HP: Alchemy? Nah, It's Crafting

"Huh? What do you mean my house has been raided? They only said that if I had nowhere to go, I should find them. Besides, it's not like I really have nowhere to go. I think that line sounds more like they want me to swallow my pride and go ask them to take me on as a student, doesn't it?" Vivian said, confused.

"They're not telling you to find a teacher. They're telling you to seek protection. If I'm guessing correctly, You-Know-Who has probably already come for your family. Your parents have likely been placed under his control, but not completely. Otherwise, this letter would never have reached you."

Clay quickly pulled Vivian to her feet, swept all the food on the table away with a wave of his hand, and hurried out of the library.

.....

In the end, the two of them still came to Professor Kasen's office.

It was not because Clay, as Kasen's good student, wanted to find more work for his teacher. Professor Kasen had already sacrificed so much for everyone, and pushing him toward Voldemort again would hardly be moral.

Naturally, Clay could not do something so shameless and lacking in principle.

The problem was that Dumbledore was not in his office. They had only come here to ask Professor Kasen where Dumbledore had gone.

Then they walked straight into Kasen's office and saw Dumbledore sitting there drinking tea.

"Oh, Clay, Vivian. Would you like some tea?"

Seeing them arrive, Dumbledore personally poured a cup for each of them.

Vivian had run the entire way and was so thirsty that her throat felt like it was smoking. She immediately picked up a cup and drained it in one gulp, then instinctively pulled a pained expression and reached into her pocket for her water bottle.

Unbeknownst to her, Clay had already taken it out and was calmly drinking from it himself. After soothing his throat, he finally handed it back.

"There's a very high chance Vivian's family has already fallen under You-Know-Who's control."

Then he reached into Vivian's pocket again, unfolded the letter, and showed it to Kasen and Dumbledore.

"This may have been Vivian's father's final... way of leaving her a path to survival."

Dumbledore quickly took the letter and read it from beginning to end.

Although the wording and tone were extremely casual, if they read it under the assumption that Vivian's parents had already been controlled by Voldemort, then this was nothing less than a final message telling their daughter to stay calm, not return home during the holidays, and seek protection from either Dumbledore or Kasen if she truly did not want to remain at Hogwarts.

"Sixteen years ago, Tom lost to a mother. Today, he may lose to a father. Tom, when will you finally understand what kind of power is truly strong...?" Dumbledore said quietly.

"Vivian, where is the Demoulin family estate?" Kasen asked directly.

"Professor, my parents..." Vivian did not immediately answer.

Kasen's reputation was simply too well established. Once he confirmed that an entire family were Death Eaters, he could wipe out all three members without the slightest hesitation.

"Professor, maybe Dumbledore should go instead. You-Know-Who is extremely dangerous," Clay said. He was not particularly in favour of Kasen going either.

"Dumbledore? Does Dumbledore understand the art of killing better than I do? How many times has he killed Voldemort?"

After saying that, Kasen looked at Vivian.

"I promise you this. As long as your parents did not willingly become Death Eaters, they will survive. Even if they have been branded with the Dark Mark, I will bring them back alive!"

"Now think carefully. Are your parents the kind of people who would willingly become Death Eaters and serve the Dark Lord?"

Kasen spoke each word clearly.

Vivian hurriedly shook her head, then quickly gave him the address.

The next instant, with the sound of an Ender teleport, Kasen disappeared.

The remaining three stared at one another.

"Professor Dumbledore, aren't you going with Professor Kasen?" Clay asked.

"Just as Kasen said, he has far more methods at his disposal than I do," Dumbledore said quietly.

...

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Demoulin Manor.

Voldemort drained the blood-red wine in his glass, then slowly said, "Our Professor Kasen has arrived, and Demoulin has betrayed us."

"I knew it! Master, what should we do now?" Bella asked darkly.

"If we cannot use his daughter, then Demoulin's wife will do just as well. Originally, I had thought... never mind. This was Demoulin's choice. The moment he decided to oppose me, this became the fate he had to endure," Voldemort said simply.

Demoulin's betrayal had introduced a small flaw into his otherwise perfect plan. Fortunately, however, he had not placed the Dark Mark on the Demoulin couple in the first place.

Otherwise, forget using them as hostages. The moment the two of them appeared in front of Kasen, they would probably die on the spot, much less serve as options in Kasen's choice.

It was no longer as perfect as he had originally planned, but it was still workable.

Although he had lost the option Kasen absolutely had to choose, there was no doubt that these two choices were still useful.

Before long, the Demoulin couple were placed under binding curses and brought into the room.

Voldemort looked at the grandfather clock not far away.

"I estimate he still needs about one minute to find this place."

Then he looked at Bella and Barty Crouch Jr.

"Leave. Do not get caught in the crossfire."

Although Voldemort phrased it so grandly, the truth was...

He simply did not want his subordinates to see how miserable his victory might look.

If they saw him in such a state too many times, he would lose his authority.

And the consequences of losing authority were severe.

"Understood."

Bella and Barty Crouch Jr. nodded and Disapparated away, leaving only Voldemort and the restrained Demoulin couple behind.

As the rumbling sound of Ender teleportation drew closer and closer, Voldemort drew his wand and swept it through the air.

In an instant, an almost tangible Killing Curse flowed out like lightning from the void, coiling around the Demoulin couple standing on opposite sides of the room.

When the time came, all he needed to do was give Kasen a choice and detonate the Killing Curse.

Whether it resulted in a double kill, a single kill, or, if he was especially lucky, a triple kill...

That would be up to fate.

Buzz!

As the roar echoed through the room, Kasen appeared with a dark expression and stared at Voldemort.

"We meet again. Ready to die and go through another resurrection ritual?"

Voldemort shrugged.

"Before that, let us have a multiple-choice question. The completely innocent parents of that mudblood-loving witch are about to die at the same time. Which one will you save?"

"Let me warn you in advance. You have only one second."

As he spoke, he directly detonated the Killing Curse.

Across from him, Kasen slowly curled his lips into a smile.

After all this time, his mastery over the Watch of Flowing Time had reached a fairly extraordinary level.

If he physically touched the Watch of Flowing Time, he could use the full five seconds.

If he activated it through sheer will, perhaps only three.

But...

Three seconds is enough!

...

(～￣▽￣)～Read 12 Chapters ahead:

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