Chapter 29: Clues to the Founders' Legacy (Patreon)

"Harry is a Horcrux too?"

Shane raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore's question.

"Professor, surely you already know the answer."

"I don't know every detail of what happened that night, but it's obvious enough if you think about it."

"No matter how many Horcruxes Voldemort had created before Godric's Hollow, a fragment of his soul would certainly have been there on the night he attacked Harry."

"After Harry's mother sacrificed her life and Voldemort was nearly destroyed..."

"Where do you think that fragment of soul went?"

"Do you think Harry's lightning scar was carved there with a knife?"

Shane wasn't wrong.

The moment he learned that Ravenclaw's Diadem was a Horcrux, Dumbledore had already begun to suspect that Harry himself was another.

He had asked only to confirm his own conclusion.

Yet that answer forced him into an impossible dilemma.

If Harry truly was a Horcrux...

Then for Voldemort to be destroyed forever...

Harry would have to die.

Was this the true meaning of the prophecy?

To sacrifice a child...

To trade one innocent life for the salvation of the entire world?

Even Dumbledore, who had weathered countless storms throughout his life, found himself unable to decide.

Standing nearby, Shane noticed him fall into complete silence.

"Professor?"

"Professor?"

Receiving no response, Shane shook his head.

If Dumbledore wanted to brood, he could brood.

There were more important things to do.

Walking behind the Headmaster's desk, Shane used magic to levitate the Sorting Hat from its shelf.

"Wake up, you old hat!"

He grabbed it and shook it vigorously.

The Sorting Hat was practically rattled awake.

"Stop that, you dreadful little wizard!"

The newly awakened hat twisted angrily.

"I should've sorted you straight into Azkaban!"

"Azkaban?"

Shane snorted.

"That's all you've got? Empty threats?"

"At the end of the day, you're still just an old hat."

"You old hat?!"

"My master was Godric Gryffindor himself!"

"The greatest duelist of his age!"

"The four founders poured their wisdom into me!"

"I am the greatest hat in the world!"

"I'll believe that last part."

Shane nodded seriously.

"That inexplicable confidence and arrogance of yours fits the Slytherins perfectly."

"You insolent little—"

For the next several minutes...

Shane and the Sorting Hat engaged in what could only be described as the world's most childish argument.

...

Several minutes later—

"Enough! Enough!"

Shane suddenly realized he'd forgotten why he'd awakened the hat in the first place.

"Almost forgot the important part."

He held up Ravenclaw's Diadem.

"You recognize this, don't you?"

"You little—"

The Sorting Hat was about to continue its tirade when it saw the diadem.

The rest of its insult caught in its throat.

Silence.

Its pointed tip slowly dipped up and down as though bowing before the ancient relic.

The folds that formed its face seemed to deepen with age.

"So you do know it."

Shane smiled.

"Can you tell me about Rowena Ravenclaw?"

"Besides the diadem, did she leave any other inheritance behind?"

"At Hogwarts..."

"Or somewhere else?"

"Brat."

The Sorting Hat suddenly became unusually solemn.

"Since Hogwarts was founded, you are far from the first to search for the founders' legacies."

"But every one of them failed."

"It is only you..."

"Only you, in the last thousand years..."

"...who have stood before me carrying a relic I cannot ignore and asked about the founders' inheritance."

"I'm the first?"

Shane frowned.

He pointed toward the glass display case nearby.

"Then what's that?"

"I refuse to believe no one ever questioned the Sword of Gryffindor."

"At the very least..."

"I'm fairly certain the man standing over there has."

He pointed directly at Dumbledore, who still appeared lost in thought.

"Gryffindor is... different."

When speaking of its former master, the Sorting Hat paused, clearly unwilling to elaborate.

"You possess the proper relic."

"But I am only a guide left behind by the four founders."

"As for finding Rowena Ravenclaw's true legacy..."

"That depends entirely on you."

Then, in a low, rhythmic voice, the Sorting Hat began to sing.

"The four Houses and their founders shared a steadfast and sincere friendship. Like four great pillars, they upheld Hogwarts together. Here, learning flourished in harmony... yet the darkness and flaws of human nature lingered like demons."

Its voice shifted into another verse.

