"Ah, there will be some malcontents who will not be satisfied with such a display, and they will attempt to ascertain for themselves whether it is true and whether I am a jest?" I began to reflect in this direction as I contemplated Slughorn's memories, which were still confined to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had strictly forbidden him from even contemplating leaving her domain, ensuring that he remained there until the earliest morning. Should he attempt to elude her, she had promised to personally seek him out, rendering him immobile within the confines of the Hospital Wing until Poppy had fully restored his health and restored him to his feet. This would not occur until at least a week later, given the extensive damage to his magical body and astral plane. The sole form of relaxation permitted to him was the exchange of words with Horace and Albus.
Why would such a demonstration of my power — using the example of the once-prominent Snow family, now reduced to obscurity with my assistance — not be sufficient? The reason is that even Slughorn, a cautious and suspicious individual, found it difficult to accept the idea that I could be involved in the fate of a pureblood family, let alone its downfall.
Tom would soon be banished from the school for good. This development augurs well for my scrutiny, and the more it progresses, the more audacious it becomes, until I must intervene and put an end to it. I will endeavor to delay the rapid escalation of events and await the moment when the entity I seek emerges from its hiding place. In the interim, I must exercise extreme caution in revealing my true nature, as doing so could pose a grave threat to both Dumbledore's and Riddle's objectives.
Ehhhhh… No matter how adept Tom is at occlumency, it will not prevent his personality from deteriorating, for the very essence of occlumency undermines itself, constantly exerting pressure on the mind through the distorted sentience of the spirit and its impact on the psyche.
In one way or another, the shells of the soul, with the exception of the fifth shell responsible for the senses, can be restored, provided there is time and resources. However, this does not apply to creating a Horcrux, which irreparably damages this particular shell, pushing it towards demonization.
When performing the ritual of creating a Horcrux, a magician must kill a victim necessary for this purpose. Based on the atman that clings to the remnants of the spiritual shells of the deceased, with its own characteristics prescribed within it, characterizing it as an individual and separate personality, the magician must experience extreme pain.
Surgery on a living being, conscious and independent in its soul, is not a gentle procedure. And this pain, in which the magician is literally drowning at the moment of completing the ritual, when the necessary amount of material has been separated from the soul of the recipient, is the first step on a path from which there is no return, towards a gradual change in personality.
The second step in this process of the magician's degradation is the imprint of death that stores the atman of the soul of the victim, which served as material for the creation of the Horcrux. At this point, the ritual of binding becomes crucial.. The owner of the horcrux maintains a profound connection with his creation, through which he experiences a constant mental and emotional strain on his senses and mind. This connection embodies the paradoxical beauty, completeness, and simultaneously repulsive and inescapable nature of death, emanating from the atman, which serves as the essence and core of the darkest artifact, enabling the resurrection of its creator.
The third factor contributing to the inevitable transformation of the sorcerer who employed this method of achieving «immortality» into a bloodthirsty beast is the dark and necrotic energies, which serve as the instrument for manipulating the soul during the process, severing the necessary portions of the spiritual shell required for creating a Horcrux.
A minuscule fragment of unadulterated darkness and death contaminates the creator's soul, directly infiltrating both his own essence and the detached fragments destined for the Horcrux creation, gradually leading him, poor sorcerer, to the transformation into a demonic undead entity. The culmination of this process results in a hybrid creature, a chimera, whose soul is infused with the essence of a demon, while its body maintains existence through necrotic energy. The consciousness of this abomination knows no bounds, devoid of any moral constraints or boundaries.. Moreover, the body itself begins to experience ecstasy and gain more vigor when someone passes away nearby, which naturally motivates the impaired mind to create a destructive orgy of violence around itself.
