Night Talk

The mist rising from the Wraith paused, Voldemort asked with surprise and uncertainty, "How did you know I was planning to rescue Wormtail?"

This time it was Loren's turn to be surprised. Although he knew that Werewolf and some people in the Ministry of Magic were involved under Voldemort's leadership, he was unaware that Voldemort was already planning a prison break to rescue people.

Loren paused, giving Voldemort a deep look. "I only know that the Ministry of Magic did not sentence Wormtail Peter to death. Since he is not dead, he must have a chance to get out."

Based on the original plot, Voldemort will be resurrected and release all the Death Eater imprisoned in Azkaban, with Wormtail Peter being just one of them.

"With the truth of what happened back then exposed, there is nowhere for him to stay in the Wizarding World. He will definitely come to you again, so I am asking you for Wormtail Peter in advance."

Having said that, Loren confidently examined Voldemort's Wraith. It was a risky request to begin with, and even for revenge, he couldn't possibly cooperate with Voldemort.

Instead of siding with the Dumbledore, switching sides now is no different from joining the National Revolutionary Army in 1949.

The Wraith contained a form of Magic Power that Loren had never seen before. Unlike the solidified, unified Magic Power within a normal wizard's body, the Magic Power in Voldemort's Wraith was like scattered particles.

These tiny particles make up the mist, which is constantly dissipating, but some invisible, mysterious force holds the dissipating particles together.

Magic Power, soul, emotions, memories... the substances representing Voldemort were combined together, placing him in a state between life and death, forcibly keeping him in the world.

Is this power... the magic of Horcrux?

Loren pondered the fate of the various Horcrux. The Diary had been destroyed, Ravenclaw's Diadem and the Gaunt family ring had been unearthed, and Nagini had been rescued ahead of schedule. Hufflepuff's Goblet was in Gringotts ' vault, and Slytherin's Locket was in Black family manor.

A curious thought crossed Loren's mind: if all these Horcrux were destroyed before Voldemort's resurrection, could he still maintain his Wraith state...?

Or will it simply dissipate?

Unfortunately, there's no way to verify this hypothesis. Voldemort still had a fragment of his soul left in Harry's scar, existing in a symbiotic relationship with Harry, which Voldemort could only destroy himself.

The floating Grey Mist was like a shadowy figure in the darkness. Voldemort's consciousness lurked within the mist as he stared at Loren with a sinister look, completely unaware of the strange thoughts swirling in the young wizard's mind, who was still thinking about Wormtail Peter.

Loren Morgan had no idea that he was planning to rescue Wormtail Peter. Voldemort realized that he had been tricked into revealing the information.

How interesting, did they deduce from the movements of the Ministry of Magic and the Werewolf that he might be planning to rescue Wormtail...?

Or is it really just a coincidence, as this person says?

He leaned more towards the former, and in the shadows, Voldemort's smile widened... How clever! An orphan, exceptionally talented, and more importantly, possessing an almost innate ability to control people's hearts.

Will Dumbledore see something familiar in Loren?

"What special meaning does this lowly rat hold for you? I can't think of any value in him that would make you specifically ask me for him." Voldemort neither agreed nor refused; he patiently prolonged the conversation, hoping to learn more about Loren through their dialogue.

"Personal reasons, none of your business." Loren looked directly at him and said slowly, "I'm also curious why the great Dark Lord would specifically save this rat. Aren't there Dobby Death Eater in Azkaban who are far more capable than him?"

At one point, Loren suddenly looked forward to Voldemort using Legilimency on him in his Wraith form, wondering if the power of the Horcrux could withstand the curse contained in the Book of Abraham.

Unfortunately, Voldemort was quite polite tonight and treated him very courteously.

Suppressing the wild thoughts swirling in his mind, Loren continued to observe Voldemort's state. A faint, crystalline blue light flickered in his eyes, like the faint starlight in the night sky, analyzing the movement of strange, particle-like Magic Power.

Even if he couldn't understand the magical principles involved, he could still record those trajectories.

"You don't trust me?" Although it was a question, Voldemort used a calm, declarative tone. "But I'm more willing to trust you, Morgan —no, I prefer to call you Loren. You're more important than you think."

He began to explain why Wormtail Peter was specifically rescued, "Because rats are easy to carry, and it's normal for Transfiguration rats after being tortured by Dementor. Even if he remained in rat form, the Aurors guarding the prison wouldn't suspect that he could be replaced with a rat missing a toe."

He recounted the events in detail, making it clear that Voldemort genuinely trusted Loren completely.

