"It took me a lot of effort to find these manuscripts from the restricted books section..."
In the Request-Granting Room, Robert shared the manuscripts with Tom and Anne.
Since the establishment of the society, this group had rarely come here, so there was no one else in the room except for the three of them.
Tom looked at the manuscripts in amazement.
In just half a month, he hadn't expected Robert to find so many clues! He had thought Robert would just use the instruments seized from the goblins and slowly uncover their magical properties.
But on second thought… If Robert wanted to pass information to Nurmengard through Anne, he couldn't mention the seized instruments. That would expose him.
He needed another reason—like information learned from manuscripts in the restricted section. That would be much more convincing.
So… was Robert planning something against Nurmengard?
Tom looked at the manuscript in his hand again, his eyes full of doubt.
The material didn't look fake. Could it be that Robert had genuinely searched for information about this magical power to target Nurmengard?
"Although these manuscripts are not complete," Robert added, "I can still roughly guess some locations..."
He hesitated before continuing, "However, I haven't found more information about Professor Morgana. I don't know if the magical power still exists after all these years—whether she took it with her or if some of it remains."
Anne examined the manuscripts. She appeared calm on the surface, but deep inside, she was filled with doubts.
Most of the locations recorded in the manuscript matched those in a notebook she had stolen from the restricted section earlier!
Moreover, she had personally explored most of those places.
Unfortunately, she had found nothing.
However, Robert's words provided an answer to her confusion.
The reason why she had found nothing in those places was probably that Professor Morgana had taken the magical power with her, or someone else had discovered it before her.
After all, Professor Morgana had lived many years ago. After so much time, things were bound to change.
Anne felt a growing sense of urgency. What if all the magical power was truly gone?
"Robert, can you speculate where this magical power might still exist?" Anne asked anxiously.
Robert hesitated. "That's difficult, Anne. Even though I have collected many manuscripts, the clues are too limited."
"You're right..." Anne realized she had been impatient.
No matter how skilled Robert was, it was impossible to determine all the locations based on incomplete manuscripts.
Moreover, the places Robert had already speculated about were the same as those recorded in the notebook she had taken earlier.
That meant the notebook might have belonged to Professor Morgana herself.
In other words, all the locations it mentioned were possible sources of this magical power!
Anne suddenly brightened.
She didn't need to wait for Robert to find more locations. She already had them!
She couldn't wait to report this information to Nurmengard.
"Although we only have a few locations now, we can explore them first. We might find some new clues in addition to magical power," Robert said, looking at Tom. "Tom, are you coming?"
Tom understood and nodded. "Of course! Only a fool would turn down a chance to become stronger!"
Robert smiled, then turned to Anne. "What about you?"
"I... Of course, I'm coming too! I'm not a fool!" Anne quickly responded.
In truth, she didn't want to go. She had already been to most of the places Robert had mentioned.
And they were empty.
That meant Robert would find nothing as well.
But she couldn't refuse.
She had shown so much interest earlier. If she suddenly backed out, it would be suspicious.
"Good. Tonight, Tom and I have to go to the Forbidden Forest for detention. Since we've been there so often, we're already familiar with the outer areas."
"So this time, we can choose a new route and explore another location. If we're late, we'll just tell Mr. Ogg that we got lost by accident."
Robert pointed to an address on the parchment.
It was the closest location to Hogwarts.
Anne recognized it immediately.
It had been the first place she had explored.
She asked, "Well... You both have legitimate reasons to be in the Forbidden Forest, but what about me?"
She saw this as the perfect excuse to refuse.
"Don't worry," Robert said. "I'll talk to Professor Slughorn. I'll tell him you're curious about the Forbidden Forest and want to explore it. He'll find a reason to send you there."
Anne's smile froze.
"Well... thank you so much..."
She said through gritted teeth.
What kind of devil applies for detention on someone else's behalf?!
The weather was freezing! Who would willingly leave their warm bed just to wander around in the Forbidden Forest?!
Anne was filled with frustration.
She had just been relieved of night explorations in the Forbidden Forest. Now, she was being sent back again.
It would have been better if she had kept the notebook! Then she would have received even more credit.
"Then it's settled!" Robert said cheerfully. "Anne, go prepare. You've never been in the Forbidden Forest before, right?"
"Okay... See you tonight," Anne said, forcing a smile.
"By the way, the fewer people who know about this, the better. This kind of power is too tempting. No one can resist it," Robert warned.
"Got it…"
After Anne left the Room of Requirement, Robert turned to Tom.
"I need a temporary passage to the secret corridor on the fourth floor," he muttered.
The Room of Requirement transformed instantly.
In front of Tom's astonished eyes, a new entrance appeared in the wall…
—
"Crack!"
In the secret corridor, Tom quietly watched the entrance behind him close.
Darkness filled the space.
Then, a soft yellow light flickered on.
Robert held a lit candle, illuminating the passage.
"If you have any questions, ask them now," Robert said.
Tom frowned. "Why are you using a candle instead of your wand?"
Robert hesitated. "I'll give you one chance to ask a question… Are you sure you want it to be that one?"
"Of course not! What I really want to ask is—why did you tell Rosier about the location of the magical power? Now Nurmengard knows, too!"
"I know you must have a reason for this… but I want to hear it from you. Of course, if you don't want to explain, that's your choice… I can't beat you anyway."
Tom was clearly frustrated.
He had waited so long to obtain this power, only for Robert to hand the information to Nurmengard!
The prize had been right in front of him, and Robert had simply thrown it away!
Despite Tom's blunt questioning, Robert remained calm.
"Because that magical power is no longer there," Robert said.
Tom's expression froze.
His burning ambition had been doused with ice-cold water.
"But… but… those manuscripts… are they fake?" Tom stammered.
"They're real," Robert admitted. "That magic once existed."
He pulled out several burnt diary pages.
Tom read through them.
Professor Morgana had created the power through questionable means. She had been killed because of it.
The final diary entry was clear—
The magical power had been absorbed by the goblin Lanlock.
And when Lanlock died…
The power had dissipated.
Tom felt like he had been turned to stone.
"Yes," Robert said. "It dissipated."
In truth, the diary had contained another line—one that Robert had burned away.
It had said:
"And then I gathered it again."
But Tom didn't know that.
"I don't believe it… You're a terrible person," Tom muttered.
Robert smirked. "If Morgana could create this power, why can't we?"
Tom's eyes burned with renewed determination.
"Yes! We'll figure it out ourselves!"
And with that, Tom's ambition reignited.
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