The next day, Damian packed everything and arrived at the great hall, Hagrid is here to guide them to Hogsmeade to board the train again. Damian wanted to go straight to Hogshead inn. But Albus Dumbledore refused, even Aberforth refused his request.
Damian don't know why until he saw the forms given by ministry personnel to accept the trace. His expression turned sour, he thought he might have the chance to go and hunt the phantom guild bases for further information. So far he only got to know this guild of assassins.
As Damian grudgingly signed the trace document, a system notification appeared.
[ A Magic Trace has been placed on you ]
[ All your movements and magic cast outside Hogwarts will be monitored by this trace ]
[ Quest : Break the Shackles ]
[ Requirement : Erase or Fool this Trace ]
[ Time Period : Before the Holidays Ends ]
[ Rewards : +1000 SP, Skill - Mana Tracing ]
Damian boarded the train. He sighed, why the hell did those two old men made him sign this trace? They wanted to keep him away from his revenge. Damian groaned inwardly thinking about the holidays. He needs to erase this bloody trace away first before going hunting.
As he Damian reached King's cross station, Aberforth is already there waiting for him with a serious expression. Muggles around started looking at the old man with weird glances because of his dressing attires. Aberforth didn't even say anything as Damian arrived in front of him.
Damian wanted to say something but Aberforth pulled him to the side and apparated away with him. They arrived directly at the Hogshead inn. Albus Dumbledore is already waiting for them. Damian immediately knew these two old men are going to interrogate him.
As they entered the Hogshead inn, Aberforth asked," seems like you developed quite the guts in mean time I didn't watch over you. Facing Voldemort directly, what kind of idiotic thought is that? Do you think your wings became so powerful now that you can outrun that noseless guy? Even this guy here chases him, that noseless bastard can fight him to a standstill before escaping, what are you to face him? What if something happened to you? ".
Aberforth became angry, he directly grabbed the shoulders of Damian and questioned him loudly looking at him with a gaze full of fire. Damian said," easy old man. Take deep breaths, you'll get a heart attack like this. Stay calm, let me explain ".
Those words earned him two punches on his head," hoh, you grow up to be rebellious it seems. Advising me to calm down. How can I call down you fool? You faced a man that terrorized a whole country. It's a miracle you survived. Do you think you can face wizards like that everyday and come unscathed? ".
Looking at Aberforth who is giving him a death glare, Damian stopped talking. Albus said," also I want to ask you about the philosopher's stone. Your plan is very good. It even deceived me, unfortunately Nicholas Flamel checked the powder and he found it's not the philosopher's stone. So where is the real Philosopher's stone? ".
Damian stayed silent while Albus spoke," I know you also found Rowena's library. Your luck is very good, just like Lily Potter and Your mother. So tell me Damian, what kind of purpose does the philosopher's stone serve you? ".
Damian knew there is no escape now. Aberforth asked," speak brat. I know you're hiding something, but I didn't expect it's this big. You even stole the philosopher's stone and fooled your headmaster. For what purpose did you steal the philosopher's stone ".
Damian sighed after a few seconds and put his hand into the enchanted pocket pretending the book is there, he pulled the book of rituals out from the inventory. As soon as they saw the book is about rituals, the playful glint in Albus eyes disappeared. Aberforth's expression also turned serious.
He directly grabbed Damian and asked," you performed a ritual? ", his voice trembled as if Damain had done something crazy. Albus Dumbledore flipped through the pages quickly. Then asked," Damian, do you know what it means to perform a ritual? What kind of effects it can bring? What kind of consequences it will have if it fails? What kind of state one can be degraded into if something goes wrong in the ritual? What kind of degenrated being one can become if even a single step goes wrong? ".
Damian blinked. Seems like he had done something very serious as a very casual thing and this seems to be no laughing topic. Damian didn't hide anything after that and spoke everything. After knowing it's Evelyn Rosier who brought some items needed for rituals for him, Albus Dumbledore expressed his concern.
But Damain reassured him that he never gave Evelyn the full list and included some items from other small rituals to confuse the opponent. Except the dragon hearts and some magical creatures organs, everything else is either gathered by him or stolen from Snape's potion supplies.
Albus Dumbledore sighed," no wonder Severus is so irritated these few weeks. He had lost more than half of his precious and rare potion ingredients painstakenly gathered from his travels ", Albus Dumbledore asked," so which ritual did you perform from this book? What kind of effects it has? And why is the philosopher's stone necessary for it? ".
Damian sweated profusely as Aberforth also pressured him to tell the truth. So Damian did it, Albus Dumbledore looked at the ritual with astonishment. So there is indeed something to cure the obscurus all this time and it's hidden right under his nose, but he never noticed it not bothered to think about it.
Aberforth's eyes has a lifeless expression though. Damian has a concerned look now as he observed Aberforth. Damian said," Ah, Grandpa Aberforth, are you okay? ", Aberforth spoke," if only I have discovered this a few decades ago, my son wouldn't have died ".
Aberforth stood up and said," I'm going to need some time alone. Don't disturb me until I come out of the room ", As Aberforth left, Albus sighed feeling pity for his brother and also a sense of guilt. If he would have explored the room of requirement a little early in his youth, maybe he would have saved his nephew.