After absorbing all of Voldemort's magical knowledge and research, Ian finally turned his attention to the Invisibility Cloak he had borrowed from Harry Potter. It was one of the legendary three Deathly Hallows.
He activated the Alchemical Eye, attempting to analyze the structure of this mysterious magical artifact. However, whether on the material level or the level of magical runes, he found nothing. The Invisibility Cloak's material could not be identified, its woven symbols showed no pattern, and even its magical resonance appeared blank.
"This isn't an ordinary magical object," Ian said softly.
He closed his eyes and sensed the power within. It was an incredibly profound energy, neither magic nor something merely beyond magic. That power was like a still river running between reality and the soul—cold, silent, yet carrying a heart-pounding sense of "order."
"The Law Force?" Ian murmured.
At that moment, he suddenly remembered another Hallow—the Gaunt Family ring, the very ring that Voldemort had turned into a Horcrux. The black gemstone set into the ring was the legendary "Resurrection Stone."
He immediately Apparated to an abandoned cottage hidden among the mountains and forests of Albania. It had once been a defensive stronghold established by Voldemort. Ian skillfully dispelled the protective array and curse seals, then pushed open the old wooden door.
The room was utterly silent, dust drifting through the air.
He walked over to the battered table and took out the ring Voldemort had hidden in a secret compartment. With the knowledge he had gained through the contract, Ian easily broke Voldemort's curse.
When the ring was removed, a trace of faint black smoke flashed through the air before dispersing. Ian dismantled the ring and took out the black gemstone.
He stared at the stone and activated the Alchemical Eye. The result was the same as with the Invisibility Cloak: the analysis yielded nothing.
The stone was made of nothing more than ordinary rock.
What truly gave it power was not its material, but the "Law" contained within it.
An ancient legend surfaced in Ian's mind—the Tale of the Three Brothers.
According to that story, the Resurrection Stone was a stone Death had casually picked up beside the river; the Elder Wand was a branch taken from a tree by the roadside; only the Invisibility Cloak was different from the others—it was a part of "Death itself."
At that thought, Ian's heart stirred faintly.
He had once witnessed "Death" with his own eyes. That encounter had convinced him that the legend was not entirely fictional. By this reasoning, the power of all three Deathly Hallows originated from the Law of Death itself.
He gazed at the Invisibility Cloak and Resurrection Stone in his hands and muttered, "The power of Death... truly isn't something mortals can reach."
However, understanding did not equal control. Even knowing the truth, Ian still could not replicate that power. He had yet to reach the level where he could command the Law.
But he was not impatient.
"The strongest power in this world is always hidden beyond understanding." A faint smile appeared on his face.
He placed the two Deathly Hallows side by side on the table, took a deep breath, and raised his wand.
"Activate—Law Resonance."
A low hum echoed through the air. The Invisibility Cloak and Resurrection Stone floated upward, faint lines of light flashing between them like two stars communicating.
The energy was incredibly faint, yet it struck directly at the soul. Ian could feel his magic slowly being drawn away and flowing into the two Deathly Hallows.
"As expected, it requires magical power." Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, but he did not stop.
Suddenly, a flash of black light swept past.
His vision went dark, and his entire body was swept into the Void by an invisible force.
When his vision returned, he was standing in a pure white space.
Silent, endless, empty.
And before him appeared a tall, hooded figure—it was "Death."
That entity's presence was like cold mist pressing against the soul, indifferent and ancient.
Ian raised his head slightly, his tone calm. "It seems my deduction was correct."
Death slowly spoke, its voice a whisper echoing through the Void. "Wizard, why have you summoned me again? Our contract has long since ended."
"This time, I'm here to negotiate a new deal," Ian said calmly.
"A deal?" Death lifted its head slightly, seeming to show a trace of interest. "What do you want?"
"Knowledge of souls, death, time, and space."
Death let out a low laugh, the sound like wind blowing through dry bones. It took a step forward, its figure looking down upon Ian.
"What you seek should not belong to mortals."
"I can pay the price." Ian's tone was firm.
"The price?" Death's voice grew deeper. "Then what can you offer?"
Ian looked straight into the empty hood and answered, "Voldemort's soul."
The air fell deathly silent.
After a moment, Death chuckled softly. "Absurd. What value does a soul destined to die have?"
"Indeed, he will die," Ian replied. "But you will never obtain his soul. He created Horcruxes, and his soul was split apart and scattered. Even after he dies, it cannot return to you. It is an existence that 'cannot be harvested.'"
Death raised its head slightly. Ian continued:
"I can recover those fragments for you and deliver his soul to you intact."
After a long silence, the pure white space began to tremble faintly. Death's voice rang out again, carrying a low echo.
"Your proposal... is interesting."
"However, I have a condition."
"Please, go on." Ian answered in a deep voice.
"I will not give you all my knowledge concerning souls and death."
Ian frowned. "Why?"
"Because I am the embodiment of the Law of Death itself. My understanding surpasses the mortal realm. If this knowledge fell into mortal hands, the order of the universe would be destroyed."
Ian fell silent for a moment, understanding its meaning.
The level of Death's knowledge was too high. No wizard could withstand it directly.
He took a deep breath. "Then what can you give me?"
Death bent down, its voice like a whisper echoing at the end of the world—
"I can give you the chance to glimpse the 'Law.'"
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