Chapter 411 the Naïve and Sweet Joan of Arc, A Hidden Big Shot in Hogwarts
Ouch!
It hurts so much!
Grindelwald only managed to utter one curse before plunging into endless agony, only able to vaguely inquire about Tom's family tree.
He was not someone who could not endure pain. Back then, in order to train his willpower, he also learned some extremely evil dark magic. He could even cast the Cruciatus Curse on himself [enduring ten minutes].
But this pain surpasses the Heart-Rending Curse by ten times, a hundred times, or even on a different level. It's not just pain, it's a heart-wrenching kind of pain.
The Crucible Curse may seem to target the soul, but it actually affects the body, causing excruciating pain.
But this fire was truly scorching his soul!
Grindelwald's screams echoed through the space, and the others... burst into laughter.
Andros laughed the loudest and urged Tom to quickly record this scene so he could watch it repeatedly later. But Tom was currently trying his best to control the Holy Flame so as not to actually burn Grindelwald to death, and he had no time to pay attention to him.
Although Ariana's smile had become much more restrained, after all, she was a young lady and couldn't be as unseemly as Andros [the joy in her heart was no less than his].
Although the two reconciled, how could they not laugh when they saw Grindelwald get the short end of the stick?
Ravenclaw smiled knowingly, unconcerned about Grindelwald's reaction. She was more interested in the sacred fire, which could purify the soul. Did it have any healing properties? Her soul had been severely damaged; even if she were to revive on the spot, she would likely fall ill and die again soon.
Only Joan of Arc hadn't been corrupted and was still kindly reminding him: "Mr. Grindelwald, if it hurts, pray to the Lord. That will ease the pain. You have to believe me, I've been there."
"Joan of Arc, Grindelwald can't hear you," Ariana said, exasperated.
At first, she thought Joan of Arc was a threat. She was the only girl in the learning space, and now someone of similar stature had arrived. But then she realized... it wasn't a threat, it was a huge threat!
Although this naive and innocent girl is clumsy with words and not very bright, she is very capable. Most importantly, she has unconditional trust in Tom, and she can never imitate the way Ye Bai looks at her.
Tom has been going to Joan's room more and more often lately, it's really worrying.
The girl sighed, and in the real world, Grindelwald's screams gradually subsided.
Tom looked closely and saw that the person hadn't fainted; they must have gotten through the worst of it and would be fine afterward.
He didn't experience such a terrible ordeal when he purified himself; he was part of the flames and felt nothing when burned. But Grindelwald's purification was an external process, so the situation was different.
Half an hour later, when the flames stopped actively moving towards Grindelwald, Tom knew that everything was done.
So why did we set aside a whole day in the first place?
That was to give Grindelwald time to recover. Sure enough, Grindelwald remained unconscious from around 9 a.m. until around 10 p.m. before finally waking up.
I could feel the difference as soon as I woke up.
First of all, there is a sense of ease, a relaxation of both mind and body. The whole person feels light and airy. He had never experienced what it meant to be ethereal and clear before, but now he has quite a few feelings about it.
Then comes the clarity of the world, and the use of will and spirit becomes smoother than ever before.
Unfortunately, his willpower had become much weaker, and as he expected, the power of many dark spells was reduced.
"I feel like I'm back in school, starting to learn magic all over again. I'm a blank slate right now," Grindelwald said to Tom.
The boy corrected him, "It's an old piece of paper full of wrinkles."
Grindelwald was used to it... If Tom got angry, he'd be driven mad by his mouth.
In the new week, Tom returned to school first, while Grindelwald went to Paris and then returned to Berlin to deal with the two families who had been secretly colluding with outsiders.
Dumbledore isn't so easily fooled; if he doesn't make a fuss, that guy will definitely get suspicious.
Sure enough, news about Berlin appeared in the newspapers the next day, and people knew what Grindelwald had suddenly left to do.
Previously, Grindelwald hadn't displayed any of the Dark Lord's traits at Hogwarts, causing many to lower their guard and become less wary of him. Now, however, everyone suddenly remembered.
Because attention was diverted, the news of Crouch becoming a special advisor to the Wizarding Guild did not generate much of a reaction, and only a few people paid attention to it.
Dumbledore suddenly realized why he saw Crouch when he confronted Fudge; it seems Tom had already agreed to cooperate with Crouch back then.
He is indeed a good candidate.
Fudge saw it too, but he was basically sidelined now, and his influence only extended to his own floor. Whether the orders could be passed out depended entirely on the mood of Borns and Greengrass, so he didn't care much.
"Tom, where are we going to play today?"
After the afternoon herbalism class ended, Hibiscus was already standing gracefully outside the greenhouse.
The weather was gradually warming up, and the girl changed into her Beauxbatons spring uniform.
The blue silk fabric paired with a light blue pointed hat made the girl's temperament appear even more delicate, and every smile and frown was full of charm.
Daphne's face fell immediately upon seeing Fleur, and she snorted, "Dracul, your match is in two weeks, and instead of training you're always hanging around Tom. Don't you guys at Beauxbatons look shameful enough?"
Before Fleur could react, Beauxbatons, a third-year girl who attended class with Slytherin, heard it, cried, and left, followed immediately by a group of young Hogwarts wizards who rushed forward to comfort her.
In the two games between second and third graders, Beauxbatons finished at the bottom, once last and once second to last.
Daphne felt a little embarrassed for accidentally hurting someone, but she still glared at Furong with her neck stiff.
Furong smiled gently, "Greengrass, I didn't expect you to be thinking of me. Thank you for your concern, but it's really unnecessary. I'll definitely be first in fifth grade."
"All you do is brag," Daphne scoffed. "Hogwarts has already won twice; you guys have no chance."
"It's not that Hogwarts is strong, it's that Tom is strong," Fleur corrected. "Apart from Granger and Weasley, the other players are not worth worrying about."
Fleur's words left Daphne speechless. She knew why Ginny and Hermione were able to win. Ginny was alright; she was very good even without Tom. But Hermione was simply carried to victory.
Do ordinary people not enjoy the same resources as them?
Impossible. Tom has always treated everyone equally in this regard, so Fleur must be far superior to her peers.
Unable to win the argument, Daphne looked longingly at Tom.
Tom sighed and ruffled her hair. "How about I take you back to London tonight for your favorite lamb chops?"
Daphne nodded happily, gave Furong a provocative look, and obediently left on her own.
Tom is to spend some time with Fleur every day, as agreed beforehand. Even if she doesn't like her, the young lady of Greengrass will keep her word.
"You really spoil her."
