The Old Ones of Hogwarts

Chapter 133, Section 132: Unsatisfied Hope

Hogwarts is quiet and peaceful at night.

Occasionally, a call or two from the night breaks the silence; they may be returning to their nests or carrying messages from afar. Ancient trees sway gently in the breeze, casting dappled shadows in the moonlight.

The young wizards were already fast asleep in their respective dormitories. The moonlight, as clear as if it had been washed, gently shone on the ancient castle, draping the magic school in a silvery-white veil.

Beneath the towering skyscraper, Grindelwald seemed to be observing the stars in the night sky, the dim yellow light shining through the tower's windows onto the open space in front of him.

The lights.

The person standing in the lamplight, at this moment, seems to be guiding Ian in the direction of "returning home".

"Oh, Professor, I've killed someone. What am I going to do with my soul?" Ian wasn't really upset, but he felt he had to pretend to be a little older than he was.

Regardless of whether people believe it or not, you still have to show some results.

"Murder is what corrupts the soul, but one's perception of the act of killing itself also affects this rule. I think your situation is better than anyone else's."

The person who answered Ian's question was Grindelwald, who perhaps had more authority than Albus Dumbledore on the subject of murder and its consequences.

"That's because I know I'm eliminating pests for the wizarding world. Yes, I should call it killing to protect life. That's the Dark Lord who has harmed countless families."

"My good roommate Michael will thank me; his father died fighting against not having a nose," Ian offered some justification for his moral character.

Albus Dumbledore didn't respond much. He was looking up and observing the stars, just like Grindelwald had done earlier, perhaps because of some kind of divination knowledge.

Ian has always had a weak point in this area.

"You certainly know how to find high-sounding reasons for yourself, huh? Aurora is right, you have a talent for it, at least when it comes to finding justifications for your actions." Grindelwald seemed to greatly admire Ian's eloquence, and he looked at Ian with a broad smile of approval.

He didn't seem like the kind of person destined to "disappear." Not only him, but Albus Dumbledore's constant urging of Ian also seemed to indicate that he was completely unconcerned about his own impending disappearance.

On the contrary, there was a sense of urgency.

This made Ian feel a deep sense of admiration and respect, after all, as the abandoned part of their destiny, these two people would eventually sink back into oblivion like everything else in this secret realm of fate.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't reuse Voldemort's soul in the cycle—" Ian said with a hint of regret. He clearly hadn't expected Albus Dumbledore to personally take him to burn Voldemort.

If I had known earlier that turning Voldemort into fuel was so simple, I would have taken Dumbledore with me whenever I had a spare moment while brewing potions. If I had thought about it, I would have missed out on countless easy boosts.

"While you do possess extraordinary methods for enhancing your magical power, you have ultimately reached the pinnacle of magical power—the rules of the mortal realm will not allow your body to bear more magical power, so it's not really a pity." Grindelwald was clearly aware of Ian's extraordinary characteristics of the [Soul Forge].

Upon hearing this...

Ian's anxious mood improved considerably.

At this moment, Albus Dumbledore, who was standing nearby, turned around and added, "And, as we just said, the cycle you're experiencing is essentially a kind of magic."

"The magic that sustains it can't support your repeated use of Voldemort to improve yourself." After a moment of contemplation, he gave another earnest reminder.

"Ian, your ability is extremely dangerous, so I hope you don't fall into the trap of excessively pursuing magic. After all, our dark magic is the best example of what not to do."

The old principal's advice was indeed reasonable.

Ian nodded seriously.

The fact that Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort both possessed peak magical power, yet their strength differed significantly, demonstrates that magical power is not the sole criterion for measuring a person's strength.

"I can't pursue it even if I want to, you all say I've reached the pinnacle of magic." Ian had heard similar things from Morgan and Ravenclaw before.

The facts have now proven that the wizard's magic power does indeed have a bottleneck. His current personal panel not only no longer displays the word "growth," but also no longer has an indicator that allows for further upgrades.

"Pfft, look how cocky he is when he talks." Grindelwald tapped Ian's head with his wand. "Of course, you little thing, you do have the right to be cocky, after all, you've already reached places that many wizards can't reach in their entire lives before you're even an adult."

The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's voice carried a hint of emotion.

Albus Dumbledore remained noncommittal.

At this moment, he finally withdrew his gaze from the sky.

"The situation should be about right now." The old headmaster took the Sorting Hat that he had given Ian earlier from Ian's hands, not knowing why he had to wear this alchemical creation that was pretending to be dead.

