A Spark

The moment he saw Dumbledore appear, Li Weide knew that his purpose in stalling for time had been achieved.

However, what puzzled Li Weide was that Grindelwald seemed to have noticed his intention to stall from the very beginning.

Yet he had not exposed him, and had instead gone along with him the whole time.

Otherwise, if they wanted to talk, they could have talked anywhere. Why had they remained here?

Especially after learning that Professor Hicks had escaped.

It was entirely foreseeable that since Professor Hicks had escaped, Dumbledore would certainly arrive in the shortest possible time.

Yet he had not been worried at all.

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

However, Grindelwald's next words cleared up Li Weide's confusion.

"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..."

Trying to poach people right in front of Dumbledore? What kind of bizarre cuckold fetish is that...? Li Weide grumbled inwardly.

"That only proves that your charm is not as great as you imagined. And not everyone is like you, willing to stop at nothing to achieve their goals. They may be young, but they know right from wrong." Dumbledore said coldly, "I can already foresee your failure, Grindelwald."

"Failure? My influence is at its zenith, my followers are spread across the 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 nothing more than the wild fantasies and empty talk 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 seek to satisfy your shameful ambition, isn't that right?"

"Is that what I have become in your eyes?" A flash 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 wretched." Dumbledore's face was filled with grief. "Think of what you have done over these years... How many innocent people have died for your so-called ideals? How many people deceived by you have made meaningless sacrifices because of you?"

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

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

"I am doing this so that all wizards can stand openly beneath the blue sky! Dumbledore! Magic blooms only in a very small number of souls! And 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? Are you truly willing to live like rats in the darkness forever, Dumbledore? You do not dare change this world, so I will do it! If you want to hide in that school like a cowardly turtle, I will not blame you! But one day, I will lay the world of my ideals before your very eyes! And until then... please! Do! Not! Stand! In! My! Way!"

Then, the two of them fell silent at the same time.

Since those two had stopped speaking, no one else dared make a sound.

After a long while, Dumbledore finally sighed. "No matter how beautifully you dress up your words, they cannot conceal the pain you have brought to this world... Enough. This argument will lead nowhere. We argued over it countless times in the past already, Grindelwald... Let us fight."

As he spoke, Dumbledore drew his wand.

"Since you cannot win with words, you intend to fight? But Dumbledore, do you think you can truly defeat me?" Grindelwald said, spreading his arms.

At the same time, the Wizarding Supremacists behind him gathered around him one after another, their sharp gazes fixed on Dumbledore.

No matter how powerful Dumbledore was, he was only one man. If a fight truly broke out, the Wizarding Supremacists certainly would not face him in single combat.

If Grindelwald kept him occupied while the other Wizarding Supremacists launched a coordinated sneak attack from the side, then even Dumbledore would have no path but defeat and death! Li Weide narrowed his eyes. Could it be that, because of the effect of his butterfly wings, the final battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald was going to come early? Dumbledore looked calmly at Grindelwald as though he had not seen the Wizarding Supremacists behind him at all.

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

The moment Dumbledore finished speaking, a dense mass of figures suddenly appeared behind him. Before long, there were more people behind Dumbledore than there were Wizarding Supremacists under Grindelwald.

Although Dumbledore had fewer followers than Grindelwald, once the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic were added, Dumbledore's side held an absolute advantage in numbers.

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

At this moment, she was looking worriedly at Li Weide and Tom on the opposite side.

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

Li Weide did not hesitate. Calling Toby over, he headed directly toward Dumbledore's group.

Tom, however, hesitated somewhat.

From their conversation just now, Tom had also guessed what Grindelwald was doing, and people like that were ruthless.

So was it really all right for them to go over now? After all, they were practically within arm's reach of Grindelwald.

As though he had seen through Tom's thoughts, Grindelwald said, "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... Besides, my offer will always stand. If you change your minds in the future, you may still come find me."

Tom could not help looking at Grindelwald twice more before quickly following after Li Weide.

"Do not bewitch my students, Grindelwald." Dumbledore glared at Grindelwald angrily.

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

As Grindelwald spoke, a wand appeared in his hand.

It was a long, slender wand covered in knots, none other than one of the famed Deathly Hallows—the Elder Wand! He lightly drew it through the air before him.

Whoosh!

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

It divided the two sides!

He waved his hand, and the Wizarding Supremacists behind him turned and Apparated away one after another.

Today, Dumbledore's side held the numerical advantage. If they fought head-on, there would be little to gain, so Grindelwald decided to retreat.

After all, he had already achieved his goal today...

Grindelwald believed that although his attempt to recruit the two children on the spot had failed, 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 have been in vain!