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Sagres's gaze remained fixed on the Great Hall entrance, watching Harry Potter's back as countless thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning:
"Was he being controlled by Lord Voldemort?"
— No, he could absolutely rule that out.
"Does he have one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes on him?"
— Sagres sensed no aura of Dark magic objects.
Sagres furrowed his brow tightly, and an absurd yet undeniable inference surfaced in his mind: "Could it be… Harry Potter himself is one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes?"
He immediately forced the thought away. How could a living person be turned into a Horcrux?
Could it be that more than ten years ago, on the night Lord Voldemort was destroyed, some unimaginable change occurred, forging a fatal connection between this young wizard's soul and Voldemort's?
"Professor, the crystal balls you asked for."
Harry Potter and Ron's voices interrupted his thoughts. The two of them carefully carried four clear crystal balls back to Sagres.
With a casual wave of Sagres's wand, the crystal balls floated lightly into his wide robe sleeve.
"Thank you, both of you."
A faint, almost imperceptible smile mixed with pity appeared on his face. After neatly tucking all the items into his pocket, he said calmly, "I have something else to do. I'll take my leave first."
Before he even finished speaking, he had already turned and strode away.
Hogwarts Castle, 7th floor, Headmaster's Office.
Professor Dumbledore watched the solemn young man across from him and suddenly felt the weight of age pressing down on him.
"So you also believe," Sagres looked directly into Dumbledore's eyes and spoke thoughtfully, "that a fragment of Lord Voldemort's soul is indeed parasitic within Harry Potter?"
"Yes," Professor Dumbledore replied softly. "Ever since I learned he possessed the ability of Parseltongue, I have always harbored that suspicion."
"Then how can this fragment of Lord Voldemort's soul be separated?" Sagres asked directly.
"Sagres," Professor Dumbledore's voice carried deep weariness, "these are not two pieces of clay that can be easily divided. It is more like… pouring one cup of water into another. You cannot completely remove the intruder without harming the original. This is… impossible."
"Isn't the meaning of magic to turn the impossible into reality?" Sagres said calmly.
"No, you are wrong," Professor Dumbledore slowly shook his head, his blue eyes gazing at him through his spectacles. "I know you possess many incredible magics, but in this matter… I fear only when that child's life ends can Lord Voldemort be completely destroyed."
"Lord Voldemort?" Sagres scoffed, his tone filled with disdain. "He has never been my concern. What I worry about is the child himself—will that parasitic soul twist his will, drag him into the abyss, and ultimately… turn him into someone unrecognizable?"
Upon hearing this, Professor Dumbledore's gaze fixed on Sagres's face, as though he were truly seeing the young man before him for the first time.
He studied him for a long while, and at last, a gentle yet complex smile appeared at the corners of his aged mouth.
"Sagres," he said softly, "it seems that in some ways, I did… misunderstand you."
"It doesn't matter." Sagres waved his hand indifferently. "Other people's opinions have never concerned me. I only do what I believe is right."
"Hmm." Professor Dumbledore gave a slight nod, a probing light flickering in his blue eyes. "Then, regarding Lord Voldemort… how do you think we should deal with him?"
"Simple." Sagres's reply was decisive, every word firm and resonant—
"No matter how many Horcruxes he creates, no matter how many times he revives, as long as he is unwilling to hide like a rat in a sewer—daring to show himself and stir up trouble—I will personally kill him, again and again."
Sagres turned to face the Headmaster. "And you, Dumbledore? You place the hope of defeating Lord Voldemort on a child—and a child who must ultimately die? Is this your meticulously planned scheme?"
Professor Dumbledore was silent for a long time before finally speaking, his voice tinged with weariness. "Lord Voldemort is far more powerful than you imagine. What you saw before was merely a greatly weakened version of his true strength…"
"Professor Dumbledore, you may not understand one thing." Sagres calmly interrupted him. "I am also far more powerful than you imagine. If Lord Voldemort cannot even defeat you, then he will die even faster when he meets me. Believe me—on this point, I never lie."
The Headmaster's aged fingers intertwined, his gaze deep behind his spectacles, offering no response.
"In your plan, Harry Potter will eventually die, won't he?" Sagres pressed further.
Professor Dumbledore remained silent, but that silence itself was a heavy answer.
"I suppose you'll keep this a secret? Hiding it from him until he has no other choice?"
Sagres paused, catching the undeniable acquiescence in the other's eyes.
"Just as I thought," he said.
"However, this plan won't work with me." His tone shifted. "I will tell Potter what is truly hidden in his soul."
"My plan… perhaps it was never important," Professor Dumbledore's voice was low, filled with helplessness. "It's just that the truth… for him right now, it's too cruel…"
"Keeping him in the dark won't make the truth any better." Sagres stood up, adding indifferently, "And if you truly want him to die, then it's best to tell him the truth from the very beginning."
Professor Dumbledore opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
"Don't worry," Sagres added before stepping out of the office door. "Potter is a good kid… I think I'll find a way that benefits everyone—both saving his life and purging Lord Voldemort's soul."
"But what exactly is your purpose?" Professor Dumbledore's voice came from behind him. "To save an innocent soul?"
Sagres paused, then slowly turned back. "To eliminate destabilizing factors and maintain peace in the wizarding world, Albus—that is your goal, and it is mine as well. It's just—"
He lifted his chin slightly. "You desire the stillness of stagnant water, while what I pursue is a peace forged in fire, surging with vibrant life. Our paths, our destinations, may not be quite the same."
"You want reform? But do you know how many people will die?" Professor Dumbledore said earnestly. "You will face unprecedented resistance, because that is how the wizarding world is. Candles only become brighter candles, and brooms only become faster brooms. They fear fundamental change, believing it unnecessary."
"Blood only flows when power is insufficient."
Sagres's knuckles tapped lightly against the doorframe. "As for whether change is needed—this is never a game decided by numbers, Albus. The power to reshape the rules is always in the hands of those who possess the strength."
"But that still means sacrifice." Professor Dumbledore's voice was heavy with concern. "There are many more people like Rita Skeeter, like Cornelius Fudge…"
"That is only because they deserve to die." Sagres's voice was calm as still water, yet carried undeniable firmness. "Besides, you are not an entirely innocent bystander in their fate."
"Sagres.. what are you saying.."
"It is your constant 'forgiveness' and 'indulgence' that led them, step by step, to the edge of the cliff, emboldened to provoke me! If you had inflicted even the slightest punishment when they slandered you to your face, they might have learned restraint and not been foolish enough to seek their own demise."
"Power needs to be supervised, to be restrained." Professor Dumbledore's eyes were filled with worry. "Uncontrolled power itself is a disaster."
"I apologize, Albus," Sagres straightened his back, his tone steady and unperturbed. "I will not, like you, willingly lock my power into that already rusty, crumbling institutional cage. If change must be driven by my hand—"
He drew a deep breath and said with firm resolve, "Then I will personally forge an impregnable, indestructible new cage, and I will never tolerate a group of incompetent fools outside that cage, pointing fingers and causing unnecessary trouble!"
With that, Sagres turned and left the Headmaster's office.