Contract

The night was deep, and the wind howled through the Forbidden Forest.

Ian Alvin Bones left his dormitory and followed the stone steps into the dark woods. The air was thick with moisture, and a blue-glowing magical mark floated ahead, guiding him onward.

He followed the trail of light. Before long, a dark figure emerged from the shadows between the trees.

Severus Snape.

It was the same stern face as ever. His black robes snapped in the night wind, making him look like a bat lurking in the darkness.

"Ian Bones," Snape said in a low voice. "It has been five years since we last met, yet you still haven't given me the final proof."

"Proof?" Ian's expression remained calm. "I thought I had already convinced you that everything I said was true."

"Indeed." Snape's gaze remained icy. "But the final piece of the puzzle is still missing. Don't forget—you are bound by the magical contract as well."

Ian sighed lightly. "In that case, I'll let you see it with your own eyes."

With a slight wave of his fingers, the air split apart. The two of them vanished from the Forbidden Forest.

— Scene Shift —

It was an incident from Ian's sixth year at Hogwarts.

At the time, Snape had only recently begun teaching. The scent of herbs and dragon hide filled his office.

Ian walked in and handed him a sheet of parchment. It was a magical contract.

Snape glanced at it, a cold sneer appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Mr. Bones, are you making a fool of me?"

The contract stated everything clearly—

As long as Snape signed his name, Ian would gain full access to all his magical knowledge, including his improvements to spells and potions. In other words, everything Snape created would belong to Ian.

Given Snape's pride, how could he tolerate such a demand?

"Professor, please don't refuse so quickly." Ian's voice was mild. "Hear me out. You may find it interesting."

"Speak," Snape replied coldly. "But don't waste my time."

Ian gathered his thoughts, and his voice grew low.

"After my parents died, I began researching death. I wanted to know whether there was a form of magic that could bring the dead back to life. Unfortunately, the answer was no—at least for wizards."

Snape frowned. "Even the greatest alchemists cannot recreate life, let alone restore a soul."

"Indeed." Ian nodded. "The body and the soul are the two sides of death. When the body decays or the soul is damaged, life comes to an end. The soul is nearly indestructible. Even the Killing Curse cannot harm it."

His voice was steady, yet his calmness was chilling.

"So I thought that if the body could be reforged and the soul summoned back, perhaps the dead could be resurrected."

Snape's breathing caught. "Ridiculous. No one can replicate a perfect body."

Ian smiled faintly. "Alchemy can't, but Muggle technology can."

"Through genetic cloning, they had already learned to replicate living organisms. The technology was still immature at the time, so I—prompted several of the brightest Muggle scientists to work together and accelerated the process."

Snape stared at him, his expression severe.

"Even so, what about the soul?"

"Then we'll need to rely on a legendary artifact." Ian's voice was soft. "Besides the Philosopher's Stone, there are three more Deathly Hallows—the Resurrection Stone, the Elder Wand, and the Invisibility Cloak."

"Absurd." Snape sneered. "Those are nothing but fairy tales."

"You're wrong. They truly exist." Ian's tone remained calm. "The Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak are both in Dumbledore's hands. The Resurrection Stone is protected by dark magic, and I cannot take it for now. But that is only a matter of time."

Snape drew a deep breath. "Your story is fascinating, but what does it have to do with me?"

Ian leaned forward slightly. "Professor, we both know that you love that green-eyed girl deeply. You know what she left behind, and you know the origin of the Invisibility Cloak."

"So you should understand what I'm trying to say."

Silence. The air seemed almost frozen.

Snape instinctively tightened his grip on his wand, his knuckles turning white.

That night, he ultimately did not strike.

The next day, he secretly went to the Muggle world to visit the technology company Ian had mentioned—and the results were exactly as Ian had described.

The following morning, Snape signed the contract.

— Scene Shift —

Back in the present, the shadows of the Forbidden Forest appeared once more.

The two of them Apparated to a dilapidated stone house.

Gaunt Shack.

The ring set with a black stone lay quietly on the table.

Together, they dispelled the magical traps Voldemort had laid, a process that took half an hour. Ian reached out and removed the ring.

Snape's gaze was instantly drawn to it, and his breathing quickened. The stone in the ring was the Resurrection Stone.

Seven years of research and obsession erupted in that moment.

His fingertips were almost touching the stone's surface.

Ian stopped him.

"Do you want to die?"

Snape froze, then reluctantly withdrew his hand. "Sorry... I was momentarily distracted."

"Normal." Ian's voice was indifferent. "You aren't the first wizard to be tempted by it."

The two of them left the shack. Ian looked back and waved his wand, resealing everything.

Under the night sky, his gaze met Snape's.

"Severus, no one can ever know about this."

"I know how to keep a secret."

Ian's tone suddenly turned cold. "No, you don't."

"This ring will be used in a greater plan. If you reveal even a single word, I guarantee—you'll be reunited with Lily in the Underworld."

Killing intent swept over them like a tangible force. Snape's body stiffened, and he took half a step back.

That pressure reminded him of Voldemort.

"I'll swear an oath. I won't reveal a single word."

"Good."

The two exchanged a look. Magic entwined around them, and the oath was sealed.

Ian turned and left.

The moment he stepped out of the Forbidden Forest, the presence behind him vanished into the night.

When he reached the school gates, he suddenly stopped.

"Come out."

From deep within the shadows, an unfamiliar presence slowly emerged.