Hogwarts: A Chinese-Style Professor

Chapter 38 This time, what will you choose?
Only after seeing the Horcrux did Li Wei truly understand why Dumbledore had gone through so much trouble with him beforehand.

The message he had given Dumbledore earlier had not been in vain; the latter had actually obtained the Horcrux.

So, the main purpose of all the discussions today is actually to test him?
Dumbledore wanted to assess his behavior before deciding whether to reveal the secret of the Horcruxes to him.

Li Wei was perfectly aware of the situation and was not angry at Dumbledore's caution and probing.

Not to mention that the other party did indeed point out the path he should take next.

The secrets of Horcruxes are indeed extraordinary.

If this news leaks out, the Death Eaters who thought Voldemort would never return will surely regroup.

This has nothing to do with loyalty, but rather the fear that Voldemort instilled in them is deeply ingrained in their hearts.

As soon as Voldemort shows even the slightest sign that he might make a comeback, they will immediately act to show their loyalty in order to avoid being purged by him later.

Therefore, it is quite necessary to keep the secret about Horcruxes hidden.

Magic is indeed irrational.

Voldemort gained an immortal soul through Horcruxes, but at the same time he was afraid that his secret would be discovered, so he would not tell even his most loyal Death Eaters the secret of Horcruxes.

So on the night Voldemort was struck by his own spell, everyone thought Voldemort was completely dead.

And now, Li Wei is about to learn this secret—a secret that Dumbledore has never shared, not even with Professor McGonagall.

He decided to do this because he sensed an amazing coincidence: exactly the year after Voldemort's shadow appeared, he discovered Levi.

Li Wei had only been teaching at Hogwarts for two months when he learned the secrets of the Basilisk from Harry and his friends, and it helped him easily acquire his first Horcrux.

Dumbledore was willing to try to believe—to believe that Levi would be an important factor in the fight against Voldemort.

"Do you know what this is?"

"A diary? I seem to sense an extremely evil magic emanating from it."

Li Wei frowned slightly, pretending not to know what was in front of him—this was indeed his first real contact with a Horcrux.

"It looks unremarkable, doesn't it? If I hadn't witnessed firsthand how it bewitched a young wizard and even drained her life force, I wouldn't have believed that such an evil thing could exist in the world."

"So what exactly is this?"

Li Wei's brows furrowed even deeper, and his expression toward Dumbledore became even more serious.

"Soul Weapon".

When Dumbledore uttered the word, the atmosphere in the entire office seemed to sink, as if the word itself possessed a magical power.

"This is a Horcrux? The darkest and most evil magical artifact in the world?"
Who is his master? Is there really a madman who dares to split his own soul?

Li Wei cautiously examined the diary, not daring to touch it rashly.

"It seems you already have some understanding of this."

Dumbledore wasn't surprised—after all, Levi had read all the books in the Hogwarts library, and naturally, he had also read "The Secrets of Advanced Black Magic."

His expression turned serious, and his tone became more forceful.

"What I'm about to say involves the most dangerous secret in the magical world—the owner of this Horcrux is not dead—of course, because its soul has not been completely destroyed."

His master was named Tom Riddle, but of course, he had another name that was far more famous—

Dumbledore observed Livy's performance and slowly uttered a magical name.

"Voldemort."

Rumble!
Suddenly, thunder roared in the sky above the castle, and lightning briefly dispelled the darkness, illuminating Dumbledore and Levi's faces with extraordinary brightness.

Li Wei glanced curiously out the window, then turned back to look at Dumbledore, his expression unchanged.

"So, the mysterious man isn't dead yet? What's his current condition?"

"The body perishes, but the soul remains."

Dumbledore answered Livy's question accurately.

"His body was completely destroyed in that accident, but his soul survived because of the Horcrux and is currently hiding in the forests of Albania." "I'd like to ask, is his soul intact now?"

"No, he is weaker than ever now and can only eke out a living in Albania."

But what's terrifying is that some loyal Death Eaters still haven't given up hope of finding him. These people are far more terrifying than you can imagine—they are even willing to let Voldemort's soul inhabit their bodies.

Therefore, he could make a comeback at any time with the help of those people.

"You're telling me this because you want to?"

A look of inquiry flickered in Li Wei's eyes as he pretended not to know that multiple Horcruxes existed.

Dumbledore spoke up quickly, as expected.

"Tom has more than one Horcrux. I guess he most likely made six Horcruxes, which, together with the main Horcrux within him, would make a total of seven."

"7 is a number with powerful magic. Tom is obsessed with black magic, so he must have an extraordinary obsession with this number."

"So even if we've found a Horcrux, we still have to be constantly on guard against its return, right?"

"Yes."

Dumbledore affirmed Livy's answer and looked at him with some curiosity.

"You don't seem surprised at all by this?"

"What I mean is, if other people heard this news, they would be more or less panicked."

Li Wei rested his chin on his right hand, looking somewhat wearily at the diary in the middle of the table.

“I’m not really worried. We still have you, Headmaster. The mysterious man may be an evil and powerful dark wizard, but we also have the greatest white wizard of the nineteenth century. I don’t think I have anything to worry about.”

"In Chinese proverb terms, this means that if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up."

"This is the first time I've heard a genuine compliment and yet I can't feel happy about it."

At this point, perhaps influenced by Li Wei's actions, Dumbledore's face suddenly showed a hint of fatigue.

"I am 111 years old this year, Li Wei."

"I'm old."

“I am neither as strong as you say, nor can I bear the hopes of everyone on my own—even when I was at my youngest and most powerful, there were always a group of people supporting me behind me.”

Without them, I can't move an inch.

And now, this is even more true.

"You previously said—the reason you went into hiding for two years of war was because you weren't strong enough—"

Dumbledore looked at Livy, his voice as gentle as an old man speaking to his grandson.

“I don’t think that’s an excuse.”

“In this world, brave people deserve to be rewarded, but I don’t think we should criticize those who, like you did in your student days, choose to run away because they are not strong enough.”

"You haven't undergone rigorous training, lack experience and courage in fighting Death Eaters, so it's perfectly normal that you're afraid to face them."

"But what about this time?"

Dumbledore's deep blue eyes seemed to contain boundless wisdom and magic, making one want to immerse oneself in them.

"You've already seen the path to legend; given time, perhaps your achievements will even surpass those of Tom and me."

"I'm sorry for forcing you to teach at the school last time."

So this time, I'm telling you all the secrets and letting you choose for yourself.

Levi, Tom will come back someday.

This time, what will you choose?

(End of this chapter)