"I'm dying!"
The Ancient One's words hung in the air.
Lockhart's hand, still holding the teacup, froze momentarily before he slowly set it down on the table. There was no surprise or fear in his expression.
He knew. He had known for some time.
Yet he wasn't pretending now. He simply gazed calmly at the Ancient One sitting across from him.
"Master Supreme, where do you plan to go after your death?" Lockhart asked, his tone casual, as though discussing travel plans with an old friend. His voice was steady, tinged only with gentle curiosity.
The Ancient One studied Lockhart's composed face and broke into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha..."
Her laughter was so exuberant that she nearly slapped the table in delight. The sound seemed to fill every corner of the tea room.
Eventually, she suppressed her smile, though her tone remained relaxed and joyful.
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," she admitted. "Every day in the past, each time I wished to leave, I was always held back by concern."
She paused, reflective. "After all, a mother who has raised her children for more than a decade puts her heart and soul into them. And I? I have been with Kamar-Taj for thousands of years."
The Ancient One's voice carried traces of emotion. Lockhart, for his part, didn't interrupt, simply listening patiently to what the ancient sorcerer had to say.
Yes, ancient indeed. Though she appeared youthful, she had lived for thousands of years. The weight of experience she carried was immeasurable.
"For most of these thousands of years, I have remained at Kamar-Taj," she continued. "Each time I look upon the sorcerer apprentices we've trained, I feel both reassured and saddened."
"Why?" Her tone fluctuated slightly, emotions momentarily agitated before she regained composure.
"I have witnessed and experienced life and death," she explained. "However, I cannot bear to treat my sorcerers like a harvest of wheat. They spend their lives guarding world peace. This pleases me greatly."
Her voice grew heavier. "But it's difficult for me to accept that they cannot rest in peace after they die. This isn't something that's happened once or twice. Not hundreds or thousands of times. This has been our reality for thousands of years!"
By this point, the Ancient One's tone had grown somber and serious.
Lockhart spoke to comfort her: "Don't worry, Master Supreme. Everything will change for the better. At least I can ensure that while I'm alive."
His words carried firm conviction, like a solemn vow.
Though neither directly addressed the future of sorcerers, their entire conversation circled this topic. They understood each other perfectly.
"Lockhart, you are exceptionally intelligent and talented," the Ancient One praised. "However, throughout Kamar-Taj's history, similarly brilliant and gifted sorcerers emerge every few centuries. Do you know why I've taken a particular liking to you?"
Lockhart shook his head, curious.
The Ancient One's right hand moved gently toward her neck, and the Eye of Agamotto slowly floated forward. As the bronze shell with its eye-like surface gradually rotated, green light emanated from within. A green gem exuding a strange aura was revealed.
"This is the Eye of Agamotto, also known as the Time Stone," she said softly, her gaze fixed on Lockhart's eyes. "It possesses the ability to observe the future."
"As Supreme Sorcerer, with the Eye of Agamotto, I can peer into both future and past. Everything that has occurred is like a blank page in a book, available for reference at any moment. All that will come to pass is like the lines on my palm, visible without end."
She paused, letting her words sink in. "Lockhart, tell me, is Kamar-Taj, possessor of such treasures, not inherently invincible?"
"Of course," Lockhart nodded slightly, echoing her implied meaning.
"However," she continued, "in the almost infinite future I've observed, I cannot find a path forward for Kamar-Taj. Either it perishes, declines, or remains as it is now—becoming bloody wheat awaiting harvest."
The Ancient One's tone carried a hint of sadness. Lockhart remained silent. He seemed to understand why.
"Without hope, one feels only despair," she said, but then her tone shifted. "However, I recently discovered something quite intriguing. In this endless future I've observed, I don't see you."
The Ancient One watched Lockhart's expression with great interest.
Upon hearing this, Lockhart's face registered recognition of this truth. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, the Ancient One interrupted him.
"Lockhart, everyone harbors their own secrets, myself included. I don't seek to learn your reasons. However, I deeply hope that your presence will bring a new future to Kamar-Taj."
She seemed momentarily emotional. "I sometimes wonder if the ability to see through time is actually a curse. Everything I've foreseen, without exception, leads to an end. I hope you might somehow be different."
Though she didn't state it explicitly, her meaning was clear.
After a moment of silence, Lockhart returned to his original question. "So, Master Supreme, where are you going?"
This issue held great importance to him.
Hearing this, the Ancient One smiled knowingly, as though she understood precisely what Lockhart was thinking.
"I signed a contract long ago, and now the time has come to fulfill it," she replied. "I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you any further."
Her words caused Lockhart to frown.
"Is there truly no help you can offer?" he pressed.
Dumping this enormous mess entirely on me—she must think very little of my abilities.
In response, the Ancient One's fingertips touched the Eye of Agamotto floating before her and pushed it gently. The mystical artifact slowly drifted toward Lockhart.
"The Eye of Agamotto—this is the final gift I leave to you," she said. "As for the help you seek, I fear I am powerless to provide it."
Lockhart could only sigh.
However, immediately afterward, the Ancient One reached out and reclaimed the Eye of Agamotto, a meaningful smile playing across her lips.
"Of course, I cannot help you after I'm gone. After all, I'll be dead," she stated matter-of-factly. "But while I live, different calculations apply. After all, I am the Supreme Sorcerer of Kamar-Taj. Ordinary sorcerers may die in battle, but I cannot simply fade away quietly."
Hearing this, Lockhart was visibly shocked. His eyes reflected complex emotions, including a trace of guilt. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself at a loss for words.
He understood perfectly what the Ancient One was suggesting.
However, did this count as giving the Ancient One...?
"Lockhart, don't overthink this," the Ancient One said calmly. "Going forward, Kamar-Taj will be entrusted to you. Do not disappoint me."
Upon hearing these words, Lockhart stood up. Taking a step back, he bowed deeply to the Supreme Sorcerer.
Rising from his bow, he spoke with deliberate precision.
"I, Gilderoy Lockhart, will never betray your trust!"