socalfunplaces Chapter 220, page 219: The Chicken and the Egg, Dumbledore's Mystery!
Chapter 220, page 219: The Chicken and the Egg, Dumbledore's Mystery!
Chapter 220, page 219: The Chicken and the Egg, Dumbledore's Mystery!
Ian and Merlin had just emerged from the dark, damp underground tomb, surrounded by dense forests and phosphorescent rocks, the air filled with the scent of earth and grass.
Both of them thought it was a deserted area.
Unexpectedly.
A figure suddenly appeared not far from them, and on this person's shoulder perched a bird that exuded a strange aura. The bird's feathers were golden-red, its tail feathers were long, and its eyes revealed a kind of spirituality.
If it's not a phoenix, then what is it?
Ian and Merlin had both seen the real phoenix and recognized the creature on the man's shoulder almost simultaneously, but only Ian couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Holy crap! It really is a phoenix!" Ian stared at it for several moments to make sure it was real. He never imagined he would encounter a phoenix under such circumstances.
To know.
In the magical world, phoenixes are already extremely rare and magical creatures, let alone in this primitive era. In this time, many people may spend their entire lives searching for them and still not be able to verify whether phoenixes truly exist. The probability of encountering a phoenix on the road is probably second only to the probability of memorizing winning lottery numbers, traveling back in time, and winning the lottery jackpot.
"You are a Dumbledore!"
Ian almost instinctively began to judge the identity of the newcomer. In the history he had studied, the Dumbledore family was the only family that could have a phoenix follow them.
Perhaps others may also have a connection with the phoenix, but when it comes to following, only the Dumbledore family has ever earned the phoenix's loyalty. This is a required question for first-year students in "The History of Magic"—who says the West has no human relationships? At least in Hogwarts, there are definitely human relationships in this regard!
"Huh? You know me?"
The man was visibly taken aback by Ian's words, and seemed somewhat bewildered. He wore a slightly worn-out robe, looking rather disheveled, and several magical items that appeared to have been unused for a long time hung from his waist.
This person is obviously a wizard.
but.
The magic is quite primitive.
There's a kind of unexplored sense of oppression, almost to the point of becoming silent.
"I don't know you, but I know the phoenix on your shoulder. It will only serve the Dumbledore family." Ian's gaze remained fixed on the phoenix on the man's shoulder.
"Phoenix Yao—"
The man seemed to suddenly realize something.
"Huh? You didn't know?"
Ian also noticed something strange from the other person's emotions; this guy really didn't know that the creature following him was a phoenix.
But this person happened to know about the existence of the phoenix.
It's unbelievable no matter how you look at it.
"I always thought it was just a turkey. It has been with me since I was a child. Whenever it gets cold, a ball of fire would rise from its body to keep me warm."
The man scratched his head sheepishly, looking rather embarrassed.
Ian was speechless.
Even Merlin almost couldn't hold back.
Ian and Merlin exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions of amusement and exasperation. Merlin inwardly marveled that there could be such blind people in the world who could mistake an incomparably precious phoenix for a turkey.
How can I put it? This guy is incredibly dense! He actually mistook a phoenix for a turkey and used it as an oven? If other wizards knew this, they'd be furious.
"Goodness, if phoenix fans find out, they'll kick this guy out of the Dumbledore family, just like J.K. Rowling was expelled from the authorship."
Ian silently complained to himself.
It must be said that this ancestor of the Dumbledore family was truly unique.
To be honest, neither Ian nor Merlin had ever seen anyone treat a phoenix like a turkey before. And the phoenix didn't seem to mind at all; it was a rare, good-tempered phoenix. Merlin thought to himself, looking the young man riding the phoenix up and down.
"The Phoenix Clan, interesting."
A strange light flashed in Merlin's eyes. He carefully examined the phoenix on the man's shoulder, then looked at the man himself, and finally turned to give Ian a meaningful look.
He seemed to be pondering something.
"My name is Leonard Dumbledore." Perhaps wanting to change the subject and cover up the embarrassing mistake he made due to his ignorance, the young man took the initiative to introduce himself to the two people.
He really is a member of the Dumbledore family.
Perhaps they were even Albus's ancestors?
Ian looked around at the surroundings. The tomb location he had chosen was the predecessor of Godric's Hollow, so it was normal to encounter members of the Dumbledore family who had lived there for generations.
"Your family must have outstanding bloodlines." Merlin nodded and then suddenly spoke. Compared to Ian's understanding of Dumbledore, this was the first time he had met someone who could control a phoenix.
Moreover, he overheard the young wizard beside him saying that it seemed all the descendants of Dumbledore's family could ride phoenixes, a peculiar situation that immediately caught Merlin's attention.
As a wizard living in the early Middle Ages, access to information was naturally not as convenient as in later times. Even Merlin had only seen a few very mysterious phoenixes.
In his understanding, phoenixes were extremely proud and spiritual creatures that would not easily follow mortals. The fact that this phoenix was so close to Leonard made Merlin wonder if it was related to the bloodline of the Dumbledore family, a mystery he was extremely interested in.
