A Professor of Magic at Hogwarts

Chapter 138: The Tale

Upon the black marble, the white inscriptions were easier to discern in the dim light, shimmering in the darkness.

Locke Averin

Born December 12, 1966, Departed May 3, 1980

Caring for 12 companions during the flu outbreak, he tragically fell ill and passed away.

"Locke Averin..." murmured Felix Harp. He recalled that year when he was nine, lying in a sickbed, the scene of someone tending to him during his weakest moments.

Three days before recovery, Averin's presence vanished. He had beseeched the Headmaster to tell him, only receiving a heavy sigh in return.

That was the first time he deeply comprehended death.

Felix stood quietly before the tombstone, resembling a silent statue. After nearly an hour, his figure faded away.

At eight in the evening, Felix returned to his office. Earlier, he had used Patronus communication to inform his assistant, canceling this weekend's magical text revisions.

With slight preparations, he knocked on the Headmaster's office door.

Inside, it was rather dim. Dumbledore lifted his head from the desk, gazing at him through his half-moon glasses. "Felix... please have a seat. One moment, the lighting in the office is rather dim."

He raised something resembling a silver lighter, pressed it a few times, and tiny spheres of light flew out, instantly brightening the office.

"What's this?" Felix asked with interest.

"A little contraption of my own making. I call it the Lumosiphon. It absorbs and releases light sources," Dumbledore explained.

Felix sat across from him, bringing out his notebook and a brand-new coronet.

Dumbledore's gaze immediately fell upon the coronet. He stood up abruptly, bending over to examine it carefully. "This is... if I'm not mistaken..."

"Correct, Lady Ravenclaw's coronet."

Dumbledore looked at Felix, keenly noting his use of 'Lady,' a phrasing not often used.

He quickly thought of the brief borrowing of his own Headmaster privileges, and the speculation that sprouted made him somewhat taken aback, but he swiftly dismissed the possibility.

His attention shifted to the notebook; it didn't possess the same allure, appearing tattered with a hole in the middle.

Dumbledore stared at it for a longer time, his fingers exploring the tear. "A powerful Fiendfyre curse," he frowned, refraining from immediate commentary. Then, for a brief moment, his vibrant blue eyes widened. "I see... indeed, that's how it is..."

After a while, his gaze finally moved away. Dumbledore softly exclaimed, "Truly astonishing. I thought nothing would surprise this old man anymore, but it seems your story is about to broaden my horizons."

Felix began to recount his 'adventure,' starting from a very early time. "On the night the Chamber ordeal concluded, Draco Malfoy found me. He appeared anxious yet clever, bringing along a malevolent Dark magical item..." He nodded towards the notebook on the table.

He spoke of how he suspected a connection between the notebook and the Chamber's opening, attempting to communicate with it, yet receiving no response.

"This doesn't quite align with Mr. Malfoy's experience. I've decided to observe it for a while and have cast intricate protective spells around it," Felix shared.

Dumbledore interlaced his fingers, resting them under his chin, silently listening.

"It wasn't until Dueling class that I realized the enchantments I'd cast were broken. I hurried back and discovered a unconscious house-elf named Dobby. Administering a potion to it, I unexpectedly gained insight into the truth of the Chamber incident," Felix continued.

"So—"

"The Diary was a relic of Voldemort's, for uncertain reasons, he entrusted his diary to Lucius Malfoy, who, taking advantage of the incident outside Flourish and Blotts, concealed the diary within the book of Ginny Weasley, the youngest daughter of the Weasleys."

Dumbledore sighed, "This aligns with some of my conjectures. From what I know, during that time, the Ministry of Magic conducted searches on several pure-blood families under the pretense of investigating dark magical items. Lucius might have grown anxious and wanted to rid himself of this trouble."

"Dobby felt immense gratitude towards Potter. Despite defying his master's orders, he protected Potter in his own way, even though..." Felix Harp displayed a slight smile, "it might have caused some disturbance to Potter himself."

"Ah, these pure emotions often exceed our imagination," Dumbledore mused.

"In any case, I realized the danger and intended to vanquish the diary. Conventional magic was futile, so I resorted to the Fiendfyre," Felix straightforwardly mentioned, not shying away from the fact of using Dark magic.

Dumbledore didn't say much, "Perhaps... it indeed is a good approach."

Next, Felix explained that during his investigation of the Chamber, he had unintentionally stumbled upon a mysterious room. "I find its magic quite intriguing and plan to study it during my spare time."

"On the eighth floor of the castle, on the tapestry of the club-wielding giant and the tiny babbling Bandon Banshee?" Dumbledore repeated, a thoughtful expression on his face. He smiled, saying, "Your words have solved a long-standing mystery for me."

"You know about it too?" Felix asked knowingly, unable to say he'd used various odd probes with Dumbledore's name.

"Oh, it's a delightful experience indeed. However, I might have underestimated its purpose at the time..."

Felix didn't press further; he nodded and then continued about the matter of the two ghosts. He and Barro had known each other since their school days, and he had inadvertently overheard their conversation.

Somewhat sheepishly, he said, "Initially, I had utilitarian motives—I came across Lady Ravenclaw's manuscript in the library and became curious about the era a thousand years ago. I deliberately befriended Helena."

Dumbledore reassured him, "In my youth, I too held utilitarian motives, deliberately befriended many famous wizards. There's no need to feel ashamed."

"You're always so understanding, Dumbledore." Felix said, "At the time, I had another intention. As a friend of Barro's, I hoped to alleviate the resentment Helena held towards him."

"But upon deeper interaction, I found Helena to be an exceptional lady. Conversations with her were quite delightful; I relished the process," Felix's voice grew quieter.

Moving on, Felix minimized his description of Helena. He didn't want to mention her name amid a pile of lies.

"...I realized that the Room of Requirement might be Ravenclaw's hidden chamber. With her, I entered and witnessed the memories left behind by Rowena Ravenclaw herself a thousand years ago."

Dumbledore's hand, which was stroking his silver beard, paused. He listened intently, not wanting to miss a word.

"...Lady Ravenclaw discovered the coronet. She mentioned that within it lay a piece of evil soul, supposedly a magic originating from a renowned Dark wizard of ancient Greece—ignoble Herpo."

Dumbledore's expression turned solemn. He uttered a word, "Horcrux."

"Exactly, that magic. I thought of the diary and showed it to Lady Ravenclaw. After her confirmation, it was revealed that the diary was one of the Horcruxes as well."

"Very perceptive, Felix," Dumbledore remarked.

"Afterward, Lady Ravenclaw used the immense magic of Hogwarts to destroy it, and before her mission was complete, she recreated the coronet."

Felix finished his story.

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