In Voldemort's view, this was merely a test. Since he had already revealed his plan to get Wormtail Peter out of prison, there was no point in hiding it; he might as well lay it all out.

If Loren informs Dumbledore, it proves he's an incurable fool brainwashed by Dumbledore, and that he should be controlled in another way.

But if he didn't betray Dumbledore, it means his relationship with Dumbledore wasn't that close...

Voldemort looked at the inexperienced young wizard with a smile, and hissed like a snake, "Most importantly, he is easy to control."

Loren nodded slightly, understanding. Compared to the other Death Eater, Wormtail Peter was more cowardly and had no other choice, making him easier to control.

Another question arose in his mind, "Now that you have made contact with the Crabbe family, you should have no shortage of servants to do with you, right?"

"Ha," Voldemort chuckled, "If they were truly loyal, why has no one in the last ten years come to help their master, to help those who have sworn to be loyal forever?"

Voldemort's calm tone was completely devoid of emotion, though he himself didn't realize that his current long passages of words were somewhat verbose compared to his previous concise and to the point.

"They know I took precautions to prevent death long ago, and they've witnessed me prove my invincibility countless times. Even so, the moment they see me at a disadvantage, they believe I'm finished, that I'm doomed. Why is that—"

Voldemort said softly, "Because they believe there is an even greater power that can defeat Voldemort. This time, I found the Crabbe family and made them believe that I, in this state, am a spell of Voldemort, like the Patronus Charm. So they guessed that a more powerful Voldemort was lurking in the shadows, just waiting for Dumbledore to die so that he could stir up the darkness again."

"If they were to discover my presence, do you think they would still be so obedient?" Voldemort said with a sigh. "They are not loyal to any one person, only to the mighty."

For some reason, Voldemort's narration reminded Loren of the Elder Wand... Loren licked his teeth, his tone regretful and wistful:

"It seems you can't give up on Wormtail Peter, and I can't let Wormtail Peter go either. Our conversation may have to end here."

Voldemort was not disappointed at all; instead, his smile widened. "On the contrary, it's precisely because you don't want to let him go that you need to cooperate with me. Just imagine, would the 'law-abiding' Dumbledore let you bypass the Ministry of Magic and the law to deal with that rat?"

At this point, Voldemort paused, giving Loren time to think.

"I need to rescue Wormtail so you can have a chance to deal with him. Until then, let him use up some of his remaining life force; our goals don't conflict."

"I'd be a fool to believe you..." Loren asked, his voice both impassioned and profound. "So, Voldemort, what was the price?"

Oblivious to the oddity in his words, Voldemort said softly, "Just focus on your studies. You don't need to do anything else. After all, you're just a second-year wizard, aren't you?"

Seeing Loren's surprised and uncertain expression, Voldemort smiled with satisfaction. "I know you don't truly trust me, but the one thing I have in abundance is time. Time will prove that I am more suitable to be your ally than Dumbledore."

He left with a meaningful expression, rushed out the window, and disappeared into the hazy, dim night sky.

Tsk, what a low-class way to win people's hearts.

Loren shook his head as he quickly closed the window, confirming once again that Voldemort was no match for Dumbledore.

But should we tell Dumbledore about Wormtail Peter...?

Loren collapsed onto the four-poster bed, his limbs spread wide in a "T" shape. All the candlelight was extinguished, and layers of black curtains draped around the bedposts. In a daze, he saw again the bustling street, and the sky-blue dress...

A life for a life, a debt for a debt—this is a matter of course, and Wormtail Peter must be punished. Admittedly, although he had always intended to fool Voldemort, Loren was still tempted by his proposal.

On the other side is Dumbledore, that white-bearded old man who is always smiling, always generous in sharing delicious sweets with him, and always teaching him not to manipulate people's hearts...

After struggling for a while without getting anywhere, Loren gave up, dejectedly slapping the icon of the Fantasy Book, and muttered, "Never mind, I'll tell him when I get back from St Mungo's Sanatorium tomorrow. That way it won't be considered hiding anything, it'll just be a little delayed."

Fantasy Book, inside a bright Library.

As soon as Loren's consciousness appeared, he shouted impatiently, "Flamel!"

In the Muggle section, Flamel leaned against a bookshelf, holding a copy of Friedrich's "Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks".

The books scanned from the Muggle Library are diverse and vast, covering almost half of the Library's area. Besides vocal and opera-related content, Flamel has recently become fascinated with philosophy books. Without magic or supernatural abilities, the Muggle perspective on the world offers him unique insights.

