Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 143 The Ring and the Showdown

Unfortunately, due to being busy with other matters, I haven't had much time to focus on that.

He originally planned to wait until his academic visit to North America ended in August, and after rescuing Isabella, he would then dedicate time to developing spells.

Now that we have the "Slytherin Gift Pack," we can save a lot of time.

For the next few hours, Vaughn focused all his energy on those minor spells, gradually mastering them by repeatedly watching Morfin Gaunt's learning process—

In memory magic, there are spells that can directly absorb the memories of others and plunder their knowledge, but in reality, very few wizards who study memory magic would do such a thing.

Human memory contains emotions, and emotions have power!

It is both a raw material for casting spells and a component of consciousness. Absorbing too much of other people's emotions is like pulling other people's consciousness into one's own mind.

In the end, they will only end up with a cuckoo taking over the nest and a split personality!
Night gradually fell in North Sea, and oil lamps were lit in the lounge. After some time, Vaughn, who was engrossed in his observation, heard Dumbledore's breathing suddenly become disordered.

He knew that Old Deng had returned!
Looking up, Dumbledore opened his eyes, a few wisps of dark gray still lingering in his deep blue pupils. He looked somewhat lost, as if still adrift in Morfin Gaunt's vast sea of ​​memories.

It took him a while to regain his senses. He glanced at the Pensieve beside Vaughn and smiled knowingly: "Hey, darling, are you satisfied with the magic I gave you? How's your learning going?"

"Okay."

Vaughn's expression remained indifferent.

But Dumbledore, who knew him well, knew that he was very satisfied; otherwise, he would not have summoned Fawkes and brought over his own Pensieve.

The magic given to Vaughn was actually carefully selected by Dumbledore.

Since last year, Vaughn has wanted to learn dark magic, and Dumbledore understands that he can't stop Vaughn from learning it forever.

So when Vaughn made the request today, he readily agreed.

However, he was also worried that if the other party rashly ventured into something too profound, they might get lost in the darkness, so he made careful arrangements.

Parsley, of course, is the most famous symbol of the Slytherin and Gaunt families. Any wizard who knows these two languages ​​will be tempted to learn it if given the chance—including Dumbledore himself!
In his youth, he paid a great price to learn Parseltongue from a member of the Gaunt family, just to satisfy his curiosity.

Necromancy was something he specifically chose based on Vaughn's personality.

Perhaps Vaughn himself didn't realize that he was actually a bit of a germaphobe. He didn't like Floo Powder because it would produce a lot of ash.

Although he lived in a room by himself, he always kept it clean and tidy, which was in stark contrast to the other messy young wizards, such as Ron and Harry.

Ron & Harry: ?
All of this was kept in mind by the cunning and shrewd headmaster.

Necromancy is indeed powerful and insidious; it can not only create armies of undead and undead monsters, but also contains two powerful curses.

But Dumbledore believed that Vaughn would never use them frequently, because that series of spells was "dirty" to use, involving corpses and decay...

The "Death Curse" was a rare choice for Dumbledore that didn't harbor any ill intentions; he simply wanted to prevent Vaughn from going astray, rather than turning a genius into a useless person.

In any case, the realm of the soul is something a wizard will inevitably come into contact with, sooner or later.

Based on his previous demonstration in Morpheus's spiritual world, Dumbledore believed that Vaughn could restrain his curiosity about the soul and forge his own path.

As for the final Slytherin transplant package...

That was his ultimate method of "seducing" Vaughn!

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Stop pretending, my dear. When I saw the Slytherin bloodline transplant in Morphine's memories, I knew it was best suited for you. Haven't you always wanted to study dragons? The spells for studying magical creatures there are so abundant!"

Vaughn didn't appreciate it at all, rolling his eyes: "Yes, it's very generous, but esteemed headmaster, where's the fire dragon you promised me?"

"Uh, that will take a while."

"How long is 'a period of time'? Thanks to you, I'm almost done with the preliminary work on researching fire dragons. I'd like to officially begin in August. Could you give me an exact time?"