"What's the situation?" To be honest, Ian was still a bit confused. Albus Dumbledore hadn't explained the situation or what to do along the way.

"Of course, it's because your cycle has reached a weak point, which is precisely the time for us to take advantage of it," Albus Dumbledore answered the young wizard's question succinctly.

"So, the solution I came up with is also useful, right? By constantly depleting the foundation that sustains the cycle, the cycle will eventually collapse because it can no longer be maintained?" Ian was still full of curiosity about his discovery and wanted to know what the final result would be if the cycle collapsed as he thought.

Albus Dumbledore nodded. "In fact, what I'm having you do is eroding the foundation of this cycle. The more you change, the more you weaken the cycle."

These words were spoken.

Ian was stunned for a moment.

He remembered that Albus Dumbledore had given him this instruction at the very beginning of the cycle, during the first cycle. Did the old headmaster already see the essence of the cycle at that time?

"Hiss, you reacted so quickly? You didn't happen to have a Slytherin script, did you?!" Ian could even pinpoint Albus Dumbledore's instructions to the very day he was trapped in the loop!

Such judgment... can only be described as terrifying!

"This is our White Lord, do you understand how much he deserves to defeat me?" Grindelwald was clearly a Dumbledore fanboy, but his remarks only earned him a glare from Albus Dumbledore.

"It's not hard to judge. After all, we know what we're facing, and knowing that is enough for us to understand a lot."

Albus Dumbledore offered an explanation.

Grindelwald's smile remained unchanged.

His thoughts were clearly the same as Dumbledore's.

"Because you knew I was dealing with the remnants of Slytherin?" Ian had roughly guessed something, and sure enough, Albus Dumbledore in front of him nodded.

"That's right, we need to deal with the influence from Slytherin. Although he is a legend, he is still a wizard after all. Knowing this will help us determine the nature of your cycle."

"No matter how sophisticated, profound, or incomprehensible the methods used by wizards are, their essence will always be magic, and they can never transcend the realm of magic."

Albus Dumbledore's analysis is logical, well-reasoned, and clearly structured. It's like a veil covering the truth; once it's torn away, it allows one to glimpse the simple truth that had been hidden.

"Got it!"

Ian suddenly realized.

He didn't actually understand this only now; rather, the emotional value he received was just right. Realizing that in each cycle he intercepted, the things he retained would weaken in the next, Ian had already become aware of the limitations of Slytherin's methods. It wasn't until Albus Dumbledore gave him a detailed explanation that the fog was cleared for him.

of course.

Ian did not underestimate Slytherin's methods because of this; after all, it was beyond the realm of mortals, not only seizing a piece of fate but also cutting off his greatest advantage.

A seven-day promise with a dreamlike, illusory world.

Although he could still establish a connection with the illusion through magic, he had not been able to enter the illusion even once in all these cycles.

In one cycle.

Ian had also asked Morgan through Ali Anna, and Morgan's answer was rather intriguing: time in the mortal world has not changed or flowed much.

Ian could only guess that the opportunity for him to enter the illusionary realm was related to the mortal world, and that Slytherin's methods had clearly led him to an area that did not belong to the mortal world.

Just like when he entered the illusionary realm, a long time might have passed in the mortal realm while only a few minutes had passed in the real world. Even if he stayed in the loop for several more days, only half an hour might have passed in the real world. This coincides with Albus Dumbledore's conjecture that the loop is located outside the mortal world.

Just after I finished processing Albus Dumbledore's information in my mind.

"So, the solution you came up with is to end all curses?" The young wizard not only provided emotional value, but he also knew that excellent professors liked students who could apply what they learned to other situations.

This is not.

Albus Dumbledore smiled. "The magic we're going to use is indeed based on the spell 'All Curses End,' but I've modified some parts of it to break it."

talking.

The old headmaster took out another piece of paper and handed it to Ian.

"It took several cycles of accumulation for me to create this targeted version of the Ten Thousand Curses End, so you don't have much time to learn it."

It's not just that there wasn't much time to learn; it was clearly about learning on the fly and having to apply it immediately. It has to be said, it was indeed quite rushed. Anyone else in this situation would probably have called it a deliberate attempt to make things difficult. After all, the "End of All Curses" spell is extremely difficult, and most wizards take a long time to even learn its basic version, "Stop Curses."

of course.

It wasn't a difficult task for Ian.

The little wizard would still mutter to himself, though he could only express his feelings verbally.