Watching her departing figure, Furong said with a sour feeling.
Tom said helplessly, "Daphne is young, can't you be a little more lenient with her? You always have to provoke her."
Hibiscus's gaze was even more resentful: "Oh, you think I'm too old, huh? I shouldn't have come. I should have sent Gabrielle instead. I wonder who you'll side with then."
Tom was speechless. Could this focus have been any stranger?
but...
"Okay, Gabrielle will come next semester. I promise she'll be fine, right?"
"Well, you really are..."
Furong feigned anger, but then realized something halfway through her sentence and looked at the boy with surprise and uncertainty, "What do you mean by coming next semester? Did Gabrielle tell you she's coming?"
"No." Tom smiled mysteriously. "Mrs. Maxim will find out in a few days. You can just ask her then."
"Oh, just tell me now."
"No, 310, who told you to belittle me just now?"
Tom walked happily toward the Forbidden Forest with his hands behind his back, remaining silent no matter how much Fleur pressed him for answers or begged him.
In fact, several schools had long wanted to restart the Triwizard Tournament, but they had not been able to reach an agreement.
The biggest obstacle was Karkaroff, because he was afraid to return to England.
Now that Mrs.
Karkaroff is gone, the tournament has been interrupted by the appearance of Grindelwald.
He had spoken with Crouch before, urging him to continue pushing the project forward, not only to push it forward but also to expand it, including the Wizarding Guild.
How far it could go depended on Crouch's abilities; if that wasn't enough, he would add fuel to the fire and make sure the entire wizarding world was abuzz.
Inside the castle.
Grindelwald walked unhurriedly toward the eighth floor. The students he encountered along the way all had tense faces and greeted him politely. Only after he had walked quite a distance did they dare to walk quickly in the opposite direction.
Having experienced excruciating pain and the relief of purification, Grindelwald finally realized just how much killing would affect him. This time, he simply subdued the person and handed them over to others to be executed.
The family that committed the crime was in Munich. After dealing with everything, Grindelwald strolled through the streets of Munich and passed by the German Music Copyright Society, where he saw a sign.
This place wasn't originally a hotel or association, but a small tavern, and a very famous one at that.
He remembered the corporal he had met once, and an idea suddenly popped into his head. So he couldn't wait and hurriedly came from Berlin to the Scottish Highlands to talk to Dumbledore.
"Password."
The drooling beast opened its mouth lazily, yawning as it did so:
"No one can enter without a password, no matter if you are the Dark Lord or any other king, everyone needs a password."
"Oh, except for that kid Riddle."
A new month begins, please vote with monthly tickets!
Chapter 412 a Woman With Double Standards, Grindelwald's Open Class
Generally speaking, the Dark Lord is roughly equivalent to Mundo; he can go wherever he wants.
But there are always exceptions.
The stone statue wasn't exaggerating; it didn't want anyone to enter the principal's office, not even the Dark Lord.
Especially after Ravenclaw mentioned some of the founder's arrangements, Grindelwald realized that the strongest creature in the castle was not Dumbledore, but this ugly, clueless gatekeeper who had been fooled by Tom.
Of course, for the dripping stone beast to unleash that kind of power, extremely demanding conditions and costs are required.
"The password is 'Little Pepper Kid'?"
Dumbledore's voice came from behind the stone beast. Upon hearing the command, it jumped aside to make way. Grindelwald looked it over for a moment before stepping into the hollow [and riding the rotating swaying platform into the headmaster's office].
Upon seeing Grindelwald, a glint of light flashed in Dumbledore's calm eyes.
It's different now.
But he couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.
All I can say is that Grindelwald is less like a dark wizard than before, and more like a maverick scholar.
"You've killed quite a few people again this time."
Suppressing his curiosity, Dumbledore did as he had originally planned and launched the first attack.
Grindelwald shook his head. "What can I do if someone wants to die? Should I let them live for Christmas?"
"Look, these are the ambitious people I was talking about. The situation has clearly stabilized, but they still insist on jumping around. Since they don't even value their own lives, why should I hold back?"
"Gellert, I know your methods very well."
Dumbledore said in an almost warning tone, "I hope you won't resort to the same old gang-related tactics. How many people in the wizarding world are you going to kill? Don't forget your ideals; those people are your fellow countrymen too."
"Don't worry," Grindelwald grinned. "I went to great lengths this time; only thirteen people died as a result. A lucky number, isn't it?"
Thirteen is considered unlucky in Christianity, but it is an auspicious number in the wizarding world, possessing extraordinary magical power.
Dumbledore didn't say anything, but his tone softened: "What do you want now?"
"It's nothing, I just suddenly feel like being a teacher. How about I teach a class for my students?"
What class?
"Muggle Studies Class".
"Look at these legs, don't you want to touch them?"
"Look at this butt, come on, give it a wiggle."
"And this belly, tsk, it's absolutely irresistible."
In the Forbidden Forest, Tom was video chatting with researchers at the Iron-Eating Beast Breeding and Reproduction Base in the East.
To be precise, he was having Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan video chat with the other side.
He placed his hand on Tuan Tuan's belly and bounced it, causing a wave of flesh to roll.
One of the conditions for adopting... no, taking care of Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan is that he must contact them regularly to record the two little ones' physical condition.
Furong watched Tom spout nonsense with a straight face, suppressing a smile.
She couldn't believe that what was originally a normal introduction had become so inappropriate in Tom's mouth.
Humans are hypocritical, and women are even more so. If it's a man they look down on, no matter what he does, they see him as a show-off and a clown.
But if it's someone she likes, it's completely the opposite. Her frivolity turns into humor and wit, her laughter into energy. No matter what she does, she can always find a bunch of good points.
Now, Furong sees Tom in this way. Just like a few days ago, Tom killed a lot of people, and the other students were so scared that they would walk around him. But Furong didn't care at all. [Kang City hates those who dare to offend Tom's assets to the core.]
I reckon if you took this girl to rob Gringotts right now, she wouldn't hesitate for a second.
The old researcher on the other end of the video call nodded frequently, his smile never fading. He could tell at a glance how well the iron-eating beast was being raised.
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan's condition can be described as perfect, almost too perfect.
In layman's terms, it means she's too round and too fat.
Just how good does the food have to be to grow an iron-eating beast into a spherical shape?
The researchers didn't know that the supplements Tom had given Fox weren't used up, and they were all ruined by Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan. No wonder he gained weight.
Fortunately, the iron-eating beast doesn't waste any of its food and doesn't get obese, so Tom can feed it without worry.
"Mr.
Riddle, you're welcome to visit our breeding base in Sichuan sometime.
