Chapter 306: The Crushing Strength of the Demon King!
Tina was furious now, the kind of furiousness that would keep Newt from having s*x for a year.
When Newt praised her eyes as charming as a salamander, she accepted it. After all, the person she liked was a piece of wood. This kind of praise was a very sincere compliment to Newt.
But today, in front of me, you used normal, even beautiful words to describe a man's eyes.
Don't I have any dignity?!
Newt shuddered, realizing that he had just said something terrible, and quickly begged for mercy: "Sorry, Tina~."
"I'll deal with you when we get back." Tina glared at Newt fiercely, then looked at Grindelwald with an even more hostile gaze: "Gellert Grindelwald, are you from the Trap?"
"There are hundreds of Aurors here, and the MACUSA headquarters is right next door. We have a steady stream of elite support coming in. You are too arrogant, Grindelwald."
"Catch my net? Just you? Don't be ridiculous, Tina."
Grindelwald opened his arms, his face gradually returning to his original arrogant and unruly expression, a smile on his lips. "Tina, we've dealt with each other many times before.
You know that this means nothing to me.
In this entire venue, or even in all of New York, only you—Tina, your incompetent husband Scamander, and your sister Queenie—can I look upon with respect.
Everyone else... haha."
Grindelwald glanced disdainfully at the Aurors who dared not act rashly and the cowering officials of the Ministry of Magic.
Although the rest of the words were not spoken, everyone could feel the deep contempt in them.
"Grindelwald, what exactly do you want to do?" Newt asked in a serious tone, not paying attention to Grindelwald's derogatory comments about him. Since the first time they dealt with each other, he had never heard anything good from Grindelwald. To be honest, Newt had gotten used to it.
He was more concerned about whether Grindelwald's appearance here was due to some conspiracy.
"It just happened to be the right time."
Grindelwald suddenly Apparated and appeared at the highest point of the conference room - above the statue of Pierre Bonacourd, the founder of the International Confederation of Wizards.
He stepped on Bonacourd's head, as if he was stepping on the entire Confederation of Wizards.
"Isn't that a coincidence?"
Grindelwald spoke as if he were recounting a funny story to a friend: "I wasn't planning on attending your meeting. I was looking for someone, and I bumped into this Polish Minister of Magic on the way. What's his name? Oh, right, cut to Novak."
"As I get older, my memory starts to deteriorate." Grindelwald laughed self-deprecatingly. "I don't know him, but he looks a lot like an old friend of mine. I caught him and asked him, and sure enough,
My old friend is his grandfather."
"He is the Minister of Magic. His grandfather was also the Minister of Magic—Zbigniew Nowak, who once crawled at my feet like a dog and then turned around like a jackal to tear the flesh of the saints."
"So..." Grindelwald took out a handkerchief and wiped his palms, "I sent him to be reunited with his grandfather."
There was a deathly silence in the conference room, and everyone's heart sank to the bottom.
A Minister of Magic... gone just like that?
At this time, the explosion sounds of Apparitions occurred one after another, and the Aurors who received the alarm finally rushed to the scene. In a short moment, dozens of Aurors appeared [This also gave confidence to the people present.
Dozens against one, the advantage is mine!
"Kill him!" a Minister of Magic suddenly shouted!
"Hurry up! He's alone!"
"Don't let him get away! Finish him right here, don't hold back!"
"Nurmengard has been destroyed, and he shouldn't be left in this world. Kill him quickly!"
Many Ministers of Magic cried out in protest, but the Aurors, all from the International Confederation of Wizards and the Magical Congress of North America, looked at their superiors and, after receiving Babajid's approval, took action.
Almost at the same time, dozens of people chanted the spell loudly.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Thunderbolt explosion!"
"Overcome the powerful enemy!"
"Super strong petrification!"
Colorful spells, accompanied by violent fluctuations of magic power, flew towards the same landing point. Many people did not attack, but instead worked together to set up an anti-apparition formation, laying a net of heaven and earth.
Prevent Grindelwald from escaping.
"The Aurors in the wizarding world...their level has really declined significantly."
Without chanting any spell, Grindelwald casually took out a wand and shot out a beam of white light.
The white light turned into a barrier, steadily blocking all the spells and even rebounding them back, hitting many high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Magic who were caught off guard.
The meeting room was in chaos.
Tina helped block several flying spells, found the right angle, and suddenly released two spells, which just bypassed the defense range of the white light. Grindelwald raised his hand, and the statue under his feet also raised its hand. The spell exploded in the statue's hand, leaving two deep pits.
"Your attack is still as fierce as ever, Tina."
Grindelwald waved his hand, and the statue's arm fell off, smashing towards Newt like a cannonball. "Scamander, I had no intention of looking for you, but since you've come to me, it would be unreasonable not to say hello."
Grindelwald's words were sincere. He came to North America just to complete Tom's mission and get rid of that Picquery. Who would have thought that he would run into Newt by accident.
What do you call this? Isn't it true that enemies always come together?
Now that he had met him, even for Tom's sake, he had to teach him a lesson.
Otherwise, he couldn't get rid of the anger in his heart. He felt that sooner or later his mentality would be affected, which would affect his magic power. Let alone making progress in the future, it would be good if he didn't regress.
Just clean up the meal.
With this thought in mind, Grindelwald suddenly clenched his palm, and the flying speed of the stone hand increased by three points.
"Shattered to pieces!"
Tina shouted loudly, and the spell hit the stone hand with anger, blowing it to pieces. But hidden behind it were several more fierce spells. Grindelwald was resisting the attacks of other Aurors while still playing tricks. Tina felt that he was not imprisoned in Nurmengard, but was training.
The three spells were cast at extremely fast speeds.
She had already used all her strength in the Crushing Spell just now, so it was impossible to stop them.
Just as Tina was about to dodge with Newt, two black civet cats jumped out of the suitcase in Newt's hand and rushed towards the red light fearlessly.
After being hit, the black cat cried out and split into two.
Grindelwald's face darkened.
This is a civet cat. When it is attacked fatally, it will split into two or three times at most. Even if you use the killing curse, you have to kill it several times in a row. It is definitely the best meat shield.