Thus, Tom will at the very least attempt to test me with the assistance of his uninitiated nephews. He will desire to ascertain my true level of strength and evaluate my usefulness. For a long time, he has been so convinced of his exceptional nature that he does not believe that anyone else among European wizards can match him. However, Tom is wary of Dumbledore, which is due to a childhood trauma when young Albus, just like Riddle, narcissistically decided to impress an orphan and created the illusion of a burning cupboard where the child, having just learned about the magical world, kept everything he acquired or, rather, took away from smaller wolves like himself, but without the charm that he possessed during his time in an orphanage.
Tom's perception of reality is highly selective nowadays, and only those postulates and constants remain more or less intact that he learned, realized, and accepted prior to the creation of his first horcrux, which occurred not as in the canonical narrative at Hogwarts, but during the moment of his ascension to the status of Lord Gaunt, followed by his subsequent downfall and impending loss of the title he so foolishly sought and so foolishly lost through his idiotic use of his uncle's life in pursuit of what he believed to be immortality through the creation of his initial horcrux.
I am certain that I will be tested, and I anticipate some provocations in the near future. At present, there are three factions vying for control of the political landscape in Albion.
The Light, a group of self-proclaimed progressives, is led by Albus Dumbledore, a man who naturally espouses all that is virtuous and enlightened. I refer to those Members of Parliament who have followed in Albus' footsteps and supported his cause within the House of Lords. It is puzzling to me how such individuals have not yet been co-opted by their adversaries.
For half of Albus' faction, the pursuit of goodness and enlightenment constitutes their entire political agenda. These members of the House of Lords represent the first generation of children who were fortunate enough to attend Hogwarts during Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore's tenure as Headmaster.
Then there are the traditionalists, or conservatives, as they like to call themselves. They are weary of radical methods of imposing their order, which they regard as the only legitimate one for magical Britain and which they would be willing to resort to in the event of any confrontation that becomes too heated. This time is not distant, for the majority of lords who followed Gont have already received marks on their forearms. These marks are not the result of smallpox vaccination, as some might think.
Due to this, a certain degree of madness takes over these noble lords, leading them to act in a manner that is not entirely savoury. Thus, it is not far-fetched to imagine that they, accompanied by wild shouts and grins that border on maniacal laughter, will eagerly rush to fulfil their master's orders and begin the process of cutting down and killing all those who cross their path.
And the final group consists of those who do not align with either Dumbledore's policies or Marvolo Gaunt's views in his «maidenhood» as Tom Riddle. These individuals, for the most part, were not a part of either the first two factions and hold moderate positions, generally opposing any sudden change in direction.
The tacit leader of the House of Lords who refused to bow to Gaunt, looking into Dumbledore's mouth to catch his every word, was Henry Greengrass, and before him, it was his father and grandfather.
However, to return to my point, Albus has never directly instigated conflict himself. He is a man who prefers to eliminate his adversaries quietly, through the actions of others, without resorting to physical, drastic measures.
A similar situation can be observed with Henry Greengrass. However, Tom is already finding it difficult to suppress his desire for death. Long ago, he noticed that his condition improved whenever deaths occurred in his vicinity. He attributed this to his own bloodline, as the Gont family had been fortunate to incorporate a daughter of the Peverell lineage through marriage.
Yet, he remained unaware that the Horcrux was warping his personality. Moreover, it is not without reason that this method of «immortality», despite its development centuries ago, has not gained widespread acceptance. The fact that it has not been universally adopted over such a long period suggests there is a compelling rationale behind this. Furthermore, the same individual continues to disregard how his perspective on life is being distorted.
Nonetheless, such is the state of affairs. However, I must confess that my intention was not to deter any attempts on the part of Gonta. This display was primarily intended for Albus. It was also meant to demonstrate to the neutral parties that Henry, as their leader, was attuned to the prevailing sentiment and was among the first to receive the support of a sorcerer who was unafraid of Dumbledore and unconcerned about the swift and radical elimination of pure-blood families.
I must admit that I currently feel like an elephant in a china shop, a metaphorical elephant that has wandered into an environment where one wrong move could cause chaos.
