Ian lowered his hood and raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
"This contract is not about you - it is about your brother, Albus Dumbledore."
"Of course." Aberforth sneered, "Almost all dangerous things in Wizarding World can be traced to him.
But, let's be clear, what do you want to do?"
Ian replied calmly, "I long for his understanding and knowledge of magic. But with his character, he will never give it to me voluntarily.
So - I have to think of some 'creative' ways."
Aberforth asked in a cold voice, "Let's be honest, you are no match for him and you want to use me to get close to him, right?"
"Wrong." Ian's tone was indifferent, but there was no doubt that it was sharp, "If you were to rank the strongest wizards in this era - I would be ranked first, your brother second, Grindelwald third or fourth."
Aberforth's brows knitted together.
Of course he knew how scary his brother was.
The outside world only sees the gentle and wise Hogwarts Headmaster, but they don't know what kind of edge he hides in his heart.
If it weren't for the restraint of "Blood Oath", Grindelwald might have been terminated by him long ago.
After a moment of silence, Aberforth lowered his voice. "Let me sign a contract to help you get close to Albus? What should I do?"
Ian smiled slightly, "I could spend all day explaining the principles of Bloodline Magic, but I don't have that spare time.
So, you only need to answer one question - to sign or not to sign?"
If the contract's incantation hadn't required that "the signer must be willing," Ian would have had thousands of ways to force him to surrender.
Whether it's Imperius Curse, spiritual suggestion, or direct enslavement of the soul - he can do it.
However, this contract has ancient prohibitions, and any forced behavior will cause the magic to fail.
Aberforth hesitated for a moment, and finally stretched out his hand. "Show me."
Ian handed over the contract.
Fine light patterns floated on that roll of parchment, and the complex magic patterns seemed to be breathing.
Aberforth Read carefully--the purpose of the contract is simple:
Albus Dumbledore must hand over all his magical knowledge and research results to Ian, and in exchange, Ian will allow Aberforth to briefly reunite with his deceased sister Ariana·Dumbledore for three days.
In addition, there are some additional provisions--
The contents of the contract shall not be disclosed to outsiders or disclosed to third parties in any way.
Aberforth frowned slightly after reading it. "Why can it only be three days?"
Ian asked, "Have you read <The Tale of the Three Brothers>?"
Aberforth nodded.
"Do you still remember what happened after the second brother's wife came back to life?"
"... She is cold, sad, separated by the boundary between the living and the dead. Although she has returned to the world, she does not belong here, and she suffers a lot because of it."
"That's right." Ian said slowly, "Using Soul Magic, I can summon her spirit body, but she can't stay for a long time.
Unless a stronger 'anchor' is found - and that will make the soul never rest in peace."
Aberforth was silent for a long time, and finally signed his name on the parchment.
The moment the contract was signed, the light of the contract flickered, the magic runes circulated, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of Ian's mouth.
He knew that this contract was not only signed by Aberforth,
There is also another bloodline mark hidden - Barebone·Dumbledore (that is, the host of Obscurus).
Ian's true purpose is indeed Albus's magical knowledge, but his methods are more insidious.
He originally planned to go back to when Albus was young - when he still harbored fantasies about "Deathly Hallows" - to induce him to sign a contract.
But even if he drives "World Gate" with Philosopher's Stone, he can't go back that far.
When it was confirmed that the date was stuck in 1926, he reconceptualized the plan.
He wants to use Bloodline Magic:
Let Albus's blood relatives sign a contract bound to the family soul.
In this way, no matter who signs it, Albus must repay the price.
If he refuses to perform the contract, the backlash of the contract will immediately kill the signer - that is, Aberforth and Barebone.
Of course Ian knows the character of Albus--
That man would rather sacrifice himself than allow him to gain forbidden power.
He might even watch his brother die just to stop Ian.
But Ian was prepared.
The secret terms of the contract stated:
If the Dumbledore bloodline refuses to fulfill the agreement, Ian will automatically obtain the "right to dominate" all their family souls--
Including the dead and the living: parents, Ariana, and even Albus himself.
Of course, he knew that such a soul was not easy to control.
Albus has long been able to control his own soul. Even if he dies, he can still appear as an afterimage of his consciousness--
Just like the scene where he later greeted Harry Potter in Forbidden Forest.
Therefore, Ian secretly prepared the most vicious alternative plan:
If Albus really refuses to perform the contract,
He then summoned the soul of Ariana and tortured it with his own hands in front of him.
If that wasn't enough to shake the White Wizard's heart,
He will drag the souls of Dumbledore and his wife out of Hell.
"I don't mind being cruel." He whispered to himself.
"Knowledge and power can never be bought with mercy."
--
After the signing was completed, Ian fulfilled its promise.
In Hogsmeade's Goat Inn, he used Resurrection Stone to summon the soul of Ariana.
The faint light and shadow emerged in the night wind, and he gently reached out and caressed Aberforth's face.
"Brother..." The voice was like whispering, like crying.
Aberforth fell to his knees with tears streaming down his face.
He choked and called her name, as if he was back in that summer again.
Ian turned sideways and watched this scene quietly, with no warmth in his eyes.
For him, this is just an experimental verification--
The successful linkage between Soul Summoning and Bloodline Contract.
However, at that moment, a strange force suddenly tore apart his consciousness.
--He was pulled into a gray space.
It was a wasteland without borders.
The cold wind howled, and a vague figure stood in the distance.
"Wizard, you shouldn't play with time." The voice was old and hollow,
It seems that it does not belong to any life, but the law itself is speaking.
Ian looked directly at it calmly. "Are you 'death'?"
"That's right." The voice was cold, "The extent to which you can disrupt time is enough to destroy the order of the entire universe."
"Many people have also gone back in time." Ian retorted calmly, "I didn't see you showing up in person to warn them."
"They don't have your power, nor your ambition." Death's voice was low,
"I tolerate them because they are insignificant.
But you are different, you may trigger the ultimate Cataclysm."
Ian was silent for a few seconds and asked slowly, "I can promise not to interfere with time again - but you must answer my questions."
"Say."
"Since you are the embodiment of 'death', are there other existences with the same origin as you?
Like life, destiny... or time itself?"
Death was silent for a long time and then said, "There used to be.
But after 'Cataclysm', everything except me was forced to return to the laws of nature.
In order to maintain the balance of the universe, they sacrificed their bodies, leaving only traces.
And I am the only survivor."
"What exactly is that 'Cataclysm'?" Ian continued to ask.
Death's voice suddenly turned cold. "I have already answered your question.
Keep your word, or suffer the consequences."
As the words fell, the gray space collapsed.
Ian suddenly opened his eyes and found that he was still standing where he was.
The flames of the fireplace flickered, and only a few seconds passed.
He murmured in a low voice, "Cataclysm... It turns out that there is a being who is even afraid of death."