Chapter 50: Dumbledore
What happened next was quite magical.
Draco discovered the phoenix's wonderful use. Besides showing off its feathers, it could also carry heavy objects. Like a bunch of knotty vines, they climbed up the phoenix's tail and returned to Myrtle's bathroom without any hindrance.
Myrtle was floating around at the mouth of the pipe, waiting for them eagerly.
"What a bummer!" she said regretfully, seeing that they had returned safe and sound, and even brought one more person with them. "Is there no one I can share the bathroom with?"
"Look what you're saying?" said Ron disgustedly.
Myrtle walked around them dissatisfiedly, sighed, and ran away from home through the toilet.
The phoenix seemed quite happy, chirping sweetly and holding its head high. It flew low and proudly, circling ahead and leading the way until it brought them to the principal's office.
What happened next was a natural progression.
Draco followed Harry and the others into the headmaster's office, where a pair of desperate parents, the Weasleys, were waiting. When they saw the children who had broken in, they looked incredulous, then rushed over, hugged their lost little daughter and burst into tears.
Harry piled the things in his hands on Professor Dumbledore's desk and began to tell the story from the "Discovery of the Chamber of Secrets" until he told the story of how he killed the basilisk, destroyed the diary, and walked out with Ginny. The room was silent as everyone listened to his incredible experience.
Draco listened patiently beside Harry, filling in many previously unheard clues. For example, Harry accidentally discovered that Moaning Myrtle was the victim who died fifty years ago; for example, Dumbledore mentioned that when he was a professor at Hogwarts, he had taught the Dark Lord; for example, Phoenix tears can detoxify poison, even the basilisk's poison; for example, in the Chamber of Secrets, the diary can unexpectedly transform into a human form out of thin air and absorb people's life force...
Wait! Draco's face hardened.
So, looking back at the diary's performance, it doesn't seem like an object that can be created by simple black magic. It seems to have a life, or rather, a soul.
Another Horcrux?
Is this even possible? The Dark Lord, for some reason, took an ordinary Muggle diary and turned it into a Horcrux, then gave it to one of his men, believing he would keep it safe for him...
Draco was swaying on the spot, shocked by this terrible guess. He pinched his palms hard, trying to cheer himself up and stay calm.
He didn't want to show any inappropriate emotions in the headmaster's office and be noticed by Dumbledore.
Afterward, the Weasleys were sent to the hospital wing, where Ginny needed to be examined by Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall was sent to the kitchen to prepare for the celebratory dinner. Dumbledore then looked kindly at Harry and Ron, then at Draco. "I was thinking of keeping you here to ask for more details, but I think it would be best if you could go to the hospital wing to tend to your injuries and come back to me before dinner."
Draco wanted to go with them, but was stopped by the sharp-eyed headmaster.
"Mr. Malfoy, please wait a moment. I have something to ask you." Professor Dumbledore said in a gentle but unquestionable manner.
Harry and Ron looked at each other, then glanced worriedly at Draco, who had a blank expression and didn't seem panicked. Finally, at Professor Dumbledore's signal, they left first.
Professor Dumbledore waved his elder wand, and a comfortable chair whizzed across the room and stopped behind Draco. "Please sit down, Mr. Malfoy."
Draco sat down silently, without saying a word.
"Then, Draco, can you tell me what role you played in this?" Dumbledore looked at him gently.
Draco was always hesitant to talk to Dumbledore or even look at him casually.
The last time they talked, he died.
Every time he saw Professor Dumbledore, he had to remind himself that he was not a ghost, but a living person.
"I was just passing by." Draco clenched his hands and pretended to be relaxed. "I helped them out. It's nothing, really. I just helped them clear a hole in the rubble wall so we could fly back."
Those blue eyes looked at him thoughtfully, and Draco knew he didn't completely believe what he said.