In just over an hour, the House of Lords will convene for its regular monthly meeting on Monday, and all heads of families present will witness a dark and discolored shield bearing the emblem of the late Snow family adorning the wall.
Every clan in the House of Lords possesses an artefact that is affixed to the walls, imbued with clan magic and suspended along the four cardinal directions. When a family ceases to exist, their magic dissipates from the artefact, causing the shield to dim, serving as a sombre reminder of the "tragedy" to all members of the House.
I am not one to condone such practices; every individual is a valuable asset, but in this particular instance, I was more than content to eliminate the clan that came under my control. They were a particularly reprehensible family. The sole individual I felt a modicum of sympathy for was the three-year-old child who had been transported to Rocky Haven, undergoing the process of initiation and transformation into a witch.
While he is still very young, the child can easily adopt a new family as an entire race of fey, and when he grows up, I will tell him about his ancestry. When he has formed his own identity and has developed his own set of values, nurtured under the close supervision of the teachers and mentors of the order, his kin, then I will not have to worry about any potential repercussions for his dead relatives.
Firstly, he will possess a correct and rational perspective of a respectable, sensible man, in which there will be no room for such a familial personality as his kin exhibited. Secondly, it is important to remember the inherent imprint on my bloodline and the oaths he will take, which he will swear to me and his future offspring as soon as he is deemed trained and prepared to enter the world as a seasoned warrior, monster slayer, and Witcher.
Incidentally, all of his inheritance was located in the manor — all the gold was kept in the house and was accounted for by the goblins. I had copied the library into my artifact. However, there were only a few fascinating books by members of the Snow family that I needed in my library.
All the movable and immovable property formerly belonging to the Snow family had been gathered in the manor, which I had covered with a powerful spell of invisibility and erected a permanent shield around it that could withstand a direct hit from a hundred thousand-kiloton nuclear bomb. I activated the enchantments and protection against the breakdown of the light plane created at the site of the former magic source of the manor.
The power of the new energy source surpassed the previous one tenfold, and it was sufficient to maintain the entire magical complex that I had installed in the former Snow family estate.. When little Jon, the erstwhile Snow whom I once jocularly noted down, resolves to remain in the Order as a Stark, he shall immediately establish his own abode, where he may bring his chosen one, should he have one by then. Indeed, witches do not have any issues with living space.
In the Order, among one's brethren-in-arms and fellow tribesmen, there are over thirty archimagists who have chosen their primary specialization in spatial magic. Consequently, issues with available space or amenities are simply non-existent. The spatial archmage would not find it difficult to claim a couple of millions cubic meters from the chaos, and he could create up to several hundred such spaces within a day, placing them close to one another, with ease. He could traverse to these locations in the physical world with relative frequency.
The Citadel, viewed through the lens of a trained mage, has long been a veritable citadel, with each passageway representing a significant lacuna between the realms. A similar picture can be observed in Rocky Haven.
I recently discovered a peculiar artifact in the manor, but rather than attempting to determine its origin, I decided to send it to my realm for further investigation by my clones.
"Hello, Svyatozar," greeted Vincenzo Amati — formerly known as Vencenzo in his mortal life, now serving as the pontiff and head of the Papal Throne, Conan II — with utmost seriousness. He emerged from the portal, which had once been the window of his mundane existence.
As I stood before the window, overlooking the Forbidden Forest from my quarters, the appearance of Vincenzo did not come as an unexpected surprise, for he was not merely an old friend, but the high priest of the Egregore of the One.
As I delved into comprehending the operation of the erstwhile divine realm of Yahweh and its intricate workings, I encountered a mechanism that was dormant at the time. This instrument, responsible for interacting with the flock on behalf of the chosen high priest of the pantheon, piqued my interest. Among the myriad of mechanisms already in place within the egregore's operation, this one stood out as having been developed, crafted, and deployed by the biblical deity.
