บท 162: Chapter 162
Late Night at Hogwarts
"Albus, join us."
In a dark room, an oil lamp was placed on a table, emitting a weak, fiery yellow light that barely illuminated the surrounding area. The rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. Two young men sat on opposite sides of the table. The young man with white hair made a request to the young man in black sitting across from him.
Facing his best friend's request, the young man hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "Okay, Gellert."
The young Gellert Grindelwald looked overjoyed, grabbing the hands of the young Albus Dumbledore and said excitedly, "I knew you would agree. Let's do it for the greater good!"
The scene shifted.
A much more mature Grindelwald and Dumbledore stood on a duel stage.
"Gellert, let go, so many people have died."
Dumbledore held his wand and said to Grindelwald with a sad look on his face.
"Hesitant, cowardly, short-sighted. Dumbledore, you disappoint me so much. All my actions are for the wizarding world. What is the greater good? The interests of wizards as a whole are the greatest interests. You have only seen how many people have died now. Haven't you thought that if no one is killed today, how many wizards will die in the future?"
At the end of the sentence, Grindelwald's tone became more excited and he asked with anger.
Dumbledore was silent when he heard his best friend's angry and hateful tone, and there was a trace of regret in his eyes.
The scene changed many times, showing conversations between Dumbledore and Grindelwald at different ages.
Suddenly, a pair of light blue eyes opened.
Lying in bed, Dumbledore had a very complicated expression on his face after waking up from his dream. There was hesitation, regret, sorrow, and nostalgia. A multitude of emotions swirled in his mind, making them difficult to pin down.
After a moment, Dumbledore stood up, took out a slightly dirty pensieve, walked to the desk, and put it down. He pulled out his wand, touched his temple lightly, and slowly extracted a glowing memory strand, like a white ribbon, and placed it into the pensieve.
Then, he plunged his head into the pensieve.
The scene in the pensieve was exactly what he experienced on the Quidditch pitch yesterday. He watched it again, carefully observing Lockhart's every word and every move until the moment Lockhart waved his wand excitedly and said impassionedly:
"Make wizards great again!"
The picture stopped abruptly, freezing at that moment. Dumbledore looked at Lockhart, his eyes becoming distant. The image of a white-haired figure quietly emerged from his memories, overlapping with Lockhart, and he murmured to himself.
"Everything. For the greater good."
"Make wizards great again!"
Hogwarts, a Classroom
Squib Ian sat on a bench, looking uneasy. He glanced around at the other Squibs sitting with similarly nervous or expectant expressions, feeling even more psychologically stressed. Yesterday, he had watched Filch perform magic and heard Professor Lockhart's explanations.
The moment he saw Filch perform magic, Ian had been filled with indescribable excitement, his heart pounding. He saw a female Squib about his age crying with joy, and he, too, found tears welling up in his eyes.
Being a Squib—a term full of contempt, symbolizing the lowest level in the wizarding world—was a heavy burden. Squibs who could get stable jobs were considered lucky. Many more Squibs were penniless and wandering aimlessly. Returning to the Muggle world was not an option for most Squibs; it was unfamiliar and filled with unknown risks. Having spent their lives in the wizarding world, they could not navigate the complexities of the Muggle world.
For a Squib without documentation, entering the Muggle world was akin to being a stowaway in London, a fate no better than entering hell. Ian was somewhat better off, having been born into a wizarding family with liberal parents who often took him to the Muggle world, giving him a basic understanding of it. His interest in Muggles had led him to learn more through books, enough to lay the foundation for his revenge plan.
Thinking of his revenge plan, Ian glanced at the corridor outside. Even with a Muggle weapon, the probability of a Squib killing a wizard was too low. A wizard could easily transfigure the weapon into something harmless. But if he became a wizard, his chances of revenge would increase significantly.
Now, all he had to do was wait patiently for his name to be called for Professor Lockhart's interview. Passing the interview meant hope of becoming a wizard, greatly improving his chances of revenge. If he failed, he could still buy the journals and study the meditation method Lockhart mentioned, hoping to become a wizard that way.
Ian knew becoming Lockhart's research assistant or student was his best chance for power and revenge. Missing this opportunity would be a significant setback. He shook his head to dispel negative thoughts, preparing to do his best in the upcoming interview.
Time passed slowly. Ian watched as Squibs were called one by one and returned with various expressions. Then suddenly:
"Ian, Amy, Rayla," called a sixth-year Gryffindor girl.
Hearing his name, Ian's heart skipped a beat. He quickly stood up and was the first to approach Marianne, the Gryffindor girl. The others lined up behind him. Marianne noted Ian's handsome face with a flash of surprise before nodding.
Soon, Ian and the others followed Marianne to the corridor outside, waiting by the door of the next classroom. They waited quietly for the previous group to finish. A stream of Squibs emerged from the classroom, looking nervous, anxious, worried, and confused.
Ian's previously stable mood became slightly nervous, and the others in line looked even more uneasy. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and entered the classroom, ready for his interview with Professor Lockhart.
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