Chapter 965: Kyle's Handiwork
Chapter 965: Kyle's Handiwork
Just as Kyle had anticipated, Amelia Bones was indeed reluctant to entrust the Horcruxes to anyone else.
Moreover, they acted swiftly, and even before the holidays were over, the letter had already arrived at Hogwarts.
Back in the Headmaster's Office, Kyle read the letter and then handed it back to Professor McGonagall.
"What do you think?"
"It's quite polite," Kyle remarked.
The letter was addressed to Professor McGonagall, and its content resembled a casual conversation between old friends. Although it mentioned the Horcruxes, it only did so briefly at the end, casually inquiring if McGonagall needed the Ministry of Magic's assistance in safeguarding those items.
Of course, both Professor McGonagall and Kyle understood that this was the crux of the letter, and all the pleasantries and greetings were merely perfunctory.
"Well, knowing their intentions, I will decline their request on behalf of Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall stated.
There was no question of accepting.
Kyle was already aware that the locket, crown, and cup were in his possession, and these items were all intact. It was unthinkable for him to hand them over to the Ministry.
The Resurrection Stone Ring had gone missing after Dumbledore's death.
The Runesnake had also completely vanished after the war, presumably turning into ashes.
The only item they could have given away, the diary, had already been presented during the previous hearing. With nothing left to offer, they had no choice but to refuse.
Professor McGonagall retrieved a piece of parchment to draft a reply.
"Why should we refuse? As upright wizards, we should cooperate with the Ministry of Magic and hand over the Horcruxes to them."
Professor McGonagall's hand paused, almost poking a hole in the parchment.
"No!" she exclaimed.
"What?" Kyle was somewhat taken aback by Professor McGonagall's unexpected opposition.
"I mean, the cup, crown, and locket were all left behind by the Four Founders. Even if they were once Horcruxes, they should remain at Hogwarts, especially the Ravenclaw Diadem."
Professor McGonagall turned to Kyle and said earnestly, "If these items fall into the hands of someone with ill intentions, it would be terrifying, and the Ministry of Magic... to be honest, they have let us down numerous times."
Professor McGonagall's intention was simple—she didn't trust the Ministry.
This wasn't surprising, considering their past actions.
First, there was Cornelius Fudge's stubborn refusal to believe in Voldemort's return. To maintain his position, he even severed ties with Dumbledore to cover up the truth.
Then there was Dolores Umbridge, a cruel, vain, arrogant, and unprofessional individual, who somehow managed to become the Deputy Minister.
This was something Professor McGonagall couldn't fathom, let alone imagine what would happen if someone like her got her hands on the Ravenclaw Diadem.
Although things improved significantly after Amelia Bones took office, purging many incompetent individuals, there was still the shocking nationwide rebellion incident.
In short, the Ministry of Magic was not worthy of trust. If they handed over the Diadem, a theft might occur at the Ministry the very next day.
Or perhaps they wouldn't even have to wait until the next day.
Patiently, Professor McGonagall tried to persuade Kyle, "Moreover, we can't find the Resurrection Stone Ring, but they certainly won't believe that. It will only create greater conflict, so it's better to decline their request from the start."
"Who says we don't have it? We do," Kyle said, casually pulling out a diamond-shaped stone and placing it on the table.
Professor McGonagall's eyes widened in surprise.
"The Resurrection Stone?"
"You could say that," Kyle nodded, "I have as many as you want."
He tossed a second and third stone onto the table.
Professor McGonagall immediately understood.
"Are these fake?"
"Who said they're fake? They're real," Kyle collected the extra stones, "Now they're real."
But Professor McGonagall shook her head, finding Kyle's method too flawed. "The Resurrection Stone isn't an ordinary stone."
"Oh, I almost forgot," he said, pulling out a five-inch-long tooth and forcefully piercing the stone with it.
The diamond-shaped stone split into two from the middle, emitting wisps of white smoke.
"Now there's no problem."
Professor McGonagall stood there with her mouth agape, momentarily speechless.
Meanwhile, Phineas on the wall emitted a series of indecipherable lip-smacking sounds.
However, Kyle paid him no heed and continued rummaging through his belongings.
