Chapter 55: The Elder Wand's Temptation

"The Philosopher's Stone?"

Erwin was slightly confused.

Wasn't this stone supposed to be fake?

How could Dumbledore speak of it as genuine?

"Professor, I just observed it. Although this stone possesses some magical fluctuations, but..."

Erwin didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.

"But there's absolutely no way it contains the immense magical power necessary to transmute stone into gold and grant eternal life, correct?"

Dumbledore completed Erwin's unfinished thought, though he didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he posed a question to Erwin.

"Mr. Gaunt, as the finest student Hogwarts has seen in fifty years, no, perhaps ever, what would you say is the fundamental principle of alchemy?"

"Equivalent exchange!"

Erwin's answer came without hesitation.

Dumbledore nodded in agreement before posing another question.

"Then why do you suppose the Philosopher's Stone can grant immortality? Do you believe the magic within it is infinite?"

Hearing this, Erwin began to understand.

He spoke tentatively.

"You mean this stone's power is depleting?"

"Precisely. Nicolas has possessed it for over six hundred years, and only the faintest traces of its magic remain."

Dumbledore didn't conceal the truth, speaking frankly.

Erwin suddenly understood.

No wonder Nicolas Flamel had entrusted the Philosopher's Stone to Dumbledore, who then used it as bait to lure Voldemort.

It was essentially an expiring product.

In that moment, Erwin felt a twinge of pity for Voldemort, to whom he'd so casually leaked information about the Stone's location.

Everyone else was thriving, while only Voldemort kept getting beaten down.

****

Erwin withdrew the Philosopher's Stone and placed it on the table, his expression tinged with regret.

Seeing this, Dumbledore appeared troubled and hesitant, but finally spoke.

"Mr. Gaunt, you're still so young. Old age and death are distant concerns for you. Your greatest asset is your extraordinary intellect. You don't need to pursue the Stone's power."

Erwin paused, realizing Dumbledore had misunderstood him.

He didn't bother hiding the truth.

"Professor, I believe you've misunderstood. I have no desire for the Stone's power itself. I simply wish to study ancient alchemy by examining it."

Dumbledore harbored some doubts about the veracity of Erwin's words.

Erwin didn't particularly care.

Since Dumbledore was also a master of alchemy, he could consult him directly.

Immediately, Erwin presented several of his alchemical questions to Dumbledore.

“In fact, I would like to ask you about...”

…

After their discussion, Dumbledore confirmed that Erwin's alchemical knowledge had reached an impressive level.

Some aspects of Erwin's inquiries even provided him with new insights.

"My apologies, Mr. Gaunt. I misjudged you."

Dumbledore apologized to Erwin, feeling genuinely uneasy about his assumption.

He knew Erwin must possess secrets of his own; otherwise, how could he have achieved such knowledge?

A first-year student who'd defeated Voldemort, mastered all of Snape's potion teachings, and now demonstrated profound alchemical research.

He could scarcely imagine what Erwin would become when he matured, undoubtedly another legend in the magical world.

But if he were to stray from the right path...

Erwin observed the uncertainty in Dumbledore's eyes.

Having watched all the movies and read countless analyses, how could he not understand what concerned the headmaster?

Erwin decided to address the matter directly.

With his current abilities, while he couldn't match Dumbledore's power, the headmaster wouldn’t be capable of harming someone protected by [Avalon].

Still, he needed to demonstrate his intentions.

After all, Cho and Hermione lived here, and he had no desire to antagonize the old wizard and be forced to leave.

"Professor, I understand your concerns, and even some of your contingencies."

The moment those words left his mouth, Dumbledore's demeanor grew serious.

Erwin continued without concern.

"I'm simply an ordinary Ravenclaw student. Here I have my friends and those I love. Believe me, I'm nothing like my relatives."

"If possible, I just want to spend some peaceful years at Hogwarts. Power and wealth mean nothing to me."

After hearing this, Dumbledore fell silent, remaining quiet for a long while.

Erwin wasn't impatient.

Instead, he observed the two phoenixes in the air.

From the moment Fawkes had laid eyes on Velora, he'd been utterly captivated.

He continuously circled before her, occasionally displaying his magnificent plumage.

Velora, meanwhile, completely ignored Fawkes's courtship, not even sparing him a glance as she preened her own feathers.

Watching Fawkes's behavior, Erwin couldn't help but internally laugh.

‘Poor guy… Haha’

****

Dumbledore contemplated for an extended period before reaching a thorough understanding.

Erwin was fundamentally different from Voldemort and Grindelwald.

Though gifted, he showed no ambition for power.

The young wizards gravitated toward him purely because of his personal charisma.

Moreover, having grown up in the Muggle world, he lacked Voldemort's hatred toward non-magical people.

He was even quite willing to help the orphanage where he'd been raised.

Most importantly, he had people he loved.

Having reached this conclusion, Dumbledore stopped wrestling with his concerns and regarded Erwin with a smile.

"Forgive an old man's paranoia. After all, I have taught one particularly troublesome student before."

With a chuckle, Dumbledore dismissed the matter and swiftly changed the subject.

"You've helped the school safeguard the Philosopher's Stone this time. When the end-of-term ceremony is held, I'll award appropriate points to Ravenclaw."

"Beyond that, what other reward would you like?"

Erwin had been waiting for precisely this question.

His eyes lit up immediately.

He cared little about house points, but he was extremely interested in an additional reward.

"Can I take a look at your wand?"