The Return to Hogwarts

“I understand what you’re worried about, Headmaster Dumbledore.” Amostella smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not such an impatient wizard. I’ll wait for the right opportunity and won’t make it public knowledge or cause panic.”

The conversation about how to get to Azkaban ended there. Dumbledore knew he couldn't stop Amosta, but he kept emphasizing how terrible it would be for the residents of the British wizarding world if people knew that the Ministry of Magic had lost absolute control over Azkaban.

"About Dementors, these evil creatures--"

Dumbledore knew perfectly well what Amos Tower was likely to do, so he spoke directly.

"Since their discovery over a dozen centuries ago, wizards have never stopped studying them. When I was young, I also tried to uncover their secrets for a time, of course, only through research. As people say, they cannot be killed, and the only thing that can restrain them is the Patronus Charm."

"Even you can't eliminate them?"

Amosta narrowed his eyes. "I mean, under full force?"

Noticing that Amostella's cup was no longer steaming, Dumbledore moved his fingers and refilled it. Hearing the question, Dumbledore smiled helplessly but did not speak.

Dumbledore's silence already revealed the answer to the question.

But isn't that strange enough?

Amosta blew away the tea leaves from the rim of his cup and thoughtfully sipped his tea.

Where there is life, there is death; this is the law of nature and the law of the universe. Even the wonder of magic cannot escape this ironclad law.

If there is a creature with an incredibly long lifespan and no means to kill it, then wouldn't it be incredibly foolish for so many dark wizards and ambitious individuals throughout history to try to devise various methods to prevent their own death, even at the cost of splitting their souls to create Horcruxes? Why didn't they rush into Azkaban and properly study how to turn themselves into Dementors?

Unless, of course, Dementors are not a life form at all.

Do Dementors have souls?

After a moment's thought, Amosta blinked her pale purple eyes and asked.

"You've grasped the crux of the problem—"

The Dementors, which ordinary wizards fear, were nothing to Dumbledore and Amosta; aside from being unkillable, they posed no threat to them.

With an admiring glint in his deep blue eyes, Dumbledore smiled and said...

“Like you, Amosta, my main method of studying Dementors is to consult the literature. Many years ago, a close friend of mine seemed to have done real research, and in a letter to me, he mentioned an interesting point.”

Amos raised an eyebrow at the fact that someone Dumbledore considered a close friend would personally study Dementors, creatures so closely associated with dark magic. Then, he thought of some unverified rumors about Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of his time, in his youth.

He believed that the soul of a Dementor is its body, making it a creature that is a unity of 'spirit and flesh'. Dementors take 'malice' as their body, and there is a mysterious connection between individuals, perhaps their life forces are linked.

"So, Dementors are not invincible, but rather cannot be killed individually. Mr. Grindelwald is indeed a genius."

Amid Dumbledore's wry smile, Amosta nodded thoughtfully.

"Anything else, Mr. Grindelwald? For example, the reason or method by which this creature was created?"

"Something happened after that,"

A fleeting hint of bitterness flickered across Dumbledore's aged face.

"We have completely severed all private contact."

Chapter 217 Harry Must Die?

As the saying goes, the person who knows you best is your rival.

Since Amosta entered Hogwarts, he has gained a general understanding of the wizarding world. In particular, after that night in his fifth year, he knew that in the many years to come, the biggest obstacle he would face might not be Voldemort, the villainous boss of the Harry Potter world, but Albus Dumbledore, who was over a hundred years old and whose eyes revealed a faint sense of reminiscence.

To better understand Albus Dumbledore, Amos Tower spent some time researching Dumbledore's life.

Not only official sources, but also some news stories of dubious reliability have mentioned the friendship between Gettler Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore in their youth.

There are even some bizarre rumors, cough cough!

Amosta withdrew his strange gaze; if he continued to think about it, it would be a bit inappropriate for children!

Each piece of information and each experience unfolded before Amosta's eyes like a jigsaw puzzle. Amosta was able to piece together a logical truth, but the most important part of this truth remained hidden in the fog.

The crucial piece of the puzzle might lie with Vitia Creona, that fleeting woman who appeared like a shooting star. At least she could explain to herself what kind of information that chilling double-serpent staff had conveyed to her, causing her to show such astonishment in the temple on Avalon Island.

To this day, no good news has come from Kakus. It seems that the druids who have been hunted by the Papacy for centuries are indeed very good at hiding this.

Regarding the 'foreign object' in his soul, Amosta's greatest discovery so far is that the owner of the Twin Serpents Staff is probably the creator of the Dementors.

"There's something I just thought of—"

Amosta temporarily set aside his own problems and turned the conversation to another issue that concerned him greatly.

Of all the things you just told me, one is the one that disturbs me the most.

Amosta frowned.

"Leaving aside my question, Headmaster Dumbledore, Harry—you believe he is Voldemort's Horcrux, is that just speculation, or do you have some evidence?"

