#831 - RAB

"This is Voldemort's last Horcrux?" Sirius circled the stone basin twice, carefully examining the locket, while cautiously refraining from acting rashly.

He was well aware of his own limitations. Faced with this unfamiliar mystery, something left behind by Voldemort, he dared not act recklessly. He feared that instead of helping, he might cause trouble.

"That's right, this is Slytherin's locket. Now we need to figure out how to get it out," Anduin's eyes flashed with a faint silver light, clearly probing the secrets of the stone basin.

"Any ideas?" Sirius had great confidence in Anduin. Despite the oppressive atmosphere, he remained calm.

"Based on the analysis of the runes, we need to drink all the potion in the stone basin to reveal the Horcrux," Anduin pointed to the shell next to the stone basin used for scooping water.

"Can't we just pour the potion out?"

Sirius picked up the shell, scooped up the potion from the basin, and tried to pour it out, but after scooping five or six spoonfuls, the potion in the basin didn't decrease at all. He also couldn't reach his hand into the water, and the Vanishing Spell and Transfiguration were useless.

"As you can see," Anduin shrugged. "These potions have been enchanted with powerful magic. They can't be reduced unless they are drunk."

"Also, I don't really know much about the effects of these potions until I've tried them, after all, I'm not very good at potions."

Sirius nodded upon hearing this, and then quietly watched Anduin, thinking that the other party must have other ways to solve this problem.

Anduin gave a wry smile, "Don't keep looking at me like that. The magic Voldemort cast on the stone basin is much more complicated than the entrance. If you want to use alchemical means to crack it, it will take at least a few days."

"Then just tell me to drink it, won't you?" Sirius rolled his eyes, then scooped up a bay of potion, brought it to his mouth, and prepared to drink it.

But at this moment, Anduin suddenly stopped him, "Wait, I seem to have thought of a better way."

With that, Anduin took out an 'Everywhere Door', opened it and peered inside, then smiled, "Good luck, although Apparition is prohibited here, the 'Everywhere Door' has no effect, wait a moment."

After leaving these words, Anduin walked into the door without looking back. After a while, he reappeared, dragging a figure.

"This is... Lockhart?" Sirius carefully identified the figure that suddenly appeared, and it took him a while to confirm that this was the 'great writer' who often appeared in the newspapers some time ago.

However, Lockhart's appearance at this time no longer had the high-spirited state he had before. At this moment, he was wearing a relatively clean and tidy hospital gown, his face was haggard, and his expression revealed an lingering fear.

"Mr. Wilson... what exactly do you want me to do!" Lockhart cried, looking at Anduin pleadingly, "I have followed all your instructions, including those strange experiments, please let me go, even if you send me to Azkaban!"

During the days when he was imprisoned by Anduin, Lockhart felt what it was like to have surprises every day.

Of course, he would rather not experience any of these so-called surprises.

In Anduin's research institute, Lockhart was forced to eat tasteless nutrient solutions every day, and became the subject of some weird experiments.

The most important thing is that the person in charge of the experiment was not Anduin himself, but that cheap dog, Hogg. He learned hundreds of swear words from that guy, and he was scolded every day in different ways.

"Don't worry," Anduin looked at Lockhart with a kind expression, "Today I brought you here to give you such an opportunity. As long as you help me with this one thing, I will send you to Azkaban."

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Lockhart nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, as if Anduin would regret it if he was a little late, "Tell me, I will definitely do my best."

Seeing Lockhart showing this ghostly appearance, Sirius on the side couldn't help but marvel.

Is this guy's brain broken? Anduin said he was going to send him to prison. Why is he not only not afraid, but also looks like he is looking forward to it?

But Anduin and Lockhart had no intention of explaining all this to Sirius. Anduin just raised his finger and pointed to the stone basin next to him.

"Drink all these potions."

Lockhart didn't even bother to observe the surrounding environment, let alone ask what kind of potion it was. He immediately pounced on the stone basin, grabbed the shell, scooped up the potion and sent it to his mouth.

Anyone who didn't know would think it was some kind of delicacy.

But as soon as he drank it, he lay painfully on the stone basin, his face flushed with blue veins, and he also showed a look of fear.

"So... so hot! I feel like my internal organs are burning!" Lockhart felt like he was about to burn up at any moment, and he was sweating profusely.

At the same time, many terrifying scenes appeared in front of him, including hideous ghosts, and ferocious dragons with blood basins wide open, as if they were about to pounce on him at any moment.

"Drink them all, otherwise you know the consequences!"

Just when Lockhart felt that he couldn't bear it anymore and was about to faint, a whisper like a devil suddenly came from his ear.

As soon as he heard Anduin's words, Lockhart was shocked and suddenly woke up.

Obviously, in his mind, everything he felt at this time was not as terrifying as Anduin's one-ten-thousandth.

Immediately, Lockhart seemed to have a stress reaction, enduring the pain all over his body, drinking the potion in the stone basin mouthful by mouthful.

This scene made Sirius tremble all over. How strong is this guy's willpower? His face is flushed and he can still hold on?

At the next moment when he finally drank the potion, Lockhart couldn't bear it anymore, and fell painfully to the ground, rolling and scratching his throat.

"Water! Water! I want water! I'm about to die of thirst!"

Sirius couldn't bear to see this, and after taking out the locket in the stone basin, he immediately cast a spell to transform a basin of clear water, and helped Lockhart lean towards the edge of the basin.

But even though Lockhart desperately scooped it out, and even buried his face in the basin in the end, the clear water seemed like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water, completely inaccessible.

In the end, Lockhart couldn't hold on any longer, so he plunged into the lake next to him, as if that was his hope for survival.

