"Alright, try it now."
Inside the wizard's tower, Wade opened his palm, revealing a mass of black, gauze-like material.
The black gauze slowly rose, spreading out as it drifted gently toward Slytherin.
Slytherin did not dodge, allowing the thin fabric to wrap around him.
After enveloping his body, the black gauze began to seep into him.
Before long, the gauze disappeared, and Slytherin's milky, translucent form gradually became solid.
At last, Slytherin let out a soft breath. He raised his hand and clenched it, the hollow, intangible sensation of being a ghost gone, replaced by the feeling of grasping something real.
"Excellent... much better than before." Slytherin examined his new "body" with satisfaction.
"As long as there are no issues. After the modifications, the Obscurus cloak has stronger magical power and longer endurance. But remember, once you wear this, you won't be able to pass through walls like a ghost anymore," Wade reminded him.
"I understand," Slytherin replied.
It had been two hours since they left the tomb.
After coming out, neither Slytherin nor Wade brought up the matter of the Ancient Sage again.
Once they had quietly filled in the newly dug passage, Slytherin requested improvements to the Obscurus cloak.
Wade had no objections, so the two of them worked together for over an hour to modify it.
The remaining time was spent by Wade completing the final adjustments.
Now, with the modified cloak, Slytherin effectively had a physical body again.
However, this body was only superficial. Although Slytherin could use magic, touch objects, and perceive smells, he still could not eat anything.
Wade's assessment was that Slytherin now resembled a spirit wearing a borrowed skin.
After taking some time to fully experience the sensation of the cloak, Slytherin turned to Wade and asked, "Are you going back to rest?"
"I can't sleep right now," Wade shook his head.
"Since you can't sleep, come take a walk with me," Slytherin said, opening the door of the wizard's tower.
Ever since Wade had moved in, that door had rarely been used.
After all, every time Wade came here, he simply Apparated in.
Wade rubbed his stiff neck and followed Slytherin out of the tower.
Below the slope where the tower stood lay the dense Forbidden Forest.
Slytherin moved forward lightly, soon descending the slope and stepping into the forest.
Wade naturally followed.
In the depths of the night, the Forbidden Forest was utterly silent, not even the cry of a raven could be heard.
Wade looked up at the stars, gradually obscured by the canopy above, and suddenly asked, "You wanted to improve the cloak... are you planning to leave Hogwarts?"
"You figured it out?" Slytherin asked in return.
"Because you're trying to turn yourself back into something human again. So I'm guessing you want to leave Hogwarts and investigate this matter yourself," Wade said.
"You're as perceptive as ever, Wade. Yes, I can't keep relying on you for this. Someone like you must have many things of your own to deal with. So I can only rely on myself. I have to uncover the truth behind this," Slytherin said, his eyes filled with determination.
"Alright, if you've basically regained your former abilities, then go ahead," Wade said with a wave of his hand. "But after a thousand years, the world outside is completely different from the one you knew."
"I know that. During this time, I haven't just been helping you raise chickens. I've also learned quite a bit about the outside world," Slytherin said.
"Alright... but still, be careful. There's a war going on out there right now."
"Muggle weapons can't harm me. And... in my current state, I'm not much different from being dead. What do I have to fear?"
"Then remember to come back regularly so I can replenish the magic in your cloak."
"Alright."
After that, neither of them spoke again. They simply walked in silence through the dark Forbidden Forest, each lost in thought.
Too much had happened that night, and both of their minds were in disarray.
They knew that each of them needed some quiet time to sort through their thoughts.
Suddenly, both Slytherin and Wade stopped at the same time.
Experienced as they were in combat, they both sensed that someone had appeared behind them at some point.
Someone capable of posing a direct threat to them.
Slytherin and Wade slowly turned around and saw a figure step out from the shadows.
Dumbledore stood there, silently observing them.
"Even though I had prepared myself mentally, seeing this with my own eyes is still more shocking than I could have imagined," Dumbledore said with a deep sigh.
"Albus Dumbledore... truly formidable. No wonder Wade holds you in such high regard," Slytherin said, studying him closely. However, there was little surprise on his face.