"You're really pushing the limits! This looks really difficult!"

After receiving the paper from Albus Dumbledore, he attempted to cast the spell several times, and after several failures, a light representing the stability and continuity of the magic shone forth.

"Luckily, I do have a little bit of cleverness." Ian's usual tactic of first belittling and then praising, which he used to shock others, had no effect on Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

"very good."

Albus Dumbledore simply nodded, his expression unchanged. Grindelwald, on the other hand, gave a thumbs-up in praise, but his somewhat perfunctory tone only served to further frustrate the young wizard.

"Don't even think about using the same trick on me twice," Grindelwald said with a chuckle, the little wizard's disappointed sigh being his source of joy.

"Okay, now that I've learned this magic, do I need three people to cast it together?" Ian was also helpless. He had clearly given the two old men the maximum amount of emotional value, but the two old men really didn't understand what high emotional intelligence meant. They were unwilling to give him any emotional value at all.

"Yes, that's Gellert's opinion." Albus Dumbledore nodded, took out his Elder Wand, but still held the Sorting Hat tightly in one hand.

What's the explanation behind it?

Ian looked curiously at the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

"That's right, there is indeed a saying. Just like seven is a magical number, so is three. The most typical example is the Three Deadly Holy Relics that we all know." Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, glanced at the Elder Wand in Albus Dumbledore's hand, and then turned to Ian and spoke meaningfully.

"I have spent a lot of time reading and summarizing history, so in my view, seven is the number of destiny, while three represents the variables outside of destiny."

"If you have time to read history, you will find that in many stories that turn the impossible into possible, there are always three main characters."

"It was so before, it is so now, and it may be so in the future that no longer exists—" Grindelwald's voice was truly meaningful.

Looking at the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's face, which belonged to someone else, Ian's eyes twitched slightly. He couldn't help but suspect that this old man had recently been reading the Harry Potter stories.

Prophets can sometimes defy the heavens.

Therefore, it's not impossible that he could have glimpsed her already interfered fate. In any case, Ian always felt that the information Grindelwald mentioned also pointed to Hermione and her two male followers.

"We can verify your view right now." Albus Dumbledore neither agreed nor disagreed; after all, he didn't possess the talent of a true prophet to foresee the future.

"What is the purpose of the Sorting Hat?" Ian felt he should understand the whole process. He discovered that the Sorting Hat had been idle ever since it was brought out by Albus Dumbledore.

Does breaking out of the cycle really require the Sorting Hat?

"Just in case, child. When all our magic is poured into our wands, we always need some other means to protect ourselves from any unforeseen circumstances."

Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to be either wary of Arthur King or creating a looping Salazar Slytherin.

only.

Although his words were indeed reasonable, Ian always felt that Albus Dumbledore was not telling the truth, or rather, not telling the whole truth.

The little wizard was all too familiar with this feeling.

He himself is an expert in this field.

"I'll do as you say." Ian carefully examined Albus Dumbledore, but the old headmaster's face was serious, and no trace of his inner emotions could be seen on his face.

"I remember you said that Professor Ronnie Ehrlich was also key?" Ian hadn't forgotten what the two old men had concluded about how to break the cycle by truly killing that poor saint, Ronnie Ehrlich.

"The problem has been solved; he has sacrificed himself for us," Albus Dumbledore responded softly, his eyes, gazing towards Hogwarts Castle, were extremely deep and calm.

Ian was about to ask another question.

"In fact, he should have died in the past, so now he's just dust to dust." Grindelwald suddenly placed his hand on Ian's shoulder.

He had a somewhat sad expression on his face.

Ian felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.

"I hope Professor Ronnie Ehrlich's next journey goes smoothly." The little wizard could only silently pray for the former professor, after all, he knew that the other had suffered so much because of him.

They all died quite cleanly.

"Of course, that's what we hope for too." Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald exchanged a glance, and Albus was the first to raise the incredibly powerful Elder Wand in his hand.

Ian, along with the old headmaster and the current professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, raised their wands.

"All curses have ended!"

"All curses have ended!"

"All curses have ended!"

There was no need to insert their wands into the ground, as their wands seemed to be connected to the surrounding space. Three loud voices rang out in front of the tower in the dead of night, and a surging magical power began to rage and surge around them, as terrifying as a giant wave in a storm.

Wave after wave crashed against the invisible boundaries.

The wizards standing atop the Magic Mountain, possessing immense magical power capable of moving mountains and filling seas, erupted one after another at this moment, as if to completely engulf everything around them in a storm of magic.