It's this group of strange and bizarre animals again. It was like this back then, and it's still like this today!
Grindelwald jumped down directly from the statue, with powerful magic surging around him.
He waved his wand continuously, and the spells shot from all directions were all deflected, but they could not stop him.
He walked towards Newt and Tina step by step, and he even had enough energy to interfere with the two of them, preventing them from escaping.
It was not until this time that those wizards who believed that numbers meant advantage finally understood why Grindelwald alone could cause such a sensation and make the entire wizarding world tremble.
Their magic can't do anything to Grindelwald!
Newt's expression was serious. He no longer cared about the consequences and completely stopped holding back. The suitcase opened wide, and magical creatures came out one after another.
There were horned water snakes, horned beasts, poisonous horned beasts, winged demons, even an Eastern Fireball and a Treepeak, as well as countless other magical beasts.
0Request flowers...
The conference room suddenly turned into a zoo.
After the fire dragon appeared, it directly broke through the ceiling of the building, and then sprayed flames at Grindelwald from high altitude.
The horn of the poisonous beast lit up with a mottled red light like magma as it charged, and the floor trembled with every step it took.
Grindelwald stretched out his hand and absorbed the fire dragon's breath.
The Venomhorn had already rushed up.
Grindelwald could only use one hand to release the flame to force the Venomhorn to change the direction of its charge.
At this time, the gem on the head of the long-horned water snake glowed slightly, making his mind dazed for a moment.
When he came to his senses, the Winged Demon had already pounced on him.
"Get out of here!"
With a low roar, a powerful shock wave was released from Grindelwald, knocking away many magical beasts and wizards, but some large-tonnage ones were not affected.
These magical creatures with special skills definitely caused more trouble than all the wizards present combined, and Grindelwald's steps were also delayed.
"Retreat first! The place is too small and the Aurors can't move freely!" Babajid knew that he couldn't continue fighting here [the death of any high-ranking official of the Ministry of Magic present would be troublesome.
After hearing his reminder, the Ministers of Magic and the Director of International Affairs finally woke up and fled towards the gate in panic. Even if they could catch him today, they would definitely pay a heavy price, and they didn't want to be part of the price.
Grindelwald didn't even look at them, his eyes only focused on Newt. A cold voice in his mind woke him up.
"Stop playing, everyone is about to run away."
people?
Oh yeah, he came to see Picquery, not Newt.
Grindelwald paused and looked towards the door. Sam Picquery, dressed in elite attire, was following the crowd out.
"All curses are over!"
The wand was inserted into the ground, and the golden light curtain spread rapidly. The spells flying in the sky and the dragon's breath were all calmed under the light curtain. [Even the Kang Apparition barrier that the Aurors had just set up also stopped working.
Bang!
After the explosion, Grindelwald appeared in the crowd, grabbed Sam Picquery by the neck and pushed him directly against the wall.
"Picqueli?" he confirmed.
Sam Picquery's face flushed red, and he could only cough dryly, unable to utter a word. He could only nod uncontrollably.
The wizards who escaped had no intention of rescuing him, but instead fled even more frantically.
"Let him go!"
"Grindelwald, stop!"
A group of Aurors were afraid to use force because Grindelwald held Sam Picquery in front of him as a human shield, so they could only threaten him verbally, but Grindelwald ignored them.
"I'm glad it's you."
Grindelwald smiled. "A descendant of Seraphina Picquery... I remember her, a shrewd and capable witch. It was she who led the Magical Congress of North America to capture me for the first time, and she gained great fame from then on. Am I right?"
"Today, I am here to seek revenge."
As a descendant of the Picquery family, Sam Picquery also knew the details of what happened back then. Wasn't that what Newtska had done?
He is right here, go find him!
Sam Picquery's eyes kept glancing in Newt's direction, trying to remind Grindelwald who his real enemy was, but Grindelwald spotted him, his hand glowing green as he whispered, "You are the first, but you will definitely not be the last."
The blinding green light seemed to take over the entire world for a moment. When the light faded, Sam Picquery also lost his life and was thrown to the ground by Grindelwald like garbage.
After doing all this, Grindelwald looked at the device that was broadcasting the live footage. As if guessing who was on the other side, he smiled softly at the device, blasted through the wall, and floated away.
Chapter 307: War Promotes Civilization, Pressure Forces Progress
Thousands of miles away, Hogwarts.
Dumbledore witnessed the entire farce, and his expression remained calm from beginning to end, without a single change.
But the flicker in his eyes proved that his heart was not calm.
Professor McGonagall's face had already turned pale when he saw Grindelwald suppress dozens of Aurors and kill one person without paying attention to anyone else before leaving. He said in a trembling voice:
"Albus...he's back."
Dumbledore understood what Professor McGonagall meant. Grindelwald did not show even a trace of decadence or old age, as if time had stopped on him and the decades of imprisonment no longer existed.
"Calm down, Tsereva."
Dumbledore exchanged glances with Grindelwald on the other side of the screen, then retracted his gaze and said in a gentle, comforting voice, "Things haven't reached their worst point yet.
You know, he's a master of the Dark Arts, possessing many techniques we haven't even grasped.
It's not impossible that he could alter his physical condition."
"Grindelwald is so far away, and he's not fighting seriously. We can't judge Grindelwald's condition based on this."
Professor McGonagall seemed to be choking. After a long pause, he said in confusion, "What did you say? He didn't fight seriously?"
"Of course." Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Haven't you noticed? Aside from Newt and Tina, and the last person he killed, Sam Picquery, '350' Grindelwald never took the initiative to attack anyone."
The truth was painful, but Dumbledore had to tell it.
In the eyes of Professor McGonagall and others, this was an extremely terrifying battle, but in fact, Grindelwald did not exert much strength at all, so... if you want to find out Grindelwald's true condition, it will be useless even if you kill everyone present.
He has to take action himself to test the depth.
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, and gained a new understanding of the height of wizard power.
"So what are you going to do? Go to North America to find him?"
"It's too late for me to go now.
I can't let Grindelwald lead me around by the nose."
Dumbledore took out my notebook and wrote something on it.
Suddenly, he smiled: "Thank God, we really have to thank Mr.
