Erwin paused. "Your Majesty, to be completely honest, I haven't found his soul. As the wielder of the Power of Death, I can sense every soul outside of Great Britain. I naturally have the means to locate him. However, Gryffindor's soul isn't in the Afterlife. It never entered."
Ravenclaw frowned with obvious concern. "Is it possible that, like me and Slytherin, his soul is simply wandering elsewhere?"
Erwin shook his head decisively. "The Power of Death is the only divine force in the West that controls mortality. It is more powerful than you imagine. Any soul, no matter where it is, can be sensed. Just as I can sense yours and Slytherin's—protected as you are by divine power—Gryffindor's soul is simply absent."
Ravenclaw's expression darkened noticeably. "So, it's confirmed? He's gone?"
"Maybe," Erwin said carefully. "Or perhaps he isn't dead at all."
"Impossible," she countered immediately. "If he weren't dead, he would have returned to us by now."
Erwin offered no further argument. He didn't believe Gryffindor could still be alive.
Without the Power of Death to sustain them, or Merlin's ancient magic to prolong life, how could he have survived?
Ravenclaw had absorbed an overwhelming amount of information today; she needed time to process it all thoroughly.
After chatting idly for a few more minutes, she retreated into the diadem.
Erwin headed straight for the Headmaster's office. He had told Ravenclaw the truth today to give her closure.
She had played a decisive role in his journey—transferring divine power into his body, allowing him to master it. Without her help, he wouldn't have awakened so quickly.
He had kept secrets from her, but that was no longer necessary. The bond between the four Founders was stronger than Erwin had imagined, especially Ravenclaw's. She had been the only one excluded from their grand plan, a deep-seated obsession she harbored.
By telling her the truth, Erwin was fulfilling a dream.
More importantly, he wasn't confident he would survive the final battle. If he fell, many others would die, including Ravenclaw. It was better she knew everything clearly now, rather than die with regrets.
Erwin walked to the shelf in the office. Gryffindor's Sword lay quietly there. Above it sat the Sorting Hat.
The Hat was asleep. Sensing Erwin's approach, it opened its eyes.
"Oh, little wizard!" it exclaimed, somewhat surprised. "The true master of Hogwarts. It's been a long time."
Erwin nodded. "Indeed. I missed the Sorting Ceremony two years ago."
"Hmm," the Hat hummed. "What brings you here?"
"I want to see if any Gryffindor divine power remains within you," Erwin said. "I need it."
"I don't know what 'divine power' is," the Hat replied honestly. "But when Gryffindor created me, they infused me with something. I can't quite explain it, but it's powerful. That must be what you're looking for."
"Precisely," Erwin said. "Will you still exist after this?"
"Hogwarts needs me for the Sorting Ceremony," the Hat huffed. "Though I think the method is hasty, it's a tradition!"
"Expected," Erwin said dryly. "You are a hat of wisdom, after all."
Erwin raised his hand and placed it on the Hat's brim. Energy flowed around him as he began his search.
To him, the Hat was no longer a mystery. It was an alchemical creation, imbued with Legilimency and a spell Erwin hadn't seen before—likely from Gryffindor's era.
Although he hadn't seen it, his current power allowed him to analyze it easily. Its sole function was bloodline detection. Erwin suspected Slytherin might have had a hand in it; the topic of bloodlines was always linked to him.
After a meticulous analysis, Erwin found what he was looking for: Gryffindor's divine power. It was a small amount, but sufficient. Even a trace was enough for him to analyze the energy signature.
He extracted a sample, then used his own power to replenish what remained within the Hat. After so many years, the Hat's energy had been dwindling. Divine power was the core energy that allowed it to function—like gasoline.
Without Erwin's intervention, the Hat would have likely run out of energy in ten years.
When the process was finished, the Hat opened its eyes wide.
"Wow! I feel full of energy!"
"I've replenished you completely," Erwin said. "You won't need to sleep every day to conserve energy anymore."
The Hat grinned. "Little wizard, you may not be the nicest person, but you are truly a good one."
Erwin stared at the Hat, dumbfounded. A hat had just handed him a 'good guy' card.
He didn't bother arguing. The Hat had been this way since the first day they met.