Chapter 221: Public Confrontation
Levi was not at all surprised that the Professors were able to intercept them.
The Professors were not that repulsive pink toad, Umbridge.
Having taught in the Hogwarts castle for so many years, they had long known where the Room of Requirementwas!
A little thought was all it took to deduce that the only hidden meeting place where so many of them could gather was the Room of Requirement.
"Professor McGonagall, and all the other Professors, is there a reason you are blocking our way?"
Levi asked with a smile, his face showing a hint of confusion, as if he were completely unaware that he had done anything wrong.
In fact, he didn't think he had done anything wrong at all!
The Professors were taken aback; it was the first time they had ever encountered a young wizard who skipped class with such self-righteousness, and they couldn't help but feel provoked.
"Don't play dumb," Lockhart, furious to the extreme, stepped forward and angrily questioned Levi:
"Why are you and this group of young wizards behind you skipping class? Why didn't you attend my Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"
"To dare to skip class so openly! You group of young wizards are simply lawless!"
Lockhart could no longer maintain his smug, sparkling, and conceited appearance!
No one attending his class—this kind of public humiliation was something even a fraud Professor like him could not tolerate!
"Professor, why are you angry? What is there for you to be angry about?"
"Didn't you come to Hogwarts having already sold all those trashy novels you wrote! You've already made a fortune, so why are you still angry?"
"We young wizards have spent a lot of Galleons, yet we haven't learned a single thing! We have to listen to you spout garbage every day in class and show off useless things, and we aren't angry, so what do you have to be angry about? Can you have some shame?"
"What? Are you angry because we didn't go to waste our time watching you perform like a monkey?"
"Then why don't you sign up for a circus and be a clown there!"
Levi watched Lockhart with cold eyes, his sarcastic words like knives stabbing into this guy who only knew the Memory Charm!
Watching his face turn pale bit by bit!
Watching him look around in a panic, seeking help from Professor McGonagall and the others!
Levi's words could be said to have completely torn off the last shred of Lockhart's fig leaf!
At this moment, through Levi's words, the fact that Lockhart had no skills whatsoever and was completely incapable of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was exposed!
"I... I..."
Even a master swindler like Lockhart, who was skilled at using words to gain trust and steal memories, didn't know how to defend himself in the face of Levi's blunt words.
The Harry Potter world is, after all, a world where great power belongs to the individual!
If Lockhart wanted to prove himself, he should have picked up his wand and let Levi witness his authority as a Professor!
Unfortunately, even if Merlin were alive, he couldn't make Lockhart do such a thing!
Lockhart had been cornered by Levi!
If he had turned a blind eye to Levi and the others skipping class, everyone could have just treated him like a fart and let it go!
But he just had to go and complain to Professor McGonagall for the sake of his so-called face and his so-called professorial dignity!
He didn't even stop to think, what right did he have to make such a complaint?!
Since he had already abandoned his own shame, why should Levi save face for him?
"Levi, he is a Professor after all..."
Professor McGonagall was also rendered speechless by Levi's words; she certainly knew that Lockhart was a fraud!
However, as the Deputy Headmistress of the school, she absolutely could not allow the young wizards to skip class on such a large scale.
"Professor McGonagall," Levi looked at Professor McGonagall again and stated as if it were a fact:
"I know that You-Know-Who placed a Curse on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and every year, either voluntarily or involuntarily, we have to change a Professor to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class!"
"My classmates and I can understand that it is difficult for the school to find a suitable candidate to serve as a Professor!"
"But that does not mean we can tolerate the fact that for many years, we haven't been able to learn anything useful in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class!"
"Yes, we did skip class! We violated school rules!"
"But does the school rulebook allow someone like Lockhart, who can't teach us anything, to act as a Professor?"
"If that's the case, then what is the point of us attending school and learning magic here?"
"Besides, if Lockhart can't teach us, are we not even allowed to self-study? Must we treat this good-for-nothing loser as a real Professor and learn his deceitful skills? Learn how he steals other people's memories and claims them as his own?"
"Don't think I don't know where those stories he wrote came from!"
"Those truly legendary Wizards whose memories were stolen are not dead yet! As long as I follow the stories in his novels and search for them, I can send Lockhart to Azkaban right now!"
Azkaban—the moment the name of this prison came out, a chorus of "Merlin, oh my god" gasps erupted from the group of young wizards behind Levi!
Upon hearing Levi's words, Professor McGonagall didn't know how to defend the reputation of a HogwartsProfessor anymore!
She also began to look at Lockhart with a scrutinizing and suspicious gaze. Having taught at Hogwarts for so many years, she witnessed a Defense Against the Dark Arts class Professor leave their post for various reasons every year.
Levi's words were correct; Lockhart was just too suspicious!
With just a little investigation, he would likely be ruined and thrown into Azkaban!
Such a person, who was already troublesome during his school days and caused all sorts of ridiculous things, was he really suitable to be a Professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?
If even Professor McGonagall felt this way, the gazes of the other Professors and the young wizards like Levi were even more so; they all looked at Lockhart with suspicion and scrutiny!
They were almost about to shout out loud to have this fraud arrested!
It's over! The truth has been discovered!
I knew this day would come!
What do I do now? Think of something, you stupid head of mine!
Lockhart's face was pale, his expression extremely panicked, and he wished he could find a crack in the wall to crawl into right now.
With Levi's questioning, the suspicion of the crowd, and the truth almost being laid bare, Lockhart was like a rat crossing the street, not knowing where to hide!
Racking his brains and unable to come up with a countermeasure, Lockhart could only close his eyes, lie stiffly on the ground, and feign fainting!
"Merlin! Someone come quickly!"
"Did Levi Keynes make a Professor faint from anger again?"
"Wait, why did I say 'again'?"
Lockhart fell to the ground with a "thud," the dull sound of his head hitting the floor sounded like a ripe melon!
For the sake of acting, he really wasn't afraid of pain!
The Professors and the young wizards were also startled by Lockhart's sudden fainting and all cried out in alarm!
Chapter 222: Public Condemnation
Levi once again allowed the faculty and students of Hogwarts to witness the power of language.
The scene from the last school year, where he had blasted Professor Quirrell until the man spat up three liters of blood and collapsed, was still fresh in everyone's minds!
This school year, another Professor had been fainted by Levi's words!
And just like with Professor Quirrell, even though Levi had done this personally and in front of a crowd of Professors, he didn't receive the slightest punishment.
After everyone scrambled to send Lockhart to the Hospital Wing, the matter was simply dropped!
No Professor investigated their private self-study sessions, nor did any Professor force them to disband their association; Levi, in particular, didn't receive any punishment at all.
This was simply because everyone felt Levi wasn't wrong. Since they couldn't learn anything from an incompetent Professor like Lockhart, were they not allowed to study on their own?
However, both Levi and Professor McGonagall knew that this matter would not end so easily!
In Headmaster Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, Professor Sprout, and Levi were all present.
"Levi, is what you said true? Do you really think those books Lockhart wrote were produced by using Memory Charms to plagiarize others' memories, taking their stories and experiences as his own?"
Professor McGonagall asked with concern; as this involved a Professor at the school, she had to be cautious.
"Professors, and Headmaster, what I think actually isn't that important!"
Levi became humble at this moment. His goal of driving Lockhart out of the school was nearing completion, so he said as if providing a reminder:
"You are all teachers who personally taught Lockhart. I am sure everyone vividly remembers what kind of performance Gilderoy Lockhart, this student from Ravenclaw, had while he was at school!"
"While it might be bad to think of someone this way, given his performance during his school days, do you think he could possess the level of magic—experienced and sophisticated—described in the stories?"
Levi had, of course, read Lockhart's seven storybooks. Every protagonist inside was nothing like Lockhart.
The protagonists of the stories had extremely rich experience in dealing with Dark magical creatures and remained calm and composed while doing so.
Relying on just a few minor Spells or some Potions, they could easily handle and subdue various dangerous situations and terrifying Dark magical creatures.
Even Levi asked himself—despite his high level of magic, he couldn't be as calm and seasoned as the Wizards in those stories!
But was Lockhart that kind of person?
Just looking at his superficial, talentless, and flamboyant manner, one knew he was fundamentally incapable of doing the things the protagonists did!
"But what Lockhart wrote are stories, after all..."
The soft-hearted Professor Sprout tried to defend Lockhartslightly.
She still couldn't believe that a young wizard she had watched grow up would do something like plagiarizing others' stories and experiences and deleting their memories.
One must know that unless specific magic or rituals are used, the memory loss caused by a Memory Charm is permanent!
By taking others' stories and experiences, Lockhart's Memory Charms essentially turned them into idiots, ruining a Wizard's entire life!
With so many stories, how many people must Lockharthave harmed!
However, Professor Flitwick, the Head of House of Ravenclaw, showed no favoritism toward Lockhart and began to recount the ridiculous things Lockhart had done during his school years:
"Gilderoy Lockhart... he left a deep impression on me, but it wasn't a good one!"
