Chapter 1047
Eliminating Fear
Chapter 1047 Eliminating Fear
"Voldemort is still alive."
Wade repeated himself, his voice soft yet like a thunderclap that exploded in Slughorn's ears.
"Wh...what?!"
Slughorn's muscles tensed instantly, his breathing stopped, his eyes widened, and his pupils contracted sharply.
He abruptly stood up, staring intently at Wade, his gaze searching his face.
For a few seconds, he couldn't even feel his own heartbeat; it was as if the whole world consisted only of the pair of calm, gray eyes opposite him.
"No...it's impossible..."
His chapped lips moved, his voice hoarse as if squeezed from another throat.
An absurd thought suddenly popped into his chaotic mind:
Is this a "new therapy" devised by St. Mungo?
They affirm what he says to shock him, and when he believes it, they laugh and tell him it's impossible and it's all a joke.
But the boy's eyes, so calm they were almost frightening, didn't seem to be acting.
Slughorn's chaotic thoughts raced at an unprecedented speed, and he instinctively chose the course of action that best protected him:
"What did you say?"
His voice suddenly rose, becoming sharp and trembling, and he spoke rapidly, like a machine gun:
"He's still alive? How do you know? Who told you? This...this is absurd!"
Everyone knows he's dead!
He instinctively gripped his sleeve tightly, his knuckles turning white, and said in a trembling voice:
"You...you can't lie to me anymore!"
"Just like that night in Godric Valley, he wasn't completely dead... This time, he's alive again." Wade said calmly.
"He fled from the public eye, carrying his body and his broken soul."
"The reason people tell you he's dead is because two years ago, he cast an extremely powerful spell that made everyone subconsciously ignore the fact that he's still alive."
Slughorn's expression wavered: "This...this is impossible! That kind of magic is simply beyond human capabilities, even...even that person..."
"Because he drew upon the influence of some ancient power within the Bureau of Mysteries."
Vader added, meeting Slughorn's astonished eyes with unwavering composure:
"You should know that some of the rooms down there are places of study that are far beyond the imagination of ordinary wizards."
Slughorn's body trembled. He looked at Wade and instantly believed it.
He instinctively wanted to believe.
His logic also told him that it was impossible for a fifth-year student at Hogwarts to fabricate such a specific reason, one that involved the most confidential parts of the Ministry of Magic.
If you suspect this is a therapist's "conspiracy"...
His healer, Elliott, was indeed a kind and intelligent girl, but she could not possibly know about the existence of the Brain Hall, and most Ministry of Magic staff were completely unaware of it.
Once he reached this conclusion in his mind, in an instant, all of Slughorn's emotions seemed to find an outlet—
Long-suppressed fear, resentment, and loneliness surged into his heart, shattering his barely maintained composure and calmness.
His body trembled violently, from his fingers to his shoulders, and then to his entire body; every part of him shuddered uncontrollably with excitement.
Slughorn nearly collapsed to the ground.
He frantically grabbed the edge of the bed with one hand and clung tightly to Wade's arm with the other. His mouth was wide open, trying to speak, but only short, hoarse sounds came out:
"Ha...haha...ho..."
Wade supported his exhausted body and watched as the old man's face contorted in a grimace, his cheek muscles twitching uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.
"So that's how it is... So this is the truth..."
He cried hysterically yet suppressedly:
“I…I thought…I was crazy…or the whole world was crazy…I thought…they…”
He spoke incoherently, releasing Wade's arm and swinging it wildly.
“Those therapists…those nurses…sometimes I feel like they’re all his people…”
“They used this method… to slowly torture me… to drive me insane, to let me rot here…”
Wade gently comforted him, “I know…I know. You’re not crazy; on the contrary, you’re more lucid than anyone else.”
"They misunderstood you, but it's not their fault...it's just that most people can't resist the effects of Voldemort's spell."
Vader helped Slughorn sit down slowly on the edge of the bed, gently patting his back with one hand.
The cheetah puppet lightly jumped off the bed and paced back and forth around Slughorn's feet, its steps cautious and concerned.
Sometimes it would gently rub its head against his calf, and sometimes it would snuggle into his arms, making low, soothing purrs and wagging its tail.
After an unknown amount of time, the violent trembling and hoarse gasps gradually subsided.
Slughorn covered his face and cried his heart out. When he raised his head with red and swollen eyes, he felt his mind finally clear.
At the same time, a strange sense of vulnerability and belonging welled up inside me—
Finally, someone believes him!
Finally, someone knows the truth!
He's not crazy!
But what followed was an even colder, more chilling reality—
Voldemort is really still alive; this is not just his delusion!
So, is it still possible for that person to find him?
Recalling that nightmarish experience, Slughorn couldn't help but shudder and said fearfully:
"Then... what should I do? Will he find me again? Is the hospital still safe?"
Slughorn nervously scanned the doors, windows, and even the wardrobe before looking at Wade with a childlike utter dependence in his eyes.
"As far as I know... he has his grand plans and probably won't have time to look for you for the time being."
Wade said slowly:
"First, you need to know that Voldemort now..."
“No.” Slughorn shuddered and said fearfully, “Child, don’t say that name!”
"Okay, mysterious person..."
Wade changed his tune, saying, "He's in a bad situation right now, and he doesn't have many men left, so he's more cautious than before."
“He is very well hidden and acts in secrecy. He hasn’t shown his face for a long time since the last final.”
"But Professor Dumbledore never gave up. He kept trying to track down the mysterious man and keep track of his movements."
“Mr. Slughorn, you are not alone in fighting this shadow.”
“Yes, yes, Dumbledore!” Slughorn nodded eagerly, grasping at every straw. “I should have known! He wouldn’t be fooled!” “Secondly—”
Wade continued, looking directly at him, "I know you're scared, Mr. Slughorn. But fear itself isn't the worst thing; the worst thing is to be scared in ignorance."
