"This is absolutely the most ridiculous thing in this entire book."
Looking at the large mass of green light in front of him, Avada felt as if someone had overturned a toilet in the kitchen of his mind—his emotions were a chaotic mixture that he could hardly put into words. Absurdity, disbelief, admiration, fear, and a desperate urge to laugh all tangled together.
He simply couldn't stop thinking that way.
On the one hand, the basin of green potion before him was almost the most complex, unbelievable, and exquisite alchemical creation he had ever seen. The boundary between soul and non-soul seemed blurred within the potion, as though an entirely new, cursed life was about to emerge from it.
The sensation was breathtaking.
It was like witnessing molecules stacking themselves into cells, or countless circuits weaving together into a brain—the instant life sparked into existence. The awe and shock nearly swept through his entire mind.
And then, the moment he remembered the potion's actual purpose, all those feelings instantly vanished.
The potion could not be removed by any means—unless a living being with a soul drank it.
Anyone who drank it would experience extreme pain, confusion, and agony worse than death.
And then…
Nothing.
It wouldn't kill them.It wouldn't cripple them.It wouldn't impair their ability to cast spells.It wouldn't leave any permanent damage.
Even the aftereffects would completely disappear within a few months, leaving no trace whatsoever.
The only real danger came afterward: the drinker would be overwhelmed with unbearable thirst, forcing them to drink from the stagnant water of the underground lake—where the Inferi lurking beneath would drag them down and drown them.
Yes.
Very creative design.
So creative that Avada genuinely wondered whether Voldemort had designed this entire challenge mainly for his own amusement.
Perhaps he believed the cave was hidden so well that no one besides himself could ever discover it. If that were the case, maybe he simply let his imagination run wild when designing the defenses.
If Dumbledore hadn't been wearing the cursed Resurrection Stone ring, he could probably clear this entire cave alone while still following Voldemort's rules.
The cave's location was supposedly extremely secret?
In the original story, Dumbledore located it purely through his own intelligence network.
The entrance required self-harm to open?
If Voldemort had just added a curse preventing wounds from healing, that alone would have made the defense far more reasonable.
The lake full of Inferi, hiding a boat only Voldemort knew about that could carry one person?
Dumbledore found it in minutes.
And then there was this basin of potion that must be drunk, causing severe pain…
Well, yes, that part might actually inconvenience Dumbledore.
But after burning all the Inferi in the lake with Fiendfyre, he could simply drink the potion without worry—then drink the lake water freely afterward.
At that point it would even be hot water.
Good for the stomach.
Finally, Fawkes could shed a few tears of phoenix healing magic, and then use phoenix teleportation to carry Dumbledore out of the cave.
And just like that, the delightful little Horcrux-retrieval trip would be complete.
"…Ha."
Avada clicked his tongue.
"What a waste. Such extraordinary technology, used by a mad Dark wizard just to entertain himself…"
While complaining, he reached into his Extension Pocket and rummaged around for a moment before pulling out a plain, unremarkable ring.
A dull gray stone was set in its center, looking as ordinary as something picked up from the roadside. The only distinctive feature was the strange symbol engraved upon it—a triangle enclosing a line and a circle.
One of the Deathly Hallows.A Horcrux of Voldemort.The artifact that had nearly killed Dumbledore.
The Gaunt family ring.
Also known as—
The Resurrection Stone.
After nearly two years of persistent effort, the deadly curse that once clung to the ring had finally been completely dismantled and dispersed by Avada. It was now safe to wear without any danger.
Although Voldemort's soul fragment still remained inside, it was unlike the diary. The ring possessed no independent thought, no ability to act, and no means of influencing the outside world.
It was perfectly safe to use.
And through prolonged study, Avada had gradually discovered the stone's true function.
Creating souls.
According to the records left by previous owners, the Resurrection Stone could summon the souls of the dead whom the user wished to see again. However, the returned souls were always cold, detached, and emotionless—as though they no longer belonged to the world of the living. Their presence would slowly drive the user into despair and madness, eventually leading them toward self-destruction.
But to Avada, this didn't mean the Resurrection Stone had failed.
Quite the opposite.
In his eyes, this was the most complex, unbelievable, and exquisite alchemical creation he had ever encountered.
Without the word "almost."
The tragedies of its previous owners occurred simply because they used the stone incorrectly.
Avada placed a finger on the stone and twisted it.
Immediately, a faintly glowing phantom light emerged from the ring. It looked like a cluster of countless fireflies gathered together, forming a soft white sphere that slowly drifted beside him.
It wasn't anyone.
He had summoned a pure soul.
So pure that it wasn't even truly the essence of life—far less vivid than the soul fragment within a Horcrux.
But in other words…
Without killing any living being, and without desecrating any dead person, he had obtained a soul that he could manipulate freely without the slightest moral burden.
And the cost was nothing more than turning a ring.
Those earlier owners who tried to resurrect the dead had unknowingly infused their memories of the deceased into the stone beforehand. As a result, the souls created by the Resurrection Stone absorbed those memories and emotions, shaping themselves into the appearance of the dead.
That was why those "resurrected" figures were always so cold and numb.
Because they were never real life to begin with—let alone life capable of genuine emotion.
And that was precisely what made the Resurrection Stone truly great.
It was the key that opened the path to soul research in the wizarding world.
No need to fear ethical condemnation.No need to risk imprisonment for forbidden experimentation.
With a simple twist of the ring, a researcher could obtain souls—something previously only Dark wizards could acquire through murder.
It removed the chains that had bound magical research for centuries, allowing the frontier of magic to advance faster than ever before.
Avada gently waved the hand wearing the ring.
The soul drifted upward, floating above the basin of emerald potion.
Then it slowly descended.
Lower…
And lower…
Until the bottom of the glowing sphere touched the surface of the liquid—
Creating a faint ripple.
(End of Chapter)