"I still remember when he was a student, he left a giant signature on the Quidditch pitch, twenty feet wide!"
"The school had to put in a lot of effort to repair the lawn after his personal display of vanity!"
"He even imitated the Death Eaters by projecting his own face into the sky, which scared many young wizards at the time!"
"Worse still, during one Valentine's Day breakfast, he actually sent himself eight hundred Valentine's cards!"
"The owls swamped the Great Hall, feathers and droppings fell into the porridge, and even breakfast had to be canceled. It was wretched, with absolutely no regard for others' feelings!"
"The boasts and lies this man has left behind are simply too many!"
"Claiming to have created a Philosopher's Stone before graduation, leading the England Quidditch team to a World Cup win, becoming the youngest Minister for magic..."
After listing a series of Lockhart's behaviors from his school days, Professor Flitwick concluded:
"The current Gilderoy Lockhart perfectly matches the impression he left at school: vain, cowardly, and a fraud!"
"I have read those stories too. If they were fictional, it would be understandable, but to say they were Lockhart's personal experiences is simply impossible!"
After Professor Flitwick finished speaking, the matter had become very clear.
Levi's words were true!
Gilderoy Lockhart had definitely plagiarized others' stories and experiences, stolen their lives, and cast Memory Charms on them!
"In my view, there is nothing to dispute. I'll just pour a few drops of Veritaserum down his throat later, and he'll tell us everything!"
"This lying fraud! Damned egomaniac!"
Professor Snape stood in a corner of the Headmaster's Office with his arms crossed, a cold expression on his face.
He had had enough of Gilderoy Lockhart and loathed him to the extreme!
Especially since he had heard from certain rumors that the Boy Who Lived's mother, Lady Lily, had written love letters to Gilderoy Lockhart when they were in school!
When he heard that rumor, his pent-up rage had been ignited!
At that moment, he had wanted nothing more than to rush into the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor's office and give Lockhart an Avada Kedavra!
"Severus, how can we use Veritaserum on a colleague?!"
Upon hearing Professor Snape's words, Professor McGonagall quickly spoke up to stop him. Using Veritaserum on a colleague was going too far!
While the four Professors and Levi were talking, they handed the final decision-making power to Headmaster Dumbledore. They all looked at the old man sitting at the headmaster's desk, eating sweets!
"Hmm, are you finished with your discussion?"
Dumbledore shook his head like a senile old man and sat up straight, saying:
"An old friend recently told me that without investigation, one has no right to speak. Although we have reason to suspect Lockhart has stolen other people's lives and plagiarized their memories, in the end, it is just suspicion; we have no hard evidence yet!"
"It just so happens that I, this old man, am relatively clear-headed. Let me follow the stories Lockhart wrote and see if I can find any poor souls whose memories have been deleted!"
"You don't need to worry; I will be back before Halloween!"
"Also, Levi, you did the right thing. Although skipping class is a violation of school rules, the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts has been unsatisfactory over these years..."
"I support you in forming a self-study association. Do a good job; after all, the person you drove away last school year could make a comeback at any time!"
At the end, Headmaster Dumbledore expressed his support for Levi's self-study association.
In reality, no one knew what he was truly thinking. He certainly understood the potential dread and danger of students forming their own associations within the school.
Voldemort had done exactly that back then, developing his small clique within the school and connecting with many pure-blood wizarding families inside Slytherin!
However, after much thought, Dumbledore decided to trust Levi. He felt that Levi's association would help train Harry Potter to better deal with the future return of Voldemort!
Dumbledore even felt that if Levi held the idea of building up power through the association, that would be acceptable too.
Once Voldemort was dealt with and Grindelwald was locked back in the tower of Nurmengard, he himself would be close to death!
When the three most powerful Wizards in the world died, the highest position at the zenith would suddenly lack a ruler on the throne!
If another terrifying Dark Lord like Voldemort were to emerge from some unknown place, it was definitely not something Dumbledore wanted to see!
Conversely, if Levi could master the greatest strength and power of the wizarding world during this vacuum...
Having Levi replace him, Grindelwald, and Voldemort in that position representing the strongest would actually allow Headmaster Dumbledore to feel a bit more at ease
Chapter 223
Levi stood before Headmaster Dumbledore, listening intently to Headmaster Dumbledore's words.
Receiving Headmaster Dumbledore's permission to form a club legally and in compliance with regulations was, of course, a reason to be joyful.
However, Levi's attention was focused on other things Old Dumbledore had said.
"No investigation, no right to speak"—how could such words come from an old-timer in the wizarding world like Old Dumbledore?
Who exactly was the old friend he mentioned?
Besides, there was still some time before Halloween!
Leaving for such a long time—was Old Dumbledore really going to investigate the matter regarding Lockhart, or was he using it as an excuse to do something else?
Levi looked at Old Dumbledore's smiling face before him, but he was deeply skeptical in his heart!
Nevertheless, Levi still trusted Old Dumbledore's competence; as long as he went to investigate, the wretched things Lockhart had done would inevitably be exposed.
When that time came, only one fate awaited this fraudulent big phony: being locked up in Azkaban!
This time, there would be no memory loss caused by a rebounding Spell; Lockhart wouldn't be able to escape his crimes!
With this, this school year's Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor would be making an early exit again. He wondered how Old Dumbledore would arrange things?
Levi listened as the Professors and the Headmasterdiscussed the arrangements for school affairs while the Headmaster was away, then left the Headmaster's Office and returned to the Great Hall.
As soon as he appeared, he was immediately greeted with hero-like welcomes and cheers. In everyone's eyes, he had once again led the young wizards to defeat an evil existence and achieve victory!
"Thank you, thank you everyone for your support. I have some good news to announce here!"
"Headmaster Dumbledore supports our club. From today onwards, the Defense Against the Dark Arts Self-Study Club is a legal and compliant student organization!"
Levi jumped onto the house table and announced loudly.
Once the news was announced, the young wizards in the Great Hall fell silent. After exchanging glances, they suddenly burst into cheers in unison!
Among the young wizards, the most excited was none other than Hermione. She excitedly grabbed Levi's hand and shouted shrilly with joy:
"That's wonderful, Levi! Our organization has finally been recognized by the school; it's no longer a violation of school rules!"
Hearing this, Levi couldn't help but squeeze Hermione's hand. From those words, he could feel how much pressure Hermione had been under.
For the little witch, participating in a student club organized by Levi while violating school rules was such a high-pressure and difficult thing!
Yet she had endured it all for Levi's sake, with a resolute attitude and never any regrets!
After celebrating with his classmates in the Great Hall and the gathering dispersed, Levi sensed the Mandrake leaf in his mouth.
This leaf had been kept in his mouth for nearly a month now.
At the beginning, Levi could only communicate by waving his wand to type out words. As time passed, he became more accustomed to the presence of the leaf in his mouth.
Trying to speak bit by bit, he could now talk like he just did—even long speeches, sarcastic remarks, or loud shouting wouldn't affect the Mandrake leaf in his mouth.
Hopefully, tomorrow night will be a clear sky!
Levi thought expectantly to himself.
On the night of the full moon about a month ago, Levi had put the Mandrake leaf in his mouth and had persisted until now.
As long as it was a clear night tomorrow, under the light of the full moon, Levi could take out the Mandrake leaf from his mouth and place it into a crystal vial.
Under the moonlight, he only needed to add one of his hairs, a silver teaspoon of dew collected from a place that hadn't seen sunlight or been stepped on for seven days, and a chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk-moth into the crystal vial.
Then, seal it and place it in an absolutely quiet, dark place, never touching or looking at it until a thunderstorm arrived. Only then could he attempt the Magical Creature Transformation!
Throughout this entire process, Levi's luck would be put to the ultimate test.
If tomorrow was cloudy and no moonlight shone down, then Levi's efforts for the past month would be in vain!
He would have to restart the time-consuming and laborious process of keeping a Mandrake leaf in his mouth and wait for the next clear full moon night.
The hair, the crystal vial, the special dew, and the Death's-head Hawk-moth chrysalis—Levi had prepared everything. The only thing he couldn't guarantee was whether tomorrow night would be clear.
Even with magic, given Levi's current strength, it was impossible to change the weather and turn dense clouds into a clear sky.
But if magic wouldn't work, Levi wasn't going to let himself be stuck; he chose to turn to science for help!
In the middle of the night, Levi chose to sneak away from the campus to a remote area. He bought a Cloud-seedingcannon and shells from the Shop.
"Actually, Voldemort isn't that big of a deal!"
"No matter how powerful his Avada Kedavra is, can it really match the power of a man-portable rocket launcher?"
Levi placed the Cloud-seeding cannon and shells on the ground, speaking disdainfully.
If Voldemort were to be resurrected in the future, the only thing that would need to be taken seriously would be his immortal Horcruxes.
Voldemort himself, his strength was completely insufficient in the face of modern firepower.
There wouldn't even be a need for nuclear bombs; a Single-soldier rocket launcher would be enough to blow him to pieces!
