The Return to Hogwarts

"You made me impersonate you, while you yourself became that little girl, Beauxbatons. Clona impersonated Moody, and Voldemort was resurrected. You and Albus knew all of this, didn't you? And what exactly is going on between you and Albus?"

Just as you guessed--

Amosta returned to his desk with his tea and said calmly.

"All of this was indeed within the sights of Dumbledore and me. Yes, we tacitly approved Voldemort's return to the wizarding world—"

Amosta repeated to Remus what he had said to Severus earlier.

"As for my relationship with Dumbledore..."

Amosta rubbed his temples as he said, "You can understand it as us having some differences in our philosophies on how to deal with the impending war. But our goals are the same."

"Albus and you are both our hope for victory, Amosta—"

After listening to Amosta's explanation, Remus remained silent for a long time, then solemnly said,

"If anyone wants a conflict between the two of you, it's Voldemort."

"rest assured--"

Amosta nodded slightly.

"On the day I decided to return to Hogwarts, I think Dumbledore and I both anticipated that there would be some conflict between us, but the conflict would not escalate, and we would seek common ground while reserving differences."

Amosta's assurances reassured Remus considerably, but he soon became worried again.

"Albus gave me and Sirius similar tasks. He disagreed with my plan to leave the alchemy workshop; he wanted me to secure the support of my business partners. He said the workshop with the goblins was equally important and hoped I could ensure its smooth operation. Furthermore, he planned to reorganize the Order of the Phoenix as soon as possible, Amostella—"

Remus looked into Amosta's eyes, hesitating.

"Given the current situation, do you think it's appropriate for us to leave the UK to promote our business?"

"certainly--"

Amosta said

“To be honest, Remus, the reason I partnered with the goblins to open this alchemy workshop wasn’t to line my own pockets. Its primary purpose is to ensure Hogwarts’ independence and to prevent it from being controlled by the Ministry of Magic and the Board of Governors due to financial issues. Dumbledore understands the importance of this, which is why he’s asking you to run the workshop properly.”

Remus frowned slightly; he seemed to understand Amosta's meaning, but not quite.

"Make preparations as soon as possible, and we'll set off after Easter."

Amosta finally finalized the deal.

Time suddenly became urgent. Voldemort's return, which had only taken a few hours, had already disrupted Amostella's orderly life. He sent out several letters before he had time to summon Krum using the Patronus.

"Please sit down."

Amosta walked from the fireplace to the sofa, handed Krum a cup of herbal tea with a unique aroma, and smiled gently at the anxious-looking young man.

"Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now, Viktor, but I just haven't found the right time."

As a top-tier Quidditch star renowned throughout the wizarding world, Krum, though not yet twenty, had seen his share of grand occasions. Yet, he couldn't help but feel nervous in front of this equally young wizard, especially since the other had uttered such ambiguous words.

"You want to know something about Durmstrang?"

Krum's tone was reserved.

"I think Professor Karkaroff must have warned you beforehand not to reveal too much about your school. Oh, but if I may be so bold, he can't stop me if I want to find out anything—"

Amosta smiled.

"What truly confuses me is you, Viktor—"

Amosta moved closer to the sofa, her expression still gentle, but her gaze towards Krum held a hint of inquiry.

"We first met at last year's Quidditch World Finals, Viktor. Forgive my bluntness, but that night, and after you arrived at Hogwarts last year, I could sense some of your respect for me."

This isn't surprising. Just as many Quidditch enthusiasts idolize you, it's not surprising that someone from Durmstrang, who values ​​power more, would admire my magical abilities. But what I'm curious about is... when did I start noticing that you seem somewhat fearful or repulsed when facing me? What, did Karkaroff share some dirt on me with you?"

Facing Krum, who had his head down, Amosta said in a joking tone,

"Oh, of course, this is just small talk to get to the point. If you don't think I'm trustworthy, you're free not to tell me—"

Chapter 868 The Ownership of the Elder Wand

2024-04-17

Upon hearing Professor Blaine's question, Krum's pupils involuntarily contracted, and he was deeply shaken.

During his limited interactions with Professor Blaine, he carefully controlled his emotions, but to his surprise, Professor Blaine still saw through his disguise. Should he feel alarmed, or should he admire Amosta Blaine, who is hailed as the most powerful wizard of our time, for his keen perception?

Viktor bit his lip and did not answer immediately.

But then again, how should I answer this question?

Should I try to brush it off? Oh, I'm afraid I can't. Or should I just keep quiet? After all, Professor Blaine has said he doesn't force himself to answer.

Amos took a sip of herbal tea, a beverage he had enjoyed in Germany when he was investigating Hermione's case. He found it quite delightful to drink occasionally.

