Before the Lesson

"No problem. I trust Gellert's abilities."

"I'm not doubting the teacher's abilities either. It's just that we ought to make a few more preparations for this. Originally, we planned to have Ancestor Helga help transfer your soul. With Fawkes's phoenix fire added to that, there would have been no further problems. But now, it seems the ancestor's awakening is still a distant prospect. We clearly need a new safeguard."

"In that case," Dumbledore said, somewhat hesitant after Jon's analysis, "how about you?"

"I could do it, but my power is simply too weak."

After all, this involved the level of the soul. To preserve Dumbledore's soul intact and prevent any loss, they could either make Horcruxes like Voldemort had, keeping the soul's power at a weakened level. That way, with their current strength alone, they could still maintain the soul's integrity.

In other words, they would preserve one part of the soul first, then use other power to preserve the rest.

But Dumbledore clearly would not accept that method.

They were about to say something more when Harry's voice suddenly came from outside.

"Let's talk tomorrow. I'm heading back first. Oh, and those idiots at the Ministry of Magic really aren't much use. Talk to our boy about this."

Jon rose and turned, vanishing on the spot, leaving only Dumbledore and the headmasters in the portraits.

So when Harry entered, he saw that the lights in Dumbledore's office were on, while the portraits of former headmasters snored softly in their frames.

The Pensieve was sitting on the desk again. Dumbledore held its rim with both hands, and his right hand was still charred black, with no apparent improvement at all.

For the hundredth time, Harry wondered what had caused such obvious damage, but he did not ask.

Dumbledore had said