The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 375 Grindelwald in the Tower

Unlike Austria's temperate broadleaf forest climate, the Scottish Highlands have a true temperate maritime climate.

In late August, the average temperature in the Scottish Highlands is at least 15°C.

……

In the Transfiguration office at Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall sat silently at her desk, lost in thought.

She signed off on the admission notices for this year's freshmen early on, but the letters for the upperclassmen were still not finished.

This would have been unimaginable in the past, considering that Professor McGonagall's role was crucial to the smooth operation of Hogwarts.

If she becomes lax, the entire Hogwarts will be in big trouble.

a long time.

Sitting quietly at her desk, Professor McGonagall let out a long sigh, then gently opened a booklet—the one she least wanted to open—the list of sixth-grade students.

The reason she was unwilling was because there were two names in the book that she couldn't bear to see: Hermione Granger in a faded color, and Enoch Swinburne, whose whereabouts were unknown.

These two were her favorite students, and could even be considered the students who bridged the gap between the previous and subsequent Transformation Club.

The once lively Transfiguration club ended with Cedric's graduation and Hermione and Eno's departure.

The once small classroom of four is now reduced to just Qiu Zhang from seventh grade.

Thinking of this, Professor McGonagall looked out the window. In late August, the Forbidden Forest was already beginning to look desolate, and the prematurely withered leaves had already been blown away by the autumn wind.

She pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose with her finger, then turned her gaze to the open book.

Sudden.

Professor McGonagall slammed her hand on the table, making a loud 'bang'.

"Albus Dumbledore!"

The contents of the booklet made her very angry. Although she had always known that the other party was unreliable, as the vice principal, it was not a big deal for him to do more work.

In the past, she could tolerate any kind of absurdity or nonsense, but what happened today was something she could no longer tolerate.

Making jokes about a dead student really crossed Professor McGonagall's line.

Looking at the once dim yet familiar name, its color has now been restored to its original luster.

Long-term repression, sadness, loss, regret... all rushed into my heart and then turned into anger.

Professor McGonagall slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly, abandoning all concern for her work. She grabbed a booklet from the table, stood up decisively, and strode toward the door.

She's about to have a huge fight with the current headmaster of Hogwarts, the greatest white wizard of the 20th century.

……

Unlike what happened in the Scottish Highlands.

Ino has now embarked on a journey to find the prophet with heterochromia.

According to the information he consulted, the distance from the town of Alpbach to Neumunga is about 20 kilometers.

This should have been a rather long route, but in fact, it only took less than two minutes before the tower of the abandoned castle could be seen in the distance.

Even so, Ino didn't have time to care.

Because he is currently immersed in a special state.

……

In the wide woods, a slightly melancholic folk song slowly began to play:

"...The iris flowers are singing, accompanied by the fragrance of kiwifruit, the bare tree stumps are glowing green, growing surrounded by grass servants and flower servants..."

The faint melody was carried away by the wind to distant places.

In the desolate and dilapidated tower of Nurmengard, a thin, simply dressed elderly man slowly opened his eyes.

How much influence do a pair of eyes have on a person?

The answer is that the impact is very significant, even directly altering a person's overall sensory experience.

If the old man who stayed in the tower before seemed like a pitiful person, after he opened his eyes, which had seen through the world and contained the vicissitudes of life, he had transformed into a reclusive sage or a learned scholar.

On the desolate tower.

Grindelwald stood by the window, looking down through the small, empty window that was only a foot wide.

In the nearby broadleaf forest, a young man dressed in Muggle attire, holding a harp, was walking towards them with an almost magical rhythm.

The reason he found it amazing was because the other person's seemingly slow steps covered a great distance with each step.

It's as if a mere foot's stride can traverse majestic snow-capped mountains, endless grasslands, and even the boundless ocean...

……

Of course, this is somewhat exaggerated. In reality, each step the other person takes is only a few dozen or a hundred meters, but the charm and feeling are real.