We have a lot of iron-eating beasts here, and we can exchange experiences." The researcher extended an invitation.
He was Newt's friend, and a very good one at that; otherwise, he wouldn't have entrusted Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan to Tom to raise.
"I definitely will if I have the chance." Tom nodded with a smile, and the two chatted for a while before hanging up.
Tom didn't mention establishing a wizarding guild there; he was ambitious, not looking to die.
Let's just pretend that side doesn't exist. In the future, his sphere of influence will still be Europe and Africa, and the entire Americas.
"Come on, let's walk the cat for a bit and then we'll go back."
Tom held Fleur's hand, with two little bundles of joy following behind.
A gentle breeze blew by, and the golden light of dusk filtered through the dappled leaves.
The two boys, their playful spirits rising, deliberately stepped on the dappled light on the ground.
Their pace quickened and slowed, and the two iron-eating beasts followed closely behind.
Suddenly, they stopped and collided, rolling in front of them.
This amused Furong, who laughed and leaned on the boy's shoulder.
But time alone is always short. As the sun set, Tom put Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan away and took Fu Rong back to the castle.
Fleur was eating at school, and he was going to accompany Daphne back to London for her favorite lamb chops.
Since he had to appease the irritable young lady today, he couldn't bring his sister-in-law.
Astoria was sulking, wondering if she should also find an opportunity to throw a tantrum and then have Tom coax her.
Tom realized he'd been studying Hogwarts like a day student, and hadn't spent much time in his dorm lately, which his roommates had gotten used to.
Slytherin is much better. If he were Gryffindor's student, his roommates would probably tattle on him. Professor McGonagall is also very strict. Snape is much easier to deal with.
While Tom and Daphne were enjoying a candlelight dinner, Dumbledore was finally persuaded by Grindelwald to allow him to teach an open class, a Muggle Studies class, no less.
There was nothing that could be done if they disagreed; Grindelwald seemed to have some kind of mental illness and insisted on attending classes, even when everyone was eating.
There aren't many people in this world who can eat peacefully while Grindelwald is talking; a warrior like Jacob is one in a century.
That's why Dumbledore was so upset. Unless he dared to tell everyone to stay away from the Great Hall for meals and hide in the lounge after class, he wouldn't be able to stop Grindelwald's determination.
Fortunately, it was an open class for the whole school, so if Grindelwald really said anything outrageous, he could stop him at any time.
"Interesting." Grindelwald smiled broadly as he left. "Albus, you can treat this lesson as a debate. It's time for the students to learn about the real world."
As Dumbledore watched Grindelwald leave the office, he pondered the other man's purpose.
He wants to brainwash his students?
Grindelwald couldn't do that in front of him; it would be too easy for him to see through it.
But it's undoubtedly related to his beliefs as well. This is a crisis, but also an opportunity. If he can directly refute Grindelwald's ideas, not only will the students of Hogwarts benefit...
Once the news gets out, it can also influence uninformed followers in other countries.
Soon after Tom brought Daphne back to Hogwarts the next day, Dumbledore announced early in the morning that Grindelwald would be giving ten open classes after dinner that evening.
"Grindelwald is giving us a lesson?" Ronald looked at Grindelwald in surprise as he stood up, smiling and waving to the young wizards. "What is he going to teach us? How to get ourselves into Azkaban?"
"How could that be? Dumbledore wouldn't allow it either."
Seamus Finnigan shook his head. "But it's definitely related to dark magic. Durmstrang supposedly allows students to study dark magic, as you all saw during the competition."
"A whole school of dark wizards," a student muttered, his voice low, as if afraid of being overheard by those in the main seats.
Most people thought this way, since in their minds, the Dark Lord and dark magic were inseparable; they just didn't understand why the school would agree to Grindelwald's request.
Not to mention the students, even the professors were puzzled.
Professor McGonagall, in particular, had a furrowed brow that could have trapped a fly, because Dumbledore hadn't consulted him beforehand.
Afterwards, they went to each other's offices and talked for a long time before Professor McGonagall finally emerged looking worried.
Because of the announcement this morning, no one was able to concentrate in class.
Even when Zhao Nuohao was practicing the Vanishing Charm in the Spells class, everyone was still discussing it, so much so that Professor Flitwick had to use a few dazzling fireworks and explosions to remind everyone to focus on the class.
"Old Ge, what are you up to now?"
Even Tom, unaware of Grindelwald's thoughts, gossiped and asked questions in the study space.
Tom didn't mind Grindelwald doing some outrageous things because he never imposed any restrictions, only stated his own requirements. After fulfilling his requirements, Grindelwald didn't need to report to him about anything.
Not only Grindelwald, but also Andros and Ariana, who will be resurrected in the future, will not interfere so much, even though their homes are by the sea.
If you ask now, it's purely Yan Yi's opinion.
Grindelwald kept everyone in suspense, saying everything would be revealed that night. Tom scoffed, using the excuse of helping him familiarize himself with his current strength, and gave the old man a good beating.
Finally, night fell.
After class, all the students followed almost the same pattern: first, they went back to the lounge to put down their bags, and then they flocked into the auditorium to wait for dinner.
I ate much faster than usual today; by 6:30, there were only scraps left on my plate.
"Students, please wait patiently in the lobby. The layout of the auditorium needs some changes."
Dumbledore waved his hand, and the table became empty. Upon hearing this, the students walked out.
Chapter 413 Grindelwald: A Wizard Must Possess the Power to Calm Down Those Who Covet Him.
About ten minutes later, the door to the auditorium opened again, and the layout of the space had been completely changed.
The entire auditorium is like a huge classroom, and Dumbledore thoughtfully designed it with tiered seating to ensure that every student has a clear view of the main audience seats.
Behind the main seating area hung a huge blackboard, with only Grindelwald sitting below it. The other professors, including Dumbledore, sat in the first row of the lecture hall.
Several deans led the prefects in arranging the student seating, and in no time, the auditorium was filled with neat rows of students. Everyone looked at Grindelwald with curiosity, wanting to know what kind of lesson this Dark Lord would bring them.
"The candlelight is a bit too bright."
Everyone could clearly hear Grindelwald's mutterings. Dumbledore sighed helplessly, waved his wand, and half of the thousands of candles in mid-air were extinguished instantly. The remaining light also dimmed considerably, as if covered by a shroud, appearing hazy and indistinct.
Grindelwald then smiled at him with satisfaction.
"Thank you, Dumbledore. You are much more understanding than you were back then."
After saying that, Grindelwald stood up and looked around. Few people dared to meet his gaze, but everyone who did was unconsciously drawn to his heterochromatic eyes.