Of course, as a Dark Lord, if Voldemort could sense the threat of the shells, he might escape by Apparating.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Levi followed the operation manual, firing Dry ice shellsinto the clouds. Then, without waiting for the artificial rain to take effect, he packed up the cannon and returned to the school.
Not long after he left, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, awakened by the sound of the cannon, arrived at the place where he had just fired the shells.
"What happened? What made those loud noises? Albus, did you sense anything?"
Professor McGonagall scanned the surroundings, looking for clues while asking Headmaster Dumbledore.
The wizarding world was still too isolated from the world of ordinary people. During World War II, Professor McGonagall was still young and didn't know much about the sound of shells being fired.
"They should be shells fired by Muggles, but why would shells be fired here?"
Headmaster Dumbledore waved his wand, and the shell casings Levi had left in the grass flew out, landing before the two of them.
Facing Professor McGonagall's inquiry, even Headmaster Dumbledore was a bit bewildered.
There were no signs of shelling nearby, and Hogwarts Castle hadn't been attacked. Yet, the sound of cannon fire and the shell casings had appeared, which was truly puzzling.
Suddenly, Dumbledore looked up at the sky. With his supreme power, he felt the clouds in the sky gathering strangely.
It clearly wasn't supposed to rain, yet signs of moisture condensing had already appeared. Raindrops should be falling soon!
Could it be that firing these shells into the sky causes rain to fall?
Headmaster Dumbledore, who knew nothing about science, found it hard to imagine that Muggles could already regulate the weather through shells!
"Let's go back and reassure the young wizards. It should be fine!"
Dumbledore once again alertly sensed the surroundings, but finding no trace, he could only speak to Professor McGonagall reassuringly.
Chapter 224: Only Waiting Remains
Levi, who had slipped away after finishing his mischief, had no idea that he had left Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall in a state of deep distress and confusion.
He stood before the castle window, watching the curtain of torrential rain pour down outside, and couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"Fall! Fall! The harder the better!"
"If all the moisture falls tonight, tomorrow night will be a Sunny Day!"
The rain passed and the sky cleared; the next day, Hogwarts and its surrounding areas were indeed greeted by a glorious Sunny Day!
In the middle of the night, Levi left the school once again and headed straight for the depths of the Forbidden Forest, where the Unicorns resided.
"Long time no see, Milu, Caitlin, Vera! And everyone else!"
Under the bright moonlight, Levi greeted the beautiful Unicorns of the Forbidden Forest. The Milu the Little Unicorn charged into his arms like a cannonball, affectionately expressing how much she had missed him.
"Alright, alright, I have something to ask of you this time!"
Levi explained that he needed to place something here and asked the Unicorns to guard it, ensuring no one else would disturb it.
The Unicorns naturally agreed with pleasure, and Levibegan the next step of his Animagus transformation.
He took out a prepared crystal bottle, poured in the special dew he had collected beforehand, added a strand of his own hair, and then placed the Mandrake leaf—which had been soaking in his saliva for a month—into the bottle. Finally, he added a Death's-head Hawk-moth pupa.
The bright moon, like a jade wheel, cast its light into the crystal bottle. The Mandrake leaf, dew, hair, and the Death's-head Hawk-moth pupa began to change at that moment, much like a brewing Potion.
Levi buried it in the soil and marked the spot with a wooden stick. He then asked the Unicorn herd once more to look after it for him.
Actually, the most suitable place to bury the Potion was within Levi's Bestiary world.
The problem was that Levi worried it was a unique location that might interfere with the entire Animagus ritual process, which was why he chose the valley where the Unicorns lived.
In his mind, there was no place more safe and reliable than this.
Next, all Levi had to do was wait—wait for a thunderstorm to arrive.
After playing with the Unicorns for a while, Levi returned to his dormitory and set his alarm to wake up at sunrise the next day.
Before the thunderstorm arrived, he had to recite an incantation to himself every day at sunrise and sunset.
Levi pointed the Elderwood and Phoenix Feather Wand in his hand toward his heart and slowly chanted:
"Amato Animo Animato Animagus!"
Once the incantation was finished, Levi felt his heart give a sudden throb before returning to its normal rhythm.
From then on, at every sunrise and sunset, he would have to perform the same spell on himself until he felt a second heartbeat within his chest, signaling completion.
After that, the biggest test of luck before completing the transformation would be when a thunderstorm would finally strike.
And whether the bottle of Potion Levi had buried would transform correctly in the earth, ready for him to drink when the thunderstorm arrived.
If the thunderstorm arrived early and Levi's heart had not yet developed a second heartbeat...
Or if the Potion failed to transform correctly into a blood-red liquid by the time the storm hit...
Then the Animagus Magical Creatures transformation would still be impossible to perform!
"Patience, care, luck, Potion knowledge, collecting materials, Transfiguration..."
Levi summarized the various trials of the Animagustransformation in his mind. Even with sufficient effort and patience, success ultimately depended on luck.
If it weren't for the chance to transform into a Magical Creatures, Levi would never be willing to undergo such a Transfiguration even once!
"I hope I succeed!"
Because he had loaded the Dragon MOD, Levi planned to transform into a Dragon. Through the Dragon MOD, his Dragon form could also exchange for Dragon Talents and learn Draconic Magic.
Compared to transforming into other Magical Creatures, this offered a massive advantage!
After performing the Animagus transformation spell, Levigot up, washed, ate breakfast, and went to class.
While eating breakfast, Levi specifically noticed that Headmaster Dumbledore had not appeared at the staff table for two consecutive days.
Old Dumbledore had already left the school. He just didn't know if the man was truly investigating evidence of Lockhart's crimes or meeting someone else.
As Levi ate a grilled sausage, he pondered. It had been a year since Gellert Grindelwald escaped, and the wizarding world had almost forgotten about him!
This didn't seem like Grindelwald's style. Perhaps this first Dark Lord and leader of the Acolytes was planning something big!
Headmaster Dumbledore might have used the investigation into Lockhart's crimes as a cover to secretly meet some old friends or follow Grindelwald's trail to capture his old flame!
However, what Levi didn't expect was that Headmaster Dumbledore wasn't going to capture Grindelwald; he was going to see him.
That's right; the saying "no investigation, no right to speak" from before was actually something Grindelwald had taught Dumbledore.
In the letter he wrote to Dumbledore, Grindelwald not only taught him that principle but also unreservedly shared his first prophetic dream.
"...In the future, the Statute of Secrecy will inevitably fail!"
"Faced with the Muggles' encroachment upon the wizarding world and the Wizards themselves, Dumbledore, what will you do?"
Atop Nurmengard, the cell that once imprisoned Grindelwald had become his drawing room.
Dumbledore never expected that what was once the most dangerous place had now become the safest. Grindelwaldhad actually invited him here for a meeting!
Faced with Grindelwald's gloating smile, Dumbledore's first reaction was disbelief!
He knew his old friend too well; all the established rules and morals of the wizarding world were nonsense in his eyes!
This prophetic dream he spoke of, the future where the Statute of Secrecy would fail, could very well be an excuse Grindelwald made up to fool him and justify his escape!
However, when Grindelwald placed the memory of his prophetic dream into the Pensieve and let Dumbledoreexperience it for himself, Dumbledore's expression changed completely.
As a great Wizard on par with—or perhaps even slightly stronger than—Grindelwald, Dumbledore could clearly distinguish whether this prophetic dream was real or a fabrication.
A prophetic dream was different from a prophecy; one was an inevitable future, while the other was a result that required the power of belief from Wizards to manifest.
Grindelwald's prophetic dream was so clear that Dumbledore couldn't help but ask himself in despair:
"Can it not be stopped?"
"I see the leaks in the prophetic dream seem to be just the beginning?!"
Grindelwald admired Dumbledore's despairing expression, though a trace of pity couldn't help but stir in his heart.
He set aside his cynical demeanor, his heterochromatic eyes fixed intently on Dumbledore as he said seriously:
"After I had this dream, I had the same thoughts as you, so I chose to leave this place to try and find a way to stop it!"
"Now I have reached a conclusion, Dumbledore. Do you want to hear it? Hear the words of this old friend?"
"If you still consider me an old friend!"
Chapter 225: The Words of Grindelwald
Dumbledore looked at Grindelwald with expectant eyes, ready to listen to his old friend's conclusion.
Feeling the expectation in Dumbledore's eyes, Grindelwaldfelt as if he had drunk nectar. He said with delight in his heart:
"Dumbledore, over the past year, I have been staying in Muggle universities, studying Muggle scientific knowledge."
"The more I study, the more I feel that with the development of Muggle technology, the Statute of Secrecymaintained by magic has become difficult to continue!"
"The Internet built by Muggles can spread news across the entire world in an instant!"
"And personal information terminals have changed from bulky computers to light and agile mobile phones!"
"Dumbledore, can you imagine everyone having a camera, taking a photo at will, and being able to transmit it to the other side of the Earth in an instant, storing it for a massive number of people to watch?"
"Muggle technology is already capable of doing this!"
