A flash of light struck Carrow without warning, sending him flying backward. He hit the floor hard and passed out.
Edward appeared for a brief moment, snatched up the bag of dark magic items, and vanished again.
The remaining five immediately drew their wands in alarm. Edward appeared and disappeared, appeared and disappeared, changing positions each time and firing off Stunning Spells and Disarming Charms.
Bang, bang, bang...
The cracks of Apparition mingled with the blasts of Stunning Spells and Disarming Charms.
A few minutes later, Borgin and Burkes was a complete wreck. Everyone, including Borgin, lay unconscious on the floor.
Another ten minutes or so passed before Edward walked into the shop under a Disillusionment Charm. After making sure they were all unconscious, he collected the scattered wands, then conjured iron chains to bind them tightly.
"Didn't see that coming, did you? The Anti-Apparition Charm didn't work on me, but it turned all of you into sitting ducks."
He checked his condition. The repeated short-range Apparitions had taken a toll on his spirituality. What remained was probably only enough to get him back to Hogwarts.
Edward first woke Carrow, the Dark Warlock whose memories he had erased. "Who are you? Why did you target me?"
Carrow was nervous at first, but quickly calmed down when he saw Edward before him. His clouded eyes brimmed with fervor. "As expected of Mr. Grindelwald's heir. You subdued us old relics so easily."
"What?"
Edward was stunned. "Me? Grindelwald's heir? Who are you trying to fool?"
Lake Raketa, Nurmengard.
Ever since Gellert Grindelwald's defeat at Dumbledore's hands, his former stronghold had become his prison.
Cold winds blew here year-round, and a constant shroud of mist made the place oppressive.
Dumbledore stood before Nurmengard's gates, gazing absently for a while at the words "For the Greater Good" above them before stepping inside.
Soon, he reached a dim cell swept by chilly drafts. An old man with long, graying hair lay dozing in a battered rocking chair, a book in his hands. At first glance, he looked like any elderly neighbor, yet only a few decades ago, he had unleashed a war across Europe.
"It's been a while since you last visited, Albus," Grindelwald muttered without raising his head, as though complaining.
Dumbledore smiled and sat in a dusty chair beside him. "You look much better now."
"Of course. I was betrayed by the person I trusted most. All my ideals and hopes were destroyed. What survived was nothing but a decaying shell." Grindelwald sat up slightly, his blue eyes as bright as a boy's. "But ever since you discovered that thing... I've found hope again!"
Dumbledore nodded and said softly, "That boy wants to learn more magic. You should have more insight into that than I do."
The corners of Grindelwald's mouth lifted. "Albus, are you admitting you're inferior to me?"
After a brief silence, Dumbledore said quietly:
"Forty-six years ago, I defeated you myself and crushed your schemes."
"..."
Chapter 39: Be good, call me big sister~
Half an hour later.
After listening to the six elderly men and women talk over one another, Edward finally understood what had happened. Essentially, after being defeated by Dumbledore, a despondent Grindelwald had imprisoned himself in Nurmengard. His followers, however, had never abandoned their ideals and kept visiting him to urge him to rally his forces again.
Three years ago, Grindelwald had apparently grown tired of their pestering-or so Edward guessed-and told them that Dumbledore had taken his heir to Hogwarts. They could pledge their loyalty to him-Edward-and continue pursuing the greater good.
No matter how Edward looked at it, something felt off. Grindelwald was clearly just fobbing you off, wasn't he? And you actually believed him? Every other word out of your mouths is about the greater good or changing the world. You're all eighty or ninety years old-how are you still this full of adolescent delusions?
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Then may I ask how I'm related to Grindelwald? I've never heard of him marrying or having children." Edward had returned to ask the orphanage director about the original owner's background, but she had only said that one morning, she opened the door and found a baby abandoned on the doorstep. Nothing had been left to identify him.
The elderly witch Rosier said, "Perhaps you're descended from a branch of the Grindelwald family. It later fell on hard times, and you ended up in the orphanage."
"With that many generations between us, and from a side branch at that, how does that make me his heir? I've never received any instruction from Grindelwald, either. How could he be certain I'd carry on his ambitions? And why should I give up a perfectly good life to chase some fantasy of changing the world?"
The six fell silent.
At their age, there were many things they understood but left unspoken. At least until someone said them aloud, they still had something to hope for.
In the end, Kraft, who wore a militaristic overcoat, said firmly, "We believe Mr. Grindelwald."
"That's right!"
"Ah, fine."
Edward believed most of what they had said, apart from the part about being an heir. Still, he remained wary and hesitated over what to do with them.
Suddenly, he clapped his hands. "Right, I'm desperately short of money at the moment. You were all infamous Dark Warlocks back in the day, so you must have money, right?!"
The six exchanged embarrassed looks.
"We've spent all these years hiding and running. The most valuable things we have... are our wands."
"I still have two Galleons and thirteen Sickles."
"...I've got twenty-eight pounds in my pocket."
"..."
Edward immediately lost interest. First, he took back the bag of Galleons he had paid Borgin. Then he walked to the entrance and left a wand on the floor. Only then did he release their chains and Disapparate, leaving the six dejected elders behind.
As soon as he returned to Hogwarts, Audrey rushed over anxiously. "Are you all right?"
"Not only am I fine, I even confiscated a few wands."
Audrey sighed in relief, then puffed out her cheeks. "Didn't you say you'd run if anything went wrong? Why did you go back? That was so dangerous."