Finally, Grindelwald spoke.
"Is this what it feels like to be the headmaster of Hogwarts? I have deep respect for the four founders; they are all great wizards who have left their mark on history."
Grindelwald's praise of Hogwarts was both surprising and a source of pride.
Praise has to be tailored to who's giving it; coming from the mouth of this world's number one dark demon, it just feels different.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Ravenclaw's lips unconsciously curled into a smile within the study space.
That's good, you have good judgment.
Tom's eyelids twitched wildly; he hadn't expected Grindelwald to start by flattering him.
Originally, Grindelwald feared no one except Dumbledore, but now he's learned these social niceties. It really is true that environment changes people.
"Today... I'm going to give you a lesson on Muggle studies."
Grindelwald abruptly changed the subject, leaving many people stunned and staring at him in disbelief.
You're studying Muggles?
Researching how to kill Muggles?
But no one dared to show any unusual expression, and there was no murmur of discussion. Putting everything else aside, Professor McGonagall was quite envious of the current classroom order and the students' concentration.
Grindelwald continued calmly, "Or rather, this is a debate lesson. People always say that my greatest skill isn't dark magic, but rather manipulating people's minds. Your headmaster—"
He pointed to Dumbledore: "That's what he thinks too. If he finds out I'm using any linguistic traps, he won't hesitate to stand up and confront me."
Everyone looked at Dumbledore, whose expression remained calm, and the old man nodded slightly.
"Since it's an exchange, both sides should speak freely."
"Very good, I'll wait and see what surprises you have in store for me." Grindelwald smiled with satisfaction, raised his wand, and the spellings of Muggle and wizard appeared on the blackboard, clearly separated on either side.
His voice was clearly audible to everyone.
"Kids, first of all, you need to know that I am fundamentally different from Voldemort, the local gang leader.
He overemphasizes so-called bloodline.
I've heard it said that the less a person has, the more they emphasize it.
I suggest you thoroughly investigate his family tree; he must have Muggle blood."
When Grindelwald mentioned Voldemort without any hesitation, some people instinctively shuddered, but the reaction was much smaller than before.
A dark scourge whose reputation was no less than Voldemort's had been wandering around their school for half a month, and everyone had to get used to it.
"In my eyes, a wizard is a wizard, and a Muggle is a Muggle. Bloodline can only prove that your ancestors had outstanding talents, but your own talents cannot be measured and need to be demonstrated by yourself."
"Oh right, starting next school year, Durmstrang's admissions criteria will no longer be restricted by bloodline. If there are any students who want to transfer from Hogwarts, I welcome them."
"Ahem!" Dumbledore coughed twice: "Mr. Grindelwald, we're getting off topic. This isn't Durmstrang's admissions meeting; it's a Muggle Studies class."
Grindelwald smiled slightly, did not refute, but instead followed up on his words to bring the topic back.
"Thank you for the reminder, Dumbledore. Very well, let's get back to Muggles. Some people think I'm hostile to Muggles, so how could I possibly have any knowledge of them?"
"But there are two mistakes here." Grindelwald held up a finger. "First, I am not hostile to Muggles [I think they have taken away the land that originally belonged to wizards].
"Secondly, it is precisely because I have conducted detailed research and investigation on Muggles that I am certain that they pose a threat to the survival of wizards."
This time, a murmur of discussion arose in the auditorium. Everyone thought about it according to Grindelwald's logic and found that it was indeed true.
Dumbledore frowned again. "Grindelwald, don't exaggerate. Fifty years have passed since your defeat, but the wizarding world still exists and has not clashed with Muggle society."
This guy has practically made manipulative skills an instinct; he can lead people by the nose with just a few words.
This time, Grindelwald ignored Dumbledore and continued speaking at his own pace:
"Children, I was born in 1883. Ten years before my birth, the Franco-Prussian War had just ended, and the name Germany first appeared before the world."
The year I was born, Romania joined the Tripartite Pact; twenty years later, the Boer War broke out; thirty years later, the Balkan powder keg ignited the world [ten world wars engulfing dozens of countries broke out...]
Grindelwald recounted these histories, which many Muggles were unaware of, with great familiarity, even including casualty figures.
Rozier stood up at the opportune moment, enlarged the photos one by one, and pasted them on the blackboard—all of them were hellish scenes from the war years ago, with roaring flames and corpses strewn everywhere.
Just looking at the still pictures was enough to send chills down one's spine, and many girls, and even some boys, had already closed their eyes tightly in fear.
Apart from Grindelwald's voice, the auditorium was deathly silent.
Whether they were pure-bloods or Muggle-born wizards, they finally received their first proper history lesson.
"It can be said that in my time, the whole world was like an active volcano in its eruption period, constantly ravaging the sky and the earth. Because of the war between Muggles, wizards were often injured or killed by mistake."
Grindelwald suddenly sighed, his voice becoming hoarse: "Machine guns and artillery have engaged in a speed race to slaughter their own kind. Compared to them, what are the killing spells that wizards fear?"
"The number of Muggle casualties in a war is almost equivalent to the total population of the wizarding world, and they can wage wars of this intensity two or even three times in just twenty years."
"Dumbledore, is there a single lie in what I've said?"
A question silenced Dumbledore, because everything Grindelwald said was true. He even credited the photographers, saying they weren't taken by wizards but borrowed from various Muggle libraries and museums.
This is also why he and Grindelwald shared the same ideals back then.
That era was too turbulent, and everyone lived in extreme anxiety, never knowing when a sudden disaster would strike and they would die a violent death.
It was understandable that the North American magical community completely severed ties with Muggles back then; it was a crazy era where ignorance and nascent ideas danced together, and technology and religion coexisted.
But he couldn't let Grindelwald continue; if he did, he believed that eighty percent of the people present would become hostile towards Muggles.
"Mr. Grindelwald, we shouldn't always be focused on the past. Can't a bright future capture your attention?"
Dumbledore took a deep breath: "The year you stepped down, the war in the Muggle world also ended. For the next fifty years, although there were still local conflicts, the overall environment was peaceful. You shouldn't still be looking at Muggles with such prejudice."
"Children, think about your lives now. How long has it been since you heard news about war?"
Dumbledore's words awakened the thoughts of some people. The Muggle-born young wizards nodded in agreement. Their environment was very safe, except for the need to be wary of human traffickers, robbers, gangsters, and shootings.
Yes, it's very safe.
"I have never denied that the current environment is better than before." Grindelwald smiled slightly at Dumbledore's explanation: "A correct understanding of history does not mean you have to apply it rigidly."
