Chapter 41: Torn Soul
Chapter 41: Torn Soul
I believe this is a highly feasible idea.
Soul healing can certainly mimic the process of physical healing, bringing the torn parts together tightly to accelerate recovery.
However, a very practical issue stands before me. The soul, after all, is an intangible concept. Even the spirits of the dead cannot manifest as physical beings, let alone the souls of the living.
As Sherlock read on, he felt that this book was more like a wizard's experimental diary.
The author encountered difficulties in handling the soul, and the majority of the subsequent content detailed various experiments aimed at influencing the soul's form.
Finally, she found an appropriate "sewing needle."
A spell that can target the caster's own soul, allowing it to penetrate the soul without causing damage, thus achieving a sewing effect.
Finding the right "needle" was a complex process, but not overly difficult, given the numerous ancient magics and even the highest dark arts and unforgivable curses that target the soul.
There were many resources to draw upon.
What truly hindered the author's research was the selection of the "thread."
Unlike the "needle", which merely guides the "thread" through the soul, the "thread" must pull the torn soul together and seamlessly integrate with it as the soul heals, becoming one with it.
The author first considered using another soul as the "thread."
Since it would be of the same nature, it would have the highest compatibility and could perfectly merge with the wound in the end.
After all, soul sewing is different from regular sewing. Once the "thread" is sewn in, there is no way to remove it for a second attempt.
But how could she obtain a complete soul to serve as the "thread"?
Putting aside the moral implications, the sheer size of a living soul would make it unsuitable as a fine but sturdy "thread" to sew a torn, weakened soul.
Thus, all the research came to a dead end.
The author had already overcome all other challenges and technical issues, even using a Dementor as a test subject. All that was needed was the right "thread", and her idea could be perfectly realized.
Even a torn soul could be easily healed using this method.
However, the requirements for the "thread" were too stringent.
First, the "thread" must also be a soul, and second, it must not be a complete soul, preferably a fragment of a soul.
Meeting these conditions was incredibly difficult.
After all, a wizard's soul is not a piece of cloth that can be torn at will.
The author had never heard of any magic in the wizarding world that could split a soul without causing death.
The book concludes with the magic experiment left unresolved.
However, this brilliant witch, who conceived such a method to heal a split soul, felt deeply regretful that the magic could not be perfected.
She recorded the entire process, from the initial idea to the step-by-step refinement, up until the final step that remained incomplete, in this book.
She hoped that in the future, as magic advanced, a better substitute for the "thread" might be found.
Until, for some unknown reason, this book was placed in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts library and now found its way into Sherlock's hands.
The method for stitching souls described in the book is aside for the moment.
Just looking at the author of the book, who recorded various aspects of her life in her experimental notes, and the fact that the mark on his left arm led him to find this book.
Sherlock had ample evidence to suspect that the witch who wrote this book was none other than the original owner's insane mother!
The mark on his left arm most likely originated from the original owner's mother, and Sherlock noticed a significant detail in the book's narrative.
The witch's teacher was a master of potion-making, someone who knew numerous potion recipes or, more precisely, was incredibly proficient in potion-making.
The original owner's mother's closest teacher was Horace Slughorn, who once served as the head of Slytherin at Hogwarts and was also the Potions professor at the time!
These two peculiar coincidences, when connected, were no longer coincidences.
The witch who wrote this experimental journal was very likely the original owner's mother—Sally Forrest.
However, from her self-narratives in the book, there was no sign of the madness seen in the portrait hanging in the original owner's study.
Instead, she appeared to be a wise, inquisitive, and highly rational witch.
The stark contrast between these two images made Sherlock somewhat doubt his suspicions.
Or perhaps some unknown event occurred that transformed the original owner's mother from a charismatic witch into a madwoman?
For example, like at the end of the book, the magical experiment failed, leading to her soul not being repaired, and her condition gradually worsening until she became that way?
Sherlock had too little evidence to piece together the past.
The most pressing issue now was why the crescent mark led him to this experimental journal.
Deep down, Sherlock already had an answer he was unwilling to face.
His soul might have also suffered a tear, just like the original owner's mother in the experimental journal!
However, the book stated that a torn soul would prevent a wizard from casting spells at their normal level.
Since becoming familiar with magic, Sherlock had never felt his spells to be weaker than others, which did not align with the symptoms of a torn soul.
He looked at the page in Soul Stitching that described a spell to detect the integrity of one's soul, hesitated for a moment, and then decided to follow the book's instructions and test his own soul.
The result, as expected, was not in his favor.
His soul was not intact; it had severe fragmentation!
Sherlock stood up from his chair, furrowing his brow as he paced back and forth in his office.
He could not fathom how such a thing could happen, yet the soul tear seemed to have no adverse effects on him. His spells were as strong as any other wizard's, and he had never felt any physical discomfort.
So, why and when did his soul tear?
He could not find an answer, and even if he did, it would not change anything.
Looking at Soul Stitching, Sherlock shook his head and muttered softly.
"You couldn't find the right thread, so how could I possibly find it?"
(End of Chapter)
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