Chapter 176: I Do Have a Suggestion
Dumbledore couldn't command the two individuals before him.
Neither Grindelwald nor Lockhart listened to him at all.
He was highly displeased, but no matter how annoyed he was, this was an extremely critical moment. He couldn't allow Gellert to cause some unforeseen harm to Lockhart, nor could he allow Lockhart to kill Gellert like this.
His expression shifted for a moment, and finally, he made a decision.
He vigorously waved the Elder Wand, and streams of colorful light, like a rainbow, shot out from the wand tip, completely encasing and binding Gellert.
This was to stop him from continuing to cast spells, but also to protect him.
Then Dumbledore abruptly flicked the Elder Wand with a loud bang, Apparating himself and Gellert to the open valley outside Nurmengard Castle.
Boom!
A tremendous roar echoed. He quickly looked up and saw the gigantic werewolf, having lost his opposing force, completely crushing the castle before him like a terrifying shadow looming over it.
It was crushed as if it were a smashed toy building set.
"Roar~~~"
After destroying the castle, the werewolf stretched its arms, roaring furiously at the sky. Countless bolts of lightning wildly struck its body.
"Have young people reached this level already?" Grindelwald, bound by colorful bandages, could only expose his head. He looked up at the sky with keen interest. "I wonder where he got a Patronus similar to an Obscurus but completely opposite in nature."
"And now there's a werewolf, also opposite to a Patronus, but not an Obscurus?"
"Self-restraint, self-balance—what an interesting magical path."
"Oh, I think I see a direction for cultivating Dark magical creatures, don't you, Albus? Doesn't this resemble the path of Dark magical creatures? A long time ago, we discussed research into pure-blood wizards interbreeding with magical creatures to acquire bloodlines..."
Gellert talked a lot, looking relaxed and pleased.
Of course he was happy; Nurmengard, which had imprisoned him for nearly fifty years, had collapsed. Haha, collapsed! That truly made him feel joyful.
While some rejoiced, others worried.
Dumbledore looked at the giant werewolf, which seemed to soar into the clouds, feeling increasingly vexed. He coldly asked, "How can I help him?"
"Help him with what?" Grindelwald asked with a smile.
"You know what! Don't be vague with me!" Dumbledore snapped, displeased.
"He's re-establishing his self-balance, it's that simple."
"He knows how to contend with overwhelming positive forces, attempting to cage those positive forces as well. I've already seen it in the future, he'll be fine."
Grindelwald looked at Dumbledore with a complex expression. "I've researched Obscuruses for too long. It's a much more powerful path than integrating magical creature bloodlines—it's integrating magical power bloodlines!"
"Albus, I actually found a way to cure Obscuruses, yes, I know it's too late, far too late, but I truly found it."
His voice was a bit bitter, causing Dumbledore, who had his back to him, to also look disheartened.
"What's the use of saying all this now..." Dumbledore's voice was hoarse. "Ariana has been gone for nearly a century."
Time was such a terrifying thing.
Ariana died on a certain day in 1899. Now, in 1993, 94 years had passed.
A hundred years was too long, making every day torture. Yet a hundred years was too short; everything felt like it happened yesterday.
And the cruelest irony was that there was once a chance for salvation before both of them.
Aberforth's son, Credence, also manifested an Obscurus and came before them. They should have had a chance to rectify this mistake, but they plunged into war again, missing the opportunity once more.
And now, Obscuruses were practically rare. What good was it to say he had found a cure now?
"Tell me!"
Dumbledore finally turned to face Grindelwald. "Tell me what to do to help this young man. You should know, we cannot hurt others simply to achieve our own ends."
Grindelwald pursed his lips, silent for a while, then sighed. "Homunculus Charm, that spell can deal with his current situation. Of course, it's also a temporary solution for an Obscurus outburst."
"This spell isn't just for turning back into human form. When a person maintains a complete, normal human form, their self-will also becomes complete, strong enough to resist the erosion of external forces with their own magic."
Dumbledore gave him a deep look and nodded. Only then did he raise the Elder Wand again, casting the spell quickly.
"Restoration~"
"Of form!"
The magical power of a top-tier wizard, amplified by a top-tier wand, commanded everything with an unstoppable will.
