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Chapter 539: The Elder Wand and the Diadem
🕑 Added 2025-02-25 12:30:07 +0000 UTCIt was already evening when Kyle emerged from the Headmaster's Office.
This delay was mainly because Dumbledore had departed immediately after obtaining the Nirvana's ashes. According to Nicolas, the Headmaster needed to prepare additional materials for creating the Philosopher's Stone. Nicolas himself had to leave as well.
At his request, Kyle accompanied him to the highest point of the school—the Astronomy Tower. Nicolas walked slowly, and Kyle matched his pace, strolling leisurely alongside him.
Occasionally, they encountered one or two Gryffindor students in the corridors. The students eyed Kyle curiously, asking what he was doing and why he was moving so slowly, seemingly oblivious to Nicolas beside him.
“A little ruse,” Nicolas explained with a slight smile. “I’d rather not see my name splashed across tomorrow's headlines. This spares me a great deal of trouble.”
Kyle nodded in understanding. Nicolas Flamel’s name carried an almost mythical weight, and even a fleeting appearance in public could set the entire magical community abuzz.
This was precisely why Nicolas rarely left his manor. At most, he would visit his old mansion in France or take discreet vacations to Muggle beaches far removed from wizarding society.
As they rounded the first corridor, Kyle hesitated before asking, “Nicolas, when you mentioned help earlier... were you referring to the Diadem?”
“I knew you would ask,” Nicolas replied. “The soul fragment in the Diadem has been completely eradicated. As I said before, it’s as good as new. I must admit, it’s the most exquisitely alchemized object I’ve ever encountered. Even I find its allure difficult to resist...”
“I thought you might bring the Diadem with you this time,” Kyle said suddenly. “After all, we agreed on six months.”
“I intended to bring it,” Nicolas replied without missing a beat. “But I overestimated my memory. Can you really expect someone over 600 years old to remember every detail? And Tata, you should have reminded me when we left.”
The small figure trailing behind them—Tata—flicked his ears apologetically. “I’m sorry, Master. Tata will remember next time.”
Lowering his head, the House-elf continued walking silently. What else could he do? He was just a poor, dutiful servant, resigned to take the blame.
Kyle shrugged, piecing together the situation. He now understood why Nicolas had come in person. Forgetting the Diadem here was one thing, but if Kyle delivered it to the manor, Nicolas would have no excuse. A true master of cunning, even after six centuries.
“All right, enough teasing,” Nicolas said with a chuckle. “I can give you the Diadem at any time. But I don’t recommend you use it too soon. There’s a reason, and I wonder if you’ve ever heard of the Deathly Hallows.”
“The Deathly Hallows from The Tales of Beedle the Bard?” Kyle replied. “I’ve read it. The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility, right?”
“Exactly,” Nicolas said slowly, his tone growing serious. “Overwhelming power can be a dangerous thing. It tempts the mind and clouds judgment, as the tale of the three brothers illustrates. Take Antioch Peverell, the first brother who wielded the Elder Wand. With invincible power in his hands, he became arrogant and reckless, ignoring the caution and vigilance that should have guided him. And in the end, he met a swift and tragic demise.”
“And the Diadem is another form of the Elder Wand,” Nicolas explained. “The wisdom it bestows is intoxicating, and once removed, it leaves you feeling utterly bereft. Without an exceptionally strong heart, one can never escape that sense of loss… unless one wears it forever or succumbs to its control.”
Kyle remained silent for a long time, digesting Nicolas’s words. Finally, he asked, “Nicolas, even you are affected by the Diadem?”
“Oh, of course not,” Nicolas replied with a serene smile. “I have lived through so much, far too much to remember it all. These experiences have reshaped me over time. Now, after six centuries, I can face anything with equanimity.”
As they talked, the two reached the Astronomy Tower. Tata, trailing behind them, quickened his pace and began searching for something at the tower’s peak. After a moment of fumbling, he pressed down firmly with both hands, and an incredible sight unfolded.
It was as though an enormous invisible cloak had been whisked away, revealing a dirigible hidden beneath it. The airship was massive—almost as large as the giant squid in the Black Lake. Its main carriage resembled an inverted boat floating on water.
