293 Egypt, curse, phoenix, ancestors

293 Egypt, curse, phoenix, ancestors

In the principal's office, Meadows was telling Dumbledore about his experience in Egypt.

"I discovered the traces of Bellatrix and Rodolphus at the beginning, and followed them into an ancient tomb. They seemed to be intentionally following Voldemort's orders. After fighting several times, We were separated in the tomb."

"But this led me into the depths of the ancient tomb. It was there that I found this phoenix chick. It was not blue at that time, but was just unconscious."

"There was a mummy lying next to the chick, and they were connected by a strange black magic. No matter what the mummy wanted to do, the other party undoubtedly failed, but it caused irreparable damage to the Phoenix. .”

"I gave it to Steve and told Mr. Newt about the disappearance of the Death Eaters. Then I returned to the tomb. It was at that time that I discovered that the curse had been transferred to me... ....”

As he said this, Meadows' voice gradually became quieter.

Dumbledore looked at her with his eyes and sighed softly.

"Then you disregarded your own safety and planned to capture the two Death Eaters first? In the end, you ended up getting trapped in the pyramid bit by bit?"

"Reckless decision."

Dumbledore shook his head, as if he understood something.

Meadows' indifference just proved that she had no intention of coming back alive.

"Hate..."

Dumbledore looked at Meadows, who could not help but lower his head, and said softly to her: "Don't let hatred affect your judgment, Dorcas."

"We don't need unnecessary sacrifices either."

Dumbledore seemed to attribute Meadows' recklessness to Bellatrix's presence, for it was due to her bullying that Meadows officially revealed his late-blooming talent during the crisis, and resented it for it. each other.

However, judging from the conversation between Meadows and Karan after the end of last semester, she had actually had this idea for a long time, and had no intention of actually coming back alive - before finding a solution to the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts course.

But Meadows was careful not to confess this fact.

Karan, who was sitting next to him, had no intention of exposing this lie.

He was silently turning his head to look at this novel office. It looked much more interesting than Dean Sprout's office.

After taking his eyes away from the dancing silverware, Karan focused his attention on the portraits of previous principals on the wall.

He recognized Principal Delise Derwent (who worked at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Maladies and was one of the few "famous principals"), Principal Eupracia Moore (who was the school administrator during her tenure Rankolos Calpe's failed capture plan forced him to sign a series of agreements with Peeves, promising to give him more privileges, including being able to swim once a week in the boys' bathroom on the first floor, Prioritize the moldy bread in the kitchen to throw around, and get a new hat specially made for him by Ms. Bonabil.).

In addition, Karan also recognized many other principals, and they were all smiling kindly at him.

If all the previous principals were not crowded into the same portrait, Karan believed that this scene would be more friendly.

Behind the principals who were deliberately crowded together, something seemed to be tied to the chair, and the wooden legs hit the ground from time to time, making a thumping sound.

Judging from the occasional whine, the thing seemed to be gagged and unable to speak.

Karan glanced at the name marked on the frame.

[Phineas Nigellus Black] - the most unpopular headmaster ever.

He turned his head, and the Sorting Hat nodded slightly at him.

Coupled with the words he said when he was sorted - [Pure blood, it makes me feel sick. 】

Karan understands everything.

So, he showed a big smile to the principals who were crowding around.

Phineas, whose mouth was covered, suddenly shook even more violently, as if he was struggling to fight against the injustice he encountered.

At this time, Dumbledore had finished checking the blue phoenix and gently put it down.

The fiery red Fox stood on the table, curiously looking at his unique kind, and the little blue chick looked at it curiously.

"Although I'm not a strict magizoologist, I can see how much this little guy suffered."

"Otherwise, the Phoenix would not be reborn like this - completely abandoning everything in the past and completely changing its appearance."

"And, a new owner."

Dumbledore said slowly, looking at Meadows.

"Is that okay?" he asked.

Meadows nodded slightly.

When she left the passage of the secret room, she had already put on a new witch robe, not only tightly wrapping her arms, but even her neck, without any leakage, and without letting anyone else in the castle notice her. exception.

Now, she rolled up her cuffs little by little, showing her arms covered with strange marks in front of Dumbledore.

Karan also moved his gaze and looked at it carefully.

Those curse marks are like flowing water, swimming slowly and emitting a dim light from time to time.

Dumbledore pointed the Elder Wand at the mark, chanted a chant-like spell, and sometimes cast ancient and complex spells.

Seemingly because of the pain, Meadows couldn't help but frown, a lot of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he bit his lips without making a sound.

Finally, Dumbledore removed his wand and handed Meadows a pair of handkerchiefs.

"I should never have allowed you to go to Egypt alone."

There was deep guilt in his tone.

Meadows said with a pale face: "This is none of your business, it's just that I... was too reckless."

Karan had understood the full meaning of the words.

Dumbledore failed to resolve the curse.

"In those mysterious ancient tombs, there are often curses that have lasted for thousands of years, and they can still exist even after the caster dies."

Dumbledore pointed to Meadows' arm and said, "This is one of those, and an extremely rare one."

There was a brief silence.

"It's nothing." Meadows suddenly said: "There will be a way to solve it."

"Even if it can't be solved...it doesn't matter."

The chick swung its short legs, struggled to walk to Meadows' arm, and gently rubbed the curse mark on it.

Callan turned to look at Dumbledore.

Unexpectedly, Dumbledore did not offer words of comfort, but smiled and said: "You are right, Dorcas."

"Maybe it really doesn't matter to you."

