Trust and Responsibility

"I don't trust him."

The blunt reply made Avada freeze for a moment. He looked up in surprise and met Baron's resolute gaze.

"It's not that I don't want to. I can't. After all, he taught me for half a year, and he really did show complete sincerity just now. Personally, I'd be more than willing to trust him."

Baron's voice grew low. "But choosing to trust him isn't just my decision. It isn't even just yours and mine... Who knows whether Professor Baker was telling the truth just now? Who knows what he's really like? Who knows whether, if we agree to help him, he might secretly sabotage us and lead us into doing something that harms others?"

"There's nothing we can do. He's far stronger than us, and he has countless ways to manipulate and deceive us... Even when he suggested binding himself with a contract, he might have dared to propose it only because he has some way to counteract the contract!"

Avada smiled bitterly to himself. He could see where Professor Baker had hidden his "mind," so he could try trusting this "thing capable of independent thought." But that was only possible because his unreasonable talent let him see the nature of Professor Baker's mental power. He couldn't prove it to anyone.

As for the possibility that Professor Baker could counteract the contract, Avada wasn't too worried. He had signed a Ministry of Magic contract before, and knew that contracts binding multiple people directly inscribed a mark into their mental power, with the parties able to sense one another's marks. In other words, if Professor Baker tried to tamper with his own mark, Avada would sense it immediately. And if Professor Baker had a way to block that connection—did he think Avada's Magic Sense was just for show?

If he noticed anything suspicious, he could go straight to Dumbledore.

But if Baron wasn't willing to provide a contract, Avada wouldn't dare help a mysterious wizard far stronger than himself without any safeguards. What if the man changed his mind halfway through?

"So you're planning to tell Professor Dumbledore about this?" he asked helplessly.

To be honest, on this point, Avada agreed with Professor Baker. Neither of them wanted to go to Dumbledore unless they had no other choice.

Even though Avada knew that if Dumbledore could also confirm Professor Baker wasn't doing evil, he would probably help keep the matter quiet; even though it would help Dumbledore think of Horcruxes sooner, greatly accelerating Voldemort's downfall; and even though Avada himself had considered asking Dumbledore for help before learning of Professor Baker's sincerity.

First, Avada didn't want Dumbledore interfering with the Horcruxes so soon. Telling him now that Horcruxes might exist could bring unknown changes to the timeline and completely disrupt Avada's plan, which had Voldemort's fate all mapped out. What's more, the Horcruxes included the Resurrection Stone, a powerful artifact that Dumbledore might not be able to resist. So when it came to this, Avada really couldn't trust him without reservation.

Second, he already had an idea for a spell that would target Horcruxes without damaging the objects themselves, and he needed more samples to help with his research. Following Professor Baker's process might be a perfect opportunity to learn about Horcruxes. He didn't want to let it slip away.

Third, and most importantly, Professor Baker had been telling the truth when he said he "had never done evil and never would."

He wasn't a bad person, he needed help, and what he wanted was reasonable. That alone was enough for Avada to do his best to help Professor Baker achieve his wish, as long as the risk remained limited, regardless of any other benefit.

What's more, since neither Legilimency nor Veritaserum could work on a powerful wizard—and therefore couldn't prove anything—Avada might be the only person who could truly confirm that Professor Baker hadn't done evil. But the fact that he had made Horcruxes was indisputable, and everyone, Dumbledore included, considered them the most evil form of Dark Magic. If Professor Baker really fell into the hands of other wizards... the consequences would be more than just "ruined reputation."

That wasn't the fate an innocent person deserved.

"I won't tell anyone else."

Baron suddenly spoke, answering Avada's earlier question.

"Hm?" Avada furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I said I couldn't trust Professor Baker because I couldn't confirm whether he was telling the truth. But what if he was? Wouldn't my actions bring undeserved disaster upon an innocent person?" Baron said earnestly.

