"Since Grindelwald gave it to you, you might as well keep it for now," Dumbledore said.
Prophecies were mysterious and elusive things, yet sometimes one had no choice but to believe them.
Dumbledore knew this all too well.
"And what about Grindelwald? How do you plan to handle him?" Victor asked, tucking the ring away.
A moment ago, Dumbledore had seemed murderous, but now his tone suggested he had no immediate intention of settling scores...
"I will demand an explanation from him. And... no matter how special the circumstances, he should never have bypassed me to approach you directly!" Dumbledore's voice turned cold again.
"Hearing you say that puts me at ease," Victor replied with a smile.
Just moments ago, Victor had felt a lingering sense of unease.
After all, that old man Grindelwald's actions had clearly been an attempt to drive a wedge between him and Dumbledore, threatening their long-standing bond.
But now... hearing that Dumbledore would take Grindelwald to task, he felt a sudden sense of relief.
"By the way, I happen to have another matter to discuss with you. Something very important," Dumbledore said suddenly.
"About me?" Victor asked, puzzled.
For something to be considered important by a wizard of Dumbledore's stature, it was bound to be significant.
"It's about Voldemort... It seems he is returning..." Dumbledore said softly.
Victor's brow furrowed. "So he really didn't die?"
"Do you truly believe he would perish so easily?" Dumbledore asked.
Victor fell silent for a moment, deep in thought, before letting out a soft sigh. "He used to tell us constantly... that he had gone further than anyone along the path to immortality. That means it is indeed possible he survived in a way we don't understand."
"I thought so too... which is why for the past ten years, I have been searching for his traces and investigating the methods he might have used to cling to life," Dumbledore sighed.
"Then how do you know he is about to return?" Victor asked, confused.
At that moment, Victor felt another pang of regret over his past decisions...
If he had known he would transmigrate like this, he would have memorized the original series forward and backward at any cost! Then he wouldn't be so completely in the dark now.
No one who had not spent a significant amount of time around Voldemort could truly grasp just how terrifying that madman was...
Dumbledore said, "Because of one person."
"Who?"
"Quirinus Quirrell. He was the Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. Later, he applied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Given his exceptional abilities, I agreed. To gain some practical experience, he traveled to the forests of Albania during his vacation. However, since his return, his personality has shifted drastically..."
"A person does not undergo a complete personality change for no reason," Victor mused. "But how can you be sure it has anything to do with Voldemort?"
"While searching for traces of Voldemort, I found clues pointing toward Albania... The Albanian forests are remote and desolate, yet rich in magical energy. In an extremely weakened state, it is highly likely that Voldemort would hide there."
"So, you think Quirrell might have encountered him?"
"Yes..."
"But surely there are other things that could cause such odd behavior?"
"The explanation he gave me was that he suffered a severe fright while in Albania. While his reasoning was thorough and logical... it seemed to me that things might not be so simple."
Victor stroked his chin, frowning. "True... a wizard who dares to apply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post should not be that timid, or at the very least, should not have such a fragile psyche. Even if he were naturally cowardly, one would expect him to drop the idea of teaching the subject after such a scare, yet he has not given up. However... Professor, even with these suspicions, we cannot be certain he is compromised."
"This is a reasonable suspicion based on various factors, Victor... As you know, one can never be too cautious when dealing with an enemy like Voldemort."
"That's true..."
"Actually, the most critical point is that Nicolas recently entrusted the Philosopher's Stone to me. He has lived for a very long time and has grown weary... He hopes that I will look after the Stone after he passes, whether I choose to destroy it or keep it."
Victor snapped his head up, staring at Dumbledore.
Having lived in this world for so many years and read countless magical tomes, he knew exactly what the Philosopher's Stone represented.
"The Stone is in your hands, and then Quirrell returns from Albania and suddenly starts acting strange... I see why you're suspicious. The timing is far too coincidental!"
"Indeed," Dumbledore sighed. "The Philosopher's Stone would be incredibly useful to a weakened Voldemort... Since I had not yet decided how to handle the Stone, I planned to keep it temporarily at Hogwarts. Consequently, I informed the professors and asked for their help in guarding it..."
Victor frowned. "So, if Voldemort turned Quirrell, he would know the Stone is in your possession. That would mean Quirrell was likely sent back as a mole to steal it."
"Exactly," Dumbledore nodded.
Victor said, "In that case, we should just get some Veritaserum from Severus and force-feed it to Quirrell. Everything would be cleared up in an instant. If we have wronged him, we can just hit him with a Memory Charm afterward and give him some compensation."
Dumbledore looked at Victor with a strange expression.
Victor knitted his brows. "Professor, my methods might be a bit aggressive, but this is a life-or-death struggle! You must understand that when facing an enemy like Voldemort, uncovering his schemes early could save countless innocent lives."
"I am not opposing your method, of course. It is just... don't you want to draw Voldemort out?" Dumbledore said with a smile.
Victor's pupils constricted as he finally understood Dumbledore's plan. "With Voldemort's personality, once he has the Philosopher's Stone, he certainly will not stay in hiding... and he will likely step forward himself at the critical moment because he trusts no one! Especially not a servant like Quirrell, whom he has likely only just recruited."
"Yes... If Quirrell really has been turned and is plotting to take the Stone, then regardless of how it plays out, Voldemort must eventually show himself. Only when he emerges will we be able to discover how he has survived all this time and what method he intends to use for his resurrection. Otherwise... I fear that no matter how many times we kill him, he will always find a way back," Dumbledore sighed. "Therefore, we must take some risks."
"But this plan is too dangerous! What if Voldemort actually gets his hands on the Stone?" Victor's brow furrowed again.
"That is why I need your help, Victor," Dumbledore said, meeting Victor's eyes with a sincere gaze.
"Sigh... back to work after a decade-long vacation?" Victor said, looking helpless.
"It is for the sake of an even longer vacation in the future... a peaceful one, Victor..."
"So, what's the plan?" Victor shook his head with a bitter smile.
Dumbledore smiled. "I wonder if you would be interested in becoming the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts? Given Quirrell's current state, I have every reason to reconsider his application. With your abilities, you would find the position easy to handle. After all... it is not every day someone can hold their own against someone like Grindelwald for so long."