The sight of such a large dirigible balancing effortlessly atop the small tower seemed almost impossible. But with Nicolas Flamel involved, it suddenly felt entirely plausible.
“Here you go,” Nicolas said, producing a blank sheet of parchment and handing it to Kyle. “If you think of anything, write to me. The owl can locate the manor using this parchment.”
“Okay,” Kyle replied, accepting it. After a moment of thought, he added, “But do you have more of this parchment? One sheet probably won’t be enough.”
Nicolas raised an eyebrow. “It’s just for letters. You don’t need to write a novel.”
Kyle didn’t elaborate. Instead, he silently opened a small box he had been carrying.
Nicolas stepped closer instinctively, recognizing the box. It was the same one he had given to Kyle earlier, from which the Diadem had been retrieved. Curiosity flickered across Nicolas’s face—what could Kyle have inside now? Another Horcrux, perhaps?
Kyle opened the box casually, revealing a small, two-handled gold cup and a locket adorned with gleaming precious stones.
Nicolas’s expression stiffened, his mouth twitching involuntarily. “This can’t be…”
“Ah, this is Hufflepuff’s Cup and Slytherin’s Locket,” Kyle explained calmly. “They’ve also been turned into Horcruxes. If there’s any of that ancient potion left from last time, could you help cleanse the soul fragments from these as well? After all, they’re relics of the Founders, and it would be a shame for them to remain tainted.”
Nicolas rubbed his eyes, as though the sight might change if he looked again.
The moment Kyle had opened the box, Nicolas had already known the items were genuine. And precisely because they were genuine, it was almost too much to process.
Kyle had managed to collect three relics of Hogwarts’ Founders by himself. How in Merlin’s name had he done it?
And Voldemort—how had he managed to turn so many of them into Horcruxes?
First the Diadem, now the Golden Cup and the Locket. If Nicolas didn’t know for certain that Gryffindor’s Sword was safe within the Sorting Hat in the Headmaster’s Office, he might have begun to wonder if it too had been corrupted.
“I can promise you that,” Nicolas said, lifting a finger as he carefully removed the two items from the box. “But you’ll need to be patient for a while. At least until the Philosopher's Stone is complete—I won’t have much free time until then.”
“That’s fine. I’m not in a hurry,” Kyle replied. After a brief pause, he added, “But Nicolas, do you know what these two items can do?”
Though the gold cup and locket weren’t as renowned as the Diadem, they were artifacts tied to the Founders, so they surely weren’t mere ornaments.
“Now that you mention it… I do know a little,” Nicolas said thoughtfully. “I’ve encountered them before, once each—about a hundred years ago for the cup, and three hundred years ago for the locket.”
He gestured to the locket. “The pendant box is a remarkable container. Its contents are impervious to any magical interference, no matter how powerful. And most importantly, it’s extraordinarily durable. Even if you don’t know Parseltongue, you couldn’t destroy the locket using even the most ancient, potent wand.”
Then he pointed to the cup. “The golden cup, on the other hand, can conjure an endless supply of wine. And not just any wine—its taste is unmatched. I drank from it once, and I can still remember the sweetness vividly. For any wizard who enjoys a good drink, it’s a treasure beyond compare.”
“Wait,” Kyle interrupted, frowning in confusion. “Wine from a cup? But what about Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration…? Could it be some kind of Permanent Refilling Charm?”
“No, I’m certain it’s not a Refilling Charm, nor is it a Switching Spell,” Nicolas replied firmly. “No one has been able to determine where the wine in the cup originates, just as no one can fully explain how Ravenclaw’s Diadem enhances the wearer’s intelligence.”
He smiled faintly, as if recalling an old story. “But it aligns perfectly with Helga Hufflepuff’s character. It’s said that Hufflepuff dedicated her life to brewing enough wine to fill all of Hogwarts. Perhaps it was because the school was full of underage wizards—or perhaps she got tired of Godric Gryffindor constantly stealing drinks—but in the end, she decided to fill her beloved golden cup instead.”