"Brave Gryffindor, from the wild moor. Beautiful Ravenclaw, from the tranquil riverside. Kind Hufflepuff, from the broad valley. Clever Slytherin, from the marshland."

Finally, the Sorting Hat spoke one last sentence.

"Seek the one who knows every chapter of Hogwarts' history."

"He will show you the way forward."

As soon as the final words left its mouth...

The hat fell silent.

Once more, it became nothing more than an ordinary old hat.

Shane carefully returned it to its shelf before sinking into thought.

The person who knew all of Hogwarts' history...

He already had a pretty good idea who that might be.

Still...

What interested him even more was the strange song the Sorting Hat had sung.

The latter half described the founders' origins.

The former, however...

Contained a far more intriguing line.

"The four founders shared a steadfast and sincere friendship."

History claimed that Salazar Slytherin had left Hogwarts because of irreconcilable conflict with the other three founders.

Yet those simple lyrics seemed to hint that the truth buried beneath centuries of history might be far more complicated.

For now, though...

That mystery could wait.

He had obtained an important clue regarding the founders' legacies.

His next destination was obvious.

He needed to find the one who knew Hogwarts' entire history.

Turning around, Shane intended to say goodbye to Dumbledore before leaving.

To his surprise...

In the short time he had spent talking with the Sorting Hat, Dumbledore had already recovered from his earlier melancholy.

The old wizard was calmly eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as though nothing had happened.

"Oh dear..."

"Earwax."

Making an expression of utter disgust, Dumbledore tossed the bean back onto the plate.

Looking up, he smiled.

"Mr. Dolea."

"Would you care for one?"

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

"But I'm not hungry."

Shane declined without hesitation.

Nice try, you crafty old bee.

Ever since he'd accidentally eaten the dung beetle-flavored bean last time...

He had sworn never to touch another Every Flavor Bean again.

"Oh..."

"What a pity."

Dumbledore sounded genuinely disappointed.

Moments later, however, his usual composed smile returned.

"Mr. Dolea."

"I will do everything I can to find a way to solve the problem with Ravenclaw's Diadem."

"But if you discover a solution before I do..."

"I sincerely hope you'll share it with me."

Looking into Dumbledore's eyes, Shane could still see the guilt the old wizard was trying so hard to conceal.

He nodded.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore."

"...Thank you."

By the time Shane left the Headmaster's office, evening had already arrived.

He paused in the corridor and looked out through the castle windows.

Mountain ranges stretched endlessly into the distance.

The storm clouds had dispersed, allowing brilliant golden sunlight to pour through the remaining clouds.

The entire sky blazed like an ocean of fire.

Below, the Black Lake reflected both the heavens and Hogwarts Castle as though it were a flawless mirror, creating a scene worthy of a dream.

It had been a very long time since Shane had witnessed such magnificent burning clouds at sunset.

Unable to help himself, he stopped to quietly admire the breathtaking view.

Meanwhile...

Inside Gryffindor Tower's common room.

The room was filled with soft armchairs, wooden tables, a roaring fireplace that occupied an entire wall, and a notice board covered with school announcements, advertisements, and colorful posters.

Through the windows, students could see the castle grounds outside.

Here...

The chain of suspicion continued to grow.

Apparently, two young lions had completely ignored Hagrid's warning.

"No!"

"That's impossible!"

Hermione declared without hesitation.

"The idea that Shane has anything to do with Voldemort is absolutely ridiculous!"

"Hermione, keep your voice down."

Ron hurriedly lowered his own voice.

"We promised Hagrid we wouldn't tell anyone."

"But you still told me."

Hermione shot him an exasperated glare.

"That's because you're close to Dolea."

Ron puffed out his chest self-righteously.

"We're only warning you."

"What if you're in danger?"

"I think making baseless accusations about someone is far more dangerous."

Hermione folded her arms.

"And what evidence do you even have?"

"Dolea..."

Harry hesitated at first before speaking more confidently.

"He's suspicious."

"I'm certain the diadem he found on the seventh floor has something to do with Voldemort."

"He knew only I could find it."

"If it had merely been about locating an object, he could have asked anyone."

"Or simply used magic."

"If there was nothing unusual about that diadem..."

"...he would never have needed my help."