I just hope the children can understand that everything I did was a helpless choice made under the pressure of the times.
"For example, right now, have I said anything about declaring war on Muggles?"
Dumbledore nodded slightly. Grindelwald had done better than before in this respect, only stirring up trouble in the wizarding world without any more radical ideas.
"J..."
Grindelwald then changed the subject, saying, "Peace and stability should never be obtained through the charity of others. Even if a wizard tries his best to hide himself, who can say for sure whether he will be exposed one day?"
"Therefore, do not place your hopes on anyone. Before the crisis arrives, the magical world must rely on the calm and collected strength of the warriors."
Chapter 414 Tragedy Persists, Danger Lurks Nearby
Before they knew it, an hour and a half had passed. Grindelwald was undoubtedly an excellent teacher. Even after so much time had passed, the students remained highly focused, listening attentively to every word he spoke, their emotions rising and falling with his words.
"Wizards aren't good with numbers. Even now, many people still can't remember the exchange rate between Galon and Sickle, or Nat. But you must remember the following sets of numbers."
"In 1830, the world's total population exceeded one billion, and a hundred years later, in 1930, that number became two billion."
"And just last year, according to Muggle statistics, the global population had reached 5.5 billion."
After Grindelwald finished speaking, there was no reaction from the audience. Many people looked confused, and apart from a few, there was no astonishment at the data that he had imagined, which interrupted his thoughts.
Tom reluctantly raised his hand and cooperated with him.
"Mr. Riddle?"
"Mr. Grindelwald, before you mention these numbers, you should explain to them what the number one billion actually represents. After all, in the magical world, numbers exceeding one thousand or even ten thousand are rarely used."
Grindelwald slapped his forehead and finally realized the problem. So he took on the role of a math teacher again, making the students understand what a billion really was, and finally saw the scene he wanted to see.
Everyone knows there are many Muggles, but no one knew there would be this many.
Billions of dollars—even ants piled together would make your scalp tingle.
"And what about the total wizard population?" Grindelwald countered, not expecting anyone to provide an answer, and simply stating it himself.
"Since the establishment of the Ministry of Magic, the wizard population has been kept in statistics, but from that time to now, the total wizard population has remained basically unchanged [basically fluctuating between the main South City and four million].
"How is that possible?!" someone exclaimed. "The Muggle population has increased more than tenfold, so why hasn't the wizard population changed?"
After saying that, the student realized that he had actually dared to contradict Grindelwald, and quickly lowered his head to make himself less noticeable.
Grindelwald didn't hold a grudge over such a thing. Instead, he said calmly, "When I saw these messages, I had the same thoughts as you, but facts are facts. This isn't magic; it can't be changed by human will."
"Later, after my team conducted research, we arrived at two conclusions."
"First, wizards are generally less fertile than Muggles. Many Muggles will continue to reproduce once they have enough to live on, but what about wizards? Very few families can have two or more offspring. The Weasley family, with seven children, is a legendary story in the entire wizarding world."
Upon hearing this, several Weasleys blushed, their feelings extremely complicated, unsure whether to feel proud or embarrassed.
Many of the pureblooded Slytherin looked at them with envy, brothers and sisters... this thing was too luxurious for them. Malfoy was one of them, even though he usually used Weasley's family background to mock Ronald.
But it's also true that many people envy Weasley's influence.
Tom nodded repeatedly; he had noticed this too. Otherwise, why would he have so many girlfriends? Wasn't it all to ensure the smooth expansion of the Del family?
"Secondly," Grindelwald said, silencing the murmurs that had just begun, his spirits lifting, "the wizard population is actually far greater than the statistics suggest, but most of them are 'squigglies'."
"Are there really that many duds?" Filch muttered in disbelief, though his voice was low, Grindelwald still caught it.
"Of course, you are... Filch, right?"
Filch nodded, flattered, and Grindelwald continued to explain:
"A Squib usually refers to someone born into a wizarding family who is unable to use magic, but I've broadened the definition to include someone who possesses magical abilities but is unable to use them. There are many such people."
"Wizards inevitably experience magical upheavals in their childhood.
Some people experience very weak upheavals, and with the constant exposure to the worldview of Muggle society, they do not believe in the existence of supernatural forces.
Over time, their magic will subside and eventually become stagnant."
"They should have been members of the wizarding world, but for various reasons, they were ultimately turned away."
"As they become more convinced of what they call truth, the number of wizards born among Muggles will decrease."
Dumbledore looked up at Grindelwald's serious face.
This old friend has changed a lot, but his core awareness and sense of crisis remain unchanged, and he is still wary of the world.
No one can judge whether this is right or wrong; can he say that having a sense of crisis is wrong?
But Grindelwald can't make everyone like him. When everyone has a sense of crisis, it's no longer a sense of crisis, but naked antagonism.
Being vigilant should be the responsibility of a very small minority; for most ordinary people, knowing too much will only disrupt their normal lives.
"Mr. Grindelwald, these are not issues that students need to worry about."
Dumbledore said in a deep voice, "The Ministry of Magic was originally established to promote the Act of Secrecy, to help wizards live normal lives, and to perfectly hide themselves in Muggle society. So far, they have done a good job, and there are already people working hard for it."
"There are indeed overlooked wizarding talents, but Hogwarts has the means left by its founders. At least in England, I can guarantee that most of the children who are qualified to study at Hogwarts are sitting here."
"Well done?" Grindelwald suddenly burst into exaggerated laughter, and after laughing for a long time, he abruptly looked at Dumbledore. "Are you sure, Dumbledore? Are you sure our existence is unknown to Muggles?"
A bad feeling welled up inside Dumbledore, but Grindelwald gave him no chance to react, taking out a few more photos, enlarging them, and hanging them on the blackboard.
Then, screams echoed throughout the auditorium.
The open class ended without a conclusion, and all the students returned to the lounge under the guidance of their grade leader. However, the impact of the lesson was far from over.
"Damn it! Those Muggles deserve to die! I'm going to kill them all when I graduate!"
Slytherin's students were gathered in the lounge. Evra roared, his face flushed red. Thinking of the photos he had just seen, he wished he could immediately become a powerful dark wizard and slaughter Muggles.
0… Please give me flowers…
Apart from him, most people reacted in the same way, clearly having been quite provoked.
Daphne curled up in Tom's arms, her little face pale, and Astoria was in a similar state. Tom could only hold them both together to make them feel a little better.
All the fear and anger stemmed from those last two photos.
The fear stemmed from the photos of several children, some around their age or even younger, being dissected. There were no mosaics; the images were laid bare, starkly presented to everyone, revealing extreme cruelty and gore.
