Chapter 537: The Game of Dark WizardDanger
Ferdinand froze, the teacup in his hand trembling slightly, sending ripples across its surface.
"Successor?" he repeated, stunned.
Then he remembered the wizard from the video—the one who had unleashed that surge of magic. The Streaming Mirror hadn’t captured his face directly; from the back, he’d been a tall, slender young man.
Fiona furrowed her brow, frowning slightly. "Gellert Grindelwald is already over a hundred years old. It’s only natural he’d have a successor, isn’t it?"
"More precisely, he’s about 110," Moody said, his one good eye narrowing into a thin slit, his voice heavy with concern. "You don’t understand, Mrs. Gray. For a wizard like Gellert Grindelwald, that age isn’t old at all."
"Especially for a Dark Wizard. They have… ways. Methods no one speaks of, but which allow them to stretch their lives far beyond natural limits."
"And besides… given the kind of man he is, it’s hard to imagine him willingly sharing his power with anyone."
"But…" Ferdinand hesitated. "The young man by his side…"
The way he stood. The way he cast magic. It looked exactly like a staged unveiling—a grand, arrogant declaration of power, a public announcement of existence.
Moody slowly nodded. "So if Gellert Grindelwald truly has a successor, that person isn’t just a follower. He’s someone who has inherited not only the man’s power… but his bloodline, his thoughts, his very soul."
"But someone like that—someone so powerful…" Moody clenched his knife tightly, jaw muscles tensing. "We’ve never heard of him before!"
The magical world might be secluded from the Muggle realm, but European wizarding families were tightly connected—intermarrying, communicating constantly. Distance rarely mattered. Information flowed freely among them.
A talented wizard could become powerful by isolating himself in a castle for decades, mastering magic through sheer will and study.
But an heir? He needed more than talent and effort. He needed experience. Time to mature. To learn how to lead, to negotiate, to build relationships, to make decisions. He couldn’t grow up like a fairy tale princess, locked away in a tower, perfect and untouched.
So where had this so-called heir been? Where had he studied? Did he have friends? Who had taught him? What had he loved?
Moody knew people. He’d arrested Dark Wizards in the past, had allies and contacts across the Wizard Purity Party. He’d asked everywhere.
And yet—nothing.
Only one name.
"—Braun."
He exhaled slowly. "I asked everyone. That’s all I got. Just that surname. And even that… I can’t be sure if it’s real."
The Gray couple fell silent. A cold chill crept through the room.
The Wizard Purity Party. Gellert Grindelwald.
These names had once been buried in history.
In the past year, they’d resurfaced—quietly, cautiously. Not with war, not with violence. Just small, sharp strikes against Muggles who oppressed wizards.
Some claimed Grindelwald had repented, that his actions now were penance for past sins.
Others called him the guardian of magic’s night—its silent protector.
A few even said the greatest Dark Wizard had simply seen the world change, accepted that his party’s old ways were doomed, and chose this path to earn recognition and acceptance for magic in the modern age.
In short, the once-unstoppable force had mellowed. His arrogance, his hunger for power—eroded by time. Like an old lion, worn down by age, no longer dangerous.
But now… knowing he’d secretly trained someone like this…
It was like watching an invisible, vast web slowly unfold in the dark.
Deep in the shadows, something even deeper and more terrible was being concealed. And the insects caught in it—unaware, innocent—were already being drawn in.
Long silence. No one spoke.
Finally, Ferdinand whispered, voice barely audible, as if afraid to wake something terrible:
"If that’s true… could the Dark Wizard in the Curse Forest… and the one with the Curse mascot… be the same person?"
"Very likely," Moody said, nodding grimly. "We’re only guessing—but it’s possible the Dark Wizard was one of Gellert Grindelwald’s other heirs. Just… a failure in the competition."
His gaze dropped to his plate, where a half-eaten steak pancake bore a jagged, uneven bite. The edges were slightly charred.
Moody sliced off another large chunk with his knife, fingers tight, tendons standing out on his knuckles—like he was forcing something down.
"They’re playing a dangerous game," he growled, his voice thick with venom. "They’re betting innocent lives. Playing a cruel, evil game."
He shoved the meat into his mouth and chewed with furious intensity.
Fiona’s lips trembled. "I thought… I saw the Streaming Mirror. I thought they were protecting the people inside…"
"They’re both protectors and attackers," Moody said coldly. "They only show you the side they want you to see."
"Five decades have passed. Gellert Grindelwald has grown more cunning. He doesn’t shout war anymore. He’s learned how to deceive."
Fiona twisted her fingers, glancing instinctively toward the stairs. "In a week, Wade’s returning to school… in a situation like this…"
Moody’s stern expression softened slightly. He spoke gently:
"Relax, Mrs. Gray. Hogwarts remains the safest place in Britain. Not even Gellert Grindelwald’s little wolf pup would dare set foot inside. Not even Gellert himself."
He paused, then added:
"And this year, I’ll be there too."
"Really?" The Gray couple looked up, surprised.
"Dumbledore invited me to be the Professor of Defensive Magic Against the Dark Arts. I accepted."
Moody set down his cutlery, his voice firm.
"Hogwarts will be the heart of the magical world this year. With danger approaching, I won’t stand by. I’ll watch over Wade."
He looked directly at them.
"I won’t hide the truth from you, Ferdinand, Mrs. Gray. This year, Hogwarts will be more dangerous than ever. But also safer than anywhere else."
"I’ll defend the school. I’ll fight until my last breath. As long as I’m alive, your son will never be in danger. I swear it."
(End of Chapter)
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