The dazzling magical light resembled a large net, which gradually disappeared into the space after appearing. Ian could sense that some hidden anomaly was beginning to occur in the space.

It's like an egg.

The outer shell has been peeled off.

Although nothing seemed to have changed, each drop of magic was like a blow to an invisible barrier, creating ripples all around.

It was as if even space and time themselves were trembling. The robes of the two old men and the young man were fluttering in the wind, and Ian felt himself and the two elders being drawn into a terrible vortex.

Everything in sight began to blur, and everything around was spinning and changing, with colors and shapes intertwining to create bizarre and surreal scenes.

Countless fragmented scenes unfolded within it, perhaps other possibilities that fate had condemned to oblivion. Ian strained to open his eyes but could not make out the scene at all.

The sounds that seemed to intertwine and merge together in his ears, like the whispers of ancient gods, were a feeling that Ian had only vaguely experienced in Professor Ronnie Ehrlich's memory.

"Three people, isn't that enough?"

Each surge of magic emanating from Albus Dumbledore seemed to attempt to shatter the chaotic scene around him, yet the overlapping and interwoven images showed no sign of collapsing.

It continues to twist and turn every day.

The speed is even increasing.

"It shouldn't be like this—" A serious expression appeared on Grindelwald's face. He was connected to Albus Dumbledore and Ian by magic, so he could clearly feel that the magic led by Albus Dumbledore had repeatedly failed after repeated attempts.

"I'm a little dizzy, what will happen if I don't succeed?"

Ian was probably the one with the weakest foundation among the three. He felt that he was about to reach his limit, and his magic was waning much faster than the other two elders.

"Let's stay in this crevice together forever, ha." Grindelwald's voice was not tense at all, but rather somewhat cheerful, so much so that the little wizard couldn't tell if he was bluffing.

"This is no time for jokes, Gellert." Albus Dumbledore was clearly giving it his all, his terrifying control over magic even attempting to guide Ian and Grindelwald to concentrate their magic to break through the chaos. Unfortunately, he still couldn't stop the utterly chaotic situation.

The surrounding world became even more distorted. It was as if I had stumbled into a Picasso painting, where the night sky and the earth were intertwined as if they were about to be kneaded into one.

"Clearly, we all underestimated Salazar Slytherin's magic, phew." Grindelwald even had the composure to shrug amidst the chaotic scene. Although the magic surging from his wand was no less than that of Albus Dumbledore, Ian felt that this guy's attitude made it seem like he wasn't using his full power.

Who knows, maybe they want to be buried here forever with their old friends?

"Holy crap!"

Ian had never really believed the rumors about a "bromance" between the two at school, but the current situation made him worry that he would be trapped here with the two old men forever.

"Can't we go back first?"

Ian looked at the more reliable Albus Dumbledore.

however.

The old headmaster's silence made Ian feel increasingly tense. In the midst of extreme chaos, the sense of crisis welled up within him.

He felt that he and his two elders were about to be drawn into something twisted.

Those distortions.

It is the abyss of fate.

It seemed to want to devour everything.

It seems Grindelwald wasn't joking.

"Don't worry, I said I would send you back." Albus Dumbledore seemed to sense Ian's emotions, and his constantly flickering eyes seemed to have made a decision.

however.

Just as the old headmaster seemed about to take some other measures—suddenly, Ian's wand began to tremble abruptly, and the magic connected to Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald flickered erratically. Upon seeing this, Grindelwald's expression changed drastically, and he let out a sharp shout.

"Damn it! I'm not kidding you! Don't try any other magic!" His voice was tinged with surprise and uncertainty as he suddenly grabbed the little wizard beside him.

"This will make you disappear from history completely!"

Grindelwald loudly told Ian how serious the problem was.

however.

"I didn't intend to try any other magic—." Ian noticed that silver threads were beginning to emerge from the tip of his wand, and by the time he finished speaking, many threads had already appeared.

They wove and converged among Ian, Albus Dumbledore, and Grindelwald, finally coalescing into a graceful figure. The girl first looked curiously at the distorted surroundings.

immediately.

Amidst Ian's bewilderment, Dumbledore's stunned expression, and Grindelwald's astonished gaze, Ariana looked at her brother, or more precisely, at the Sorting Hat tightly clutched in Albus Dumbledore's hand.

Her gaze seemed to have seen something else.

"Ian, Pendro said you need my help?"