The anger stemmed from the children's identities.
They were all wizards, or more precisely, wizards whose parents noticed something amiss during a magical outburst and who were taken to the hospital and the official out-of-school school in the city of Kelvin.
Slytherin, though extremely xenophobic among purebloods, ultimately sees Muggle-born wizards and half-bloods as his own kind, and seeing those photos naturally evokes feelings of shared sorrow.
There are no secrets that stay hidden forever. How could a complete society of three million people be hidden in the Muggle world without a single word being leaked?
At least those in front of the pyramids knew of the existence of wizards, just as Sirius Black's wanted poster was on Muggle news, and after Voldemort's resurrection, Scrimgeour also communicated with the Muggle prime minister.
Since they are different from ordinary people, they are bound to be coveted. The students don't understand this principle, but even the adults in the magical world seem not to understand it, which is the most puzzling point for Tom.
When Dumbledore saw these two photos and Grindelwald explained their origins, his shock and surging anger were unmistakable. "He was genuinely shocked by it."
Seeing the agitated little snakes, who seemed ready to burst out of the school at any moment and wreak havoc in Muggle society, Tom had no choice but to speak up.
"Quiet."
The magical voice instantly suppressed all the noise and emotions, drawing everyone's attention to it.
Tom looked around and said slowly, "Since Grindelwald has produced these two photos, the fate of this group is self-evident. You won't find a target for revenge if you want to."
Considering Grindelwald's style and principles, everyone felt that Tom's words made a lot of sense, and their emotions calmed down.
"Tragedy has always existed, and danger is always around us. This is no different from the witch hunts we learned about in the history of magic class, except that it is more covert and has become the work of a few people."
"You don't need to think too much about this. I'm on the wizard's side, but I don't support retaliation."
"Why!" a student couldn't help but ask.
"Because you do not know who your enemy is."
Normally, if anyone dared to challenge him, Tom would write their name down in his little notebook, but now he understood everyone's feelings and was more patient: "Randomly retaliating against Muggles will only increase the risk of the wizarding world being exposed.
At that time, you will be sinners against wizards.
Can you bear such a sin?"
"Besides... Dumbledore was right just now."
Tom said softly, "The Ministry of Magic's responsibility is naturally to be the Ministry of Magic. If they can't solve it, then they should find someone else who can."
Chapter 415 You and I Have Never Been Enemies, Cassandra's Panic
In the principal's office, Dumbledore, unusually, lost his composure and had a heated argument with Grindelwald.
"You shouldn't have told the child these things! Why didn't you talk to me first!"
"Because I know this will be your reaction, would telling you even have the effect I want?"
"Gellert, are you just trying to stir up trouble?"
"No, I just want them to know the reality and cruelty of the world, instead of living in the protective net you've woven all the time."
"They're still children!"
"Everyone has the right to know the truth."
Neither of them could convince the other.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, his breathing much heavier than usual, and the office fell into a brief silence.
Grindelwald simply stood up, took out the photos, and showed them to the past principals who were peeking at them, explaining the origin of the photos.
Before long, the principals' angry roars echoed through the office.
Phineas pointed at Dumbledore and demanded, "Dumbledore, is this the peaceful era you're talking about? The Master has been reduced to a Muggle's guinea pig! You should have turned the world upside down with this guy back then!"
"Phineas!" Armando Dippet shouted, wanting to say something, but ultimately it turned into a helpless sigh.
"Mr. Grindelwald, did you rescue those children?"
Grindelwald said calmly, "I found them a place to rest in peace.
Everyone who did it will be buried with them.
As for the deeper mastermind, it hasn't been uncovered yet.
The Muggle-employment relationship is very peculiar, and the intricate web is comparable to that of spies and moles.
It will take some time."
"You were right this time, Dark Lord." Phineas didn't hold back his praise.
Throughout the entire process, Dumbledore simply listened and watched quietly, without uttering a single rebuttal, and in his heart, he did not think that Grindelwald's actions were too ruthless.
Perhaps if he were in that situation, he too would have been unable to resist killing him?
Grindelwald turned around and returned to his seat, but did not sit down.
He looked down at the old man and said, "I've said it before, we have never been enemies and we never will be, because we both have this world in our hearts, only our methods and approaches are different."
"You're too passive. You always wait for your opponent to make a move before you react. You did that to me before, and you did it to Voldemort."
"Albus, it's time for you to make a change. When you stagnate, you are actually falling behind."
After saying that, Grindelwald left the office without waiting for Dumbledore's reaction. He still had to explain the source and discovery of the photos to Tom.
As for whether Dumbledore can come to his senses and change his aging mindset, he doesn't know, but he hopes to see the ambitious Albus Dumbledore who always wanted to make his voice heard in the world.
Inside the learning space.
The group sat around a round table, Tom sipping tea as he listened to Grindelwald recount his findings based on the intelligence provided by Robert.
Is the use of young wizards for experiments an official practice in North America?
No, but the people who do these things can influence or even manipulate the authorities, so there's really no difference.
"They know very little about wizards and only believe that this is a mutation that occurs in a minority of people."
Grindelwald said with a cold laugh, "We have to thank the prejudice against Muggles in North America back then, which has kept exchanges between the two sides very limited until now.
If those people knew that at least 100,000 wizards lived in their country, they probably wouldn't be able to sleep soundly."
Ravenclaw frowned. The experiments she had conducted were even more brutal than those in the photographs, and Slytherin's were even more so. However, both of them targeted those who deserved their fate or their enemies, so they had some psychological burden but not much.
Those people were using children...
Even with her raven-like temperament, she felt anger. Her beautiful eyes glanced at Tom, who hadn't spoken yet. If Ravenclaw was like this, then the others were even more so.
The most violent Andros was stirring with energy, eager to go out and wreak havoc.
Some things can't be rushed.
Tom finally put down his teacup. "Rowena, you know better than we do the consequences of indiscriminately slaughtering Muggles.
A full-scale war is out of the question.
There are thousands upon thousands of amplified Little Boys right now.
A direct war would only lead to the destruction of both sides."
"You are not invincible, and neither am I now."
As he said this, the boy looked at Andros.
Andros snorted somewhat defiantly: "I can kill hundreds of Muggles silently, and I'll take full responsibility for the consequences."
"Look, you're in such a rush again." Tom sighed. "I didn't say you weren't allowed to handle it. Things have to be done one step at a time, right?"
"The technology of physical possession hasn't been fully developed yet, so no matter how angry you are now, it won't change anything. Do you expect me to just go ahead and attack?"
