https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-971-The-Secret-Compartment-in-the-Picture-Frame/13454958/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-973-The-Wager-Decides-the-Future-of-the-Wizarding-World/13454960/
Chapter 972: I Can't Wait to See Your Disappointed Face!
Chapter 972: I Can't Wait to See Your Disappointed Face!
As the spell was cast, wisps of white mist quickly spread out, gradually enveloping everything around. When the white mist finally dissipated, a familiar scene appeared before Ivan.
This was Nurmengard!
Ivan glanced around and quickly recognized the place. He found Grindelwald, who was imprisoned in a corner of the room.
Unlike their last meeting, this Dark Lord now wore a pair of Magic Shackles on his hands. While they didn't hinder his movement, the design suggested they were specifically crafted to suppress his magical abilities.
Ivan had suspected as much—that the management of Grindelwald wouldn't be as lax as he had initially seen.
Just as Ivan was thinking this, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the door.
Ivan turned his head toward the entrance, and in came Dumbledore.
Judging by his slightly deteriorated physical condition, Ivan guessed that this memory scene was from the summer after the fourth school year, shortly after he and Dumbledore had defeated Voldemort.
Grindelwald also lifted his head, his eyes, heavy with age, scanning the newcomer. Dumbledore, however, paid no mind to Grindelwald's cold demeanor. After placing the meal in front of him, he spoke gently.
"It's been quite some time since we last met, hasn't it, Gellert?"
"Exactly one hundred and thirty-seven days..." Grindelwald's raspy voice echoed through the room. Before Dumbledore could respond, he continued with a mocking tone, "What do you want to ask me this time? Or are you planning to boast about finally gathering the Deathly Hallows and conquering death?"
"No one can truly conquer death, Gellert! Besides, unfortunately, the Resurrection Stone among the Three Hallows is mostly broken... It would take at least two years to repair it, and I doubt I'll be around that long." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and replied.
"So you're going to die?! How amusing, this is the best news I've heard all year..." Grindelwald's words were laced with mockery.
"Yes, I have roughly two to three months left, but there's nothing amusing about it. Everyone has their day", Dumbledore said calmly. "Death is not to be feared; it all depends on how you view it..."
"Stop your preaching, Albus!" Dumbledore's calm response made Grindelwald lose interest. After a pause, he glanced at Dumbledore's charred right hand and said slowly, "Just get to the point. What do you want from me this time? Are you here to announce your impending death? You can't possibly expect me to attend your funeral?"
"Of course not. If you were to show up, it would cause panic among the others, and the funeral couldn't proceed." Dumbledore explained seriously. Before Grindelwald could become angry, he continued, "I'm here to ask for your help, Gellert."
"Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer, so you can consider it a request..." Dumbledore added after a moment's thought.
"Did I hear that right, Albus? You need my help?" Grindelwald couldn't help but laugh. "A defeated prisoner, a Dark Lord despised by all, offering help? If this is a joke, I must admit it's quite amusing."
“This isn’t a joke, Gellert! But if you want to hear one, I can tell you a different joke, one about Muggles and Wizards…” Dumbledore cleared his throat, ready to begin, but seeing the dark and menacing look on Grindelwald’s face, he wisely decided to stop.
“Alright, let’s get down to business. As you can see, I have at most three months left to live. Unfortunately, there are still some important matters I need to attend to,” Dumbledore explained.
“So you’re planning to break that Dark Magic? Don’t you remember the simplest solution I gave you the last time you visited?” Grindelwald’s lips curled into a sinister smile. “You just need to kill someone, create a Horcrux, and then kill yourself to come back to life. What a brilliant solution… You could rid yourself of the Dark Magic and gain a young, vibrant body.”
“You know I won’t do that, Gellert…” Dumbledore’s voice grew more serious.
“Of course,” Grindelwald nodded. “I’ve read the newspapers… They say you are Britain’s great Wizard, the bane of Dark Magic. You must be aiming to be a saint without a single blemish, immortalized in history, right?”
“Ah, I almost forgot. It seems you won’t be able to achieve that. Recently, you offended the Minister of Magic you helped put in power. So the Daily Prophet has reversed its stance, calling you a delusional old fool obsessed with children’s dreams. Now, that assessment seems quite fair…” Grindelwald sneered.
“You should know that I don’t care about such things,” Dumbledore said softly.
Grindelwald fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. “That’s a shame. Apart from that, I have no other solutions!”
“My demands are not as high as you think. I just need to live a bit longer to finish what I need to do, a year or even half a year…” Dumbledore said calmly. “I happen to know of a magic contract that can weaken this troublesome Dark Magic, or perhaps transfer part of the damage to someone else.”
“So you want me to take on the effects of that Dark Magic and die with you?” Grindelwald’s eyes sharpened, his anger barely contained.
“Aren’t you interested in hearing what I’m offering?” Dumbledore asked, his expression calm.
“There’s no need. I’ve lost everything and have nothing I want…” Grindelwald said coldly.
“What if it’s freedom?” Dumbledore asked casually.
“I refuse…” Grindelwald interrupted with a cold laugh.
Grindelwald’s abrupt rejection surprised Dumbledore, but he felt more relief than anything. “It seems that fifty years of imprisonment have taught you a lot… We might have a lot in common to talk about.”
“I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood something,” Grindelwald narrowed his eyes, his anger barely suppressed. “You can’t possibly think that I’ve spent these years wallowing in repentance, achieving enlightenment, and believing in your ideals, can you?”
“That’s absolutely impossible!” Grindelwald said, emphasizing each word. “No matter what you offer, nothing can compare to the disappointment on your face. I can’t wait to see it.”
(End of Chapter)
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