Grindelwald Runs for Election

"Did you find anything?" Hermione asked curiously as soon as she saw Sean step out of the ring.

Sean frowned, his eyes filled with deep confusion.

He said slowly, "There is a little... but it's very strange..."

Sean originally envisioned that he might be able to learn more specific information about the [Returners] through the Obscurus's vision, such as their composition, gathering place, and communication methods.

However, the Obscurus's intelligence was much lower than he had imagined.

The Obscurus is an accidental creation. Phineas Fletcher, a trader in contraband artifacts and animals, intended to transport a trafficked Demiguise to the New World to create Invisibility Cloak. However, the Demiguise escaped on the ship and mated with a stowaway Ghoul. Their offspring fled into the forests of Massachusetts after the ship docked and continue to roam the area in large numbers to this day.

This creature also possesses the ability to become invisible, but the Demiguise's benevolent nature, short-term prediction of the future, and extremely high intelligence among Magical Creatures were not inherited. Instead, it was replaced by a stronger and more powerful body, a personality dozens of times more brutal, and an instinctive hunting urge.

The Obscurus has a penchant for feeding on humanoid creatures, with humans being its favorite prey. Magizoologist speculate that this is because Phineas Fletcher once cruelly treated the animals under his control.

This also means that even though Sean has gained the trust of the Obscurus, it is difficult for him to communicate with it.

Yes, that Obscurus was very affectionate towards Sean, even wanting to taste his flesh... and this guy's intelligence was so low that he couldn't be taught a normal diet at all...

It took Sean considerable effort to extract some information from the Obscurus creature's barren brain, during which the Obscurus tried to taste one of his fingers more than ten times.

Originally, the Obscurus's brain, which only knew about prey and eating, could not retain so many memories, but some extremely terrifying magical fluctuations were remembered by its instincts, and those creatures that should not be provoked were also written into its memory.

The one that left the deepest impression was an old man with a white beard. After Sean took out Dumbledore's portrait, the Obscurus even trembled.

By piecing together the fragments of the Obscurus's memories, Sean learned some details about Dumbledore's collaboration with the Returners.

Dumbledore seemed to be looking for something, something only the Returners would know. In the Obscurus's memory, the Calchas descendant killed by Sean had led Dumbledore to several places.

An abandoned castle, an inland lake shrouded in swamps, forests, and mist, and a dilapidated village.

In the Obscurus's memory, the first place Dumbledore went was that long-abandoned castle, and at that time, the wizard who led the way for the Calchas family seemed to be very wary of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stayed in that castle for a long time, and when he finally appeared, he seemed to be in a very unstable emotional state.

The description of the Obscurus, in its meager ability, goes like this: The white-bearded old man emerged from the pile of rocks, becoming more terrifying than any other creature. I wanted to escape that place, but I was bound, and the thought of eating him no longer dared to arise.

After his visit to the abandoned castle, the Calchas family was less wary when Dumbledore went to two other places. However, no one except Dumbledore dared to enter those two places, and the Obscurus, being a Magical Creatures's tool, naturally had no idea what was happening.

This is all the information Sean extracted from the Obscurus.

Sean was particularly concerned about the attitude of the wizard from the Calchas family.

I was quite wary during the trip to the abandoned castle, but I wasn't like that anymore...

Does that mean that Dumbledore hadn't yet established a cooperative relationship with the Returners when he visited the castle? Perhaps Dumbledore learned something from inside the castle before forming a cooperative relationship with the Returners ...

Sean couldn't figure out where the other two locations were either, but he was now very curious about the castle. What exactly did Dumbledore find inside?

He had a hunch that if he could find the location of that castle, he might be able to uncover the secret that Dumbledore had been hiding.

Moreover, Sean deduced something else.

The Returners were clearly not fools to dare to cooperate with someone like Dumbledore. Considering the change in the attitude of the Calchas wizards, Sean felt that Dumbledore had likely formed some kind of pact with the Returners.

For example: Unbreakable Vow.

This explains why Dumbledore didn't reveal any information to Sean.

If you put yourself in his shoes, you'll understand. Sean felt that if he were in the Returners's position, without Unbreakable Vow to bind Dumbledore, he would never dare to cooperate with him.

Otherwise, you never know when the other party might stab you in the back.

Even today, there are still things that remain incomprehensible regarding Dumbledore's collaboration with the Returners.

Suppressing Grindelwald and taking control of the Wizarding World likely constituted a large part of the Returners ' goals.

Dumbledore's goals, however, were not clear enough.

However, it's still better than being completely clueless and knowing nothing at all.

Sean closed his eyes and pondered. His head was throbbing, but there were some things he couldn't tell Hermione and Daisy.

It would be great if I could discuss this with Grindelwald...

Later that evening, a message came from Lupin.

"Take a look at this," Lupin handed over a slip of paper in the meeting room. "All the newspapers will carry this news tomorrow. We got the firsthand information from the International Confederation of Wizards's candidate dinner."

Sean took the note, his lips pressed tightly together.

"Ten days before the end of his term Charles Vogel, the current president of the International Confederation of Wizards, officially announced that all charges against Grindelwald have been dropped due to insufficient evidence and the actions of the Guard Corps."

This must be Grindelwald's doing... This thought immediately popped into Sean's head.

Lupin continued, "Moreover, according to our sources, Charles Vogel will likely announce soon that Grindelwald will also participate in this chairmanship election."

"Is he going to participate too?" Sean blurted out instinctively.

