The Prisoners of Hogwarts

Chapter 123 Confession

Chapter 123 Confession

"In fact, it was almost perfect—unless you pointed out the flaw, and I happened to trace its root cause."

It's probably still sleeping there, unnoticed.

He gently stroked his beard, adding the final details: "When I finally found it, it was placed in a dusty, dilapidated cabinet. The room, as I just said, resembled a vast storage room filled with centuries of junk. The Horcrux was cleverly hidden within, its malevolent aura concealed by countless faint, chaotic magical traces and the object's own 'forgotten' nature. It looked so ordinary, so inconspicuous, perfectly blending into its surroundings. Had I not been searching not for the physical entity, but for that extremely subtle malevolent fluctuation connected to the magical source I was investigating, I would have surely overlooked it as well."

Silence fell over the office again.

The two powerful wizards once again focused their gazes on the crown.

Its discovery not only means the exposure of a Horcrux, but also connects Voldemort's past and provides crucial clues for tracking down other Horcruxes.

After a long silence, Lynch broke it: "There are four houses, four founders. Ravenclaw's crown has been stolen. Knowing Voldemort's nature, he won't let the relics of the other three founders go. Is there any news about the other three relics?"

Upon hearing this question, Dumbledore did not answer directly, but instead stood up from behind his desk.

He walked to a seemingly ordinary brass candlestick by the wall and, almost ritualistically, gently touched the bottom of the candlestick.

Without making a sound, part of the wall slid open silently, revealing a built-in wall box.

The niche was lined with deep red velvet, and on that velvet lay a sword.

The scabbard was made of red leather and inlaid with several dazzling rubies, which shimmered with a fiery luster under the soft office light.

The golden hilt and guard are engraved with intricate patterns. Although it lies there quietly, unsheathed, it naturally exudes an aura of invincible sharpness.

Dumbledore picked up the sword with both hands and gently placed it on the table, next to Ravenclaw's crown.

"Godric Gryffindor's sword has always been here," Dumbledore said, a hint of barely perceptible pride in his voice. "It will only appear when the real Gryffindor needs it. Voldemort has no chance to touch it."

"What about the other two?" Lin Qi asked.

"Unfortunately, they were lost from Hogwarts many years ago and ended up in the outside world." Dumbledore's voice deepened. "When I found this crown, I immediately began the search for the other two founder relics."

"But the clues came to an abrupt end; they were lost after a bizarre death."

"A bizarre death case?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hepzba-Smith, a wealthy antique collector. She is a descendant of Hufflepuffs, and few know that she possesses two precious magical items: the Hufflepuff Cup and the Slytherin Locket."

Dumbledore continued, "She died of poisoning. The Ministry of Magic concluded that the house-elf Hodge, due to his old age, accidentally put poison in his mistress's bedtime cocoa, causing Ms. Smith's death. The poor elf also confessed to the truth."

Lynch looked at Dumbledore: "But your conclusion is different."

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Dumbledore nodded: "Before the house-elf Hodge died of extreme grief and remorse, I visited her in Azkaban. She was already delirious. But I managed to glean a crucial piece of information from her memory—the name Tom Riddle."

Lynch waited quietly for Dumbledore to continue.

"I did some research." Dumbledore's blue eyes behind his half-moon lenses seemed to pierce through the mists of time. "It turns out that after Tom graduated, he worked for a while at Borgin & Burke's shop in Knockturn Alley."

"Judging by the timeline, it was around that time that he met Mrs. Hepzba-Smith. If you've ever met Tom Riddle, you'll know that he could become anyone's confidant if he wanted to. He had that ability and charm."

"I surmise that Mrs. Smith warmly invited Riddle into her home and showed him her most prized possessions—Helga Hufflepuff's golden cup and Salazar Slytherin's locket."

"She brought about her own demise," Lin Qi calmly concluded.

"A clean and swift murder, leaving almost no trace." Dumbledore nodded heavily. "Poor Mrs. Smith probably never imagined that the young man she so warmly welcomed and showed her the family heirloom would cruelly take her life."

"Tom took advantage of her vanity and loneliness to get into her home, and then disposed of her like a piece of junk."

"And those two priceless treasures that embody Hogwarts' thousand-year history most likely fell into his hands at that time."

Dumbledore's voice was filled with regret, as if he were still mourning the unfortunate old lady.

"So there are no more clues about those two relics?" Lin Qi asked.

"Indeed, there isn't any left." Dumbledore's deep blue eyes no longer looked at the sword or the crown, but stared intently and unabashedly at Lynch. "But I have a guess, and perhaps you can help me verify it."

His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, as if trying to pierce through all of Lynch's defenses and reach the deepest part of his soul.

Lin Qi understood instantly.

Dumbledore summoned him today not merely to show him the Ravenclaw crown and inform him of the disappearance of the Hufflepuff Cup and the Slytherin locket.

He was making a final confirmation, a targeted inquiry.

Dumbledore already had a guess in his mind, and now he needed to get the answer from Lynch.

An invisible pressure permeated the air.

Lynch could sense the expectation, scrutiny, and unwavering persistence in Dumbledore's eyes.

He realized he had let his guard down and was cornered by Dumbledore's sudden attack.

His mind raced, weighing countless possibilities—Dumbledore's investigation would have a clearer direction, greatly accelerating his search for the Horcruxes. This might completely disrupt his own plans, even rendering his years of painstaking efforts futile!

But right now, cooperation and trust are more important than suspicion. He needs Dumbledore's trust, even if it's just a temporary relaxation of his vigilance.

So he met Dumbledore's piercing gaze, his voice steady, breaking the silence in the office:

"The only Horcrux I know of is Slytherin's locket."