The Witcher: The Journey to Transcendence from Marvel...

Chapter 36 Meeting in the Principal's Office

Wes's voice broke the silence; his words were like a winter wind, cold and sharp:

"Mr. Malfoy, we know who you are."

His movements were slow and methodical; with a gentle wave of his wand, he lifted the long sleeve from Lucius's left arm.

As the long sleeves slipped down, the Black Magic Mark that had once terrified countless people was exposed to the air.

Lucius almost instinctively covered it with his palm, a complex mix of emotions—anger, fear, and a hint of embarrassment at having his secret exposed. He stared intently at Wes, as if trying to burn him through with his gaze.

"You're afraid, Mr. Death Eater." Wes's voice was calm yet filled with a menacing intensity. "What are you afraid of?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly: "Your master is about to make a comeback, why are you afraid?"

His words carried a hint of amusement, as if he were enjoying this psychological game.

"It must be unpleasant to be around that capricious guy. You must be on edge every day, afraid that you'll be the next one to die."

Wes's words were like sharp arrows, piercing Lucius's heart and causing it to tighten suddenly.

Lucius stared wide-eyed at Wes, wondering how he could guess his thoughts so accurately.

"It's actually quite easy to guess." Wes picked up the diary and gently stroked its cover, a gesture so tender it contrasted sharply with his words. "This Horcrux was made by Voldemort when he was 16. Given his personality and ambition, he must have made more than just this one."

Wes looked directly into Lucius's eyes, radiating an undeniable confidence.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you know how Horcruxes are made?"

Lucius shook the rattle like a cornered animal.

"Kill someone, split your soul, and attach the fragments to any object." Wes's voice was flat, as if he were talking about something trivial.

"Sounds simple, right?" He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a mocking smile.

Lucius dared not speak; he was terrified.

"Countless dark wizards throughout history have known how to make Horcruxes, but do you know why so few people have done it?"

Weiss, with a sharp gaze, posed this pointed question.

Lucius didn't dare to reply and could only continue shaking his head.

Dumbledore looked interested; he wanted to hear what Wes thought of Horcruxes.

"Have you ever heard of schizophrenia?" Before the two could answer, Wes continued:

"Simply put, it means that a person has a mental problem, and their mind has split into different personalities, some of which are like the elderly, some like children..."

After Wes' explanation, the two, though not fully understanding, roughly realized that this situation was insane.

"If schizophrenia has such severe consequences, then what about the soul?" Wes's voice suddenly rose eight octaves: "Isn't there a price to pay for splitting one's own soul?"

As he spoke, every word seemed to exert pressure: "Did Voldemort become increasingly irritable, increasingly unable to control his emotions, and increasingly extreme in the later stages?"

Although Weiss appeared to be questioning Lucius, his words carried an undeniable authority.

Lucius nodded. Indeed, as Wes said, Voldemort had transformed from a wise and intelligent leader into a suspicious and capricious tyrant.

Every day around him was filled with unease and fear. Everyone carefully chose their words, afraid that a careless word might bring about a fatal disaster.

"Voldemort's soul has been split too many times." Wes curled his lip in disdain. "What a foolish thing to do. Only a complete soul can go further on the path of magic. Voldemort's path is blocked. He can forget about going any further in this lifetime."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement: "Even the most ruthless dark wizard would not easily split his own soul."

I think Voldemort was too young at the time, and hadn't yet come into contact with deeper levels of magical knowledge. As soon as he discovered how to make Horcruxes, he couldn't wait to create this diary, and as a result, he could only go down a dead end.

There was a hint of regret in Wes's voice.

"Young wizards often go astray for various reasons." Dumbledore also revealed a hint of regret: "If I hadn't been prejudiced and had guided him properly, he might have become an outstanding Defence Against the Dark Arts master, and becoming the new headmaster wouldn't have been impossible."

"Come on, he was able to kill someone at 16 and get away with it. That kind of mentality can't be changed by education."

Wes, however, disagreed.

"..." Wes and Dumbledore talked and criticized Voldemort without any restraint, while Lucius listened from the side, feeling extremely uncomfortable and wishing he were deaf.

"Oh, sorry." Wes seemed to only then notice Lucius's discomfort. "You don't mind us talking about your master like this, do you?" Wes looked at Lucius with a teasing expression.

What could Lucius possibly say?

He did want to take advantage of Avada Kedavra, but he only dared to think about it in his heart.

All I could do was force a smile.

"In short, because of the split soul, Voldemort has now become a madman, and a brutal one at that. Mr. Malfoy, you have handed over this madman's most important Horcrux to his mortal enemy. What do you think he will do to you?"

Wes continued to threaten Lucius in a tough tone.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

Lucius was on the verge of tears, but he stubbornly retorted, "I believe he will listen to my explanation..."

His voice trailed off as he spoke, clearly indicating that he didn't even believe his own words.

"Alright, now you have three paths to choose from." Wes held up three fingers.

"The first rule is to admit that you are the owner of this diary. The consequence, of course, is to go to Azkaban. Perhaps your owner will rescue you from Azkaban when he comes back. Hopefully, you won't have gone mad by then."

Wes had a cold expression.

Lucius shook his head at the thought of those evil Dementors; in less than a month, he would be driven insane by their torment.

"Secondly, since you don't admit that the diary is yours, we can't do anything to you with the power of the Malfoy family. However, we will spread rumors that Voldemort has lost something important."

Lucius shook his head again.

"Then there's only one left: abandon darkness and embrace the light."

As soon as Wes finished speaking, Lucius jumped to his feet, angrily retorting, "You're telling me to die!!"

Wes appears to have given a choice, but in reality, he is forcing Lucius to betray Voldemort.

"He won't let me and my family off the hook if he finds out!"

Lucius had seen how Voldemort treated those who betrayed him, and he didn't want to repeat the same mistake.

"It's fine as long as he doesn't know."

"You want me to be an undercover agent??" Lucius backed away repeatedly. "Impossible, don't even think about it!" He was agitated, his hands clenched into fists.

"Calm down, Mr. Malfoy," Wess said softly, trying to reassure him. "Only by remaining calm can you make the right choice."

Dumbledore thoughtfully brought Lucius a cup of tea, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. But in Lucius's eyes, this tea was more terrifying than poison.

After a moment of inner struggle, Lucius finally took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, as if he had already prepared for the worst.

(End of this chapter)