At that, Dumbledore paused before continuing. "However, unlike the other fundamental laws, Death developed a consciousness of his own, and he harbors malice toward both wizards and Muggles. If he were allowed to continue growing unchecked, then one day, both the wizarding and Muggle worlds might be destroyed by him.
"Fortunately, the three brothers happened to encounter Death. They deceived him and took away the most fundamental pieces of his power, the three Deathly Hallows. That act greatly hindered his growth.
"And if Death ever regains control of the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak, I fear the balance between life and death throughout the wizarding world will be completely shattered."
Dumbledore's expression softened slightly, though the determination in his eyes remained unwavering. "It seems our struggle against Death will be far longer than we imagined. But as long as there are still people willing to protect the light, he will never have his way."
Harry shook his head. He looked up at Dumbledore, his voice dropping slightly.
"Professor, I know protecting the light is important, but preventing Death from returning is like trying to seal a crack that can never truly be filled.
"If Death can keep trying to break free from his restraints, then that means he never truly disappeared in the first place.
"Instead of waiting for him to return again someday, we should find a way to put an end to him once and for all. Even if that path is more difficult, at least the people who come after us won't have to live in fear that he might return.
"We shouldn't limit ourselves to being guardians. Sometimes, the only way to ensure the light can endure in peace is to cut the threat out at its roots."
Dumbledore's fingers went still. Behind his spectacles, his blue eyes reflected a complicated light in the dim glow of the candles.
There was surprise, pride, and a trace of heaviness that was almost impossible to detect.
He did not answer immediately. Instead, he slowly walked toward the window and looked out at the swaying treetops of the Forbidden Forest in the distance. His aged silhouette looked unusually tall and resolute against the fading light.
Only after a long moment did he turn around. A faint, bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and when he spoke again, his voice was gentler than before, but also far more solemn.
"Cutting a threat out at its roots... Harry, you are always braver and more decisive than I expect.
"When I was young, I had similar thoughts. I believed that if I could only find the most absolute solution, I could put an end to every darkness once and for all.
"But eventually, I came to understand that Death is not an entity that can simply be killed. He is the shadow cast by fear, an inseparable part of the cycle of life, and the obsession with loss buried deep within the human heart."
Dumbledore stepped closer and gently patted Harry on the shoulder, the warmth of his palm carrying the weight of countless years.
"Your desire to protect those who come after us is more powerful than any spell.
"But to kill Death completely is, in essence, to challenge the laws of nature themselves. What we can do has never been to eliminate him, but to help more people escape his shadow, to keep them from surrendering to darkness because of their fear."
Dumbledore's eyes brightened again, like a candle flame stirred by the wind only to burn even more steadily.
"Still, that determination of yours is precisely the kind of courage we need most when confronting darkness.
"Perhaps one day, that refusal to compromise will allow us to discover something more powerful than simply standing guard.
"But for now, we must still learn to distinguish between what can truly be accomplished and what might become an obsession that drags us into another kind of darkness."
Harry shook his head. What Dumbledore said was certainly true from the perspective of an ordinary wizard.
To the people of the wizarding world, Death, who could never truly perish as long as the dimension of the dead continued to exist, was effectively no different from a law of nature.
But Harry was different.
He genuinely had ways to kill Death completely. Whether by temporarily destroying the dimension of the dead or severing Death's connection to it, Harry was capable of doing either.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry said firmly, "Death isn't the embodiment of some natural law. He's a Dimensional Demon God, just like those otherworldly entities lurking within cracks between dimensions. Death just happens to rule over the domain of death.
"Dimensional Demon Gods aren't impossible to kill. You simply have to destroy the dimensional foundation that sustains them. In Death's case, that foundation is the dimension of the dead.
"We need to temporarily destroy the dimension of the dead or sever his connection to it. Only then will he lose the source of his power. Once we can reach his true body in that weakened state, we'll have a chance to kill him permanently.
"I know it sounds insane, but I'm not making a blind guess. The hardest part, destroying the dimension of the dead or cutting Death off from it, can be handled by me.
"All you need to do is kill him when he's at his weakest."
Dumbledore stared at Harry in shock.
He had already vaguely realized that he was no longer Harry's equal, but he had never imagined that Harry had become this powerful.
Destroying an entire dimension, or temporarily severing a god from his divine realm, what kind of overwhelming power did that require?
Although it was difficult to believe, Dumbledore knew Harry was not someone who would lie about something like this.
After a moment of silence, he gave a heavy nod.
"Very well. When the time comes, leave that part to me. I will use everything I have to kill him."
Harry and Dumbledore spent some more time discussing the details of the plan.
It was quickly settled. Once Harry had fully absorbed the Soul King's authority, they would put the plan into action.
Just as Harry was preparing to leave, Dumbledore suddenly stopped him.
"Harry, I'm going to visit an old friend. Would you care to come with me?"
Harry saw no reason to refuse Dumbledore's invitation.
He had nothing else that required his immediate attention, and visiting one of Professor Dumbledore's old friends seemed like a perfectly good way to spend the time.
...
Through Apparition, Harry and Dumbledore soon arrived before a gloomy-looking house.
Dumbledore appeared completely unaffected by the eerie atmosphere surrounding them.
"Welcome to the charming village of Budleigh Babberton. Come along, Harry. My old friend should be waiting for me inside."
The two slowly entered the house, giving Harry his first clear look at the interior.
The house stood in an isolated spot, half hidden behind thick greenery. Climbing vines covered most of its pale gray stone walls, their deep green contrasting sharply with the cold gray stone and giving the entire building a layer of natural camouflage.
When they pushed open the door, they found the interior in a miserable state. A layer of dust covered the floor, making it look as though no one had lived there for years.
The walls were almost completely bare, without a single decoration in sight. One wall even had a large hole smashed through it, allowing them to see directly into the study beyond.
A few dusty pieces of furniture were scattered around the sitting room.
Harry only gave the room a cursory glance before his gaze settled on an unusually swollen armchair near the edge of the room.
Someone had Transfigured himself into the chair.
Dumbledore had noticed it as well.
He walked over to the armchair and, without warning, thrust the tip of his wand into its bulging cushion.
The chair let out a pained cry.
"Ouch!"
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