Spellcasting Gods

As the saying goes, the person who knows you best is never your family or friends, but your enemy.

Voldemort, who regarded Dumbledore as his greatest enemy in achieving his ideals from the very beginning, secretly observed Dumbledore's every move during his student days, so he easily recognized the differences between the two Dumbledores.

"Hahaha! That's right! You guessed it! The one in the back is definitely not Dumbledore."

Seeing his little trick exposed, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but burst into laughter, explaining as he laughed, "To be precise, he's a clone I created using genetics. How about that, isn't it interesting? With this guy's help, I not only successfully destroyed the reputation and prestige that Dumbledore had spent half a century building, but I also created an unexpected enemy for him—Harry Potter. Don't you think it's most interesting and ironic that the savior kills Dumbledore?"

"Ah! I see! To incite hatred through the death of a loved one, what a wonderful idea. I must admit, you are a genius at manipulating people's hearts." Voldemort licked his lips, like a venomous snake.

Zhang Cheng shrugged nonchalantly: "Thanks for the compliment. I think you won't refuse to accept Harry Potter now, right? He's a trump card to use against Dumbledore."

"No! Of course not! How could I possibly let such an interesting toy go? Besides, I heard you seem to have a plan to destroy the world, and it's already underway?"

Having said that, Voldemort raised his wand and fired a huge Dark Mark into the sky, beginning to summon his Death Eaters.

In less than a few seconds, one after another, mysterious figures wearing masks and cloaks of beauty appeared around him using Apparition, kneeling on one knee to offer him the highest respect.

Looking at these somewhat familiar faces, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but smile and nod, replying, "Yes, I do have a plan to destroy and reshape the entire world, which is to use thermonuclear weapons invented by ordinary people to kill them in large numbers. But the problem is, it's run into a little trouble right now."

"Thermonuclear weapons?" Voldemort's eyes flashed with a hint of confusion.

After all, before he entered the magical world, the world was on the eve of World War II, and the famous "Manhattan Project" had not yet been officially launched. So he had no idea how fast human technology had developed in just a few decades, especially the development of weapons used to kill each other, which was progressing by leaps and bounds.

After entering the magical world, he devoted all his energy to learning various profound magical knowledge and never paid attention to news from the ordinary world again.

It must be said that the most powerful Dark Lord in British history was actually no different from other arrogant wizards. He was firmly bound to the small world of magic and was completely unaware that the outside world had undergone earth-shattering changes.

If they cannot keep up with the times, the already small number of wizards will be eliminated and become insignificant dust in the annals of history.

Sighing inwardly at these frogs in a well, amusing themselves all day long, Zhang Cheng immediately explained, "Thermonuclear weapons, also known as hydrogen bombs, are destructive weapons that release enormous energy and destructive power through nuclear fusion. Typically, the destructive force of a single explosion could destroy the entire city of London. According to the data I have, the hydrogen bombs produced and stockpiled by the United States and the Soviet Union in the previous decades were enough to kill more than 90 percent of the world's population."

"One of them is enough to destroy all of London? Did the Muggles really invent such a terrible weapon?" Voldemort's pupils suddenly contracted.

You should know that he is a typical supporter of pure-blooded wizards, believing that only pure-blooded noble wizards are the noblest species on Earth, and that ordinary people are nothing more than a bunch of insignificant ants.

But now these ants have obtained weapons more powerful than any kind of magic, so naturally they are shocked and terrified.

"Yes! In fact, this is hardly a secret in the ordinary world. Look, this is what it looks like after a thermonuclear weapon explosion..."

To give the other party a profound understanding of the terrifying explosive power of the hydrogen bomb, Zhang Cheng used the power of magic to recreate scenes of nuclear tests with yields ranging from several million tons to tens of millions of tons.

Feeling the intense visual impact of the scorching fireballs and mushroom clouds, both the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters instinctively held their breath, sensing the overwhelming aura of destruction.

They had never felt so afraid, and for the first time realized that ordinary people called Muggles were not, as they had imagined, lambs to be slaughtered by wizards.

After a full ten minutes, Voldemort took a deep breath and said in an extremely serious tone, "My dear friend, tell me your plan. We must not allow this weapon to fall into the hands of ordinary people. They must be destroyed! Utterly destroyed!"

"Agreed! My plan is simple! First, destroy the resistance forces within the American and Russian magical communities, then further control their upper echelons, initiating a global thermonuclear war to destroy the technological civilization built by ordinary people. Those who survive will become slaves to wizards, rebuilding a new world dominated by magic..."

Chapter 0789 Fatal Weakness

Without a doubt, even in the magical world, which is full of all sorts of incredible things, being resurrected is something to be celebrated.

However, if this person has once stirred up bloodshed and terrorized countless wizards, causing them to tremble with fear and live in constant unease, then the news of his resurrection and return will take on a different meaning.

