Chapter 153: Fawkes the Phoenix

Aurelius tested the sensation of his soles touching the ground, then walked toward Sivan and asked with a smile, "Mr. Strange, so with this, can my soul be considered protected by a physical body?"

"You... used soul power to control the Obscurus?" Sivan asked in confusion.

"Actually, I'm not entirely sure myself." Aurelius shook his head and said thoughtfully, "I just felt that the Obscurus was still closely linked to me, so I gave it a try. During the attempt, I found that using its power became much more intuitive and effortless."

"Rather than saying I used soul power to control the Obscurus, it is more like the Obscurus has always been my true body. Because it and I were originally one, even when my body dissolved into smoke, it simply transformed completely into the form of the Obscurus. Perhaps only by shedding the shackles of flesh and blood in this way can one achieve the complete form of an Obscurus!"

"So you're like turning into a new kind of magical creature?" Hearing Aurelius's words, Newt grew interested and looked him over with great fascination. "With a different physical form and distinct magical talents, you are no different from a magical creature now."

"Perhaps so, I'm not quite sure." Aurelius nodded gently, then slowly shook his head, saying hesitantly to Newt.

"When integrating with my own Obscurus power, I could clearly feel the other Obscurus you brought. It lacked any consciousness or emotion, and seemed to have been completely absorbed by my Obscurus as pure energy."

"Because of this, I'm not certain what this power should truly be considered." Aurelius said with a puzzled expression.

"It doesn't matter, there will always be a chance to figure it out." Newt gently patted Aurelius's shoulder and said to him.

Aurelius nodded at Newt, then turned to Sivan and pursued the question, "So can my soul avoid external erosion now?"

"Of course. I can't think of anything more suited to protecting your soul than the Obscurus; after all, this is a power that belongs to you!" Sivan nodded with a smile and said to him.

"This is worth celebrating!" Dumbledore sat up vigorously from the wooden bed at this moment, a full smile spreading across his face.

At that instant, he seemed to have regained his status as the powerful wizard standing at the pinnacle of the magical world.

"This is already a remarkably perfect outcome! At least I don't have to face Aberforth's wrath alone." Dumbledore smiled, blinking playfully. "Let me tell you, when Aberforth gets fierce, I simply cannot hold my ground against him."

Newt and the others exchanged glances, a shared understanding showing in their smiles.

At that moment, accompanied by a crisp and resonant cry, a golden-red phoenix descended from the sky.

Earlier, when Aurelius's body had dissolved into black smoke, the phoenix's exceptionally potent healing tears had bought him precious time. It was precisely because of this that Sivan had found the opportunity to separate Aurelius's soul before it faded away entirely.

After Aurelius's physical body had completely vanished, the phoenix had flown into the air, circling above the mirror dimension while singing a melodious song.

This time, the phoenix did not land beside Aurelius again; instead, it alighted on Dumbledore's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling him with its beak.

Dumbledore looked in astonishment at the large golden-red bird on his shoulder, then turned his gaze to Aurelius.

Aurelius also froze for a moment, then broke into a knowing smile.

"I understand." Aurelius said softly. "The phoenix didn't come just for me; it came for the Dumbledore family. Now that my physical problem has been resolved, you have become the one who needs the phoenix's help the most."

"Uncle Albus, I imagine you will definitely need the phoenix to help you deal with Grindelwald, won't you?"

Dumbledore's expression softened as he gently stroked the phoenix's soft feathers, feeling the warmth of the fire harbored within them.

"Albus, give it a name!" Newt drew close to Dumbledore with an eager, inquisitive look in his eyes, observing the phoenix on his shoulder at close range.

The phoenix did not show any aversion to Newt's scrutiny; instead, it let out an affectionate cry toward him.

"This really makes one marvel—it seems that no matter what kind of magical creatures they are, they all seem to genuinely like you, Newt." Dumbledore smiled and said.

"Perhaps magical creatures with a spirit can all sense the deep kindness hidden within Newt's heart." Tina walked up to Newt's side as well, speaking in a soft tone.

