Chapter 193: Rebirth
Wade noticed that in his last will, Regulus mentioned Voldemort's biggest secret—the Horcruxes.
He hadn't discussed this with Dumbledore before.
Even someone like Slughorn would panic if a student brought up Horcruxes.
Perhaps Dumbledore would gain some insight from their previous experience at Gaunt House… whether he suspected Horcruxes or not, this time it would surely be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore seemed to have thought of the same thing.
"Horcruxes…"
He sighed deeply and said to Wade:
"I've often wondered what kept Voldemort alive… there's more than one type of magic that could do it. But in the end, he chose the most evil and dangerous—Horcruxes."
Wade said, "It sounds like it has something to do with souls."
"Voldemort split his soul."
Dumbledore didn't mince words. He said:
"He separated a part of his soul and encased it in an object, which is called a Horcrux."
"That way, even if he suffers a fatal injury, he won't die, because a part of his soul remains unharmed, still in this world, waiting for a chance to revive."
"But living in that state is more painful than death."
"If he can't revive, he won't be accepted by the world of the dead, nor can he wander the world of the living. The remaining soul will grow weaker and weaker, eventually forgetting who it is, and dissipating in endless torment."
After speaking, he looked at his student, seeing him nod slightly, showing no sign of longing for Horcruxes.
Nor did he seem surprised.
He stated plainly, "When we burned down Gaunt House with Fiendfyre, an evil dark shadow emerged from the flames."
"Yes."
Dumbledore nodded, confirming Wade's unspoken meaning:
"If I'm not mistaken, that must have been one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. Very clever… he hid a piece of his soul in a forgotten ruin."
Wade added, "Actually, that wasn't our first experience like that."
"…It wasn't?"
Dumbledore paused for a moment before replying.
"I found an old Diadem in the Room of Requirement at school."
"A Diadem?"
"Yes. It looked very similar to Ravenclaw's Diadem, but it was imbued with evil Dark Magic. Remus, Michael, and I burned it in a cave."
Since Dumbledore had already confirmed his prophetic-like status, Wade no longer racked his brain for excuses for his discoveries. He bypassed the reasons and directly explained what had happened.
Hearing about the figure that was also destroyed in the flames, Dumbledore was silent for a long time this time.
In the stone basin, the green Potions slowly began to refill. If the locket were still in there, only a tiny bit of gold would be visible now.
"Let's go back, Remus must be getting impatient," Dumbledore said.
The two stepped into the small boat, which automatically returned to shore. The bright light on the bank grew larger in their eyes.
"Wade, don't mention the Horcruxes to anyone."
"Yes, Professor."
"Do you still have the Diadem?"
"I'll bring it to you once we're back at school," Wade said. "But it's already been burned by Fiendfyre, so there might not be anything useful left."
"Magic always leaves traces once it's been used," Dumbledore said. "I assume you found something special at the Gaunt family home as well? Besides Mihail."
"A ring, Professor," Wade said honestly. "But I believe it's better if I keep it."
Hearing this, Dumbledore paused, his eyes widening slightly.
He seemed about to say something, but looking at those bright gray eyes, he swallowed his words.
"Alright… if you say so… you must have your reasons…"
Dumbledore mumbled, his fingers trembling slightly before he gripped them himself.
The small boat bumped against the shore with a thud.
Lupin reached out and pulled Wade up, examining him with his gaze. Seeing that both of them were as usual, he finally relaxed.
"You were gone a long time… Did you find anything?"
"Yes, a few… special discoveries," Dumbledore said, glancing at Sirius not far away. "They concern Regulus."
He took the golden locket out of his pocket.
"Professor, Remus," Wade suddenly said, "I'd like to go back to school first, if I may?"
Lupin asked in surprise, "Is something urgent?"
"No, not really…" Wade mumbled, looking at Dumbledore. "Maybe Fawkes could bring Harry over?"
When Sirius learned the truth, would he be heartbroken for Regulus?
Wade guessed he would.