He didn't dare to hold the eyes of this Legilimency master for too long, not because he was afraid Dumbledore would see through him, but because he was afraid that he would discover that he could master Occlumency at such a young age. He looked down at the bloodstained Sword of Gryffindor and the Sorting Hat on the desk in the headmaster's office, trying to hide his irritability.
Professor Dumbledore stopped talking and lowered his head to study the tattered diary with a big hole in it.
"Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you for a while." He smiled and changed the subject. "I heard from Madam Pomfrey that you're very good at brewing Mandrake resurrection potion."
Draco said smoothly and carefully, "It's just a coincidence."
He didn't dare underestimate Dumbledore—he was very good at getting information out of people. In his past life, even when he was unarmed, weak, and shaky, he could still get information out of them.
Dumbledore was also a master of Legilimency—as evidenced by the Pensieve in the headmaster's office—so Draco, who was tasked with assassination in his previous life, had to be proficient in Occlumency, to the point where Dumbledore couldn't break through his defenses.
"Not everyone can happen to brew such a powerful potion in their second year," Professor Dumbledore said amiably. "I think everyone has witnessed your ability and talent. A while ago, you even captured Peter Pettigrew and helped clear Harry's godfather's name..."
"Let me remind you that Sirius Black is my dear mother's cousin," Draco said with a forced smile. "In fact, I have to call him uncle. I saved him only out of a sense of blood responsibility."
"Ah, I had almost forgotten that," Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully, putting down his diary. "So your heroic stand against Mr. Weasley in the Chamber of Secrets, under Professor Lockhart's Memory Charm, was also out of a blood bond?"
"Well, there is indeed a slight relationship..." Draco was extremely embarrassed. At that time, he did have some of the bad habits of Gryffindor, and was a little reckless.
The Obliviate Charm is no joke, and, stupid Ron Weasley! Not a sure thing!
Just now, Dumbledore had only asked him casually, but he had spilled the beans and told everything. Draco made up his mind not to tell Ron any important secrets in the future - he was too easily tricked.
"From your various behaviors, I believe that deep down in your heart you regard Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger who is lying in the school hospital as your friends." Professor Dumbledore looked at him wisely through his glasses, "I am sure that you are helping Harry and others in many ways that we can't see. In fact, you are not the first Slytherin who says one thing and does another." His gaze seemed to move away for a moment, but he immediately retracted it.
Draco remained silent, trying to resist his attack with silence.
"You don't have to admit it. Just because I'm old doesn't mean my eyesight is bad. I can feel that they trust you very much and are even willing to help you lie." Dumbledore concluded gently.
"They're not lying..." Draco argued softly.
"Let's call it loyalty to one's friends," Dumbledore said. "I'm curious why you just refused the school's special contribution award."
It's obvious.
In any case, it is unwise for a Malfoy to be too deeply involved with the Chamber of Secrets, whether it is a positive involvement or a negative involvement. After he suspected that the diary was a Horcrux, this unwillingness to get involved in the slightest bit reached its peak.
Of course he couldn't tell the truth.
"I don't think I deserve it. I haven't put in as much effort as Harry and Ron..." Draco said, racking his brains.
"Is it because of this diary?" Dumbledore asked pointedly.
"Why... do you think so?" Draco was finally surprised.
Is it so obvious? He wondered in wonder. He had hardly looked at it since he entered the room.
"Oh, of course I know. You looked around the room with such openness that you avoided the diary," Professor Dumbledore said calmly. "I noticed it the moment you entered. Your gaze was quite out of place compared to the others in the room."
I see. Dumbledore's grasp of human nature is truly terrifying.
Draco sighed, admitting that today wasn't his best day.
The trip to the Chamber of Secrets had exhausted him both physically and mentally. The spells to break through the stones had consumed too much of his energy. The excitement of getting the basilisk's fang had cooled down a bit, and he was more tired. Especially just now, he suddenly discovered that the diary might be the second Horcrux. The mental impact brought by the shock made it difficult for him to even "pretend to be calm."
