Chapter 70: Box and Crown
"Tell me your understanding of the Invisible Expansion Charm," Professor Mor continued, still smiling.
"Yes, sir," Wade replied, his tone serious. "The Invisible Expansion Charm is a spatial spell—my theory is that it can simultaneously extend and fold space. It can be applied to any material—metal, soil, fabric, wood—provided the space is enclosed and finite. Theoretically, this spell could expand a limited space into an infinite one. However, in practice, it's heavily influenced by various factors—most directly, the material used, the wizard’s magical capacity, and their understanding of the spell."
Professor Mor gave a slight nod.
Much of what Wade had said could be found in textbooks, but synthesizing it all into a coherent explanation was no small feat. Moreover, Wade had woven in insights from Muggle theoretical physics and his own original thinking—enough material to make a stellar essay on its own.
It was clear he’d done his homework thoroughly. This meticulous, disciplined approach was precisely the kind of attitude Professor Mor admired most.
"—In short, the Invisible Expansion Charm is extremely difficult to master and highly prone to misuse. As such, it’s strictly regulated by the Ministry of Magic."
Wade paused, glanced at Professor Mor, then continued under the professor’s amused gaze:
"Every country’s Ministry has rules stating that the Invisible Expansion Charm cannot be used for personal purposes—only for the production of specific, Ministry-approved items. Furthermore, no wizard may possess an object enchanted with this spell without official Ministry authorization."
Professor Mor chuckled.
"Yes—now we’re discussing how to break the law. But Wade, if a true Alchemist doesn’t have an Invisible Expansion Charm trunk, then they’re not truly an Alchemist. That said, to avoid attracting the Ministry’s attention, we’ll also need to learn a few concealment techniques."
He raised his hand, and a book floated down from the shelf, landing gently in Wade’s hands.
"This book contains a clever little trick—one that allows your box to appear ordinary in daily use, yet transform into something else when needed. The difficulty is considerable, child. Both the Invisible Expansion Charm and this concealment spell are among the most advanced in magical craft. I look forward to seeing your results—and yes, feel free to ask me anything."
Wade flipped through the book, carefully tucked it away, then pulled out a sheet of parchment.
"In fact, I do have many questions to ask you."
The parchment was filled with over twenty detailed questions—each one complex, each requiring more than a few sentences to answer.
"Oh—such diligence," Professor Mor murmured, then adjusted his glasses and began answering one by one.
Wade immediately pulled out paper and quill, scribbling notes furiously.
By the time the session ended, it was far past the scheduled time.
"Professor," Wade said as he prepared to leave, "I actually have one more small matter."
"Hmm? What is it?"
Professor Mor was visibly tired, yet he remained patient.
"Well," Wade began, "I’ve been working on a box these past few days. I’d like you to take a look and see if there are any flaws."
From the deepest layer of his backpack, he pulled out a long, rectangular oak box. It looked utterly unremarkable—plain, unadorned, with no visible magical inscriptions.
Professor Mor murmured a spell and examined it closely.
"Hmm… It can mask the aura of magical artifacts? No—better yet, it isolates them. Anti-theft charm… Anti-Alohomora protection… Curse neutralization… Dark curse shielding…"
He looked up, surprised.
"Are you trying to store a powerful Dark Magic artifact?"
Wade chuckled sheepishly.
"Actually, I wanted to borrow some books from the Restricted Section. But I heard some of them carry strong dark magic—just being near them can influence you."
Professor Mor burst into laughter.
"Oh—Wade—Wade—my child, you’re being far too cautious!"
He laughed for a moment, then wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still grinning.
"Relax. When books from the Restricted Section are loaned to students, Madam Pince always performs protective enchantments to prevent any harmful influence."
Wade’s face turned slightly red. He looked down, a little deflated.
"So… my box was for nothing?"
"Not at all," Professor Mor reassured him. "Better safe than sorry. Your box is flawless. It isolates almost all Dark Magic artifacts completely, preventing any negative influence on the outside world. At the very least, you can now safely store dangerous books in it at night."
Wade still seemed uncertain.
"But… what about the few artifacts that can’t be fully contained?"
"That depends on size, child," Professor Mor said, still smiling. "If the magic still leaks out, it means the artifact is too large or too powerful for your box. But if your box can seal it completely—from top to bottom—then you have nothing to worry about. The dark magic won’t reach you."
…
Late at night, a shadow drifted through the eighth-floor corridors of the castle.
"I need a place to hide things… a place to hide things… a place to hide things…"
The familiar door reappeared. Without hesitation, Wade pulled it open and lit the surroundings with his wand.
Inside, the room resembled a city of clutter—stacked furniture cast eerie, shifting shadows. Wade moved along the central path, searching carefully. At last, he found it: a cabinet with peeling paint, half-buried in the debris.
There, resting on a pile of junk, lay the old, rust-covered crown—dull, battered, and nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding trash. Its dark gemstones looked like unpolished stones, dull and lifeless.
Above it, etched in faint, weathered letters, were the words: Tom Riddle.
Had it not been for those words, Wade might never have recognized it. He vaguely remembered the crown being stored in a grand, ornate box—far more elaborate than this. But memory, especially after more than a decade, could be unreliable. His eyes, however, had not deceived him.
Wade set down the box, then reached into the nearby pile and grabbed an old iron tongs. Stretching his arm as far as he could, he used the tongs to carefully lift the crown and drop it into the oak box. He sealed it tightly with a series of powerful enchantments—only then did he finally exhale, relaxing the tension in his body.
With the Horcrux safely locked away, Wade could no longer freely experiment with the Room of Requirement. He feared that if he were to use it too often, he might inadvertently fall under the crown’s influence. Worse still, he worried that others might notice his frequent visits—just as Ginny Weasley had—potentially leading to another disaster.
Now, with the Horcrux isolated and secured, the danger was neutralized. A quiet thrill of accomplishment surged through him.
After all, the Room of Requirement held so many mysteries yet to be uncovered—so many unknowns waiting to be explored.
As he stepped out, Wade instinctively pressed a hand to his backpack—
And then, a voice suddenly whispered:
"Best not bring anything from the Room of Requirement outside, child."
(End of Chapter)
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