The girl floated forward.

then.

Under Albus Dumbledore's rapid breathing and complex gaze, she drew a longsword from the Sorting Hat.

Countless golden patterns began to appear on the longsword.

That was the manifestation of the seemingly illusory longsword attached to Ariana's waist.

"This is-.

Grindelwald stared at the runes that appeared on the longsword, his expression becoming somewhat serious. As if he had thought of something, his pupils suddenly contracted.

"It's a gift from Pendro." Ariana glanced at Grindelwald, who was now dressed as someone else, but her eyes reflected Grindelwald's original appearance.

Ariana's eyes held a complex mix of emotions as she looked at the old man who had destroyed her family, but she immediately turned to face the distorted chaos around her.

"He said this gift is the bane of wizards." Ariana seemed a little nervous, but after hesitating for a moment, she still swung her longsword at the surroundings.

It wasn't intense.

But it is extremely fast.

The blade that was swung out was as fast as lightning, and seemed to contain some kind of power that was bound to transcend the mortal world, tearing open a gap like an insurmountable chasm in the increasingly shrinking chaos.

The dawn seemed to be shining in from outside.

It is the luster of the moon.

The distorted scenes surrounding the three people and one soul began to disintegrate, like ice cubes exposed to boiling water, melting into starlight at a visible speed.

Wait until it completely dissipates.

The bright night sky reappeared, the moon was bright and the sky was clear, and the stars filled the deep sky. The surging magic power of the group gradually calmed down after a sudden fall.

"Did I save your life, Ian?" Ariana's spirit floated in mid-air, her tone surprised, as if she herself could hardly believe what she had done.

"That's right! You saved my life, Ariana!" Ian breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly gave his friend a thumbs up.

"Is this worth ten boxes of Chocolate Frogs?" The girl might have felt a little greedy, and her tone was somewhat embarrassed. Some people are indeed easily satisfied.

"Hiss, do you think my life is worth more than a Galleon?!" Ian immediately became indignant and spoke loudly.

"Ten boxes! Ten boxes a day! Don't let anyone outside see this! Don't let them think that my life, Ian Prince's life, isn't worth much!" Such extravagance clearly shocked the floating girl.

"！！！！"

The girl's mouth had become an O-shape.

of course.

Seeing this, she was probably the one with the most normal expression besides Ian on this open space right now—let's take a look at the other two old guys next to Ian.

Grindelwald's eyes were fixed on the longsword in Ariana's hand, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, while the other old man's face was covered in tears as he sobbed incessantly.

"Of course it will be like that—I knew it—I knew it—"

At the foot of the tower.

Albus Dumbledore had already knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. His eyes were also fixed on the longsword in Ariana's hand, his eyes clouded with tears and filled with an indescribable sorrow.

That is, at this very moment.

For the first time, Ian clearly sensed the old headmaster's emotions.

That kind of fragility and...sorrow that belongs to the elderly.

"Why are you crying, Albus? We're all out now." Ariana flew to Albus Dumbledore's side.

He raised his hand to wipe away Albus Dumbledore's tears.

That gentle hand.

It also seemed to be helping Albus Dumbledore repair his broken emotions and soul.

"If that hadn't happened, if I had been able to resolve your problems sooner—your life would have been brilliant." Albus Dumbledore lowered his head.

Perhaps at this very moment, the old headmaster of Hogwarts is unable to stop thinking about another possibility of fate, after all, he has witnessed with his own eyes that such a possibility could exist.

"I'm pretty dazzling now, aren't I?"

The girl smiled gently and twirled in front of her brother. To be fair, as a guardian deity, Ariana certainly had a dazzling visual effect.

Albus Dumbledore remained silent, his head bowed.

After a while.

"Ian, let her go back first, we have something to talk about." Albus Dumbledore spoke in a hoarse voice, and the look in his eyes made Ian feel somewhat heavy.

"OK."

Ian waved goodbye to Ariana, and under Ariana's pouting gaze, he dispelled the magic. The girl instantly turned into starlight and disappeared into the air.

The surrounding scenery darkened slightly as a result. The Gryffindor sword and the Sorting Hat, which had fallen to the ground, gradually disappeared after a few seconds, as if they had been subjected to an illusion spell.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Ian already had a guess in his mind.

"It's time to say goodbye, you already know that, don't you?" Albus Dumbledore remained in his original posture, glancing up at the tranquil Hogwarts under the night sky.

