Chapter 539: The Elder Wand and the Crown
Chapter 539: The Elder Wand and the Crown
By the time Kyle exited Dumbledore's office, evening had fallen. Dumbledore had hastily departed after obtaining the Nirvana Ashes, eager to prepare the other ingredients needed for the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, according to Nicolas.
Nicolas was also ready to depart.
Accommodating his request, Kyle accompanied him to the highest point in the school—the Astronomy Tower.
Nicolas walked slowly, with Kyle by his side, taking their time as they made their way to the tower.
Occasionally, they encountered a curious Gryffindor student in the corridors who inquired about Kyle's activities and the reason for his slow pace, as if Nicolas, walking beside him, was completely invisible.
"Just a little trick," Nicolas explained. "I'd rather not have my name splashed across the papers tomorrow; it saves me a lot of trouble."
Kyle nodded in understanding.
The name Nicolas Flamel seemed to carry an air of magic. Even a brief appearance by him was enough to create a sensation throughout the wizarding world.
It was precisely because of this fame that he rarely left his manor, and even then, only on special occasions to visit his estate in France or a Muggle beach far from the wizarding world for a vacation.
As they continued walking, Kyle couldn't help but ask, "Nicolas, is the help you mentioned related to the Crown?"
"I knew you'd ask about that," Nicolas said. "The soul fragment within the Crown has completely vanished, just as I said before. It's now as good as new.
I must say, it's one of the most perfect alchemical artifacts I've ever seen. Even I find it hard to resist the allure of the Crown..."
"I thought you would bring the Crown this time," Kyle suddenly said. "After all, it has been six months since we last met, as we agreed."
"I intended to bring it," Nicolas said, his expression unchanged. "But I overestimated my memory. However, we can't expect an old man of over six hundred to remember everything, can we?
"And Tata, you should have reminded me before we left."
Tata, trailing behind, twitched his ears. "Sorry, Master. Tata will remember next time."
Then he lowered his head and continued walking silently.
What else could he do? He was just a poor little house-elf, left with no choice but to accept the blame and carry on.
Kyle twisted his lips. Now he understood a little better why Nicolas had chosen to come in person.
Here, he could forget about bringing the Crown, but if Kyle had gone to the manor, there would be no excuse.
Indeed, a wizard who had lived for over six hundred years was cunning and full of tricks.
"Enough jokes," Nicolas said with a smile. "I can give you the Crown at any time, but I don't recommend you interact with it too early... As for the reason, I don't know if you've heard the tale of the Deathly Hallows."
"The Deathly Hallows from 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'?" Kyle replied. "I've read it. It's about the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak."
"Exactly," Nicolas said slowly. "Overwhelming power often leads to a loss of sanity. Take the story of Antioch Peverell from 'The Tale of the Three Brothers,' for instance. After obtaining unbeatable power, he forgot to remain cautious and vigilant, which ultimately led to his demise.
"And the Crown is another form of the Elder Wand. The wisdom it bestows can be addictive, and once you remove it, you feel like you've lost everything.
Unless your heart is strong enough, you'll never be able to shake off that sense of loss... unless you wear it forever or, rather, become enslaved to it."
Kyle listened quietly, and after a long while, he asked, "Nicolas, can even you be influenced by the Crown?"
"Oh, certainly not," Nicolas said with a laugh. "I've experienced far too much—so much that I can't even remember it all. Those experiences have shaped me, and here I am, six hundred years later, able to face anything with equanimity."
As they spoke, they had arrived at the Astronomy Tower.
Tata, who had been trailing behind, quickly scurried forward and fiddled with something on the tower.
Then, with a strong downward push, he revealed what appeared to be a... zeppelin.
Yes, a zeppelin, as large as the giant squid in the Black Lake, with a carriage underneath that resembled an upside-down boat floating on the lake's surface.
It was hard to imagine that such a massive zeppelin could be perched atop the small tower, but when one considered that it belonged to Nicolas Flamel, it somehow made sense.
"What?" Nicolas was a little taken aback. "It's just one letter; you don't need to write a novel."
Kyle didn't explain further but silently took out a box.
Unconsciously, Nicolas stepped forward.
He recognized the box as the very same one he had given to Kyle, from which the Ravenclaw Diadem had been retrieved.
So what was in it this time? He couldn't help but be curious. Surely Kyle hadn't found another Horcrux?
"It's perfect timing, as I was just thinking when I'd next have to make a trip to Devon, but now it seems unnecessary."
Casually, Kyle opened the box, revealing a small two-handled golden cup and a gem-encrusted pendant box.
Upon seeing the contents of the box, Nicolas's lips twitched, "You don't mean to tell me that these are..."
"Ah, this is the Hufflepuff Cup and the Slytherin Locket," Kyle explained. "They've both been turned into Horcruxes... If you have any spare ancient magic potion left, could you help me cleanse the soul fragments from these two items as well?
After all, they were left behind by the Four Founders, and it would be a shame for them to remain as Horcruxes."
Nicolas couldn't help but rub his eyes.
In fact, the instant the box was opened, he had recognized the two items within as genuine articles.
But it was precisely because they were genuine that he found it so incredible.
Kyle had managed to collect three of the items left behind by the Four Founders of Hogwarts, but how had he accomplished such a feat...
And how had Voldemort managed to turn them into Horcruxes?
First the Diadem, now the Cup and the Locket—if Nicolas hadn't known for a fact that Gryffindor's Sword was safely in the Headmaster's office, hidden within the Sorting Hat, he would have suspected that it, too, had been turned into a Horcrux.
"I can agree to your request," Nicolas said, lifting a finger. He took the two items out of the box. "However, you may need to be patient and wait for some time. At least until the Philosopher's Stone is complete, I may not have the time to spare."
"That's fine, I'm in no rush," Kyle replied. "But Nicolas, do you know the purpose of these two items?"
Although the Cup and the Locket were not as famous as the Diadem, they still bore the names of the Four Founders and surely must have some use beyond mere decoration.
"Speaking of which, I do know a thing or two about them," Nicolas said after a moment's thought. "It was about one hundred and three hundred years ago, respectively, when I last saw them.
"The pendant box is an excellent container; anything placed inside is unaffected by any magical factors.
"And most importantly, it is incredibly durable. Unless you know Parseltongue, even the mightiest of wands would be unable to destroy this pendant box.
"As for the golden cup, it can produce an endless supply of delicious wine. I drank from it once, and to this day, I still remember the taste. For a wine-loving wizard, it would be the most precious treasure."
"Wait, you mean the cup can produce wine? But that would violate Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration..." Kyle furrowed his brows in confusion. "Could it be the Permanent Full-Feast Charm?"
"No," Nicolas said confidently. "I can assure you it's neither the Full-Feast Charm nor a Transference Charm. No one knows where the wine in the cup comes from, just as people are unable to explain how the Ravenclaw Diadem can enhance the wisdom of its wearer.
However, this aligns with Helga Hufflepuff's personality.
It is said that Helga Hufflepuff spent a lifetime brewing enough wine to fill all of Hogwarts, but perhaps because the students here are all underage wizards, or maybe due to Godric's penchant for sneaking drinks, this wine eventually ended up in her beloved golden cup."
...
(End of Chapter)
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