That Gryffindor was a person of intense and pure emotions; when he hated someone, he wished them dead, and when he loved someone, he would go through fire and water for them.
But Wade didn't want to witness that scene.
He didn't want to see a man at his most vulnerable, most pathetic.
As for comforting him, Lupin or Harry would be more suitable than him.
But Dumbledore shook his head.
"No, if Harry were here, he would force himself to appear stronger. But today, we should give him an… environment where he's allowed to be weak."
"I understand," Wade said.
Without Dumbledore making any visible move, Fawkes the phoenix suddenly appeared.
It landed on Wade's shoulder, and with a flap of its wings, a few more feathers drifted down.
Wade caught them casually, then bid Lupin farewell. "Professor Dumbledore will explain everything to you, Remus. If you need help… I'm always available."
"Alright, thank you."
Lupin thanked him blankly, then watched as Wade and Fawkes vanished in a golden-red glow.
...
A flash of light passed by, and in an instant, Wade found himself back at the school.
To be precise, he was in Dumbledore's headmaster's office.
Fawkes landed somewhat sluggishly on its gilded perch, as if utterly exhausted. It made a choking sound, and its eyes looked listless.
Wade asked softly, "You're going to rebirth, aren't you?"
Fawkes didn't speak.
It craned its neck, and suddenly its entire body burst into flames, letting out a sharp cry before turning into ashes that fluttered to the ground.
This sound seemed to awaken the sleeping old headmasters, and the surrounding portraits stirred.
A gaunt male headmaster bellowed, "Hey, student, how did you get in here? This is the headmaster's office, and no one else is allowed in without permission! You'd better leave at once!"
The other old headmasters around him nodded in agreement.
"So I'm here because Dumbledore allowed me to be, of course. Is there any other reason?"
Wade retorted.
Hearing this, the other headmaster portraits also mocked the male headmaster, saying he had no brains.
Evidently, this one was certainly very unpopular.
Wade glanced at the name on his portrait—[Phineas Black].
Hogwarts' most unpopular headmaster in history, Sirius and Regulus's great-great-grandfather.
He sat cross-legged beside the ashes, waiting for Fawkes's revival.
Phineas narrowed his long eyes and asked curiously, "Dumbledore said you're the most outstanding Ravenclaw student in nearly a hundred years, is that right? What great feats have you accomplished?"
His tone was frivolous and arrogant. Wade raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to look at him.
Phineas's previously languid expression immediately changed. He frowned and said discontentedly, "Why do I feel like you're pitying me?"
"How could that be?" a female headmistress in another portrait nearby said. "Black, please don't be difficult with the student!"
But Phineas actually walked into the adjacent portrait, pushing aside the old headmaster inside.
"Honestly!" the old man grumbled, steadying his hat.
Phineas walked all the way into the portrait opposite Wade, leaned on the frame, and asked, "You two going out today… it wouldn't have anything to do with that good-for-nothing great-grandson of mine, would it?"
Wade said in a deep voice, "No, it's another one."
"What?" Phineas was puzzled.
"Regulus Black," Wade said. "We found his body."
"Regulus?"
The frivolous expression on Phineas's face vanished. He fell silent, and the surrounding portraits immediately became quiet too.
They held their breath (if they had any), not uttering a word.
The ashes suddenly stirred, and then a wrinkled chick poked its head out.
The newborn bird, without a single feather, was naturally far from beautiful. It moved its scrawny wings, exploring the world within the ashes.
Wade couldn't help but wonder: Does this phoenix still have its previous memories? Can it be considered the same phoenix as before?
"How should I care for it?" he asked the old headmasters around him. "Does it need to eat something?"
After a while, an ancient portrait finally spoke.
"Dumbledore knew it was due to be reborn, so he'd already prepared for it—see that green crystal bottle on the cabinet? Just feed it three drops of the potion inside."
Wade found the crystal bottle as instructed—it was right by Fawkes' perch, very easy to spot.
He twisted open the stopper, caught a faint scent of bamboo leaves, and paused for a moment before carefully feeding the potion to the chick.
