Chapter 640: Taoist Techniques
Chapter 640: Taoist Techniques
Liam and Hermione soon emerged from their reverie, exchanged a smile, and then made their way to the Headmaster's Office. The two Gargoyles at the entrance to the Headmaster's Office recognized them, and perhaps Professor Dumbledore had given them some instructions. When they saw Liam and Hermione, the Gargoyle on the left spoke up. "Ah, it's you two. Headmaster Dumbledore isn't in his office right now."
"Not in the office? Where is he? We have something very important to discuss with him", Hermione said to the Gargoyle.
The two Stone Gargoyles shook their heads in unison. The one on the left then said, "We really don't know. We're just Stone Gargoyles, after all. The Headmaster wouldn't tell us such things."
"Alright, then we'll look for him elsewhere", Liam said with a shrug, preparing to leave. As he turned, he just happened to see Dumbledore ascending the stairs.
"Liam, Hermione, it's almost curfew. You shouldn't be here. And you have exams tomorrow", Dumbledore said upon seeing them.
"Headmaster, we're here because we have something very important to discuss with you. It concerns Harry—" Liam pointed to his forehead, indicating that the matter was related to the piece of Voldemort's soul inside Harry.
"Oh, then come in. I think we need to discuss this properly", Dumbledore said, immediately understanding the urgency. He opened the door to the Headmaster's Office and led Liam and Hermione inside.
Once inside, Dumbledore withdrew his Elder Wand and waved it over a few statues in the room. Liam could feel a special magical barrier instantly envelop the entire office. He understood Dumbledore's caution, as they were about to discuss a matter of utmost importance that must not be known by Voldemort.
"Alright, you can sit down", Dumbledore said, settling into his high-backed chair behind the desk. He then waved his wand, conjuring two chairs for Liam and Hermione. "Now, you can tell me in detail what you need to discuss today."
"Headmaster Dumbledore", Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking. "We've found a way to extract the piece of the Dark Lord's soul from Harry without harming him."
"Really?" Dumbledore, who was known for his composure, sat up straight and asked, "How did you manage that?"
Dumbledore then realized he had lost his composure and leaned back, saying, "I ask this not because I don't trust you, but because ever since I learned that Harry had a piece of Voldemort's soul, I've traveled the entire Mediterranean region and consulted countless wizards. Whether it was the Coptic wizards skilled in soul magic or the Greek wizards with ancient traditions, they all suggested only one very dangerous method to solve this problem."
"Is it the one where the Horcrux's host must kill the vessel of the Horcrux?" Liam asked. "Without some special magic, that's the only way I could think of."
"Yes, that's the method", Dumbledore nodded. "Of course, I know that this method requires an incredible series of coincidences to work. But it's better than doing nothing and waiting to die."
"I understand", Liam nodded. "But now, I think we don't need to take such a risky approach. I found a special magic in China that can extract the soul fragment while ensuring Harry's safety."
With that, he took out a palm-sized black straw effigy and placed it on the floor. The effigy quickly grew to its original size upon touching the ground.
"Is this the magic?" Dumbledore stood up and walked around the desk to examine the straw effigy. "I've heard of such ancient magic from China, but I've never seen it before. By the way, when can we start this magic?"
"Actually, we can start right now. I think this Magic requires your office, as I can't think of a safer place. However, the casting might damage the floor—" Liam scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Nothing is more important than saving an innocent Life." Dumbledore said, waving his wand to make the carpets on the floor vanish. "What else can I do to help you?"
"Everything is ready except for the Dark Lord's birth date." Liam took out a yellow paper, cinnabar, and a writing brush and placed them on the Headmaster's desk. "I need you to tell me the Dark Lord's birth time."
"You're asking the right person. Not many remember Voldemort's birthday anymore." Dumbledore then told Liam the exact birth date of Voldemort, which he had discovered during his investigation into Voldemort's life.
With the exact birth time of Voldemort known, Liam used the writing brush dipped in cinnabar to neatly write Voldemort's eight characters of birth on the yellow paper. However, when writing the name, Liam wrote "Lord Voldemort" instead of "Tom Marvolo Riddle." This Magic required the soul to recognize the name, and Voldemort did not acknowledge the name his Muggle father's surname.
After writing Voldemort's name and eight characters of birth on the yellow paper, Liam folded it according to the ritual's specifications and placed it inside the chest of the straw effigy, where the heart would be.
With everything prepared, Liam used the Phoenix Mark to send a magical array diagram to Hermione. "Using this straw effigy as the center, etch this magical array diagram on the floor with Death Power."
"Understood." Hermione stepped forward and drew mysterious runes in the air with her wand. As she waved it, a large amount of red-black smoke poured out from the tip of her wand, covering the entire floor and making it look like hell.
"This power is somewhat dangerous", Dumbledore adjusted his glasses. "If it gets out of control—"
"Please don't worry, Professor Dumbledore", Hermione said. "The power I control comes from the gate of death that appeared at the Ministry of Magic, not the misguided forces sought by some."
"That's good." Dumbledore had been momentarily alarmed by the appearance of the power of death, but after calming down and realizing Hermione's Death Power was not as invasive as Voldemort's, he let the matter drop.
Five minutes later, as Hermione finished chanting the spell, the red-black smoke gradually faded and disappeared into the air of the Headmaster's Office, leaving only a magical array centered around the black straw effigy, which occasionally flashed with red light.
Seeing everything was ready, Liam took out two lamps from his spatial bag. One floated above the straw effigy's head, and the other was placed at its feet. He then began to walk in a specific pattern, channeling the Power of Rose Madonna to draw seals in the air around the straw effigy.
As he chanted the spell, pink seals of various sizes filled the Headmaster's Office. Even Dumbledore and Hermione had to step back to avoid touching them.
When the final word of the spell was spoken, the seals flew into the black straw effigy like moths to a flame. Instantly, all the strange phenomena in the room disappeared, leaving only the black straw effigy standing there with a lamp silently burning above its head and another at its feet.
"Is that it?" Hermione asked, looking at the straw effigy.
"What I needed to do is finished. Now it's Harry's turn", Liam said, looking at Dumbledore. "The rest of the magical ritual will be up to him."
(End of Chapter)
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