"Once Muggles with such technology discover Wizards and the wizarding world, they can easily spread the things that the Statute of Secrecy has tried its best to keep secret everywhere!"
"At that time, whether it's the wide-area magicmodification and large-scale memory correction rituals of various Ministries of magic, or contacting Muggle high-levels to reach a consensus, none will be able to stop the Statute of Secrecy from failing!"
"At that time, what kind of disaster will the Wizards of the wizarding world encounter?"
"Ordinary Muggles number six billion!"
"Will these people tolerate the existence of a group of Wizards in this world who possess magical powers, can modify their memories at will, and fool them like idiots?"
"Don't forget, Dumbledore, before 1689, there was no Statute of Secrecy in the entire world!"
Wizards existed in the Muggle world without any concealment before. What do you think made them hide?"
"It was the Industrial Revolution; it was the Muggles who became increasingly powerful, increasingly wise, and mastered the power of industry and machines!"
"Even though we possess magic, in the face of increasingly powerful Muggles, we can only hide ourselves, contemptuously deceiving ourselves about Muggles, still treating them as fools who could be toyed with in the Middle Ages!"
"But times have changed, Dumbledore!"
"Even if we still possess magic, Wizards before six billion Muggles who master the power of technology are just a group of lab rats that can be easily destroyed!"
Grindelwald spoke to Dumbledore with a serious expression, his words deliberately exaggerating the power of Muggles.
In fact, even though he had recognized the strength of Muggle technological power and had even predicted the existence of Nuclear Bombs once.
Grindelwald did not believe that Wizards were just a group of lambs to be slaughtered before Muggletechnology.
But facing Dumbledore, he still deliberately exaggerated the terror and power of Muggles, just to persuade Dumbledore, to persuade him to stand with him once again.
Nothing can persuade a person better than fear of the unknown! Even Dumbledore would be no exception!
Dumbledore was not afraid of death, but he would absolutely not allow the Wizards and the wizarding worldhe protected to be destroyed under the technological power of Muggles!
Dumbledore was indeed frightened; at least on the surface, he believed Grindelwald's words.
Even though the friendship between the two had long since broken because of that duel during World War II!
Dumbledore still believed that Grindelwald would definitely not deceive him on such a major matter.
Both of them loved the magic world, loved the wizarding community, both wanted to make the entire magic world better, and both wanted to maintain the interests of Wizards!
It was just that the directions they chose were different, and in the end, they had to part ways.
But Dumbledore also understood Grindelwald deeply; he knew that this old friend's words could be believed, but not fully.
Now, Dumbledore still doubted whether the failure of the Statute of Secrecy was an inevitable result.
He still doubted: if the Statute of Secrecy really failed, even if the Muggles' technological power could destroy Wizards and magic, must there be a war between Muggles and Wizards?
Could not Muggles and Wizards, both being human, solve the problem peacefully?
In Grindelwald's words, emphasizing Muggle military force and threats so much, had he still not given up the idea of starting a war between Muggles and Wizards?
Or did he still want to rely on military force to conquer Muggles and create a terrible world where Wizards ruled Muggles?
Dumbledore, self-taught, used a dialectical perspective to re-examine the prophetic dream Grindelwald had shown him.
In the dream, Muggles used scientific machines to expose magic and Wizards!
But until the end of the prophetic dream, even though the failure of the Statute of Secrecy could be foreseen, it didn't seem to show Muggles and Wizards fighting a war!
Grindelwald, however, had been emphasizing the scientific power and terrifying destructiveness of the Muggle world!
This was certainly a possibility, but considering the person emphasizing the possibility of war was Grindelwald!
It really made Dumbledore have to doubt and think more!
"What do you want to do? Gellert!"
Complex thoughts flashed through Dumbledore's mind. To draw out Grindelwald's true purpose, Dumbledorefollowed his heart and called Grindelwald's name affectionately.
Hearing Dumbledore address him like this, a look of satisfaction flashed across Grindelwald's face, and a bright smile appeared. His upturned mustache carried a hint of cynicism:
"It's not what I want to do, Dumbledore! It's what the wizarding world should do, what the Wizards should do!"
Grindelwald's tone softened, as if he were staying out of it, and he spoke as objectively as possible:
"The technological development of Muggles is like a rushing river; it cannot be stopped at all! Even a slight obstruction will only make it more turbulent!"
"If one day in the future, the Statute of Secrecy really fails!"
Wizards will be exposed to the eyes of Muggles. What should the Wizards of the magic world and all those messy things do?"
"At that time, it will be a huge event affecting the entire world. Neither Wizards nor Muggles will be able to stay out of it!"
What waves can I possibly stir up in this tide that can be called a monumental change of the era?"
On Grindelwald's aged face, a hint of helplessness appropriately appeared; he didn't look like Grindelwald at all!
Dumbledore couldn't help but be confused by Grindelwald's words and expression. He knew he shouldn't doubt Grindelwald, but he also didn't dare to believe him without reservation.
Moreover, what Grindelwald said made a lot of sense. He was powerless to stop the technological development of Muggles, and even the entire wizarding community together couldn't stop it.
If the Statute of Secrecy really failed, what could he do with just Grindelwald's power alone in this unprecedented change?!
He could do nothing. Not just him, even Dumbledore, knowing this highly likely future, was also filled with a sense of helplessness.
In just a few hundred years of change, Wizards had gone from the group ruling this world to having to hide, and now they even feared exposure, feared being discovered by Muggles.
Perhaps it was precisely this fear that led Grindelwald to judge that there would inevitably be a war between Muggles and Wizards in the future!
Grindelwald's question also became a chain around Dumbledore's neck:
Yes, if the Statute of Secrecy fails! What should the wizarding world do?
Grindelwald quietly observed the changes in Dumbledore's expression, and a sense of pride and satisfaction couldn't help but arise in his heart.
So far, things were indeed developing as he had expected.
Just like it said in the books, in the face of the general trend, any individual power appears extremely insignificant and can only be swept along by the trend, developing in accordance with it.
Grindelwald was now using the general trend. Dumbledore trusted him, accepted him, stood with her, and became his close comrade and partner!
Personal great ideals, magic and Wizards, and Dumbledore—this time, he, Grindelwald, wanted them all!
Real emotions and false words, exposed truths and hidden thoughts, collided between Grindelwald and Dumbledore.
Truth and falsehood, emotion and events—between these two centenarians, it would always be difficult to distinguish clearly and purely!
Chapter 226: The Ultimate Goal
Facing the weakness Grindelwald displayed, Dumbledoreultimately chose to be skeptical.
However, he didn't question him openly; instead, with a hint of a smile on his face just like when they were young, he deliberately provoked him:
"What? Is it possible that you, Gellert Grindelwald, are completely out of ideas? This doesn't seem like the you who could solve any problem!"
That expression, those words—it was back! Everything was back!
In an instant, Grindelwald felt as if he and Dumbledorehad returned to that hazy midsummer:
Back then, he and Dumbledore were still two ambitious young men letting their ideals take flight in Godric's Hollow...
In the blink of an eye, a hundred years had passed. Even with Grindelwald's resilient mind, he still preferred to immerse himself in the memories of the past, unwilling to wake up.
But for the sake of the plan's progress, a hint of pride eventually appeared on Grindelwald's face as he replied:
"I knew you'd see through it. As expected of my old friend!"
"That's right. The technological development of Muggles and the failure of the Statute of Secrecy are destined to be unstoppable!"
"I have been thinking: what should we do before Wizards are exposed to the eyes of Muggles?"
Grindelwald subtly grouped Dumbledore and himself together, turning them into a "we."
Seeing that Dumbledore didn't object and was instead listening intently, Grindelwald felt even more delighted.
He continued, "There are no more than four outcomes for the coexistence of Wizards and Muggles:"
"Peace;"
"War;"
"Mutual calculation, where war breaks out after a brief peace;"
"War breaks out, and after a major conflict, because the losses are too great, they choose peace talks and live in harmony."
Grindelwald laid out the four possibilities. Dumbledorenodded as he listened; in his heart, he only hoped for the first possibility—that Wizards and Muggles would live together in peace.
But Dumbledore also knew that this was merely his wish; the likelihood was truly slim!
Unconsciously, his assessment of the future had also become somewhat pessimistic!
"Among the four possibilities, I believe the most likely scenario is that the third occurs first, followed immediately by the fourth!"
Grindelwald, like a true seer, predicted:
"Between Wizards and Muggles, because of the Statute of Secrecy, they don't understand each other. Therefore, neither side dares to start a war rashly."
"They will calculate and test each other, and eventually, war will break out due to various conflicts!"
"While Muggle technological weapons are certainly powerful, the magical power of Wizards is nothing to be trifled with. The war will enter a state where both sides suffer, and finally, they will choose peace talks and enter a state of peaceful coexistence!"
"This..." Dumbledore was speechless upon hearing this. Even if he was unwilling to accept it, he understood that this was likely the most probable outcome!
