Hogwarts in the shadows

Dumbledore slowly opened the drawer of the desk and took out two things.

One was a heavy little golden locket, Slytherin's locket.

A strangely shaped gold ring with a large, cracked black gemstone inlaid on it. It was a ring inlaid with the Resurrection Stone.

He pushed the locket toward Hephaest first.

Then he hesitated for a moment, and finally pushed the ring over.

"The locket was retrieved from a cave beneath the cliff, but unfortunately, it was a fake."

Dumbledore explained when he saw Hephaestus pick up the locket first.

"Fake?" Hephes frowned slightly.

He naturally understood what Dumbledore meant.

What Dumbledore said was not whether the locket was fake or not, but that it was not a Horcrux.

"Are you sure that's where Voldemort stored his Horcruxes?" Hephis asked.

"Judging from the arrangement of the mechanism, it should have been done by Voldemort. And..."

Dumbledore was halfway through his words when he saw Hephis's eyes sparkling with curiosity.

So he smiled gently and talked about the process of finding the locket.

"I went to the cliff behind the orphanage and found the hidden cave entrance."

"The first mechanism requires smearing blood to open the hole."

Dumbledore caught a glimpse of Hephis's disdainful look and said, "It is indeed a bit low-level."

"You wouldn't... use your own blood, would you?" Hephis looked at him with a suspicious look.

Dumbledore coughed a few times, smiled awkwardly, and said nothing.

Hephis was speechless. Was Dumbledore's brain broken?

Can't we just use any summoning spell to create a creature?

He rolled his eyes and gestured for him to continue.

Dumbledore rubbed his beard and continued.

"The second mechanism is a lake guarded by Yin corpses. Only by taking a special boat can you reach the center of the lake."

Hephis rolled his eyes again. The Inferi, a thing that was used to scare children, could also be used as a guard.

"The third one is trickier. It's the potion in the stone basin. You can only get the locket inside if you drink it."

"The mechanism set up by Voldemort is really low-level and meaningless. It made me curious in vain." Hephaestus shrugged.

Dumbledore heard this, and a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, "How would you respond if it were you?"

A playful smile appeared on Hephis's lips.

"Me? For the first level, summon a snake. For the second level, just fly over. For the third level, just summon a small animal and drink it."

Dumbledore's eyes widened and his beard trembled.

He felt a surge of blood in his chest.

He took a few deep breaths before he calmed down.

Hephis looked at Dumbledore and immediately understood.

"You... you won't accept everything!"

"Ahem, let's get down to business." Dumbledore coughed twice and changed the subject.

"There is also a note in the fake locket that proves that this is where the Horcrux is kept."

Hephaestus opened the lid of the box and pulled out the parchment stuffed inside.

It says:

To the Dark Lord:

By the time you read this, I will be dead.

But I want you to know that I have discovered your secret.

The real Horcrux has been stolen by me, and I vow to destroy it.

I am willing to risk my life, just hoping that you will be killed when you meet your match.

The signature is R. A. B.

Hephis's eyes narrowed. "It seems someone got there first and took the real locket."

A trace of worry flashed across Dumbledore's brow.

"Yes, but unfortunately, I don't know who this R.A.B. is. I don't know whether he destroyed the Horcrux or not."

"Then check it out!" Hephis said indifferently.

"Check?" Dumbledore looked at him with some confusion.

"R.A.B. is obviously an abbreviation or a nickname. And the one who called Voldemort the Dark Lord is most likely a Death Eater who has returned to the right path. Start by investigating the dead Death Eaters first, and then the living ones if that doesn't work."

Hephaestus paused and continued, "If that doesn't work, put it in the newspaper. R.A.B. is obviously a name used externally. One thousand Galleons, someone will definitely know about it."

He hadn't said anything else, but Lucius might have known it.

After all, those who can eat the Death Apostles are all purebloods, so this is probably a pureblood too.

Dumbledore pondered for a moment and nodded, "Hephis, you are indeed very smart."

"Leave it to me. I'll have someone investigate." Hephis pointed to the ring on the table.

"So the curse on your hand is because of this ring."

"Yes, I went to the ruins of the old Gaunt house, and then..."

Dumbledore was about to tell how he obtained the ring when he was interrupted by Hephis.

"Voldemort's trick is too low-level. He probably weakened it, set up defenses, and finally relied on the curse to protect the ring."

He had no interest in listening to it a second time.

"It's because you wore this ring that the curse has penetrated so deeply."

Dumbledore's eyes suddenly became soft and deep, "There is someone I really want to see."

Hephis looked at Dumbledore who was lost in his memories and didn't know what to say.

If someone around him has such a day, perhaps when he sees the Resurrection Stone, he will also be eager to put it on.

"I'm sorry, I'm old now, and I can't help but fall into memories." Dumbledore said apologetically.

"It's okay, I understand." Hephis responded softly.

"That's the Resurrection Stone. I think Gellert has told you about the Three Hallows!" Dumbledore explained.

"I know. Oh, and I have something else here." A black hole space appeared next to Hephis.

Then a golden cup made of pure gold flew out.

It was engraved with delicate patterns and had several gemstones inlaid on it, and it fell on the table.

Dumbledore's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "Hufflepuff's golden cup."

Hephis smiled slightly, "Yes, it is also a Horcrux, it has been cleared."

Dumbledore changed the subject, "Did you get the memory of Horace Slughorn?"

Hephis nodded, "Seven. Voldemort believes that seven is the most magical number."

"A diary, a ring, a golden cup, a locket whose whereabouts are unknown, and one that should be Ravenclaw's diadem. As for the last one..."

Dumbledore fell into deep thought.

"I know where the crown is. I just forgot to get it." Hephis interrupted Dumbledore's thoughts.

Dumbledore's eyes were full of disbelief. He stared at Hephis, "You..."

Hephis asked, "Are you still going to keep the ring?"

Dumbledore pondered for a moment, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and finally he spoke slowly.

"I give it to you as compensation for my failure to fulfill my promise."