Chapter 890: He Returns from the Fire
Chapter 890: He Returns from the Fire
Grindelwald's accusatory words threw Alison into a panic. She took a few painful steps back, shaking her head frantically, her expression bordering on madness. "It wasn't me... It wasn't me... It was just an accident..."
"An accident? Do you really believe the memories those Aurors implanted in your mind?" Grindelwald's lips curled into a smile, but his words grew more cruel, like a public pronouncement of a death sentence. "You've always known the truth, haven't you? You were the one who killed her!"
"No, that's not right, it's not like that..." Alison's body stiffened, and she let out a strangled scream.
Grindelwald pressed on mercilessly, continuing to peel back the layers of Alison's past. "When you were eight, you began to show signs of your Wizard abilities, displaying all sorts of magical phenomena. But your parents were devout believers, convinced that all miracles could only come from the Almighty, or else they were the work of the Devil..."
Alison's face twisted in agony as the suppressed painful memories resurfaced.
Because of the peculiar manifestations of her awakening, her devout parents quickly took her to the Church to determine whether her strange behavior was a blessing from the Lord or the possession by a Dark Wizard.
The priest at the small Church, eager for money, chose the latter without hesitation, telling her parents that she needed to receive a weekly baptism to be completely cleansed.
Unfortunately, this fraudulent practice could not suppress her magical talents. The uncontrolled power continued to disrupt her life at irregular intervals.
Her father, however, firmly believed the tale of Dark Wizard possession and treated her as a complete freak.
Her mother, as always, cared for her lovingly, but Alison could never forget the complex look of fear mixed with concern in her eyes whenever she looked at her.
Worse still, the weekly baptisms quickly drained the family's meager savings. Her already quick-tempered father became even more irritable under the pressure of debt, developing a habit of drinking and gambling.
He blamed all his misfortunes on Alison, resorting to physical and verbal abuse whenever he was in a bad mood. Her mother, though she tried to intervene, was powerless to stop him.
This went on until Alison was ten years old. During a routine bout of domestic violence, she watched in horror as her mother was kicked to the ground by her father. In that moment of intense stimulation, her magic erupted, and all the pent-up anger she had been harboring was unleashed, resulting in a devastating explosion.
Her mother died in that explosion, and her father was severely injured.
The two Aurors who arrived on the scene quickly labeled it as a magical accident, altering the memories of everyone nearby, including her father, to believe it was caused by a gas leak.
Young Alison, naturally, forgot the truth as well.
But as she grew older and began studying magic at Durmstrang, similar scenes started appearing in her nightmares, haunting her like a recurring nightmare.
Now, with Grindelwald's help, she remembered everything. Her mother's death was not caused by a gas leak but by her own hands. Even her father's descent into alcoholism and gambling was her fault.
This cruel reality nearly shattered Alison, but then Grindelwald's voice rang out again.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Alison! It was the Muggles' ignorance that led to all this. They don't understand the power of magic. To them, Wizards are nothing but a wild and fanciful legend. That's why your parents mistakenly attributed your talents to the Devil."
At this, Grindelwald raised his voice. "Think about it. If your parents had understood Wizards and the greatness of magic, they wouldn't have had such foolish ideas!"
"On the contrary, they would have been proud to have a Witch as a daughter, someone born with the incredible power of magic, far superior to ordinary Muggle children!"
"So you haven't done anything wrong. The fault lies with the corrupt institutions of the Wizarding World, with those high-ranking officials who only care about power struggles and wealth accumulation."
"They are the ones who have driven you to this point, creating this tragedy. They are the ones who have confined Wizards in one prison after another, isolating them from the world, preventing Muggles from truly understanding the greatness of magic! What we need to do is change this, to prevent more people from suffering the same fate as you." Grindelwald spoke, his words deliberate and forceful.
Alison's dim eyes regained their light. Every word Grindelwald said resonated with her deepest desires. Having magical talents was not something she could choose, nor was it a sin!