"Then what are you planning to do?" Avada asked curiously.

"I'll ask the professor for permission to leave school temporarily," he said. "Once I get home, I'll find a way to confirm whether there's even the slightest loophole in the Mental Imprint Contract. If there is, I'll tell the professors everything. But if there isn't..."

"If there isn't, I'll have my family's house-elf help me secretly draw up the most thorough contract possible, one that's guaranteed to keep Professor Baker completely in check. Then I'll return after Christmas and present it to him."

"Sounds good."

Avada nodded in approval.

"And if Professor Baker really does have some ulterior motive, and he only meant to exploit a loophole in the contract, but when he sees how thorough it is, he realizes his intentions have been exposed and simply traps me, forces me to make an Unbreakable Vow, or even attacks me using some hidden method..."

"Before I return to school, I'll leave a letter in the dormitory asking for help. It'll describe everything that happened. If I don't come back to deal with it within two days, it'll automatically move somewhere conspicuous and open itself."

Baron smiled confidently.

"Are you planning to take all the risks onto yourself?" Avada frowned. He had noticed that Baron had said "I," not "we."

"This is my responsibility."

"What responsibility? You're only a first-year student!"

"I'm also Pure-blood, and I'm also a Slytherin. Protecting the magical world, protecting wizards, protecting the innocent—that's my duty. Usually, I can leave those responsibilities to people stronger than me. But if I do that now, an innocent person might suffer. This is the only choice."

"If Professor Baker really is innocent, and what he wants is entirely reasonable, then I should do everything I can to help him. And not just him. I should do the same for anyone."

"It's a responsibility that comes with being part of a Pure-blood family, and the price we pay for enjoying wealth and prestige beyond what ordinary people have."

"..."

Avada fell silent for a long while.

He wanted to tell Baron that his greatest duty was to protect himself and give peace of mind to those who cared about him—not to put others before himself, take on risks recklessly, and squander his safety and life.

But Baron's choice was exactly what Avada needed most: to resolve the matter in secret, without letting Dumbledore come into contact with the Horcruxes at this point in time.

As he looked into Baron's clear, determined eyes, Avada felt a little guilty.

He was taking advantage of Baron.

And Baron hadn't needed to get involved in this at all. If Avada hadn't suddenly decided to tell him about the Room of Requirement, he would have had to handle the matter alone.

"Then at least let me come with you."

He spoke with little strength. "I'm involved and I know what's going on, so I have the right and the responsibility to share the risk with you. And you can't expect me to stand by and watch my friend put himself in danger without doing anything."

"That's fair."

Baron finally nodded, though his face remained stern. "Let's go downstairs first. There's no point in staying here and arguing."

"Right."

Avada smiled and turned toward the stairs.

"Obliviate!"

"Protego!"

In the very next instant, two first-year students launched into a magical duel that would have left their professors speechless.

Avada gripped the wand he had drawn at some point and raised a translucent, pale-blue shield in front of himself. He watched Baron's astonished expression through it, unable to hide his amusement.

From Baron's sudden change in attitude to the surge of mental power he'd unleashed, how could Avada not know what he was planning?

Still, he was surprised that Baron had already mastered the Memory Charm in his first year.

"You should try trusting and believing in other people."

Avada looked into Baron's eyes and spoke calmly. "Not everyone needs your protection and help. Besides, you can't protect everyone. You're being arrogant."

"You can't bear the risks this brings on your own. You need my help now."

"You..."

Baron looked at Avada, his expression conflicted. Avada's face was serious, but there was a trace of a smile in his eyes. The thick, pale-blue shield stood before him. At last, Baron slowly lowered his wand.

"Fine."

Then, without another word, he brushed past Avada and headed down the stairs first.

Avada watched Baron's back disappear around the corner. Then he turned and took one last, deep look toward the far end of the eighth-floor corridor before hurrying after him.

Hogwarts' Headmaster's Office was on the eighth floor.