Dumbledore's beard trembled at Vaughn's question, and he suddenly regretted his choice. After stammering for a while, he had to change the subject:

"Alright, let's talk about the fire dragon later. Let's take a look at the memories I found, the truth about Tom's patricide."

As he spoke, he drew his wand, plucked a strand of silver from his forehead, went to the Pensieve, and threw the silver strand into it.

The two people's spirits extended into the Pensieve.

Countless black and silver wisps of mist, like ink, settled down, forming the village of Little Hangleton from decades ago.

A moonlit path, the crooked Gaunt mansion, and a young Voldemort carrying an oil lamp.

But unlike Morpheus's altered memories, the newly discovered memories show that the young and handsome Tom Riddle has already begun to reveal his cruel, vicious, and ruthless side.

Instead of knocking Morfin Gaunt out, Tom used the Imperius Curse to subdue him.

He pressed him about his origins, and Morphine, controlled by the Imperius Curse, truthfully revealed Tom Riddle's background—a mistake born of a false love, a half-blood abandoned by his father and not recognized by his other half!

Tom broke down. He snatched Morphine's wand, his handsome face contorted with rage in the dim candlelight.

What followed was the massacre!

Looking at the blood-soaked Riddle mansion ahead, at Tom unleashing his spells, and at Morfin standing outside the Riddle mansion in a daze, bewitched by Tom's magic and believing that he himself was the one committing the killings.

Vaughn's expression remained calm.

Dumbledore couldn't hide his sigh: "Tom was too insecure, and this insecurity turned into a kind of paranoid pride in his heart. When he was in the Muggle orphanage, he was proud of his unique abilities."

"Upon arriving in the magical world, he was proud of his talent and believed he came from a great family, never imagining that his birth was so lowly."

Then, Voldemort was defeated by his own pride.

Vaughn didn't want to investigate how a Dark Lord came to be.

In his view, everyone should be responsible for their own actions, and the root cause of such actions is irrelevant.

Perhaps it was a great pity for Dumbledore not to discover Tom Riddle's extremism and evil in time, and not to correct him in time.

But that has nothing to do with him, Vaughn Weasley.

He coldly watched Voldemort in Morfen's true memories, witnessing him slaughter his father and grandfather's entire family, and then frame Morfen for it.

Only after Voldemort framed the culprit and stole the Gaunt ring from Morfin's hand did the memory scene recreated by the Pensieve come to a halt at Vaughn's moment of thought.

It was a ring with a very antique design. The material of the band was unknown, and its color was dull and unremarkable.

Only the stone set in the cabochon looks quite strange, resembling both metal and wood grain with the texture of stone.

Looking at the stone, Vaughn glanced at Dumbledore beside him and saw that Dumbledore's eyes were also fixed on it.

After thinking for a moment, Vaughn decided it was better to be direct and said, "Albus, you should know what the facet of the Gaunt ring is, right?"

"..." Dumbledore came to his senses, a forced smile on his face, unable to speak.

"The Resurrection Stone!" Vaughn asked himself, answering his own question.

Old Deng finally responded, forcing a stiff smile: "What are you saying, darling? I..."

"Don't try to hide it. I know more than you think. Perhaps to many wizards, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, about Death and the Peverell brothers, is just a fairy tale, but you and I both know that in a sense, it actually records a true history."

"The Grim Reaper doesn't exist, of course, but the Peverell brothers are real. They were powerful alchemists who created the Elder Wand, the Invisibility Cloak, and the Resurrection Stone. The Tales of Beedle the Bard details their functions and reveals the fates of the three brothers!"

Looking at the frozen memory of the Gaunt ring, snatched from Morfin by Voldemort, its face reflecting the faint glow of the fire, Vaughn's tone was grave:

"You've also read The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so you should know that the souls of the dead summoned by the Easter Stone are problematic."

Dumbledore's lips twitched a few times, as if he wanted to refute.

But he ultimately said nothing.

He just listened blankly as Vaughn continued, "According to Morfin's memories, Voldemort possessed the Gaunt Ring for a long time after the Riddle family was wiped out. Do you think he ever studied the Resurrection Stone?"

Dumbledore understood what Vaughn was trying to say.

He tried to argue that Tom, who was still studying at Hogwarts at the time, probably didn't even know what the Three Holy Relics were.

