[SSHP] End of life

"Long time no see, kids."

When Harry saw Dumbledore in the inn in town, his eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets in surprise.The old man was dressed in Muggle casual clothes, and apart from his hair and beard being too conspicuous, everything seemed normal.But it was highly unusual that no Muggles were paying him more attention.He probably cast a "don't care about me" spell on himself.

Obviously, Dumbledore judged the whereabouts of the two based on the letter, so he waited for them here.He waved his hand at Snape with a smile, motioning for him to book the room as usual, but he asked Harry to stay.

"Let's talk separately," Dumbledore said to Snape, smiling.Snape cast him a distrustful look and tossed Harry a key.Then he took his suitcase and went upstairs.

As if noticing Harry's uneasiness, Dumbledore separated his clasped fingertips and patted Harry's hand lightly. "A place with a lot of people is less likely to be eavesdropped." He said, beckoning the waiter to order two cups of black tea, and Harry noticed with surprise that he knew how to tip.None of them spoke until the black tea was served.

"Professor, did something bad happen?" After taking a sip of the hot black tea, Harry finally couldn't hide his anxiety, he whispered.

"If you mean our plan, then no. It's still going on, the werewolves have entered Scotland, and Sirius and Remus have come to meet them. Lucius has protected the students well, your friends It's also very good. The number of Death Eaters is constantly being reduced." He raised his hand, holding a strange wand in his hand, "The mysterious man has come to my grave and took my wand."

"Then what is it that worries you so much, Professor?" Harry asked cautiously.His heart was sinking, and he knew the answer to his question before he could ask it.

Dumbledore looked at Harry silently for a moment. "Looks like you've guessed it, Harry. I'm sorry." He paused slightly, his blue eyes soft and guilt-ridden, "I'm ashamed of you."

After a moment of silence, Harry shook his head. "You once said to me that if possible, you'd rather face that person yourself. You love me, and that's enough. I just..." He shook his head again.

"Sorry, Harry." Dumbledore repeated quietly, "If I had my way, I would pay any price to remove the soul tablet from your forehead. It's a pity that you gave me three years and I still haven't been able to... West Fleurs couldn't do it either." He handed out a small golden ball, "Harry, take it. This is the Snitch you caught the first time on the Quidditch pitch, I think I Probably able to know the thoughts of another me. It will open at the end and give you the bet of fate."

"Fate's bet?" Harry asked a little puzzled.He read every book he could think of, Snape brewed every potion he could think of, the man was as silent as a mountain, he didn't say a word, but he was used to oppressing his body.Even when he's exhausted from a day's driving, he reads in all his free time.The three of them have been looking for it for several years, but so far, no book has mentioned how to destroy the soul piece in the living body.He didn't believe in this so-called bet.

But Harry didn't object.This is just a doom that is a few years late, and he is not afraid to meet the doom.Then, unexpectedly, he noticed that his hands were shaking.He stared at them and suddenly knew why they were trembling.The thought of leaving Snape was so terrible, more than the fear of death itself.He took another sip of his tea.

"What do you think a soul is, Harry?" said Dumbledore gently.

"A person's consciousness." Harry answered after thinking for a moment.

"That's right, Harry. In a way, it's a consciousness," said Dumbledore approvingly, "but it's more than a consciousness. Consciousness dies, but the soul never dies."

"Professor, I don't understand." Harry said honestly, "You-Know-Who has divided his soul into seven pieces, but each piece carries his consciousness."

"How do you understand death, Harry?"

Harry thought again for a few minutes. "It's the destruction of the body," he said.

"That's right. Death destroys a person's body. It doesn't mean that consciousness ceases to exist. A person cannot truly rest until his consciousness separates from his soul and dies. His soul goes on the next journey, producing The next consciousness. Phantom is the consciousness without soul, and ghost is the conscious soul. Yin Corpse is the body without anything, an empty shell. When the mysterious man cuts up the consciousness, he also cuts up his own soul, in order to make His own consciousness is immortal. But at the same time, this action also makes his soul and consciousness interdependent, and once the consciousness is eliminated, his soul will cease to exist."

"So the wizard's power comes from three points?" Harry said, "No wonder Nearly Headless Nick won't tell me the conditions for staying in the world."

"Yes. The soul is the most mysterious thing in the world, and it has not been discovered even one ten-thousandth of it." Dumbledore replied, "The spell cast by a powerful wizard will hardly fail until his soul Reborn. Therefore, even though You-Know-Who remains incorporeal, his Horcruxes guarantee his existence in the form of a soul."

Harry suddenly remembered the end of the last Hogwarts battle. "Is there a spell that can always protect the caster until the caster dies?"

"Any spell—"

"No, it's not a normal spell. I know that all spells expire at the moment of the caster's death. But that one is different. It's a protective spell that's akin to armor. It even soothes my soul. It's not once Sexual, not counteracted by normal enchanted attacks."

"Calm the soul?" Dumbledore's eyes flickered, and he asked slowly.