Like all newborn birds, it opened its mouth wide for food, as if it had a bottomless pit in its belly.
Wade only fed it three drops, and even though the chick was still chirping loudly, he put the bottle back.
Phineas watched him finish, then slowly said, "Regulus… how did he die?"
"He died for his inner sense of justice and conviction," Wade said. "To oppose Voldemort, he used his own life to buy people a chance to defeat that man."
A moment later, Phineas let out a few harsh, sneering laughs.
"Sounds like he wasn't a Black after all… more like a foolish Gryffindor!"
No sooner had he spoken than Phineas strode out of the portrait, leaving only a blank space in his frame.
Wade didn't linger either.
He took the box containing the Diadem from his bag—after deciding to invite Dumbledore to the cave, he had borrowed this Diadem from the Room of Requirement again, and Barnaby hadn't stopped him this time.
Wade placed the Diadem on an empty table and said to the portrait nearby, "This is for Professor Dumbledore. Please tell him when he returns."
"Alright," the portrait said.
An old headmaster in another portrait grumbled, "Students these days… bossing the headmaster around!"
Wade ignored him.
He pulled open the door and walked out of the Headmaster's office.
It was already evening, and students who had gone to Hogsmeade Village were gradually returning.
From his vantage point, Wade easily spotted two students hiding in a corner, pressed tightly together. The girl was giggling foolishly, while the boy leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Those two were Michael and Padma.
Padma was very shy, but Michael was as smooth as an experienced charmer.
He'd approach, touch, retreat slightly, whisper a few words, then approach again, like a dragonfly skimming water.
They were engrossed in each other, in their element.
Wade couldn't help but smile, then thought these kids were far too precocious.
In his mind, he always pictured everyone as sixth-grade elementary school students, based on their age.
He knew some people called him old-fashioned behind his back, but he didn't care.
Wade walked down the spiral staircase, thinking about what had happened that day.
His frank discussion with Dumbledore… the Inferi… and the two Black family brothers.
And the phoenix's rebirth.
Though the phoenixes in the magical world weren't as powerful and omnipotent as in legends, their tears could heal most injuries, even those from a Basilisk's fangs; and their feathers also had various wonderful uses.
Wade planned to first brew a few bottles of healing potions; the rest could be used for Alchemy. He was grateful for Fawkes' generosity in providing him with enough feathers.
"Mr. Grey… Wade Grey…"
As Wade walked down the corridor, preparing to return to the Room of Requirement, he suddenly heard a faint voice calling him.
He turned his head and saw Mikey.
This was a House-elf skilled in cooking, who also handled the cleaning of the Slytherin common room and dormitories.
"Mikey?" Wade walked over and crouched down. "What do you need me for?"
"Wade Grey doesn't know yet, but something happened in Slytherin House today, and Mikey wants to tell him."
Mikey wrung its hands, as if ashamed of revealing information about the house.
But because Wade was also a Hogwarts student, and theoretically its master, it wasn't so ashamed that it would punish itself by hitting its head against a wall.
"What do you want to tell me, Mikey?" Wade asked gently.
"In the evening, there weren't many Slytherin students around; most went to Hogsmeade."
The House-elf looked up and said in a tiny voice:
"Two fat people suddenly attacked others… their magic wasn't very good, and they accidentally transfigured a cow, almost breaking their own ribs."
"They messed up the Levitation Charm?" Wade frowned. "Isn't that a very rare magical effect?"
Ever since Professor Flitwick told the story of that unlucky wizard who was almost crushed by a cow, disbelieving young wizards had secretly tried it, but that effect wouldn't appear even once in ten tries.
Even if they messed up the spell, their magic wasn't strong enough to support such a massive spatial transfer.
The House-elf shook its head. "Mikey doesn't understand what happened either, but Mikey also found some strange phenomena…"
It suddenly stopped speaking and looked around, as if worried about being overheard.
Then it leaned closer to Wade and whispered, "Someone is secretly practicing Dark Magic… and there's an elf from outside in their dormitory…"
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