But he also knew that this statement was nothing but self-deception.

True treasures cannot be hidden from intelligent people. Twelve-year-old Vaughn was convinced of the existence of the Three Holy Relics. He and Gettler Grindelwald had also searched for the Elder Wand when they were young.

Tom Riddle, being an intelligent man himself, even if he was ignorant, would sense that the Resurrection Stone was an unparalleled treasure when he actually came into contact with it.

"But Voldemort restrained his greed!"

Vaughn ruthlessly reopened Dumbledore's wounds, "He knew that the Resurrection Stone only summoned a phantom that would drive people mad, so he turned it into a Horcrux without hesitation... Even Voldemort understood this, so why don't you?"

“Ariana is long dead, Albus. No one can bring her back to the world. You, as a legendary wizard, cannot, and the Resurrection Stone is even less likely to do so!”

"I……"

His hoarse voice choked in his throat. Even though he guessed that Vaughn knew the truth, Dumbledore was still overwhelmed with emotion when he heard him say those words.

"I just...want to know if she's doing well over there..."

……

Yes, Dumbledore's search for Gauntlet's Ring wasn't solely for the Horcruxes.

There was also his own selfish motive.

He had known about the existence of the Three Sacred Relics for a long time, dating back to when his mother died during Ariana's Obscurus eruption.

He and Gettler Grindelwald had been searching for the whereabouts of the Three Holy Relics. Grindelwald eventually found the Elder Wand, but his ultimate goal was the Resurrection Stone.

But the Peverell brothers are too far removed from the present day.

Even before Hogwarts was established.

It took Dumbledore a long time to discover that the owner of the Resurrection Stone, Cadmus Peverell, the second of the three brothers, had descendants.

His last descendant was a woman who married a descendant of Slytherin and gave birth to the Gaunt family.

Unfortunately, he discovered it too late.

By the time he learned of this story and began investigating the Gaunt family, Morfin Gaunt had already been imprisoned in Azkaban for murder, and Voldemort was rising in the wizarding world, so the whereabouts of the Resurrection Stone ultimately became a long-forgotten mystery in his heart.

It wasn't until Vaughn brought up the Gaunt ring again that his old obsession was rekindled.

The deaths of his father and mother, and Ariana's death, were the deepest pains in his heart. Therefore, even though he knew the Resurrection Stone was a big problem, he was still deeply troubled.

But when he learned of the Ring of Gaunt again, and when he saw the Resurrection Stone on the ring in Morfin Gaunt's memory, he couldn't help but feel a foolish greed rising in his heart!
"I'm sorry, child..."

After a long pause, Dumbledore finally sighed and withdrew his gaze from the Resurrection Stone.

Vaughn couldn't see his expression, only hear his slightly trembling voice: "I'm sorry to have made you see me behave so undignifiedly. I should set a good example, but..."

"I understand you."

To Dumbledore's surprise, Vaughn, who had been quite cold just moments before, did not reprimand him.

Although his tone remained harsh, Vaughn did express understanding for his actions: "If one day, my parents... I think if I can't find any other way, I'll do the same as you and pin my hopes on this thing."

Dumbledore turned around and looked at the boy he had always worried was going astray, and saw the light shining in the boy's clear eyes as he spoke those words.

Although there were no intense emotional ups and downs, no brewing tears, there was a genuine sincerity there.

Let him know that what Vaughn said is true.

Moreover, Vaughn's purpose in speaking openly with him went beyond that: "So, I actually believe you'll eventually come to your senses. I'm just worried that the moment you see the Resurrection Stone, you won't be able to control yourself..."

"Voldemort is a master of manipulating people's hearts. He made the Gauntlet into a Horcrux, hoping that the person who would discover the Horcrux would not dare to try to destroy it because of the value of the ring itself. So what kind of trap will he set for the Resurrection Stone?"

"For example, what would happen if someone who recognizes the Resurrection Stone couldn't resist the temptation and couldn't wait to put the ring on their hand?"

What could possibly happen if you rashly wear a dark magic item made by a master dark magician?
Dumbledore suddenly realized, his aged face twitching as he glanced at Gaunt's ring again, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes.