Riddle for inventing such a convenient thing, otherwise the situation would be even more passive.
"Thank goodness, I'm really grateful that Dumbledore didn't attend the meeting. So why don't you keep your eyes on him?"
On the other side, Tom was complaining about Grindelwald in the study space. If the system hadn't given him a new function that allowed him to consciously descend upon the person who signed the contract, Sam Picquery would have escaped today.
Although you can run away on the first day, you can't escape the fifteenth day. Sooner or later, they will catch you home and kill you.
But Grindelwald made a mistake on his first move. Where would the two of them put their faces?
Old G obviously understood this, and with Andros and Ariana looking at him with disdain, he awkwardly said, "He's different. I can keep his composure when I see Albus, but not Scamander with that harmless face. Whenever I see him, I want to throw all the spells I've learned in my life at his face."
Tom was furious, and suddenly felt like he was seeing a dog licking his boots: "Then you should stay away from Uncle Newt from now on, so as to avoid a fight when we get together."
"It was an accident. Today was a complete accident." Grindelwald waved his hand awkwardly. "Let's not talk about anything else. Just say that today's commotion was big enough. Soon the whole world will know about my prison break. There's no way I can buy it."
"That's a good point." Tom nodded affirmatively. "Go to the Picquery family and kill a few of their core members, leaving the old, weak, and sick behind. After that... you can do whatever you want."
Grindelwald couldn't help but grin.
Compared with Tom, he is really a kind man.
Killing the backbone of the family and leaving behind the old, weak, sick and disabled is a punishment more terrible than genocide. The living have to watch helplessly as their family's former interests are eroded bit by bit, and eventually perish in decline.
Ariana didn't understand the logic behind this and thought Tom was being soft-hearted. She quickly advised, "Tom, you're just too kind. What if those people who stayed behind want to seek revenge on you in the future? It's better to kill them all together."
"It doesn't matter." Tom said compassionately: "I really can't do it to the old people and children. Besides, if they want to hate, they will only hate Old Ge. What does it have to do with me?
Grindelwald: "...
That last sentence is the key point!
"You guys chat, I have an Auror chasing us." Grindelwald couldn't afford to offend these two little ancestors, so he waved his hand, indicating that he was leaving the semester space.
After he left, Ariana muttered a few bad words about him, and then was called over by Ravenclaw to study.
When no one was around, Andros asked in confusion, "Tom, why did you insist on letting Grindelwald make such a big fuss? Do you have any ideas about unifying the wizarding world?"
"Even so, we can wait a little longer, right? By the time I'm resurrected, Ravenclaw won't even be needed. Plus, you'll be past that point soon too. The three of us can come together and crush all opposition."
Tom smiled gently, then shook his head and said, "Unifying the wizarding world? It's a thankless task. Wizards are the most difficult group of people to manage. Just having useful and handy subordinates is enough.
"Andros, do you know when Muggle civilization made the most progress?"
Andros was stunned and shook his head honestly. He was not interested in the Muggle world. At most, he would watch Tom and Jerry when he was bored. He especially liked the parts where Tom was bullied by Jerry.
"War," Tom whispered. "During the two world wars, Muggles overcame technological challenges that had previously been insurmountable for hundreds of years. The speed of technological advancement was measured in months, or even days."
"This is human potential. In the struggle for survival and resources, unimaginable potential will be unleashed."
"Has the wizarding world ever seen a proper war?"
Tom looked up at the invincible man. "As far as I can remember, the war Grindelwald started seems to be the only one that gave birth to a large number of elite wizards.
Unfortunately, due to Dumbledore's existence, people are still too comfortable and haven't fully tapped their potential."
"I hope this time will be different."
The young man clenched his fist gently and said, "Pressure brings motivation, and motivation brings unexpected surprises. I can't break through the world's limits by myself. I need more inspiration and more talented people."
"So that's how it is..."
Andros finally understood Tom's idea. He wanted to artificially create a brilliant world and force the unchanging magical world to make changes and develop in a positive direction.
"Then you must control the degree and not let too many innocent people die."
Although Andros understood Tom's idea, he disagreed. That was his personality. He would not sacrifice the interests of others for his own selfish interests. But he had to consider Tom's point of view, so he could only advise him to be more restrained.
"What are you thinking about, Andros?" Tom couldn't help laughing. "I just want a tense situation so that the wizards won't rest on their laurels. I'm not really planning to start a world war.
"But Grindelwald's men have accumulated a lot of grudges over the years. They have grudges to avenge and revenge to seek revenge. You don't need to worry about these."
Andros felt relieved after hearing what Tom said. As long as Tom didn't have any intentions, the world would be fine.
The revenge of a saint does not count as killing innocent people. In ancient Greece, vendettas were very common among wizards. He has a positive attitude and is not a saint, so he would not care so much.
In New York, after Grindelwald escaped, the headquarters of the International Federation became a mess.
Of course, the main responsibility here is not Grindelwald, but Newt's head. The ceiling was broken by the dragon, and the floor was collapsed by the horned beast and the poisonous beast.
There are also various poisonous gases and holes left by explosions.
With the conference room as the center, the two floors of the office building are basically unusable.
Fortunately, no one was killed. Only some unlucky people were affected by the aftermath, and some Aurors and Ministry officials were injured by Grindelwald's spell that bounced back. No one was in danger of death.
Babajid, looking dusty and dusty, led a large group of people to the Woolworth Building next door, the headquarters of the Magical Congress of North America, to continue the unfinished meeting.
Before starting, he thanked Newt.
Although the house was demolished, it did at least delay Grindelwald's progress and attract most of the firepower.
Babajid secretly decided in his heart that he would take Newt with him no matter where he went to attend meetings. In peacetime, the box of magical beasts was a time bomb, but in wartime, it was just a box of bodyguards.
In addition, Newt himself is a qualified meat shield, who can effectively attract firepower and give people a full sense of security.
"Everyone, you have seen how rampant and powerful Grindelwald is.
"There is no time to mourn Mr. Picquery's death. A more serious situation awaits us next."
This time no one was indifferent, and everyone looked serious.