"Many years ago, well, I thought I could show you this first--"

Dumbledore had anticipated this problem. He stood up, walked around the table, and strode to the silver instrument he had placed under a wall of books.

Dumbledore has many titles, and his mastery of alchemy is perhaps the least significant one. However, any wizard who has visited Dumbledore's office knows that he highly values ​​this obscure subject. His office is filled with all sorts of strange and unusual items whose purpose is unclear.

Under Amos Tower's probing gaze, Dumbledore placed the instrument on the table, sat down again, and tapped it lightly with his wand.

“I just told you, Amosta,”

Dumbledore, watching Amostella analyze the shimmering silver alchemical artifact with his magical vision, spoke calmly.

"Perhaps wizards in the magical world think that I haven't changed much over the years, but in reality, as I've gotten older, some of my abilities have deteriorated significantly. For example, my ability to see through a person's soul can help me to some extent identify disguised Imperius Curses or Animagus spells. I think this is a very useful ability, so when I found that my unique 'perspective' was gradually becoming blurred, I immediately set about designing this thing."

"It is indeed interesting. It is incredibly complex, but the design of the Magic Corridor is truly ingenious."

Amostella's alchemical skills were also quite advanced; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to design an alchemical tool like the surveillance mirror. So, after observing it carefully for a while, he roughly figured out its function.

"Tracing back through the connection between magic and soul...tsk tsk, priceless."

Amosta exclaimed in admiration.

"However, even in the eyes of wizards, the soul is a mysterious and unpredictable thing, so I think it can probably only observe some appearances."

“You are very perceptive, Amosta.”

Through the smoke billowing from those nozzles, Dumbledore made no attempt to hide his admiration.

"In all these years, you're the first wizard to figure out its function on your own without me having to explain it. Indeed, as you said, it can't delve into a wizard's soul, so it can't be used to observe what's hidden within your soul, but for Harry..."

A few wisps of pale green smoke floating in the air intertwined with each other, and in Amosta's clenched gaze, the tip transformed into a snake's head.

"In fact, I lied to you—"

While observing from Amos Tower, Dumbledore suddenly said this.

“I told you before that the notebook you gave me and the tiara left behind by Madam Ravenclaw resolved two doubts for me, but actually, twelve years ago, when Hagrid brought Harry to me from the ruins, I already understood that Tom had indeed made Horcruxes—”

“I understand what you mean, Headmaster Dumbledore—”

Amosta sighed and looked away.

"A soul linked by some kind of magic, yet still functioning as a Horcrux."

Few of the topics discussed tonight were pleasant. The portraits of the former headmasters were whispering about why Dumbledore would tell this young wizard of ambiguous black and white so much crucial information, but the only two people in the office were either looking at each other or staring into each other’s eyes, the atmosphere heavy.

Dumbledore interlaced his ten long fingers once more, and in the still room, his silvery eyebrows and beard floated slightly because of his constantly trembling eyelids.

"Regarding Tom's Horcrux, Amosta--"

Dumbledore changed the subject.

"There's something to be happy about. Although we can't be sure exactly how many Horcruxes Tom, driven almost hysterical by his fear of this great adventure of death, created, recent investigations have fortunately led me to another clue that might be a Horcrux. I'm going to be leaving the school for a while. During this time, the safety of those children will be in your hands, Amosta. I believe in you."

"What's the point, Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Amos Stare stared directly into Dumbledore's eyes, his gaze sharp and penetrating to the core.

"If killing Voldemort requires killing Harry first, is this another grand, untold plan? Or have you found a way to extract that piece of soul without harming Harry's life?"

Chapter 218 Experience

The storm that had raged for several days finally subsided, but the hazy moonlight still lingered faintly through the thick clouds.

Perhaps it was because the Dementors guarding the entrance to Hogwarts had been suppressed by Amostella, that the cold wind swirling through the school grounds carried a hint of freshness.

The night was not yet deep, and many young wizards who had not yet fallen asleep were still in the common room or dormitory, talking enthusiastically about the events of the day. However, the professors had not forgotten that Sirius Black was still lurking in the shadows, eyeing a certain student in the school with predatory intent.

Before entering Dumbledore's office, Amosta had already taken precautions. Tonight, Hagrid and Professor Flitwick would be guarding the school gates, while Professor Filch and Professor Snape would be patrolling the castle, ready to prevent any unexpected situations from occurring.

"Yes, Harry must die—"

Dumbledore's calm voice sent a chill down Amosta's spine.

"so--"

Amosta scoffed with a cold laugh.

"You're treating Harry like a pig. Ridiculous. I thought you were hoping that Harry would defeat Voldemort someday. Do you need me to do you a favor? I can rush into the school hospital right now and take his life."

Please don't misunderstand—

Amos Tower's attitude did not threaten Dumbledore; instead, he nodded and smiled with satisfaction.