"I think so too."
Ian had already taken out his camera, but as he was about to take a commemorative photo, he realized that it could only prove he defeated Gilderoy Lockhart and not that he defeated the Black Demon King.
The capital he could boast about instantly weakened a lot. Who would want to hear him talk about his defeat of a famous writer's story? This was not enough to make the little wizards cheer around him for his great achievements.
He might even be secretly hated by some of Lockhart's brain-dead fans.
"Golden Bell Fall."
Ian sighed and put down the camera. He certainly didn't dare keep suspending Grindelwald upside down, knowing that smart people were aware that Grindelwald maintained that position to save face for Dumbledore.
The magic wand in Grindelwald's hand had never left his grip.
"This doesn't count. Next time, when you don't have help, we'll do it all over again." Grindelwald landed steadily and said to Ian with a slight smirk.
Then, while tidying up his disheveled robe, he shot a rather annoyed glance at Dumbledore. "You must know I was the one who informed you about what secrets this little fellow is hiding, right?"
The tone of the current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was rather resentful.
"But you are not the one holding this secret, you see, I originally planned to find Headmaster Dumbledore." Ian's words left Grindelwald momentarily speechless.
The old headmaster remained silent.
Sometimes,
Silence actually also means acquiescence.
"Show him! Show him!" Grindelwald urged Ian, his expression looking rather dissatisfied, not because of Ian's sneak attack.
Just as Ian was about to cast a spell.
"I think that child would rather you weren't there, after all, that would evoke some not-so-pleasant memories." Albus Dumbledore interrupted Ian's action.
His gaze turned to his old friend.
"Fine, fine, the Dumbledore family!"
Grindelwald found that perhaps it was better not to inform Dumbledore at all.
It was truly rare to see the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor so exasperated, and probably his followers, the Saints, had never witnessed him so emotionally agitated.
"Indeed, ruthless Albus, damn it, I wasn't the one who cast that spell." Cursing and muttering, Grindelwald walked towards the lavatory door.
"Professor! The underground palace! The matter of the underground palace hasn't been dealt with yet!" Ian didn't want to see Grindelwald leave, after all, only this man could pry open Ronnie Ehrich's mouth.
"What underground palace?"
Albus Dumbledore's eyes slightly narrowed. As expected, he had already received information from Grindelwald, earlier than when Ian mentioned Hogwarts' underground palace to Grindelwald.
"Right beneath this, I discovered a..." Ian repeated the words he had told Grindelwald, and Albus Dumbledore's expression grew heavier as he listened.
Just as Ian was about to mention the time loop issue,
The old headmaster spoke first.
"So that's it, this is the source of the uneasiness around you." Albus Dumbledore seemed to have understood something and scrutinized Ian with slightly astonished eyes.
"Tell me honestly, child, how many loops is this for you?" Albus Dumbledore asked again, startling Ian, making the little wizard realize that some people thinking this old man is all-knowing is truly not without reason.
"I think it's supposed to be the first loop?" In reality, Ian himself wasn't sure if he really was looping, but the headmaster before him seemed more certain than he was.
"Time is unseen, untouchable, but it leaves traces, and the scent you don't belong to this time is too strong." Grindelwald, who had returned, clarified things for Ian.
He also made Ian understand why the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, upon hearing his outrageous claim, did not appear at all shocked or surprised—after all, these were the greatest two wizards of this century, and some things simply could not escape their keen sight.
Grindelwald's remark about not believing and needing proof, upon reflection, seemed more like the original intention was to buy time until the old headmaster returned.
Of course,
The subtle feeling of teasing Ian was becoming increasingly apparent upon deeper reflection.
"..."
Ian had an afterthought.
Finally realizing what it meant to say that only those with poor acting skills go to Hollywood.
"Actually, I originally thought you just got a Time Converter, but little did I expect your experience to be so intriguing." Grindelwald's words offered Ian no solace in his heart.
"This isn't just about traveling through time, Gellert." Albus Dumbledore inspected Ian's raised hand, perhaps having a slightly deeper understanding of time than Grindelwald.
"What do you mean?"
Grindelwald stepped forward, his tone carrying a hint of surprise.
"I don't believe there's another Ian Prince in our school at the moment." The old headmaster lifted a wand that originally belonged to Grindelwald—the Elder Wand.
With a wave, a map even more detailed than Ian's Living Map materialized before the three of them. The map, woven from light and shadow, contained not only the names of every little wizard.
It also showed Tom Riddle's name overlaying Quirrell's, the two names superimposed as if they were engaged in an intense act of forbidden fruit exploration.