After the conversation with Rowen Ravenclaw, Roy stepped onto the balcony of the Valvas Mansion, rain still lingering from earlier, and lost himself in thought. His mind circled around Cassian Veylorn—Salazar Slytherin's secret disciple, the silent architect behind much of the wizarding world's chaos.
"If Cassian died of old age," Roy muttered to himself, "what type of dark magic would he have used to preserve his influence? To extend his presence beyond his natural life?"
His thoughts churned, and slowly, two possibilities crystallized.
The first: Cassian could have stored fragments of his soul inside an object, waiting for someone to discover it. This method, though risky, would allow him to preserve his essence and knowledge indefinitely, hidden from those who did not know the secret.
The second: He might have performed a forbidden rebirth ritual—a kind of dark resurrection spell that allowed his consciousness to return in a new body, at a later time. This would require extraordinary magical skill and precise planning, potentially leaving a descendant or chosen successor as a vessel.
Lost in these thoughts, Roy barely noticed Rowen approaching.
"What are you thinking so intently about, Roy?" Rowen asked softly, her curiosity laced with concern.
Roy turned to her, his expression serious. "I'm considering the possibilities Cassian Veylorn could have used to survive death. Either he stored his soul in a hidden object, waiting for someone to find him… or he used forbidden magic to be reborn in the future."
Rowen's eyes widened. "Both are possible. But the first method… it will take a long time for anyone to uncover him. It's efficient and secure, but slow. The second… he would need to create a descendant of the Veylorn bloodline to be his vessel. That's incredibly risky and complex—but if successful, he could return fully with all his memories intact."
Roy's lips pressed together in thought. "Then I need to find answers. If he went the rebirth path, then a Veylorn descendant exists somewhere. If it's the soul-storing method, the object must be hidden, waiting for someone to discover it. Either way, this is the thread I need to follow."
Without a word, Roy left the Valvas Mansion, the rain-slick streets glinting beneath his boots. His mind was already calculating the best path forward. His destination was clear: Nurmengard Castle, the prison where Gellert Grindelwald remained. If anyone could help him discern the possibilities of Cassian Veylorn's survival, it would be the master of prophecy and manipulation himself.
As he traveled, the weight of the investigation pressed on him. The fate of Hogwarts, the wizarding world, and the hidden shadows of centuries-old magic all seemed to converge on this one path.
By the time Roy arrived at the looming, cold stone of Nurmengard Castle, his resolve was unshakable. He would confront Grindelwald, piece together the truth, and uncover the secrets that even Voldemort could not comprehend.