"It's very likely," Lupin nodded. "Vogel seems to have convinced many committee members, and the other candidates seem to have tacitly agreed."

"Do you have any specific information about the other candidates?"

"Yes, take a look."

In Germany, on the third-floor terrace of a castle, several men and women dressed in formal attire, exuding an air of authority, are conversing.

In the night sky before them, the green fireworks had not yet completely faded, and the enthusiastic cheers of the people still lingered in the streets.

A woman dressed in a gorgeous gown with her hair piled high looked solemnly at the middle-aged male wizard in the middle.

Isanne Archer, from Greece, is the most popular candidate in this election, bar none. She has proposed several measures, winning the support of many wizards. At the same time, she has many powerful, hidden Pure-blood families behind her.

"Mr. Vogel," Archer said in a low voice, "It seems that the decision to drop the charges against Grindelwald has not yet been fully approved by the committee?"

The person standing in the center is none other than Charles Vogel, the soon-to-be-dismissed president of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Vogel, a calm-looking man with a square face, glanced at Archer and shook his head with a helpless expression.

"Madam, you are well aware of the current situation. Look, look at the crowd that just dispersed. The Guard Corps have been exposed for all sorts of shady dealings. How can the people choose to completely trust them? Besides, Grindelwald is the headmaster of Newmontgard. Most of the people who came just now were his former students. They admire their headmaster."

"After the various issues Guard Corps were exposed, you should understand the immense public pressure we've been under. Every day, letters demanding a thorough investigation to clear Grindelwald's name have been delivered to us relentlessly by owls, while the Guard Corps hasn't even held a single press conference. Madam, although I'm about to step down, I am still the president of the Confederation, and I must respond to the public's demands."

He sighed, "Do you think I don't want to leave this position, which I've held for decades without a single mishap, quietly and peacefully? But can I?"

Vogel stood in the night wind, looking somewhat like a fallen hero. "I'd rather take the blame than leave this mess to one of you."

"Heh—" he chuckled bitterly, "This is probably one of the last things I can do."

Archer and another candidate, Wahag da Silva, from Africa, who was also quite popular, exchanged a glance. People who had reached this position were certainly not easily swayed by Vogel's words.

However, they also had to admit that, given the current situation, continuing to issue a warrant for Grindelwald's arrest was not very realistic, so shifting the blame to the outgoing Vogel was indeed a good option.

"Mr. Vogel, you've worked hard," Da Silva said thoughtfully, then his gaze sharpened again. "I can accept the withdrawal of charges against Grindelwald, but what I can't understand is that he will become another candidate."

"Sir, this is what you just showed us, so please take a look as well." Da Silva walked to the terrace and pointed to the still noisy crowd.

The Grindelwald supporters, their faces filled with fervor and anticipation, huddled close together, constantly casting green spells towards the sky.

"Thump—" The green light shone on the faces of everyone on the terrace.

Da Silva said gravely, "What Grindelwald wants is perfectly clear to all of us here. He wants to start a war between wizards and Muggle!"

"Prison breaks are rampant across the globe, attacks on Muggle are at their highest frequency in decades, and the risk of exposure for Wizarding World worldwide is at an unprecedented level—"

Archer stepped forward as well. "Mr. Da Silva is right. This is not just my personal opinion as a candidate; it is the truth. If Grindelwald is elected, a new war will destroy the Muggle world, and it will also destroy our world."

Vogel's expression grew even more serious. "So, let him run for office, so we can't let him win."

"I understand the feelings of all the candidates, and I believe that you are not raising this concern out of personal motives. But I must remind you that I am proposing that he run not for this war, but to avoid the war at hand."

His chest heaved, his eyes filled with solemnity and a hint of anger.

"Because of the Guard Corps's foolish actions, Grindelwald is now seen as an innocent victim by most of the people! And his loyal subordinates are just as good at manipulating the hearts of the people as he is. I don't need you to remind me to see that his supporters are more fanatical than any other wizarding group. And you can't deny that such wizards have always existed and have never disappeared. Grindelwald's ideas perfectly meet their needs, and it is inevitable that they will be united together."

Vogel took a deep breath. "So we have to let him run for office, so that the people can see it. If Grindelwald isn't elected, they won't be able to raise any objections. Otherwise—right before our eyes, the Wizarding World will immediately descend into infighting among its own kind."

Then he looked at the serious-looking candidates. "So, the key is to not let him win, ladies and gentlemen."

Vogel's private secretary stepped forward and said with a smile, "The Chairman has already considered these things, so this time we will restart the ancient election method— the Qilin."

All the candidates were startled. Some felt a slight thrill, while others secretly feared for their lives. Everyone's attention was drawn to the Qilin. But they were certain of one thing: if the Qilin Election were restarted, the winner would definitely not be Grindelwald.

Where no one could see, Charles Vogel turned around, his face illuminated by the green light of the magic spell exploding in the sky, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Hogwarts, where Owl Post was forbidden, was in turmoil. Perhaps the matter was too serious, Ministry of Magic sent a message.

"Due to insufficient evidence and suspicion that the Guard Corps were fabricating a false narrative to frame an innocent person, all charges against Gellert Grindelwald have been dropped."

Before the shocked students could even process the news, even more explosive news arrived.

The current president of the International Confederation of Wizards Charles Vogel, officially announced that Grindelwald, who is over one hundred years old and has just been cleared of suspicion, will participate in this election.

Furthermore, considering the current tense situation and the fact that many wizards are unable to conduct voting normally, the Confederation will use the ancient election method— the Qilin Election.

Ten days later, the election will officially take place!