When Grindelwald was present, they were like lambs to be slaughtered. The powerful magic made it impossible for them to resist, and the Auror's magic was like the Blink Charm in the hands of a child, posing no threat to him.
With the cohesion increased, the subsequent meetings went much more smoothly, and minor conflicts and estrangements were completely abandoned at this moment.
Anyone who can become the Minister of Magic or the Director of Partnerships is not a fool. Even Fudge, who is scolded every day, is better than most people in power struggles and gaining public favor.
These people are the elite of the magical world.
When a group of elites focused on business rather than intrigue, their efficiency was incredibly high. They quickly developed a mutual assistance and defense system, striving to track Grindelwald's location and provide support as quickly as possible.
Crouch was asked questions repeatedly, and everyone was concerned about one question: could Dumbledore take action and defeat Grindelwald like he did fifty years ago.
"Everyone, I really can't answer your questions." Even a stern man like Crouch was annoyed by these people's questions: "Dumbledore is of high status. The Ministry of Magic has no jurisdiction over him. You can ask him personally. Even if I make a promise now, it will be invalid."
"I'll talk to Dumbledore." Babajid stepped forward to help Crouch out, then took out the 'I Chat' notebook.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you all should know what this is.
Thanks to 'WoChat,' I was able to contact many people as quickly as possible.
However, it's currently only available in the UK, France, Germany, and Spain.
I purchased this in the UK.
You should also purchase some as soon as possible to facilitate quick communication and information sharing."
Crouch's heart moved and he took out a necklace from his arms.
"I have another invention of Tom Riddle here that can greatly improve your safety."
Ooooo! Ooooo!
Everyone's eyes turned to Crouch.
Chapter 308: Crouch Accidentally Helps Tom Bring Goods, Big Business Comes to the Door
After learning about the effects of the Guardian Necklace and the equipment provided to the Aurors, many ministers and directors had only one thought: you, the British Ministry of Magic, eat well enough.
Especially those Aurors just now, they thought that if they could have this kind of equipment, not only would their lives be more protected, but they would also be able to be more free in battle, instead of being afraid of Grindelwald's reputation like before and only daring to cast spells from a distance.
Their eyes turned to Crouch with burning passion, and one Auror couldn't help asking, "Mr. Crouch, do you mean that all this equipment can be purchased from the British Ministry of Magic?"
"No, not the Ministry of Magic."
Crouch shook his head. "The inventor of 'I Chat,' Mr.
Tom Riddle, opened a shop in Diagon Alley called...
Held's Magic Workshop.
They also sell his other items.
Most of them can be purchased in the shop, except for the Guardian Necklace, of course.
Alchemy collections of this level are difficult to obtain with money."
Crouch revealed this news in order to do a favor for high-ranking officials from other countries and to facilitate future work. Naturally, he would not say half of it and hide the other half. He told them all the information he knew.
Everyone present took this important news to heart and prepared to ask the Ministry of Magic to allocate funds for the purchase when they returned.
Those with a lot of wealth have their eyes set on the protective necklace. These big figures in the magic world feel the fragility of life every time they buy one.
Compared to life, Galleons are really not worth mentioning, so I have to buy them no matter how expensive they are.
After the meeting, representatives from various countries left the Woolworth Building and returned to their respective countries.
Babajide sighed.
He and Dumbledore shared a common understanding: the most dangerous thing about Grindelwald was never his magic, but his thoughts and infectiousness.
He couldn't even guarantee how many of the people who had just met with him had other intentions, or were simply followers of the other party?
Today's turmoil is definitely unavoidable. Once the news gets out, how many followers can Grindelwald summon even if he raises his arms?
At that time, the world was in chaos.
But what can he do? Grindelwald is too difficult to deal with now. He is alone, like a ghost. No one can guess where he will appear next time. Maybe... when Grindelwald really has his own base, it will be the best time to deal with him.
the next day.
Fudge brought people to Hogwarts before the Ministry of Magic opened for work, and asked to see Tom by name.
Yesterday, Crouch used the portkey and returned to the country on the same day to tell Fudge the situation in person. After confirming that Fudge did not treat him as a fool, he began to panic.
This Grindelwald... is quite fierce.
Afterwards, the Ministry of Magic sent him more and more letters or communication requests on "I Chat", asking him about protective equipment and "I Chat". Fudge finally realized the seriousness of the problem.
So last night he had a small meeting with Bones and Scrimgeour, and came to Hogwarts early this morning to discuss the next response strategy with Dumbledore [and also to find Mu to purchase supplies].
Everything, the more the better!
"Mr. Minister is really diligent. He starts working at just after seven o'clock." Tom came to the principal's office and shook hands with Fudge.
He knew Fudge would come today after receiving Bones' reminder last night, but he didn't expect him to come so early. The smile on the boy's face became much more sincere.
You have to be sincere, this is the God of Wealth who comes to give him money.
Fudge didn't notice the subtle change in Tom's expression. He smiled bitterly when he heard his polite words: "Mr. Riddle, you can't feel it at school. Everything is normal.
"But actually... the wizarding world, I mean the entire wizarding world, is about to be thrown into chaos. Gellert Grindelwald has escaped from prison. You should know who he is, right?"
+l[l,,=
Fudge's expression was serious, and his tone was filled with anger. "He escaped from prison and not only did he not hide, but he also openly attacked the International Federation of Witches yesterday, killing Minister of Magic Bolang and a North American official. He's absolutely lawless!"
The reason for Fudge's anger was certainly not because of his good relationship with the International Confederation of Wizards, but because he hated Grindelwald's behavior of disrespecting authority.
What he hated most was this kind of behavior of relying on one's own strength to disrespect those in power.
Thinking of this, Fudge secretly glanced at Dumbledore who was listening to them quietly.
If he can kill Minister of Magic Bolan today, can he kill Minister of Magic Daiying tomorrow as well?
This is no longer just an ordinary troublemaker, we must strike hard!
Tom showed a look of surprise at the right moment: "Gellert Grindelwald, the dark wizard who was once defeated by Professor Dumbledore, has escaped from prison?"
He also turned an inquiring look to Lao Deng, who cooperated with the boy's performance with an expressionless face and nodded his purchases.