"Now it's time for you to make a choice, Alison", Grindelwald said coolly. "You can choose to continue the Ritual, witnessing the Wizarding World take a new step forward... or you can take up your wand and destroy me, returning to the corrupt, broken Wizarding World."
"Don't let his words sway you, Witch. The Wizarding World isn't as bad as he says. Most Muggles have no ill will toward Wizards; you just happened to encounter a father who despises Magic..."
"Since you attended a Wizarding school, you should know that many Muggle parents are thrilled when their children become Wizards! And those Aurors, they had no ill intentions when they erased your memories. They were likely trying to protect you..."
"Enough! Shut up..." Alison interrupted Farrell forcefully, her eyes filled with hatred. "If those Aurors truly wanted to protect me, why didn't they show up when I was labeled as a Dark Wizard? Where were they when I was being abused at home?"
Farrell opened his mouth to explain but then closed it, unsure how to respond. He didn't know the situation in Nordic, but even in America, the Magical Congress couldn't possibly allocate enough resources to monitor the well-being of every Young Wizard, let alone intervene in family disputes. Such matters were always the most troublesome.
Farrell's silence solidified Alison's resolve. She resolutely waved her wand, severing her left arm. Unbearable pain spread through her body, forcing a shrill scream from her lips. The severed arm quickly sank into the cauldron, turning the previously murky liquid into a vibrant, fiery red.
"Crazy... truly crazy!" Farrell's scalp tingled as he watched the scene unfold.
If he wasn't mistaken, this Witch named Alison must have been one of the Wizards swayed by Grindelwald after his prison break. In just a few days, she had completely submitted, willingly cutting off her own arm to complete this Dark Magic Ritual.
"You are very brave, Alison! Go on, just one more step", Grindelwald praised, showing no surprise at Alison's choice. From the moment he glimpsed her inner thoughts, he knew that with a little guidance, she would become his most loyal follower.
Alison clutched her severed arm, gasping in pain, but she still managed to step toward Farrell and wave her wand.
Farrell instinctively closed his eyes, bracing himself for death. However, to his surprise, Alison didn't take his life. Instead, she used her wand to slice open his face, drawing some blood and dropping it into the cauldron.
"Father's bone, servant's flesh, enemy's blood, huh?" Farrell opened his eyes again, deducing the crucial steps of this Dark Magic Ritual from Alison's actions. He finally understood why Grindelwald had captured him.
This renowned Dark Lord, though he had many enemies, had few who could be considered true foes!
Albus Dumbledore was a given, but he had recently fallen to Voldemort.
Newt Scamander was definitely another, but his whereabouts were unpredictable, often wandering between countries to study various magical creatures. Grindelwald likely missed him, which is why he ventured to North America to capture Farrell.
The thought that he had been chosen as Grindelwald's enemy left Farrell feeling a mix of emotions...
As the ritual progressed, the liquid in the cauldron began to boil, bubbling and spitting out eerie blue sparks, as if a volcano were about to erupt inside it.
Farrell prayed silently, desperately hoping Grindelwald's resurrection ritual would fail. If he were closer, he would have spat into the cauldron to disrupt it without hesitation!
Suddenly, the cauldron began to shake violently, as if Farrell's prayers had finally taken effect. Eerie blue flames erupted from within, consuming everything around them.
Alison was startled, her face pale, almost thinking she had made a mistake in the potion-making process. Farrell, however, felt a flicker of excitement, but his joy was short-lived. A figure emerged from the flickering flames...
It was Gellert Grindelwald!
After dying and being resurrected, he no longer bore the signs of his former decrepitude. He looked to be around forty, with a robust physique that became evident as the flames subsided. His eyes, with their strange heterochromia, added an otherworldly charm to his appearance.
Grindelwald twisted his neck, savoring the surging vitality within his new body. He then extended his hand, and the Elder Wand flew into it. The curtain on the right side of the room was pulled down and transformed into a fine black robe, which draped over his shoulders...
(End of Chapter)
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