smile, "I almost forgot to ask, what brings you here again... Could it not possibly be to keep me company for Christmas?"
"That is the main reason," Kyle replied.
"Nothing else?" Nico inquired.
Kyle shook his head. "No."
"In that case..." Nico glanced at him and said half-jokingly, "then I'm afraid I can't be of help."
"You know, finding the correct symbol could take a long time, and after that, I might not leave that room for several weeks."
"Oh..." Kyle patted his head. "Now that you mention it, I do remember something small."
"Go ahead," Nico smiled. "Just don't be like Albus and bring out a time-turner from a thousand years ago."
"No, no, it's just a very minor matter..."
Kyle placed a box on the table, donned a pair of spell-proof gloves, and took out a tarnished coronet.
"I found this in Hogwarts Castle, and I was wondering if there's a way to repair it."
...
At first glance, Nico didn't pay much attention to the coronet, thinking it was just a damaged alchemic item that Kyle had stumbled upon in Hogwarts.
After all, one could expect to find all sorts of things in a school as old as Hogwarts.
However, his instincts as a master alchemist soon kicked in, and he sensed that there was something unusual about the coronet.
His expression turned serious as he considered a possible explanation.
"Could it be..."
Nico's tension rose, and he asked involuntarily, "What is this...?"
"It's nothing much, just the Ravenclaw Coronet," Kyle replied casually.
"The one that's been lost for a thousand years?" Nico stood up, unable to contain his excitement.
For almost all alchemists, the Ravenclaw Coronet, said to enhance wisdom, was as mythical as the Philosopher's Stone.
Nico had already obtained the Stone, but he had never laid eyes on the Coronet, and this was one of the few regrets of his long, six-hundred-year life.
Unbeknownst to him, it had been in Hogwarts all along.
He couldn't help but feel disappointed in Albus. The man had claimed he had never seen it, yet a teenager had managed to find it.
Nico's inner monologue was filled with criticism.
However, there was another issue.
The Ravenclaw Coronet was in a state of disrepair, looking like a piece of junk one would find in a thrift store.
Logically, a magical artifact of this caliber shouldn't have been able to rust like this...
Nico leaned in closer, examining the coronet intently.
His expression grew increasingly grave.
"This is... a Horcrux?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "When I found it, someone had already turned it into a Horcrux."
Even with Nico's composure, he felt the urge to curse.
To turn the Ravenclaw Coronet into a Horcrux was an act so despicable that even someone as unscrupulous as Hepzibah might not have done it.
Nico reached out and touched the coronet, and suddenly, a cloud of black mist emerged and swirled around it.
Faint whispers filled the room.
"Bam!"
In an instant, the house-elf, Tata, appeared in front of Nico, her finger pointing anxiously at the black mist.
"Don't worry, Tata," Nico reassured her, and with a downward press of his finger, the black mist retreated back into the coronet.
Kyle placed it back into the box and continued, "I came here to ask if there's a way to remove the soul fragment embedded within it."
Nico acknowledged with a soft reply.
Kyle explained, "Basilisk fangs, the Killing Curse, Fiendfyre, or even a kiss from a Dementor would all cause the soul fragment within to dissipate."
"But those methods would also damage the coronet to varying degrees."
"I'm glad you're considering the artifact's preservation," Nico smiled. "When an item becomes a Horcrux, it merges with the embedded soul fragment, becoming one entity... or you could say that the entire coronet becomes its soul.
Now I understand why this person chose a coronet as a vessel. For most people, even knowing it's a Horcrux, they would hesitate to destroy it.
In this regard, this person is more cunning than the despicable Hepzibah."
"So, do you think you can repair it?" Kyle asked. "If so, I just so happen to have some Basilisk venom, or we could use a Dementor.
They're right in Hogsmeade, and only guarded by a single Ministry official. If we act quickly, capturing a couple shouldn't be a problem."
Nico's expression turned strange.
The mention of Basilisk venom made sense to him; Dumbledore had mentioned that the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets now belonged to Kyle, so obtaining some venom was understandable.
But capturing Dementors... Wasn't that a bit too reckless? Was it really that easy to capture them?
"Ahem, no need for that," Nico waved his hand dismissively. "I have a better idea that may take longer but will guarantee no damage to the coronet."
"What idea is that?" Kyle asked, intrigued.
"An ancient potion that affects the soul." Nico replied calmly, "I once came across it in a stone tablet as proof that Horcruxes are not a product of alchemy. Interestingly, this potion was also invented by the despicable Hepzibah."
"Hepzibah... a potion from a thousand years ago?"
Kyle frowned, "Can we even find the ingredients for such an old potion?"
"No problem at all." Nico smiled. "I've stored many ancient potion ingredients using special methods, and even if we're missing one or two, there are always suitable substitutes."
"But, child..." Nico shifted his gaze from the box and looked calmly at Kyle, "You seem to have a deep understanding of Horcruxes."
"Yes, I researched them for a while because of an idea I had."
Kyle didn't hide it, "I plan to..."
"Oh, you don't need to tell me."
Nico interrupted Kyle once again, "I believe you can make the right decisions and that you have your reasons for doing so. I'm not blaming you, but reminding you... Do you remember what I told you back in Paris?
If you ever need to, you are always welcome to visit my private library again. There are many books there, and they cover a wide range of topics..."
Nico winked and, taking advantage of Kyle's momentary distraction, quietly took the box and placed it in a bag, his movements swift and smooth.
By the time Kyle noticed, the coronet was already tucked away. Nico's little stunt was quite unnecessary, as Kyle had intended to hand over the coronet anyway.
Moreover, in addition to the coronet, he also planned to start searching for Voldemort's other Horcruxes.
Kyle wasn't sure if he could stop Voldemort's resurrection, but he could at least set a smaller goal for himself... like finding and securing all of Voldemort's Horcruxes before his resurrection.
(End of Chapter)
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