Chapter 406: Two Elders in the Tower

Chapter 406: Two Elders in the Tower

Dumbledore's request was straightforward, and Sherlock finally understood why he had become so agitated.

He looked at the ring in the old man's hand, his expression becoming serious.

Logically, given his relationship with Dumbledore, now that the latter had revealed his greatest secrets and all his vulnerabilities, Sherlock should offer congratulations and encouragement. However, at this moment, what Sherlock truly intended to do was to pour cold water on Dumbledore's enthusiasm.

"Professor, I may understand your feelings, and I know that the idea of bringing back deceased loved ones to make up for past mistakes is hard to resist. But there is one thing I must remind you of now, and I hope you will think it through."

Sherlock spoke with utmost seriousness.

"If the story of Death and the three brothers, specifically the part about the Deathly Hallows, is true, then the descriptions of these three items must also be based on something real."

"You said you obtained the Elder Wand's power after defeating Grindelwald, which aligns perfectly with the legend. To fully harness the Elder Wand's power, one must defeat its previous owner."

"If that is the case, then the story of the Resurrection Stone is also true. The second brother, who sought the power to bring the dead back from Death to humiliate Death and revive his beloved, met a tragic end. I doubt you have forgotten that, Professor."

Dumbledore sat silently on the dusty floor, the moonlight streaming through the broken wooden window, casting a melancholic and lonely shadow on the old man.

"The Resurrection Stone is a stone that can bring the dead back to life, but the resurrected will only have a melancholic mindset, tormenting the living mentally because they cannot truly return to life. The second Peverell brother used the Resurrection Stone to summon the spirit of his deceased lover, but she was sad, cold, and lonely. Soon, the second brother, tormented by hopeless longing, went mad and took his own life."

Sherlock looked at Dumbledore earnestly.

"Do you remember what you once told me, Professor? Death is never to be feared; only the cowardly fear it. For the brave, it is merely the start of another great adventure. A person who has accepted death, even if they return to the world, may not find it a good thing. Such resurrection is merely the living's selfishness, a one-sided act of self-comfort."

"The second brother in the story, after reviving his beloved, did not find the reunion he imagined. Instead, he chose to end his life in endless self-blame. Professor, I want you to think clearly: do you want to bring your sister Arianna back to life to make her happy, or to alleviate your own guilt and free yourself from remorse?"

Dumbledore lifted his aged face, the silver light illuminating the wrinkles etched by time, his silver-white beard reflecting the moonlight, and his sapphire eyes filled with self-mockery.

"I have always been seen by Hogwarts students as a mentor guiding them on their life's path, but I myself have never fully understood the things I often preach. Now, I need you to teach me, Sherlock."

He struggled to stand up, and Sherlock helped him to his feet.

Dumbledore then waved his wand, casting a scouring charm on both himself and Sherlock. He glanced at the Gaunt Ring in his hand, his eyes no longer filled with the previous excitement and reluctance. He casually tossed the ring to Sherlock.

"Take it. Use it as you see fit."

The black ring felt cold in Sherlock's hand. He held it in his palm and smiled at Dumbledore.

"You know, Professor, I can destroy Voldemort's Horcrux without damaging the object it is housed in. If you ever regret your decision, you can ask for it back from me. I guarantee that even if you wear it yourself, it will not pose any danger."

Dumbledore's face showed a flicker of hesitation, but he quickly shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Never mind. I have lived for over a century and should indeed be more open-minded. The matter of the Resurrection Stone is now in your hands."

His words trailed off slightly.

"So, how did your day go today?"

Sherlock tucked the ring into his robe pocket and spoke softly.

"I think my initial idea wasn't wrong, Professor. He still has a chance."

Dumbledore laughed.

"Even though someone like Riddle appeared among my students, I still believe that as long as one is young, there is always a chance. Humans are not consistent creatures; they can either fall completely in a short time or face their past and embrace a brighter future."

"Alright, Professor, it's late enough today. We should head back."

Hearing Sherlock's words, Dumbledore didn't immediately respond. Instead, he simply waved his hand, and Fawkes flew to Sherlock's shoulder.

Seeing the puzzled look on Sherlock's face, Dumbledore apologized.

"Sorry, Sherlock, you should head back first. It's already quite late, and I've kept you from resting long enough. I hope it doesn't affect your classes tomorrow. I still need to visit an old friend."

He didn't elaborate on who this old friend was, and Sherlock tactfully didn't press for more details. Instead, he was taken back to Hogwarts Castle by Fawkes.

In the dilapidated house, Dumbledore was left alone.

He stood by the wooden window, through which a cold draft blew in, gazing silently at the quiet, deep valley outside. After a moment, he extended his arm to catch Fawkes, who had just returned from taking Sherlock back to Hogwarts.

"Let's go, old friend. We're visiting that place today."

