Chapter 72 "Notts Gifts"

Having exited Ravenclaw's secret room, Skyler returned to the long-lost Slytherin common room, finding his friends engaged in discussions about the recent events.

"Hi, everyone," Skyler greeted, casually taking a seat between Daphne and Meredith. Curious, he inquired, "What happened recently?"

Draco, sporting a smile, filled him in, "What else? Since Dingle's incident, Gryffindor's little ghosts have died down and dare not come out. I heard that Potter seems to have lost something—a terrific item that hit him so hard, I don't know if it was something his Muggle relative left him..."

Skyler, well aware of the reference to the invisibility cloak now in his possession, grinned without uttering a word. Turning to Blaise, he continued, "Blaise, how is your mother's place? Are you still going to pursue Hagrid?"

Brace, raising his eyebrows, responded, "Mom said it's just that... it's weird... it's not like her character..."

Draco chimed in, "That's right! Now the students know that Lupin is a werewolf! As far as I can see, if I can take this opportunity to kick the old white beard from Hogwarts in one fell swoop, then Perfect!"

Skyler shook his head, "Brother, you think things are too simple. The school board is almost all Dumbledore's people, and there are many places Fudge needs to rely on Dumbledore now, and he will not agree, but—"

He sneered, "This is just the beginning. Because Dumbledore hired a werewolf, the masses have questioned and attacked Fudge. The relationship between him and Dumbledore has been cracked. I dare to say that Fudge will be given a few more years before he dares to turn his face with Dumbledore."

"Where have you been recently? I feel like you have changed a lot recently," Pansy, not bothered by the ongoing discussions, observed Skyler intently.

"Huh? What's the change? I'm just the same, staying in the bedroom and reading," Skyler dismissed with a disapproving smile.

"No, no, it's definitely not the reason. I feel you are more confident and handsome," Audrey Runcorn gazed at Skyler, propping her chin with both hands.

Simultaneously, Daphne and Meredith snorted and moved closer to Skyler as if attempting to meld into his form.

With a dry smile, Skyler responded, "You guys think too much. I just stayed in the house for two weeks; what can be changed?"

Yet, Skyler realized that after receiving Ravenclaw's inheritance, his magical prowess remained unchanged on the surface, but his knowledge had surpassed most wizards in the magical world.

Armed with unknown spells and killer skills, he gained newfound confidence.

Even compared to Voldemort and Dumbledore, his knowledge reserves were substantial. Perhaps Skyler was slightly inferior due to his age, but it was no longer an insurmountable gap!

What followed was a shift in his mindset. No longer considering himself an ordinary student, he confidently stepped onto the path of strength, possessing the consciousness of the formidable. This newfound self-assurance resonated in his demeanor, akin to a sharp blade in its prime.

At this juncture, Nott, usually reserved, spoke up, "Skyler, my father said I want to establish communication with you in alchemy and even establish a business relationship. What do you think?"

The Nott family and the Borgin family are the two major alchemy families in the UK, known for their profound knowledge in alchemy.

However, their relationship with the Malfoy family turned awkward when, during Gemma Farley's attack on Skyler, the Nott family sided with the Lestrange family.

Theodore Nott, born into a single-parent family, lost his mother at a young age, leaving him with his elderly father, Old Nott.

This upbringing shaped his quiet, low-key, and unsocial demeanor.

Having been a follower of Voldemort since 1965, Old Nott was over a decade older than Lucius Malfoy.

The Nott family and the Malfoy family had no prior conflicts and maintained various business connections.

However, when Old Nott chose to oppose the Malfoy family, it was driven by his reluctance to see them grow more influential.

What seemed like a strategic move turned out to be a miscalculation for Old Nott.

Within a month, news flooded in: Skyler became the youth representative of the European Wizards' Federation, received Sir Merlin's third-level medal and was rumored to be courted by the Ministry of Magic for recruitment into the Wizengamot.

Lucius returned to the Hogwarts power circle, inventing the well-known anti-stun bracelet, gaining Professor Borgin's attention, and acquiring the technology of the vanishing cabinet.

After Voldemort's fall, Old Nott, like the Malfoy family, the Avery family, and the Carlo family, saw the opportunity to escape safely.

Realizing the changing tide, he decided to alter his course and allegiance.

Old Knott's change in attitude did not surprise Skyler.

The thoughts Old Knott harbored about Skyler were clear.

Skyler stated indifferently, "Theo, for your face, there is nothing wrong with the exchange and cooperation, but should you show some sincerity?" While Skyler had no qualms about forming an alliance with the Nott family, he made it clear that a mere statement wouldn't erase the past.

Nott, prepared for this conversation, produced a simple black chisel and a white jade gourd with the finest jade color from his pocket.

"My father asked me to forward this to you, and he said it will satisfy you—this chisel is made of black dragon spar, and the black dragon blood in Hebudi has been poured on it for many years by special means. Completed only a year ago after 30 years of effort. It is said that using this chisel to engrave the Gurunis talisman can yield twice the result with half the effort, undoubtedly adding more wings to your alchemy."

This book can be considered the origin of Voldemort's Horcrux production.

Allegedly, there are only three copies in the world, with a prohibition against copying or reproduction.

Initially stored in the restricted area of the Hogwarts Library, it was later moved to Dumbledore's office due to Voldemort's incident, and unexpectedly, the Black family had one as well.

Skyler couldn't help but speculate that Sirius' younger brother, Regulus Black, might have relied on this book to uncover Voldemort's greatest secret.

The Secret of Cutting-edge Black Magic has been obtained!

White Jade Gourd has been obtained!

The book "The Secret of Cutting-edge Black Magic" chronicles numerous extremely taboo and evil black magic practices, with Horcruxes being just one of them, perhaps not even the most malevolent.

The first section of dark magic introduced is Horcrux's creation.

At the top of the page is a portrait of a man with a hideous, distorted expression, undergoing the separation of his soul.

He appears to be in great pain, yet a cruel smile graces the corner of his mouth.

The book details the sources, principles, and methods of producing Horcruxes, along with test records and precautions for each step.

The initial step in creating a Horcrux involves splitting the soul, achieved through committing murder.

Subsequently, a series of intricate steps are undertaken to separate the divided soul from the main soul.

According to the label at the bottom of the book, Skyler learned that while killing is the easiest way to split the soul, it doesn't imply that one murder equates to one soul division.

The power required to split the soul is formidable, derived from evil and cruel acts.

The crucial factor lies not in the act of killing itself but in the degree of malevolence.

This explains why Voldemort could create numerous Horcruxes, while Snape didn't split the soul when killing Dumbledore.

At that time, Dumbledore's lifespan was nearly spent, and Snape's act was more akin to a compassionate release for the latter than a true act of murder.