24 Soulbound

"This thing has a part of You-Know-Who's soul in it; that's wrong. I know we sometimes have to deal with things like this in ancient tombs in Egypt. Was really popular in those days. It was a means to gain immortality, but such a thing doesn't really exist in the way the wizards of that time hoped for. They hoped with a thing like this, they couldn't be killed."

"That isn't true; a body can still die. What they do, however, is prevent a soul from passing on. Normally that isn't a huge problem. You only need a good exorcist to banish the trapped spirits from this plain. But in the case of a wizard like You-Know-Who, I would guess he had looked up ways to make it work. That's why I need Professor Dumbledore," Wundermoor explained.

"There are several ways to manage getting a body back if one is desperate enough or willing to pursue into the deepest pits of dark magic. There are rituals that use certain sacrifices to return a spirit to a body. We should make sure that none of them is an option."

"But there is an even easier one if you have the right resources. That way is the Elixir of Life, a substance of great power and rejuvenating abilities that can be produced with a Philosopher's Stone, and the only currently existing stone belongs to Nicolas Flamel, an old friend of Dumbledore," Wundermoor elaborated.

Understanding the urgency, Healer Reggam called for his house elf, Tibby, to deliver a message to Dumbledore. Tibby assured that only Dumbledore would see the message and promptly popped away to deliver the note.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Potter?" Healer Reggam inquired.

"Drained. The headache is better now, but it feels strange in my head. Like there has been a dam, and now water is flooding into the open space," Harry tried to describe the sensations.

In a flash of flame, Dumbledore appeared in the room, accompanied by a red and golden bird. Dumbledore, concerned, asked about the situation. Healer Reggam confirmed the discovery of a horcrux in Harry's scar, explaining the difficulty in extracting it.

The bird, meanwhile, flew over to Harry and gazed into his eyes. Harry felt a warm and safe connection with the bird.

"It seems Fawkes hasn't forgotten you, Harry. When you were a baby and your parents had you with them in meetings with me, you always were very fond of Fawkes," Dumbledore said, smiling. Fawkes started crying, and the tears fell into the open scar. With each tear, Harry felt better.

"Incredible. I wouldn't have thought to ever see a phoenix healing somebody he wasn't bonded to," Wundermoor exclaimed, astonished.

"Thanks, Fawkes," Harry said, reaching out to pet the phoenix. Fawkes trilled in response, as if saying 'You're welcome,' and allowed Harry to stroke his feathers before returning to Dumbledore's shoulder.

Encouraged by Fawkes' behavior, Dumbledore considered Harry's purity despite his difficult experiences. As Harry sat up, he posed questions about horcruxes and the significance of the splint.

Dumbledore hesitated initially, reluctant to introduce such dark magic to an eleven-year-old. However, recognizing the need to provide incentives for Harry to choose Hogwarts, he decided to reveal some information. He knew there were other reputable magical schools, and he needed to ensure Harry saw the value in choosing Hogwarts.

"A horcrux, Harry, is the darkest of magic. Not many people know of them, mostly cursebreakers like Mr. Wundermoor here and those with a mastery in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Even within that group, there are not many. Some decades back, the knowledge was more available, but I feared what certain people would do if they found out about it."

Dumbledore took a deep breath, preparing to divulge crucial information. "When I became headmaster at Hogwarts, I took all the books regarding the darkest arts of magic from the library. I didn't think it would be good if students had access to those dangerous books."

He proceeded to explain the intricacies of creating a Horcrux.

"The way a Horcrux works is that the witch or wizard creating it has to commit the worst crime, committing murder. That act tears the soul apart, and the piece that is torn from the main part of the soul is stored in a container. As long as the Horcrux exists, the owner can't truly die."

Dumbledore emphasized the despicability of such magic, delving into the sanctity of the soul for wizards and witches.

"To fully understand why a Horcrux is the most despicable kind of magic, you need to know that to a wizard or witch, the soul is normally sacrosanct. A whole soul enables you to keep your magic in balance and use your full potential. Some dark magic works better with a mutilated soul, but historical dark lords and ladies avoided it, fearing a loss of obedience from their followers."

He continued, addressing the consequences of relying on a Horcrux for immortality. "The person also doesn't really live if the Horcrux is the thing that keeps the rest of the soul on the plain of the living."

Staniel Wundermoor interjected with a crucial piece of information. "That's the reason I called you. I know that you are friends with Nicolas Flamel, Professor Dumbledore. His Philosopher's Stone and the elixir of life it produces are one way how You-Know-Who could return to a body. It would be best if you warned the Flamels of the danger."

The weight of the situation settled heavily on Dumbledore's shoulders as he absorbed the gravity of the information and considered the implications for the wizarding world.

....

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