The New Helmswoman

Anna knew that Grindelwald had begun summoning his former subordinates after she was born.

After all, Grindelwald had no experience raising a child. He needed to contact people outside to bring him supplies and ensure Anna could grow up.

She also knew that Grindelwald's ambition had slowly faded over the past twenty-odd years.

Since his defeat at Dumbledore's hands, he had reflected on himself and gradually realized that his actions back then-trying to expose the Wizarding World, overturn the International Statute of Secrecy, and slaughter Muggles and wizards-had been too extreme.

His main reason for gathering the Acolytes again was probably her.

To survive more comfortably in the Wizarding World and avoid being caught up in its current turmoil, she would need a powerful backer behind her.

He was doing this with Anna's future in mind.

Whether she wanted to live an ordinary life or accomplish something great, Grindelwald would support her from behind the scenes.

She had never experienced this sense of security, sheltered beneath someone's wings, in her previous life.

Honestly, long-distance Side-Along Apparition felt awful, but it was nothing to Anna.

Born with an exceptionally strong affinity for magic, she could quickly adapt to all forms of it, including their aftereffects.

She collected herself and found that she and her father's subordinate, Balk Nagel, had arrived at the entrance to a classical manor.

A tall iron gate barred their way. Anna could sense that the grounds within were covered in Anti-Apparition Jinxes, along with all sorts of other defensive spells and Banishing Charms.

British manors always had a distinctive charm. Most had histories stretching back decades or even centuries, with a solemn, classical character like an oil painting. But the manor standing before Anna was different. Every detail proclaimed to its visitors that it was an extremely young manor.

"Miss, this is Grindelwald Manor. It's our gift to you."

Balk Nagel took her little hand and tapped the iron gate a few times with his wand. The gate swung open, as though welcoming its master's arrival.

The manor had abandoned the old-fashioned symmetrical style, and the broad lawn afforded an unobstructed view of the grounds. A breeze carried flecks of petals past them. Anna turned and saw a huge cherry tree growing on the eastern side of the manor.

"Daina Klar brought it back from a trip to the East. You should have met her at Nurmengard before."

Anna had an excellent memory. Of course she remembered Daina; she had even spoken with her a few times.

At the time, Daina Klar had been planning a trip to Japan with her whole family. Anna had merely mentioned that the cherry blossoms there were beautiful. She hadn't expected Daina to bring back a tree.

Even in Japan, cherry trees this tall and lush were uncommon. This one was at least several hundred years old. The Japanese believed that the longer something lived, the more likely it was to become a god. Had Daina uprooted a cherry tree from some Japanese shrine and brought it back?

Besides that, she noticed that the manor as a whole had a lively air, even leaning toward a girlish style. Many water lilies grew in the broad fountain pool, and to the west was a wisteria-covered walkway with a huge glass greenhouse at its end.

Butterflies fluttered through the manor grounds. One boldly flew up to Anna, and she couldn't resist reaching out her hand.

The butterfly settled obediently on the tip of her index finger, flecks of silver shimmering on its ice-blue wings in a mesmerizing display.

When Daina Klar and the others came out through the manor's doors, this was the scene that greeted them.

A faint smile curved the silver-haired girl's lips as she gazed gently at the butterfly on her finger.

She was like a fairy who had accidentally fallen into the mortal world. Her blue eyes were like the clearest lake, and a gentle blink sent ripples across them, as though a breeze had brushed the water's surface.

She was like a being most beloved by the gods. Even the dark clouds parted for her, and a beam of golden sunlight slipped through a gap, bathing her alone in its light.

"Merlin..."

Daina couldn't help sighing softly. Her voice disturbed the fairy-tale scene. The butterfly flew away, the sun retreated behind the dark clouds, and Anna turned her head slightly and noticed the Acolytes.

Years later, when Daina described the scene of their meeting, Anna laughed for a long time, certain they must have been seeing her through ten layers of filters.

Death, who had been secretly creating the special effects behind the scenes, merely smiled at this...

Inside the understated yet luxurious hall, Anna was led to the head seat. Looking at the two rows of Acolytes filling the seats along the long table, she felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

If the lights were dimmer, this would really look a bit like a Death Eater meeting.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, the hint of a smile on her lips. The Acolytes seated below were still privately admiring their young lady's extraordinary bearing, never imagining that Anna was silently comparing them to those mad Death Eaters.

Hmm, our own people are still easier on the eyes.

She nodded inwardly in satisfaction, then turned her gaze to Balk Nagel.

Catching his young lady's signal, Balk Nagel tapped the tabletop with his wand. A set of documents appeared before everyone, and each person reported to her in turn on their respective duties and affairs.

The documents recorded some of the key matters from the past few years since the Acolytes had resumed their activities in the Wizarding World. Grindelwald now intended to groom Anna, and this meeting marked the beginning of the transfer of power.

Balk Nagel was only a second-generation Acolyte. It was his father who had followed Grindelwald with true fervor. But Old Nagel was now advanced in years, so when Grindelwald contacted him, he gradually handed many matters over to his son.

This second-generation Acolyte had inherited his father's loyalty in full and was now the most important figure among the Acolytes.

In fact, almost everyone seated below was a second-generation Acolyte.

This was also the team Grindelwald had carefully assembled for Anna.

Even behind bars, her dear father's skill at swaying hearts was as impressive as ever.

Unlike Voldemort, who bound the Death Eaters together through fear and intimidation, he won people over with real benefits, bringing the Acolytes aboard the great ship bound for a better future.

And the one who would ultimately take the helm of that ship was her.

Anna listened quietly to their reports. She had to admit that her old father had considered everything perfectly, laying an exceptionally solid foundation for her.

Using economic ties and basic political means to establish a network, he had set up branches of the International Confederation of Wizards' Acolytes, large and small, in every major country in the world. They even included the largest red country, which had yet to collapse.

This way, whatever Anna ultimately wanted to do, she could accomplish it more easily.

When the last person finished reporting, everyone turned as one to the person at the head of the table.

She knew they were all waiting for her to declare her intentions.

Ordinary, or extraordinary?

The Acolytes were waiting.

The world, too, was waiting.