"The ripples that shouldn't exist will be smoothed out, and that's us." He clearly timed it perfectly; as soon as he finished speaking, his once clear figure began to slowly fade.

Grindelwald's color also began to fade at the same time.

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, just as I said before—this is a worthwhile sacrifice." Grindelwald's voice was as calm as Albus Dumbledore's. Their ancient magical robes fluttered gently in the breeze, and their increasingly transparent bodies seemed as if they might be swept away by the wind at any moment.

Ian was also somewhat saddened.

He wanted to say something to these two old men who should have been destined to perish, but who "lived" in the cycle and sacrificed themselves to fulfill his wishes, yet he didn't know how to begin.

"Do you remember what I often told you?"

Grindelwald's body and Albus Dumbledore disappeared at the same time, but unlike the old headmaster who quietly awaited the end, he was still smiling and talking to Ian.

"Of course I remember, it's your catchphrase, 'For the greater good—'" Ian's eyes were also a little teary, but he still responded with a smile.

As Albus Dumbledore disappeared, he looked up at Ian.

"That's right, remember that, we're demonstrating it to you right now." With Grindelwald's laughter, their bodies had become completely transparent.

At last.

Grindelwald winked at Ian.

They then completely lost the sense of physical touch.

Like clouds and smoke.

A night breeze blew.

All of them have turned into fleeting, dreamlike illusions that can be found without a trace.

"This has benefited me greatly."

Ian, abandoning his usual playful demeanor, adopted a serious expression. He bowed slightly to the now-vanished ground, and after a long while, amidst the rustling of leaves and the distant babbling of a stream, he turned and walked towards the castle.

The night was dark.

Only the stars are witnessing everything.

"Clang~ Clang~ Clang~"

The bells of Hogwarts Castle were ringing, the melody of the early morning of Christmas. Ian finally got his wish and stepped into this day that he had not been able to step into for a long time.

just.

He wasn't as happy as he had imagined. As he climbed the empty staircase, Ian hesitated and glanced sideways at the principal's office as he passed it.

to be frank.

Ian always felt that there were still many mysteries unsolved within the loop. The old headmaster was quite deep in thought, and Ian could sense that there were many things the other party hadn't told him.

For example, the Sorting Hat that Albus Dumbledore put on him at the end was supposedly just in case, but Ian really couldn't tell whether Albus Dumbledore had foreseen everything that followed.

A person with extraordinary intelligence is difficult to fathom.

"Boom!"

Ian probably lingered in front of the principal's office for too long.

The stone statue jumped back as if startled, revealing the passage behind it. The young wizard stepped inside and followed the spiral staircase to the door of the headmaster's office.

This is a place he often visits in the loop, and now it is decorated with Christmas ornaments that are different from those in the loop, with moving reindeer and Santa Claus standing there lifelike.

"Is something the matter, Ian?"

Albus Dumbledore's voice came from inside the door. Although the young wizard did not knock or make a sound, the old headmaster inside could still clearly tell who was standing outside.

That voice.

Ian had only heard it recently, but it was noticeably calmer and gentler, much like how Albus Dumbledore usually acted in front of him and others.

"Forehead---""

Ian stepped inside and saw Albus Dumbledore sitting at his desk, the old headmaster of the right time, peacefully reading a book while wearing his reading glasses.

Because his mind still carried the memories of Albus Dumbledore, and looking at the quiet and expressionless headmaster before him,

Ian really felt as if time and space had been distorted.

"Let me think about how to say it." The young wizard organized his thoughts, weighing how to recount his somewhat hasty and enigmatic encounter.

His hesitant tone made Albus Dumbledore raise his head.

"I feel like you're trying to tell me a story," Albus Dumbledore chuckled softly, a hint of curiosity in his deep, bright eyes behind his glasses.

but.

Before Ian could even speak...

"If it's too long a story, perhaps we should leave it for the daytime. You know, an old man is always prone to drowsiness." Albus Dumbledore actually yawned.

...

Ian had already prepared his words, but he could only swallow them back down. He looked up and saw that Albus Dumbledore did indeed seem drowsy.

"Alright, Professor, Merry Christmas, this is your Christmas present." Ian had no choice but to reluctantly pull out a gift box; what he wanted to say couldn't be explained in just a few words.

"Thanks.""

Albus Dumbledore accepted the gift box with a happy smile. He then took out a small box from his desk drawer and handed it to Ian, also in an equally beautifully packaged gift box.

"I think I should send a return gift as well."