"When You-Know-Who is agitated, that soul tablet will give me a splitting headache. But that spell can relieve the pain." Harry said, his hand unconsciously stroked his forehead. Four years later, that kind of The warmth is still vivid in his memory, "It started at one point, the point where the spell was cast, and then that protective power flowed through the body. It was very soft, warmed me up, and made me less ache. Before that , every time I get a headache it's like something is messing with my brain."

"Consciousness can be comforted by soul bonding, physical contact or language. But only the soul can soothe the soul." Dumbledore said slowly, as if thinking at the same time, "I know an ancient spell that can be used without splitting the soul. The situation creates a one-way connection between the caster and the recipient, and the caster will share the damage the recipient takes. This was commonly used in master-servant contracts thousands of years ago."

"Does it create a soul connection?"

"Is it permanent? It won't. The soul has solidified itself when it is born. No matter how much consciousness it carries, it will not change itself."

Harry stared at his teacup, his unruly black hair reflected on the edge of the water.The soul cannot be changed, which means that a soul is always compatible with a specific soul or souls.It's a deeply romantic idea, and what Hermione said was a near-perfect couple in the long history of magic, and maybe it's always been them.

"Do many people know this spell?" he asked.The soul fit comforted him, but his consciousness was feeling fear and pain at this moment.

"No." Dumbledore said meaningfully, "As far as I know, there is only one book in the world that records this spell, and it is on the innermost and highest row of bookshelves in the restricted area of ​​the Hogwarts Library. In nearly 80 years, it has only been looked at once."

"So you know who that man is." Harry choked up, hearing his own voice flimsy and shattered like a piece of Muggle glass, and he couldn't hold his teacup anymore. "Can you teach me, professor? I don't want to just make him pay for me. I want to protect him until I die."

"Unfortunately, I can't, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, brushing his fingers lightly over the cuffs of his plain white casual clothes, "that extra soul on your forehead has a part of its own consciousness, it You are not allowed to share it with others. Since it is attached to you, you cannot cast the spell without parting it."

"When does the final fight start?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"The seventh day." Dumbledore said, "The giants will arrive at Hogwarts on the evening of the seventh day. On that day, Lucius will lead the mysterious man into the Forbidden Forest, and your magic power will be fully restored. .”

"I just need to go back to school that day, and then be killed by the mysterious man." Harry confirmed.When he said this, he felt as if his soul had been pulled out of his body.He saw his own numb body move his lips.

"Yes, Harry," whispered Dumbledore apologetically, "you are a brave boy."

Harry shook his head.He watched himself bury his face in his hands in pain.When he raised his head again, his consciousness returned to his body, facing Dumbledore's gloomy face.Dumbledore avoided his sight.

"I just ask you one thing, Professor. Don't tell Severus," he said hoarsely. "If I can't protect him, at least don't tell him."

"He won't accept it," said Dumbledore.There was the same pain in his voice.

"Then don't tell him anything. Don't tell him I'm going to die, don't tell him when the battle starts. I just want to spend these last seven days with him. That's my last and only request."

******

Snape sat across from Dumbledore, looking suspiciously at the old man across from him.

"What did you say to Potter?" he asked curtly.

"I criticized his recklessness," said Dumbledore, smiling. "He was unhappy when he went...but he had to grow. I suppose you agree with that?"

Snape snorted noncommittally.He picked up his coffee and took a sip.

"Why did you come here?" he asked sharply, putting the horrible cup of coffee back on his plate.

"Some elves are around here. I want to see if I can win them over before the deadline. Just in time to see how you are doing." Dumbledore said, his eyes behind the lens were very serious. Convincing, but I'm guessing there aren't enough Death Eaters for You-Know-Who to send them on more missions - some of the new Death Eaters don't get his trust enough. It's fair to say the preparations for war are pretty much done. "

Snape reached into his coat and pulled out a small vial.The potion in the bottle was a dazzling golden yellow.He handed the bottle to Dumbledore.

"Judas' trial?" Dumbledore turned the bottle, and when he recognized the potion inside, he looked at Snape in surprise.

"Some of the giants can't be trusted," said Snape in a deep voice, "abandon your blind trust. There is no room for defeat in this war. If you find a problem with any of them, anywhere, smash the bottle .”

"Then all of them will die. Innocents included."

"Which death have you feared, Dumbledore?" Snape retorted mockingly, "It's all about victory. If they had to die, they were only a necessary step to the light. "

Dumbledore was silent for a moment. "Harry knew you poured the bounty of the Lord into the fountain?"

"He doesn't need to know," Snape said coldly.

"You haven't changed at all, Severus." After a while, Dumbledore shook his head slightly, putting the bottle into his pocket.

"I won't change." Snape replied, his eyes flashed with a cold and hard light, "When are you going to fight?"

"The eighth day," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling behind the glasses, "you can stay here for a few days, after all, it is very close to Hogwarts. On the night of the eighth day, I will send The owl informs you that at that time, you will no longer have to worry about using your wand. It will all be over that day."

The author has something to say: yesterday my mother escalated her verbal attacks on me.I was so narcissistic in wearing a snake yard striped sweater that my parents actually said I looked like an old cucumber.

See you tomorrow at 12:30 on time.Don't blame me for watching the abstract version too late.laugh.