The cup,
The crown,
The locket,
The Sword of Gryffindor... Oh, this one's not real; I made it for fun.
He tossed the sword aside.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall also picked up the nearest crown and examined it closely.
Without a doubt, these were also fakes, but they looked so real that she couldn't spot any flaws after looking at them for a long time.
"Well?" Kyle asked.
Professor McGonagall nodded, "It's very similar, truly."
To put it simply, these items were almost identical to the real ones in every aspect except for their unique abilities, and even she couldn't find any issues with them.
"Of course, I made these based on the real ones, and every detail is perfect," Kyle replied.
Then came the most crucial step. Kyle picked up the locket in front of him.
Since they were in the Hogwarts Headmaster's Office, Kyle didn't want to be too ostentatious, so he didn't directly use Fiendfyre in front of Professor McGonagall and all the other headmasters.
Instead, he took out the Goblet of Fire that he had obtained from Sirius.
This was also a magical flame, and the traces it left were similar to Fiendfyre. With Kyle's special preparations, it looked even more convincing.
Under the scorching flame, the locket quickly underwent noticeable changes, and even cracks emitting black, eerie light appeared on its surface.
From within those cracks, faint screams, as if from a distant place, could be heard.
Professor McGonagall watched, her expression filled with puzzlement.
She had never seen what it looked like to destroy a genuine Horcrux, but she felt that it should be like this—the Horcrux being damaged and the soul fragment letting out a desperate howl.
But wasn't this a fake? Why could she hear the howls, and what were those cracks on the surface...
As if sensing Professor McGonagall's thoughts, Kyle placed a bottle on the table.
"I discovered this by accident while making these."
Professor McGonagall looked over.
Inside the bottle was a gray powder that was extremely cold; even through the bottle, a layer of frost quickly formed on the table.
"What is this?" Professor McGonagall asked in confusion.
She considered herself a well-traveled and knowledgeable wizard, but she had no idea what this was, and she didn't recognize any of its characteristics either.
"This is what's left after killing a Boggart," Kyle explained.
"Killing what?"
"A Boggart," Kyle explained. "When Azkaban had just rebelled, Cedric and I spent some time clearing out Boggarts. After they were killed, they left behind this substance and a cloak."
Professor McGonagall suddenly understood. No wonder she didn't know; probably not many people did.
"What's this for?"
"I don't know yet," Kyle said, "but I found that it's suitable for making Dark Magic items, so I changed my approach and made three Dark Magic items."
"Then the voice I heard just now was..."
"The Wailing Curse," Kyle said. "If someone opens this locket, they'll hear a scream similar to that of a Mandrake, which is also a type of magic targeting the soul."
Professor McGonagall looked at Kyle, then at the crown in her hand, and subconsciously threw it back onto the table.
"That's the crown that makes people lose their senses; just don't put it on your head."
Kyle put down the locket, which had already been deformed and twisted, and picked up the crown, placing it above the Goblet of Fire.
Soon, the magnificent crown was covered in a thick layer of rust, and the large sapphire in it became dull and lifeless.
This was customized by Kyle, and it looked exactly the same as when it was first discovered.
The most notable feature was its precision.
Professor McGonagall watched from the side as Kyle personally destroyed those three items.
"Give these to the Ministry of Magic," Kyle pushed all the items towards Professor McGonagall.
"But... what if they find out these are fakes?" Professor McGonagall still had some concerns.
"I'm quite confident in my alchemy skills."
Kyle smiled, "If this were the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France, I would definitely think of another way.
"Because alchemy is prevalent in France, and there's Professor Viktor, a master alchemist. He would definitely be able to tell that I made these fakes.
"But this is Britain, and most people can't even make a simple Waterproof Emblem."
"You're being too harsh!" Finneas couldn't help but interrupt their conversation.
"What, did I say something wrong?" Kyle turned to look at him.
"You're being harsh because you're right," Finneas muttered, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep again.
Professor McGonagall didn't hesitate for long before collecting the items in front of her.
At least this was one solution. No matter what, the items left behind by the Four Giants couldn't be entrusted to the Ministry of Magic for safekeeping.