Albus Dumbledore placed the small box in Ian's hand. The young wizard raised his hand to receive the gift box, and the bone maggot-like mark on the back of his hand had long since disappeared.

Albus Dumbledore looked increasingly sleepy.

Ian also took the gift box and hurriedly said goodbye. He weighed the contents of the gift box and realized that it was the lamplighter that Dumbledore had shown him in the loop.

then.

In the loop, Dumbledore said he would give him the lamplighter.

"I guess there's a light switch inside."

As Ian stood at the gate, he wanted to show off his prophetic abilities one last time, since he could no longer happily impersonate a prophet after leaving the loop.

"Yes, it is indeed a light switch."

Albus Dumbledore simply smiled in response, but didn't give Ian the surprised look he wanted to see. The young wizard could only sigh with disinterest and leave the office.

After a while.

"The gift you gave that little guy is really precious. I saw how much effort you put into making it." On the wall, a headmaster, who might have been a bit stingy in his lifetime, remarked with emotion.

Albus Dumbledore closed the book in his hands once more.

"After all, I promised to give it to him." Albus Dumbledore spoke calmly and gently as he put the book, titled "Fooling Fate," back on the shelf.

After seeing the young wizard off, Albus Dumbledore seemed to have no more sleepiness. Perhaps he was never sleepy to begin with, as he continued reading other books for several hours.

The Mystery of the Time Converter

Secrets Across Time

Legendary Proof: The End Times

The old headmaster seemed to be waiting for someone.

soon.

Night fell.

As if sensing something, he raised his head and looked at Grindelwald, who had walked in without knocking, with an expression that showed a hint of inquiry and verification.

"I had a dream."

Grindelwald simply responded.

Albus Dumbledore immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very good, it seems that my part was correct." Albus Dumbledore stood up and put all the books piled in front of him back on the bookshelf.

"What about your part?"

He turned to look at his old friend.

"Huh? When have I ever messed up?" Grindelwald shrugged and walked toward the sleeping Fawkes. Albus Dumbledore immediately came over to wake the phoenix, who was grumpy in the morning.

We need your help—...

He calmed his companion down.

Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald disappeared from the office.

This is the power of the phoenix.

It took the two people to another place.

An Austrian morning.

It has a delicate and moving picture slowly unfolding in the morning light.

As the first rays of sunlight gently brush across the snow-capped peaks of the Alps, the whole world seems to be bathed in a soft golden hue. The mountain mists swirling in the morning light add a touch of mystery and gentleness to this magnificent mountain range.

"Whoosh~"

Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald appeared in a manor and came to a graveyard. They looked together at the empty tomb, which looked like it had been looted.

"gentlemen."

A voice came from a house not far away. It was Ronnie Ehrlich's voice. He seemed very weak and was sitting in a wheelchair, slowly approaching Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore.

"See, there's no problem."

Grindelwald greeted Ronnie Ehrlich with a smile. He turned around and saw that Albus Dumbledore's hands were trembling, as if he was suppressing some strong emotion.

"very good."

He responded in a low voice, and after adjusting himself slightly, he quickly went forward to check on Ronnie Ehrlich's condition—aside from being a little weak, he was no different from a normal person.

"I feel great now—it all feels like a dream." Ronnie Ehrlich looked up at Grindelwald, his voice tinged with doubt.

"You can treat it as a dream, but starting today, you still need to change your identity and give up that dead identity in favor of a new one."

Grindelwald pressed Ronnie Ehrlich, who was trying to stand up, back into his wheelchair.

"Am I part of your plan?"

Ronnie Ehrlich nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and fervor. Grindelwald turned to look at Albus Dumbledore before whispering something in a low voice.

"Take good care of yourself; you have an even more important mission to fulfill." With that, at Albus Dumbledore's prompting, he and Albus Dumbledore walked together toward the empty tomb.

"I don't think I can hide this from him."

Albus Dumbledore's words were pointed.

"It's not a big problem."

Grindelwald, however, didn't seem to care much. He stared at the empty tomb, his eyes turning white, with things shrouded in mist appearing and disappearing in his vision.

"After all, the challenge has only just begun, hasn't it?" Grindelwald said with a touch of emotion. "I never expected that little guy would find us such an opportunity. I knew investing in him would be the right choice."

It is clear.

Some things do have an impact and change.

"You should thank more than just Ian," Albus Dumbledore sighed softly. Grindelwald, standing beside him, nodded and replied in a somewhat serious voice.

