A Spark

The moment Li Weide saw Dumbledore appear, he knew he had achieved his goal of stalling for time.

However, what puzzled Li Weide was that Grindelwald seemed to have noticed his intention to stall long ago.

Yet he had not exposed him and had instead played along the whole time.

Otherwise, if they wanted to talk, they could have done so anywhere. Why stay here and keep talking?

Especially after learning that Professor Hicks had escaped.

It was entirely foreseeable that, once Hicks escaped, Dumbledore would certainly arrive as quickly as possible.

Yet Grindelwald had not seemed worried at all.

Otherwise, they might already have reached Nurmengard by now...

But Grindelwald's next words dispelled Li Weide's doubts.

"You came quickly, Dumbledore..." Grindelwald said with a smile. "I had planned to persuade these two children to join us right in front of you, but... regrettably, I failed. How strange. They both crave power so deeply, yet neither was moved by my invitation..."

Poaching people right in front of Dumbledore? What kind of bizarre cuckolding fetish is that... Li Weide grumbled inwardly.

"That only proves your charm is not as great as you imagined. And not everyone is like you, willing to resort to any means to achieve their goals. They may be young, but they can still tell right from wrong." Dumbledore said coldly. "I can already foresee your failure, Grindelwald."

"Failure? My power is now at its zenith, my followers are spread across the entire world, and our ideals can even turn enemies to our side... You say I will fail?" Grindelwald said disdainfully.

"After all these years, countless facts have proven that those ideals of yours were merely the empty fantasies of our reckless youth... They can never be realized." A trace of sorrow flashed through Dumbledore's eyes. "Besides, you do not truly care what becomes of this world in the end. You only want to satisfy your shameful ambitions, isn't that right?"

"Is that truly how low I have fallen in your eyes?" A flicker of anger crossed Grindelwald's face.

"People change. The you of today has become someone I no longer recognize. At the very least, the Gellert I knew back then was not so deplorable." Dumbledore's face was filled with grief. "Think about what you have done over these years... How many innocent people have died for your so-called ideals? How many people you deceived have made meaningless sacrifices because of you?"

"Revolution requires bloodshed!" Grindelwald unconsciously raised his voice. "This world is sick... and my mission is to cure it!"

"The one who is sick is you, Grindelwald..."

"I am doing this so that every wizard can stand openly beneath the blue sky! Dumbledore! Magic blooms in only a small number of souls! We are the most exceptional among them! Why should those mediocre people be allowed to stand in the sunlight while people like us can only hide and skulk about? Are you truly willing to live forever like rats in the darkness, Dumbledore? You do not dare to change this world, so I will do it! If you want to cower in that school like a turtle hiding in its shell, I will not blame you! But one day, I will lay the world of my ideals before your very eyes! And until then... DO! NOT! STOP! ME!"

Then, the two fell silent at the same time.

Since those two said nothing, no one else dared make a sound either.

After a long while, Dumbledore finally sighed. "No matter how prettily you dress up your words, they cannot conceal the pain you have brought to this world... Enough. There is no point in this argument. We have argued over it countless times in the past, Grindelwald... Let us fight."

As he spoke, Dumbledore drew his wand.

"Since you cannot argue your case, you intend to fight? But Dumbledore, do you think you can truly defeat me if it comes to that?" Grindelwald said, spreading his arms.

At the same time, the Followers of Grindelwald behind him gathered around him, glaring sharply at Dumbledore.

No matter how formidable Dumbledore was, he was only one man. If a fight truly broke out, the Followers of Grindelwald would certainly not challenge him one-on-one.

If Grindelwald held him back while the other Followers of Grindelwald launched a simultaneous sneak attack from the side, then even Dumbledore would have only one fate: defeat and death!

Li Weide narrowed his eyes. Could it be that, because of the butterfly effect he had caused, the final battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald was going to happen ahead of schedule?

Dumbledore looked calmly at Grindelwald, as though he had not seen the Followers of Grindelwald behind him at all.

"Since I knew you were here, how could I possibly have come alone?"

The moment Dumbledore finished speaking, countless figures suddenly appeared behind him. Before long, there were more people behind Dumbledore than there were Followers of Grindelwald.

Though Dumbledore had fewer followers than Grindelwald, with the addition of the Ministry of Magic's Aurors, Dumbledore's side held an overwhelming numerical advantage.

Professor Hicks was naturally among them as well, though she looked extremely disheveled. Clearly, she had paid a great price to break through and inform Dumbledore.

At that moment, she was looking anxiously at Li Weide and Tom across from her.

"Weide, Tom, come over here." Dumbledore beckoned to them.

Li Weide did not hesitate. After calling Toby over, he walked straight toward Dumbledore's group.

Tom, however, hesitated somewhat.

From their conversation just now, Tom had also guessed what Grindelwald was. People like him were ruthless.

So was it really safe for them to go over now?

After all, they were practically within arm's reach of Grindelwald.

Grindelwald seemed to see through Tom's thoughts. "Since you are unwilling to join us, then go back. Do not worry, I will not harm you. There are already too few of our kind... Also, my promise will always stand. If you change your minds in the future, you may still come find me."

Tom could not help looking at Grindelwald a few more times before quickly following Li Weide.

"Do not tempt my students, Grindelwald." Dumbledore glared at Grindelwald furiously.

"Everyone has the right to choose, Dumbledore. You cannot stop people from yearning for freedom and truth!"

As Grindelwald spoke, a wand appeared in his hand.

It was a long wand marked with knotted scars—the famous Elder Wand, one of the Deathly Hallows!

He lightly swept the wand through the air before him.

Whoosh!

A wall of ghostly blue flames suddenly rose between Grindelwald and Dumbledore.

It divided the two sides!

With a wave of his hand, the Followers of Grindelwald behind him turned and Apparated away one after another.

Dumbledore's side held the numerical advantage today. A direct confrontation offered little gain, so Grindelwald decided to withdraw.

In any case, today's objective had already been achieved...

Grindelwald believed that although he had failed to recruit the two children on the spot, his words had surely planted a spark in their hearts!

Since Dumbledore valued these two children so highly, then everything he had done today would absolutely not be in vain!