"Yes, that is Grindelwald. After escaping from prison, he first kidnapped Gregorovitch to make a wand for him, and then committed the crime described by Minister Fudge.
Dumbledore would never believe that Tom didn't know about Grindelwald's escape from prison. Even if Newt and Tina didn't tell him, Nico would definitely tell him.
The last time he met Nicolas Flamel, Dumbledore felt Nicolas's fondness for Tom, even though he was always complaining about the boy being too wicked.
This kind of attitude truly treats Tom as his own junior, and he will definitely ask him to be more careful recently.
Now it's just a joke to fool fools.
"So what does Minister Fudge mean?" Tom asked doubtfully.
"The Ministry of Magic of 26 countries has found me and I hope to purchase a batch of protective equipment and 'I Chat' notebooks from you. Of course, the Ministry of Magic also needs to purchase
And I want that to be the top priority."
"No problem." Tom nodded with a smile: "This weekend, I will go to the Ministry of Magic this weekend, and we will talk in detail then."
"Mr. Riddle, you can send out the stock first. The price is negotiable."
Today was only Tuesday, so Fudge was not in a hurry. The Ministry of Magic still had a lot of stock, and with Dumbledore in Britain, it wouldn't be the main battlefield. He was mainly helping other Ministries of Magic to urge for supplies.
This is a traditional skill of the British. No matter whether they are Muggles or wizards, when something happens, they always let other countries take over and play the continental balance strategy across the channel.
"Then I'll try my best." Tom agreed to Fudge's request, but did not make any specific promises.
Clinger, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Riddle, haven't you considered recruiting staff? If it's a matter of funding or personnel, the Ministry of Magic could invest and provide support and assistance."
Dumbledore looked at Fudge, who shook his head in confusion.
Don't look at me, I don't know!
Bones frowned and said bluntly, "Rufus, are you trying to pry into Mr. Riddle's business secrets?"
"Of course not." Scrimgeour denied: "I just hope that Mr. Riddle can expand production capacity and reduce the Ministry of Magic's expenditure at the same time. This is a win-win result.
"Win-win? I want that too."
Tom looked at him with a playful smile. "Mr. Scrimgeour, the head of the Auror Office, right? Do you know anything about alchemy?"
Scrimgeour hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "It's only a rough understanding, not comprehension."
"I see that too." Tom nodded with a smile. "Only an amateur like you would say something so stupid."
Scrimgeour's expression darkened, and with his hairstyle he looked like an angry lion, a bit like a wrinkled sunflower. "Riddle, are you insulting me?"
"If telling the truth is an insult, then I am insulting you."
Tom pointed at Fudge and the minister: "Your minister and director are smart people. They won't easily comment on areas they don't understand."
After saying that, he looked at Dumbledore again: "Professor, if you were asked to come, could you imitate 'I Chat'?"
Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "Mr. Riddle, my alchemy skills are quite good, but they are in completely opposite directions from yours. Let alone imitating it, I still don't even have a clue about many of the mysteries involved.
"Did you hear that? Mr. Idiot, find a few alchemists in the UK, or even the world, who are better than Dumbledore and ask them to work for me. I will immediately supply them to the Ministry of Magic at cost price and give you 50% of the shares. Can you do it?"
After being repeatedly rebuked by Tom, Scrimgeour's face turned pale, but he could not find any words to refute.
Fudge's expression was very strange at this moment.
He was very pleased with Tom's praise just now, and he wanted to laugh even more after he scolded Scrimgeour so much that he couldn't even say anything.
However, he couldn't really laugh, so he could only suppress it and try to make up for Scrimgeour:
"Well...Rufus is just too anxious and wants to help the Ao Chuan people get safety."
"We still have some things to do at the ministry, so we'll leave first."
Fudge nodded to Tom and Dumbledore and left with his men. Originally, he wanted to discuss with Dumbledore whether he should speak out to stabilize the people's hearts, but today's situation was obviously not appropriate, so he could only look for another opportunity.
Tom wanted to leave too, but he was called over before he had even had breakfast, and Dumbledore kept him.
"Mr. Riddle, Grindelwald's escape from prison is very dangerous to the wizarding world and could even lead to a catastrophe."
"I believe you, Professor," Tom said sincerely. "If you could defeat him last time, you can definitely do it this time. So...just go ahead and implement whatever plan you have. Don't tell me."
Dumbledore's words were stuck in his throat, and he smiled awkwardly: "Actually, I don't have any plans. I just want to remind you that it's best not to leave Hogwarts during the Christmas holidays.
I'm afraid Grindelwald will attack you."
"Aunt Tina has already given me a heads-up: I should be careful not only of Grindelwald, but also of you.
Dumbledore was silent.
broken.
He found that Tom was not easy to fool now. No, to be more precise, it was even harder to fool him. This kid had been so calm and clear-headed since he started school.
Plus, Tina said something to him...I'm afraid there's not a bit of his glorious image as the principal left.
"$700..."
Dumbledore sighed: "I do need your help..."
Chapter 309 a Strange Fate, Ms. Grey, My Name Is Tom Riddle
Dumbledore's request was actually similar to Fudge's, he also wanted to buy some notebooks and equipment, most likely for members of the Order of the Phoenix.
The Order of the Phoenix is not actually composed of only elite wizards, but people from all walks of life, because Dumbledore needs all kinds of people to help him collect intelligence.
Tom still remembered that there was a guy named Mundungus Fletcher in the Order of the Phoenix. He was a scoundrel and thief at the bottom of the wizarding world. His character... couldn't be worse. If he were his subordinate, he would definitely be sent away with a green light.
But Dumbledore was very happy to use it, or perhaps he just liked to use people with such defects.
There is a similar situation with the Weasley family. The usage cost I talked about is a considerable expense for them. Until now, Arthur Weasley still uses the one issued by the Ministry of Magic to employees, and only Molly bought the one in her hand herself.
Not to mention the more expensive life-saving items, few people can afford them.
Tom was very happy. Dumbledore had accidentally cheated him twice during the summer vacation. Now he finally had the chance to cheat him back. He directly quoted the same price as the Ministry of Magic [without any discount at all].