In the dead of night, the temperature in Beihai was as low as early spring on land.

After a gloomy day, it finally started to rain.

Vaughn did not stay in Azkaban any longer. Having fulfilled his deal with Dumbledore and received some dark magic as an extra reward, the trip was not in vain.

As for the warning given to Dumbledore, whether he'll heed it or not... well, we'll see!

Dumbledore orchestrated his own death primarily because he couldn't suppress his longing for his mother and Ariana, nor his greed for the Resurrection Stone, which led to him being cursed by Voldemort's Gauntlet ring. It was precisely because of this curse that he took a desperate gamble, using his own death to set a trap and successfully outmaneuver Voldemort in the final battle.

Deep down, Vaughn didn't want Dumbledore to die.

In fact, if Voldemort hadn't gone mad and their values ​​hadn't clashed, he wouldn't have even wanted to kill Voldemort.

Because the magical world is so lacking in talent.

England, with its tens of millions of Muggle population, has only tens of thousands of wizards, and among these tens of thousands of wizards, only two legendary wizards emerged: Dumbledore and Voldemort.

This was still an unexpected turn of events brought about by "fate".

For Vaughn, who is determined to destroy the Secret Code, promote magic, and hope to push magic to its extreme through collective wisdom, the scarcity of top-tier combat power is hardly good news.

In any case, wizards are his natural base compared to Muggles.

Even if Vaughn succeeds in destroying the Secrets Act in the future, what he needs is not a society where wizards are treated like endangered animals, a society where wizards are locked in laboratories and nailed to experimental tables by Muggles, and a society where Muggles try to use science to unravel mysteries.

Instead, it is a "global magical society" dominated by wizards.

This "ideal" is something that most Muggle regimes are unwilling to submit to, and many Muggles will not easily accept it.

So, what is the most effective way to persuade dissenters?
Without a doubt—war!
Standing on the cliff edge where Azkaban Fortress stood, feeling the fierce wind blowing against his face from the sea, his eyes, enchanted with the Extrasensory Charm, gazed at the waves rolling like trembling silk in the night sky. Vaughn glanced back at the lounge on the top floor of the fortress.

The faint candlelight filtering through the window cast a bright halo in his vision, enhanced by the Extrasensory Charm, amidst the hazy grayness.

Dumbledore is still studying Morfin Gaunt's memories.

The two had actually found where Gaunt's ring was hidden in Morfin's memory. The arrogant Voldemort set up almost no obstacles, nor did he erase that memory.

It's obvious he did it on purpose.

Vaughn wasn't sure if Dumbledore, after being warned by him, would fall for Voldemort's tricks again, but he had done his best.

Yes, even if he hopes that one day in the future, when he destroys the Law of Secrecy and the wizarding world is exposed to Muggles, there will be more top-tier warriors to help him.

However, this does not mean he would forcefully interfere with Dumbledore's choices.

On the one hand, no legendary wizard would willingly become someone else's puppet; too much interference would only exacerbate the conflicts between them.

On the other hand... to put it bluntly, it's hard to persuade a damned ghost with kind words. Whether or not one can get rid of their inner demons depends mainly on Dumbledore's personal will, and he can't always keep an eye on the other person.

He has a ton of other things to do himself!
……

It's now the end of July, and the first WAC plenary meeting is just around the corner.

However, Vaughn's return from Azkaban this time was not because of WAC, but for something else.

At dawn, using the Floo Network access temporarily granted by the Ministry of Magic, Vaughn returned to England. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in Hogsmeade.

At this time, the Scottish Highlands are in the midst of a rainy summer, and the snow-capped mountains surrounding Hogwarts Castle are hidden behind damp clouds.

Hogsmeade’s communal fireplace is located at the end of the village road, between the post office and “Device & Banshee”.

When Vaughn emerged from the fireplace, Lupin, who had arrived earlier and was dressed in Muggle overalls, was leaning against the "Device & Bans" sign, gently tapping the window with his finger and teasing a peephole that was spinning inside.

"If you like it, why not buy it? If you keep teasing us like this, Devis and Bans might just devour you alive!"