"Of course, we also have to thank you." The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's voice was deep; his and Albus Dumbledore's current situation was clearly different from what Ian had imagined.

"You talk to Ronnie and make sure he knows what he needs to know. I have some other things to attend to." Albus Dumbledore's expression was quite complicated.

He walked quickly out of the manor.

Grindelwald did not stop him.

Ronnie Ehrlich, who approached in his wheelchair, seemed quite puzzled by this.

"Didn't they say there were still many things to prepare? Why did he leave?" The former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor looked into the distance; Albus Dumbledore's figure seemed hurried.

"Because compared to our affairs, he has things he cares about more." Grindelwald glanced at Ronnie Ehrlich beside him, his tone tinged with emotion.

"I knew he couldn't be trusted."

Ronnie Ehrlich clearly still harbored a great deal of prejudice against Dumbledore.

"On the contrary, after today, he will be more trustworthy than ever before." Grindelwald was clearly the one who understood Albus Dumbledore best.

He spoke firmly and with a meaningful whisper to Ronnie Ehrlich, "You see, our current situation stems from the audacity and—arrogance—of my old friend. He's willing to use any means necessary to achieve his goals."

The first generation's words left Ronnie Ehrlich somewhat stunned.

"Is this still the Dumbledore everyone knows?"

The saint was quite puzzled.

"Of course not."

Grindelwald chuckled softly, his voice filled with nostalgia.

"He is now the Albus Dumbledore I know."

That's why Grindelwald is definitely one of the people who understands Albus Dumbledore best. While they were talking, Albus Dumbledore had already Apparated once again.

In Hogsmeade village.

Albus Dumbledore emerged from the Hog's Head, carrying a broken, ancient object he had taken from the wrist of Aberforth Dumbledore, whom he had knocked down with a single punch.

"Ancient Time Converter."

This happened a long time ago.

What Aberforth Dumbledore pinned his hopes on and sought has now been snatched away by him. What truly means to stop at nothing to achieve one's goals?

Albus Dumbledore, who could be so ruthless as to kill his own brother, rendering him to sleep instantly, exemplified this principle through his actions. Of course...

He turned his own brother overturned partly because Aberforth Dumbledore wouldn't listen to his explanation.

"In the past, living in the future, Albus Dumbledore apparated once again, arriving at an exceptionally remote manor, where a group of diverse alchemical creatures immediately surrounded him."

Among them are soldiers resembling Lego bricks, and mechanical women like clockwork demons; these alchemical creations are all equipped with a variety of highly dangerous weapons.

It's not just magical items.

There are even fire sticks in the Muggle world that might occasionally be a little more useful than wands. Judging from their huge caliber, it's not hard to tell that they are also deadly weapons that have undergone some kind of special modification.

"Stop everything."

Soon, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, a thin, white-haired old man came out. With just one sentence, he made all the "guards" who had appeared from various places return to their hidden hiding places.

"You have more guards here than before." Albus Dumbledore looked at the gaunt old man before him, who was none other than his other friend, the alchemist Nick Flamel.

With a somewhat blank expression, Nicolas Flamel sighed helplessly, "Even though I gave you the Philosopher's Stone, there are still quite a few guys trying to get the treasure from me."

"Why is it so hard for us to have a peaceful old age?" Nicolas Flamel walked with a shaky gait, but his pace was not slow at all.

Despite the alarming appearance of osteoporosis, he is actually quite energetic.

"I hope my arrival has not disturbed you," Albus Dumbledore said apologetically, looking at the large, quaintly decorated house in front of him.

Inside, an equally aged old woman was directing a group of alchemical creations to cook.

"The visit of an old friend is not a disturbance."

Nicolas Flamel seemed quite pleased, but he also possessed a keen eye befitting his age. "I think you're facing some trouble and seeking my help?"

talking.

The great alchemist then looked toward Albus Dumbledore's pocket.

"You once restrained me from some impulses, but now that impulse has returned, even stronger than before." With that, Albus Dumbledore pulled out the damaged converter.

"Both of you brothers brought this to me for inspection, and I'll say it again: repairing it will be very difficult. We've already lost many crucial materials and techniques."

"Of course, what I'm most concerned about right now is what's bothering you this time?" Nick Flamel took the things Albus Dumbledore handed him.

Albus Dumbledore's pupils flickered slightly.

"I think what's affecting me is a hope that I've already proven."

His voice was filled with unusually intense emotional fluctuations.

In his eyes.

There is true light.