Lies and Contracts

Professor Baker had hidden the reason he made a Horcrux.

Avada's Magic Sense let him directly "see" the most fundamental changes in other people's mental energy, allowing him to detect their true feelings and thoughts. It was like having a basic form of Legilimency built in—one that left no trace and ignored Occlumency. Whether someone was friendly or hostile, sincere or deceitful, happy or angry, lying or hiding something... nothing escaped him.

Almost everything Professor Baker had said was true. Only at the very beginning, when he explained why he had made the Crystal Ball, had his mental energy shown faint signs of "concealment."

Of course, he couldn't tell them the truth. If he admitted that he had killed someone in pursuit of immortality, who would be willing to help him? And the fact that he would rather seek help from two first-years than from another professor probably meant he didn't want anyone to see through the nature of the Horcrux.

Moreover, in his later explanations, he had deliberately avoided the word "soul," repeatedly emphasizing instead what happened to one's "consciousness."

But one thing left Avada utterly baffled: when Professor Baker swore that he had done no evil, and when he answered Baron's question about whether the Crystal Ball was a Dark Magic object, he had been telling the truth!

In other words, Professor Baker really was deeply versed in Dark Magic, and the Black Crystal Ball really was a Horcrux. The reason he had made it really was something he couldn't reveal—but somehow, he had made it without doing evil?!

That went completely against everything Avada knew.

Still, he could just about accept it. After all, he knew he had been exposed to magic for only a few months, and his understanding of the magical world was but a drop in the ocean. He only had a somewhat broader perspective because he had read the original books, but even that knowledge was quite general. Perhaps there was some way to make a Horcrux without having one's soul corrupted by Dark Magic that he didn't know about?

And if Professor Baker really hadn't done evil, and had split his soul only after killing a wicked Dark wizard...

"You want us to help you?"

Baron frowned. "We're only first-years. How could we possibly solve a problem like this?"

"Don't worry. Even for a first-year wizard, helping me won't be difficult or dangerous, as long as he isn't too foolish. Besides, I've taught you for half a year, and I can tell that you're both far more capable than others your age... And if you're willing to help me, I'll offer a generous reward afterward, including but not limited to money, some of my own special techniques, confidential information, and Potions recipes... I'll also guide you as best I can, teach you exactly what to do, and help you manage the risks."

"However,"

He suddenly gave a wry smile and spoke frankly. "It seems you never intended to trust me from the start—especially you, Mr. K?"

Avada's pupils contracted.

"As an adventurer who specializes in dealing with Dark wizards, I know how to read subtle facial expressions and judge what someone is thinking." Professor Baker spoke helplessly. "Besides, a wizard with sinister motives and expertise in Dark Magic brings an advanced Dark Magic object into the school and deceives everyone with a false front... A person like that is naturally suspicious, isn't he?"

"But don't worry. If I've dared to ask for your help, I must have a way to earn your trust."

"Mr. Shafiq, if I remember correctly, you're a direct descendant of the Shafiq Family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?"

Baron glanced at him warily. "So what if I am?"

A hint of amusement crept into Professor Baker's voice. "Then, as an old pure-blood family, you must have a Mental Imprint Contract, don't you?"

Baron said nothing, but the wary expression on his face gradually shifted to one of thought.

"A Mental Imprint Contract? What's that?" Avada had never heard the term before, so he turned to ask Baron.

"It's a magical contract that doesn't require a wand signature. You have to leave a mark on it with your mental energy to sign it." Baron spoke pensively. "It's a more advanced kind of magical contract, used specifically between powerful wizards. They've already mastered control over their magic, so it's easy for them to tamper with things when signing with a wand..."

"And it would work well for my current situation."

Professor Baker added casually, "I don't have a body right now, so even if I wanted to sign a contract with a wand, I couldn't. I can only use a Mental Imprint Contract. If I'm willing to guarantee what I said earlier with a magical contract and bind myself to certain rules, would you be willing to trust me to some extent?"

Avada and Baron exchanged a glance, both falling silent in thought.

"Of course, there may be an easier way for me..." Professor Baker said unhurriedly. "For instance, I control the Spatial Magic in this room right now. I could threaten to trap you here until you die and force you to swear an Unbreakable Vow to help me—but I won't. I'd rather work together through mutual trust than one-sided coercion, especially since you're my students."

As soon as he finished speaking, Avada sensed the tangled space return to normal. Professor Baker's voice rang in their ears again. "There. I've undone the Spatial Magic. You're free to leave now."

"I won't force you to do anything. I have only one request: if you agree to sign a contract with me, please don't tell anyone else about me."

"Just a request?" Baron asked. "What if we refuse?"

"I've shown you all the sincerity I can. If even that can't earn me the slightest bit of trust, then I suppose I deserve it." Professor Baker sighed.

"I'll wait for your answer after the Christmas holidays."

As soon as he finished speaking, Professor Baker's voice vanished from the room. The Black Crystal Ball rolled quietly to the floor, looking utterly insignificant among the Room of Requirement's countless treasures. No one would have guessed that the soul of a powerful wizard was hidden inside such an ordinary-looking Crystal Ball.

Avada and Baron exchanged a glance. Keeping their eyes fixed on the Black Crystal Ball, they slowly backed toward the Room of Requirement's door. When they were almost pressed against it, Baron yanked it open, and they both darted out as fast as they could before slamming it shut!

As they watched the smooth door gradually disappear, leaving nothing but an empty stretch of wall, Avada and Baron collapsed to the floor at the same time. Their faces turned deathly pale, cold sweat streamed down their foreheads, and they panted heavily.

Their confrontation with Professor Baker had been far too tense and exhausting, especially when they hadn't known what he wanted. It had felt like walking a tightrope over a cliff, terrified that one wrong step would cost them their lives.

It took them a long while to recover.

Fortunately, not many people had stayed at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays, and hardly anyone ever went to the Seventh Floor. Professor Flitwick was probably still sleeping in, too, so no one noticed their strange behavior.

"Are you going to trust him?"

After a long silence, Avada was the first to ask Baron.

He himself was willing to place some trust in Professor Baker. By observing changes in mental energy, he could directly "see" that Professor Baker's goodwill and sincerity were genuine. And just as he had said, he could have trapped them and forced them to swear an Unbreakable Vow, but he really hadn't done so.

The Horcrux still worried him a little, but if a contract could keep Professor Baker in check, that wouldn't be a problem.

But the Mental Imprint Contract belonged to the Shafiq Family, and if Baron wasn't willing to provide one, there was nothing Avada could do. He didn't dare help someone who was completely unbound!

Damn, it's only been three days since I started posting, and the story already has over five hundred favorites. Thank you all for your love and support!