Dumbledore rubbed his brows helplessly. If he had time later, he would try to find a way to resolve the misunderstanding between Fox and Elena. It would not be an option to continue like this.
Moreover, as far as he knew, in many ancient legends in the magical world, there were many wizards who speculated that there was some mysterious blood connection between the phoenix and the Veela who could transform into a firebird.
The old man raised his head and glanced at the delicate-faced little mixed-race Veela, thinking that maybe one person and one bird should be given more opportunities to get along with each other in the future. After all, judging from the harmonious relationship between the girl and her little owl pet, Elena also
Not the kind of kid who hates and is afraid of magical animals.
"Eh? Professor Dumbledore, is there something dirty on my face?"
Elena tilted her head in confusion, lying on the wooden spiral staircase and looking at Dumbledore. Her long, silky silver hair hung down from her shoulders. Her sudden cute appearance made Dumbledore realize for the first time that the Bulgarian wizards would be charming.
It is not entirely without reason that the baby is defined as the national mascot.
"Ahem. It's nothing, it's just that the letter has arrived."
After being in a daze for less than two seconds, Dumbledore quickly came to his senses. He opened the letter in his hand and took a look. He raised the corners of his mouth and said with a smile, "That's good news. The temporary professor I found for you has agreed."
, let’s get ready to go.”
"Oh." Elena curled her lips without interest, paused for a moment and then suddenly raised her head, "Let's go?! Where to go?! I thought they should teach me magic in Hogwarts."
"Austria, Nurmengard Castle, you have been there before. Of course, you may have to stay at least four or five days this time. Let me think about it, in this case, two sets of changes of clothes, belongings, crucible and scale... Of course,
I definitely have to bring some basic textbooks with me.”
Dumbledore smiled easily, tapped the letter in his hand with his index finger, and began to inventory various items in a low voice. From what the old man meant, it seemed that Elena would at least spend some time in that place.
Austria, Nurmengard Castle?
"etc……"
A name instantly appeared in Elena's mind. The girl took a breath of air and said slowly and thoughtfully, with a strong sense of disbelief in her tone, "You can't be serious, can you? Then
How can I explain this at my school and college, where there are so many professors and staff..."
"The resistance of first-year wizards to curses is inherently weak, and it is not uncommon at Hogwarts for people to be injured and hospitalized right after the start of school. Of course, your friends will have professors there to explain it."
Dumbledore shrugged and said nonchalantly, as the principal of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it is too easy to make a student disappear for a reasonable period of time.
"The key now is your attitude."
After a pause, the old man's blue eyes looked at Elena through the half-moon lenses, falling on the girl's delicate face, and said softly, "If you don't want to, of course you can refuse."
"How could you refuse?"
Elena looked down at the back of her smooth left hand, clenched her little fist and waved, jumping up and down the steps to the door, "I'm going to pack my luggage right now."
After saying that, Elena opened the wooden door of the office and ran out happily.
"This kid...hey, I don't know if what I did is right or not. What do you think, Fox?"
The old man smiled and shook his head, turned his head to look at the fire that appeared again next to him, and asked seriously as if he were facing a friend.
Fawkes let out a soft chirp, landed on Dumbledore's shoulder, and pressed her beautiful head against the old man's cheek. It was as warm as the sun, exuding a reassuring aura.
"Thank you, Fawkes." Dumbledore touched this beautiful creature that had been with him for almost fifty years. He was about to say something when he suddenly felt that the big bird's soft body suddenly became stiff.
Click.
The door to the principal's office, which had been closed for a while, opened again.
"Professor Dumbledore, could you please take me to the Hufflepuff common room?"
Elena poked her head in from outside the door, with a somewhat awkward yet polite smile on her face. She glanced at the beautiful crimson bird on the old man's shoulder and waved her hand in a friendly manner, "Hi, Fox, it's very nice.
Nice to see you again."
Hearing Elena's voice, Fox turned his head and took a deep look at the silver-haired little witch who appeared in the office.
Before Dumbledore could speak, the phoenix let out a sweet chirp, turned into a golden red flame without hesitation, and disappeared into the office again.
"It seems that maybe we have to find another way to get to Nurmengard Castle." Dumbledore sighed helplessly. After sending Elena away, he needed to communicate with Fox.
…………
Austria, Nurmengard Castle
Surrounded by layers of snow-capped mountains, a cold, pitch-black castle far away from human habitation stands on the cliff. An extraordinarily tall tower is built near the cliff.
A towering wall surrounds the castle, blocking most people from the possibility of climbing over.
"Like Hogwarts, Nurmengard Castle is surrounded by magic that prevents disapparation, so from here we have to enter on foot."
Dumbledore pulled Elena along the rugged trail, and the old man temporarily put away the luggage using magic.
Due to Phoenix Fawkes' strike, Dumbledore could only apparate with Elena to a location halfway up the mountain, but fortunately, the distance from the castle was not too far.
"Speaking of which, Professor Dumbledore, why haven't I seen a single guard along the way?"
The previous time, the two of them landed directly on the tower by relying on the magical power of the Phoenix. Therefore, strictly speaking, this was the first time that Elena had completely observed the entire Nurmengard Castle.
Judging from the rugged trail that is overgrown with weeds and has obvious traces of rain erosion, this place seems to have been abandoned for a long time.
"Nurmengard is different from Azkaban. The protective spell here can operate automatically without human supervision. What's more, no one can take Gellert away from here unless he is willing."
Dumbledore was panting and walking at the front, his wand moving deftly in the air from time to time. Obviously, this place was not as defenseless as it seemed.
Elena blinked and couldn't help but boldly asked curiously, "Professor Dumbledore, so what happened back then? Did you really defeat Grindelwald? Why did he actually listen to you?
Are you voluntarily imprisoned in this place?"
"It's just an ordinary duel between wizards. You will know it later. I told you that I will tell you after you graduate."
Dumbledore glanced at the curious baby behind him who kept asking questions along the way, and lightly blocked all the questions in Elena's mouth.
"Ah, this is it -"
Dumbledore suddenly stopped about ten meters away from the castle, so that Elena, who was following him, did not stop and accidentally bumped into the old man's back.
"Huh? But isn't it still that far away? Could it be that the castle will grow legs and run over on its own?" Elena looked into the distance in confusion, rubbed her forehead, and asked curiously.
"In a sense, you are right. From here to the door, there are checkpoints set by the European Ministry of Magic. Once someone steps on it, the ministry's alarm will be triggered. As for other ways to enter..."
A complicated look flashed in Dumbledore's eyes. He raised his wand and drew a complicated trajectory in the air. The entrance to the castle that seemed to be more than ten meters away quickly grew in size and appeared in two places almost instantly.
in front of people.
Right above the entrance to the gate of Nurmengard Castle is carved a line of Grindelwald's famous saying: "For the greater good."
It was this sentence that divided all the people in the wizarding world into two factions, and they fought and fought for several years. However, to this day, almost no one in the world knows that this sentence is regarded as a life creed by countless supporters of Grindelwald.
The motto actually has a complete text.
A provocative point of view first put forward by Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the trusted patron saint of the wizarding world, in a letter he wrote to Grindelwald when he was young.
.
This is why Dumbledore intentionally or unintentionally avoided the gate every time he came to Nurmengard Castle.
"I'm sorry..." Dumbledore had a look of guilt and annoyance in his eyes, gently touched the stone wall, and whispered.
(Click here to view: The original letter Dumbledore wrote to Grindelwald)
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rua~ I can’t bear to write down the word count, it’s heartbreaking..