Chapter 231: Awakening of Another Soul

What?

Hearing John's words, Hermione was obviously startled.

I went to Umbridge's office before.

Her office is filled with many cat plates, just like those portraits.

Those cats seem able to go in and out of other portraits, except for some that are not in the same painted world; otherwise they can freely travel.

He discovered this mechanism of the painted world back in his first year.

He still remembers that at the time he and his friends hid a portrait, but that portrait could also use the painted world to reach other portraits and seek help from the real world.

The painted world is like a sandbox-style open world.

Within the same sandbox, characters from different portraits can visit each other and appear in other portraits.

Different sandboxes, however, cannot visit each other.

If you want a portrait to enter a sandbox, you need the consent of the portraits; otherwise they can drive your portrait away and destroy it.

Most of Hogwarts' portraits belong to a single sandbox, and the entry permission is relatively lax.

So after Umbridge arrived, the Castle's portraits suddenly gained many cats.

She must have, after taking office, specially created a cat plate that can connect to the Castle's painted world, then let those cat portraits enter every corner of the Castle, monitoring everything at Hogwarts.

No wonder Umbridge always seems to know everything; she has been monitoring the whole school...

Fortunately, Umbridge is no longer stirring up any trouble now; otherwise who knows how much damage she could have caused them.

But those cat portraits are still there, so they might inadvertently overhear something important.

So one must be careful, indeed be careful.

Why are you only telling me now?

I didn't take Umbridge seriously at all...

Listening to Hermione's complaint, John scratched his head awkwardly and said.

Details decide success or failure; the less threatening and unnoticed something is, the more likely it becomes the decisive factor, understand?

Yes, yes, I understand, you can stop lecturing...

John quickly begged for mercy; Hermione's stern expression gave the feeling that she was about to give him a safety hazard lesson.

Seeing this, Hermione hummed and again took John's hand.

Hermione always manages to spot potential danger ahead of others, so she can't help but nag John about various safety tips.

John was almost completely unguarded, thinking that if Hermione didn't mention it, he wouldn't worry about it.

I've been raised into uselessness.

The next morning.

John, who had no class, went alone to Dumbledore's office.

Come in, have a seat.

Dumbledore was not surprised by John's arrival; he simply pointed to the chair opposite his desk.

At the moment, the old man was studying the Pendant Box and the Ravenclaw crown.

There was also a black leather diary with a hole punched in the middle.

Is this the Horcrux that Senior Harry destroyed?

John looked at the diary and asked.

That's right; in Harry's second year, someone slipped this diary into Ginny's luggage.

Then Ginny was bewitched by Voldemort's soul within it, becoming his puppet and launching a series of actions.

Hearing Dumbledore's explanation, John was stunned.

Can the Voldemort soul inside a Horcrux still bewitch people?

This was the first time he learned of it.

He only knew that many malicious incidents seemed to have occurred back then, but didn't expect they were caused by Voldemort's Horcrux.

Of course it can; as long as the host's will is weak or immature, and happens to cohabit with the Horcrux for a long time, they may be bewitched.

Dumbledore said this while pushing the Pendant Box onto the front of John.

Each Horcrux seems to be cursed or protected differently; this Pendant Box amplifies the wearer's negative emotions, provokes their inner demon, and ultimately devours it.

I'm still researching the Ravenclaw crown, but it is also related; roughly, after wearing the crown, it quietly alters the wearer's perception, making a person unknowingly become what it desires.

John subconsciously touched his chest, wondering if it was a heart demon; he indeed had one.

Fortunately he couldn't reach it; otherwise he might have been tempted to wear it and see what would happen.

Although I haven't yet determined the number of Voldemort's Horcruxes, after you brought back the Ravenclaw crown yesterday, I thought of something else that Voldemort might have turned into a Horcrux—the Hufflepuff Gold Cup.

Like the Ravenclaw crown, it is also a relic of one of Hogwarts' four founders.

Voldemort likely consciously chooses such items—things worthy of his status—to make Horcruxes.

…After all, I doubt he'd just pick a shabby crucible or a secondhand teapot to stuff soul fragments into.

Listening to Dumbledore's banter, John couldn't help but laugh: "If he really did that, we'd be in trouble."

Indeed…

As long as it's a notable named artifact, we can follow the trail, trace its circulation, and always find a clue.

Dumbledore shrugged nonchalantly, but then immediately looked at John.

Alright, let's get to business, John.

Before I examine you, I want to first test whether your other soul can truly sense Horcruxes.

To that, John naturally complied.

After all, he also wanted to know just how far this ability could go.

"You go out first."

"Oh."

John obeyed and left the office.

After standing outside for a while, the office door opened again, and Dumbledore remained seated at his desk.

"Come on, John, try to find the Horcrux I hid in my office."

Dumbledore said to John at the doorway.

John nodded, just as he was about to close his eyes and sense.

Suddenly two very obvious clues appeared in his senses.

This surprised John a bit.

It wasn't because his perception speed was absurdly fast.

It was that, before he even intended to search, his other soul proactively helped him look.

Does this prove...

that his other soul can perceive what he hears and sees, and then voluntarily offers assistance.

Because when he first entered the office, three Horcruxes were placed before him, and the soul gave no guidance to find them.

Now that Dumbledore just issued that command, it responded immediately.

Moreover, yesterday, after he discussed the Horcrux with Hermione, it helped search.

So it may possess autonomous consciousness and can still distinguish friend from foe.

However, it seems unable to read the thoughts in my mind.

Because I just tried cursing it several times in my mind, and it showed no reaction at all......