Why Do You Study Grindelwald

Caesar had initially thought time was extremely tight, since an ordinary person might need several years just to finish the entire History of Magic syllabus.

Yet unexpectedly, he had done it in less than forty days.

At this result, Caesar felt both joy and sorrow in his heart.

What pleased him was that the Genius Scholar talent was truly monstrous—for anything he read, he could basically remember it at a glance, and he had indeed found some feasible methods for dealing with legendary mages.

What saddened him was that these feasible methods were not in the history books in his office. Regarding the most vicious curses in this world, the historical records only had a few sparse lines. He would need to search the library, or even outside the school, for traces of these forbidden spells.

[Next, you quickly discovered the second convenience of being a teacher: no need to apply for approval like a student, you could directly borrow any book in the library. However, as time passed, you noticed that the looks your colleagues cast your way gradually turned strange.]

[After several days of observation, you realized the crux of the problem—though teachers had free borrowing privileges, they were not without constraints. Hogwarts had a system of mutual oversight among colleagues, and your heavy borrowing of books unrelated to History of Magic had already aroused the vigilance of certain professors.]

[You immediately adjusted your strategy, deliberately mentioning in daily conversation that you were researching the history of Dark Magic during Grindelwald's era, and when borrowing books, you made a point of pairing them with relevant historical documents, making the entire research plan appear academically sound.]

[This method quickly took effect. At Hogwarts, as long as a professor could give a reasonable explanation for their actions, most colleagues were willing to trust in the other's professional integrity.]

[Your hanging heart slowly settled, and you continued immersing yourself in the study of forbidden magic. Time slipped by quietly, and your understanding of various types of magic grew increasingly refined. If anyone still regarded you as an ordinary teacher at this point, they would pay a heavy price.]

[One late night, as you were lost in the sea of books, forgetting the time, Dumbledore arrived unannounced. Clearly, your in-depth research on Grindelwald had caught his attention.]

"Headmaster Dumbledore!"

Caesar's gaze instantly shifted from the book to Dumbledore.

This legendary figure of the wizarding world stood at the door of his office, the blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles shimmering with an all-penetrating light.

A faint ripple of magic still lingered in the air.

"I hope I haven't interrupted your precious reading time, Professor Caesar."

Dumbledore's voice was gentle as he stepped closer, his long silver beard nearly brushing against the hefty tomes on ancient Dark Magic and modern European magical history lining the bookshelves.

His gaze swept over several notes spread open on Caesar's desk, on which were clearly written "Gellert Grindelwald," "Evolution of the Deathly Hallows Symbol," and "Early Architectural Blueprints and Magical Defenses of Nurmengard."

"Of course not, Headmaster. A late-night visit—has some urgent matter arisen at Hogwarts?"

Caesar closed the book, his body subtly shifting sideways to block a few more private research manuscripts concerning the Blood Pact and Obscurials.

His face wore a perfectly calibrated expression of surprise and respect, but his mind was racing, assessing Dumbledore's true purpose for this visit.

Dumbledore did not answer immediately. He extended a long, slender finger and gently brushed it across the cover of an open ancient tome.

On it happened to be printed a silhouette of a magical photograph of a young Grindelwald giving a speech.

"Just a passing thought. Lately, I've noticed you seem to have devoted considerable research enthusiasm to a... rather sensitive period of history."

"You mean Gellert Grindelwald, Headmaster."

The moment the words left his mouth, Caesar noticed that when Dumbledore's ever-calm, composed gaze fell upon that photographic silhouette, threads of flame flickered in the depths of those azure pupils.

The feeling those threads of flame gave was not anger, but an emotion so complex it was unconsciously revealed.

Yet in the blink of an eye, those threads of flame vanished without a trace.

If you find this book good, to avoid losing it next time, please remember to add it to your bookshelf.

This was a ruthless man.

No matter how the outside world judged this legendary mage, that was Caesar's first impression.

In his view, there were two kinds of ruthless people in this world.

One kind was ruthless to others, like Grindelwald.

One kind was ruthless to themselves, and Dumbledore was the latter.

To destroy Hogwarts, one could not bypass this legendary mage.

Dumbledore's gaze returned to Caesar's face, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable penetrating force.

"Gellert Grindelwald—a name full of talent and tragedy.

I am curious, what attracted a young and promising professor of Ancient History of Magic to develop such a keen interest in such a dangerous historical figure?"

It was as if invisible threads were tightening in the air. Dumbledore's question seemed casual, yet it precisely targeted the core of all Caesar's recent research.

Caesar could feel that this was not a casual concern, but a gentle yet profoundly serious probe.

He met those blue eyes that could see through a person's heart, smiled slightly, and with a steady tone, instead of answering, asked, "Headmaster, what do you believe is the meaning of history?"

The light behind Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles flickered slightly. He brought his fingertips together, as if weighing his words.

"History."

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and full of wisdom like ancient parchment, "To most people, history has nothing to do with their lives, but for me, history allows us to see where we came from and avoid repeating past mistakes."

"I completely agree with that view."

Caesar paused, deliberately letting his words carry a hint of academic discussion, and said with a smile:

"As you often say, those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Using history as a mirror is also the main theme of my lifelong research.

Headmaster, isn't the meaning of history precisely that it can illuminate the present and the future?

Grindelwald's rise was no accident—his ideology, his power, his mastery over people's hearts.

Understanding him might perhaps help us overcome some similar shadow that this current era may face."

"Shadows..." Dumbledore listened quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, producing faint clicking sounds.

The room was so still that the crackling of the flames in the fireplace could be heard.

After a long moment, he too revealed a smile, but deep within that smile lay a trace of barely perceptible gravity and reminiscence.

It was an emotion entirely different from when Grindelwald was mentioned.

It represented another dark wizard, Tom Riddle.

"A very profound insight, Professor Caesar."

Dumbledore nodded and said softly, "It's just that some flames, while trying to illuminate the path ahead, can easily burn the one holding the lamp. It's fine to study history, but please, by all means, keep your distance."

Having said that, he nodded to Caesar just as he had upon arrival, turned, and slowly walked away, his long robes sweeping across the floor without making a sound.