In the end, Dumbledore agreed without blinking, without any intention of bargaining.
Tom was puzzled at first, but he soon figured it out.
The Order of the Phoenix has a financial sponsor!
Sirius is no longer in a wanted state like in the original book. Now he can use the Black family's property openly. Considering the number of people in the Order of the Phoenix, the money spent is really not worth his concern.
Tom suddenly felt that there seemed to be an invisible force in the wizarding world that was influencing the fate of wizards.
After knowing everything, Harry let Peter Pettigrew go. In the end, when Peter Pettigrew was about to kill Harry, he felt pity and gave his life back. He rescued Sirius Black, and the reward that should have been given to him also returned to his hands in another way.
...
After walking out of the principal's office, Tom, in a good mood, exchanged a few words with the gargoyles before leaving and going downstairs.
The market opened up immediately. Dumbledore's orders were few and far between, but Fudge said there was no limit on the quantity. He would pay Tom the same amount as the goods he gave him. This would definitely make Tom a fortune.
This is also the reason why he chose to release Grindelwald now. He is not only a telecommunications operator and a payment system provider, but also an arms dealer.
In peacetime, even if the Ministry of Magic of other countries knew what products he had, they would not care because there was no threat.
Unlike now, everyone has been obedient after Grindelwald took action once.
The importance of my conversation has also been enhanced, and I can benefit from it. Among the various ways of cross-border communication, this one has the lowest cost.
"I really have to thank Barty Crouch for bringing in some goods this time."
Bones had already told him the whole story, and Tom also understood why the news had reached the ears of senior officials in various countries before he even promoted it.
As a reward... Never mind. He was a rather uncultured person sometimes. It wasn't like Crouch was genuinely trying to help him. He must have his own agenda. He didn't mind Crouch using him. They were even.
What worries Tom the most now is production capacity.
Needless to say, the Guardian Necklace is a high-end product that only he can make, and it is also the most profitable product.
There was no need to waste his time on the curse-proof cloak and the warning eye, they could be outsourced.
It just so happened that the twins had been under strict control by Professor McGonagall, so those prank products hadn't sold well.
Researching new products had nearly sent Ronald to the school infirmary, so it wouldn't be bad to let them do something serious.
Geminis definitely have a good talent in alchemy, and Tom is not worried that they cannot produce such low-end products, nor is he worried that they will refuse the opportunity to make money.
The two of them are obsessed with opening a store. As long as they can make money, they will probably consider asking them to work as laborers or even go into the sea business.
But what about other things?
He really doesn't want to be his own slave anymore.
Before he knew it, Tom had arrived at the auditorium.
As class was approaching, many students had finished breakfast and gone to the classroom. The huge auditorium seemed a little empty. Tom picked up a piece of bread and started to eat it. He had made up his mind.
"Rowena, teach me memory magic from today on."
In the meditation room, Ravenclaw, who was supervising Ariana doing her homework, suddenly heard Tom's voice, smiled faintly, and stretched lazily.
"Don't worry, Tom. You have a higher starting point than me. I believe you will see results soon. I know what you want. This is not a difficult task."
Tom twitched his lips. He hadn't even said what his purpose was in learning memory magic, but Ravenclaw had guessed it.
Is this what is called being as smart as a demon?
It's really troublesome to deal with such people. Either you are smart enough to hide all your little thoughts from the other party, or you are pure-minded enough not to care about these things at all.
Hufflepuff is definitely the latter case, which is why he and Ravenclaw are close friends.
....
The dormant volcano finally erupted.
The Ministries of Magic of various countries tried their best to conceal the news of Grindelwald's escape, but they could no longer suppress it because he killed Minister of Magic Poe and Sam Picquery.
Within two days, the news spread across all the countries.
Some were shocked, some were terrified, some were stunned, and some were ecstatic.
Fifty years is a long time, as it is the transition between two generations. But fifty years is also a short time, as many people just grow old, not die.
They will pass on their experiences and what they have seen and heard.
Therefore, even though Grindelwald has disappeared for so long, when his name appears in the public eye, it will quickly awaken people to the past that they do not want to mention.
Saints all over the world were ecstatic, and the symbol of the Deathly Hallows reappeared over dozens of countries. The huge green triangle was enough to make people tremble with fear.
"The cards..."
Early Thursday morning, Tom sighed as he looked at the newspaper in his hand.
The Deathly Hallows logo on the cover of the Daily Prophet was accompanied by a concise and concise title: "The Return".
Not to mention his strength, Grindelwald is far superior to Voldemort in terms of influence. The symbol of the Deathly Hallows can scare countless countries, but the Dark Mark is effective in Britain.
Those causing trouble might not all be Saints, but followers of Grindelwald's ideas. At least Rosier assured him this morning that none of the Saints who knew of his existence had taken any action in the past two days; they had all remained silent.
That's it. The bigger the power, the harder it is to enforce orders, so we need to focus on the big ones and let go of the small ones, control the obedience of the core members, and don't demand too much from the marginal and peripheral forces.
There was silence at the main guest table, but the four long tables belonging to the students were particularly lively, and people were talking about Grindelwald.
Maybe they didn't know about it before, but this time the newspaper gave a more detailed introduction.
Before this, even a top student like Hermione only had one impression of Grindelwald - a dark wizard who was defeated by Dumbledore. The duel was called the greatest duel of the century. Apart from that, there was no other information.
This was a deliberate act by the magic community, as they didn't want the new generation to be bewitched, so they could only work hard to digest his existence.
It seemed to be on the verge of success, but unfortunately it failed with this jailbreak.
"Let wizards live in the sunshine..." A Slytherin student was trembling with excitement after reading the introduction in the newspaper: "He's right. Wizards should live openly. Why should we hide from Muggle activities?"
Someone immediately echoed: "That's right! Wizards are the masters of this world!"
"Why do you say he is a dark wizard? If Grindelwald had won, the wizarding world would definitely be a better place."
Professor McGonagall sighed heavily.
The dangers have already emerged.
For the rest of the day, all professors did not give lectures, but instead tried their best to explain the harmfulness and flaws of Grindelwald's ideas.