Slytherin had long been aware of the abilities of this Hogwarts professor from a thousand years in the future.
So when he learned from Wade that he had already been noticed, he knew it was only a matter of time before the other party found him.
He simply had not expected to be discovered just as he was about to leave.
"I am also honored to meet you, the great Slytherin," Dumbledore said sincerely.
Regardless of his ideology, as one of the four founders, Slytherin was worthy of Dumbledore's respect.
"Professor... how did you end up here?" Wade asked, looking somewhat uneasy.
"That is thanks to your help, Wade," Dumbledore said, taking out the Marauder's Map. "At first, I was merely curious about the sudden appearance of Slytherin's ghost. I did not know you would be here as well. However... there was a small accident."
Wade quickly noticed that the Marauder's Map was much larger than when he had handed it to Dumbledore.
At once, he understood how Dumbledore had discovered both him and Slytherin.
Sure enough, Dumbledore unfolded the map and said, "Wade, your Marauder's Map is extremely useful, but its coverage of the Forbidden Forest was rather limited. So after studying it for some time, I took the liberty of adding the missing sections of the forest."
"I see..."
Wade sighed. He should have realized earlier that although the Marauder's Map was ingenious, its method of creation was not particularly complex.
With Dumbledore's level of alchemical skill and magical ability, expanding the map would have been quite simple.
So after extending the map, Dumbledore was naturally able to detect both his and Slytherin's names.
Since the expanded portions were created by Dumbledore himself, the technique differed somewhat from Wade's, causing the concealment methods Wade had applied to the original map to fail.
Thus, on the map, Dumbledore saw two Wades. One was in the dormitory, while the other was in the Forbidden Forest, walking alongside Slytherin's ghost.
Now it was clear that the Wade in the dormitory was merely a trick Wade had used to deceive the map.
"Wade, you should trust me. There are many things you don't need to bear on your own," Dumbledore said, a hint of reproach in his tone.
In fact, when he had first seen Wade walking with Slytherin's ghost, Dumbledore had almost thought Wade had been taken hostage.
It was only after some time, remembering that ghosts had no ability to harm others, that he managed to calm down.
And now it seemed his concern had indeed been unnecessary.
From the way Wade and Slytherin interacted, it was obvious that the two were quite familiar with each other.
Hearing Dumbledore's words, Wade understood that he was expressing dissatisfaction over the fact that he had concealed Slytherin's existence.
Before Wade could respond, however, Slytherin spoke first. "I was the one who forbade Wade from telling you about this, Professor Dumbledore. I did not wish for too many people to know that I have ultimately become a useless ghost, like some cowardly wretch."
"A ghost..." Dumbledore studied Slytherin with a puzzled expression.
On the Marauder's Map, Slytherin's name was indeed marked as a ghost.
But now, aside from his slightly pale complexion, Slytherin appeared no different from a living person.
Dumbledore could even sense the restrained magic within him.
You're telling me this is a ghost? This is clearly a living, breathing Slytherin!
"What exactly is going on?" Dumbledore asked, turning to Wade.
Slytherin said, "Boy, it seems your secret base won't stay secret much longer."
They had only just left the wizard's tower and had not even walked for five minutes in the Forbidden Forest before running into Dumbledore.
So Dumbledore must have already discovered them, and the hidden wizard's tower had naturally been exposed as well.
Wade shrugged, unconcerned.
He had no intention of returning to that tower anyway. Too many strange things had happened there.
Besides, the tower had come from Toby, so it was not anything illicit.
As for the Dark Magic books inside, Wade had already memorized them with his exceptional memory.
And as for his study of Dark Magic, Dumbledore was already aware of it.
Letting Dumbledore discover it changed nothing. It even provided a convenient explanation for how he knew so much Dark Magic.
So if it had been discovered, then so be it. It was not a major issue.
Dumbledore said, "It seems I am about to hear quite an interesting story tonight."
"Old man, why don't you go first?" Wade said wearily.
He had already explained everything tonight to the senior and to Slytherin, and now he had to explain it all again to Dumbledore. Even someone about to be hanged deserved a moment to catch their breath. This was exhausting.
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