Vaughn's voice startled Lupin.

He quickly withdrew his hand, pretended to be nonchalant and turned around. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced into the shop, where two shop owners were glaring at him with wide eyes, looking like they wanted to eat him alive.

Lu Ping coughed twice: "When did you arrive?"

Vaughn replied with a smile, "Just arrived...Aren't you going to buy it? I have to remind you, Harry's birthday is in two days, and I think a spyglass would be a very useful birthday present for him."

The viewing mirror is a rather interesting alchemical tool.

Although its name sounds like a Muggle tool, it is actually quite different. It is an alchemical spinning top whose main function is to detect hostile people and dark magic fluctuations within a one-mile radius, and to warn its owner by spinning, making sounds and flashing lights.

"Devis & Bans," a shop named after its two owners, who were also alchemists, mainly sells such trinkets.

Upon hearing Vaughn's words, Lupin, who had intended to change the subject, frowned slightly.

He sensed something was wrong: "What does this mean? You want me to deliver a viewing mirror to Harry... Is Harry in some danger?"

Vaughan smiled but said nothing.

Lupin felt a headache coming on. He hated riddlers more than anything in his life, but sadly, such guys always seemed to appear around him!

"Dumbledore, and you... why can't you just say what you want to say directly?"

Vaughn remained calm in the face of his dissatisfaction: "And what about you? What are you running away from? Since we met, you've never brought up Harry in front of me. It's as if you've been avoiding him. This behavior doesn't seem like that of a good friend of James and Lily."

"..."

Lupin was speechless.

He knew, of course, that he was running away, hiding from Harry, unsure how to face the child.

For 11 years, Lupin has been tormented by his memories as the only survivor of the Bigfoot, Moonface, Fork, and Wormtail quartet.

Now, as if he hadn't suffered enough, Vaughn continued with a smile while he remained silent, "I just got back from Azkaban, and guess who I saw?"

creak!

Lu Ping stopped in his tracks, his fists clenching involuntarily. His face was ashen, and his eyes were bloodshot. "...You saw him?"

Vaughn's smile grew increasingly wicked, but he didn't answer; instead, he changed the subject:

"Why did you contact me today? I remember I told William and James to do it."

Lupin's mind was in turmoil.

With the name "Azkaban," a long-lost figure was activated from his hazy memories, and a variety of indescribable emotions surged within him, disturbing his thoughts.

But he remained sober when Vaughn questioned him, and replied, "James Brown and William White were injured by other dark wizards last night when they contacted a wizard. One of them is just a wild wizard who has never been to school, and the other is a Muggle. You shouldn't have sent them to deal with those underground forces; it's too dangerous."

"Oh, is the injury serious?"

"A minor curse can be cured with a few doses of potion."

"So, you already know what task I assigned them?"

“…Yes, you’re going to capture werewolves and vampires for experiments,” Lupin said, his weathered face furrowed in worry.

After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Vaughn, I understand that your requests are all for the development of a second version of the Wolfsbane Potion, but..."

Before he could finish speaking, Vaughn interrupted him: "See, that's why I gave the task to William and James, not you. You're a good man, Remus, but you're too rigid and straightforward. I don't like people who are always contradicting me."

Lupin remained silent.

At that moment, he suddenly understood why Vaughn had brought up Harry's birthday, the Spyglass, and Azkaban as soon as they met.

Vaughn knew that Sirius Black, imprisoned in Azkaban, was a source of deep concern for him, and he knew he couldn't ignore any news about Sirius Black.

Especially when the news was likely related to Harry.

Thinking about it, he sighed helplessly: "I'm increasingly convinced that you and Dumbledore are so alike, equally intelligent and perceptive, equally... ruthless!"

Vaughn remained noncommittal: "According to Dumbledore, this is just some clever little trickery. Alright, Remus, take me to see the wizard that William and James found. You know you can't sway my mind, especially since I have information on Sirius and Harry!"

Lupin was powerless.

In fact, when the injured James had to ask him for help last night, he also learned that Vaughn was preparing to organize a manpower to capture werewolves and vampires.

He was prepared to persuade Vaughn to abandon that inhumane plan.

