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Chapter 538: Dumbledore's Request
Chapter 538: Dumbledore's Request
Kyle indeed had a small vial of ashes left behind by Fawkes after his rebirth as a phoenix, a gift from the bird back in his third year.
However, such a substance was among the most high-end of materials, and he certainly wouldn't use it until he had accumulated sufficient experience. Thus, the vial of ashes had been kept in the innermost part of his trunk.
"May I ask why?" Kyle was curious but added, "Of course, if it needs to be kept confidential, then never mind."
"Oh, you should know," Nicholas replied, glancing at Dumbledore and continuing only after receiving an affirmative response from the Headmaster. "Do you remember the Time-Turner from the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Of course," Kyle nodded. It was because of that Time-Turner that he had met the four founders of Hogwarts, so he naturally wouldn't forget.
"Well, I've fixed it," Nicholas said calmly, his words like a thunderclap.
"The Time-Turner... is fixed?" Kyle unconsciously looked at Dumbledore.
He had never seen the Headmaster like this before. In those usually wise, deep blue eyes, there was now only unmistakable anticipation and unease.
"It wasn't supposed to be this fast, but I received some crucial help... and that is also thanks to you, Kyle."
Nicholas blinked and continued, "However, there's still one last and most crucial component missing – the core that will provide the Time-Turner with magical power.
To travel back a hundred years requires an unimaginable amount of magic that no existing runic array can provide."
"Not even with superimposed runes?" Kyle asked instinctively.
"No," Nicholas shook his head. "While superimposing augmentation runes can meet the initial activation requirements, the subsequent magic supply wouldn't be able to keep up.
In that case, the Time-Turner will most likely... no, it will definitely shatter again. This means the user will be trapped within it forever, perhaps in the fiftieth or seventieth year, unable to reach the predetermined time or return."
Kyle nodded. He understood that Nicholas was referring to Dumbledore as the user, and the hundred-year rewind was meant for him.
If it were just a matter of being trapped in the past, Dumbledore might not have minded, but the inability to reach the intended time...
Wait a moment.
Kyle suddenly thought, what if Dumbledore were sent back sixty years? What would he do then... and would Grindelwald recognize him at that time?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Kyle's lips twitched slightly, but he quickly suppressed his reaction.
Unaware of Kyle's musings, Nicholas continued, "So, I thought of another way – the Philosopher's Stone! Only the Stone can provide the Time-Turner with a continuous and immense supply of magic."
"But wasn't the Stone destroyed?" Kyle asked, coming back to his senses.
"That's correct," Nicholas smiled. "But have you ever thought about why I can't make a Philosopher's Stone now when I was able to do so six hundred years ago?
To be honest, the process of making the Stone isn't difficult for me. It's just that the materials are hard to come by, and the ashes left behind by a phoenix after its rebirth are the most crucial part."
Kyle understood. In simple terms, once he lent out these ashes, they wouldn't be returned.
Of course, if he could eventually get a Philosopher's Stone in exchange, he wouldn't hesitate. But the question was, would he really get the Stone? Looking at his past experience, the last time he used the Time-Turner in the Chamber of Secrets, it had been reduced to nothing but dust and fragments after he returned to the correct time.
Although it was a thousand years then and only a hundred this time, what if... after all, no one knew if this device would work any better the second time around.
Kyle voiced his thoughts: "Didn't you have some before?"
Nicholas sighed. "I did, but back then, I never thought I'd be making a second Philosopher's Stone, so I used it all up on something else... like the fire dragon statue in front of my house. It's one of my proudest creations from the last century."
"And to make the Philosopher's Stone, you need the ashes from a phoenix's natural rebirth," Dumbledore added. "Any ashes obtained through deceit won't work."
"Alright," Kyle nodded.
So, it turned out that Nicholas and Dumbledore had come to him today specifically for the ashes he possessed.
If he had known, he would have stayed in Hogsmeade a bit longer or even spent the night there...
Despite his misgivings, Kyle opened his trunk and took out a tightly sealed vial.
The vial was only the size of his thumb, its mouth plugged with a cork and sealed with wax.
Inside was half a vial of ashen-black powder, and when he shook it, he could see flecks of golden-red light, like stars twinkling in the night sky, so beautiful that he couldn't look away.
"This is all I have. Do you need it all?" Kyle asked.
He really wished Nicholas could leave him some, even just a pinch.
But unfortunately, even this wasn't quite enough.
"It's a bit less than I'd hoped for, but it should suffice," Nicholas said, shattering Kyle's last shred of hope.
Seeing Kyle's reluctant expression, Dumbledore said awkwardly, "I know this may be a difficult decision for you.
"Actually, I considered approaching Professor Snape first, but the ashes he took have already been used up. Aside from Fawkes' next rebirth, the only remaining ashes are the ones you have."
Snape had used up the ashes so quickly.
Kyle truly hadn't expected that.
Normally, shouldn't such a precious substance be carefully stored and preserved? It could have been passed down to Connor as a family heirloom in a few decades, and then...
Cough, cough, in any case, Snape's actions were a blatant waste of a precious resource!
"Shameful waste," Kyle thought to himself.
But there was no use dwelling on it now.
Seeing Dumbledore's hopeful, almost pleading expression, and remembering the pair of blue and white woolen socks he had placed on the professor's office bookshelf, Kyle finally sighed and handed over the vial.
"Then I'll leave this to you, Professor."
Dumbledore quickly stepped forward and carefully took the vial, his movements as gentle as if he were holding a cup of water.
"I discussed this with Nicholas," he said as he placed the vial in a wooden box lined with soft cushioning. "We agreed that if the Philosopher's Stone remains intact after use, it will belong to you.
If it is damaged... I can grant you one condition, any condition. I would even transfer ownership of my Gringotts private vault to you if that's what you wish."
Kyle waved his hand. "That won't be necessary, Professor Dumbledore."
He couldn't understand what was going on lately. Just the other day, Sirius had insisted on giving him a shop worth nearly a thousand galleons, and now Dumbledore was offering him an entire vault.
It was all a bit too extravagant.
Of course, if given the choice, he would much rather have the Philosopher's Stone.
(End of Chapter)
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