"..Wizards and Muggles are equal." Professor Flitwick said to the students in the Charms class: "We all live in this world, you can go anywhere.
But in reality, we are from two different worlds and try not to interfere with each other."
"The Statute of Secrecy also prevents the recurrence of medieval witch hunts. Muggles and wizards alike always react with fear and a wary attitude when faced with the unknown."
"If we really go to war with Muggles as Grindelwald wants, regardless of victory or failure, the wizard casualties alone are unbearable. The total number of wizards in the world might not be as large as the population of London. Would you want your loved ones to die in the war?"
The other professors were similar, all trying to dispel the students' extreme ideas. Dumbledore had already arranged the task in advance, so that the students would not be misled by his words.
He is definitely an expert in dealing with Grindelwald.
After a whole day, the fanatical atmosphere dissipated a lot, and the young wizards calmed down again. Sacrifice and death are always heavy words for students.
This also made it convenient for Tom. He didn't pay much attention to the lessons throughout the day. Most of his consciousness entered the learning space, where he followed Ravenclaw to learn memory magic.
It is still in the theoretical stage. Ravenclaw's understanding of memory is indeed different from that of ordinary people. He still needs to spend (Li Zhaoyue) time to understand and accept it.
At night, Nott, Rosier, and Zabini were still discussing Grindelwald. Tom found it a bit noisy, so he used some tricks to make the three of them fall asleep peacefully. Then he got up and walked out of the Slytherin common room in his pajamas.
Qiu told her that Helena went to the library every week. She hadn't met her in the past few days, so she decided to try her luck today.
Yawning, Tom walked into the restricted book section and randomly picked out a book called "One Hundred Uses of the Wizard's Skull" to pass the time. The exciting and explosive illustrations in the book also refreshed him.
Time passed little by little, and before he knew it, it was two o'clock in the morning. Tom sighed.
I finished reading the book in my hand, and it was another day without seeing Helena.
But just as Tom put the book back on the shelf, a young ghost girl with black hair and black eyes, wearing a long white dress, floated down from the third floor.
She was very beautiful, with waist-length hair and a slim figure, but at the same time she seemed arrogant and looked down on everyone. She just glanced at Tom and flew towards a corner of the library without even stopping.
"Wait a minute!" Tom shouted quickly. If Filch was nearby, he would definitely hear it, but he was too lazy to care.
The ghost turned around and frowned at Tom, as if waiting for him to give an explanation as to why he called her.
"Hello, Ms. Grey." Tom grinned: "Let me introduce myself, my name is Tom Riddleking.
Ms. Grey immediately showed a look of disgust!
Chapter 310: Every Tom Riddle Is Good at Dealing With the Grey Lady
The name Tom Riddle is notorious to those in the know.
Helena was one of those victims.
As a student, Voldemort was young, handsome, and polite, hiding his ambition and evil in a corner where no one could detect.
He accidentally learned about Ms.
Grey's identity through the Slytherin ghost Barrow, and then he became interested in her.
He then deliberately approached Ms.
Grey, trying to get clues about the Ravenclaw crown.
Relying on his understanding and sweet talk, Voldemort succeeded and learned the secret that even the three founders did not know.
Or else?
When Ravenclaw said Helena was not her biological daughter, Tom was a little surprised, but that was all, and he even thought it was natural.
The boy was so foolish that he thought stealing the crown was a terrible crime. He frightened himself and ran all the way from Scotland to Albania.
It's like a child stealing 200 yuan from his parents and crossing mountains and rivers across the border to go to Russia at night.
He was then stabbed to death with a small knife, which did not look like a wizard at all.
But even after being dead for so many years, he still hadn't learned his lesson. He was completely bewitched by the sixteen or seventeen-year-old Voldemort and told him the news about the corona.
It really made Tom laugh.
Although Helena was not very old when she died, her ghost was still able to think and grow after death. After experiencing the human world for thousands of years, she was still naive. This only proves that Ravenclaw's plan to create humans was indeed not successful.
...It seems that Ravenclaw's creations are not very smart, such as the gargoyles at the school gate.
Tom was complaining about Ravenclaw's level in his heart, and Ms. Grey's mouth was twisted into a sneer.
"I'm not interested in talking to Slytherin." After saying that, he turned and left.
"Helena, don't be so cold. We should be closer."
Tom succeeded in stopping her 790 steps just by changing the name. The ghost looked at him in disbelief, and then thought of something. His expression became more transparent and pale because of anger.
"Barrow again? Stop playing that game. Do you think you're so great just because you know some of my secrets? I don't care."
"Of course not." Tom shook his head. "My relationship with Barrow is average, and even with Peeves, it's better than his. It wasn't him who told me your identity, but someone else."
"Who is it?"
"The one who taught you how to invent the Garland Charm."
Helena's body swayed, her pupils suddenly contracted, and then she became frozen: "You are lying to me!" She doesn't know, she doesn't know that I have become such a ghost now.
At the end of her speech, her voice was so weak and soft that it seemed to have a hint of tears in it.
The Wreath Spell was the first spell invented by Helena. It had no other effect except to create a beautiful wreath of laurels to be worn on the head for decoration.
"She told me much about your past, Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw."
"You said Mother is still alive?!" Helena suddenly became excited and muttered to herself: "Yes, that's right."
She became more and more confident as she spoke, her pale body glowing: "My mother is the greatest and most wise witch in the world. How could she be defeated by illness..."
"I'm sorry, but Ravenclaw is indeed dead. He fell seriously ill and died during the time Baron was looking for you. Even his remains were vaporized by the powerful magic."
Tom calmly but cruelly shattered Helena's illusions: "I accidentally obtained Lady Ravenclaw's inheritance, which also contains a piece of her memory. The person she mentioned most often was you, and the one she felt the most sorry for was also you."
The young man's expression was gentle, and he looked at the sad and beautiful ghost with a kind gaze. "Lady Ravenclaw said in her legend that she never blamed you for stealing the crown."
"Really?"
"certainly."
Tom approached Helena step by step, glowing like a little sun. "Her greatest regret in life was that she didn't see you again when she was dying, and didn't see you live to Hogwarts."
"So, there's only one test to inheriting the legacy—and that's to find your whereabouts and your fate.
