Draco met Dumbledore's intense gaze and replied, "The reason Voldemort can't die is because he created the Horcrux himself."
Dumbledore's eyes darkened, and he sighed deeply, "I should have known."
Draco's lips curled into a slight smile, a hint of knowing composure in his eyes. " Old Dumbledore, do you want to know exactly how many Horcrux he's made?"
Dumbledore was startled and pressed for an answer, "He actually made so many?"
"Six in total," Draco said firmly. "And I know the whereabouts of every single Horcrux!"
Dumbledore's aura suddenly subsided, and his gaze became fixed on Draco.
Her eyes were filled with shock and eagerness, hoping he would continue, and she even unconsciously softened her breathing.
"Didn't expect that, did you?" Draco raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
Draco then said with a Voldemort tone, "He's laid six layers of protection for himself. This man is terrified of death to the extreme, which is the root of his crazy and obsessive behavior. Now that he's possessed Professor Quirrell, you should understand why, right?"
Dumbledore, his aged eyes filled with melancholy. He walked slowly to the fireplace, the firelight casting flickering shadows on his face.
"Insurance..." he repeated the word softly, a bittersweet tinge in his voice.
"It's a perfectly apt Muggle metaphor: to tear a whole soul apart and hide it in filthy objects, just to ensure the body doesn't perish and the soul doesn't dissipate... Isn't this the ultimate 'insurance' against death, an attempt to deceive the only end in the world that cannot be bought off or avoided?"
Dumbledore suddenly turned around and moved closer to Draco.
The headmaster's usual authority vanished, replaced by a solemn, equal exchange. "You're absolutely right, Draco. The extreme fear of death is the root of all Tom Riddle's madness—the splitting of his soul, possessing others, craving power and immortality that mortals are unworthy of... all these evil deeds are echoes born from this abyss of fear."
"His possession of Quirrell is the most tragic and dangerous continuation of this fear after the destruction of the physical body," Dumbledore's voice grew increasingly low.
"A frail, resisting body; a body covered in filth; a tattered headscarf used to conceal filth; a lingering, lifeless soul, clinging to life..."
This is his most wretched, vulnerable, and helpless state after all his layers of "insurance" have failed. But it is precisely because of this that he acts without any bottom line, resorts to any means necessary, and is extremely dangerous.
He looked up at Draco, his gaze filled with a serious warning. "You must remember this: a soul consumed by fear to the point of madness is the most unpredictable and most prone to self-destruction. What we face is never just a Dark Lord wielding Dark Magic, but a pathetic soul driven by its own fear, willing to drag the entire Wizarding World down with it."
"Your insight is priceless." Dumbledore's tone softened slightly after the serious lecture.
He regained the composure of a branch school principal and said, "This not only allows us to understand his past and see his present clearly, but also serves as a warning to us to be wary of his future."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dumbledore's gaze sharpened slightly, and he added, "For example, the Philosopher's Stone."
Dumbledore couldn't resist the urge and took the opportunity to give Draco some pointers.
He couldn't stand by and watch such an exceptionally intelligent child, only glimpsing the dark power struggles and ignoring the terrible price behind them.
Furthermore, Draco possesses a talent reminiscent of a young Tom Riddle.
This similarity compelled him to devote all his efforts to guiding her, lest she go astray.
Fortunately, Draco was willing to tell this shocking secret, which shows that his character was completely different from Tom's and that he would never embark on that path of no return.
Draco nodded and said, "Don't worry."
When the topic of soul splitting came up, he curled his lip slightly, a look of disdain and contempt spreading across his face.
"A split soul would only turn me into something neither human nor ghost, a monster with a fragmented soul. I will never touch such evil and heretical practices."
Upon hearing Draco's words, Dumbledore breathed a long sigh of relief without realizing it. His brows, which had been tense for days, relaxed completely, and a genuine, warm smile, the first of its kind, blossomed on his face that day.
That smile shed all heaviness and calculation, leaving only pure joy and bright warmth.
"'Neither human nor ghost'..." Dumbledore exclaimed repeatedly, his tone full of undisguised admiration.
"Well said, absolutely accurate! It perfectly captures the tragic truth that all those who crave such evil immortality will ultimately be unable to escape."
"Such actions will not make one stronger, but will instead make one's soul more and more incomplete; instead of gaining freedom, one will be eternally bound by the Horcrux one has created with one's own hands, never to be freed."
He became increasingly relaxed, patted Draco on the shoulder, and laughed, "You can see through this essence, and even explain it so clearly, Draco. This gives me more peace of mind than any blood oath."
" Old Dumbledore, we've gone off-topic." Draco raised a hand to lightly block the view, his tone tinged with impatience, but unable to hide his amusement. "We agreed to talk about Horcrux."
Upon hearing this, Dumbledore a rare, hearty laugh, a laugh that swept away his usual gloom, "Very well, I misspoke. Continue, I'm listening carefully."
"The first Horcrux is Tom Riddle's diary," Draco stated bluntly. "I'll find a way to retrieve this one."
Dumbledore's smile vanished abruptly, his expression turning grave again. "I need to know whether your 'method' requires assistance? More importantly, I need to ascertain whether this action will place you in an irrecoverable predicament."
"That thing is currently in my father's hands," Draco said calmly. "He must be keeping it in Chamber of Secrets somewhere in the Malfoy Manor."