"Indeed. Newt probably doesn't even realize how profound an impact his kindness has had on me." Dumbledore gently preened the phoenix's feathers, speaking thoughtfully.

"Let's call you Fawkes. This name matches your traits as a phoenix—periodic outbursts and rebirth, capable of blazing brilliantly and singing with peace of mind." Dumbledore said softly to the phoenix on his shoulder.

The phoenix, now named Fawkes, seemed to understand Dumbledore's words. It joyfully spread its wings and soared in a spiral high into the sky.

Shortly after, a melodious and enchanting song drifted down from the air, echoing throughout the entire mirror dimension and lingering for a long, long time...

...

Now that Aurelius's matter was resolved, there was no longer any need for everyone to stay within the mirror dimension.

Especially since the buildings inside the mirror dimension had been torn into countless fragments by the Obscurus, leaving behind nothing more than a wasteland that was truly unappealing to look at...

Stepping through the golden portal, the moment Dumbledore emerged from the mirror dimension, he was greeted by Aberforth's fist—

A fist the size of a sandbag slammed with a heavy *thud* against Dumbledore's nose, forcing him to draw in a sharp, heavy breath.

"Hiss, go easy, Aberforth!" After enduring the pain, Dumbledore didn't get angry; instead, he chuckled good-naturedly at Aberforth. "You already crooked my nose once before; if you punch it again this time, I might end up disfigured."

"Don't think that just because you refuse to use magic to repair it and leave the mark on your nose, I'll forgive you!" Aberforth said viciously. "Tell me, what did you do to my son?!"

Dumbledore wore a gentle smile as he took a step to the left, clearing the exit of the dimensional gateway.

Aurelius appeared before the golden portal, looking at Aberforth with a smile.

Aberforth stared in sheer disbelief at the perfectly intact Aurelius—his complexion was rosy, his spirit full of vigor, completely free of the slight hunch caused by the long-term torment of the Obscurus. He stood straight and tall right in front of Aberforth.

"Your physical condition has been resolved?" Aberforth parted his lips, asking in a daze.

"It's completely resolved, Father." Aurelius said cheerfully with a bright smile.

The next moment, Aberforth strode toward Aurelius, pulling him tightly into a powerful embrace.

Aurelius wasn't quite used to it at first, his body stiffening slightly. But immediately afterward, he raised his arms, wrapped them firmly around Aberforth's back, and felt his eyes grow unawares damp with tears.

Even the dingy, chaotic environment of the Hog's Head Inn seemed to grow warm and tender because of this scene.

Seeing this heartwarming moment, Newt couldn't help but let the pinky finger of his right hand gently brush against Tina's left hand before guiltily pulling his hand away.

Yet in the next second, Tina took the initiative to reach out, firmly grasping Newt's right hand, and turned to offer him a gentle smile.

Theseus looked back and forth between Aberforth and Aurelius locked in an embrace, then at Newt and Tina holding hands, and finally glanced at Kama standing beside him with an utterly bemused expression.

"Hey, Yusuf. To maintain this kind of atmosphere, don't you think we should probably share a hug too?" Theseus asked Kama.

"No way, don't even think about it!" Kama shot Theseus a look of pure disgust, causing him to back off sheepishly.

The ghost Sivan, having witnessed Theseus's move, suddenly recalled his previous boneheaded antics—

On several past occasions, Theseus had completely forgotten the nature of a ghost, absentmindedly trying to throw an arm around ghost Sivan's shoulders, only to grab entirely at thin air...

The corners of Sivan's mouth twitched violently.

'*Just how much does Newt's older brother love hugging people...*?'

...

...

*(Author's Note)*

Newt: Theseus is an Auror, and he really loves hugging people.

Ps: Judging from the timeline, one can roughly deduce that Credence's phoenix is likely Fawkes. Although Rowling has denied this, she has retconned things more than once. (More importantly, if I didn't write it this way, the timeline wouldn't match up—I've already got Riddle obtaining a wand made from Fawkes's feather here... It might conflict with the plot of the subsequent films, but it's no big deal!)