Upon hearing the sound, Flamel casually put the book aside, moved swiftly, and appeared in front of Loren in the blink of an eye.

"If I remember correctly, there are no lessons scheduled for today." Flamel led Loren to sit down on a bench. "Hmm, it seems you have a lot to say."

"Yes, many!" Loren nodded in deep agreement. "First, in the Chamber of Secrets left by Slytherin, I saw the illustration on the first seven pages of the Book of Abraham ..."

He told Flamel in detail about Slytherin, the Chamber of Secrets, the Basilisk, and Voldemort. First, on the stone door at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, Slytherin had left a picture of a snake swallowing another snake.

Then, the slender snake possessed by Voldemort slithered into the mouth of the Basilisk, confirming the image of a snake swallowing another snake.

"Is this the scene that Abraham and Slytherin both Prophecy?" Loren asked.

"Snake swallowing snake..." Flamel repeated the phrase, though he frankly hesitated for a moment.

The possessor of the Book of Abraham has unique insights into its contents, and based on these unique insights, can forge a unique and exclusive Sorcerer's Stone.

Others interpret it as a conceptual diagram, suggesting that the two snakes, belonging to the same zodiac sign, are presented in different forms and as individuals, with the swallowing symbolizing a transformation and union. In short, these are all esoteric and even metaphysical interpretations.

Loren, on the other hand, saw an almost identical scene in the real world...

This is Linmei! All previous owners thought it was an image with profound mysteries and symbolic meaning, but you call it a realistic sketch.

Flamel stared blankly at Loren, his six-hundred-year-old memories replaced by an unprecedented sense of bewilderment, mired in deep self-doubt.

So, did the previous holders of the Book of Abraham go astray from the very beginning...? Nicol went through many hardships to find the secrets of death, but in the end, he still failed to forge the perfect Sorcerer's Stone. Was it because he was overthinking it?

Flamel had many questions he wanted to ask and many speculations he wanted to share with Loren, but he had to keep them to himself. He couldn't mention anything about the book, lest he interfere with Loren's understanding.

"I don't know either, just interpret it according to your own understanding..." Flamel said sullenly.

Seeing Flamel's frustrated expression, Loren felt a headache coming on. What kind of reaction is this? Do something to help!

After staring at Flamel for a while, and confirming that he really had nothing to say, Loren scratched his head. "Then when will I interpret the Book of Abraham again, when Mars shines brightly again?"

After seeing the scene of the snake swallowing another snake, he became even more curious about the images on the next two seven-page pages. Could the illustrations in the book be Prophecy? Would he see snakes entwined around crosses and snakes emerging from springs in the future?

Flamel pondered for a moment and replied, "Perhaps, but your situation is completely different from Nicol's, and I cannot offer any advice."

"Alright," Loren forced down his doubts and changed the subject to the trait Voldemort had mentioned, "Voldemort just found me and said that great wizards all possess distinct traits..."

Gryffindor's courage, Ravenclaw's wisdom, Hufflepuff's integrity and kindness, Slytherin's pursuit of honor...

As Loren recounted these events, Flamel's gaze deepened.

"This is nothing mysterious. I could give you many more examples: the wickedness of the evil black wizard Hعلbo, the inviolability of Death, and even the mystery of the Poet Beedle."

Loren's eyes widened in astonishment as he asked, "Even Death and Poet Beedle are included?"

Flamel chuckled. "You've realized the absurdity of this viewpoint, haven't you? In fact, the distinctive qualities of many famous wizards are merely labels attached to them by later generations. Think about it, are the only qualities of Hufflepuff honest and kind?"

And then there's their fearlessness, their ability to enjoy life, and their exceptional skill in cooking... Loren listed them off, and suddenly realized that Hufflepuff's traits weren't so distinct anymore.

Looking into Loren's eyes, Flamel could easily see his astonishment. "These wizards are not powerful because of their distinctive traits, but rather, people notice their distinctive traits because of their power."

Loren nodded as if he understood, and after exchanging some knowledge about Alchemy, Loren withdrew from the Fantasy Book, and the Library once again fell into a long silence.

On the bench, Flamel sat quietly, his slightly transparent fingers gently tapping the virtual armrests, making a "tap, tap..." sound.

Numerous figures appeared in Flamel's silver eyes, and the figures buried deep in his memory slowly became clear.

The fear spread by Bloody Mary, through the Black Death, propelled death...

This is absolutely outrageous!

Wizard slang: nm, which is an inversion of Merlin Linmei, an interjection.

It means that if Merlin came, everything would be turned upside down, which is extremely absurd.

(I made this up because there were no references.)