"Um, how should I put it?"
Leonard suddenly gave a bitter smile, the kind of bitter smile anyone but Ian would give. His expression was tinged with sadness. "Actually, I don't know much about my own family either."
"All I know is that my parents were wizards, but they're both dead. I've been searching for power to avenge them!" Leonard said, clenching his fists.
His magic was also becoming restless.
The process of forming a silent system is accelerating.
"What happened to your parents?" Ian stepped forward to help the other person calm their magic and asked softly, having to stand on tiptoe to touch the other person's shoulder.
There was no way around it; he was over 1.9 meters tall, which would be quite rare even in later generations.
"I have no idea."
Leonard's tone was filled with dejection. "All I know is that they were killed by a group of dark wizards, which may be related to a curse that has always existed in our family."
talking.
Leonard then turned to look at the phoenix on his shoulder.
"It's been with me for fifteen years." Leonard's voice held a stubborn tenderness. "I was only seven when I first saw it. My parents were burned to death in their bedroom by a dark wizard. I searched through the ruins for three days and found this fire-breathing turkey. Oh, right, according to you, it should be a phoenix."
He corrected his word choice in time.
"I'm so sorry, Audrey, I didn't realize you were a phoenix sooner," Leonard said to his phoenix, his tone full of embarrassment.
"If I had known you were a phoenix sooner, I wouldn't have used you as a heater or a fire starter." He was reflecting on himself, but his phoenix clearly didn't care much about it.
Phoenix simply nuzzled his neck affectionately with its head.
can only say.
This phoenix is clearly much more docile than Albus's. Ian was utterly dumbfounded; even someone like him couldn't imagine using a phoenix as a lighter!
His extraordinary wisdom is probably only good enough to be used as an oven... However, looking at the phoenix's docile appearance, the little wizard has to admit that fools may indeed have good fortune.
Leonard and this phoenix truly share a deep bond.
"Apply!"
Perhaps because Ian had been staring at the phoenix for a long time, the phoenix on Leonard's shoulder was also suddenly moved, flapped its wings and flew in front of him, letting out a clear cry.
The phoenix circled Ian several times, even pausing briefly on his head before flying back to its master's shoulder at Ian's urging.
It seemed to still be savoring Ian's messy head.
...
Ian was speechless.
Merlin glanced at him thoughtfully.
"Oh, I've never seen Audrey so close to anyone other than me." Leonard was clearly surprised by his phoenix-like behavior.
"Perhaps it's because he can also transform into a bird, so your phoenix and he share a common language?"
Merlin gave a teasing laugh, which left Ian speechless.
"It's simply because I'm naturally very approachable!"
Ian retorted.
"Um?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow, his gaze landing on Ian's hand—well, from an ordinary person's perspective, there might not be anything special about Ian's hand.
But in the eyes of those with a special perspective, Ian's hands were comparable to those of a tattooed man, covered with a frightening array of contracts and blessings.
"Isn't it because you have a connection with the Dumbledore family?" Merlin clearly saw the gift from Ariana and guessed that this was the reason why the Phoenix was close to Ian.
"Oh."
Ian blinked, ignoring Merlin's teasing. And since only Ian could hear Merlin's voice at this moment, Leonard didn't react.
Can wizards transform into animals?
He was still captivated by the wonder of Ian's ability to turn into a bird.
This is someone who knows something about wizards, but perhaps not much. It's a reasonable situation, considering he's a poor soul whose parents died when he was young.
"Only the most powerful wizards possess such abilities, and coincidentally, we are all among them," Merlin responded, while the little wizard beside him raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He certainly believed that Merlin was also an Animagus, but even the historical records did not contain the slightest record of what kind of animal Merlin's Animagus form was.
"Perhaps it's also a magical creature?"
The little wizard couldn't help but speculate.
of course.
No matter what form Merlin can transform into, it will definitely not be as powerful as his raven form. That form is no longer a magical creature; the raven can perhaps be considered a mythological form.
Such Animagus transformations are destined to be unmatched.
"You guys are really amazing!" Leonard seemed to have no doubt that Merlin was exaggerating, and showed an admiring expression, which made Merlin seem a little happier.
Even the lump on my head is showing signs of swelling going down—the wounds pecked by the raven may not be able to be healed by magic, and can only wait for time to pass and heal on its own.
"Let's talk about the family curse you mentioned." Merlin was quite interested in the Dumbledore family and was very concerned about what Leonard had just brought up.
"Forehead."
Leonard hesitated for a moment.
Actually, I don't know much about it either.
He spoke helplessly.
"I once overheard my father and mother talking. They mentioned some things about our family. My father said that our family bloodline is exceptionally strong, and every Dumbledore is destined for extraordinary achievements. However, this gift comes at a price, and we must also bear a fate that is destined to be turbulent and sorrowful."
"It's a curse."
"This curse gives us powerful magic by birth, but it also makes us destined to be lonely, destined to lose our loved ones, and destined to have a fate full of sorrow and grief."
My father called this curse the Blood Curse, supposedly told to my grandfather by a great prophet.” Leonard recounted his story.
however.