Andros fell silent after that.
Ravenclaw nodded slightly, understanding Tom's meaning, which coincided with her own thoughts.
No matter what happens, as long as it doesn't affect core interests or the overall situation, you must not lose your footing; otherwise, you'll only lose sight of the bigger picture and completely lose your way.
"You really don't seem like a teenager."
Grindelwald chuckled. He hadn't told Tom immediately after receiving the news because he was afraid Tom might do something rash in a moment of impulse. Other boys might have the desire but not the ability, but Tom did.
Looking back, I realize I was overthinking things. Tom was much more composed than him. He had killed quite a few people to vent his anger before he finally calmed down.
"I will send people to keep following up. Your main focus now is to improve your strength. Don't be like me back then, putting the cart before the horse."
Grindelwald was referring to himself as a negative example of neglecting to improve his strength, believing that he was invincible with the Elder Wand, and excessively focusing on expanding his power.
Tom nodded slightly, stretched, and his figure slowly faded away, appearing in the meditation room in the blink of an eye.
Grindelwald's open lectures brought about some changes to the school, yet it seemed as if nothing had changed at all.
The students attended classes as usual, and everything proceeded in an orderly manner. The news that evening was sent out, but it was stopped by an invisible hand.
The Daily Prophet also did not report on it. Some things, even if they have already spread, cannot be brought to the forefront, otherwise the consequences of conflicting plans would be even more unimaginable.
But in some people's hearts, the seeds have already been planted, waiting for the right opportunity to take root, sprout, blossom, and bear fruit...
After class in the afternoon, Tom originally wanted to accompany Fleur to do some training, but he was blocked at the door again.
"I've already talked to Delacour, and she'll lend me you for an hour," Cassandra cut him off before he could speak.
Tom was speechless. What did he mean by "borrow an hour"? It made him seem like some kind of big shot.
He's a complete scoundrel, okay?
However, seeing Cassandra bracing herself against the strange looks from so many people to come to him, Tom nodded, spoke to Daphne, and followed behind Cassandra as the two walked out of the castle.
This was Cassandra's second visit to Hogwarts, and she was quite familiar with the castle. She quickly led Tom to the Black Lake. The weather was nice today, and even the giant squid was basking in the sun.
Seeing that Cassandra didn't speak, Mu could only take the initiative to start a conversation.
"When did you and Furong become so close?"
Cassandra turned around and said sarcastically in a somewhat sarcastic tone, "This is called sticking together for warmth. We are all outsiders, while you Hogwarts have a large and powerful population. If we don't unite, who knows how badly we'll be bullied."
Tom pretended to be stupid, not even changing the frequency of his blinking.
That's right, he just couldn't tell whether Cassandra was really talking about Hogwarts or the branch of a little witch by someone's side.
"That's great. You should communicate more and try to get good results in this competition."
The girl rolled her eyes at him, knowing that Tom was pretending to be stupid, but there was nothing she could do about it. The initiative was always in the hands of those who had nothing to lose.
"I have a question for you today." Cassandra took a deep breath and cut to the chase, "What's wrong with you lately? Why do you seem so uninterested in what I'm saying about 'other products'?"
Cassandra came to Hogwarts with great enthusiasm, not only to participate in the competition, but also, of course, to see the boy in front of her and show him her achievements in North America.
But after arriving, the girl found that reality was not as wonderful as she had imagined. Last week, she finally found Tom's free time, but his proud achievements did not move him. Although Tom performed very well, Cassandra could still feel that the praise was superficial.
This made her a little panicked. She couldn't compare to Tom in terms of strength and talent, and she wasn't even the most outstanding among the other girls. The only thing she could boast about was her business talent, which she discovered by chance.
Tom used to value money a lot, and she thought she was important, but now she's lost interest. Does that mean she's useless now?
Cassandra hasn't been eating or sleeping well these past few days. After much hesitation and agonizing, she decided to ask for clarification, otherwise these questions would continue to bother her.
Tom looked into the girl's big eyes, which held both stubbornness and panic. After a moment's thought, he could roughly guess what she was thinking.
A gentle smile immediately appeared on his face, and he stepped forward to close the distance between them.
"Cassandra, you've misunderstood me." Tom looked her in the eye sincerely, and even if Cassandra wanted to avoid his gaze, she couldn't. "I'm not interested in money. I've never touched any money."
Chapter 416 Psychology Master Riddell, The Unremarkable Voldemort
In psychology, the technique of cold reading is used to quickly gain trust and goodwill by observing, listening to, and saying things that resonate with the other person's feelings when they are confused.
All of this is predicated on hitting the other party's weak points and identifying the key points that need to be addressed.
Tom was definitely an expert in this area; he saw through Cassandra's current state, which was a lack of self-confidence and a fear of being abandoned.
Could this kid have developed Stockholm Syndrome from being beaten up by him last year?
"Cassandra, I've never cared about money."
Tom cleared his throat, straightened his back, and the girl looked at him with a confused expression: "You don't love money? Who was it that came all the way to North America to collect the debt from me for Galon? And who was it that made me report sales figures every week?"
"That's to keep you on your toes," Tom said earnestly. "I finally discovered your talent and wanted you to work hard in business. Of course, I also needed to put some pressure on you. Now that you're a qualified shrewd businessman, I'm naturally no longer interested in money."
"So that's how it is..."
The only glimmer of light in the girl's eyes vanished.
Sure enough... she said money was meaningless to Tom; whatever amount of money he needed, that spoiled rich girl Daphne would just throw it all at him.
She was still of no use.
KTVs operate by undermining a person's confidence and then "rescuing" them from their slump.
Tom used this method with even greater skill; it had become ingrained in his instincts, and he would use it unconsciously.
Seeing that Cassandra was about to doubt her own value and meaning and completely reach a dead end if she continued like this, he continued, "But what you are doing now is very important to me."
The girl suddenly looked up!
Tom held her shoulders and said seriously, "'I Talk' has far more potential than this. I've been researching more features. With the channels you have, once I finish my research, we can sell the new product to wizards in North America much faster."
"So Cassandra, don't think what you're doing is meaningless.
Money is just a number; we don't need it, but we can use it to get what we need.
When you go back, you need to continue working hard so that every wizarding family has the products your family sells.
That way, I can have an easier time in the future.
Do you understand?"
Cassandra's dejected aura vanished quickly, her beautiful emerald eyes regained their sparkle, and she nodded earnestly at Tom's sincere expression. Then, realizing she had been too hasty, she quickly raised her chin and gave a soft snort.