"Think about it, your current situation is like walking on the edge of a cliff, constantly worried that you will fall off, so you will be afraid and even dare not continue."
"But compared to those who walk with their eyes closed, at least you have your eyes open, right?"
"You know where you are and you can see where the danger is. That's your advantage—a clear-headed fear can help you think and prevent you from blindly falling down."
These words gave Slughorn some direction in his chaotic thoughts, and the confusion in his eyes lessened somewhat.
"Ah, yes..."
He murmured, “I know he’s still alive. I can find a way to avoid him… instead of… instead of him coming to my door and foolishly thinking I’m entertaining a guest.”
Slughorn was filled with remorse when he recalled the scene of being captured last time.
At that time, Dumbledore clearly told him that Voldemort was showing signs of resurrection and asked him if he had revealed any knowledge about Horcruxes to that person when he was teaching Voldemort.
That was originally a good opportunity for him to confess everything.
However, that past event had become an unbearable stain on Slughorn's heart, and he was filled with remorse and shame for rashly revealing that fatal knowledge.
In order to avoid facing the condemnation and judgment of Dumbledore and even the entire wizarding world, he meticulously fabricated a false memory to deceive them.
After Dumbledore left, Slughorn immediately cut off all contact with his old friend and disappeared without a trace.
He successfully hid for a week or two, gradually forgetting what Dumbledore had told him about Voldemort's possible resurrection. He became completely focused on evading Dumbledore's pursuit and hid even more diligently.
But he lacked the necessary vigilance towards those other than Dumbledore.
So when the man in black robes arrived carrying a swaddled baby, Slughorn assumed it was a contact he had cultivated in the past coming to visit, and opened the door without any suspicion.
Thinking about what would happen next, Slughorn shuddered and immediately cut off the memory.
"at last--"
Wade looked at him, his voice calm:
"Don't let fear hold you back."
"Hiding in this hospital room might be safe for now. Just like I told you before—the mysterious man isn't looking for you right now."
"But if you keep hiding, you'll turn yourself into a piece of meat placed in the mouth of a hungry wolf. Whenever it wants to eat you, it can devour you in one bite."
Slughorn's face drained of color, but Vader seemed not to notice and continued:
"Or... you could do something to actually survive."
“What…what can I do?” Slughorn said urgently, then shrank back, “Don’t…don’t treat me like Dumbledore…or Lily…I can’t…”
It's shameful to admit your cowardice in front of a child, but Slughorn is even more afraid of being pushed onto the battlefield to fight.
He trembles at the mere thought of the Earth Demon, let alone raising his wand in front of that man.
Wade leaned slightly forward and said, “It’s not my place to tell you what you should do, Mr. Slughorn.”
He paused, looked directly at the other person, and said:
“You are older than me, more experienced than me, and know that person better than I do.”
"So, perhaps you should think about it carefully—"
"It's not about figuring out how to hide myself better, but about figuring out why the mysterious man is afraid of Professor Dumbledore?"
"Besides strength, what else could pose a threat to that person?"
Outside the window, the sounds of laughter celebrating Christmas drifted in, while inside the hospital room, Slughorn stared blankly at Wade—a boy whose age was probably only a fraction of his own.
Wade slowed his speech, each word clear and forceful:
“You must understand that unless the mysterious man completely disappears from this world, you will never be truly safe, and neither will anyone else.”
"Therefore, we should take the initiative to do anything that can weaken or destroy him, no matter how big or small, in whatever form."
“Destroy…destroy him…”
Slughorn murmured, repeating himself, a strange shiver running through his body, making his scalp and fingertips tingle.
After a long while, he took a deep breath, and his previously chaotic gaze gradually settled into a kind of timid yet determined look.
"Yes... Unless he... he's defeated again and disappears... I won't have a life of my own..."
He looked up at Wade, and slowly, forcefully nodded, his chubby cheeks jiggling.
"I...I understand."
He said in a hoarse voice, "You're right... It's better to have your eyes open than blindfolded... I know what to do... I know what I can do..."
……
When therapist Elliott pushed the door open with the sedative, she could hardly believe her eyes.
The Horace Slughorn who used to spend all his time curled up in bed with a panicked and unfocused look in his eyes is gone.
The old man sitting by the bed at this moment, although his eyes were red and swollen, and he was tired and weak, had straightened his back a little, and his eyes no longer held empty fear, but rather a complex and clear light.
He was even combing his thinning hair, trying to make himself look neater.
The cheetah puppet sat quietly at his feet, its tail tip swaying gently, appearing very peaceful.
The crystal bubbles she brought earlier finally stabilized and displayed a clear blue color.
"Mr. Slughorn?"
Elliott approached in surprise. "You...how are you feeling?"
—Those children's visits were actually so effective?
Slughorn looked up at the therapist and answered slowly and clearly, "Ms. Elliott... I think I'm all better now."
His voice no longer trembled, nor did it have that neurotic sharpness.
The old man looked out at the gloomy sky, then turned back, his gaze filled with a firmness that Elliott had never seen before.
"I still have a lot to do. Please... I want to be discharged as soon as possible."
At that moment, the last scene before Vader left flashed through Slughorn's mind.
As the boy said goodbye and left, Slughorn couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Gray... no... may I call you Vader, boy?"
“Of course, Mr. Slughorn,” Wade said, turning around.
“Aren’t you even a little bit afraid of going against that person?” Slughorn said in a trembling voice, “That’s…that’s the Mystic!”
Wade thought for a moment and said, "You saw Harry just now too. He also knows the truth, and he is Voldemort's real target."
"Did you see fear in him?"
(End of this chapter)