The stone statue came to life and jumped to the side. The wall behind it split in half, revealing a stone staircase that continued to rise, like a spiral escalator. Grindelwald stepped onto the stairs, and the wall clicked shut behind him. The stone staircase was very
He was quickly brought to a shiny oak door with a griffon-shaped copper door knocker - compared to the intricate stairs in Hogwarts, he really preferred this direct elevator.
Before he could raise his hand to knock on the door, the oak door opened automatically. Grindelwald raised his eyebrows and walked straight in.
It was half-dark in the principal's office, and the weird silver instruments on the table were sitting quietly, instead of buzzing and spinning like they were during the previous meeting. The portrait frames of all the previous principals on the wall were all at this time.
Hidden behind the golden-red curtains and behind the door, these charming big birds with swan-like heads and golden-red feathers were reluctantly pecking at the fish and rice in the trough.
"Oh, I thought you were lost, Professor Apokalis...after all...well..."
Dumbledore sat in a high-backed chair behind his desk, with a dense stack of parchment documents in his hand.
He somehow put on snow-white pajamas and a purple robe with gold on it, but he looked particularly energetic. His sharp blue eyes were staring at Grindelwald, and his solemn and serious eyes were consistent with the tone in his tone.
The casualness is totally different.
"Mr. Principal, our castle administrators just exchanged some... well, work experience."
Grindelwald grinned, spread his hands and replied with a smile, "I heard some interesting things from Mr. Filch and Mr. Black, about the interesting secrets of Hogwarts Castle, but it has yet to be confirmed -
—What about you, what are you waiting for so late at night?"
"An explanation." Dumbledore said softly.
The old man tapped the table gently, his eyes still staying on Grindelwald's face, frowning slightly.
"This is different from the original plan. I hope you can hold them back and let me handle it instead of..."
"...overwhelmingly defeating the Ministry of Magic's Aurors from the front?"
Grindelwald said, and he continued with a smile, looking around at the picture frames around his office and shaking his head, "You know, it's always difficult for people to execute a paper plan flawlessly, because reality is not just words written on paper.
I think the core content is to protect Quirrell and prevent him from being arrested and controlled by Ministry of Magic officials. As for the method - I thought I performed quite well, both in terms of actions and teaching explanations."
"Of course, the students and reporters were quite excited, obviously."
Dumbledore said softly, crossed his fingers on the edge of the table, and sighed helplessly.
"If our purpose is only to sabotage the arrest, then Cornelius Fudge will never be able to entangle me. As the principal of Hogwarts, I believe I can end the fight faster than you, but the key to the problem now is not to reveal
Instead of using force, we seek cooperation and trust——"
"No, no no..."
Grindelwald waggled his fingers, walked to the armchair opposite Dumbledore, sat down, and leaned back comfortably.
"You never understand how to apply pressure - to defeat your opponent with the unknown - which is far more threatening than seeing the process of defeat. If you can't make them feel threatened and hopeful, then you can't let them think of Hogwarts as a place.
Imaginary enemy, that is the real defeat."
After the Dark Lord finished speaking, he slowly fetched a cup of warm black tea and took a sip.
His voice echoed in the air of the office, sounding a little proud, as if he had been in Nurmengard decades ago.
Dumbledore leaned back and stared at Grindelwald.
"So, what's the reason? Gale." Dumbledore asked softly, without getting angry.
"Well... isn't it obvious, Albus?" Grindelwald concentrated on admiring the black tea in his hand - Dumbledore had regressed a lot over the years, "I have to find a way to stop those arrogant and ignorant people.
The little guys, five elite Aurors and a crazy woman, I don’t think verbal reasoning will have much effect, simple defensive magic can’t stop them from walking out——”
"You misunderstood," Dumbledore said in a calm tone, "I mean... you can obviously be stronger - well - if you decide to defeat them to prevent the secret arrest, you can do it cleanly
To end the fight, rather than a cat-and-mouse... show? Connelly's fear of Hogwarts has only recently emerged, but do you think it will really be Connelly, Dolores, who will trouble us?"
This question is very strange. Grindelwald smiled slightly and looked at Dumbledore meaningfully. He seemed to have heard this before...
"Our troubles are everywhere," Grindelwald said. "Of course I always remember that you and I are part of the troubles."
From the beginning, their real opponent was not Cornelius Fudge, nor Voldemort, but the rigid and stagnant wizarding world system represented by the Ministry of Magic. Changing the world is comparable to killing a few stubborn opponents and destroying them.