If the diary was indeed a Horcrux - that would mean the Dark Lord had created more than one Horcrux.
Perhaps it wasn't just the Ravenclaw diadem, or the diary itself. That would mean even more endless suffering. He didn't even dare to think about it.
Thankfully, the Grey Lady is worthy of being Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter and - even without the tiara - is intelligent enough.
She was right, the basilisk's fangs could indeed destroy Horcruxes - which made him feel relieved again.
"I admit I care about it." Draco struggled to form his words. "I mean no harm. I don't want to hurt anyone. I've done the best I can."
"Do you have any secrets to tell me about this diary?" Professor Dumbledore asked with interest and a calm attitude.
Draco forced a smile, quickly glanced at Professor Dumbledore, and quickly calculated in his mind.
The Malfoys had no other choice.
Giving the diary to Ginny Weasley was the worst decision her father Lucius could have made.
This not only offended the Weasleys, but also the Dark Lord. The piece of his soul that he had spent so much money to split was so easily and inadvertently destroyed by 12-year-old Harry. No wonder the Dark Lord was furious when he learned of this, and the Malfoy family's status among the Death Eaters gradually declined.
The Dark Lord must be deeply resentful of this. The Malfoys had offended him long ago without realizing it, and it was ridiculous that my father still thought this diary was no big deal.
My father had long blocked the Malfoy family's path to supporting the Dark Lord. That path had been proven to be unreliable and would lead to destruction.
Only by joining Dumbledore's side could they survive. Draco could not ignore this huge temptation: the Malfoy family could live a different life - they had never had more than one way to go to join the Dark Lord.
Draco always remembered the olive branch Dumbledore had extended to him in the Astronomy Tower: "Stand on the right path, Draco, we can hide you in a completely safe place, safer than you can imagine. Moreover, I can send members of the Order of the Phoenix to hide your mother tonight... Your father... We will protect him too when the time comes... Stand on the right path, Draco, you are not a murderer..."
These words were like nails that struck his heart, and he still remembers them today.
Dumbledore at this moment was no longer as frail as he had been in the Astronomy Tower in his previous life. He was powerful, wise, and had a wide influence in the wizarding world. Perhaps establishing contact with him early on would bring more benefits.
Rather than being caught in a bigger whirlpool in the end by Professor Dumbledore discovering the role the Malfoy family played in the Chamber of Secrets, it is better to confess now.
Professor Dumbledore, as everyone knows, loves giving people second chances. Look at how Professor Snape has been treated over the years! Even though his final performance didn't quite live up to Professor Dumbledore's trust, Draco secretly grumbled.
Moreover, with the discovery of the second Horcrux - the diary - Draco had a vague feeling that given the Dark Lord's insidiousness of having three burrows, this might not be the last one.
By now, Draco realized that the Horcrux issue couldn't be solely his responsibility. It was far beyond his capabilities. However, if Dumbledore learned of this, perhaps he could find more clues and destroy more Horcruxes.
The Malfoy family rules told him that some things could not be accomplished by one person alone.
When it comes to dealing with the Dark Lord, Professor Dumbledore, who has great magical powers and is suspected of possessing the Elder Wand, may be more suitable than him.
"Can I trust you?" Draco sighed tiredly and made a decision. "Telling you means handing over the weakness of the entire Malfoy family to you. Can I get your protection? Can the entire Malfoy family get your protection?"
Professor Dumbledore's eyes flashed with surprise. "If the price behind this secret is so great, I will."
"You also have to promise me that today's conversation will be completely confidential." Draco looked at him directly for the first time in his life.
Professor Dumbledore's face turned serious.
"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, swear by Merlin to keep this secret and not reveal the conversation of today to any third person." He raised his wand and drew the symbol of Merlin in the air.
This is an ancient contract magic. Ultimately, the magic power of wizards comes from their own faith. Swearing on faith is a very serious contract between old-school wizards.