With a nostalgic look in his eyes, Dumbledore stroked Fawkes' feathers. Without specifying the location, Fawkes, understanding his intent, flashed a golden-red light and disappeared with Dumbledore.

In Austria, far from human habitation, a solitary tower stood amidst a cluster of mountains.

Dumbledore and Fawkes appeared on the barren ground in front of the gray-black tower.

The place looked desolate, as if even the moonlight was reluctant to shine here. The gloomy tower stood on a barren high mountain.

Dumbledore seemed very familiar with everything here. He walked on the stone path and easily found the entrance to the tower. However, he also seemed unfamiliar, gazing at the maxim above the entrance that he had mentioned to Sherlock, with a look of melancholy.

Fawkes flew high, knowing that Dumbledore didn't need it to follow. The old man entered the black-stone building alone.

He climbed the spiral stone staircase inside the tower at a steady pace, reaching the top after a short while.

This was a cold, sparsely furnished room with rough, hard stone walls. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all black, and the only furniture was a hard wooden bed.

When Dumbledore entered this space, which was more like a cell than a room, a gaunt, emaciated old man was lying on the wooden bed, watching him silently.

Dumbledore and the old man locked eyes. Neither of them spoke, just staring at each other in silence.

The only window in the cell, through which fresh air could enter, was bathed in moonlight.

Finally, Dumbledore spoke first, his smile as gentle as ever, though the bitterness it contained was only visible to the old man opposite him.

"It's been a very long time, Gellert."

The first Dark Lord, who had once led his organization to disrupt the entire Wizarding World, nearly tearing apart the International Statute of Secrecy and exposing the existence of wizards and magic to the world, smiled with a hint of sarcasm.

"For some people, they wouldn't risk being talked about by others just to come see me unless there was a real need."

Dumbledore extended his wand and pointed behind him, conjuring a low stool.

He deliberately controlled the height of the stool's legs so that when he sat down, his eyes would be at the same level as Grindelwald's, not in a position of looking down.

"You still speak the same way you did before."

Dumbledore showed no signs of anger or distress. He knew Grindelwald wouldn't think the way he said.

The two understood each other better than they understood themselves.

"You're older than before", Grindelwald said, looking at Dumbledore's white beard. "How long has it been since we last met? Ten years? Or twenty?"

Dumbledore replied calmly, "It's been fifteen years. Voldemort had just died, and I came to you to help me find where his remaining soul was hidden and how he might resurrect in the future."

"Ah, fifteen years. The entire twentieth century is almost over, and I never thought I'd see you again before the century ends."

Grindelwald grinned, revealing his few remaining teeth.

"So, what brings you here today? Trying to persuade me to leave? Forget it. According to our agreement before the duel, the loser has to stay here for the rest of their life unless the other one dies."

Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh.

"At the time, neither of us thought we'd live this long."

"Do you think I can't see such a small thing?"

"True, if you had seen one of us die early, you would have ranted and mocked me then."

Grindelwald stared at him.

"Don't tell me that after fifteen years, you've only come here tonight to chat."

"Indeed, nothing escapes your notice. You always see things before others. I did come just to chat."

"Even after all these years, you're still as boring as ever, Albus."

Dumbledore shrugged, a gesture that made him seem less like an old man with a long white beard and hair.

"Maybe, but today you won't guess what I've found, Gellert."

"You found the Resurrection Stone", Grindelwald said casually.

Dumbledore couldn't hide his surprise.

"You can't see any information about the Deathly Hallows, can you?"

"I am a Seer, but not just a Seer. Besides the ability to see the future through the mist, my most valuable asset is my mind. If you say I wouldn't guess, what else could it be besides the Deathly Hallows?"

"It seems that being here so long hasn't dulled that brilliant mind of yours", Dumbledore remarked.

"So, how did you find it?"

Though Grindelwald had said Dumbledore's late-night visit to chat was boring, his interest was evident in his eagerness to talk.

"I didn't deliberately seek it out. I found it while looking for Voldemort's last missing Horcrux. It turned out that the stone was made into a family heirloom ring by his mother's family and was also turned into a Horcrux by him."

The word "Horcrux" made Grindelwald's lips curl in derision.

This expression wasn't just superficial; it was a genuine feeling of disdain.

"Only the most foolish would use such magic to extend their life. Compared to that, even Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life are far superior. Your student must have split his soul more than once, I recall he was a complete fool and a madman."

"In your mouth, no one is ever smart."

"Because most of the world is made up of fools", Grindelwald said, staring unblinkingly into Dumbledore's eyes. "So, have you used the stone to resurrect your sister?"

Dumbledore shook his head calmly.

"No."

This time, it was Grindelwald's turn to look genuinely surprised.

"You could resist it? Or is there a curse on the stone that you can't remove?"

"The Resurrection Stone is tainted by Voldemort's remaining soul, but I have a method to remove the obstacle", Dumbledore said softly. "However, tonight, a young man used my own words to teach me a lesson, so I changed my mind."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end