Hogwarts: My name is the Unforgivable Curse...

Chapter 365 Grindelwald and Horcruxes

"Don't forget, the beliefs I uphold were created by you and me together, and you are the one who betrayed those beliefs, Albus."

After dismissing Barty the Younger, Grindelwald turned his gaze back to Dumbledore, who remained silent: "Perhaps you are right. In the past fifty years, there have been no major upheavals in the relationship between wizards and Muggles. Muggles continue to live freely and rapidly under the sun, while wizards continue to eke out a living in the corners of the world... But this fragile balance will be broken sooner or later, and you realized this back then."

"So I can admit that I was arrogant and ignorant back then, but you can't."

Dumbledore, as if resigned to his fate, tossed the Elder Wand to Grindelwald and closed his eyes after seeing the latter catch it securely. "Alright, back to its rightful owner—you don't need to explain anything more to me. Our beliefs cannot be shaken by words... Kill me, and then go down your path of no return."

"A mistake is a mistake, and it won't become correct just because the executor is powerful. You defeated me, that's true, but the next me, or even the next person wiser and stronger than me, will sooner or later rise up to correct everything you've done. My soul will be waiting for you in another world, Gellert..."

"Ha, there's no need to provoke me like this."

Grindelwald sneered, "I'm not planning on killing you just like that."

"Lord Grindelwald!"

Upon hearing this, Karkarov looked hesitant, but Barty stepped forward urgently: "This isn't what we agreed on!"

"What's different?"

Grindelwald glanced at Barty Jr. with a half-smile, then his gaze gradually turned cold: "I never said I would take his life from the beginning, I only promised to take care of him and prevent him from becoming a problem for you Death Eaters... And even if I did promise to kill him, if I just want to back out now... what right do you have to bargain with me?!"

"Dumbledore, and your master Voldemort's lives are now in my hands. Not to mention mere Death Eaters, there is no one, no force in all of Europe who can stop my will!"

He stared at Barty, whose face had turned pale, and his icy voice seemed to freeze his blood: "So you'd better show me some respect, Death Eater... Your master was only able to be resurrected because I was in a good mood and willing to keep my promise. You'd better not make me lose interest in keeping my promise."

"I...I'm sorry, Lord Grindelwald." Barty Jr. took a deep breath, bowed slightly to Grindelwald, and then silently retreated under Karkaroff's amused gaze. Grindelwald then turned around again and raised the Elder Wand he had just acquired to Dumbledore.

"But I won't be as foolish as you, imprisoning a hard-won opponent in some place without any restrictions, giving him the opportunity to develop in secret and escape... My Nurmengard has been greatly renovated especially for you, Albus... You can enjoy your old age there and occasionally listen to the good news that comes back from my side."

"So, one last question—where did you put Voldemort's soul?"

Do you think I would just say that out loud?

Dumbledore calmly countered the question, showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever due to his impending fate.

"Of course not... but unfortunately, the Elder Wand you returned is a bit too powerful, so powerful that my Legilimency can easily break through your Mind Control spell... and you collapse unconscious."

A powerful red beam, almost illuminating the entire underwater space, shot out from the Elder Wand and struck Dumbledore precisely in the chest. Even the slightest ripple from the Stunning Spell caused Barty Jr. and Karkaroff to feel instantly exhausted, and Dumbledore, who was directly hit, was even more so—he collapsed without any resistance, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"Your master's soul has always been with him, including that black diary..."

As he spoke, Grindelwald manipulated Dumbledore's body to float up. Then, under the influence of magic, items from Dumbledore's pockets and hidden linings in his clothes began to fly out one by one, floating and circling around Grindelwald. Barty watched with a strange sense of dread—who would have thought that the old man who was being manipulated and powerless to resist was actually one of the most powerful beings in the entire magical world?

Grindelwald was right. With Dumbledore defeated and his master yet to be resurrected, there was indeed no one, no power, that could stop this terrible monster from doing anything—something the Death Eaters had not initially anticipated.

They had assumed that Gellert Grindelwald, who had been defeated by Dumbledore even with the Elder Wand and had wasted over fifty years in the Tower, shouldn't be as strong as Dumbledore and his master. They even provided him with valuable resources to help him recover and become stronger... But who could have imagined that he was actually this strong? He's even gotten his hands on that mysterious Elder Wand again!

Fortunately, he doesn't seem to have any intention of going back on his word...

"...Found it."

Finally, an exquisite glass bottle filled with gray smoke and a pure black notebook were pulled from Dumbledore's robes and landed steadily in Grindelwald's hands, where he examined them with great interest: "Hordeal... interesting technology. Even I didn't think of using this technology to achieve immortality back then."

"Perfect timing, now it's time for me to find a way to extend my lifespan... Hopefully, this Voldemort will be grateful enough and won't mind sharing his secret of immortality with the person who saved his life..."

"I see."

Listening to Grindelwald's mutterings, Barty suddenly realized: 'So that's why he was willing to fulfill his promise to resurrect his master—he wanted to obtain his master's secret of immortality!'

"Heh, still claiming to be unstoppable... isn't he powerless in the face of death, forced to grovel and beg his master? Just a brute with all his might..."

"Have all the materials needed for the resurrection ritual been prepared, Igor?"

After examining Voldemort's soul and Horcruxes for a while, Grindelwald finally withdrew his gaze and turned to Karkaroff to ask, receiving an immediate and respectful reply: "Everything is ready, Lord Grindelwald—just keep it with me."

"very good."

Grindelwald nodded in satisfaction: "Then it's time to return to the surface and gather your companions to witness the return of your master... You, and those who participated in the plan, all bear that thing called the Dark Mark, right?"

(End of this chapter)