Once, that night in the observatory, Professor Dumbledore, at the end of his life, still tried to redeem himself. And now, he made perhaps the highest promise a wizard could make.
So, take a gamble and try to trust Professor Dumbledore for once.
"It all starts with this diary." Draco nodded towards the table. "You know, my father was once a Death Eater. I guess that during his years of being possessed by evil, he got a diary. He had no idea what kind of dark magic was in the diary, but he was only ordered to keep it safe. As time passed, the diary somehow--" He cleverly avoided Lucius's part, not looking at Professor Dumbledore's eyes that seemed to see through everything, but looking at the gleaming silver sword of Gryffindor on the table.
"—ended up at Hogwarts this year, falling into the hands of innocent people. Later, when I stumbled upon the diary in Harry's hands, I was horrified. I tried to persuade him to give it to you, but then the diary disappeared. And then, not long after, everything in the Chamber of Secrets happened. From Harry's account of Tom Riddle, I made a horrible, immature little inference," Draco said sincerely.
"What inference?" asked Professor Dumbledore with interest.
"I think you've noticed it a long time ago, and perhaps you've also been suspecting it. This diary seems to have its own thoughts, like a living person..." Draco said slowly, "It doesn't seem like simple dark magic, but rather a piece of the Dark Lord's soul in his youth."
He noticed that Professor Dumbledore's blue eyes had darkened and he leaned forward, seeming to pay close attention to what he said.
"When I was chatting with my grandfather, he once mentioned a word, a word that he hated so much that perhaps this word should be forever buried in the archives of the history of magic," Draco said. "This word is Horcrux."
The portrait behind Professor Dumbledore whispered to each other, and Draco could see a certain former Headmaster, Armando Dippet, knocking over his glass in shock.
"This is not a word a 12-year-old boy should know." Professor Dumbledore leaned back in his chair tiredly, no longer as energetic as before. He said softly, "I think Abraxas should realize this."
"You know about Horcruxes?" Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"...This is an ancient dark magic. Very evil." After a long pause, Professor Dumbledore said slowly.
"It can also grant immortality and make the soul immortal." Draco laughed dryly. "Just imagine, who could resist using such magic?"
"Of course," Professor Dumbledore murmured, "of course... that makes sense. Why is he still alive even though his body is disintegrating..." Draco guessed that he must be thinking of the Dark Lord's soul attached to the back of Quirrell's head.
I don't know what they plan to do with Quirrell.
The Dark Lord's spirit had clearly not yet been completely destroyed. Draco saw everything through the Marauder's Map. He could see the names of Quirinus Quirrell and Tom Riddle standing still in a room near the dungeons.
Sometimes, the names of Filius Flitwick, Severus Snape, or Albus Dumbledore would appear next to them. Dumbledore seemed to trust Snape, and Snape didn't seem to have any intention of aiding the Dark Lord; he seemed to be trying to understand Quirrell and the spirit behind the petrified body.
"This is the secret I want to reveal to you today. Now you can understand why I refused the special contribution award, because all this is caused by the Malfoy family; you can also understand why I said that once I tell you this secret, the Malfoy family will need your full protection." Draco said, staring at Professor Dumbledore's face.
He betrayed the Dark Lord's deepest secrets.
If the Dark Lord returns, if the Dark Lord knows what he has done today, the Malfoys will be the first to be purged.
Professor Dumbledore quickly came to his senses and looked at the pale Draco with an inquiring expression.
"I'm very curious. Mr. Malfoy, why are you willing to tell me these secrets so frankly?" He never expected that a Malfoy would be so frank with him.
Lucius Malfoy had always hated him, but his son came to tell him such a shocking secret. Even Dumbledore found this development too surprising.
"I just want to protect the people around me—my family, my friends—from getting hurt. But with my own strength, I'm far from being able to do that." Draco said calmly, lowering his eyes. "It's well known that you're incredibly powerful, and the person he fears the most."