"Come on, I hadn't even collected the things I'd spent nearly all my money on. How could I not go back?" He paused, then made a few gestures over his chest. "Besides, it was Mr. Fool's will."
So Mr. Fool's just your go-to excuse? You drag him out whenever you need him?
Edward briefly explained what had happened. Audrey asked in surprise, "Then what are you going to do next?"
"Hmm, I'll check with old... Professor Dumbledore first. He was the one who took me out of the orphanage, after all."
She hesitated for a while, then said quietly, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."
"Hey, it's not like I remember anything from before the orphanage anyway." Edward waved it off, looking unconcerned.
Suddenly, he slapped his forehead, his face twisting in anguish. "Fuck!"
"What is it?"
"I should've cleaned out Borgin's dark magic shop! That bastard tipped them off and set me up!"
"..."
Hogwarts, the Headmaster's Office.
Edward got straight to the point and recounted everything that had happened.
Dumbledore was silent for a moment, his brow creasing slightly. "First, you are definitely not Grindelwald's heir. Second, I don't know whether you belong to the Grindelwald family, but he did indeed know you before I did."
Sitting behind his desk with a quill in his hand, Dumbledore drifted into recollection. "I once asked him about your origins, too. But his answer was... that perhaps your surname ought to be Dumbledore."
"Wait!"
Edward hurriedly raised a hand to stop him. "That's far too much information to take in at once. One moment I'm Grindelwald's heir, and the next I'm part of the Dumbledore family..."
"Don't tell me I'm actually your and Grindelwald's child."
A flicker of excitement crossed Audrey's eyes as she enjoyed the drama from the sidelines. She already knew the tangled history of love and resentment between Dumbledore and Grindelwald by heart, and had always regretted how things ended for these two "dear friends." Now a possible "fruit of their love" had suddenly appeared. It was simply... too thrilling!
"..."
Dumbledore stared blankly at Edward for a full half minute before taking off his glasses and rubbing between his brows helplessly. "Do you know, Edward, it's been nearly seventy years since anyone left me this speechless."
"Pfft." Audrey couldn't help laughing.
Edward smiled sheepishly. "It was just a reasonable guess."
"All right, that's enough of this subject for now. If you get the chance, you can ask Grindelwald about your origins yourself. But let me repeat: you are absolutely not his heir, nor would he choose a sixteen-year-old child as one! Do you understand?" Dumbledore spoke with rare sternness.
"I understand."
Dumbledore handed him a sheet of parchment. "Here are the new spells you wanted. Take a look."
The Dizziness Spell instantly caused brief dizziness in nearby targets when cast. Its advantage was that it required no target lock.
Protego Diabolica used flames created by Fiendfyre to form a shield.
The Fire Dragon Spell was a further development of Protego Diabolica. It was still essentially Fiendfyre, but unlike Fiendfyre, which could not be controlled once unleashed, the Fire Dragon Spell could be directed.
The Lightning Charm could guide lightning to strike a target during a thunderstorm.
Two of the spells were unfamiliar, but Protego Diabolica and the Lightning Charm seemed to be spells Grindelwald had used before. So old Dumbledore got these spells from Grindelwald?
"Professor Dumbledore, is there a spell that can lock onto a target? As you know, most spells need to hit their targets to work. But if someone is agile enough, dodging magic isn't actually that difficult."
"That question troubled me for many years as well. Unfortunately, there is no good solution." He paused, then smiled. "But perhaps that's not a bad thing. If a true 'target-locking spell' existed, it would be a nightmare for most ordinary warlocks."
Edward understood at once. That's right. Most Dark Warlocks don't play around with Stunning Spells and Disarming Charms in a fight. They open with the Killing Curse as their basic attack. If that could lock on, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"All right, I'll go back and study these spells first. If there's anything I don't understand, I'll come ask you." Edward put away the parchment. "Any news of Peter, Wormtail?"
"No." Dumbledore shook his head. "Lupin has been watching the Marauder's Map these past few days, but Peter's name has never appeared on it."
Indeed, the Weasley twins' Marauder's Map had been requisitioned immediately. Those two now looked at Edward as though he were a traitor.
Dumbledore thought for a moment, then added, "Leave this matter to us. You needn't worry too much. What you should do now is focus on learning magic. If you don't have enough time..." He took a golden timepiece on a chain from his drawer. "This is the Time-Turner I applied for on your behalf. You should know what it does and how to use it."
Edward's pupils contracted. There it is! The most absurd item in Harry Potter!
It was so absurd that Auntie Rowling had eventually been forced to find a way to destroy the lot in one go to avoid creating more plot holes.
He quickly reached out to take it, but Dumbledore said gravely, "Remember, Edward, established events that have already happened must never be changed! Those who toy with time will surely be toyed with by time."
Edward froze for a moment, then nodded. "I understand!"
As soon as they left the Headmaster's Office, Audrey began looking Edward up and down with a peculiar expression. Her gaze made him so uncomfortable that he backed away a few steps. "W-what is it?"
She narrowed her eyes with a smile. "So you're only sixteen. Hehe, you're a year younger than me!"
"So what?"
Audrey reached out and patted his head. "Be good~ Call me big sister."
"..."
Had it been anyone else, Edward would already have given her the middle finger. But then he thought that people from the world of mysteries might not understand this classic French-insulting gesture, so he let it go.
Before you continue