Several government agencies are much more difficult.
As the guardian of the original order of the wizarding world, Dumbledore is also the core of maintaining the afterglow of the past.
This has nothing to do with his position at this time. Even if he says nothing or does nothing, it will still affect and confirm the correctness of the past.
"Because of this," Grindelwald continued, "I have to find a way to let them see that you have changed. Even if you don't, I have to make them afraid that you are changing. We have to let the real enemy come to the forefront as soon as possible, and
We don’t have that much time to waste our time in vain and self-indulgence. Are you as naive as that little girl, thinking that you can open the door without any victims by relying on knowledge and magic?"
The principal's office fell into silence for a while.
Dumbledore glanced at Fox, who raised his head and looked around uneasily, rubbed his brows, and softened his tone slightly.
"But I should be the one to do it. Don't you think you are too conceited? What if-"
"You are too lazy." Grindelwald said rudely, narrowed his eyes and sneered.
"Besides, you can't handle so much pressure and expectations. You...have never been ready."
He knew Dumbledore too well. Ever since the tragedy decades ago, this guy had lost the courage and energy to plunge into the unknown.
In Grindelwald's view, there is considerable weakness in Albus Dumbledore's heart today, so much so that despite his proud magical strength, he always hesitates and hesitates until things develop.
When he is no longer given any room to hesitate, Dumbledore will be forced to take action with all his strength - and at that time, it is not so much a matter of turning the tide, but... a fight between trapped beasts.
"I know what you're worried about. The Ministry of Magic, the wizarding world will start investigating my identity, obviously."
Grindelwald continued, suddenly standing up and walking to the window, looking out at the sparkling Hogwarts Lake.
"A year ago, you know that when that girl kidnapped me from Nurmengard Castle, I met Kurt and others after I woke up from the hospital. In addition to having many wrinkles on their faces, those guys also had better personalities than
Decades ago, the trouble was much more awkward - from what they say, it seems that if there is a chance to be tried and imprisoned next time, they will not let me, an old guy, rob them all by myself... This is just conceited, right?"
"Not entirely, after all, your strength has declined a lot."
Dumbledore said, responding very naturally following Grindelwald's jumping topics.
"If the International Federation of Wizards discovers that you have escaped from prison, I may not need to take action. The tide of Aurors and new young wizards from various fields can bring you to justice. You don't have that many followers now -
—Of course I may have to take the blame and resign first."
"Yes, times have changed a lot..."
Grindelwald nodded, looked out the window with his hands behind his back, and sighed softly.
"In the era when I was called the Dark Lord, the pure-blood family supporters who supported me could fill the entire hall. They were all civilized people with normal rationality and could express their political pursuits and ideals openly. And.
As far as I know, decades later, the Tom Riddle who caused panic in the British wizarding world, his pure-blood followers could only stand in a small circle, wearing playful hoods, covering their faces.
Covertly, without any ideals or civilized rationality at all - Albus, do you know what these changes mean..."
Grindelwald did not wait for Dumbledore to answer, and continued to answer his own questions.
"The end. The era of pure-blood wizards ends, and the curtain call for the world of pure magic begins."
"So you plan to..."
Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully and smiled helplessly.
"Well, we have to speed up and force them to make mistakes, instead of letting them cope and keep up with the times -"
Grindelwald turned around, his eyes that were no longer clear shone with cruelty and excitement, "I, you, or more people, we have to make the entire magical world and the entire old magic system run crazily.
Get up - the collapse of the Muggle nation last Christmas told me one thing, any large and indestructible world will collapse from within. No one can pry the entire world apart from us."
"More importantly, only in this way can the future of magic be protected..."
Dumbledore took a deep look at Grindelwald, and he suddenly understood why Grindelwald had told him so much.
"Connelly may not be a qualified politician, but he is definitely an excellent politician."
"I know him very well. His biggest wish is to maintain the delicate balance between all forces in the magic world, and he doesn't want things that may cause trouble... Therefore, the pressure you put on tonight alone is not enough to make him
You have the guts to attack me and Hogwarts - to meet your requirements, the Ministry of Magic will have to make a terrible mess..."
Dumbledore stood up, picked up the pile of parchment on the table and handed it to Grindelwald.
"This is the Ministry of Magic resolution that Kingsley just sent back. Take a look. It's crazy, so you must first promise me not to..."