Among everyone present, the one Little Lex trusted most was Harry.
Perhaps it was because Harry's eyes always remained… clear.
For various reasons, Little Lex ultimately chose to believe in Harry.
Seeing that the little ghost had agreed, Harry turned to look at Nolan.
Nolan merely smiled, drawing out his wand—its twin tongues entwined—and traced a circle in the air. A pure black halo materialized, hovering just within his reach.
Without hesitation, Nolan extended his hand into the darkness and pulled out a rolled-up parchment. With another flick of his wand, the swirling void sealed itself shut, vanishing from sight. He then tapped the parchment lightly, and at once, the terms of their agreement inscribed themselves onto the surface in dark ink.
Perhaps to demonstrate his sincerity, Nolan was the first to press his finger against the parchment, allowing a single drop of his blood to fall upon it. The crimson stain was quickly absorbed. With a casual wave of his hand, the parchment floated toward Little Lex.
"Since you're a ghost and have no blood, you can infuse a strand of your soul into it instead. A single hair will do—it won't harm you."
Nolan's tone was calm and confident.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Little Lex hesitantly plucked a strand of his own hair. As soon as it touched the parchment, the strand dissolved, sinking into the parchment like ink spreading on paper.
In the next instant, flames erupted from the contract, burning it to nothingness in the air. Not even a single scrap remained.
Only Nolan and Little Lex could feel the invisible binding force settle upon them, an undeniable mark of their newly forged contract.
Through it all, Nolan remained relaxed, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if such agreements were a mere triviality to him.
Harry, on the other hand, was still anxious.
Was this truly safe? These kinds of contracts could be terrifying…
Once everything was done, Nolan glanced at the dark sky before turning to Harry.
"You and Hermione should get some rest. I'll stand watch with this little ghost. At dawn, we'll depart for the Mirror Moon Spring."
His tone left no room for debate. Without further discussion, he moved toward the edge of the campsite, making it clear he had no intention of speaking further.
Harry hesitated, but upon exchanging a look with Hermione—both equally helpless—he had no choice but to turn in for the night.
Little Lex, on the other hand, was clearly fascinated by the vampire. More than once, he was caught sneaking glances at Nolan, though he quickly looked away when Nolan's sharp gaze landed on him.
But Nolan said nothing, merely waiting in silence for the first light of dawn.
—---
When the first golden rays of morning finally broke across the snow-capped peaks, the world bathed in a soft, ethereal glow.
Nolan exhaled slowly, rising to his feet. He strode toward Harry and Hermione, waking them with a quiet call.
"It's time to move."
His words, spoken with a certain weight, felt oddly foreboding in Harry's ears.
Suppressing a shiver, Harry swallowed back any retort and busied himself extinguishing the fire before shouldering his pack. Together, they followed Little Lex as he led them deeper into the mountains.
The path they took was treacherous and nearly invisible. Had they not had a guide, they would never have found their way through.
As they walked, Nolan's gaze flickered from one landmark to another, memorizing the terrain. It did not go unnoticed by Little Lex.
"These paths are known only to those who've lived on the mountain for years. When a snowstorm arrives, the trails I'm leading you on will be buried beneath layers of ice. If you try to find them on your own, you'll only lose your way."
There was a quiet melancholy in Little Lex's tone.
Curious, Nolan suddenly asked, "Since you know this mountain so well, why haven't you ever left to search for your parents?"
If Little Lex was truly this familiar with the landscape, surely he should have been able to find a way down the mountain. And he had said his parents had come searching for him—why had he never followed them back?
At this, Little Lex let out a bitter laugh.
"This mountain holds a strange power. It won't let me leave."
His voice was quiet, almost resigned.
"Whenever I try to go down, an invisible force repels me, hurling me back before I can reach the foot of the mountain."
He sighed, wistfully gazing at the distant horizon.
"If I could leave, I would have done so long ago."
But in the end, he merely shook off his emotions and pressed forward.
—---
They walked from dawn until nightfall.
And then, at last, they arrived.
Before them, at the very summit of the snowy peaks, lay a breathtaking sight—
A pristine, mirror-like lake, as clear and flawless as a teardrop, reflecting the heavens above.
The full moon shimmered within its depths, an illusion so perfect that one could almost believe they were gazing into the very sky itself.
Hermione was the first to move, as if entranced. She stepped forward hesitantly, reaching out toward the moon's reflection with trembling fingers.
As soon as her fingertip touched the water, gentle ripples spread outward, shattering the illusion.
The ripples brought her back to her senses. Turning to the others, she was unable to hide the overwhelming emotions in her voice.
"We… we really found it."
She nearly choked on the words, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Nolan, shaking off his own momentary awe, reached into his robes and withdrew nine crystal flasks. These had been given to him by Dumbledore before their departure, as if the Headmaster had already foreseen their success.
Without a word, Nolan knelt and began filling each flask with the precious water. Once all were full, he carefully stored them away in his magical pouch.
And then, they simply stood there.
For a long while, no one spoke.
The lake, the moon's reflection, the serene silence of the mountains—it was a scene too pure to break with words.
Eventually, however, Harry spoke, shattering the tranquility.
"What about Little Lex's parents? How do we find them?"
The contract had been sealed. Now, it was their turn to fulfill their end of the bargain.
Nolan smirked. He turned to Little Lex.
"It's simple."
He held out a hand.
"First, I need to know what your parents look like. And second… I need a strand of your soul."
As he spoke, he reached out with startling speed, his nails—sharp as blades—snagging a lock of Little Lex's ghostly hair.
With a soft snap, the strands severed easily.
Nolan opened his palm, watching as the spectral hairs drifted within his grasp. Though the wind howled around them, the strands remained where they were, untouched by the elements.