Do you know where the legacy is? It's in your former living room, in that sacred room on the eighth floor.
If you enter, even as a ghost, you can activate the memories that Ravenclaw sealed before her death, and you and your daughter can meet briefly to end the class."
"It's a pity you didn't. I was the first to discover the inheritance, and you lost the chance to see your mother again."
His tone was gentle, but his words were cold. Every word Tom said was like a knife stabbing into the scar on Helena's heart, deeper and more cruel than the one Barrow had stabbed her with. She could no longer bear it and squatted on the ground crying.
"OSOSOS..."
Tom was surprised to find that ghosts also have tears when they cry. The small silver pearls floated down, but before they touched the ground, they suddenly turned into gas and returned to Helena's body.
Tom set up a soundproof barrier to prevent anyone from hearing the noise and being attracted here, and then he observed little Pearl curiously, without any intention of comforting her.
Only when the crying gradually subsided did he straighten his expression, squatting beside Helena and saying softly, "Helena, I am Ravenclaw's student, and you are her daughter. In this world, we are the closest two people."
"Come to me if you encounter any problems in the future."
"No." Helena buried her head in her thighs and said sullenly, "I hate Slytherin, and I hate a Slytherin named Tom Riddle even more!"
"My last name and last name are not my decision.
The boy sighed. "Besides, who would want to be a Slytherin? Someone as smart as me, and as greedy for knowledge, is a natural born raven. It's all the fault of the Sorting Hat. He doesn't know how to judge people."
Helena then raised her head and looked at Tom.
This Tom...is more handsome and better than the previous Tom.
Even though she lived a secluded life and seldom interacted with other people, she often heard about Tom's deeds.
Not only did he protect the school's property, he also killed a basilisk and invented some groundbreaking alchemical tools.
"You said you were my mother's disciple, so what did she leave behind for you?"
"Memory magic." Tom pointed to his head and said, "And the real control of that room. All the knowledge in the library on the third floor can be used by me.
Now Helena completely believed what Tom said, and her eyes softened.
"Would you like to be transferred to Ravenclaw?"
"Not impossible." Tom shrugged. "But in Hogwarts's thousands of years of history, there have been transfer students, expulsion students, and even deaths, but I've never heard of a transfer student."
Helena remained silent, realizing that her idea was unrealistic.
Even if the school had a rule allowing transfers, it would be an extreme insult to the other house. If he really transferred to Ravenclaw, all Slytherin students and graduates would definitely be offended by Tom, which would be of no benefit to his future development.
"Forget it, it doesn't matter which academy you go to. Mother has already recognized you, so why am I still hesitating?"
"If you need my help in the future, please let Ravenclaw students come to me. Although I am only a ghost, even Dumbledore and Flitwick must give me respect."
Helena raised her chin proudly. Regardless of anything else, just in terms of points, she could crush a group of people.
"I do need your help with something." Tom said without hesitation, "The conflict between you and Ms. Ravenclaw is all because of that crown. I want you to tell me the whereabouts of the crown. I will bring it back and take you to the room on the eighth floor."
Helena's form became erratic again. The ghost didn't blush, but her transparent cheeks became much heavier, and her voice stammered: "I...I...I can't give it to you."
"Are you worried that I'm coveting the crown's wisdom?" Tom feigned displeasure. "True wisdom can't be acquired through artifacts; it's the spark of knowledge and thought. I don't believe that crown can truly transform a person. Otherwise, you wouldn't have died at Sir Balin's hands."
Helena lowered her head in shame. Her mother had said similar words to her countless times, but she could not understand the deep meaning of them back then.
Instead, a 'junior brother' who was younger than her understood the true meaning and disdained the crown.
"I'm sorry, Tom," Helena said in a thin, whispery voice. "I lost my tiara."
"It's okay, I can find it back if it's lost." Tom comforted.
She reluctantly told the truth: "I mean, I was deceived by someone, and that person was also called Tom Riddle, so I became angry and furious after hearing your name.
"He used sweet words to trick the crown out of its location and then never showed up again. I'm sure he took it away."
Tom kept the study space open while communicating with Helena, but it was only open to Ravenclaw and Ariana.
When he saw Helena earlier, Ravenclaw couldn't help but curl up his lips slightly. He felt sad when he saw his daughter crying, but now...
Ravenclaw was silent.
She rubbed her brows with a headache, unable to imagine how Helena had survived the past thousand years and why her brain hadn't improved at all.
Ariana gestured in front of herself, then looked at Helena outside and asked in disbelief: "Sister Ravenclaw, was Helena really not an adult when she died?"
"Yes." Ravenclaw said absentmindedly, "Helena was only sixteen at the time and a student at Hogwarts. What happened?"
Ariana: "…______
I was hit so hard that I didn't want to talk.
Sixteen years old doesn't make sense at all!
Outside, Tom sighed: "No wonder you were so hostile to me after I called you. It turns out it was all Voldemort's fault."
Tom reached out his hand, wanting to pat her shoulder to comfort her, but his arm passed through Helena's body without any obstruction, leaving only a hint of coldness.
"Don't be sad. Since he stole the diadem, let's take it back. This isn't your fault. If you want to blame someone, you can only blame Voldemort for being too cunning. People like him are born bad. [Song disguised himself very well.]"
"Look, you're not the only one who's been deceived. Wasn't he the student union president back then? Wasn't the then-Principal, Armando Dippet, also deceived by him?"
Tom is very good at comforting others.
As long as another person who is in a worse situation is dragged out and whipped, the person's mood will definitely improve.
As expected, Helena's troubled and sad expression relaxed a lot.
"Tom, you must study the knowledge your mother left behind and bring back the crown."
"I will." Tom nodded and looked at Helena's wound again: "Is this the wound left when Barrow killed you?"
"Yes." Helena said with disdain, "He's a lunatic. I've never liked him. He went crazy over a verbal argument and still expects me to forgive him? Dream on."
"The scars on my body will never fade away, and I will never forget his ugly face."
Helena lifted her cloak, revealing the black wound on her snow-white chest.
Tom looked very carefully and seriously, and after a long time he murmured: "This scar is so deep and so white..."