"Facing this potential future, my idea is to have Wizards and Muggles confront each other as much as possible to reduce the chance of war. Finally, through mutual communication and understanding, they can reach a peace agreement and live in harmony!"
Grindelwald recalled the knowledge he had learned in university regarding various revolutions and negotiations, finally proposing his idea.
He also specifically gave Dumbledore an example:
"Albus, you should also know that last Christmas, the Soviet Union in the the Far East collapsed!"
"For the past few decades, the Soviet Union and the United States have been in a state of confrontation and Cold War. I think these two countries are very much like the state between Wizards and Muggles!"
"My idea is to have Wizards and Muggles maintain a Cold War first, without a hot war breaking out!"
"Then, through communication during the confrontation, gradually resolve various factors that could lead to war. Finally, let Wizards and Muggles reach a state of peaceful coexistence, both stepping into a new era together as members of humanity!"
Dumbledore nodded, looking at Grindelwald with a complex expression.
He didn't know if this was his old friend's true intention, but it was undoubtedly the most effective and safest method.
"So the first step is to have the Ministries of magic of various countries strengthen communication with the high-level officials of Muggle nations?"
Dumbledore thought for a moment and felt that if Grindelwald's plan were to be implemented, the first step should be to coordinate with the high-level officials of the Ministry of Magic and the Muggle government before the Statute of Secrecy is exposed, so they can reach a consensus.
As long as the two can coexist peacefully or even merge, then in the future, after the Statute of Secrecy fails, ordinary Wizards and ordinary people in the Muggle worldwill also be able to live in harmony and merge under the leadership of the Ministry of Magic and the Mugglegovernment.
"Exactly, that's a good idea," Grindelwald nodded in agreement, but then changed his tone and asked Dumbledore earnestly:
"Albus, what do you think is the basis for an equal dialogue between two people?"
"Or rather, what is the basis for one power not being annexed by another, for both sides to confront each other, or to live in harmony?"
Dumbledore had originally been excited and smiling at the beautiful vision of Wizards and Muggles living in harmony and merging.
However, when Grindelwald posed his question, the smile on Dumbledore's face stiffened.
He certainly knew the answer to Grindelwald's question: it was equality, or rather, an equivalence of strength.
He also understood that the reason Grindelwald asked this was to tell him that if they wanted Wizards and Muggles to coexist peacefully or confront each other in the future, their strengths must first be on the same level.
Whether it's Wizards or Muggles, as long as one side possesses the power to destroy the other, peaceful coexistence is absolutely impossible; they will only try to destroy or annex the other!
Is there an equivalence of strength between Wizards and Muggles?
Dumbledore naturally thought about the answer to this question, and the answer was very obvious: they were not equivalent at all.
The magic of Wizards indeed has the power to disrupt Muggle society, and it could even easily throw the entire Muggle world into chaos.
But Wizards could absolutely never destroy the Mugglepopulation, not to mention that more than half of the Wizards in the wizarding world come from the Muggle world.
The sheer terror of that six billion number alone meant that the global population of barely a million Wizards was at an absolute disadvantage compared to Muggles.
What's more, Muggles also possessed technological power that could deal a devastating blow to Wizards!
"Grindelwald, do you intend to drive a transformation of the wizarding world and enhance the power of Wizards?"
"Do you want to arm the Wizards, turning them into an army, into soldiers?"
Dumbledore asked Grindelwald with some resistance.
He was a representative of the moderate conservatives among the Wizard community; if possible, he only wanted the wizarding world to maintain its current idyllic and peaceful state, unwilling for any change to occur.
This wasn't because Dumbledore was stuck in his ways, but because any reform or revolution inevitably involves bloodshed and sacrifice, and none fail to cause turmoil!
The Wizard population in the wizarding world was too small and reproduction was difficult; every death was one less. Unless absolutely necessary, Dumbledore was truly unwilling to see bloodshed and sacrifice.
But Grindelwald was a radical reformer among Wizards; in his eyes, for the collective interest of Wizards, nothing was indispensable, and no means were off-limits!
For the greater good, sacrificing a part of the population or certain interests was acceptable!
"Albus, I know this is hard for you to accept, but when the Statute of Secrecy no longer exists, peace will have already been shattered!"
"A Cold War is also a war—a war without flames or smoke!"
"We need to drive a transformation of the wizarding worldand arm the Wizards to face future dangers!"
"We need enough power to create a deterrent against the Muggle world!"
"If we seek peace through struggle, peace will survive; if we seek peace through concession, peace will perish!"
"This is also a lesson I learned in the Muggle world, a maxim for confronting and struggling against enemies!"
"Besides," Grindelwald noticed the resistance in Dumbledore's eyes and changed his tone, saying:
"I'm not trying to turn Wizards into an army. I want the entire wizarding world to develop and stop being as stuck in its ways as it was in the past!"
"Albus, think back to how many years it has been since the wizarding world has seen any major changes since the Statute of Secrecy was enacted!"
"Protected by the Statute of Secrecy and enjoying a false peace and stability, the wizarding world is like a pool of stagnant water, rotting and stinking in its stagnation!"
"But what about Muggles?"
"You probably don't even know that after the Statute of Secrecy was enacted, Muggles went through the First Technological Revolution, the Second Technological Revolution, and are even now undergoing an Information Technology Revolution!"
"Muggles are constantly developing technology, yet our magical civilization has stagnated!"
"Do you think that with such a massive gap in strength between Wizards and Muggles in the future, the two will be able to coexist peacefully?"
Dumbledore was silenced by this. He couldn't help but scrutinize the Grindelwald before him.
He was just as old as himself, even thinner and shorter, yet Dumbledore could no longer see the shadow of the man from the past in this old friend.
What kind of knowledge had Grindelwald acquired in the wizarding world during this year since his escape, to the point where Dumbledore had already been persuaded by him!
"Fine, Gellert. I hope you're right!"
Faced with the immense pressure of the future, it wasn't so much that Dumbledore had been persuaded by Grindelwald, but rather that he could only seek a solution to the upcoming crisis through this method.
"So what exactly do you plan to do? I hope you won't hurt too many people, or involve innocent people in this conflict!"
Dumbledore looked into Grindelwald's heterochromatic eyes and spoke with absolute seriousness.
There was one thing he hadn't said: he would keep a close eye on Grindelwald and wouldn't let the mistakes of World War II happen again.
"Albus, the date the Statute of Secrecy fails won't be far off. Every Wizard alive today, every member of the wizarding world, is already involved in the future conflict; no one can avoid it."
Upon hearing Albus Dumbledore's words, Grindelwaldretorted with a serious expression.
Without waiting for Albus Dumbledore to respond, he smiled mysteriously:
"As for how I intend to develop the wizarding world and bring the Wizards to a level of strength equivalent to the Muggles, I already have an idea."
"To implement this idea, I'm afraid you'll have to agree to one thing!"
Chapter 227: The New Professor
On the eve of Halloween, Dumbledore, who had traveled far and wide following Lockhart's stories, finally returned to his loyal Hogwarts.
The matter had been thoroughly investigated by him, so he was followed by two Aurors from the wizarding world—Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks!
The two of them were here to arrest Gilderoy Lockhart and escort him to the Ministry of Magic for trial.
Originally, there should have been a fourth person following Dumbledore, a reporter from The Daily Prophet.
After all, Lockhart was a world-renowned author in the wizarding world and a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Second Class!
When such a figure is revealed to be a great fraud who plagiarized others' memories and usurped their lives, The Daily Prophet would naturally want to report on it extensively!
But this was, after all, a scandal, especially for the members of the Order of Merlin, who felt like they had been severely slapped in the face!
As the most authoritative wizarding organization in all of Britain and even the European wizarding world, the Order of Merlin badge had always carried significant weight and honor!
But now, obtaining a Merlin badge was incredibly easy; either one just needed to spend money, or simply be a great fraud. It truly felt like their reputation was being dragged through the mud!
Consequently, some members of the Order of Merlinintervened, stopping The Daily Prophet, and even leaked some undisclosed information to Rita Skeeter—that reporter who wouldn't act without a clear benefit and loved to embellish stories:
Recently, the Ministry of Magic has been deploying many people, seemingly searching for a certain person or object!
As for why the reporter from The Daily Prophet, who should have followed, was ranked fourth, it was naturally because besides the two Aurors, Headmaster Dumbledorewas followed by a handsome Wizard with a free-spirited and elegant temperament.
"How come I've never seen you before? Are you a British Wizard?"
The uniquely styled Nymphadora Tonks curiously asked the handsome older Wizard beside her.
Anyone who knew Tonks knew that what she liked most was this kind of charismatic older Wizard; for her, it was an absolute killer!
Grindelwald felt the little witch's curious and friendly gaze, and a hint of pride rose in his heart!
Dumbledore, look at this, take a look. Your old friend's charm is still as great as it was back then. Even with a disguised appearance, I can still charm thousands of young girls with radiant charisma!
"Hello, Miss Tonks! I am Gellert von Vitez, a Wizard from Germany. It's quite normal that you haven't seen me!"