But just as he was rushing into the air, Anduin grabbed his belt with one hand and stopped him from rushing forward.

"Anduin, give him some water, he's so pitiful." Seeing Anduin's actions, Sirius couldn't bear to persuade him.

"No, I discovered on the way here that this lake is also enchanted with black magic. Once the lake water is disturbed, it will trigger the traps set by Voldemort. If nothing else, it should be the Inferi under the water. Although I am not afraid of them, there is no need to make it too troublesome."

Anduin shook his head decisively. He didn't like accidents, especially those that could be prevented in advance.

"Then what about him?" Sirius looked at the pitiful Lockhart, "He looks like he's about to die of thirst."

"Wherever you came from, go back to where you came from." Anduin threw Lockhart into the 'Everywhere Door', and also pulled Sirius in.

In a cave, the magic that could turn liquid into fantasy disappeared. Sirius easily conjured a pool of clear water, and Lockhart's condition gradually stabilized.

"Mr. Wilson, I have followed all your instructions, so..." After Lockhart recovered, he didn't even thank Sirius, who had helped him, and looked at Anduin with burning eyes.

"Don't worry, I keep my word. I'll have someone from the Ministry of Magic borrow you later, but..."

Anduin's expression suddenly became strange when he said half of his words, and he leaned close to Lockhart's ear and whispered.

"After entering Azkaban, you have to do me one last favor..."

His voice became lower and lower, and after Lockhart heard everything he said, he showed a look of astonishment.

"You? Me? Them?" Lockhart pointed to himself incoherently, "Can I really do this kind of thing alone? Or in that kind of place?"

"I believe you!" Anduin smiled and pinched Lockhart's shoulder, his fingertips slightly harder, "And you have to do it even if you can't, you know me, I can get you out of Azkaban at any time."

Anduin's threatening words made Lockhart, who had just escaped from the pain, break out in a cold sweat again.

"Of course, if you can complete the task I gave you," Anduin knew that he couldn't push too hard, and had to offer some benefits, "I might be able to find a way to exonerate you, at least reduce your sentence, you don't want to stay in prison for the rest of your life, do you."

"Ah?" Lockhart had a bitter face, "Based on the crimes I committed before, I won't be imprisoned for the rest of my life, will I?"

"If I say you will, you will!" Anduin glared at him coldly.

"This... okay!" Lockhart struggled for a long time, and finally agreed with a bite.

He was already at the end of his rope, and now he could only hope that Anduin would keep his word. At least in the previous contacts, the other party was very trustworthy.

Of course, it is the kind of credibility that if you say you want to kill your whole family, you will kill your whole family.

After ending the conversation with Lockhart, Anduin sent him to rest. At least he had to let the other party recover some energy, otherwise it would be a bit unreasonable for the people from the Ministry of Magic to see him in this state when they came over.

"What did you just say to him?" Sirius looked at Anduin curiously, "Why does Lockhart look like he's about to die heroically?"

"Secret..." Anduin grinned, "I'm sorry, this matter has to be kept secret from everyone for the time being, you are no exception."

"Okay." Sirius just asked casually, he still trusts Anduin 100%.

"By the way, quickly give me the locket. Voldemort's Horcruxes have very strong black magic that can interfere with the wizard's thoughts. Don't let him control you."

Anduin suddenly thought of something and quickly looked at the locket in Sirius's hand.

"Black magic? Why don't I feel anything? This seems to be an ordinary metal box." Sirius muttered as he handed over the locket in his hand.

"With Voldemort's ability, he can naturally make you not notice any sense of disharmony."

Anduin explained casually, but after taking the locket, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Hmm? Can't really feel the aura of black magic? Is the sophistication of this Horcrux above other Horcruxes? No, this is obviously Voldemort's third Horcrux. I can detect something wrong with the Ravenclaw's Diadem that he made last."

Anduin secretly marveled in his heart, and then hesitantly opened the locket.

"Eh? Why is there a note inside? Could this note be Voldemort's Horcrux?" Sirius watched from the side like a curious baby, and couldn't help but interject after he saw the objects in the locket clearly.

"No, this locket is not a Horcrux at all." After opening the locket, Anduin confirmed the guess in his heart. Let alone a Horcrux, this thing doesn't even count as an alchemical prop.

"Not a Horcrux? Were you tricked? Who told you where Voldemort hid the Horcrux?" Sirius's face changed when he heard this, which was not good news.

"Impossible, this location is absolutely true." Anduin shook his head decisively. This was Voldemort's memory, he couldn't possibly deceive himself, right?

"Don't worry about so much, let's see what's written on the note first." Anduin said and opened the note left in the locket.

To the Dark Lord:

I'll be dead long before you read this.

But I want you to know that it was me who discovered your secret.

I stole the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as possible.

I am willing to die in the hope that you will be killed when you encounter an opponent.——

"It seems that someone beat us to the punch..." Anduin raised his eyebrows in surprise, "But who is this? He can actually know the secret of Voldemort's Horcrux."

After thinking carefully, Anduin still had no clue, but when he looked up, he saw Sirius with a stunned expression.

At this time, Sirius's eyes were staring straight at the note in his hand.

"What's wrong? Do you know this person?" Anduin could see that Sirius was not right and asked quickly.

"..." Sirius closed his eyes painfully, "It's the abbreviation of my younger brother Regulus. He has been calling himself that since he was very young. Similar words can be found on his door and textbooks."

"Your brother?" Anduin was shocked when he heard this, and then looked at the contents of the note again.

In other words, if this note was really left by Sirius's younger brother, wouldn't it mean that the other party is no longer alive?