Chapter 78. Felix Felicis, the Diadem, and Liquid Fiendfyre
Seeing Adrian Wesson agree, Albus Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction.
"You've helped me solve a big problem," Dumbledore said with a sigh of relief, then went on, "I hope Professor Quirrell can return after Christmas."
"By the way," Adrian suddenly thought of a question, "who will be in charge of Defence Against the Dark Arts for fifth-years and above?"
"Snape," Dumbledore replied at once. "Originally, he intended to take all the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes in the school, but he didn't have enough periods free on the timetable."
In fact, Adrian felt that even handling just two year groups would leave Severus Snape's schedule extremely tight.
After all, he still had his own Potions classes.
Adrian picked up the timetable on the desk and glanced over it.
It looked like he was going to be quite busy next week, and he had only a few days to prepare his lessons.
Still, thinking of the reputation of Quirrell's Defence Against the Dark Arts classes among the students, Adrian felt up to it.
He couldn't possibly do worse than Quirrell, could he?
While Adrian was scanning the timetable, Dumbledore cleared his throat softly.
"There is one more thing."
He stood up from his chair as he spoke, walked to a bookcase, pushed aside a few books, and took out a wooden box three or four inches long.
Adrian eyed the box, puzzled. "This is…?"
Dumbledore returned to his seat and opened the box.
Inside was a dull grey, opaque little vial. Adrian couldn't, of course, see what was inside, but he guessed it must be some sort of potion.
"This contains luck," Dumbledore slid the box towards Adrian, then said, "or rather, a potion that brings luck—Felix Felicis. You must have heard of it."
Hearing the words "Felix Felicis," Adrian froze for a moment.
He had certainly heard of such a potion.
It was an extremely complex brew that could bring good fortune to the drinker for a limited time.
What was more, its brewing process was notoriously exacting, and the slightest misstep would ruin it; as a result, it was very rare on the market.
Adrian had not expected Dumbledore to suddenly produce such a precious potion.
"Felix Felicis?" Adrian asked in some surprise. "Professor, you're…?"
Dumbledore smiled faintly, with a hint of deeper meaning. "This is for you, Professor Wesson. However, it's not because you're taking over Defence Against the Dark Arts, but rather a small personal favour from me to you."
A small favour?
Felix Felicis was certainly a fine thing, but Adrian did not feel he particularly needed it just now.
He gave Dumbledore a puzzled look and asked, "Do you need me to do anything? I don't think I'll have much use for it for the time being."
Dumbledore merely shook his head. "For the moment, nothing, Adrian. You will have an opportunity to use this potion. Not now, of course. Sometimes, success requires not only preparation, but also a little luck."
Dumbledore did enjoy his riddle-like turns of phrase.
Although Adrian felt a bit at a loss, he accepted the Felix Felicis.
After all, it could only benefit him—no harm in it—and it might come in handy at some unexpected moment.
When Adrian left the Headmaster's office, half an hour had already passed.
Without hesitation, he headed straight back to his own office.
Because he had been caught by Dumbledore last night while in the Room of Requirement, and summoned to the Headmaster's office first thing this morning, Adrian had had neither the time nor the chance to deal with the Ravenclaw diadem he had obtained.
Now, he could finally concentrate on studying this treasure.
Adrian set the briefcase containing the diadem on his desk, put on his dragonhide gloves, and carefully lifted the diadem out to lay it before him.
Looking at the diadem lying quietly before him, Adrian couldn't help feeling a twinge of awe.
A treasure from before the first millennium; the sole surviving relic of Rowena Ravenclaw.
How thrilling!
Etched along the base of the diadem was the line Ravenclaw left behind—"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
After locking his office door, Adrian took out the potion he had prepared long ago—the Purifying Potion.
He intended to try using this potion—one he had happened upon the means to make—to deal with the soul lodged within Ravenclaw's Diadem.
Since Horcruxes fell within the domain of Dark magic, the Purifying Potion ought to have an effect.
To be safe, Adrian walked to the corner and tapped the portal disguised as a briefcase.
Moments later, the lid opened, and several tendrils of Devil's Snare poked out from within.
What drew the eye was that one of the tendrils was coiling around a transparent little vial filled with a blue liquid.
As the Devil's Snare passed the vial to Adrian, the tendril trembled uncontrollably, as though it were terrified of the liquid inside.
Which was only natural.
Because…
[Name: Liquid Fiendfyre]
[Warning: Do not pour it all out at once]
Liquid Fiendfyre!
Adrian had learned this from a Dark wizard he'd met on his travels: transforming conjured Fiendfyre into liquid form and storing it in a small vial.
Of course, the effect was the same.
Just a few drops of the blue liquid would turn into that all-devouring cursed fire.
Fiendfyre was a magical blaze that could grow ever stronger. From the slightest spark it could burn everything combustible nearby, and it could even mimic the forms of beasts—flames not easily quenched.
The Dark wizard who taught Adrian this method had, by accidentally breaking a vial of Liquid Fiendfyre, managed to burn himself to death.
Naturally, that had nothing to do with Adrian.
Mm, nothing to do with him at all.
It was absolutely due to the wizard's own carelessness, not Adrian's… thoughtful arrangements.
A sad story, really.
Adrian's gaze returned to Ravenclaw's Diadem.
For a Horcrux, Fiendfyre was fatal.
Although Adrian knew the Fiendfyre Curse, Fiendfyre was extremely difficult to control. By comparison, Liquid Fiendfyre was somewhat easier to handle.
Because you could control how much you poured out.
Although it would still spread in the end, at least it would do so much more slowly.
When Adrian took the vial of Liquid Fiendfyre from the Devil's Snare, the plant retreated into the case at once and slammed it shut with a "click," moving with astonishing speed.
Adrian shrugged at the sight and held the vial up to his eyes for a closer look.
Fortunately, although it had been stored for several years, the Fiendfyre was still full of vigour; when he swirled the vial, he could see monstrous shapes flicker across the surface of the liquid.
No one knew whether Lord Voldemort had done anything else to his Horcruxes; if Adrian's next steps caused some unforeseen reaction in the diadem, he could use Fiendfyre at once to destroy Ravenclaw's Diadem outright.
Because, compared to the diadem, his own safety mattered more.
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