Meadows raised his head in surprise, and Dumbledore continued to explain: "From your description, this curse is connected to the phoenix and the mummy."

"He is using some evil magic to gain some of the Phoenix's abilities after death."

"Nirvana." Karan suddenly said: "Does that mummy want to be resurrected, like a phoenix?"

Dumbledore nodded appreciatively.

"Yes, this should be the purpose of the mummy."

"But it is obvious that the other party did not succeed. The curse could no longer affect the body, but it always stayed on the Phoenix, causing it to endure painful torture for a long time."

"In the end, this torture used up the magic power of the Phoenix little by little, and it no longer had the ability to achieve nirvana, and finally fell into an endless sleep."

"Until it met you."

Dumbledore looked at Meadows and said.

"The curse has the ability to connect, so when you appear, the curse is automatically connected to the only living person present - you."

"Now the Phoenix has been completely reborn, and in doing so has gotten rid of the curse."

"So the only person who is cursed is myself..." Meadows murmured.

"But... Principal, what does this have to do with the solution?" she asked.

"It's very simple." Dumbledore said: "Just let the curse reappear on this blue phoenix."

Meadows immediately looked at Dumbledore, but from the look on his face, Dumbledore didn't seem to be joking.

Karan also frowned inadvertently.

Dumbledore's method seemed to be to place Meadows' identity on the evil mummy.

But this is terrible black magic and an extremely evil act...

However, neither of them asked out loud. Instead, they suppressed their curiosity and waited patiently.

Dumbledore didn't let them wait too long and continued to explain: "I know what you are thinking, but this time it will be completely different."

"The original purpose of the curse was to seize the Phoenix's nirvana ability, that is, its talent. This failed, but the ongoing curse has not dissipated. This at least shows that there is no problem with the curse."

"The phoenix is ​​also alive and well. It just fell into a deep sleep and was successfully revived by you. Then...it can't have any problems."

"The problem just appeared on the mummy."

"Because he doesn't have the talent, because it's not equivalent."

The two became even more confused.

Dumbledore smiled and raised his index finger, and he continued to explain patiently, like a professor teaching.

"We can make a guess: this curse was not created by the mummy himself, at least not entirely. This caused him to misunderstand the true purpose of the curse."

"The existence of the curse is not to take away, but to connect, just to connect."

"Curse can create some connections and forcibly replace some mysterious existences."

He looked at the two of them and said slowly.

"For example, [love]."

Karan was stunned, but Meadows frowned deeply.

Dumbledore didn't pay attention to the changes between the two of them. He continued to explain: "In this way, maybe we can make more guesses: the mummy is not the original owner of this phoenix, but it is him who cast the curse. One of the purposes - to become the master of this phoenix."

"Why?" At this time, Karan suddenly asked.

Dumbledore showed no dissatisfaction at being interrupted. He explained patiently: "Because the phoenix is ​​an extremely loyal animal, but this loyalty needs to be treated with kindness..."

"Otherwise, Phoenix will leave."

"Under such malicious behavior - that mummy cannot be the owner of this phoenix, at least from the moment this idea arises, he is no longer the owner."

Karan was stunned again, and he turned to look at Fox.

Fawkes rested his head on Dumbledore's arm and chirped softly.

Callan did not continue to ask how Dumbledore knew about this, but just nodded silently.

Dumbledore spoke again.

"Then the solution will be clear."

He looked at Meadows and smiled.

"The mummy has no talent, but the new owner of the Phoenix is ​​not that simple."

"I haven't agreed to be its owner yet..." Meadows muttered dissatisfiedly. She seemed to be vaguely repelled by this matter.

But under Dumbledore's gaze, she still said helplessly: "I understand, Principal. Because I am a late bloomer, and this is my talent."

Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction.

"In this case, the only thing left is to ask this little guy for his opinion. After all, it has just escaped the torture of the curse, so it is difficult to agree..."

Before Dumbledore could finish speaking, the blue chick waddled up to Meadows. It eagerly opened its mouth and spit out a ball of blue flame, covering the mark on its arm. .

When the flame disappeared, the strange mark lost a few stripes and appeared on the baby bird.

It didn't seem to be in any discomfort, just chirping happily towards Meadows.

After a brief silence, Meadows sighed softly, but in the end she raised the corners of her mouth slightly and responded in kind to the chick.

"Give it a name." Dumbledore suddenly suggested, as if he had been waiting for this scene.

Meadows was silent, and she whispered: "[Antioch]."

"Just call it [Antioch]."

Karan blinked.

"What?" he asked.

Meadows gently stroked the blue chick with her fingers. Her movements seemed unfamiliar, and she replied without raising her head: "Antioch, Antioch Peverell, you haven't seen it. "The Tales of Beedle the Poet"?"

"I've seen it." Karan nodded blankly: "But aren't you a Muggle-born?"

"Aren't you also a Muggle?" Meadows asked, "Isn't there a rule that we can't read magical fairy tales?"

Karan was speechless.

At this time, Dumbledore smiled and said, "I remember Pomona asked you to read it."

Meadows nodded helplessly.

"The dean always thinks I'm too childish and wants me to... not be so abnormal or withdrawn."

"During that time, I read a lot of fairy tale books."

She finally muttered in a low voice: "Those stories are not interesting at all, but they did make me remember the story "The Legend of Three Brothers". I didn't expect that the boss in it was actually created based on my ancestors." of......"

Karan blinked again.

He remembered that the eldest of the three brothers was the creator of the Elder Wand.

He was also the first owner of the Elder Wand.