Chapter 39: As long as one has never possessed, one shall never lose!

Upon hearing Dumbledore suggest a solution to their predicament, Tom grew anxious. He glanced quickly at Lived, hoping he could conjure up a countermeasure. Otherwise, once this matter was set in stone, their plans for freedom would be completely ruined. At the very least, they would be unable to do much of anything until they graduated.

"What is the Fidelius Charm?" Lived asked calmly.

Seeing Lived’s composure, Tom felt his own heart settle. Perhaps this guy still had a trick up his sleeve!

Dumbledore’s expression turned serious. "It is a very complex spell. Simply put, it hides a secret deep within the soul of a living person. Because the secret is concealed within the chosen individual—the Secret-Keeper—it can never be discovered unless the Secret-Keeper reveals it voluntarily. If I use the address of your residence as the secret to be hidden, Grindelwald will never be able to find you. In this way, the safety of both you and your guardians can be guaranteed. As for the role of the Secret-Keeper, I shall take it upon myself. I believe there is no one in this world who could force me to divulge a secret I wish to keep."

Hearing Dumbledore’s explanation, Tom’s face turned ashen. It was over; his dream of freedom had flown away. Dumbledore’s plan was flawless; Tom could think of no way to refuse.

"I truly appreciate your kindness, Professor. But... there is no need to trouble yourself. I really have no desire to integrate into any family. Please, find a guardian for Tom if you must, but I have Toby to look after me. You needn't worry about me at all," Lived said in a low voice.

Tom’s eyes widened. What happened to sticking together?!

Dumbledore asked, puzzled, "But why? In my view, family affection is the most precious thing in the world. If you could join a new family..."

"Some things, as long as you have never possessed them, you can never lose them..."

After saying this, Lived sat back on the bed, wrapped his arms around his knees, and stared out the window without another word, his face etched with profound sorrow. It was the first time Dumbledore had ever seen such an expression on Lived’s face. In his memory, the boy had always been bright, cheerful, and full of confidence.

Dumbledore couldn't help but recall his conversation with Mrs. Cole. When he had inquired about Tom, he had also asked about Lived. Mrs. Cole had said she found Lived on the street. The boy had been full of confusion, saying only that his name was Lived, that he had no family, and then he would say nothing more.

At that moment, Dumbledore realized that Lived’s resistance to joining a new family was likely tied to the past he refused to speak of. If he wasn't mistaken, it must be a deeply tragic history—one that had left a massive shadow in Lived’s heart, a shadow so great that he dared not allow himself any family affection again.

"...as long as you have never possessed them, you can never lose them..."

The words pained Dumbledore. He understood all too well what it felt like to lose loved ones—it was heart-wrenching. Dumbledore glanced at Lived’s eyes again, habitually casting a cursory Legilimency scan. The result was nothing but sorrow—pure, overwhelming sorrow.

Dumbledore was finally moved. If he allowed the boy to sink further into this grief, he might be completely broken. He dared not press further; such psychological wounds were beyond the reach of even the most powerful magic.

"If that is the case, then... very well. As for Tom..."

Tom, ever the clever one, saw Dumbledore looking at him and immediately declared, "I am his only friend! I must stay with him!"

Dumbledore looked from Tom to Lived and eventually relented. "Very well... you may stay with him. I will not seek guardians for either of you."

In Dumbledore’s eyes, Lived had no family and refused to be adopted. If he were to take away his only friend, the boy would be truly alone. Thus, he decided to leave Tom as well; after all, Tom was equally unwilling to be adopted.

Only then did Lived turn back, a faint, forced smile on his face. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I am truly sorry I cannot accept your kindness... it’s just... it’s just that I..."

By now, Tom was filled with absolute admiration for Lived. He hadn't expected that in such a hopeless situation, Lived could still play the emotional card, land a critical hit on Dumbledore, and turn the tables entirely!

Dumbledore sighed. He had no way of knowing what Lived had been through. Moreover, as long as Lived didn't speak of it, he couldn't very well pry. After all, the mere suggestion of the past had left the boy in such a state; to force him to recount it would be too cruel.

"I can agree not to find you guardians, but the Fidelius Charm must be cast, and I must be the one to choose where you live."

Although this result was not entirely ideal for Lived, it was a compromise he could live with. He could always find a secret base for his experiments later. For Tom, however, the result was perfectly acceptable. While he hadn't managed to escape Lived’s orbit, at least he didn't have to deal with a guardian! He couldn't even stand Mrs. Cole’s supervision, let alone that of a stranger.

After Dumbledore and Professor Hicks departed, the sorrowful expression on Lived’s face vanished instantly. Tom, watching from the side, was not at all surprised. *It was an act! As expected of you!*

Tom felt a growing sense of awe for Lived. With a few words, he had handled the formidable Dumbledore!

Lived rubbed his face. Fortunately, he had mastered Occlumency, or he might have slipped up. He hadn't expected Dumbledore to use Legilimency to probe his emotions in such a situation. But thanks to his training, his emotional facade was perfect. At the very least, a cursory scan would never have seen through it.

In truth, Lived hadn't told a single lie. He never explicitly stated that his past was tragic; Dumbledore had simply filled in the blanks himself. Lived had merely used his acting and his words to leave room for interpretation.

"Alright... don't get too carried away, or you'll give the game away!"

"Understood!"