Grindelwald, using the pseudonym Gellert von Vitez, bowed slightly to Tonks with great poise. His proper demeanor made him look like a Junker noble from the Palace of Versailles.
(William I was crowned German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France)
"Oh, so that's how it is," Tonks said, her curiosity growing even more, as she couldn't help but ask:
"Then did you study at Durmstrang or Beauxbatons?"
"Speaking of which, although I believe Hogwarts is the best magic school in the world, I haven't been to Beauxbatons or Durmstrang yet. Can you tell me about the school you attended?"
"Of course," Grindelwald was currently enjoying the feeling of operating right under the noses of British Aurors, and said confidently and elegantly:
"I studied at Durmstrang, which is a school permitted to teach the Dark Arts..."
Grindelwald spoke eloquently. He had indeed attended Durmstrang Institute, though he was expelled midway for researching even more terrifying Dark Arts.
But this did not prevent him from describing the scenery and characteristics of Durmstrang to Tonks, and even Kingsley Shacklebolt nearby listened with some seriousness.
"Is this man a German Wizard? Why did he come to Hogwarts to teach?"
"Dumbledore said before that he was a friend, but the age difference between the two looks so large. Is this Wizardnamed Gellert von Vitez really Dumbledore's friend?"
A hint of suspicion unique to an Auror flashed through Kingsley Shacklebolt's mind.
However, as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, he trusted Dumbledore and felt that Dumbledore would never bring a dangerous person into Hogwarts Castle, let alone let him serve as the Defense Against the Dark ArtsProfessor!
That's right, the condition Grindelwald had previously negotiated with Dumbledore was for Dumbledore to allow him to come and teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Dumbledore was naturally unwilling at first. Even if Grindelwald behaved very well, he still distrusted his old flame a bit!
But the problem was, unless he defeated Grindelwaldright now and then locked him up, Dumbledore could only let Grindelwald run all over the world.
Letting this particularly troublesome guy run wild across the globe made Dumbledore even more uneasy!
Choosing the lesser of two evils, Dumbledore thought it over and decided to agree to Grindelwald's request to let him come to Hogwarts to teach.
He also wanted to see exactly how Grindelwald planned to develop the wizarding world and give Wizards strength equal to that of Muggles!
As for the Curse Voldemort left on the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Dumbledore did not forget to explain it clearly to Grindelwald.
This Curse had already merged with the Hogwarts magiccastle. Unless Voldemort died completely, even Dumbledore could not lift it!
But upon hearing this, Grindelwald became even more interested. Although he looked down on Voldemort, considering him a fool who only ran amok in the small territory of the British Isles and enslaved others with fear!
But it was undeniable that Voldemort's attainments in the Dark Arts indeed made his eyes light up!
Knowing that serving as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor would result in being cursed instead piqued Grindelwald's interest, making him even more eager to come to Hogwarts to teach!
Tonks and Gellert von Vitez chatted very warmly, and she even developed a faint, hazy favorable impression of this man, not even realizing when they had arrived at the door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor's office.
"Is this also part of the Curse?"
Grindelwald, also standing at the office door, found it very amusing in his heart.
According to the setting of the Curse, every Wizard who served as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professorwould encounter misfortune during their tenure and could not even last a year.
The Lockhart before them was an example. Only a few weeks after the start of school, his teaching level was questioned by the young wizards in the school.
He was even exposed by the target of Grindelwald's trip—Levi Keynes—for using the Memory Charm to steal others' memories and usurp their lives.
The occurrence of the whole thing was extremely natural and seemed as it should be, but considering that every Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor suffered misfortune, not even excluding Voldemort...
It was inevitable to feel that this was the Cursemanifesting, which was why the things Lockhart did were exposed!
"Interesting, truly interesting. I wonder how I will be driven away?"
"Perhaps my disguised identity will be recognized, people from the Ministry of Magic will come to arrest me, and then I will be driven away?"
Grindelwald's thoughts turned, and he guessed how the Curse would manifest upon himself!
Yet he had the confidence that he would definitely not let his disguised identity be exposed. He wanted to see how this Curse of Voldemort's would make him suffer misfortune!
The weeping Lockhart was eventually taken away by the two Aurors, Kingsley and Tonks!
What puzzled Levi was that even now, there were actually brainless fans of Lockhart within Hogwarts, weeping there and not wanting Lockhart to be taken away!
He could only sigh in his heart that in a large forest, there are all kinds of birds, and then he memorized the faces of these people to stay far away from them in the future; he was afraid that stupidity might be contagious!
During the banquet, Headmaster Dumbledore summarized the entire Lockhart incident, educating the young wizardsnot to be like Lockhart, caring only for empty fame, deceiving others, and abusing the Memory Charm.
He also expressed his apologies to the teachers and young wizards of the school, stating that he was old and senile, failing to see people clearly, and should not have let someone like Lockhart serve as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor!
As a reward for exposing Lockhart and organizing the Defense Against the Dark Arts self-study club, Levi was awarded 100 points for the Ravenclaw House cup!
Furthermore, Dumbledore stated that he would also award Levi the Special Contribution to the School Award!
As soon as this decision was announced by Dumbledore, the entire Great Hall erupted with congratulations for Levi!
As the organizer of the club, the main teacher, and the distributor of various encouraging awards, all the young wizards felt that Levi's award was well-deserved.
I choose Levi; Levi is truly the one who deserves it!
Levi stood up from the side of the Ravenclaw long table and bowed to express his gratitude!
After expressing his gratitude, just as he was about to sit down, he suddenly felt a gaze fixed upon him.
He turned his head to look and saw that at the staff table, the handsome Wizard who had returned with Headmaster Dumbledore was sizing him up with a peculiar gaze.
"Who is this person?"
"Is this little guy Levi Keynes?"
The same thought occurred to both Levi and Grindelwaldsimultaneously.
"Alright, alright, everyone. Besides the Lockhart matter, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor is vacant once again, so I have invited Mr. Gellert von Vitezfrom Germany to serve as Professor and teach everyone Defense Against the Dark Arts. Everyone, please give him a round of applause!"
Clap, clap, clap, applause rang out!
Good looks are always the most direct pass; an excellent appearance can often easily move people.
As soon as Grindelwald appeared, he won the welcome of the young wizards and even some Professors without saying a word. Thunderous applause filled the Great Hall!
Levi also clapped along, but in his heart, he speculated about this character who had not appeared in the original work. Was he good or evil? What kind of role would he play?
If he were to find out the true identity of this new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, he would definitely sigh sincerely in his heart:
Old Dumbledore, I really underestimated you. You are the true Gryffindor!
In the first year, you let Voldemort serve as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Did you not feel that was enough?
In the second year, you actually found Grindelwald to teach us how to deal with the Dark Arts!
Perfectly matched, this profession is truly too perfectly matched!
With the current teaching staff at Hogwarts, even when the the Four Founders were alive, they might not have been able to compare!
Chapter 228: The Aftermath of the Dream
Grindelwald came to teach at Hogwarts, of course, not for some goal of developing the Wizards' strength to make them equal to Muggles.
Without having fought a war, even Grindelwald couldn't be sure which was stronger: the powerful magic wielded by the small number of Wizards, or the technological power possessed by the vast number of Muggles.
He had no clue how to develop the wizarding world at all; that wasn't something Grindelwald excelled at.
If he were asked to research the Dark Arts, manipulate hearts, deliver inflammatory speeches, or plot coups and political schemes, Grindelwald would be the first to step forward.
But to ask him to act like a Muggle scientist and bring transformation to the entire wizarding world—driving a leap in development for the wizarding world like an Industrial Revolution...
That was simply making things difficult for Grindelwald!
Fortunately, through his second prophetic dream, Grindelwald had already foreseen the future of the wizarding world, where a thing called the 'Magic Phone' would appear!
He had even learned in the dream that the inventor of this object was named Levi Keynes!
For a Wizard of Grindelwald's caliber, simply knowing a name was basically enough to determine the location of the corresponding Wizard!
However, Grindelwald never expected that the Wizardwho would bring such major changes to the wizarding world in the future was currently just a second-year young wizard!
And he was Dumbledore's student; how could that fellow be so lucky?!
Grindelwald couldn't help but think with a hint of bitterness.
In truth, Grindelwald was also a bit lost. Ever since he was defeated by Dumbledore and the Acolytes had collapsed and scattered, his ideals and ambitions had been buried alongside that love beneath the high tower of Nurmengard!
He had originally thought he would spend the rest of his life in self-imposed imprisonment!
But the sudden appearance of the prophetic dream made him choose to break out and leave without hesitation!
He didn't know why he had acted so decisively.
Perhaps it was love for Dumbledore?
Perhaps his ambitions and ideals were being rekindled from the ashes?
Or perhaps, out of a sense of revenge, he wanted to see with his own eyes the tearful faces of those Wizards who refused to go to war with him to conquer the increasingly powerful Muggles, once the Statute of Secrecy failed?
