"Is there really such a miraculous inborn endowment?"
Dumbledore was extremely surprised after hearing Dudley's answer and tried to interpret the origin of this inborn endowment with his vast knowledge:
"Dudley, perhaps there was someone in your ancestors who was proficient in alchemy. Even more likely, one of your ancestors was proficient in human transmutation, a kind of ancient alchemy that is almost a taboo and has been lost.
Just as a natural Legilimency master must have an ancestor proficient in mental magic, and a natural Metamorphagus must have an ancestor proficient in transfiguration.
But the fact that you can inherit such a powerful inborn endowment, logically speaking, you shouldn't be a Muggle!"
"Who knows?" Dudley shrugged, neither affirming nor denying Dumbledore's speculation. "Ask the next question!"
"Uh... okay."
Unexpectedly calm. Dumbledore originally thought Dudley would be interested in his topic, but instead, he received a mild setback.
He had no choice but to continue asking questions according to his original train of thought:
"Dudley, how did you know that the item Hagrid was going to get for me was the The Philosopher's Stone and prepare this ruby in advance to replace it?"
As Dumbledore asked the question, he took out a dark red gemstone that looked like candy from his pocket.
It was exactly the one that Dudley had replaced in Hagrid's upper pocket before.
Hearing Dumbledore ask this question, Dudley cursed inwardly. This was the biggest loophole left in his actions yesterday.
A fake The Philosopher's Stone. If it couldn't destroy Voldemort's main soul at that time, just let Voldemort take it away and have an empty joy when he got back!
You old man with white hair and a white beard, you just had to be meddlesome and use Finite Incantatem to intercept it.
Now, I have to rack my brains to explain!
Dudley kept complaining in his heart and thought about how to answer.
He didn't plan to lie. Of course, he wouldn't tell the whole truth either.
"This is an innate premonition of mine. I can know some things that might happen in the future. Of course, not all of them, and they're not necessarily accurate."
"Dudley, are you still a natural Seer?! There was also someone in your ancestors who..."
Dumbledore was surprised again. The number of times he had been surprised in these two days was more than in the previous ten years.
"Alright, I know what you're going to say! None of it is what I want to hear."
Dudley directly interrupted Dumbledore's meaningless speculation. "Please get it straight. I'm powerful myself. What's the point of you always praising my ancestors? They can't hear it anyway!"
Dumbledore: "Uh..."
"Ask the next question! Or have you finished asking?" Dudley urged.
"... Not yet! I still have a few questions." Dumbledore forcefully suppressed his speechlessness and continued to ask, "So, in the underground vaults of Gringotts, you warned Hagrid one step ahead. Was it because you foresaw that Voldemort was nearby?"
"Not really. I've already talked to Harry about this question. Let him fill you in!"
Dudley took a lazy approach and turned to let Harry explain to Dumbledore about the scar on his forehead, the soul fragment, and his ability to sense Voldemort's soul.
Harry didn't hesitate and immediately began to describe it in concise language.
Dumbledore listened attentively. However, the more he listened, the more the wrinkles on his brow deepened. By the time he had heard everything, an inescapable cloud of gloom had descended upon his heart.
"It's the Horcruxes! Voldemort has actually learned and used this utterly evil dark magic! No wonder he has become so powerful, and no wonder he is so difficult to destroy!"
Dumbledore suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in Dudley's bedroom. No sign of his usual calmness could be detected.
"If the soul fragment in Harry's forehead scar was inadvertently created by Voldemort, then he must surely have already created other Horcruxes, perhaps even more than one!
Given Voldemort's madness, this is almost a certainty!"
Dumbledore said, half-explaining and half-muttering to himself.
"Please calm down, Mr. Dumbledore," Dudley said to comfort him. "Even if you pace back and forth a hundred times more, none of Voldemort's Horcruxes will come in front of you and destroy themselves."
"I'm sorry, children. I lost my composure."
Dumbledore stopped pacing. He didn't want to be like this either, but the dark magic of Horcruxes was simply too difficult to deal with.
"What are Horcruxes?" Harry quickly asked when he saw Dumbledore sit back down.
Dumbledore's expression was complicated. "Harry, it is an extremely evil dark magic that can only be cast through acts of murder.
By using the heinous act of murder as a rite, the wizard splits their own soul and stores the separated part of the soul in an object, creating a Horcrux.
In this way, even if the wizard's body dies and the main soul is extinguished, they can be reborn through the Horcrux and achieve immortality."
Dumbledore explained in a very solemn tone. After explaining the function of Horcruxes, in order to prevent Dudley and Harry from going astray, he also seriously mentioned the drawbacks of Horcruxes:
"Never attempt this dark magic. It is cruel, and splitting the soul is an extremely unwise act! A fragmented soul can cause a person's personality to change greatly and their perception to decline..."
Just as Dumbledore was earnestly issuing his warning, Dudley had a sudden flash of inspiration and excitedly suggested:
"Right now, Voldemort's soul fragment is in the scar on Harry's forehead. In fact, it has already bonded with Harry's soul.
Can't we let Harry also learn this dark magic, kill one of Voldemort's accomplices, carry out the ritual, and then separate and destroy Voldemort's soul fragment?"
Upon hearing this, Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock, bordering almost on horror:
"Put aside that terrifying idea, Dudley! How could you... how could you let Harry learn to kill?!"
Dudley's expression turned cold. "Put away that ridiculous kindness of yours that keeps popping up! Dumbledore! You're leading both Harry and Voldemort to Hogwarts, aren't you harboring the idea of letting Harry kill Voldemort and rid the wizarding world of a great evil?
What, it's okay for you to guide Harry to kill, but when I bring it out into the open, you can't handle it?
Harry and I must avenge Aunt Lily and Uncle James. Sooner or later we'll kill our enemies. While doing so, why not make good use of this opportunity?
Do you have some foolproof way to help Harry separate Voldemort's soul fragment?"
"No, Dudley! You're oversimplifying things! Making Horcruxes is extremely evil dark magic. It splits the caster's soul. Harry can't use this way to separate Voldemort's soul fragment!"
"Doing this will only damage Harry's own soul!"
Dumbledore explained in a very stern and urgent voice. It was obvious that he was really frightened.
"The risk is too high and the feasibility is low, so let's put it on hold."
Dudley regained his composure. He wouldn't have risked Harry's life from the beginning anyway. Even if he really wanted to use this way, he would have found two test subjects to test it first.
Dumbledore let out a long sigh. He could tell that Dudley might be a good person, but he definitely wasn't an ordinary good person.
However, they really needed a safe way to deal with the Voldemort soul fragment in Harry.
This was very difficult and was one of the reasons that cast a shadow on Dumbledore's heart.