"I knew you couldn't live without me. Just wait and see, the Walley family will become the strongest business family in North America."
Tom showered her with compliments, and although she tried her best to hold back, Cassandra's eyes were all smiles when they returned to the castle, and she walked as if she were walking on cotton.
Watching the girl's figure disappear down the stairs, Tom thought that for the next few months, or even a year or two, he wouldn't need to give Cassandra any more pep talks; she would fill in the blanks herself.
At that moment, Ginny appeared out of nowhere, like a ghost, and said in a low voice, "Only managed to fool one?"
Ouch!
Tom flicked her forehead without even turning his head. Ginny covered her forehead, feeling wronged. "Am I wrong? Look at Wally, his mouth is practically pointing to the sky."
"Don't talk nonsense." Tom turned around and ruffled Ginny's hair. "Cassandra and I were just having a serious discussion about future product expansion methods and channels, and she was happy."
"Because I can make lots and lots of money right away."
Ginny's eyes lit up at the mention of making money.
"Tom, I want to make money too!"
The Weasley family's situation is not very optimistic, even with two graduates. This family is really strange. The older generation never cares about money. "Even if the vault is empty, they are still happy all day long."
The younger generation values money above all else. In order to make money, Gemini has recently reduced his pranks and spends his spare time doing odd jobs for him. As for Ronald, needless to say, he dreams about Galon.
It turns out Ginny is a little money-grubber too, she's hopeless.
However, Ginny never directly asked him for money. Instead, she wanted to work for him like the twins. Unfortunately, the girl had no talent in alchemy. Tom could only fill her coffers through other means.
"If you want to make money, work hard to become stronger. After you graduate, you can be my bodyguard."
Ginny blinked. "Me, protect you?"
What makes her so special that she's protecting Tom? The little witch she trained doesn't know Tom's current level, but he's at least ten times stronger than her.
"Is there a problem?" the boy asked matter-of-factly. "What level of weaklings do you think you're worthy of my attention? I used to take matters into my own hands because you weren't ready yet.
That would be beneath me.
Once you're capable of handling things on your own, what's the point of training you?"
That makes sense.
Before the girl knew it, she had been completely fooled. He made a solemn promise that, like the small fry in the alley last time, she would be in charge from now on.
The two chatted for a while longer until they were walking towards the auditorium when Ginny remembered her real purpose for finding Tom.
"Keep an eye on Hermione. She was acting strange today. After class, she kept flipping through books in the lounge and became irritable. Ronald and Harry raised their voices a bit and got a good scolding from her."
"Something's not right?" Tom thought carefully about Hermione's behavior today, then nodded without saying anything. "Okay, let's go down."
As it turned out, Ginny's observations were quite sharp; Hermione was indeed acting strangely, having been provoked by Grindelwald's photograph and starting to obsess over her own actions, wanting to end the tragedy on her own.
What methods could she use?
It's nothing more than finding similar events in books and using the wisdom of predecessors to solve problems, but such matters are too sensitive, and few books record Muggles' covetousness and research on wizards, even medieval issues are only mentioned in passing.
Most importantly, even if Hermione had an idea, what was her status and what qualifications did she have to implement it?
So Tom had an extra task these days—to enlighten his dear Miss Know-It-All and help Hermione understand the priorities.
No matter what dreams or ideals you have, what matters is whether your own abilities and status match them. Otherwise, you cannot achieve the unity of knowledge and action.
Hermione's stubborn personality meant that even Tom's silver tongue and skill in manipulating people wouldn't change her.
It wasn't until the weekend that the little witch gradually shifted her attention.
Saturday is a bit special compared to the previous two weeks because today there is not only a fourth-year Duel Tournament match, but also a Quidditch match.
Therefore, the timing was adjusted so that Quidditch could be played first to relax the players before the duels began.
The two teams competing are Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Gryffindor lost the first match last semester because of the Dementors. Now they are on the brink of elimination. If they lose this match, or if they win by a small margin, it will be very difficult for them to win the championship.
Therefore, Wood valued this game above all else, including his upcoming NEWTs exam, and led the team in extra training for three consecutive days, making specific adjustments to target Ravenclaw.
As soon as the match started—no, before the match even began—Wood was dealt a severe blow.
Ravenclaw's Seeker, Cho Zhang, is also a Firebolt!
Commentator Lee Jordan also noticed the problem. After hearing Slytherin's laughter and sarcasm, he realized that it was the broom that Tom had lent to Cho, who had been grumbling about how unfair it was and had been warned by Professor McGonagall several times.
Professor McGonagall was also in a difficult position, but there was no rule against using a borrowed broom; it was perfectly legal and compliant.
Equipment is also part of Quidditch.
Fortunately for McGonagall, the gap in strength between the two teams was not something that could be bridged by a simple broom.
Qiu Fei was good, but Ravenclaw, having replaced most of its players, had no coordination whatsoever.
Everyone was fighting their own battles, fully demonstrating the true value of the disorganized Ravenclaw.
Harry successfully caught the Golden Snitch, and Gryffindor won by a large margin of 240 to 30.
At the highest point of the main seating area, Grindelwald watched as Tom slipped onto the field and comforted the girl who had just experienced a defeat. [He pursed his lips.]
What's so good about women?
They don't understand your lofty ideals, which can distract you and hinder your ability to accomplish great things.
Without these little witches, Grindelwald is confident that M would be even stronger than he is now.
What a load of rubbish... How can such a smart kid not understand that women only slow down the speed at which you wave your magic wand?
Then, Grindelwald's gaze shifted to the other side, where Harry and his teammates were celebrating wildly their victory in this crucial battle, and Wood excitedly ruffled his hair into a mess.
"Dumbledore, is this the savior you've been grooming?"
Grindelwald's gaze was sharp, as if he could see right through the scarred boy. After a few seconds, he shook his head: "Aside from some athletic talent, which proves that he has good reflexes, I haven't seen anything unusual about him during this time."
"You're at it again, always placing your hopes on others. First it was Scamander, now it's Harry Potter. Aren't you tired of this childish game of playing house?"
Upon hearing Grindelwald's words, Dumbledore fell into deep thought.
He wasn't annoyed by Grindelwald's mockery of his style of doing things, but rather felt a sudden, dazed awakening.
Savior...
He hadn't heard that title in a long time.
This isn't Harry's problem, it's Voldemort's problem.
Voldemort's presence this year has been so weak that he's almost forgotten about him.
Unfortunately, it turned out that...
Just today, not long ago, after countless hardships and arduous journeys, the 'great' Dark Lord finally welcomed his loyal servant—Bellatrix Lestrange.