The primary advantage of this position bestowed upon the priest was the ability to engage in sincere prayers at any given moment, establishing a direct connection with his deity and accessing a vast reservoir of divine energy exclusively under specific conditions. It was not merely a matter of drawing upon this valuable source for personal use; rather, it was contingent upon the priest's belief in the necessity of divine intervention and assistance in times of acute crisis.
Moreover, I maintained a heightened awareness of his spiritual state, ensuring that I was promptly informed of any such requests for assistance. In such instances, I had the capacity to either intervene directly or, if deemed appropriate, terminate the flow of energy. Additionally, I granted him the ability to establish a telepathic connection with me, allowing for a deeper level of communication and guidance.
I received a tentative inquiry from Vencenzenzo seeking permission to locate me, which I granted, allowing him to perceive my whereabouts and approach me. With my own mental defenses firmly in place, any external mental influence would appear fragile in comparison to my psionic abilities.
"Hello, hello. I understand. It would have been difficult not to, as this was the first time he had attempted to contact me since I granted him permission to do so at any time."
"I have discovered a new lead regarding the demon we are pursuing, and not just any lead, but one that is right under our noses — within the Inquisition!"
My, my, this is quite a curious development — four of them in succession. The Church was the first societal institution to undergo the most rigorous scrutiny following the global resurgence of Cardinal Amati's ascension to the papacy and the swift actions aimed at uncovering any bureaucratic impediments within the ranks of those committed to the path of service to the Divine.
It transpired that there were three of them, leading the group responsible for addressing the issues of the Anglican Church, serving as the stewards of Flamel's affairs. We cannot even determine from what point they ceased to exist as individuals, having become unwilling puppets manipulated by a malevolent puppet master who corrupted their minds, transforming the personalities of these unfortunate individuals into executive and obedient marionettes.
How could we have failed to detect them earlier? All the inquisitors had been thoroughly vetted by both my and your esteemed predecessors.
"Aaaaaa… Another legacy of the convergence of worlds," Vincenzo retorted angrily. "The demonic puppets that served in the Inquisition possessed highly sophisticated artifacts that interacted with reality, allowing their owners to deceive the very fabric of existence. To be honest, I never fully understood how they functioned. I could only grasp their purpose.
These artifacts allowed for the deception of the world in all its manifestations, including the substitution of indicators for the diagnostics of the mental spheres of those Inquisitors visible to inspectors, misdirecting investigators and other individuals with whom they came into contact in the course of their duties. After all, each individual responsible for a certain position was required to undergo quarterly examinations by psychologists to ensure the absence of any mental interferences or other unexpected issues. Additionally, they were required to visit healers who also provided access to diagnostics of their auras and souls, but without any tricks. They consistently passed these examinations with flying colors!
Oh, the demon I have been hunting is making me increasingly more respectful. To have the audacity and the means to pull off such an operation under the very nose of the Vatican, within the most closely monitored division of the Church, is something that demands brazenness.
And how did they discover that the findings of the inspections were fraudulent, that the entire thing was a sham? How did they uncover that the demon possessed eyes and ears within our own ranks?
I needed to see Marko immediately, so I hastened to his location without warning, where I encountered these three demonic puppets. The moment I laid eyes on them, I sensed something amiss, and as I contemplated my intuition, the truth became clear to me. However, it appeared that they were also aware of their exposure. As a consequence, we now possess three additional corpses of these demonic puppets, and attempting to capture their souls after their demise proved futile. We have been outmaneuvered. This adversary has anticipated every move, and Vencenzenzo uttered this statement with a sense of admiration for their cunning.
It seems that all the puppets bore the marks of a demonic origin, and upon severing the connection between their spiritual essence and their physical form, their souls were swiftly absorbed by the demonic realm.. In this regard, we are not equipped with any methods or techniques that would allow us to trace the trajectory of the soul, as the knowledge about the movement of the soul through space and time remains a mystery to us.
