The British Ministry of Magic can be quite efficient when it wants to.
Just two days after the attack, Vincent received notification of an award ceremony to be held the following day.
The location is a campsite, and it's being broadcast live globally.
"It's just a political show..." He put down the notification letter in his hand and couldn't help but feel sorry for himself.
Sirius Black was coerced by the Ministry of Magic into reluctantly cooperating with them.
Because of Wayne Enterprises, he cannot fall out with them for the time being.
We have no choice but to play along in this grand drama.
Feeling somewhat depressed Vincent lay on his bed, looking at the Magical Communicator on his right wrist.
His right arm has fully healed, leaving only a few shallow scars.
With nothing else to do, he sent Dumbledore a video call request.
"Beep—beep—"
Dumbledore answered the phone on the seventh ring.
Vincent glanced at the somewhat familiar building behind him.
"Professor, are you in Knockturn Alley? Did Tom and the others hide here after leaving Gaunt Family Home?"
Dumbledore. "No, I've gotten some clues about the Slytherin Locket; it's very likely it was made into Horcrux."
The Slytherin Locket is a relic of Salazar Slytherin and another family heirloom of the Gaunt Family.
Vincent sat up in bed. "Professor, you found it?"
"Not yet." Dumbledore looked up at the building in front of him.
"Tom's biological mother stole the locket from the house when she eloped with Tom Riddle Sr.. She didn't wear it when she sent Tom to the orphanage. I think she probably sold it because she was short of money."
The locket was stolen, and once it appeared in the legitimate market, Merope Gaunt's Morfin Gaunt would discover her whereabouts.
The Gaunt Family may have extremely crazy ideas, but they are not stupid people who know nothing.
If sold to the black market, aside from individual buyers, only the Knockturn Alley remains.
Vincent stared longingly at Dumbledore on the projection screen. "Professor, I'm so bored here at the camp. Why don't we go together?"
Dumbledore did not react.
"Professor?" Vincent looked at the signal icon in the upper left corner with a puzzled expression.
Full signal, connection is fine.
"Professor, can you hear me?"
"I can hear it."
Vincent's lips twitched violently. "Professor, your acting is terrible."
Dumbledore nodded meaningfully. "Yes, I also think it's a bit rubbish. It seems I'll have to learn a lot from you tomorrow."
Vincent's mood became even more depressed when the topic of tomorrow's medal ceremony came up.
"Professor, do you believe I can appear in front of you in the next second?"
"I believe it, of course I believe it."
Dumbledore said seriously, "The Cornelius is in such a hurry to hold the award ceremony is because the delegation from the International Confederation of Wizards intends to intervene in the investigation of the attack."
Well, no wonder they wanted to broadcast it globally; they just wanted to give the delegation a few days of peace and quiet.
This scene is getting harder and harder to act.
Vincent lay back down on the bed, exhausted. "Professor, can I refuse the medal?"
"No." Dumbledore winked mischievously. "Cornelius has already notified the heads of all magical governments around the world. He'll bring you here even if he has to."
They've already acted first and informed us later; refusing now would be disrespectful to Fudge and the British Ministry of Magic.
What good are the heroes of the attack? They still have to obediently accept their arrangements.
Vincent stared blankly at the ceiling. "Professor, what do you think I need to do to completely break free from these ridiculous rules?"
Dumbledore smiled and shook his head. "I don't know, child. You know I've never thought that way."
It's not that I can't, it's that I don't want to, I really don't want to.
Back in the summer of 1899, the ambitions of this most powerful wizard of his time were buried in the grave along with those of his sister Ariana.
Vincent looked back at himself on the projection screen with a determined gaze. "I will find the answer, Professor."
Dumbledore paused for a moment, as if he saw someone's shadow.
He and Vincent were once even more ambitious and spirited, both dreaming of changing this terrible world with their own hands.
"Professor?"
Dumbledore snapped out of his reverie and found himself smiling involuntarily.
A gentle light shone in his kind eyes. "I'm sorry, as people get older, they always unconsciously recall some old stories."
Vincent could probably guess what he was thinking.
"Professor, I won't disturb your reminiscing. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow."
After ending the communication, Dumbledore time.
The smile on his face didn't disappear; instead, it carried him into the building in front of him.
The building's shop windows were filled with extremely dangerous Dark Magic items, and the gold sign at the top read "Borgin -Borkin Shop" in large letters.
When it comes to the black market in the British Wizarding World, almost every wizard will think of this place first.
However, when Dumbledore came out, he looked very preoccupied.
Mr. Burke, that big-time shady dealer, actually bought the locket from Merope Gaunt for a bargain price of 10 Galleon, and then resold it to a wealthy collector for an exorbitant price.
This collector is particularly famous; her name is Hepzba Smith, and she claims to be a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff Hufflepuff and owns Hufflepuff's Cup.
But she died years ago in a murder, a murder caused by a House-elf's dissatisfaction with its owner.
The House-elf Hokey, and she eventually died in Azkaban.
The trail had completely gone cold, but Dumbledore still felt that things were probably not that simple.
First, after Hepzibah Smith was murdered, the gold cup and locket disappeared completely.
Secondly, House-elf are bound by Ancient Magic Contract, making it impossible for them to harm wizards with their own will.
Third, Tom worked at the Borgin -Bock store when he was young.
Connecting these three points of doubt, a terrifying guess can be quickly drawn.
The pendant box and the golden cup must have been made into Horcrux; the next step is to find where they are hidden.
Given Tom's suspicious nature, he would definitely keep the two relics belonging to the Founders Hogwarts separate.
Moreover, he was extremely arrogant, entrusting his notebook to Lucius for safekeeping, and leaving the Gaunt Ring in the Gaunt Family Home. He didn't even go in to look at it when he moved with his servants a few days ago.
The choice of Horcrux clearly had special significance for him, so the hiding place should also have special significance.
Dumbledore returned to the Headmaster's Office in the castle, took out the Pensieve, and entered into memories related to Tom.
If you take a few more steps along the path of memories, you're sure to discover some small details that you may have previously overlooked.
Suddenly, he froze the scene of his first meeting with Little Tom.
On the windowsill of the orphanage room, there are seven trinkets that were picked up from the beach.
Six seashells and one pebble.
Dumbledore looked to his right, where a photograph was displayed on the wall, showing a sea of caves.
It seems these aren't just simple landscape photos.
The trinkets on the windowsill were probably picked up from that rocky sea area, and this seemingly dangerous place must have had special significance for little Tom.