Chapter 46: This Person Created a Horcrux?
"Watch out for what?" Cornelius Fudge turned his head and immediately saw a shadow lunging toward him.
He hurriedly stepped aside to dodge, missed a step, and rolled down the stairs.
Flying faster than him—the bowler hat tucked under his arm drew an arc through the air and flew into a group of students ahead.
He rolled from the marble staircase to flat ground. Pain throughout his body made him wail.
Hagrid seemed propped up by something and actually steadied himself on the marble staircase.
When he saw Fudge rolling down, his expression filled with terror. He waved his hands frantically. "I didn't hit him! He fell himself! I really didn't hit him!"
"Oh... Minister Fudge, what happened?" Lockhart's tone carried exaggerated concern as he appeared before Cornelius Fudge.
With Lockhart's support, Cornelius Fudge struggled to stand and hurriedly straightened his robes. He took the bowler hat Lockhart offered and put it on his head.
He gasped twice and shouted at Hagrid who'd descended the stairs. "Everyone saw! Assaulted me in public! You'll spend life in Azkaban!"
Harry suddenly shouted, neck straining. "Hagrid didn't even touch you!"
His voice was like opening Pandora's box. Surrounding students murmured, their comments aligning with Harry's words.
Cornelius Fudge's face reddened instantly, but his eyes no longer darted, like he'd made some decision.
"This is Hogwarts now..." Parkinson's face showed obvious disgust. "Lost basic respect..."
"They're just stating facts." Dumbledore's smile faded. "Can't always consolidate things that shouldn't be consolidated through false accusations."
"Former... Hogwarts Headmaster's final admonition, isn't it?" Yaxley sneered. "Treasure your last moments at Hogwarts..."
Dumbledore's tone was slow but firm. "Only when everyone abandons me will I truly leave Hogwarts."
Watching Cornelius Fudge's group depart, Anthony said confidently, "Lockhart appearing—definitely deliberate!"
Wizette nodded in agreement. He'd been observing their expressions.
When Lockhart appeared, Parkinson and Yaxley both looked over, their expressions becoming somewhat subtle.
Anthony's guess was quickly verified.
Days later, The Daily Prophet published a Ministry statement announcing the reopening of investigations into Hogwarts.
It even specified main investigation targets—besides Rubeus Hagrid, the "culprit" from the Chamber incident fifty years ago, also Dumbledore, who'd just left the school.
Discussion about this statement, at least within Hogwarts, was unanimous. Everyone felt Dumbledore was slandered and that Hagrid wasn't the true culprit.
Outside Hogwarts, wizards holding similar views should be numerous. At least The Quibbler's sales rose slightly again.
Xenophilius even considered publishing a compilation—collecting previous speculation and evidence about Cornelius Fudge into one Quibbler issue.
Wizette returned to the Mirror World. Salazar Slytherin hadn't continued sleeping, having recovered from statue state and standing before him.
Salazar Slytherin sat on the basilisk and looked Wizette up and down. "Can feel you've changed considerably..."
Wizette nodded. "Through Animagus, I gained deeper understanding of the soul."
While Salazar Slytherin observed him, he was also observing. "Headmaster Slytherin, your condition... doesn't seem very good?"
The simplest proof—when they first met, Salazar Slytherin could perceive what he was thinking, what he'd experienced.
Now this all-knowing ability seemed gone. Salazar Slytherin could only "feel" he'd grown.
"Already sensing this step..." Salazar Slytherin nodded. "Indeed made considerable progress. Your growth exceeds my imagination."
After receiving an affirmative answer, Wizette quickly asked, "Headmaster Slytherin, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Help me?" Salazar Slytherin blinked, a smile appearing at his lips.
He looked deeply at Wizette and shook his head. "The thought is appreciated. My situation is complex, not easily solved."
"Back to business! You came looking for me—I sensed it vaguely... So state your purpose... Did you encounter trouble?"
Hearing this, Wizette understood.
Salazar Slytherin probably hadn't fully recovered. Their conversation time wouldn't be long.
"Headmaster Slytherin, last year I encountered someone... He could possess others, influence them, force them to do unwilling things..."
"Even drain others' life force to gain more power and give himself stronger mobility... What kind of magic achieves this effect?"
"Oh! Over ten years ago he was defeated. Many wizards think he died... But based on current circumstances, he's still alive!"
"Drain life force, possess others?" Salazar Slytherin raised an eyebrow. "Defeated and died over ten years ago... Now returned?"
"Truly unique circumstances. Can even possess..." He stroked his beard gently and looked at Wizette. "This person you mentioned... Did he create a Horcrux?"
"Created a Horcrux?" Wizette chewed on the word, combining his knowledge of composite magic and Dark Magic concepts and principles to speculate this thing's purpose.
"Something external... something important..." He frowned. "Headmaster Slytherin, the Horcrux you mentioned... A magical device that can separate from the body and preserve the soul?"
"Correct. You can understand it simply that way." Salazar Slytherin nodded. "Tear the soul apart... Then seal the soul away. Very interesting magical device, isn't it?"
"Tear the soul?" Wizette couldn't help pulling out his notebook and recorded while asking, "Doing this... Won't it produce negative effects?"
"Seems you already understand—the soul can be altered..." Salazar Slytherin watched Wizette's actions and nodded with satisfaction.
"Of course there are negative effects... Normally, after a wizard tears their soul, the soul becomes unstable..."
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