And now he regarded me with a veiled reproach in his gaze, though he endeavored mightily not only to conceal it but to prohibit himself from thinking of me in such a manner. Vencenzenzo was convinced that there were no secrets from me in the universe, yet I withheld the information from my most devoted followers for some reason. What did it imply? It meant that it was the right course of action! Oh...
What would you do with him? He would not believe that I was not the Almighty Father and creator of all things. Hmm...
Still, it is difficult to imagine that there could be artifacts that could contain Marco. And he has been an archmage for so long, not just an ordinary archmage, but a mind archmage!
In addition to Marco, there are eight archmages in the Inquisition, and there are the Knights of the Creator among whom there are over twenty archmages, constantly in close communication with each other. How did they manage to remain undetected among them for such a long time? It is astonishing!
— Observe these artefacts, if you will.
From his pocket he produced three small stone talismans, shaped like ancient Chinese coins, with a hole through the center, though slightly larger in size. The stone from which they were fashioned appeared to be basalt.
When I examined these amulets through the prism of magical vision, I failed to detect anything out of the ordinary, and subsequently explored all available spectrums of perception without finding anything unusual. How peculiar, I thought.
I repeated the process, this time with greater focus, scrutinizing the minutiae and increasing my level of attention. This approach yielded results. I sensed a dissonance within these amulets, yet I could not pinpoint what it was that piqued my intuition.
As I delved into astral vision, delving deep into the essence of the amulets, I found myself rendered speechless by the revelations. It was like Alice in Wonderland, for I experienced similar emotions as she descended the rabbit hole. The structure of the amulet's astral body expanded and became increasingly intricate as I delved deeper into its reflection in the astral plane's innermost layers.
Gazing upon this masterpiece of celestial artistry, it became an insurmountable task to envision the mind of the entity that possessed the skill and knowledge necessary to create such an extraordinary masterpiece. It is evidently the work of a mastodon of Svarogian caliber or something even more remarkable.
I, of course, have had the privilege of encountering actual divine artifacts. What can I say? Even the goblet of Helga, which emerged from the hands of Perun, is a complex artifact, but when compared to the three small and seemingly rudimentary stones I now hold in my hands, it is akin to comparing a peasant's cart to a spaceship. Such a comparison is incommensurable and does not favor the cart over the spaceship, leaving me without a closer analogy to convey the magnitude of the disparity.
Had these artefacts been in the possession of someone on the level of an archimage I am familiar with, Wenchenzo would have been incapable of detecting the forgery in the auras and mental impressions of the puppets. An artefact is merely an inanimate object whose purpose is to provide support, and all of its operation is mediated and directed by the user, who relies on and repels it primarily.
It so happened that the puppeteers with artefacts in their possession lacked a cumulative measure of reality compared to Wenchenzo. Their deceptions carried less weight in the eyes of the world than Wenchenzo's ability to discern the essence of the subjects. After all, none among them possessed the power of a master of magic.
And you know what? I am not so eager to rush things and bring us any closer to encountering the demon we are also seeking. If this is indeed his doing, then our abilities are simply not on the same level. It is highly unlikely that in the next ten thousand years or so, I will ever be able to create something like this with my own hands, which now hang in the air before me in the form of three stones with openings. It was an extraordinary masterpiece.
But I know myself well, and no matter the circumstances, I must capture and destroy this object. I have accomplished so much in this world, and I will not surrender it to the demons. I did not bring this world into my hands for their benefit.
I can only hope that these artifacts are not the creation of this demon. Nevertheless, I must prepare for the worst. These stones may prove to be useful to me, as my mental ability primarily focuses on deception. After all, what is an illusion if not a natural optical deception?
Having acquired knowledge of these stones and comprehended their essence and operation, I shall be able to enhance my illusions through adjustments and additions to my talent. Thanks to the inexhaustible reserves of ba-hyon, some of which is a mere trifle to be squandered on such a beneficial endeavour!