Merlin may have been listening very attentively, but Ian—Ian had initially been listening very attentively as well, but he couldn't hold back after Leonard uttered the term "Blood's Sorrow."
My eyelids twitched uncontrollably a few times.
"Can't I just experience a normal story unfolding?" the little wizard couldn't help but complain in his mind, not knowing whether he was complaining about himself or what.
In contrast to the young wizard whose thoughts were wandering, Merlin was seriously considering Leonard's words.
"Blood Curse, I've never heard of that name before, but most curses are not easily removed."
Curses linked to bloodlines are especially dangerous.
"It's difficult for outsiders to make accurate judgments and find solutions."
"Of course, if you're willing, I can teach you some magic to help you better control your power, and perhaps one day you'll be able to solve your own problems."
Merlin surprisingly offered to teach Leonard magic.
This surprised the young wizard. Ian couldn't help but glance at Merlin several times. He hadn't expected that the Dumbledore family would have such dealings with Merlin. He wondered if this was due to the influence of his own transmigration to this world, or if there was such an unknown story in history.
"Witnessing history."
Ian had a different perspective on time travel.
Faced with Merlin's invitation, an opportunity that countless wizards dream of, the young Dumbledore hesitated when it came to Leonard.
"Sir wizard, to be honest, I really want to learn magic and how to control the power within me, but—" He seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
"But what?"
Ian raised an eyebrow. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Becoming the apprentice of this wizard beside me will be an incredible chance in your life."
He was giving a reminder to the young man in front of him.
Furthermore, they used the term "apprentice" to subtly define Merlin's decision.
This is definitely full of the little wizard's goodwill.
Well, after all, he had received a lot of help from Albus and Ariana, and there was even a rumor at the school that he was half Dumbledore. Of course, he would choose to help the people of this family if he could.
"I can sense that you are all extremely powerful wizards." Leonard looked at Ian gratefully, but his expression still carried a hint of hesitation.
"But I am cursed and dare not leave this place." He finally revealed his true feelings, the fear in his heart, the worry that prevented him from stepping out of this valley.
"Um?"
The little wizard was stunned for a moment.
"What other explanation is there for this?"
Merlin was also somewhat confused. In his knowledge, curses could indeed be temporarily suppressed by certain things, but these things that could suppress curses should not have much to do with the living environment.
Leonard noticed the two wizards' confusion and helplessly shrugged. "My family has lived here for generations because our ancestors gave us this instruction."
"Our ancestors said that as long as we live here and guard this place for some being, the curse of the Dumbledore family will eventually be redeemed at the end of a century."
Leonard's beam of light passed over Ian and Merlin, looking behind them. He actually knew that behind that ordinary-looking mountain wall lay some unknown secrets.
"this."
The little wizard was completely dumbfounded.
"Clap clap clap~"
Merlin was also taken aback for a moment, then clapped his hands. "Good, good, good. A free gravedigger. It seems I'm not the only victim you've fooled."
He gave the little wizard a strange look, then looked up at Leonard. "Let me guess, did your ancestors ever encounter a guy named Medivh?"
Merlin deliberately emphasized the name "Madwin".
"No, what does it have to do with me? I would never lie to anyone—it's just occasionally." Ian felt his neck stiffen, and he was so embarrassed and annoyed that his head was almost sprouting points.
"McDivine—"
Leonard was trying hard to recall.
"It seems I do have that impression."
His childhood memories may not be so clear anymore.
but.
Dumbledore clearly recognized the name Merlin had mentioned. Meanwhile, Leonard was racking his brains to recall what he knew about his remaining family.
"You even tricked the ancestors of your acquaintances' ancestors, huh? You're even more of a possession than a possession." Merlin gave Ian a thumbs up, while the little wizard was speechless and didn't know how to refute her.
Fortunately, Leonard patted Phoenix on the head, as if he had finally remembered something.
"Oh, yes, my father mentioned this name, but that was just a name in a story about our ancestors. In reality, our ancestral teachings come from our ancestors, not this person." His words clearly vindicated Ian, and the little wizard's back seemed to straighten a bit more immediately.
"I knew it! I'm not that kind of person!" Ian's voice was slightly louder than before, and he looked completely different from his previous insecure self.
Merlin seemed somewhat disappointed by this.
"Do you know what kind of connection your ancestor had with Medivh?" He seemed unwilling to give up and couldn't help but ask Leonard again.
Ian was speechless.
Leonard scratched the back of his head and said uncertainly, "If I remember correctly, my father once mentioned that our ancestor was one of the seven angels who served Medivh."
These words not only surprised Merlin.
"Angel?"
Merlin seized upon the sensitive words.
"Can you remember what your ancestor's name was?"
Even Ian became somewhat interested, and this time it was his turn to ask Leonard a question.
Leonard answered this question much more quickly.
"Of course, her name is Ariana Dumbledore."
Reiner spoke with absolute certainty.
Merlin has not yet reacted.
The little wizard's pupils were already dilating uncontrollably.
"??????"
Ian suspected there was something wrong with his ears.