Grindelwald stood by the window of the tower, listening to the gentle, morning-like song, while waiting for the other party's arrival.

To be honest, although the castle had no guards, more than half a century had passed and no one had visited Nurmengard.

The elderly wizards understood Grindelwald's choice and, out of respect, did not interfere.

The new generation of wizards, influenced by the victors, always believed that the most terrifying dark wizards were imprisoned here, and dared not cause any trouble.

Today, this desolate castle seems to be welcoming its visitors.

however……

Just as the other person was about to leave the broadleaf forest, their entire figure suddenly disappeared again.

High up in the tower, Grindelwald's eyes, which seemed to have seen through the ways of the world, now held a rare hint of doubt and confusion.

……

Grindelwald was puzzled, and Ino, as the person involved, was equally surprised.

After saying goodbye to Hermione, he originally set off towards Nurmengard.

However, upon entering this broad-leaved forest, I couldn't help but feel a little wistful.

In the early autumn forest, the surrounding trees naturally blend into the changing seasons.

A profound and serene beauty.

The sunlight was no longer as scorching as in the height of summer, but had become gentle and warm.

The trees in the forest also gradually changed from their original emerald green to yellowish-green and orange-red, as if the Creator had inadvertently spilled a palette of colors.

In this atmosphere, Ino was somewhat moved by what she saw.

He recalled his first entry into Middle-earth, the land of the forest elves, which was also a broadleaf forest like this.

The story of The Hobbit has ended. The story of Lord of the Rings has ended.

Time flies, and things change.

Everyone else is either dead or old, but he remains as young as ever.

Thinking of this, Ino unconsciously slowed down her pace and took out the wing-shaped harp left by her teacher Hans.

I've had this harp for about half a month now. Although I've played it before, it was just as an experiment to see what made it special.

But today, in this very moment.

He simply regarded the harp as a musical instrument.

……

In the silent broad-leaved forest, the first note rang out.

Everything around seemed to have changed, and a special rhythm arose spontaneously.

As the performer, Ino was completely unaware of this.

As he strolled through the woods, he continued to play his instrument, just as he had done in the Elf Forest.

Long, slender fingers danced and glided across the strings, like deer flitting about or butterflies fluttering, agile and elegant.

Each musical note seems to be imbued with life, not only full of emotion but also possessing a subtle vitality.

……

In the woods.

Ino thought of the Shire before the story began, that peaceful and tranquil land.

Therefore, the sound of the piano did not feel soft; its delicate timbre was like dewdrops gently swaying in the morning light, or like waves of ripe wheat in autumn…

But soon, the music became powerful and resonant, a full and deep melody rising up, like dewdrops scattering and gathering into a river, surging endlessly...

In his mind, he thought of the Battle of the Five Armies and the charge of the Rohan cavalry.

Ancient stories are unfolded page by page, and then turned over page by page.

Finally, the image focused on Ciel.

……

Suddenly, Ino felt a long-lost palpitation.

It was like his tenth birthday, the first time he entered a fairy tale world—a familiar yet strange feeling.

Honestly, after Hans tore the pages out of the book, he should have been unable to enter the fantasy world anymore.

Perhaps the only places we can enter are the continent of Arad and Middle-earth, two worlds that are stable in the sanctuary.

But now, the palpitations he felt again made him return to the Seven-Colored Valley without a second thought.

Yes, a valley!

Like a transfer of authority, freezing the path was no longer his primary objective.

Although it's possible to visit, that road seems to prefer Hermione.

……

in the valley.

Ino stood silently on the soft ground.

Everything in the valley amazed him.

Of course, the herb field was still the same herb field, the marble house was unchanged, and even the oak trees were the same as before.

The individuals did not change, but the whole changed.

The colorful river floating in the sky seems to have broken free from its stillness and has truly begun to meander and flow.

The tulip that once gave birth to the Ring of Fire also shone brightly.

(End of this chapter)