In fact, Zhang Cheng never deliberately concealed the news of Voldemort's return, allowing Harry Potter and Ron Weasley to recount what happened, half-truthfully and half-falsely, with Zhang Qiu's cold corpse as proof.

Although many are reluctant to believe that Dumbledore would be so ruthless as to attack and kill his own student, the death of an innocent girl has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the concluded Triwizard Tournament.

Severus Snape, in particular, as a member of the Death Eaters, clearly felt the intense burning sensation from the Dark Mark on his arm. He became unusually gloomy and irritable, and wrote several letters in one go, which he sent to the old man by owl.

He was eager to find out what had happened during the hour or so that the two boys had been missing.

Why did Harry's eyes reveal such profound pain and hatred when he mentioned Dumbledore, just as he did after learning of Lily Potter's murder?

In short, another semester has come to an end with a series of shocking news that has stunned the entire British magical community.

The Hogwarts students packed their bags and boarded the Express to return home, completely unaware that a terrible conspiracy was brewing.

……

Two weeks later, at Malfoy Manor, Voldemort sat in a chair, sipping the cellar wine offered by Lucius, while watching the Death Eaters torture several ordinary people captured from the neighborhood for their amusement.

After about two or three minutes, he sighed slightly and said, "Regarding what you mentioned last time, I've already sent people to inquire. Thermonuclear weapons are indeed terrifying, far exceeding the limits of my imagination. Fortunately, Muggles are Muggles; even if they invent powerful weapons, they cannot withstand the power of magic. With just a few Imperius Charms, we can take control of these weapons."

“That’s right! This is also the core of my plan. In order to ensure their deterrence against each other, all the major powers have stockpiled enough nuclear warheads to destroy the world several times or even dozens of times. We only need to control the two countries with the largest stockpiles—the United States and Russia—to restart the entire world. So, have you thought it over? If possible, I hope you can personally lead a delegation to Russia.” Zhang Cheng probed meaningfully.

So far, he is not entirely sure whether the other party truly approves of his plan to destroy the world.

It's important to understand that killing billions of people is a completely different concept from killing a few dozen people.

Once the former does it, it is almost equivalent to losing one's humanity and permanently and completely excluding oneself from the realm of humanity.

"Don't rush, my friend. Before that, I hope to deal with Dumbledore first. You don't understand, as long as he's alive, he's a huge threat to our plans." Voldemort downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, his eyes flashing a terrifying red light.

"I have a good suggestion regarding Dumbledore," Zhang Cheng said with a playful smile.

"Oh? Tell me about it!" Voldemort immediately became interested upon hearing anything related to Dumbledore.

It must be said that due to the relatively small population in the wizarding world, most wizards have a very limited perspective. Whether it's him or Gellert Grindelwald, they both devoted too much energy to their love-hate relationship with Dumbledore, thus neglecting other aspects.

But Zhang Cheng was different. From the very beginning, he stood at a very high position, looking down at this world that was both familiar and strange, and he knew very well what he needed.

After a brief pause, he quickly said in a low voice, "You know Albus actually has a brother named Aberforth, who has been working as a pub owner in Hogsmodry, gathering information for his brother. As far as I know, he doesn't have a good relationship with his brother, and they even had a fierce conflict over their sister. Imagine if we could resurrect Ariana Dumbledore and use her as leverage, what choice would he make?"

"Hahaha! Fantastic! A civil war within the Dumbledore family! Is there anything more interesting in the world? It even reopens the old man's deepest wounds!" Voldemort laughed heartily, but after a moment he shook his head helplessly. "However, resurrecting someone who has been dead for many years seems a bit difficult; at least I can't do it."

"No, no, no, I think you've misunderstood something. We don't need to actually resurrect Ariana Dumbledore. We just need to use genetic technology to clone a girl who looks exactly like her, and then implant some memories and consciousness into her so that she believes she is Ariana. Often, intense emotions can make people lose their minds, and with a little manipulation, we can achieve unexpected results."

As he said this, Zhang Cheng wore an extremely sarcastic expression.

Many people may not know that young Dumbledore was not much different from Voldemort and Gellert Grindelwald. They were all keen on pursuing power, status and fame, and were even obsessed with the Deathly Hallows, thus neglecting the situation of their own sister.

Later, it was the death of his sister that greatly affected this talented wizard. Whether it was out of guilt or some other reason, it led him to take a different path in life.

As someone with a strong rebellious streak, Zhang Cheng was eager to know how Albus Dumbledore would react when Ariana reappeared.

“Interesting! Very interesting! I can’t wait to see Dumbledore lose control. You know, he’s always been calm and collected since the day I met him.” Voldemort’s tone carried an indescribable undertone.

"Please give me some time! Also, if possible, could you deliver this little thing to Aberforth?" As he spoke, Zhang Cheng took out a small glass ball that shimmered with a silvery-white light from his pocket.

