In the forest, the members of the Order of the Phoenix had drawn their wands, ready to attack, but Kingsley, acting as the commander, had yet to give the order to proceed.
"What are we waiting for, Shackleton?!" Moody asked impatiently.
"We're waiting for a signal," Kingsley replied, his gaze fixed on the opposite hilltop.
Suddenly, a flash of light appeared on the hilltop, causing Moody to pause, "We have people over there?"
"That's not our people," Kingsley said, tightening his grip on his wand. "It's time! Attack!"
With that, he vanished with a Disapparate, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix followed suit, Apparating to the opposite hill.
Upon stabilizing his footing, Moody saw a strange cleric dressed in black robes and wearing a crown of thorns. The cleric was muttering spells while casting flames and lightning with a cross-shaped wand, repelling several Aurors.
Moody was sure these individuals were not members of the Order of the Phoenix, but it seemed they were here to assist?
"Defend! Don't let them near the radar!" shouted the Auror captain. He had expected an attack from the Order of the Phoenix but was surprised to see a group of clerics instead.
He attempted to call for reinforcements through the mind network, but the network that was clear until moments ago was now filled with static noise. Shouting into the network yielded only silence in return.
Looking around, he noticed a cleric kneeling as if in prayer.
The cleric was holding up a portrait, seemingly the source of the power blocking the mind network.
He raised his wand, "Stupefy!"
This was his most practiced spell.
Suddenly, a knight clad in dark armor appeared before him, and the spell seemed ineffective against the knight.
What kind of people were these?!
---
Meanwhile, Murphy's mind network was silent, but he seemed unaware, watching Dumbledore tediously pick a bean from the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
Dumbledore split the bean into two halves, placed them in two covered cups, one pushed towards Murphy and the other in front of himself, then said, "Guess, Murphy."
Murphy's sense of smell was keen enough to detect very subtle scents, but Dumbledore had evidently enchanted the cups to block odors and other senses, making it difficult for Murphy to discern any information about the bean's contents.
"Mango flavor," he guessed at random, having seen Dumbledore pick a yellow bean.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Dumbledore said. "I guess it's butter flavor."
They uncovered the cups and placed the half beans in their mouths.
"Ah..." Murphy rolled his eyes, "Turns out to be fried fish flavor. Your turn to ask a question, Professor."
Dumbledore, who also didn't seem to enjoy the flavor but had tasted worse beans, ate the bean expressionlessly.
"Tell me, Murphy, what do you truly want? Why insist on doing these things?" Dumbledore asked. "You once mentioned you long for immortality. Is that your wish?"
"Immortality," Murphy nodded. "Yes, that's indeed one of my wishes."
"If that's all, I could give you the Philosopher's Stone," Dumbledore said.
"Aren't you afraid I'd use the Stone's power for destruction?" Murphy asked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Compared to the power you now possess, the Philosopher's Stone is insignificant. I underestimated you in the past."
"I do want immortality. Will you give me the Stone?"
"If your wish is solely that, of course. But it seems you want more. What are those things?"
"You see, I gave you an answer, and yet you still don't trust me," Murphy cunningly said.
"I thought the rule of this game was honesty."
"Alright, alright," Murphy laughed. "What I want is a bit complicated, but we seem to have plenty of time today. In short, I'm merely curious, curious about the truth, curious about magic. Of course, you could also see it as a craving for power, for omnipotence. After all, omniscience and omnipotence are essentially the same."
"Omniscience, omnipotence... I understand. So, you want to study magic through Muggle means. You want to become a god?"
"That's how some might describe it," Murphy said.
Dumbledore frowned. This answer didn't surprise him much; it merely confirmed his guess.
But it also raised another question, "Murphy, who are you, really?"
Murphy smiled at him, "That's the second question, Professor."
---
"Bang!"
Just as a black-armored knight was about to behead an Auror, his head seemed to be struck by something powerful, followed by the distant sound of a gunshot echoing through the valley.
Another shot rang out, and the cleric who had been kneeling and praying had his leg shot through. At the same time, the Auror captain found the mind network communication restored.
Then, several lightning crows flew into the crowd, and with a flash of lightning, more than a dozen Aurors appeared, coming as reinforcements.
The Order of the Phoenix's attack was quickly suppressed.
---
"Watermelon flavor," Dumbledore said.
After trying another bean Murphy had chosen, both tasted it.
"Ah... chili," Murphy winced. "You actually enjoy this sort of thing?"
"It always offers some surprises," Dumbledore said. "So, Murphy, what question do you have for me?"
"I do have one question I'm most curious about, but I guess you won't easily tell me. How about this—if I can guess correctly once, you'll tell me that answer, how does that sound?"
With Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans boasting over seven hundred flavors, the odds of a correct blind guess were exceedingly slim.
Dumbledore thought for a moment, "Let's hear your first question."
"Alright," Murphy looked at him, "Regarding the Holy Mother, I want to know everything about it."
"I don't know much more than you do," Dumbledore said. "Are you sure you want to hear it?"
Murphy nodded.
"Firstly, it's very ancient," Dumbledore began. "I've checked the records, and throughout history, there have been many appearances of those black-armored knights causing significant disturbances in wizarding society."
"Secondly, it's not a wizard, or a person. Its form of existence is... quite peculiar, making it incredibly difficult to kill."
"Lastly, it exists to guard a secret. It sees you as its greatest enemy. But you're not its only enemy."
"Who else is an enemy?"
"The oathbreaker, Millicent, I've come across this name; she seems to have been a seer. And... Tom Riddle." Dumbledore's blue eyes searched Murphy's, "It believes you caused changes in them both; you're the root of everything."
Millicent and Tom Riddle? Millicent's involvement could be understood, being an ancient vampire with likely longstanding entanglements with the Holy Mother.
But Tom Riddle? Which Tom was it referring to?
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