Unfortunately, before I could even open my mouth today, Vaughn's casual remark disrupted my train of thought.

After a moment of silence, Lupin finally sighed: "He's at Pig's Head Bar, an old acquaintance of mine..." He deliberately emphasized the word "old acquaintance".

Upon hearing this, Vaughn raised an eyebrow slightly.

How could someone connected to the underworld appear in Hogsmeade and be an "old acquaintance" of Lupin, whose resume is so unremarkable?

According to Vaughn's understanding, one name immediately came to mind—

"Mundungus?"

"How did you know?" Lupin asked, taken aback.

Vaughn remained silent and turned to walk towards the Pig's Head Bar.

Lupin, who had been dealing with Dumbledore and Vaughn for some time and was almost developing Riddler PTSD, felt a chill run down his spine and quickly caught up with them:

“Hey, I’ve already told you where Mundungus is, and I can guarantee that I won’t contradict you again unless it involves matters of principle. Now you can tell me, what kind of contact did you have with that guy in Azkaban? Did he tell you about Mundungus? What else did he say? Was it related to Harry?”

Vaughn gave him a surprised look: "Why should I tell you?"

"You...you're cheating!"

"Playing dirty? Did I ever say we wanted to exchange intelligence?"

"..."

Lupin was so angry he felt like his lungs were about to explode, but what was even more frustrating was that he didn't dare to vent his anger. He could only turn red in the face, the scars left by Graybuck on his face twisting grotesquely.

Seeing the guy's frustrated expression, Vaughn felt his own depressed mood finally ease a little.

In fact, Vaughn was very upset when he learned that William and James were injured.

It wasn't just because his men were injured, but also because their experience reminded him once again that he had always lacked trusted confidants and manpower.

"We need to find a way to solve this problem..."

Thinking about it, in the distance, in the misty morning light, Vaughn could already see the crooked and dirty sign of the Pighead Bar.

This bar, tucked away in an alley, is unremarkable. It lacks the dazzling and extravagant light show of the nearby Zonko's Magical Joke Shop, and it's also as clean and tidy as its rival in Hogsmeade, The Three Brooms.

It was just a low, pointed-roofed house.

The filthy pig's head signboard swayed in the wind, exuding an aura of dilapidation and shabbyness.

However, this very bar is Hogsmeade's semi-public "black market" and intelligence trading center, where many suspicious people frequent.

For example, last year, Hagrid was here when Quirrell, disguised as an Italian, traded a dragon egg for the weakness of the three-headed dog, Lou Williams.

Although Quirrell never used that intelligence before he died.

With Lupin by his side, Vaughn entered the filthy bar. Perhaps due to the fixed mindset that underground forces cannot be brought to the light, although it was not yet dawn, the bar was already filled with many wizards hiding their faces.

Hearing the door open, the wizards turned around.

Vaughn's still-growing height and handsome, undisguised face silenced the entire bar for a moment, except for the burly, unshaven, and menacing owner behind the bar who came over.

His heavy footsteps pounded on the floor, and his thick arm reached for Vaughn's cloak: "Kid, this isn't a place for you!"

Vaughn watched with interest as the disheveled, unkempt bar owner, who didn't need to dress up to play a villain, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He did not flinch when faced with the large hand reaching out to grab him.

Because Lupin had already stopped him, he whispered, "Aberforth, he's the one I brought..."

"Damn it, you know the rules..."

"Yes, I know. I'm just introducing him to people; I'll be leaving soon..."

After whispering for a moment, the boss stormed upstairs, panting heavily. A short while later, he returned carrying a short, stout wizard whose head and face were covered by a cloak, and slammed him down next to Vaughn and Lupin’s table.

The short, stout wizard cried out in anguish, "Hey, can't you be a little gentler? I've been patronizing your business all this time..."

"Shut up!"

The short, stout wizard seemed wary of the bar owner and quickly lowered his head, not daring to utter a sound.

It wasn't until Vaughn shifted his interested gaze from the grumbling bar owner as he walked away, turned to him, and smiled as he called out his name, "Hello, Mr. Mundungus Fletcher."

(End of this chapter)