Black looked at one of the most broken Timeline Artifacts in the Multiverse — The Cloak of Invisibility — One of the three Deathly Hallows!
Despite millions of years of documented history, no Contestant from the Primordial Tower had ever managed to turn this Artifact into an Item.
It wasn't just about the unknown process, but also about what the Artifact represented — A Deep One's Authority!
It was a handheld Bounded Field, layered into the form of a cloak by Death the Artificer.
If turned into an Item, not only it could hide any being wearing it from the gazes of others, but also from the gazes of Deep Ones and Old Ones, including the Timelines.
Just who in the Primordial Tower didn't desire such an Item?
Who hadn't tried it before in the various timelines of the Harry Potter Random World?
And among those who had tried, who hadn't wasted away their Life Halts chasing bits and pieces, but never actually grabbing any solid clue?
The Cloak of Invisibility was as infamous among the Contestants of the Primordial Tower as the Clue regarding the Cartoonist.
None wanted them.
None could ever hope to achieve them.
Yet, the lure these two things held over the hearts was utterly incomprehensible.
It was more so for Black than anyone. The Elder Wand had never made him feel so, despite coming so near to him. If he had to guess, then the Resurrection Stone would also not bring out such feelings within him.
The Cloak, though, was different.
It was alive… It was alive in ways that neither the Wand nor the Stone could ever be. Not just anything could repel the gazes of Bubble Entities.
This was also one of the most important goals for Black to come to Hogwarts and associate himself with Harry and Gryffindor House — To pry into the mysteries of the Cloak and find a way to turn it into an Item.
Draco dropped the sweets. "An Invisibility Cloak?" he commented, shocked. "Darcie had one similar, but it lost its Charm after some time, I remember. Still… very expensive."
Harry's brows shot up.
For even the rich ass to say it was something very expensive… just how expensive this present was?!
The awe on Ron's face was purer than the questions on Draco's face.
"Try it!" Ron urged.
Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders.
Black's brows shot up.
As Draco, Ron, and Harry marveled at the invisibility effect, Black was having a hard time picking up Harry's presence using his Observation Haki.
It was like there was no Harry in the Common Room anymore.
This can't be… Black thought, shocked. Even if the entire World were to forget Harry, I could still sense him using my Haki, I am sure. This Cloak… just what's it doing?!
Guided by the Ad Infinitum and Lucky Intuitions, Black approached Harry, his head hanging midair. He touched the cloak and felt its smoothness, registering it as a Timeline Artifact.
Black also sensed Harry's eyes on him.
He was acting weird and the boys were picking up on it. He chuckled and was about to let go of the silk when it happened.
Out of nowhere, as if someone had pressed a switch, the scenes paused.
A hiss slithered in the surroundings, sending a chill running down Black's spine. He recognized it. The sensation. It was engraved in his heart.
The ten fingerprints on Black's right arm that had disappeared because of Biokinesis let out a deathly glow.
DEATH had arrived…
[Do you desire it, my creation?]
DEATH! Black's held himself with Calm. The Lucky Intuitions stopped bubbling. The AI stopped processing. After so many years, after so much time, the Deep One of the Random World had again contacted him.
In this absolute, deathly madness, Black realized something — Touching the Cloak had been nothing but madness.
The only question was… why his Lucky Intuitions didn't warn him about it?! It was like… It was like…
It was like he had actively ignored the warnings and then meaningfully forgot about them…
[Do you?]
Black let out his mysteries, elevating his existence. "… Yes." He could only go along with it for now.
[Hahahaha!]
"…?"
[What else do you desire? The Elder Wand? The Resurrection Stone? Do you also want to become my master? Master of Death?]
Black felt like one wrong word and His entire existence would be obliterated. He tried to contact the main body, but utterly failed.
"I just want it as an Item," Black said, telling the truth. There was no point in hiding such things from HIM anyway. DEATH couldn't do shit to Him. Not until He completed His end of the deal.
The hisses slithered up Black's shoulders.
[Just want it as an Item? Do you, really? I wonder… It can be done.]
What?! Black's mind rocked. What's HE talking about? HE can turn it into an Item? Yes. Maybe, HE can. But why is HE telling me about it?! Unless…
[Hahaha! On one condition, of course. Replace it.]
Huh? Black's jaw dropped.
[Replace it. Become a Deathly Hallow. I will let Nyarlathotep have the Cloak, then.]
Are you fucking… Black cursed, turning around.
The deathly hisses had disappeared, though.
"Hey! Are you alright?!" Harry was asking, holding Black's shoulders.
Burying the mysteries within, Black held his head, shaking off the hisses. It felt like he was dying over and over, plunging into this absurd, filthy feeling.
As if finally regaining his senses, he let go of the silk in his hands and stepped back, his face paling.
No… There's something wrong… Black took a seat, ignoring the children. Yellow Crystals danced in their eyes, confusing them momentarily. Why DEATH was so keen on talking about my Desire?
If HE wanted to visit me, HE could have done it any moment in the past. Why now? Why these words? Why Desire?!
Seeing no other choice, Black let the Lucky Intuitions flow like a dam getting broken.
One after another, the Intuitions drowned him, bringing up facts, figures, and theories that even the AI couldn't process. Yet, nothing solid came up.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Lucky Intuition charged into his consciousness.
…
Lucky Intuition No. $$%^% — Death was warning me about the Mirror of Erised
…
Black shot to his feet.
I had plans to visit the Mirror after Harry's initial visit, he thought, licking his lips. Not to see what I desire the most, but to see if the Ad Infinitum could progress further by resisting the Mirror's Magic. Is there something wrong with the Mirror?
One thing truly puzzled Black.
For DEATH to personally issue a warning to him, just what kind of threat was hiding in the Mirror?
Just what kind of threat could… end Black's existence?!
**************
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