A Certain Magical Hogwarts

Chapter 314 Death's Deception

"Professor, there's one more thing I need to tell you."

After Dumbledore had made clear arrangements for Tom, William hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Earlier, Cedric, Cho, and I were walking in the Forbidden Forest... when we ran into Ronan."

"Are you sure you're just taking a walk?" Dumbledore asked with a smile in his eyes.

"Then let's use another word... digestion."

"Going to the Forbidden Forest to digest your food in the middle of the night is a very good habit." Dumbledore smiled, not paying any attention to William and the others' nighttime stroll.

"Ronan... I remember that centaur, a guy with a pretty good temper."

"Ronan told me that Epsilon Hydra is getting brighter and brighter, and last night it even surpassed the brightness of the Heart of Hydra."

"And last night Voldemort's Horcruxes came back to life. Do you think this sign refers to that?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"That's right, isn't it?"

"I know what you mean, William. You mean that since the centaurs' prophecies are so accurate, we can ask them to help us," Dumbledore said.

William nodded.

"William, if you know the centaurs, you'll know they often say, 'The centaurs' prophecies don't focus on trivial details.'"

"What do you mean?"

"The centaurs observe the night sky and can only predict the overall fate of a species or people, but they cannot predict the fate of an individual."

"We want to know who the next wizard to help Voldemort will be, and we want to know what Tom will be doing in America."

But the centaurs can't give us answers; they never focus on these details, only on the big picture.

For example, I've heard Fizzelen say more than once, "The wizarding world is just experiencing a brief period of peace between two wars. The sparks of war are shining brightly above us, suggesting that fighting will surely break out again soon."

"I observed this myself without them telling me. But could they tell us more detailed information?"

For example, who won, and how did they win?

"What happened last night..." William asked, puzzled.

"You can understand it this way," Dumbledore sighed. "Tom's resurrection will greatly influence the future of Britain, and even the entire wizarding world."

So the horsemen were able to learn of this situation by chance... We can't expect them to be so lucky every time.

Dumbledore interlaced his fingers and added:

"And even if they knew more details, they wouldn't tell us, and I don't want to hear them."

"Why?" William asked, puzzled.

"Do you remember the numerology you mentioned?"

William nodded.

Dumbledore said softly, "Professor Victor said there would be seven attacks, each of which would fail."

The seven times is accurate; Tom did indeed use seven basilisks, but the prophecy said it failed... So who failed?

Did Tom fail? He did lose his body, but there is still a possibility of resurrection.

Did we fail?

You prevented Riddle's resurrection, turning him into a shadow form, and the attacked people didn't die... But, William, you won't consider yourself successful, because Riddle has become a troublesome long-term concern for us.

"Prophecies are always ambiguous, and countless results have shown us that it is foolish to place too much faith in this kind of thing!"

Voldemort's current state is a result of his excessive belief in a certain prophecy.

We can only try to utilize it, but we cannot treat it as a predetermined outcome, otherwise it will mislead you.

William hesitated for a moment. "But there's one prophecy that I'm puzzled by, and I've been thinking about it for a long time... Professor, have you read 'Tyco Dodonas's Prophecies'?"

"I read it many years ago." Dumbledore raised his hand again, and another book flew over from the bookshelf.

"A very interesting book. Even when I looked back and savored it later, some of the prophecies actually happened to people around me."

"Is this the part you're wondering about?" Dumbledore turned to a page and read aloud softly:

"Ha, ruthless demon king!"

Ah, broken soul!

The self-exile of those years

Reborn from the gift of death.

"Who do you think they're talking about?" William asked. "There are currently only two Dark Lords..."

"To be honest," Dumbledore said, adjusting his half-moon spectacles, his voice deep, "for many years I believed he was referring to Grindelwald."

"Wasn't Grindelwald imprisoned in Nurmengard?"

"Do you think Nymungard could imprison Grindelwald? He was the one who originally built that place."

"Why doesn't the first Dark Lord show himself?"

"Because..." Dumbledore took a deep breath, "Gellert promised me that he would never leave Nurmengard unless I died."

William coughed, feeling that something was wrong.

This doesn't seem like a mortal enemy, but rather like a lovers' final farewell, with a hint of "never to see each other again in this life."

"Since he promised you he wouldn't come out... why do you still think it was him?"

"William, I don't know whether I should trust Gellert," Dumbledore said, sounding somewhat frustrated.

"He's very good at bewitching people and deceiving emotions... Let's put it this way, he's the best liar I've ever met. I can't tell... which of his words are true and which are false."

"So you believe that he has exiled himself to Nurmengard and will eventually come out?"

"I don't know," Dumbledore shook his head.

"But I think the prophecy wasn't about Grindelwald, but about Tom Riddle," William countered.

"Riddle is a broken soul, and he also said that he was banished to Voldemort's diary."

He mentioned the Grim Reaper from Slytherin's records, and the Deathly Hallows.

All indications suggest that he also meets the conditions of the prophecy.

"The Holy Relic, the Holy Relic," Dumbledore murmured, "a dream of a desperate man!"

"But they are real." William thought of his ring and Nico's alchemy book.

"So you think the Grim Reaper in the prophecy refers to the Grim Reaper among the three brothers?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, Death's legacy may refer to the new Deathly Hallows."

"If Tom really goes to Death and tries to get the three Holy Relics," Dumbledore said, "I would be very happy, because that would be a fool's bait."

William, man can never conquer death... Regardless of the version of the three brothers, we ridicule the eldest and second eldest for their shortsightedness, admire the youngest for his wisdom, and laugh at death for being fooled.

But did you notice that in the end, the third brother also died, and his soul was taken away by Death?

The Deathly Hallows...just a hoax by Death. Anyone who tries to find Death is doomed.

William nodded thoughtfully.

"Professor, I'll head back now."

"Get some rest. Tell Harry at the door to come in later. Give me the time it takes to sing a song."

William said "Oh," and left the principal's office.

Dumbledore sat blankly in his chair, revealing a dejected air he had never shown to anyone before.

A moment later, he got up and went into a room.

This is a simple room.

A large object stood against the wall, covered with black velvet.

Dumbledore stood there, pondered for a moment, then walked to the covered object and pulled off the velvet.

The Mirror of Eris appeared.

He hadn't looked in that mirror for a year since the Quirrell incident.

At that moment, he mustered his courage and looked into the mirror.

Young Dumbledore and young Grindelwald were lying on a grassy field.

Dumbledore turned his head away, resisting the urge to cover the mirror again. He straightened himself and raised his blue eyes.

"Gellert, will you be my lover?" the young Dumbledore asked, mustering his courage.

"Albus, I must remind you again, I am a man."

Grindelwald raised his hand to shield his eyes from the dazzling sunlight, his golden hair shimmering in the glow.

He asked earnestly, "Are you really sure you want to be my lover?"

Dumbledore lowered his head, pondered, then looked up, revealing a resolute gaze.

"Life is too short to resist the urge to give it a try."

near,

A deep kiss!

The scene shifts, and the elderly Grindelwald smiles as he sits in a dusty chair, surrounded by solitude.

……

……

(End of this chapter)