Grindelwald couldn't quite explain his own thoughts.
This was the first time he had ever felt this way; perhaps he really was getting old.
In the past, when he was young, his goals were incredibly clear. No matter how great the price or how cruel the methods required, he would never hesitate.
His year of studying abroad in the Muggle world had indeed broadened Grindelwald's horizons and changed his thinking.
Even without a prophecy, he could be certain that with the development of Muggle technology, Wizards would inevitably be exposed to the Muggle gaze once again!
He wasn't like Dumbledore and his group of 'righteous partners,' naively believing that Muggles and Wizards would live together in harmony once the Statute of Secrecy failed!
Even a Squib would envy Wizards because they couldn't perform magic, let alone Muggles who couldn't even perceive magic!
Envy is a venomous snake that gnaws at the heart;
Those who are not of our kind must have different hearts;
The Neanderthals were completely exterminated by Homo sapiens.
In the Muggle world, Grindelwald had seen too many parables and stories that almost heralded the final outcome between Wizards and Muggles.
Sometimes he would ponder deeply, wondering what could be done.
Were the Wizards and the wizarding world destined to be destroyed in the future, destined to be enslaved by Muggles?
He would even feel an uncontrollable resentment—resentment over why he had failed back then, resentment toward those who stopped him from launching a war against the Muggles!
But Grindelwald also understood that resentment was useless. He understood even better that unless a third, more powerful enemy appeared, the conflict between Wizards and Muggles would be difficult to reconcile.
But when he had the second prophetic dream, Grindelwald relaxed. Because he didn't just meet Levi, who invented a Magic Phone on par with Muggle technology.
He also learned in the prophetic dream about the enemy that Wizards and Muggles would face together in the future!
A massive crisis, instead, bridged the contradictions between Wizards and Muggles, causing them to unite and face the difficulties together.
This was indeed great news, but it was also a supreme irony!
Grindelwald recalled the end of the second prophetic dream: on the Magic Phone held by that unknown Wizard, a sudden warning appeared:
Warning! Warning! A medium-sized world gate has appeared one hundred miles to the southeast. Suspected Lizardmen attack. Please proceed to the nearest shelter!
world gate?
Lizardmen?
In the prophetic dream at that time, Grindelwald savored these two newly appeared terms. Immediately after, his perspective shifted.
It was as if he had crossed a vast distance in an instant, arriving on the outskirts of London, Britain, where he saw the world gate mentioned in the warning:
A massive hole embedded in mid-air like a spatial ripple. From that pitch-black opening, Lizardmen over a man's height, wearing various pieces of magical equipment, were constantly descending onto the land!
This was an army composed of magical creatures?
Grindelwald was slightly stunned, finding it hard to believe that such a massive change would occur in the future—that magical creatures never before seen in the wizarding worldwould actually invade their world!
Upon seeing the Lizardmen, the prophetic dream showed signs of collapsing. The last things Grindelwald saw in the dream were world gates of all sizes scattered across the entire Earth!
Behind every gate, various magical creatures were being spewed onto the Earth. Carrying all sorts of Alchemical Weapons, they attacked without distinguishing between Wizard and Muggle. The world was plunged into a state of war!
After waking from the prophetic dream, Grindelwald didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
The good news: no need to worry about hostility and mutual slaughter between Wizards and Muggles!
The bad news: a stronger enemy had appeared. If Wizards and Muggles didn't join forces for self-preservation, everyone was doomed!
Having foreseen this, even Grindelwald felt a small sense of panic in his heart!
His first thought was to quickly tell Dumbledore about this, and then the two of them would work together to integrate the entire wizarding world—and even the Muggle world—to face the future crisis!
But thinking back carefully, he realized he had tried to do something like this before, but everyone opposed him, and he failed!
Even more tragic, as Grindelwald thought it through, he realized there was nothing he could do; even speaking about the contents of the prophetic dream would be useless.
Because few people would believe him, and even if they did, it seemed no one could do much besides preparing a place to flee in advance.
But Grindelwald was certainly not content to do nothing.
He examined the second prophetic dream once more and suddenly felt that the key to breaking the situation might lie with this young wizard who invented the Magic Phone, Levi Keynes!
This thought was abrupt, even without any basis.
But Grindelwald came anyway!
Chapter 229: Transforming into a Dragon
On Halloween Eve, the sky was overcast with rain and rolling thunder; a thunderstorm was about to arrive!
As early as a week ago, when Levi performed his routine self-incantation, turning his wand to point at his heart and chanting: Amato Animo Animato Animagus, he had already felt a second heartbeat!
That heartbeat was strong and powerful; with every beat, the magic within Levi's body would grow with it!
He knew that heart should be his very own dragon heart!
"The storm is finally here! It didn't make me wait too long!"
Looking at the rolling thunderclouds on the horizon, Levi's face was full of joy, and his heart was filled with expectation.
He didn't say goodbye to anyone, but silently left Hogwarts Castle, slipped into the Forbidden Forest, and headed straight for the valley where the Unicorns lived.
"Ee-yo~"
As soon as Levi stepped into the valley where the Unicorns resided, the Milu the Little Unicorn rushed over to greet him!
"Hello, Milu! I know, I know you've protected the things I arranged! You've worked hard!"
Levi smiled and took out the prepared Light-attribute herbs as a reward, feeding them to the Little Unicorn who was currently claiming credit for its work.
He fed each Unicorn a handful of their favorite Light-attribute herbs and reassured them not to worry or be afraid, for whatever happened next would be perfectly normal.
Every Unicorn here would soon witness him transform into a Dragon during the thunderstorm!
Upon arriving at the place where the Animagus Potion had been buried, he found that the wooden stick used as a marker had long since been blown over by the wind and buried under a thick layer of leaves.
However, relying on his memory and the guidance of the Unicorns, Levi still dug up the soil and found the Potion, which had completely dissolved its ingredients and transformed into a blood-red color.
The Potion, entirely crimson like blood and rubies, shimmered with a luster full of vitality inside the crystal vial, as if enticing Levi to drink it.
"Crack! Boom!"
The purplish-red lightning was like a crack in the sky, snaking along and illuminating the dim night sky with a brilliant glare!
Levi watched the lightning, and the slightly disturbed magic between heaven and earth instantly made him feel that the time had come!
He once again took out his wand and pointed it at his heart, his fingertips trembling slightly as he slowly and deliberately chanted that ancient and heavy incantation once more:
"Amato, Animo, Animato, Animagus!"
The moment he finished speaking, his heart suddenly felt a surge of heat!
"Thump! Thump-thump!"
A strong second heartbeat suddenly rang out from Levi's chest, as if something had been awakened from the depths of his bones and blood.
He could clearly feel the second heartbeat—slow, heavy, not belonging to a human, yet gradually overlapping with his own pulse.
A magnificent and majestic silvery-white figure appeared vaguely in the depths of his mind and bloodline!
"Crack! Rumble!"
The sky was suddenly blindingly bright!
A pale bolt of lightning cracked through the clouds, striking straight toward the horizon, and thunder exploded almost simultaneously!
Levi no longer hesitated, pulled out the stopper, and drank the entire vial of Potion in one gulp.
The blood-red Potion was as hot as molten iron in his mouth, burning all the way down his throat and instantly spreading to every part of his body!
The second heartbeat grew stronger and stronger, like thunderous war drums, almost about to jump out of Levi's chest!
That magnificent and majestic silvery-white figure also became increasingly clear, as if it were facing Levi and making eye contact, until his perspective suddenly shifted!
It wasn't Levi looking at it; it was it looking at Levi!
Following the choice of his true heart, the transformation suddenly occurred!
A surge of intense pain swept through Levi in an instant!
Amidst the severe pain, a powerful impact also suddenly appeared; Levi found it hard to describe what kind of feeling it was—was it divinity, animality, or dragon nature?
Levi could only struggle to maintain the operation of Occlumency and Legilimency amidst this powerful impact.
In the midst of the raging waves, he maintained the small boat of his reason so it would not capsize!
The high-level Transfiguration began to take effect, and Levi was able to unconsciously manipulate his own magic to undergo the ideal transformation.
His bones began to make faint crackling sounds, accompanied by the soreness and pulling of a forced reshaping.
The muscles under his skin were writhing and contracting; the contours of his shoulders and chest were closing in and deforming bit by bit; his clothes tightened under the tension of the transformation, nearly bursting.
Using the last shred of his reason before it snapped, Leviretracted the Spider Silk Robe and the Elder Wand into his inventory.
Following that, his vision went black for a moment, yet his consciousness remained exceptionally clear—Levi knew what he was becoming; it was a form etched into his soul, not a choice, but a belonging.
Wearing the dragon kings crown and possessing the dragon heart, he would eventually transform into a Dragon and become the King of Dragons!!
His spine arched slightly, his bones lengthened and then shortened again, and the contours of his limbs became fluid and lithe!
The sensation in his fingertips changed as powerful Dragon Claws dug into the mud;
His skin was pierced through and covered in a layer of thin scales, which shimmered with a silvery-white glow in the blinding light of the lightning, looking magnificent and exquisite!