This thing is a special magical item he created based on the principles of the Pensieve, which can silently invade the brain and copy the target's memories.

You see, he wouldn't be satisfied with just creating a copy to disturb people's minds; he wanted to truly recreate a living, breathing Ariana Dumbledore.

However, to do this, one needs sufficient memory to support it, at least not enough to deceive Aberforth, who has taken care of his younger sister since childhood.

"No problem, leave it to me."

Voldemort didn't ask what the magical device was for; he simply took it and handed it to the Death Eater next to him. Without a word, the Death Eater immediately Apparated and disappeared from the spot.

It's obvious without even asking that he went to complete this incredibly easy task...

Chapter 0790 The Sister Who Came Back from the Dead

Hogsmeade is the only magical village in all of Britain entirely composed of wizards, and it is also the place that Hogwarts students in their third year and above most yearn for.

This place not only offers a variety of delicious sweets and butterbeer, but also "Zoco's Joke Shop," which specializes in selling magical props for pranks, and "Screaming Shack," which is said to be the scariest haunted house in the UK.

It can be said that whether you are an adult wizard or a child, you can find your own happiness in Hogsmeade.

Few people would notice that right next to the post office on Central Avenue, on a side street, there is a small, dilapidated-looking bar.

Not only did it emit a strong muttony smell, but a severed pig's head was also hanging on the shelf, giving it an unusually eerie and terrifying feel.

As for the sparse guests inside, they were even more bizarre. Almost everyone covered their faces completely, their eyes revealing an unusual wariness, and the slightest disturbance would trigger a violent reaction.

In fact, Aberforth Dumbledore, the owner of "The Pig's Head," didn't care at all how much money he could make.

His main purpose was to use the diverse group of guests to gather information for his brother, with whom he had a strained relationship, and to keep a close eye on Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

To achieve this, he even ignored and condoned numerous illegal transactions, such as the half-giant Hagrid buying a Norwegian Ridgeback egg from Quirrell, who was in disguise.

No one knows the identities of those strange guests who appear out of nowhere. All that is known is that they often sell and buy hard-to-obtain items, and over time they have gradually formed a very private little circle.

If you urgently need rare magical materials that are unavailable through normal channels, you can't go wrong trying your luck at the Pighead Bar.

As usual, Aberforth worked as a bartender while carefully eavesdropping on the conversations between the customers.

Just as he was trying to approach a man in a gray cloak, a young girl suddenly appeared outside the door.

Although it was already completely dark and he couldn't see the other person's face clearly, the incredibly familiar appearance and timid demeanor reminded him of his sister, Ariana, who had died many years ago.

"Damn it! Am I seeing things because I'm too old and tired?" Aberforth quickly shook his head vigorously, trying to clear the unrealistic hallucinations from his mind.

Unfortunately, when he looked up again, a beam of light shone on the girl's face at the door, revealing a face that was both somewhat unfamiliar and incredibly familiar.

next second...

The girl's lips suddenly moved!

Although she didn't make a sound, you could tell from her lip movements that she was calling out the English word "brother".

"Ah...Ariana?!"

In a trembling voice, Aberforth stammered out his sister's name, then rushed out like a madman, wanting to grab her and demand an explanation.

But before he could run two steps, the girl turned around and fled quickly outside Hogsmeade, like a frightened little rabbit.

The two remained locked in this chase for over twenty minutes, one after the other, until they were completely out of sight of human habitation before gradually slowing down.

respite!

Heavy breathing!

Aberforth couldn't remember the last time he had run this fast, but he knew he couldn't stop, or he would lose and miss out on the most precious things in his life.

The girl seemed to sense that the old man was about to run out of strength, and finally stopped. She quickly hid behind a young Asian man, only peeking out half of her head to stare at him.

"Good evening, dear Mr. Aberforth." The young man gave a polite bow.

"It's you?!" The old man's pupils suddenly contracted.

Clearly, the visitor was none other than Zhang Cheng, who had come specifically from the secret underground laboratory of Hogwarts.

The girl hiding behind them was, of course, a clone created using gene cloning technology and the power of creation—Ariana Dumbledore.

Because she was perfectly implanted with most of her childhood memories, she is, in a sense, the real Ariana.

Appreciating the inner turmoil and conflict in the other person's eyes, Zhang Cheng nodded with a smile: "That's right, it's me. I'm sure your brother has mentioned me, so I won't go into too much detail about myself. So, seeing your sister, who died many years ago, brought back to life, aren't you incredibly excited?"

"No! Impossible! No one can bring the dead back to life!" Aberforth tried to deny the girl in front of him who was driving him to the brink of madness.

Because he knew that the young man standing in front of him was considered by Albus to be his most difficult opponent, even more terrifying than Voldemort.