Upon hearing this, the last trace of gentleness vanished from Dumbledore's face, replaced by unprecedented seriousness. "No, Draco, this is absolutely not allowed."
"Leaving aside the fact that the diary itself is an extremely dangerous Horcrux, one could easily have their mind controlled by it if they are not careful."
"Just the fact that it's in your father's possession, hidden in the Malfoy Manor, is tantamount to it being locked in the most dangerous vault in the Wizarding World."
His brow was furrowed, and his tone was full of worry.
"You've already angered your father over the branch school issue. If you were to deal with him again because of this diary, the danger would be unimaginable."
Draco opened his mouth, about to defend himself, but Dumbledore raised his hand, stopping him from speaking.
"Therefore, I reject the suggestion that 'you figure it out.' You have already revealed the secret of the Horcrux, and the mission is now successfully completed. Leave the rest to me."
"My father didn't know that the diary was Horcrux," Draco said calmly, revealing the key point in a single sentence.
Dumbledore's eyes lit up, and after a moment's thought, he said, "This has changed many things, but it certainly doesn't mean that retrieving the diary will be simpler or safer."
He stared intently at Draco: "Tell me, what exactly is your 'method'?"
"That's none of your concern, old man," Draco waved his Old Dumbledore. "You should worry about the next five Horcrux."
"Besides, you probably have no way of getting that diary back from my father except through me, do you?"
Dumbledore remained silent for a long time before finally nodding in agreement, but he still pressed on. "Okay, but you must tell me the general outline of the operation, and you must establish a one-way emergency communication channel with me."
"From the day you begin this mission, if you encounter any unexpected danger, you must immediately send me a distress signal, and I must be able to locate your position as soon as possible."
Dumbledore repeatedly emphasized. "Your primary objective is always your own safety, not successfully retrieving the diary. Remember, life is of utmost importance."
Draco raised an eyebrow and asked, "So how am I supposed to send you a distress signal? And how are you going to locate me?"
Upon hearing Dumbledore reached into the inner pocket of his robe and took out a simple, unadorned silver box, about the size of a pocket watch, with no decorations whatsoever, extremely minimalist.
He gently placed the small box on the table, tapped the surface of the box with his wand, and the lid slid open silently.
There were no physical objects inside the box, only a soft mist of light, somewhere between silver and pearl, slowly rotating, shimmering and exuding a mysterious magical aura.
Dumbledore raised his hand to indicate, explaining, "This is a magical projection of the ' Resonance Crystal.' The actual crystal itself is currently sealed away in the most secret and secure place at Hogwarts, a place no one can match."
"The projection and the original body are linked by an ancient oath magic, bound together by life and death, and connected by a shared sense of destiny."
He gently pushed the small box toward Draco, but didn't let him touch it, continuing, "You don't need to carry any extra items; the target of this magic is yourself."
"I will place an extremely secretive magical mark on you. This mark will not be visible, will not interfere with your magical power, and will not be detected by conventional detection spells. No one else will know about it."
"Its sole purpose is to act as a trigger for 'resonance' when you actively and urgently want to send me a danger signal."
Dumbledore explained meticulously, "The specific usage involves three steps."
"First, clearly and completely recall my face and voice in your mind at this moment, without the slightest ambiguity; second, mobilize your own magic and gently 'touch' the base of your left ring finger, where the mark will land. When you touch it, you will feel a slight warmth, which means the mark has responded; third, in your heart, with your strongest and most unmistakable emotion—fear, warning, despair, anything is acceptable—concentrate and silently recite my name: Albus Dumbledore."
"Three steps complete," Dumbledore said sharply, looking at Draco. "The mark on you will then resonate strongly with the projection on the table and the crystal structure of Hogwarts."
"I will immediately sense a clear emotional connection and know that you are in danger."
"As for location tracking," his expression grew increasingly serious, "This isn't a tracking spell that can be activated at any time. Such magic is too conspicuous, easily detected and blocked, which would only increase the risk."
"The location tracking will only activate after you trigger the communication mechanism and I have received your distress signal."
"At that time, I will immediately activate the Hogwarts Resonance Crystal itself. It will connect with the magical mark on your body and perform a reverse tracing, instantly telling me your approximate location with absolute accuracy."
Changing the subject, Dumbledore solemnly warned, "However, you are not entirely unaware of this process of reverse orientation."
"Where the mark is located, a strong pulling and burning sensation will emanate from it; it is fleeting, but enough to serve as a warning."
"More importantly, this technique is extremely taxing on the caster, which is me."
"This is a profound magic that touches the soul. Every time I use it, it places a tremendous burden on my body and mind, depleting my mental strength."
Therefore, unless I am certain that you are in dire straits, on the verge of death, I will not activate this technique lightly.
"And you must never use it casually as a regular distress signal."
"Each time it is used, it is a violent impact on both of us, especially on the magical imprint channels on your body. If you are not careful, it will leave hidden dangers."
Upon hearing this, Draco's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of undisguised joy flashed in his eyes.
This method of communication, initiated by him, prevents Dumbledore from constantly spying on his location, thus preserving his secrecy while allowing him to summon a top-tier expert like Dumbledore for support in times of crisis.
So this is what it feels like to have powerful backers and act with impunity!
Even Harry probably never received such treatment.
There's no need to worry that Dumbledore would tamper with the mark; given Old Dumbledore character, he would never do something so despicable.