Killing Two Birds with One Stone

The possibility that he might be exposed because of the Resurrection Stone in the necklace was truly something Adam had never considered.

Before this, even knowing that Ominis was a member of the Gaunt Family, he had never thought the Resurrection Stone would be exposed. After all, the Stone had now been completely transformed. Even if he handed the necklace to Voldemort for identification, Voldemort would not recognize the Resurrection Stone inside by sight alone.

What Adam had not expected was that Ominis happened to be someone who could not perceive things with his eyes!

Although Adam did not particularly care if the Resurrection Stone was exposed, having it happen this way still gave him a helpless sense that human plans could not measure up to fate.

As he adjusted his mindset, Adam told the two people before him his true identity.

Adam had his own considerations in doing so. Sebastian aside, though he knew it was unlikely, Adam still wanted to test the waters. As for Ominis, he was genuinely somewhat interested and serious about him.

A member of the Gaunt Family who rejected blood purity ideology and dark magic—

What a perfect guardian for Tom!

What a perfect Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!

Whether one reasoned backward from the reality of the future or speculated based on the current situation, Ominis was clearly not someone destined to live a long life, and he was bound to have many grievances about the present state of affairs.

So why not follow Adam into the future and raise the last descendant of the Gaunt Family, giving him the right outlook on life?

Across from him, Sebastian and Ominis both fell silent after hearing Adam recount his origins.

"Sebastian?"

Ominis turned his head slightly.

"I… I don’t know… I only just found out about this too."

Sebastian knew Ominis well enough to understand why he had called his name.

But then he suddenly realized something.

"Wait… did Yog know all along?"

"I was the one who told him not to say anything. Knowing these things back then would not have made any difference to you, would it?"

Sebastian opened his mouth, only to realize that it really was true.

Whether he had known or not, he would have made the same choice at the time: seeking Adam’s help and trying to see if Anne could be cured.

"Then why are you telling us about this now?"

Ominis sharply seized on the heart of the matter, and Sebastian looked toward Adam as well.

"One purpose was naturally to earn your trust… but honestly, neither of you is going to question this at all?"

Adam was somewhat puzzled. Ominis had not even believed what Sebastian had said earlier, so why would he believe Adam’s claim that he had come from the future?

Just because of the Resurrection Stone?

"Normally, when a liar tries to gain someone’s trust, they offer a reason that is easy to believe, not something even more absurd."

After a moment of silence, Ominis spoke.

"Besides, you met Yog before you met Sebastian. You said Yog knew about this too, and we will verify it with him afterward. Until then, I will reserve judgment on what you have said."

"I see."

Adam nodded. It truly was a good approach.

"Still, even if you are reserving judgment, we can continue talking normally, right? Then let me explain the current situation and what I need."

Ominis turned his head toward Sebastian. Seeing this, Sebastian shrugged.

"Adam is handling Anne’s treatment entirely. I can’t understand any of that stuff at all. I only helped introduce you to him."

Ominis turned back toward Adam.

"Go ahead. As Anne’s friend, I would also like to know how you intend to cure her."

Adam nodded, then began describing Anne’s current condition and the treatment plan already being carried out.

"Treatment targeting the soul…"

After hearing Adam’s words, Ominis could not help frowning.

"Can something like that really be done? What spell did you use?"

"The name of the spell is not important. I used a method that touches more directly upon the essence of magic. It does not require incantations or movements to strengthen one’s control over magical power."

Adam raised a hand, and a pillar of flame surged from the brazier in the air and fell into his palm.

Ominis could not see it, but he could sense it through magic. Precisely because of that, he was deeply shaken.

That flow of magical power… precise, smooth, clean and decisive. Perhaps, just as Adam had said, it was a method that touched more directly upon the essence of magic.

"So, what do you need?"

"No power comes from nothing. It requires knowledge to support it, and even the true essence of magic is no exception."

Adam dispersed the flames in his hand.

"To further speed up Anne’s recovery, I need more knowledge concerning the soul. The Gaunt Family is one of the oldest pure-blood families in the British Wizarding World. As a member of the Gaunt Family, perhaps you know some magic related to the soul?"

Ominis fell silent. After Adam finished speaking, he did not urge him for an answer, but neither did he wait for one.

"I do not intend to get your answer right now. You can think it over slowly. As I said earlier, this is merely an exchange."

Ominis froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Besides what we discussed just now, I have another purpose. That purpose is you."

"…Me?"

A trace of confusion appeared on Ominis’s face.

"That’s right, you. I learned some things about you from Sebastian…"

Before Adam could finish, Ominis turned around in surprise.

"Sebastian?!"

"Cough, cough! Ominis, I think we should listen to Adam finish first."

Sebastian hurriedly grabbed Ominis’s shoulders with a guilty look and turned him back around.

"Being born into the Gaunt Family yet not agreeing with blood purity ideology, disliking dark magic—there is nothing wrong or shameful about that, Ominis."

Adam’s reassurance did not seem to have much effect, though that was within his expectations.

"I said earlier that I came from a hundred years in the future. Then, would you like to know what happens to the Gaunt Family in the future?"

Those words were clearly far more effective than the previous speech. Ominis immediately calmed down.

"Is that really all right? If I learn about the future, won’t it cause the future to change?"

"If it were something else, I would avoid doing this. But I do not think there is any problem with this matter."

Adam smiled faintly.

"After all, even if you know these things, you cannot change anything."

Ominis frowned at that. It did not sound like good news, but driven by curiosity, he still nodded.

"I want to know the future of the Gaunt Family… Please tell me."

"All right. Actually, what I know about the Gaunt Family’s future is incomplete as well. I do not know the entire next hundred years, only the latter half."

Adam gave that warning first, then began with the story of Merope Gaunt falling in love at first sight with a Muggle…