The Old Fox

Anna felt helpless as she looked at North, who stood guard beside her with a tight grip on a wand, and at the tense standoff in the room.

"Actually, that's not quite right. Being locked up in Nurmengard would make more sense."

Anna was still trying to lighten the mood, but clearly, it had little effect.

No matter how confused Eileen had been, even she had caught on.

The young girl before her, who had pulled her out of Spinner's End and brought her back to the Wizarding World, back to her grandfather, was actually close to the man who had thrown Europe into turmoil decades ago!

Eileen pulled Snape, who still had no idea what was going on, over to her and instinctively stepped in front of him, her face tense.

"You're Grindelwald's daughter..."

Hearing the old man on the sickbed sigh as though speaking in his sleep, Snape looked up and stared at the girl sitting calmly on the sofa. All his doubts vanished at once.

That was right. If any power in the world today could pay Voldemort and the Death Eaters no mind, even standing subtly opposed to them in both purpose and existence, that "senior" from decades ago naturally qualified.

Her surname was unusual and would attract a great deal of attention...

How could bearing the first Dark Lord's surname not be unusual? With Death Eaters running rampant, if word of Grindelwald's activities got out too, presumably almost every wizard in Europe would flee at the first sign of trouble.

But why? In his previous life, Grindelwald had never left Nurmengard, right up until Voldemort came looking for him. Where exactly had this world diverged?

"It seems I look very much like my father did when he was young, or you wouldn't have recognized me at once.

"You wouldn't expose my identity for no reason. That would do none of us any good.

"I think you must have something in mind."

Her long silver hair was like the finest silk; its excellent texture was plain to see. Anna picked up a strand and wound it around her fingertip, rubbing it repeatedly, an unconscious little habit when she was thinking rapidly.

"Yes. Apart from your silver hair and the color of your eyes, you look exactly like His Excellency did in his youth."

Regt nodded, confirming what Anna had said.

"Of course, I'm not so senile as all that. From our meeting yesterday, I could tell that the young person at your side isn't loyal to His Excellency, but trusts you completely.

"That gave me an idea. Perhaps I could regard you and His Excellency separately."

The Prince family, a Potions family, had dealt with many people in the Wizarding World over the years and was bound to be an exceptionally good judge of character, especially since he had personally lived through Grindelwald's heyday.

After only a brief meeting, he could tell how she differed from her father. The old ginger really was spicier.

"Indeed. Father is still in Nurmengard, and he has no desire to come out for a breath of fresh air.

"My goals are also completely different from his more than a decade ago. You can rest assured of that.

"I can also tell you plainly that a third of the Acolytes now fully agree with me and are loyal to me, rather than my father.

"As for the remaining two thirds, I believe they'll also make the right choice as I grow in the years to come."

Anna saw Regt Prince's intentions. Only three members of the Prince family remained, and if they wanted the family to continue, they would have to rely on a powerful backer.

Voldemort's reign of terror was something people avoided at all costs, and Old Prince didn't want his granddaughter and great-grandson kneeling to kiss that man's robes. He saw it clearly: those Death Eaters were jackals, and they would devour what little remained of the Prince family's legacy.

He therefore had to find another power capable of resisting Voldemort as soon as possible. Opening up to Anna today was also a considerable gamble.

If he was right, the Prince family might not only preserve itself but also follow this new helmswoman into a broader world.

She, too, had made her goals clear, declaring that she would never take the wrong path of decades ago and demonstrating that she had the strength to stand against Voldemort.

But most importantly, she wanted the Prince family to recognize the truth: the one in control now was not Grindelwald, but her.

"I believe your potential, Miss Anna, is in no way inferior to your father's."

Regt nodded. His meaning was already quite clear.

"The Prince Manor has already drawn the attention of those Death Eaters. I'm sorry to trouble you, Miss Anna, but I'd like you to find a safe place for my granddaughter and great-grandson first."

Regt was voluntarily entrusting his weak spot to Anna, and also ensuring their safety.

"Of course. I don't think there's anywhere in Britain safer than my manor, and I also have a favor to ask you concerning herbs."

The old man and the young girl reached an understanding and showed similar smiles. Anna stood as well, signaling that today's conversation was over.

And so Professor Snape, who had originally wanted nothing to do with this mysterious power, was successfully dragged into it by his great-grandfather.

Some people, at a fake eight years old, could go back and forth in negotiations with an old fox.

Others, at a fake eight years old, could only stand silently to one side, without even a chance to get a word in.

Should he say, As expected of a daughter raised by Grindelwald?

The atmosphere among the group returning to the manor had clearly changed considerably. What Anna hadn't expected, however, was for Eileen to bring up picking herbs of her own accord.

It seemed that even after several years cut off from the Wizarding World, she hadn't forgotten the education she had received from childhood as a member of the Prince family.

In any matter, the person who seized the initiative first could secure better terms.

"I'd like you to set off as soon as possible, but your health has only just recovered, and you aren't fit for long-distance transport. You need at least another day's rest."

Anna shook her head, rejecting Eileen's overly hasty move and telling her to get some proper rest.

"As it happens, here's the information on those precious herbs. You can look it over first, and if you need any tools for picking them, we can get them ready over the next couple of days.

"Also, Mrs. Eileen, I think you should have a good talk with young Mr. Snape."

Not understanding why Anna had suddenly mentioned him, Snape looked at his apologetic mother beside him and moved his lips, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.

To him, his memories of Eileen were too distant, buried in the deepest recesses of his memory along with his younger self. All he could manage to dig up were scattered fragments.

When he was reborn, he no longer knew how to face her.