Austria, Nurmengard Castle.
Dumbledore ascended the steps, once again arriving at the topmost level of the tower prison.
Perhaps due to his frequent visits in recent times, Gellert Grindelwald, who had once been clad in tattered rags, now wore a fresh set of clothes. Though they were simple and unremarkable, they still restored a hint of his former grandeur.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Grindelwald did not turn but spoke directly:
"I knew you would come again. How is Wentworth?"
Dumbledore, having just entered the room, first found a place to sit before responding.
"Rest assured, he's doing well. In fact, during the holidays, I arranged for him to attend a summer camp at Newt's, helping take care of magical creatures. He enjoys it very much."
Grindelwald's hand clenched into a fist for a brief moment before he relaxed it again, scoffing.
"For his next holiday, instead of letting him waste time, you might as well send him here. I promise him a holiday he won't forget."
Dumbledore merely spread his hands noncommittally and asked,
"I have a question. When you found me in Godric's Hollow all those years ago, was it truly a coincidence, or had you foreseen something that led you to seek me out?"
Grindelwald's body stiffened at Dumbledore's inquiry. After a moment of silence, he turned around and fixed his gaze upon his old friend.
"Albus Dumbledore, what exactly do you mean by that?"
Dumbledore did not hesitate.
"For the Greater Good. Every wizard in the magical world knows that as the slogan of your Pureblood Party. But what they don't know is that I was the first to propose it—or at least, that's what I believed! It was in a letter I wrote to you that the phrase first appeared."
"But later, I realized I was wrong. I still remember our first meeting in Godric's Hollow in 1899. Yet, to my surprise, I later discovered that on your Prophecy Skull, the words 'For the Greater Good' were inscribed—with the date 1898."
"After that, we forged our blood pact, making it impossible for me to act against you. And then, you founded the Pureblood Party."
As Dumbledore finished speaking, an eerie silence filled the tower of Nurmengard. Only the biting wind howled past their ears.
After a long pause, Grindelwald finally spoke.
"Albus, it has been decades. Why are you suddenly thinking about this?"
Dumbledore slowly shook his head.
"I have never forgotten our past. And I cannot shake the feeling that I was manipulated back then. But it no longer matters—it is all in the past. I came here today to tell you something: someone is after your Prophecy Skull."
Dumbledore then relayed everything Wentworth had told him, leaving nothing out.
Upon hearing about the note that had mysteriously appeared in his vault, Grindelwald furrowed his brows tightly.
When Dumbledore finished speaking, Grindelwald, still frowning, said,
"If the enchantments I placed on Vault 714 remain intact and unbroken, then there is only one way to open it—by using the blood of the Grindelwald family. That much is certain."
Hearing Grindelwald's confident assertion, Dumbledore slowly nodded.
"If that's the case, then I believe I know who did it. There is only one way someone could have used the blood of the Grindelwald family to open a Gringotts vault without anyone noticing."
At this, Dumbledore gave a wry smile, while Grindelwald smirked knowingly.
"Feeling a bit powerless, aren't you? I know what you're thinking. In truth, you could tell Wentworth the truth. I've said it before—revenge for the Grindelwald family should be carried out by its own descendants."
But Dumbledore shook his head without hesitation, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
"This matter can wait. It is not yet time. I have more pressing concerns."
Grindelwald's lips curled into a smirk.
"Still worried about that student of yours? I've told you before—merge your Order of the Phoenix with the Pureblood Party. Whatever troubles you face, we will handle them for you."
Dumbledore, however, suddenly chuckled. He looked directly into Grindelwald's eyes and said slowly,
"Gellert, the Pureblood Party is no longer yours. Its leader now is Wentworth Grindelwald. And he is my student. But don't worry—I have no intention of merging the Pureblood Party with the Order of the Phoenix. However, its new leader will become friends with many within my Order."
Grindelwald's smile froze instantly. After a long pause, he pointed at Dumbledore.
"Albus, don't say I didn't warn you. You're playing with fire."
Dumbledore merely snapped his fingers. A moment later, with a resonant cry, his pet phoenix, Fawkes, soared from the distant sky and landed gracefully on his shoulder. Dumbledore smiled.
"Playing with fire? I rather like fire. Don't forget—the Dumbledore family's pet has always been a phoenix."
With that, Dumbledore grasped Fawkes' talons, preparing to depart. But just as he was about to leave, Grindelwald spoke once more.
"When you get the chance, give the Prophecy Skull to Wentworth."
Dumbledore froze, disbelief flickering in his eyes.
"Are you certain? You know full well that they are searching for it, and yet you would willingly hand it to Wentworth? We both know—they are not easy to deal with. Otherwise, they wouldn't have caused such chaos in the past."
But Grindelwald nodded without hesitation.
"That's right. Give it to him. After all, now that he has both the wizards of the Pureblood Party and your Order of the Phoenix watching over him, he will be well protected, won't he? You yourself said that he would become friends with many in your Order."
Dumbledore fell silent for a moment before a bitter smile touched his lips. Without another word, accompanied by Fawkes' melodic cry, he vanished from Grindelwald's sight.
Left alone, Grindelwald returned to his seat by the window, gazing out into the lonely expanse. After a long while, a voice echoed through the empty halls of Nurmengard.
"The magical world is growing ever more chaotic… but it is becoming quite interesting."
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TL/N:
I'd like to clarify one thing.
Vault 714, in the raws, is constantly being changed to Vault 713. In this chapter, it was Vault 714, but in one of the previous chapter, it was Vault 713. So, to those who might think that this vault might be the one where the Philosopher's Stone was once located, I don't know.
The author is being inconsistent here. I can do nothing with that.
Also, I was only a kid when I watched Harry Potter back then. Most of the details in the movies are already buried deep within my brain. I mostly rely on the fandom created on the internet to recall some infos. So if you spotted some mistakes in the translations, please do tell me.
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