Viktor remained silent, and Amosta did not seem eager for an answer, just as he had said before, it didn't matter if Krum didn't want to answer.

"Professor Blaine, what do you think—"

The light and shadow outside the window shifted silently, sunlight falling on Krum's pale face, which had suddenly changed drastically. He looked at Amosta cautiously, his tone hesitant.

Do you think what Gellert Grindelwald did was right?

Without warning, Amosta's eyebrows furrowed. He had anticipated several possible answers from Viktor, but he hadn't expected the boy to ask this question—what did it have to do with the change in his attitude toward him?

Gellert Grindelwald

Amostella's thoughts drifted for a moment, and the image of the thinly dressed, aged old man on the tower of Nurmengard appeared before his eyes, and within his hunched and emaciated body, perhaps, a trace of throbbing heart was still hidden.

"Without a doubt, this is a wizard of unparalleled talent, possessing magical power that ordinary people cannot even dream of—"

Suppressing his doubts, Amosta calmly gave his assessment, and before Krum could show any disappointment, he continued,

"To some extent, he possesses extraordinary wisdom. Half a century ago, he was able to clearly see that the rapidly developing Muggles would have a strong impact on wizarding society, but I do not agree with his approach to this crisis."

Under Viktor's gaze, Amosta spoke frankly,

"He gathered a group of people, using lofty ideals as an excuse and war as a means, in an attempt to enslave Muggles who far outnumber us, hoping to highlight the nobility and distinction of wizards. To be honest, this was extremely foolish."

"why?"

Viktor spat it out, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Amosta smiled and pointed to the ground.

"As you probably know, Hogwarts was founded a thousand years ago by four great wizards: Salazar Slaterlin, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor."

These four wizards came from prestigious families. In today's terms, they were all direct descendants of pure-blood wizarding families. You know, a thousand years ago, magic was mainly passed down through families, and there was also a master-disciple system of transmission, but that was still narrow and limited.

So do you know why the four great founders of Hogwarts, in such a closed era, defied the world to create Hogwarts and openly teach magic, Viktor?

Just like when facing a professor's question in class, Krum frowned and pondered for a while before saying in an uncertain tone,

"Because those magical families can't exist forever. If magic is limited to family inheritance, then magic will disappear sooner or later?"

"Demstrang adds five points--"

Amosta chuckled.

"That's right, exactly. Gellert Grindelwald made at least three serious mistakes."

Firstly, he believed that wizards, possessing magical powers, could force Muggles to submit. However, he failed to realize that tyranny inevitably invites resistance. For the sake of personal freedom and independence, Muggles would unite and never yield.

Secondly, destroying Muggles is destroying ourselves. The four founders of Hogwarts saw this very clearly. If magic is passed down through families, then magic will inevitably die out. However, among the Muggles, whose numbers far exceed those of wizards, children with magical talents can be born in an endless stream, and magic will continue to exist healthier and longer in these people.

Thirdly, oh, let me give you an example. As you probably know, I come from the Muggle world; my parents are orthodox Muggles. But you see, that doesn't prevent me from becoming a qualified wizard—you know, that's a euphemism.

Amosta smiled.

"This shows that Grindelwald's view of Muggles is entirely based on his own prejudice."

Amosta spoke at length about his views, thinking that this would be enough to clear up Krum's doubts. However, after he finished speaking, he found that Krum's eyes were filled with even more confusion.

"But, since that's the case—"

Krum said, puzzled,

"Since you look down on Grindelwald, why are you, uh, I mean, studying him?"

This time, it was Amosta who was confused.

“Research?” Amosta frowned. “What makes you think of what Karkaroff told you?”

"That mark!"

Krum finally realized that Hermione was right; he had indeed misunderstood something. However, he still couldn't help but ask,

"Perhaps you've forgotten, but before the Christmas ball, I, well, invited Hermione Granger to be my dance partner, right in front of the library—"

Speaking of this, Krum felt a little annoyed. If it weren't for the fact that his comments about Professor Blaine had angered Hermione, perhaps that charming girl might have agreed to go to the Christmas ball with him.

“When you passed by us, I saw that you were holding a manuscript with markings used by Grindelwald and his followers!”

Amostah raised an eyebrow; it took him several seconds to understand what Krkrum was talking about.

Grindelwald's mark. That's the symbol of the Deathly Hallows!

Grindelwald and his Vigilantes used the image of the Deathly Hallows as their symbol. This does indeed touch upon a blind spot in Amosta's knowledge.

He investigated the Deathly Hallows because he learned from Helga Hufflepuff's memories that they were the key to unlocking the 'Gate of Death' he had seen in the underground dungeons of Azkaban.