Thinking of this, he turned his gaze to Harry.
The doubts that had lingered for so long now had a definitive answer.
This Harry was indeed the same Harry from a century ago!
In fact, he had considered this possibility before—but since this Harry was only eleven, he forcibly dismissed the idea.
He had never heard of any magic that could revert someone to their youth; if such magic existed, Voldemort wouldn't have split his soul in pursuit of immortality.
But this wasn't his most pressing concern at the moment; the urgent question now was—how to face the wrath of his boyfriend's sister.
Parenthesis, front.
Hanging from the ceiling, Gellert revealed a strange smile, part gleeful and part indifferent to the spectacle.
"Hello, Senior Grindelwald," Dumbledore said calmly, "but that event was a long time ago; we were young and naïve back then."
"So you toyed with his feelings?" Vivi asked with a smile.
"Would you be willing to listen to an old man—or perhaps a grey-haired descendant of yours—tell you what happened back then?" Dumbledore didn't rush to refute but spoke softly.
Vivi elegantly sat down on a chair, placing her hands on her lap: "Perhaps I should listen to the story from someone else involved, rather than just the one-sided words of my cunning brother—come on, tell me, what made Gellert Grindelwald so fond of you?"
"Sister! I'm not cunning!" Gellert, whose mindset seemed younger since his sister's return, protested, "I'm just..."
Vivi raised her head, casting a gentle look at Gellert.
Feeling his sister's gaze, Gellert obediently closed his mouth.
"Oh, and your Phoenix," Vivi said to the bird-licking Fox, "Mr. Phoenix, Fiona is with Harry. If you want to see her, perhaps you could ask him?"
Fox chirped twice, making it clear—you're Fiona's real mother.
Vivi's gaze turned dangerous.
Your master harmed my brother, and now you're eyeing my daughter, you wicked bird?
"Fox?" Dumbledore knew this wasn't good; he quickly called out to the Phoenix.
Fox, somewhat reluctantly, flapped its wings and returned to Dumbledore's side.
"I think we should use the Meditation Basin; it would be more direct," Harry suddenly suggested, "I suppose Gellert's Nimongard Castle has one, doesn't it?"
Gellert didn't speak, merely gestured towards the adjacent room with a nod.
Harry stood up and went to the next room, indeed finding a Meditation Basin placed inside.
He brought the Meditation Basin out and placed it beside Professor Dumbledore.
"Thank you, Harry." Dumbledore winked at Harry, "or perhaps I should say, Senior Potter."
"You're welcome, Professor," Harry replied politely, sitting down next to Vivi.
Dumbledore's eyebrows twitched slightly; he sensed that the relationship between the young man and woman before him wasn't that simple...
He raised his magic wand to his temple, drawing out a silver thread of memory and letting it fall into the Meditation Basin.
"These are my memories, Miss Grindelwald," Dumbledore said quietly.
Vivi nodded gently and walked to the Meditation Basin, intending to watch Dumbledore's memories carefully.
However, she didn't lean down but instead looked at Dumbledore.
"I don't trust you, Dumbledore... Professor," Vivi finally chose a title she could accept, "I think, if you have enough sincerity, you should temporarily put down your magic wand."
"You should know, Senior Grindelwald, that a competent wizard never abandons his magic wand," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Vivi raised her magic wand.
"Accio!"
Harry only felt a surge of force, and by the time he came to his senses, he was already in Vivi's embrace.
"Gellert." Vivi didn't turn around, "You will be the referee."
Hanging from the ceiling, Gellert's eyes gleamed with interest, and he quickly said, "Alright, then—both parties, please bow."
"I don't think Harry should be involved; he's innocent, Senior Grindelwald," Dumbledore looked at the Harry in Vivi's embrace.
Vivi didn't heed Dumbledore's words; instead, she held him tighter.
"My situation is somewhat special; I hope the Headmaster can understand," Vivi said, bowing to Dumbledore gracefully, then added, "Let's begin, Professor—let me see if the headmaster from a hundred years later is truly competent!"
Even though he faced a sixteen-year-old girl, Dumbledore didn't show any disdain; the terrifying transfer student was a title he'd heard of since childhood.
From any angle, she had the credentials to duel with him.
Thinking this, he returned the bow to Vivi.
Seeing Dumbledore bow, Gellert excitedly shouted, "Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Vivi raised her hand and cast a magic spell.
Dumbledore waved his magic wand and, without even moving his feet, easily neutralized the attack with a Transformation Spell.
Vivi's first spell was merely a test, and following it were two throwables transformed into barrels of explosives, hurled onto the two giant stone hands conjured by Dumbledore.
"Boom!" "Boom!"
The stone giant hands shattered on cue, and Dumbledore vanished like the wind, reappearing behind Vivi the next second. Two massive Stone Guards also appeared beside him, attacking Vivi from both sides.