"That leaves the Runesnake. What do you plan to do with it?" Professor McGonagall casually placed the item on a shelf behind her as she spoke, "I suggest we do nothing. What do you think?"
"After all, many people witnessed you killing the Runesnake, and even though they didn't see it with their own eyes, they learned the truth from Lord Voldemort. Both the Ministry and the Aurors should be aware of this."
"I was thinking the same," Kyle agreed.
Among the Horcruxes, the Runesnake was the least significant, and Kyle didn't even bother to take a second glance before leaving.
If the Ministry insisted, perhaps they could find some traces at Sirius Black's Screaming Beverage Shop.
"Well, I'll take care of the rest," Professor McGonagall decided, picking up a quill and quickly writing a reply before heading to the window.
An owl flew in, grabbed the envelope, and departed.
...
It must be said that the Ministry of Magic was genuinely dedicated to the matter of the Horcruxes.
Within half a day of sending the letter, Minister Amelia Bones arrived at Hogwarts accompanied by the new Head of the Auror Office, Kingsley.
As the Hogwarts students were having dinner, they entered from outside, making their way directly to the front row of the staff table.
"Amelia..." Professor McGonagall stood up in surprise.
She was genuinely taken aback.
Considering the timing, the Ministry must have received her owl's reply and immediately set out for Hogwarts.
Wasn't the Ministry supposed to be busy lately? Their efficiency seemed a bit too high.
However, Professor McGonagall didn't show it. She warmly introduced Amelia Bones and Kingsley to the students who were eating.
"Don't be like that, Minerva," Bones adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose, "I was just thinking of visiting the Three Broomsticks to relax, and then I received your reply."
"Really? What a coincidence," Professor McGonagall said with a smile, her voice sounding a bit stiff.
It was evident that she was still adjusting to this mode of communication.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, was more adept. Whenever he met with Fudge, he was genuinely friendly, giving the impression that they were longtime friends.
Bones had come to the Three Broomsticks to unwind, but what about Kingsley Shacklebolt? Was he just accompanying her for a drink? The reason seemed a bit far-fetched.
Moreover, from the moment they entered the Great Hall until now, Kingsley hadn't dared to look into Professor McGonagall's eyes, and his embarrassment was palpable even from a distance.
However, Kyle didn't find this unusual.
Although he had once been a member of the Order of the Phoenix, the Order had been disbanded by Dumbledore.
It was also normal for the Aurors to want to take custody of Voldemort's Horcruxes. If Kyle were the Head of the Auror Office, he would have come as well.
Unfortunately, he wasn't the Head, nor could he hand over the items to the Ministry for safekeeping.
"Minerva..."
"Amelia, how about joining us for dinner?" Professor McGonagall warmly invited the two to the staff table, interrupting Bones' intended words.
"Of course, no problem," Bones nodded, "Speaking of which, I do miss Hogwarts dinners. I remember the last time I had the school's roasted bread was thirty years ago."
"It was thirty-five years ago. I had just started at Hogwarts then, and the memory is still fresh," Professor McGonagall corrected.
"Yes, you're right," Bones agreed.
As they sat down, Professor McGonagall intentionally turned her head to give Kyle a meaningful glance.
Kyle also suddenly realized something and quickly finished the roasted bread on his plate before leisurely standing up and leaving the Great Hall with a group of students.
Once in the Entrance Hall, he quickened his pace and headed to the Headmaster's Office on the Eighth Floor.
Kyle's gaze immediately went to the shelf behind the desk.
As he had guessed, the item he had given to Professor McGonagall was still there.
Such an important Horcrux was left casually on display like trash... If Bones saw this, she would surely have her suspicions.
Professor McGonagall probably didn't expect her to arrive so soon, which was why she hadn't put it away in time.
Fortunately, she had come to her senses.
Kyle looked around the Headmaster's Office and paused at the tattered Sorting Hat.
He suddenly thought that if the Sorting Hat could hide the Sword of Gryffindor, it probably wouldn't mind holding a few more items.
After all, they were all left behind by the four founders.
Whether they were real or not... didn't matter.
As long as it demonstrated the importance given to the Horcruxes.
(End of Chapter)
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