Chapter 620: The Resurrection Stone
Chapter 620: The Resurrection Stone
"Yes, that's exactly what Harry said back then. An amazing person, isn't he? I have to admit, I admire him, even though I strongly oppose any form of personal worship."
Valen listened intently, so engrossed that he didn’t even notice the small cookie slipping from his hand.
"Chirp!"
"Later... Dumbledore took Harry away."
Felix spread his hands, signaling the end of the story, which only made Valen grumble. Why didn’t the Dark Lord follow them? He wanted to know what happened next! Felix himself felt a bit wistful. It was hard for Harry to bottle up so many emotions, but it was precisely such a person who, having survived, made the future even more exciting to look forward to.
Felix sat back in his chair behind the desk, his gaze growing calm.
He had two important tasks at hand. One was fulfilling his role as an advisor to the Minister of Magic. In a sense, he had been promoted within the Ministry of Magic. The difference between being a nominal advisor and a personal advisor to the Minister was significant. He had to answer the various questions posed by Amelia Bones.
This situation dated back a few weeks.
When the Ancient Runes yearbook event concluded, and Felix showed no signs of visiting, Bones finally couldn’t resist and came to the school.
The process was similar to today’s. Bones witnessed Voldemort’s state firsthand. Even without knowing the secret of the Horcruxes, she still chose to trust Dumbledore’s decisions.
From that day on, Bones sent an owl to Felix almost every day, bombarding him with questions.
To be honest, he was quite willing to respond.
Although Felix appeared to be relieved to be rid of the trouble when dealing with Bones, this was just a negotiation tactic, a way to assert control and maintain the upper hand. He preferred to keep things under his control.
The other task was his continued research into the soul realm.
Felix slightly shook his left hand, and a teacup-shaped container appeared in his grasp.
Valen couldn’t resist leaning in for a closer look.
Inside the container was a piece of rag, about two to three inches long. Upon closer inspection, it looked somewhat like a person wearing a black hooded cloak. The exposed skin was a sickly grayish-blue, glowing with a sinister light, covered in mucus and spots, resembling a decaying corpse.
It was a Dementor.
"Chirp! (Take it away!)" Valen shuddered. He knew what it was, not just from comic books. Once, out of curiosity, he had asked the Dark Lord to show it to him, only to have all his happiness sucked away, leaving him more miserable than a penniless Niffler.
The Dementor floated in the container like a black, toxic jellyfish.
"Chirp? (Is it dead?)" Valen asked timidly.
"No. They can't be considered living beings; they are more like ‘non-entities.’" Felix said softly.
He couldn’t transform into a Dementor. All his knowledge about Dementors came from experiments. Dementors are not magical creatures, not even living beings. Their state transcends the concepts of life and death—they have never truly lived, and thus cannot truly die.
Valen ran over, fetched his small stool, and sat down, ready to listen to a story.
Felix: "…Alright." He was feeling a bit agitated today.
"The origin of Dementors dates back to the 15th century. In the North Sea, there was an uncharted island that later came to be known as Azkaban. A dark wizard named Aextis lived on this island… He secretly captured passing sailors and subjected them to various cruel and evil dark magic experiments, and thus, Dementors were born."
"From that day on, they could never be destroyed."
Felix ended the story in a low, somber voice.
"Chirp?"
"Ah, you mean this? I can indeed destroy them, but they will quickly reappear in dark, filthy, and despair-ridden places… Dementors are born from human emotions, and the only way to reduce their numbers is to diminish the conditions that sustain them."
Valen shook his head in confusion; the concept was a bit beyond him.
He gestured and pulled out his wand, writing a question in the air: So, when the thing in the cup disappears, will a Dementor egg appear somewhere in the world?
Felix couldn’t help but chuckle, clearing his throat.
"Dementors don’t turn into eggs."
Valen thought for a moment and wrote: Plant seeds?
"Hmm, not quite… Stop writing, I can give an example." Felix stopped Valen’s creative musings and pondered for a moment. "The state of a Dementor is more like Peeves."
Valen’s eyes widened; it was hard for him to connect the two.
"Think about it", Felix explained patiently. "Peeves is a manifestation of chaotic spirits, and Dementors are born from corruption, filth, and despair. Peeves can’t be seen by ordinary people, and neither can Dementors. Peeves can move objects and cause mischief, and Dementors can also interfere with reality. Peeves appears due to the young wizards at Hogwarts and can’t be destroyed, and Dementors, due to human emotions, will never cease to exist…"
"But Peeves only stays in Hogwarts Castle." Valen thought hard and wrote.