His hearing suddenly became acute; the sound of the wind, Bug Buzz, and the distant thunder were all amplified.
The world changed its perspective in his eyes; the flow of magic was no longer a secret invisible to human eyes!
One last wave of stinging pain and itching passed through his body, and his human form completely faded away; a powerful, boundless confidence, as if he could harness and transcend everything, spontaneously arose!
Looking down, he no longer saw hands, but Dragon Claws, dragon scales, and dragon wings;
Opening his mouth, what came out was no longer a human voice, but the earth-shaking roar of a True Dragon!
At this moment, Levi clearly realized:
He had succeeded!
He had completed the Magical Creature transformation!
He had become the only existing Magical Creature Dragon Animagus in the entire wizarding world!
Chapter 230: The Dragon of Magic
Levi tentatively tapped the ground with his Silver-white Dragon Claw, doing something that no Wizard could achieve:
Using magic while in Animagus form!
A withered leaf suddenly transformed under Levi's Transfiguration, turning into a clear and bright Silver Mirror, reflecting Levi in his current Dragon-Wizard form!
It really works!
Is this what I look like now?
This is my Animagus Dragon form!
It turns out to be a Silver-white Dragon that doesn't even exist in the Harry Potter world!
Levi examined his Dragon form in the Silver Mirror:
Beneath the sky, amidst the flashes of lightning, stood a silver-white giant Dragon!
His entire body was covered in scales that looked as if they were cast from mithril and forged from cold jade, shimmering with a magnificent luster that blended icy jade and frosted silver!
Each scale flowed with a clear, moist radiance, rippling with halos of pale silver and light white between light and shadow, pure white and untainted by dust, exuding an extraordinary charm!
The Dragon horns were long and elegant, stretching back from the forehead like ice-carved jade trees or exquisite branches among the clouds; the lines were soft yet carried the unique majesty of a true Dragon!
Silver whiskers hung lightly beneath the Dragon's jaw; as they swayed slightly with the wind, they were like drifting clouds, naturally carrying an ethereal aura.
His wings spread out like clouds hanging from the sky, the wing membranes thin and translucent, with faint star patterns flowing through them. Levi could even feel that an extraordinary magic power seemed to be condensed within his Dragon wings!
Reflected in the Silver Mirror, Levi discovered that his eyes were still a pure silver color, as if harboring a cold and pure rationality.
Unlike the calmness of his human form, this rationality carried a pride and scrutiny unique to Dragon-kind!
Between breaths, Levi noticed that a light frost had already condensed beneath his Dragon Claw.
Without needing to try, he naturally sensed that he could exhale Dragon breath with extreme freezing properties at any time, freezing everything like a harsh winter!
Is this still a Dragon from the Harry Potter world?
Having examined his Dragon transformation, Levi couldn't help but have such a question pop up in his mind!
He still had Fire Dragon Nobu in his Bestiary space, so he naturally knew what a Dragon looked like—merely a powerful, highly intelligent beast capable of breathing fire!
As for himself, setting aside his appearance which was as different from a Dragon as a crane among chickens, the ice-attribute breath alone made Levi realize he was definitely not a Dragon!
He should be a true Dragon from the legends of swords and magic!
However, I shouldn't be a white Dragon, right?!
Levi looked at himself in the mirror once more; the beautiful and gorgeous Silver-white Dragon scales, the Dragonhorns like works of art, and the perfect and powerful Dragon body were absolutely incomparable to a white Dragon, which was known as the shame of giant Dragons!
As for something like a Ukraine Ironbelly, don't even try to compare!
Thinking this, Levi opened the magical transformation mod, wanting to see what changes had occurred to this MOD after his transformation was complete.
Ethereal mist shifted before Levi; after the Dragontransformation was complete, the magical transformation mod had indeed changed, looking more like an introduction after a Magical Creatures transformation:
[Form]: Silver Dragon
[Feats]: Dragon of Magic, Ice Aura
[Passives]: Natural Scales, Dragon Resistance, DragonAwe, Frost Breath, Paralysis Breath, Flight, Extraordinary Charisma, Magic Prodigy
[Effects]: On the basis of True Dragon Scale Armor, increases physical resistance by 10% and magic resistance by 50%! All magic talents increased by one level! Ice-attribute magic increased by two levels!
[Privileges]: In the dragon mod, the Academic Creditsrequired to exchange for related Dragon Magic Resistance, Dragon Aura, and Draconic Magic are halved!
It really is a Silver Dragon!
After reading the introduction on the Magical Creatures Transformation MOD, Levi couldn't help but roar in his heart, shouting that it was indeed as he thought!
His Magical Creatures transformation had indeed not turned him into an ordinary Dragon, but into a Silver Dragon from fantasy that possessed magical abilities!
Compared to the Dragons in the Harry Potter world, which were similar to Dragon-beasts, the potential of a Silver Dragon could be called infinite!
Overjoyed, Levi waved away the mist, preparing to test out his Silver Dragon body.
But he discovered that the Unicorns, which had been scared away by the Dragon Awe, were now curiously hiding behind trees, watching him!
In the eyes of many female Unicorns, there was even a hint of infatuation!
Remembering his Extraordinary Charisma passive ability, Levi quickly canceled the transformation, stumbling and nearly falling to the ground.
"The Silver Dragon transformation is strong, but it consumes way too much magic!"
His internal magic was completely empty; Levi struggled to stand up and put on his Spider Silk Robe, thinking with a sense of helplessness.
Fortunately, he had broken through to become a First Circle Arcanist before this; otherwise, his magic might have been completely drained by now!
It's no wonder that among the Wizards of the Harry Potter world, no one except Merlin had ever transformed into a Magical Creatures.
Not only is the magic incompatible, but there are probably few Wizards who can provide the massive amount of magic required for a Magical Creatures transformation!
However, although the magic consumption was terrifying, the gains after the transformation were absolutely worth it, even full of pleasant surprises!
Just with the powerful Silver Dragon transformation alone, Levi could easily crush the vast majority of Wizards in the Harry Potter world once the transformation was complete!
Unless besieged by dozens of Aurors joining forces, Levi, transformed into a Silver Dragon, could defeat any Wizardexcept Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Voldemort just by relying on his Magical Creatures Animagus form!
The Dragon of Magic feat brought the Magic Prodigypassive, and the resulting effect was that Levi's magictalent was once again increased by one level!
Originally, Levi's magic talent was already at the top level of the world, like Grindelwald, Dumbledore, and Voldemort!
Now, after his magic talent had increased by another level, it could be called unique in the Harry Potter world!
Besides that, the most powerful aspect was the physical and magic resistance of Levi's Silver Dragon body!
Levi's True Dragon Scale Armor could provide him with 50% physical resistance and 10% magic resistance!
And after Levi transformed into a Silver Dragon, his physical and magic resistances soared directly to a terrifying level of 60% for both!
Now Levi had three stages of transformation: the ordinary Wizard form, the fearsome Dragonoid form, and the destructive Silver Dragon form!
Each form was more terrifying than the last!
It was truly hard to imagine how desperate Levi's enemies would be in the future!
After finally defeating Levi in his ordinary Wizard form, Levi could still transform into a Dragonoid.
After joining forces to defeat Levi's Dragonoid transformation, in an instant, Levi would transform into a Silver Dragon that could perform terrifying magic!
Moreover, this Silver Dragon could not only perform the magic of the Harry Potter world but also Arcanist system magic, and even more powerful Draconic Magic!
"Sometimes, even I feel despair for my enemies!"
Even Levi himself was shocked by his own power!
He also clarified that his main goal for the next step was to thoroughly research his Silver Dragon transformation form.
Furthermore, he had to plan carefully how to spend the fewest Academic Credits in the dragon mod to exchange for more powerful abilities and arm his True Dragon form as quickly as possible!
"Yee yee~"
Seeing Levi change from a Dragon back into a human, the Little Unicorns, growing bolder, ran over and surrounded Levi, asking questions all at once.
"That was my magic transformation; I'm not some Dragon. Don't worry, I won't hurt you..."
"Caitlin, don't get any wild ideas; a human can't... at least, they shouldn't..."
Surrounded by the Unicorns, Levi could only manage a bitter smile as he dealt with the curious Little Unicorns.
The charm of the Silver Dragon was fully revealed at this moment; having transformed for just a little while, many Unicorns had already become fangirls of his Silver Dragonbody.
Even though Levi's Magical Creatures Affinity had reached the top level in the world, it couldn't compare to the extraordinary charm displayed by the Silver Dragon.
"Good grief, I almost thought I had transformed into a Veela!"
After refusing the requests of several Little Unicorns to transform, Levi felt for the first time how difficult it was to say goodbye to the Unicorns, and he prepared to find a place in the Forbidden Forest to enter his Bestiary and rest.
However, he failed to notice that during his transformation process, there had been someone not far away, in an almost invisible and formless state, watching him the whole time!