From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 149 Bold Assumption
"Alas - Dumbledore, have you heard of the whereabouts of other dark wizards who only made Horcruxes?" Nico asked with a sigh.

"The vile Herpo?" Dumbledore said a name.

Ivy had also heard that according to legend, "Herbo the Despicable" was the first wizard to create the evil black magic item, the Horcrux. He was also believed to be the first wizard to hatch a basilisk.

"Herpo the Despicable" was an ancient Greek who lived about two to three thousand years ago, but legends about him are still circulating in today's wizarding world, and so far there has never been any news that his Horcruxes have been destroyed.

If dark magic like Horcruxes could really allow wizards to escape death, he should still be alive now.

"Well, where is this 'despicable Herpo' now?" Nico asked.

Dumbledore shook his head and said, "I don't know. I don't think... no one knows..."

"So he was dead a long time ago!" Nico looked towards the stage. Christina had already started singing a duet with the Phantom of the Opera. It would probably be soon that the true form of the Phantom of the Opera would be seen.

"If you ask me, Voldemort will be destroyed sooner or later. Even though he is still alive now, I don't think it will be long before he is completely forgotten by people!" Nico was a little absent-minded, looking at Christina on the stage eagerly.

"Perhaps... 'Despicable Herpo' is not dead, but just lives in seclusion." Dumbledore put forward a hypothesis.

"Absolutely impossible!" Nico answered firmly. "Think about it, he was already a famous dark wizard before he made the Horcruxes. The horror stories about him are still written into textbooks. How could such a person disappear without a trace after gaining the ability of immortality? So I can be sure that he is definitely finished."

"Great." Dumbledore's tangled eyebrows relaxed, and a smile appeared under his white beard again. "In your opinion, if there is no external interference, how long will it take for Voldemort to destroy himself?"

"Not too slow." Nico shrugged. "Maybe a hundred years?"

"One hundred years?" Ivy rarely saw a surprised expression on Dumbledore's face. The old man had experienced so much in more than a hundred years of life that it was difficult for anything to move him, except his favorite candy.

"Perhaps I don't have another hundred years..." Dumbledore shook his head.

"You can't blame me for this!" Nico said innocently, "You know I'm over 600 years old this year. A hundred years is not a particularly long time for me."

After a while he added: "It's actually been quite a long time. I haven't been away from home for at least two hundred years... Maybe I should go for a hike before I meet the god of death?"

"Let's get back to our question," Dumbledore brought the subject back. "Tell me, Nico, how many times do you think a wizard can split his soul?"

"That depends on how much they want it." Nico answered quickly, "You are a wizard, Dumbledore, think about how you use magic? My past life experience tells me that, apart from having more side effects, black magic is essentially no different from white magic - at least when it comes to making alchemical items, there is almost no difference." "So... he could have made many Horcruxes?" Dumbledore's tone dropped again.

"You don't think the soul is infinitely divisible, do you?" Nico showed a fussing expression, "We are discussing the issue of the soul itself! Making a Horcrux is not a painless thing. Every time a Horcrux is made, it means that the wizard will be missing a part of something forever. You know...something inner, spiritual. I have never made a Horcrux, so I don't understand."

The first duet between Christina and the Phantom of the Opera on the stage has ended. Under the guidance of the Phantom wearing a white mask, Christina found a secret passage behind a huge mirror. Now she is following the Phantom of the Opera to the basement of the Paris Opera House.

The story of The Phantom of the Opera itself takes place in the Garnier Opera House, so almost all the scenes in the musical have prototypes to refer to. Just like what is shown on the stage, there is also a huge underground structure under the opera house under Ivy's feet. It is said to be an underground artificial lake filled with water. The staff will drain all the water in it every once in a while and then fill it with clean water. However, the underground lake is not open to the public now.

The hero and heroine of the story have all appeared, and the first climax will soon arrive. Therefore, Nico himself is becoming more and more impatient.

"That's enough, Dumbledore? You already know what you want. Let me enjoy the art, okay?" Nico's butt twisted uncomfortably in the chair. It was the first time that Ivy saw someone like him acting so uneasy. Could it be that this musical really had such a great appeal?
"Just be patient, Nico," Dumbledore soothed. "I have one last question."

Seeing Nicolas Flamel's distrustful look, he added: "This is really the last one. If you were to make Horcruxes, how many would you make?"

"I can't make a Horcrux." Nicolas Flamel answered without thinking, "Making the Philosopher's Stone was an accident for me. I'm not pursuing immortality, I just happen to have a way to avoid facing death temporarily."

Look at what he said, it's just like the richest man saying that he doesn't like money.

"It's not enough to create a Horcrux, but you have to create several? I think it would be more comfortable to die!" Nico looked at the Phantom of the Theater wandering on the wooden bridge with a lantern, thought for a moment and added: "If he can create many, maybe he will choose a meaningful number? Just like... some kind of ritual or something?"

"Sense of ritual?" Dumbledore's blue eyes seemed to be gleaming. "Although there is no evidence yet, my intuition tells me that this is useful! I taught Voldemort for a while when he was still studying at Hogwarts. But those things happened so long ago, I may have to search my mind carefully for it!"

"But anyway, thank you for your help, Nico." Dumbledore's expression was sincere, but Nicolas Flamel had no intention of being polite. He just snorted and turned to watch the opera.

Only Ivy knew what really happened.

Voldemort likes to collect souvenirs. For him, the sense of ritual is an indispensable part of life. Even after he lost so many souls, he did not give up this.

Not only were his Horcruxes commemorative items to him, but when he finally competed with Harry, he even remembered to follow the duel etiquette between wizards and made Harry bow.

Now Dumbledore has noticed this. According to the original plot, Nicolas Flamel only used a few words to advance the plan to defeat Voldemort by five years.

(End of this chapter)