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Nurmengard.
Grindelwald quietly put down the book in his hand.
In his recent contact with Anne, he learned some very interesting things.
The two children he was keeping an eye on had already formed their own small group just days after starting school.
Although they were largely forced into this by other pure-blooded young wizards, it still demonstrated the extraordinary abilities of these two little ones.
The most intriguing part was that Robert seemed to be quite supportive of some of his ideas.
Grindelwald stood up and looked out the window at the gloomy mountains.
"Those two kids will significantly influence my plans—I can foresee that. It's just a pity I can't determine whether their impact will be positive or negative... Why is everything about them so unclear?"
"Perhaps, I should take the initiative to contact them and find a way to bring them to my side..."
A gust of wind blew in through the window, extinguishing several candles on the table. Grindelwald's figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness, his silhouette flickering in the dim light of the fireplace.
Hogwarts – Headmaster's Office
Dumbledore frowned as he stared at the blazing fireplace. The room was warm, but his thoughts were clouded with concern.
"You look troubled, Albus," came a voice from behind.
Headmaster Dippet slowly approached the fire.
"Armand, Grindelwald's recent actions are increasingly difficult to understand," Dumbledore said with a frown. "I thought he wanted a decisive battle... but just when we were ready to end it, he backed off."
"His power isn't what it used to be. It's natural for him to retreat," Headmaster Dippet responded softly.
Dumbledore shook his head. "But this isn't like him. I worry... something else is going on."
They were prepared for a decisive battle, yet Grindelwald's forces unexpectedly retreated.
Logically, such a move would devastate his followers' morale. It didn't add up.
"This means something happened on his side that we're unaware of," Dumbledore continued. "And it's troubling because we have no information about it. If we keep waiting like this, we'll be playing right into his hands..."
Headmaster Dippet asked, "So, are you planning to take the initiative and confront him?"
"The Ministry of Magic is leaning that way, too. We can't let this war drag on. The Muggle world is on the brink of conflict, and I fear Grindelwald might exploit it. If that happens, the International Statute of Secrecy could become meaningless overnight." Dumbledore's voice was heavy with worry.
"From his previous statements, he wouldn't endanger wizards lightly. But revealing the wizarding world now doesn't make sense. He may be ruthless, but he's not reckless. If he truly intended to expose us, his forces would fracture from within." Headmaster Dippet's face flickered in the firelight, appearing both illuminated and shadowed.
"I used to think that, but now... I can't be certain of his intentions anymore. We can't risk assuming his mindset hasn't changed. We have to act."
"But he's deliberately hiding. Even if we want to confront him, we don't know where to find him," Dippet pointed out. "The International Confederation of Wizards just reported that Nurmengard Castle has completely vanished... and his followers around the world have also disappeared overnight."
"It's likely he used powerful concealment magic to erase the castle's presence... but why would he do that? Armand, if this continues, we'll be at a serious disadvantage."
"Calm down, Albus. You're too anxious. If Grindelwald stays hidden for too long, his followers' morale will break. In my opinion, they'll make a move soon. It's better to wait and see."
Dumbledore sighed. "I suppose there's no better option right now... Even if we wanted to act, we can't find them."
"You should focus on teaching for now. This war isn't yours to bear alone," Headmaster Dippet said, his face softening with a smile. "Speaking of teaching, those two children you brought back are quite exceptional."
"Oh? What did they do?" Dumbledore asked, surprised.
After the Sorting ceremony, Dumbledore had been preoccupied with Grindelwald's movements and only returned to Hogwarts today.
"On their first day, they defeated seven or eight students who tried to bully them, including three upperclassmen. It seems you taught them well before they enrolled," Dippet said with a smile.
"Really?" Dumbledore was surprised, but not because they were able to defend themselves—he already knew Robert was quite capable.
Before attending Hogwarts, Robert had used his intelligence and abilities to fend off several attackers from Grindelwald's faction. This was one of the reasons Dumbledore paid special attention to them.
"What caused the conflict?"
"It was due to the pure-blood issue. They challenged some Slytherin students' views. Also, the local pure-blood families are somewhat xenophobic toward foreign pure-bloods. To protect themselves, those two quickly formed a small group... Others have resisted before, but none were as successful as they have been."
In the past, most who stood up to the pure-blood hierarchy were crushed immediately. Robert's group holding out for days showed exceptional skill.
"It seems Robert and his friends might bring some change to Slytherin's future..." Dumbledore's face lit up with hope.
"It sounds like you have high expectations for them, Albus..."
In His Dream
Robert reported the events of that night to his senior.
"You're planning to use the 'residues' to train your own people?" the senior asked.
"Yes," Robert replied without hesitation. He had deliberately leaked the information to Tom and the others to gain their trust.
"It's a good plan, but be cautious. Don't let them realize how easily you can produce this power... People only respect what is scarce. If they think it's hard to obtain, they'll value it more and respect you."
Robert nodded. He understood. If they knew he could create this power effortlessly, resentment would grow. But if he made it seem rare and precious, they would be grateful.
His senior didn't stop him from his planned raid on the goblin camp. Instead, she provided him with useful advice, recalling her experiences in the forbidden forest.
After a good night's sleep, Robert woke up refreshed. Unlike him, Tom and the others were visibly exhausted.
"When are you going to act?" Tom asked quietly.
"Tonight," Robert responded.
"That soon?" Tom was surprised. He knew Robert to be meticulous, not one to rush into action.
But Tom didn't know that Robert had already planned everything in his dream. His senior had even scouted the goblin camp for him.
"We're racing against time. I'll go alone tonight," Robert added.
Tom fell silent, both worried and impressed.
"Tom, are you concerned about my safety?" Robert teased.
"You're crazy! Why would I care about you?" Tom snapped.
Robert laughed, patting Tom on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Who cares? You're insane!" Tom retorted.
"I know, you're just shy..."
"You know nothing!"
As the morning light poured into the room, Robert knew tonight would be eventful.
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