I am keeping these artefacts. I do not know whose hands wrought these pieces, but they were created by a genius, and undoubtedly a master. The style of execution bears some resemblance to the practices of South American Indians. Granted, it is less graceful, almost axe-like, yet there is certainly something in common when it comes to working with the astral body. However, Indians work exclusively with the living astral body and not with inanimate objects.
Alas, it is a pity that we once again missed the chance to witness the demonic puppets in action. In the end, my curiosity overcame me, and I decided to seek out the mental construct for myself. However, you have undoubtedly gained some valuable insights, have you not? What was the purpose of these puppets in the Inquisition, and what did they intend to accomplish with Flamel? My speculation is that they sought to manipulate his apprentice, Albus, through this individual, encouraging him to exacerbate the ongoing conflict within the country. Am I correct in my assumption?
To a certain extent, yes. However, if we delve deeper into the matter, my analysts have been able to deduce from the available data that the demon is seeking to create a volatile situation in England. In addition to supporting Albus, he also funds several other criminal organisations in France, Germany, and England that are dedicated to subversive activities against Britain.
Moreover, these groups operating on the continent have structured their operations in such a way that local law enforcement agencies have no grounds to question these individuals, as all of their illegal activities occur outside of Albion's borders, and the limited time they spend in their home countries is typically devoted to family or leisure activities. These criminal organisations have even managed to gain the support of intelligence agencies, which they exploit to their full advantage.. The authorities have put these individuals into circulation and are even providing assistance, as their activities are aimed at causing harm to the economy, not just to the cherished British one.
Following the advance of Gellertov's armies throughout Europe and the dissolution of his empire due to the intervention of the Russians, as Jaromir's soldiers triumphed over the adversary, a plethora of unsavory documents and correspondence between high-ranking officials from England and America and Nazi Germany were discovered and preserved. These documents reveal that the insular powers and their transatlantic allies had resolved to support the cause of the "savages", as they referred to the Russian Empire, while simultaneously seeking to undermine the economies of European nations. Moreover, it appears that they also intended to capitalize on the suffering of the belligerent parties, which is a common practice in the realm of commerce.
Nonetheless, in this narrative, much of that which was classified or successfully eradicated in my world was preserved, and these truths were not concealed behind seven seals, rendering them public, even sparking several uprisings against the government in America. Alas, only the US military swiftly restored order, brutally quelling the insurrection orchestrated by an indignant segment of the American populace who held fast to the concepts of honour and dignity that were not merely grandiloquent and ephemeral.
The sordid details of the reprehensible policies and actions of both the United States and Britain towards fascist elements were extensively reported in the media, and now in Europe and Asia, neither Britons nor Americans are welcome. Thus it is.
"As soon as you have untangled all the connections and disentangled the strings of the deceased puppets, report directly to me. In the interim, I shall contemplate a means of shielding our people from such deceptive artifacts," I said, gesturing towards the stones that still hovered in the air around me. I no longer touch anything with my hands; I am cautious, using only telekinesis and other methods. This is not a new experience for me.
"Very well, then, I depart. I have summoned every member of significance from the Inquisition and my former Order to the Vatican. I shall independently examine each of them for their own agency and lack of coercion. Ah…," he said with a grimace, "I understand his plight. He believes he has made a grave error. Now he must spend considerable time and effort scrutinizing thousands of individuals who are innocent."
"I shall see you later. Meanwhile, I have much to ponder."
I was contemplating how Vencenzenzo was able to detect the irregularities within the trio of unsuspecting agents of the demon lurking in our midst. How did he manage to overcome the influence of the artifacts, which had left me in awe of their grandeur and complexity?
I found at least a few possible explanations. Perhaps it was due to the punishing gaze, which is designed to perceive the true nature of intelligence and bring to light all the harm they cause to others and to the world upon which they act. Alternatively, it could be attributed to the permanent presence of my ba-hyon in Vencenzenzo's aura, which significantly enhances his level of reality, already relatively high due to his status as the first resurrected sentient being. After all, his case has been confirmed and globally recognized, and some prayers have begun to be directed towards him.
