Chapter 105: The 'Shadow Clone' Belonging to the Wizard

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"Are you out of your mind?"

Grindelwald, looking puzzled, slapped Harry's hand. Crushing the magical sphere was just one action; for a wizard to dissipate their magic, there is only one way: to separate their will from their magic. Although many wizards find this impossible because they do not fully understand what magic is, Harry was not one to muddle through life without clarity.

His keen perception of magic allowed him to unravel his own magic, completely erasing its existence. After being interrupted by Grindelwald, Harry suddenly grasped something and hesitated in his actions.

"Aren't we saying that being born in silence makes you a rebel?" Harry spoke softly, somewhat sheepishly. "I didn't mean to disregard this guy just now."

"That's the normal state of a Silent One and a Silent. Are we two considered normal?"

Grindelwald rolled his eyes; he held nothing back when it came to self-deprecation.

"So, you're just lucky," he continued.

"The birth of a Silent One is quite marvelous. The emergence of this new life requires a kind of extreme will or emotion. We cannot create it by splitting the soul. A Silent One and the wizard are one; it is an independent new life form, yet entirely dependent on the wizard. We share a soul and a body with the Silent One but not a consciousness or magic; it is a branch of our consciousness, fully under our control."

"Of course, I mean in our situation. To be honest, even though I have created my own Silent One, I still cannot fully understand the process of its birth. If given another chance, I would not be able to replicate my earlier success. Chance and luck are the fundamental reasons I possess it; the secrets contained within magic are simply too numerous—so many that we, as wizards, could spend our entire lives without even catching a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg."

"If you wish to destroy it, dismantling the consciousness and magic that constitute it, remember that it is the epitome of chaotic and evil dark magic. Yet, throughout this process, the little guy in your hands did not choose to resist. Although resistance is something a living being should do, as a branch of your will, your command holds the highest priority."

"The greatest difference between us and ordinary Silent Ones is that their unconsciously created Silent Ones are in an adversarial relationship with them, and only a few Silent Ones possess the power to control them; their relationship is relatively equal. In contrast, as a branch of our consciousness, our Silent One is merely an extension of ourselves, a life form that is dependent on us yet exists independently. We are its masters, and they are the shadows that embody our extreme emotions."

"Don't let it go freely; trust me, it's not a good choice. I once conducted an experiment where I placed it in the Bollate prison in Italy without giving it any commands. It wandered aimlessly, killing every prisoner it encountered along the way. Not because it was a bloodthirsty madman, but simply because it found it entertaining. It revels in chaotic evil because that is the essence of its thoughts."

"If an Animagus is a physical clone created by a wizard, then a Silent One is a magical clone crafted by the wizard. Now, you should understand."

Harry nodded but quickly shook his head. He had basically figured out what was happening, but Grindelwald's final remark raised a new question.

"Isn't an Animagus a transformation of the human body?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Wizards used to think so, but actually, the body of an Animagus exists independently of the wizard's true form. Simply put, an Animagus has its own independent consciousness. Though it is weak, this consciousness can influence the wizard's thinking. Take Professor McGonagall, for instance; her Animagus form is a cat, and after she transforms, she finds it very difficult to resist a cat toy or fish treats."

Harry's eyes suddenly lit up! Grindelwald truly was a model for their kind!

"However, the more important evidence is that when an Animagus transforms, any curses affecting them in that form do not transfer back to the wizard's true form. If a werewolf bites an Animagus in their animal form, the wizard will not suffer the werewolf curse and turn into a werewolf because that curse specifically targets humans, leaving other animals unaffected. Once you've transformed into an Animagus, you are no longer considered human."

"I think it's safe to call the Animagus an independent physical clone, right?"

"I understand, Professor." Harry nodded seriously. Although he was reassured that his Silent One wouldn't betray him, he still felt a bit uneasy about it. If he were to release it, with its chaotic and unpredictable personality, who knew what kind of trouble it might cause? As a pure troublemaker, dubbed a player in the game of the Fourth Catastrophe, there was no telling what it might do. Whether it was slaughtering a city out of boredom or blowing up a planet just to see fireworks, as long as the ability was there, any outrageous behavior seemed entirely normal for beings like them.

Harry recalled his past life story. If the ridiculous things he did in the game were to become reality, the number of NPCs who died at his hands would easily be in the tens of thousands, if not more, and the crimes he committed would be enough to warrant a death sentence lasting three hundred years without even covering half of it.

If his Silent One truly had such a personality, then he absolutely couldn't let it roam free.

With a wave of his hand, Grindelwald made the table vanish and beckoned Harry to follow him.

Just as Harry took a step, he froze in place, casting a sideways glance at Grindelwald. He nearly fell for the man's tricks.

If anyone in the world were to defend Dumbledore, it would undoubtedly be Grindelwald, who was at the top of that list.

After talking to Harry for so long, it was clear he was trying to distract him, to gloss over the issue at hand and trivialize it—turning major problems into minor ones. Grindelwald executed this plan with almost no flaws.

"Thank you very much, Professor Grindelwald, for your guidance, but it seems today's matter hasn't been resolved yet."

"I don't particularly mind going on a brave adventure. Since one of us must die, it's only a matter of time before we meet again, whether sooner or later. However, Professor Dumbledore, I do not want to be a dog in the arena for others to gawk at. I also dislike having my future arbitrarily arranged by a stranger, regardless of the reasons behind it."

"If your intention is to tell me that having power means you can do whatever you want, then please feel free to kill me now. Otherwise, this 'proper' guidance will only lead to the emergence of a new Dark Lord."

"Didn't Voldemort say before that you taught him, 'As long as you have power, you can make anyone obey your will, even if they do not wish to do so'? I may not know what you did back then, but I believe your current actions show no change from how you behaved before."

Dumbledore suddenly looked up, staring intently at Harry. That serious and earnest gaze was quite terrifying. Within his aged body, a powerful soul radiated a dazzling light.

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(End of Chapter)