The Dark Lord was afraid of Dumbledore and he always avoided direct conflict with Dumbledore.
The Death Eaters all knew that the Dark Lord had never defeated Dumbledore. In the previous life, during the turmoil over the prophecy at the Ministry of Magic, Dumbledore's intervention had prevented the Dark Lord from gaining any advantage and forced him to flee. He had left his loyal followers, including Lucius, in a state of disarray at the Ministry. This move had caused some of the more self-interested Death Eaters to waver.
"Doesn't the Dark Lord know that doing this will discourage his subordinates?" Draco once asked his mother at that time.
"Oh, Xiaolong, you should think about it. Is it that he doesn't want to save you, or is it that he can't save you?" Narcissa said worriedly. "The Dark Lord also has people he fears. He is not omnipotent. I am very worried about you, Xiaolong. The task he assigned to you is something that even he himself cannot accomplish——"
"Stop it, Mother, stop it! He said he trusted me! That mission was a recognition of my ability!" Draco became emotional, showing the Dark Mark on his arm to his tearful mother, "I must prove myself to him! Otherwise, no one will save Father, and he will have to stay in Azkaban forever!"
The confused 16-year-old boy was burdened with a mission that even the Dark Lord himself could not accomplish, and he was full of delusion that he could prove his ability, save his father, and save his family.
Draco stared at the diary, his heart overwhelmed by memories.
"Slytherin students always give people the most profound surprises. I have to say, I never thought I would get such high praise from Malfoy." At this moment, Albus Dumbledore was sighing.
A completely new possibility suddenly appeared before Dumbledore's eyes—perhaps the Malfoy family would turn against him.
They may no longer be content to be a former Death Eater lying dormant in the world, waiting for Voldemort to make a comeback, but instead fight against Voldemort until all traces of his resurgence are extinguished.
This possibility excited Dumbledore. Today might be the starting point for his rebellion.
"I will keep my promise and not leak a single word. I will not cause any trouble for Lucius. As for the school's special contribution award, I respect your choice, but I personally still have reservations." He looked at Draco with a smile. "Hogwarts never ignores the good morals of any student. Your performance today is enough to make me believe in your character."
Draco breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile at him.
It was no easy feat to negotiate with a wizard as powerful as Professor Dumbledore. Draco didn't even know how he had managed it.
"I think you might as well put these things aside and enjoy tonight's dinner first." Professor Dumbledore said in a relaxed tone, "I heard from Professor Sprout that the mandrakes are growing well this year and are about to mature. If you feel guilty about the damage caused by the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, you might as well report to Professor Snape and help him brew the mandrake resurrection potion and save those students with your own hands. I think maybe you will feel better." He suggested kindly.
"I will," Draco said.
He stood up and took a few steps towards the door of the headmaster's office. Finally, he couldn't help but turn around and asked Professor Dumbledore one last question: "Tell me, Professor Dumbledore, since you once taught him, please tell me, what is his extraordinary interest? Any number that interests him? Anything that is of special significance to him?"
Professor Dumbledore's expression gradually grew solemn behind the desk. It was as if Draco had submitted a satisfactory study plan and suddenly told Dumbledore that it was only a small part of the plan. There were many more plans that even Dumbledore himself didn't know about, and he needed to start all over again.
Draco believed he understood the implication of his words.
The diary may be the end of Horcruxes; or it may just be the beginning.
Draco desperately hoped the former was the case. He desperately hoped it was already done.
But in the spirit of prudence, Dumbledore should remain vigilant.
He was the one the Dark Lord feared most. If anyone could find more Horcruxes—and Draco had no idea what else might exist—it would be Dumbledore.
Professor Dumbledore frowned and pondered silently for a while.
"That's not an easy question to answer." He sighed and said shakily, "Give me some time. I need to do some research. Believe me, one day, we will find out."