In every group, there are a few individuals who stand out, bearing mustaches and knowing best.
Either of these two explanations can account for what occurred, and in all likelihood, they mutually reinforced each other in overcoming the influence of the artifacts and discerning the falsity of truth.
If this is the case, then I have some thoughts on how to empower sentient beings with the ability to counter such a menace. Essentially, I am not proposing anything extraordinary. I will embody this concept in an artifact, which I shall fashion in the shape of a ring. Upon wearing it, the wearer will be bestowed with the gift of the Punishing Eye, and they will receive a steady influx of ba-hyon energy.
Those who possess a ring imbued with such powers shall be my vassals. This means that only witches shall keep the rings, and, naturally, they shall all be archmages.
In my mind, I attempted to calculate the outcome after a certain period of time, and to whom my creations would eventually turn. The former chimaeras, who, on my benevolence, were granted the chance to become a race of fairies, I regarded as such. Even the most uncertain scenarios filled me with optimism.
They are bound to me on multiple levels: socially, as members of my coven; magically, through the vassal's oath; spiritually, thanks to the venom and blood I used to imbue them with some of the traits of snakes and increased immunity.. Thus, one of the most intricate scenarios is that, after a certain period of time — which will undoubtedly be shorter than if my vassals had achieved it on their own — they, having been granted the artefacts I have recently devised but not yet put into practice, will ascend to the status of gods.
Of course, their ascent to godhood thanks to the Ba-Hyon of the One, now exclusively mine in this realm, will be slightly slower than if they had become celestials independently, but sentimentality is not an option for me at this juncture.
With a looming conflict on the horizon, involving adversaries armed with artifacts that cause my palms to perspire, we must work diligently to enhance our capabilities and grow stronger. My goal is to establish a divine guard!
"Shall we commence?" I inquired of my hundred domain duplicates.
*******
"So you are saying that even the Ineffable could not find the former residence of the vanquished family?" Marvolo Gaunt awaited for Rookwood's response, taking a sip of wine from his chalice with a manner befitting a devoted lord, an aristocrat spanning many generations. His movements were seamless, each action flowing into the next, but it was his eyes that truly stood out. They resembled those of a withered, lifeless fish, devoid of any sparkle or glimmer, fading like those of a drowned person. Only their irises retained a faint maroon hue. The corruption and deformation of his spirit and body were evident, for he had recently created his fifth Horcrux, the foolish act of which had brought about this state.
The Unspeakables are attempting to implant a few of their beacons within each manor. These beacons pierce through any spells of interference and concealment, including the Fidelius Charm, which cannot resist their presence. Anyone who obtains radar coordinates for the location of these beacons can overcome the effect of the Fidelius on reality.
"And even my own manors are not immune to this?" Gaunt asked, his eyes flashing with interest for the first time that day. "Do you know of this?"
"I cannot say for certain, my lord," the servant replied. "I serve in the research division, and I am not permitted to venture where I am responsible for controlling and monitoring magical Britain. It is a rigorous system, and without proper clearance, I risk being reduced to dust upon entering a lab or office that is not authorized for my presence."
"Then we must find someone outside our realm who has access to these areas where the control and surveillance division is housed," Gaunt mused.
"I shall endeavor, my lord," he replied. "But it shall be a challenging task."
He then addressed his superior, "Regarding the Snow family, the incident with the beacons has left our department in a predicament. We can reconstruct the path they took prior to losing contact. Before losing contact with the beacons, we ascertained that our artifact beacon had transcended our realm. It departed from the tandem worlds, venturing to an uncharted destination, either perishing or reaching a point so distant that its signal is no longer detectable here.
As Gont's intrigue intensified, he sought to unravel the enigma.
"Who are you, Ormarr Drake?"