บท 310: Madman
His eyebrows twitched as he read, his expression growing more severe with each passing second. His usual calm demeanour was gone, replaced by something far more menacing. His gaze shifted from the letters to Grindelwald, who was now walking toward them after parking the car in his usual lazy, careless manner.
"A good thing you did?" Dumbledore said, his voice barely controlled.
Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, looking both amused and perplexed. "What are you talking about?"
Dumbledore didn't bother with further explanations. He threw the letters toward Grindelwald with a flick of his wrist, anger flashing in his eyes.
"You deliberately got Blake expelled, didn't you? So you could drag him off to your school?"
Grindelwald looked at the letters briefly and sighed. "Albus, you know me better than that. If I wanted Blake at my school, I wouldn't go through this whole charade. I'd simply blow up Hogwarts and be done with it."
Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly, his grip tightening on his wand. He didn't draw it, but Blake could see his hand trembling with the effort not to.
Blake swallowed hard. The atmosphere between the two wizards was thick with tension, and it felt as though a duel might break out at any moment.
Grindelwald continued, unfazed. "You should know by now that if I wanted something, I wouldn't bother with subtlety. Besides, this is clearly a misunderstanding. Those spells weren't Blake's."
Dumbledore sneered, his voice cold. "Oh, and you're planning to tell everyone that, are you? You're going to announce your connection to Blake publicly?"
It was at this moment that Nagini, who had been standing quietly in the background, finally noticed who Dumbledore was speaking to. In the dim light, she hadn't realized it before, but now it was clear.
Standing before her was Grindelwald, one of the most feared dark wizards in history. She instinctively took a few steps back, her hand reaching out to pull Blake behind her in a protective gesture.
It was almost instinctual—a response born out of years of survival and the knowledge of Grindelwald's reputation.
Grindelwald's smile faltered for a brief second as he noticed Nagini's reaction. It was clear that, despite his attempts to maintain a facade of indifference, there was something unsettling about being the source of such fear. But he quickly regained his composure, his face hardening as he turned back to Dumbledore.
"I don't care what people think," Grindelwald said coolly, "but I'd rather not involve Blake in any of it. If people found out about our connection, it would cause more trouble than it's worth."
Dumbledore's expression softened, but only slightly. His anger was still palpable, but now there was a trace of concern in his eyes.
"Trouble for you, or trouble for Blake?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
Grindelwald sighed, clearly frustrated. "For Blake, obviously. You know how many people would like to see me dead. If they knew about Blake, they'd come after him, too."
Dumbledore remained silent, but the tension in the air was still thick. Blake stood awkwardly between the two powerful wizards, feeling like a pawn in a game far beyond his control. The situation was spiralling, and he didn't know how to stop it.
"Tsk... am I really that shameless in your eyes?" Grindelwald said, crossing his arms.
"I don't want to put Blake in danger. You know that."
Dumbledore's gaze hardened. "You may not intend to, but you're doing it anyway. If anyone finds out about this, Blake will be the one who suffers the most."
Grindelwald rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll find someone else to take the blame. I'll say that Blake was with them and they were the ones who cast the spells. Problem solved."
Dumbledore didn't respond immediately. He seemed to be weighing his options, caught between two undesirable outcomes. "Perjury, Grindelwald? Is that really your plan?"
"Oh, come on, Albus," Grindelwald snapped, his voice rising in frustration.
"Do you really want to see Blake expelled for something he didn't do? Do you want to watch those fools at the Ministry break his wand?"
Dumbledore flinched slightly at the mention of Blake's wand. Blake, noticing the shift, stepped forward, trying to calm the situation. "Please, both of you. If you fight, this will only get worse. I don't want to cause any more trouble."
Grindelwald and Dumbledore both turned to look at him, their expressions softening just slightly. For a moment, it seemed like the argument might dissipate. But Grindelwald, always the agitator, couldn't help but add one more jab.
"If Hogwarts doesn't want you, Blake, you're welcome at my school. We don't bow to idiots at the Ministry."
Dumbledore glared at him. "Enough. Hogwarts isn't going to expel Blake over this nonsense. I'll see to it personally."
Grindelwald shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if the Ministry tries anything, don't be surprised when I intervene."
Without waiting for a response, Grindelwald disappeared, leaving the tension hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Dumbledore stood there for a moment, still seething. Blake could see his hands shaking slightly as he struggled to maintain his composure.
"Blake," Dumbledore said finally, turning to face him. "This isn't your fault. You did nothing wrong. You didn't use magic, and you certainly aren't responsible for Grindelwald's actions."
Blake pretended to feel a wave of guilt wash over him. "But if I hadn't gotten into his car..."
"Enough," Dumbledore interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "You're not to blame for any of this. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all. Now, go inside and have some dinner. I'll take care of the rest."
Blake hesitated but nodded. He turned and walked back into the house with Nagini, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange.
After dinner, Blake and Nagini were sitting in the living room when an owl flew in through the open window. A letter dropped into Blake's lap. He sighed, already dreading what it might say.
Opening the letter, he read it aloud:
"Dear Mr. Green, we are writing to inform you that the Ministry of Magic has reversed its decision to destroy your wand immediately. You may keep it until your trial on August 15th, at which point a formal decision will be made. Furthermore, the Ministry has postponed any decisions regarding your expulsion from Hogwarts until that time. You are, however, considered suspended pending further investigation."
Blake looked up at Dumbledore, who had just entered the room. Dumbledore smiled faintly. "There, you see? You won't be expelled."
Blake nodded, but there was still a lingering sense of unease. "But I still have to go to trial. On my birthday, no less."
Dumbledore winced slightly as if realizing for the first time what the date of the trial meant. "I'm sorry, Blake. I didn't realize..."
Before Dumbledore could say anything more, another owl swooped in, dropping yet another letter in front of Blake. He opened it cautiously, and as he read the contents, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Dear Blake, don't worry about the trial. No one can judge you. Leave it to me. I can guarantee that the Department of Misuse of Magic will no longer exist by August 15th. Good night.
Your dearest relative, Gellert Grindelwald."
Dumbledore's face turned an alarming shade of red as he read the letter over Blake's shoulder. "That... that madman!" he sputtered, his voice trembling with rage. "What is he planning now?"
Blake looked up at Dumbledore, alarmed by the older wizard's reaction. "Professor, what does he mean?"
Dumbledore shook his head, his expression grim. "I don't know, but I need to find out. Grindelwald is up to something, and I can't let him drag you into it."
With that, Dumbledore hurried out of the house, leaving Blake and Nagini alone once again. Blake sat there, staring at the letter in his hands, his mind racing with questions. What was Grindelwald planning? And how far would he go to protect him?
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