20demayo Chapter 259 Reports and Discussions Through the Two-Way Mirror
Chapter 259 Reports and Discussions Through the Two-Way Mirror
Chapter 259 Reports and Discussions Through the Two-Way Mirror
A few nights later, in the inner workshop of the Eagle's Nest, Karen confirmed that the soundproofing and protective magic were functioning properly, and his roommates were on guard on the outer layer. He took a deep breath and retrieved the two-way mirror that connected him to France.
As magic was infused, the mirror rippled like water with a pebble thrown in, and soon, Professor Nico's face appeared clearly in the mirror. The background of Nico was still the workshop filled with various instruments and books, and Castor also came in from outside, his complexion seemed better than before, but his eyes were still sharp.
"Good evening, Cullen," Nicole smiled, her voice coming through the mirror. "You look radiant; the food at Hogwarts seems to be quite good. Hogwarts must be much better this term than last, right? Has anything interesting happened?"
Castor skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Is it about Horcruxes, or your progress in alchemy?"
"Good evening, Nico, teacher," Karen greeted respectfully, then her expression turned serious. "Both things have progressed, but the former is more important. I've found another Horcrux."
The expressions of the two people on the other side of the mirror instantly froze.
"Detailed explanation." Castor's voice deepened, his grey eyes sharp as an eagle's.
Karen probably briefly described Dobby's warning, the interception at the station, how Ginny Weasley was confirmed to be possessed, and the process of finally successfully taking the diary.
"—Now, it's here." Karen pointed to the heavily sealed lead box beside her. "I call it 'Tom Riddle's Diary.'"
“Tom Riddle—” Nico pondered. “Is it Voldemort’s diary? Does it have any other origin? How is it different from the diadem? But the ability to create Horcruxes must be one of Voldemort’s core secrets. You did a good job, Cullen, quick and decisive.” His praise was genuine; to have obtained another Horcrux sample so quickly was of immeasurable value.
"You were wise not to try to destroy it directly," Castor commented. "So, what did you get from it?"
"I tried to communicate with it," Karen said, and seeing the two of them frowning in the mirror, he quickly added, "with proper protection and the brain shut-off technique fully activated, and with my roommate acting as an external observer. The duration of each contact was strictly limited."
He described how he used Fiery Inferno to intimidate and force the fragments of the soul in the diary to submit, and how he had extracted knowledge from it over the past few days.
"It provides a wealth of profound knowledge, especially regarding the aggressive applications of ancient magic like Niven, some lost principles of dark magic, ancient magic, and certain secrets of Hogwarts," Cullen said. "Much of this knowledge is even—" he hesitated, "even beyond my current comprehension, but preliminary verification shows that its theoretical foundation is real and extremely sophisticated."
"There must be a trap involved," Castor said coldly. "The sixteen-year-old Voldemort may not have been as powerful as he is now, but his cunning and deceitful nature was already deeply ingrained. The knowledge he offered was either bait or concealed a twisted will and fatal flaws."
"I understand, teacher," Karen nodded. "That's why I only ask for theory and never put it into practice."
And all the knowledge I acquire, I cross-validate and logically reverse-engineer. It truly is constantly testing and enticing me, trying to find my weaknesses, playing the role of a seemingly selfless mentor, and sometimes even considering my safety.
Nico stroked his beard, lost in thought: "To possess such profound—even ancient—knowledge at such a young age is highly unusual. Even Voldemort, a genius, couldn't have acquired such knowledge at sixteen solely through talent. Unless—"
"Unless he has received some kind of inheritance," Castor interjected, his eyes sharp, "a systematic, ancient inheritance that leans towards black magic and esoteric knowledge."
Cullen nodded: "I've considered that possibility too. Considering his identity, his style of doing things, and the legends of Hogwarts, I speculate that the most likely source is—"
"The legacy left by Salazar Slytherin himself," Nico said slowly, his tone certain. "The legend of Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets is ancient, and last term, Voldemort controlled the Basilisk. If Riddle is truly Slytherin's heir, then it makes perfect sense that he found and inherited something from the Chamber. That knowledge about the Basilisk, ancient magic, and even Horcrux making could all have originated from it."
"This explains the depth and danger of knowledge." A hint of disgust and seriousness flashed in Castor's eyes. "The Slytherin legacy—no wonder he's so obsessed with pure-bloods and dark magic. Karen, you're not facing a simple fragment of a soul. This Horcrux may not be as powerful as the diadem, nor as aggressive as the previous basilisk, but it's clearly more intelligent than they all. You must be even more cautious."
"I will, Master," Cullen promised solemnly. "Every contact is fraught with peril. But I believe the risks are manageable while the rewards are immense. Through this knowledge, we can not only better understand Voldemort's power system, but perhaps also find clues to his other Horcruxes. Moreover, I am very interested in the possible Slytherin legacy, which might contain a method to help you completely remove the curse."
Castor hummed, neither confirming nor denying, but his gaze softened slightly: "Stay vigilant, Karen. Don't let knowledge blind you. Report your progress regularly, and if there's anything uncertain, stop immediately and ask questions."
"Yes, teacher."
Nico also instructed, "Write down this knowledge in detail, and we will analyze and verify it here simultaneously. The Slytherin legacy—this may fill many gaps in our understanding, even if that knowledge itself is dark."
After discussing this most important matter, the atmosphere eased a bit.
"So, what about the other thing? Your little invention?" Nicole asked with a smile, seemingly wanting to change the subject to something lighter.
Karen shared the results of the communication quill pen with them, describing the synchronization principle, the successful testing, and the minor flaws and optimization directions (switching, energy consumption).
"—While the principle is based on existing runes and synchronization magic, combining and applying them to this field is ingenious, Karen." Nico nodded approvingly. "It's highly practical and discreet. It's easier to carry and use than a two-way mirror. With optimization, it will be an excellent alchemical item."
Castor nodded slightly, his assessment as concise as ever: "Not bad. Much better than indulging in those flashy but impractical prank products. Once the energy problem is solved, its value will be even greater."
Karen was delighted to receive affirmation from her two mentors. "I'm currently optimizing and mass-producing several pairs."
Once completed, I will send one pair along with my summary notes from my diary to you both. This will allow you to access the research materials in real time and also test the communication performance of the quill pen over long distances.
"Excellent arrangement," Nico agreed. "We look forward to it. The faster knowledge is transferred, the faster our research can progress."
"That's settled then." Castor seemed about to end the call. "Stay in touch, Karen. Remember, safety first."
"I will, teacher. Goodnight, Nico, teacher."
The image on the two-way mirror slowly disappeared, returning to a normal mirror surface. Karen let out a long breath. Every time he discussed Horcruxes with his mentors, he felt a sense of security behind him. He put the two-way mirror away and turned his gaze back to the dangerous diary and the pair of quill pens shimmering on the table beside him.