The gigantic werewolf shadow in the sky rapidly collapsed, transforming into a black smoke that quickly swirled and drifted in mid-air. Within it, silver-white light faintly pulsed, as the two rapidly merged, clashed, and contended.
Bang!
The black smoke slammed onto the ground, transforming back into Lockhart. Crabbe, who knows when, had already fainted and lay on the ground. Several figures of Dark magical creatures quickly disappeared into Lockhart's wide wizard's robes.
Lockhart stood motionless, holding his wand. The thunder in the sky began to subside. The gloomy sky occasionally surged with more dark clouds, pressing the entire world into dimness, only to tear open again, letting golden sunlight pour through.
Finally, with a long exhale, he twitched his wand. A giant silver Hippogriff, like a fire dragon, descended from the sky, swiftly pouncing on him, exploding into flashes of silver light and vanishing.
"How do you feel?" Grindelwald was full of curiosity, twisting his body, bound by colorful bandages, wanting to get closer, craning his neck to peer at him.
Lockhart gave Dumbledore a grateful smile, then rolled his eyes at Grindelwald. "I've locked both the beautiful and the malicious into cages, but it's also a bit different now. Some of them have integrated into my body, no longer obeying the mind's command, becoming bodily instincts."
This was a very high level of understanding, clearly knowing the distinction between mind, thought, and body. Communicating with two magical masters didn't require pulling out basic knowledge like when teaching young wizards; they could communicate without barriers.
Grindelwald tutted, clearly dissatisfied. "So, all that effort from me just made you a bit more magically resistant, like a magical creature?"
"You still say that!" Dumbledore was somewhat annoyed. "The body no longer obeying the will of the soul, having more bodily instincts when things happen—how terrifying is that! Gellert, look what you've done!"
"But that's the human norm!" Grindelwald retorted. "Don't always think about reaching extremes. If you want to embark on the path of a magical master while remaining a normal person, there needs to be some sacrifice. Otherwise, a person will ultimately become a beast, a Dark magical creature. What's the point of being powerful then?"
It seemed...
He had a point.
Dumbledore scoffed. "Sounds good, then tell me, why don't I need this, and you don't need this, but Gilderoy does?"
"Can they be compared?" Grindelwald sighed. "Because our hearts are full of burdens; we no longer need other forces to drag us from becoming inhuman."
Having experienced so much suffering in life, the understanding of human pain naturally pulled them back.
And to wield Patronus power to such a spiritually infused extent, Lockhart was clearly unlike those manipulated by fate.
"So, you're quite kind, then?" Dumbledore said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, to Grindelwald.
"Of course." Grindelwald smiled at Lockhart. "No need to thank me. You helped me destroy my damned prison. We're even now."
At the mention of this, Dumbledore became irritated.
He rubbed his fingers, his face complex, looking at Nurmengard, now a collapsed ruin. This clearly wasn't something a simple Reparo Charm could fix. What could imprison Grindelwald were the complex magical mechanisms within, not just a castle.
"What am I supposed to do with you now?" Dumbledore unhappily looked at old Gellert. "Send you to Azkaban?"
"Sure, I think that place is fine," Grindelwald said, smiling.
Of course, he'd be happy to go to Azkaban, because that wretched place couldn't hold him at all. He'd escape in minutes, just to show Dumbledore.
He even...
Dumbledore suspected that if he truly sent Gellert to Azkaban, Gellert might not leave at all. Instead, he might persuade all the prisoners, Aurors, and even the Dementors there to become his followers.
It wasn't impossible; Gellert had done such things before.
Annoying~
Dumbledore turned to Lockhart, looking somewhat helpless. "I shouldn't have let you two meet. It's my fault."
Lockhart shrugged. "It's alright, there are gains and losses. I don't mind. After all, I did want to ask Mr. Grindelwald how to control Obscurial power before. But regarding what to do with Mr. Grindelwald, I do have a suggestion."
Dumbledore was startled, unsure that Lockhart would have an idea.
Even Grindelwald looked at Lockhart with keen interest.
"The Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts. I think he shouldn't be afraid of Tom's curse."
"Ha!" Dumbledore laughed, exasperated by the absurd suggestion. "Him? Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
Lockhart merely smiled.
....
For advanced chapters:
Get early access to 80 advanced chapters before anyone else!
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God