"For Dementors, the entire world is their castle." Felix said softly. "In a corner of Azkaban—where Aextis conducted his evil experiments—Dementors still occasionally appear."
According to the Ministry of Magic records, the number of Dementors surged during the two World Wars. They even attempted to break out of Azkaban, as even darker and more desperate places emerged... It wasn't until the wars ended that their numbers began to decline.
Felix extended a finger and flipped the Dementor in the teacup container. "Who would have thought that, if left unchecked, they could potentially destroy the entire world?"
Under the leadership of Madame Bones, the Ministry of Magic no longer allows Dementors to guard Azkaban. Meanwhile, a new room has been added to the Department of Mysteries, where Dementor capture cages are stored with the strictest magical seals.
Currently, the only Dementors left at large are the ones Felix has in his possession.
He has been trying to figure out how Dementors drain souls, but with the cautionary tales in mind, Felix has to be even more careful. He fears that a single mistake could lead to something catastrophic.
Felix put the Dementor away and began writing a reply to Madame Bones.
Valen returned to his small table to write in his diary. He now had a new target: Leonhard Bartsch. Bartsch had blown up his own Slytherins, and while Valen's treasure had been returned, he hadn't forgotten the grudge!
On the other side, Harry returned to the common room, somewhat excited.
"Don't expect me to open the door for you if you come back any later!" the Fat Lady shouted at him.
"Got it", Harry replied, humming happily to himself.
He had learned from Dumbledore that the professors had been working hard to keep him alive, and he had shouted at them and thrown a tantrum. That was completely inappropriate. Moreover, he had discovered a secret: the Resurrection Stone! Headmaster Dumbledore actually possessed the legendary Resurrection Stone.
This secret even Professor Hup didn't know.
Dumbledore strictly prohibited Harry from telling anyone. Considering the trouble the old wand had caused, Harry solemnly agreed. However, that didn't stop him from feeling secretly delighted.
Of course, Harry also felt sad for Dumbledore's sister. Yes, Dumbledore had a sister, which was truly unbelievable. When Harry learned this, he almost fell off his chair in shock. He had never even considered it. However, she had died young and never had the chance to attend Hogwarts.
That was why Dumbledore had broken tradition and joined this year's Sorting Ceremony.
It was to fulfill his sister's wish.
"The Resurrection Stone can summon the mental projections of the deceased in the minds of the living", Dumbledore explained. Harry didn't know how to express his concerns, as the second brother in the fairy tale had become desperate with the Resurrection Stone and ultimately committed suicide. But Harry believed that Dumbledore had enough wisdom to handle this challenge.
Overall, Harry was in a good mood. The heavy burden on his heart had suddenly lifted, and he couldn't wait for the new school year to begin. How wonderful it would be without Voldemort! He wanted to rush to the girls' dormitory and ask Ginny to take a moonlit walk with him.
The common room was empty, and Harry felt like singing out loud. Then he heard voices from a corner.
It was where he usually hung out with Ron and Hermione.
"Harry still hasn't come back... We can't wait any longer!"
Next, Harry heard the sound of an envelope being torn open. His heart clenched. He ran over and saw Ron pulling out a thick stack of parchment from the torn envelope—
"Don't touch it!"
Harry cried out in terror, snatching it away. "Rip—" He left Ron with only a small note.
"Hey!" Ron shouted angrily. But when he saw it was Harry, he was overjoyed. "Merlin's rotten underpants! Harry, you're finally back!"
Harry had to struggle to push Ron away, shoving the parchment into his pocket with his other hand. Once he was done, he let out a sigh of relief, only then realizing he was drenched in cold sweat.
"Harry, what's going on?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow. "Ron was talking in riddles earlier..."
"Nothing", Harry said, his face turning red. He didn't want Ron and Hermione to know what he had written in the letter. It was too embarrassing. If they found out, he would drown himself somewhere.
"But Ron told me—" Hermione looked at him suspiciously.
"Hey, Harry!" Ron's eyes lit up as he stared at the small note in his hand, trying to read the words. "You're planning to give me the Invisibility Cloak? This is, this is—"
Harry froze.
Just as he was trying to think of an excuse, Hermione snatched the half-note from Ron's hand and read it twice. Her eyes first showed suspicion, then shock, and finally terror. Harry knew he was in trouble.
"Hand over the letter, Harry", Hermione said, her voice firm.
(End of Chapter)
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