Ravenclaw's Returning Diadem
Xiwen looked at Helena with a blank expression, but Helena turned her head away, not daring to look at him.
"So, Helena's obsession is to find your Diadem, isn't it?" Xiwen asked softly.
He suddenly remembered that, in order to play the role of a ghost well, he had studied in detail the existence, causes, and various abilities of ghosts.
It is those who, before death, cling to strong convictions—whether in the form of fear, guilt, regret, or attachment to the material world—who refuse to continue their journey into the dimension of death. These people, existing between life and death, continue to exist in this world as ghosts.
However, they could no longer be considered living people. From the moment of their death, the souls of the ghosts were severed, one part being completely absorbed by the Dimension of Death, and the other part remaining in the world along with their intense obsession.
Because of this incompleteness of the soul, the things that ghosts can experience are extremely limited. They leave behind no physical pleasure, and their knowledge and perspectives can only remain at the level they achieved in life; those old obsessions also torment their Mind Stone at all times.
This is why some ghosts regret not having the courage to face death, and instead become half-dead ghosts.
However, if they don't resolve those deep-seated obsessions within themselves, they will find it difficult to even have the chance to move forward.
But how easy is it to break free from such obsessions?
Take, for example, the kind-hearted old man among the Hogwarts ghosts, the Fat Friar, whose obsession is to become a cardinal.
However, the pope he once served had long since passed away. Moreover, even if the pope were still alive, he would certainly not appoint a guilty dead man as a cardinal. Therefore, the Fat Friar's obsession was probably forever unresolved...
"To be precise, Helena has two obsessions," The Grey Lady explained to Xiwen from the bronze chair in the Room of Requirement. "One is reaching a mutual understanding and reconciliation with her mother, that is, me, and we have already achieved that!"
At this point, she smiled gently at Helena and continued, "As for the other one, it's to bring back the Diadem that was taken from me. Am I right, Helena?"
"Yes, Mother," Helena sobbed, her voice trembling. "It's not that I don't want to return the Diadem to you, it's just that I really don't want to leave you now!"
"Don't worry, Helena, you'll be alright." Ravenclaw's smile softened, the sternness that usually graced her face now seeming to melt into forgiveness and understanding. "Trust me, now is the best time for you to reclaim the Diadem and mend your soul."
She then said to Xiwen, "Xiwen, I think you should know that the souls of ghosts are incomplete. But I can tell you that when ghosts have fulfilled their obsessions in life and are about to go to the Dimension of Death, their souls are able to be fully restored in the instant of their ascension!"
"What I need you to do is use Helena's newfound obsession with you to slow down her ascension and departure as much as possible. During this time, I will cast a spell to help her completely stabilize her soul state at the moment of her restoration, so that she can live in this world just like your current soul state."
Hearing the Grey Lady's explanation, Helena looked somewhat dazed and asked softly, "Can I really complete my soul?"
The Grey Lady gave a reassuring smile and nodded slightly.
At the same time, Xiwen turned to Helena and said, "In that case, tell me the location of the Diadem, Helena. That way, you can complete your soul sooner."
Helena nodded gently and said to Xiwen, "The Diadem is in a forest in Albania. I placed it inside a hollow tree beside a lake."
Upon hearing the location of the Diadem, Xiwen's eyes widened in astonishment.
He suddenly remembered that when he was searching for Nagini in the Albania forest, there was an area that gave him a strong sense of familiarity. He had previously thought it was just an illusion, but now he realized that he must have seen that area in the forest in the memories of the Bloody Baron.
That's where Helena hid the Diadem!
Xiwen immediately opened a Dimensional Gate, leading to the depths of the Albania Forest —where a clear lake lay quietly nestled among the surrounding towering trees.
A vision suddenly appeared in his mind: a witch in a pure white robe, walking barefoot along the lake. This was a scene from Bloody Baron's memory.
"Is this the place, Helena?" Xiwen asked softly, though he was already certain he would receive an affirmative answer.
Helena gazed at the lake deep in the forest, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions—reminiscence, melancholy, depression, and perhaps relief—before finally settling into a sigh and a gentle nod.
"Due to the magic within the Diadem, the hollow tree probably still retains its trunk. It's in the grass northwest of the lake," she said softly.
Xiwen nodded, and then the golden halo of the Dimensional Gate moved rapidly through the Albania Forest until it stopped beside a huge hollow tree on the opposite bank.
This is a tall tree, with only its trunk standing alone in the grass on the lake shore, without any branches or leaves. Beneath the thick trunk is a huge hollow, with no heartwood inside.
A delicate silver Diadem is hidden inside a tree hollow, surrounded and protected by several tree buds within the hollow, and has remained undisturbed by any external objects for thousands of years.
The front of the Diadem is set with an oval-shaped, sparkling sapphire, and below the gemstone is a line of clear inscription. "Extraordinary wisdom is mankind's greatest wealth."
Room of Requirement, the marble statue of the Grey Lady gently beckoned, and the Diadem, as if the tree trunk were nothing, emerged straight out and gently landed in her hand.
With the Diadem gone, the tall, hollow tree collapsed as if it had lost its core!
The moment the tree trunk fell to the ground, the long-rotted wood turned into scattered fragments, stirring up a cloud of dust.
It turns out that this giant tree had been dead for many years.
Silently closed the Xiwen Dimensional Gate, preventing the ashes from flying into the spotless Room of Requirement, then looked solemnly at Helena.
After the Diadem returned to the Grey Lady's hands, Helena's expression seemed one of relief, and a soft white light seemed to surround her transparent body.