The days at Hogwarts

"I think your prediction will only come to fruition on the last day of this year, when the old year turns to the new year."

Then why did you bring me here so early?

Loren only dared to mutter this sentence in his heart.

Chapter 80 Dumbledore Fears Power

The sunlight sank to the bottom of Lake Ohrid, turning into specks of light that spread out along the ripples.

As it gradually darkened, Dumbledore asked Loren to take out the key and shake it. With a squeezing feeling, they appeared in a bright hotel room.

The warm yellow light spread out from the lampshade, illuminating every corner of the room. It's called a room, but it's actually a house, with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.

There is a brown cloth sofa against the wall of the living room, and a maple leaf patterned tea set is placed on the table.

There was only a spatula, some salt and seasonings on the countertop in the kitchen, which was unique to the kitchen in the wizarding hotel.

If someone really wants to cook, he must bring his own ingredients. The wizard uses magic to make fire, use magic to get water, and finally use magic to clean up. The kitchen is just a symbolic function. The wizard can cook anywhere.

If it weren't for the fact that some passengers weren't very good at Transfiguration, they wouldn't even have a spatula.

Loren and Dumbledore had already eaten while chatting by the lake, and Dumbledore took the food out of his pocket.

It's hard to imagine a hot steak and a whole pot of broth being taken out of a pocket. Loren thought that Dumbledore might have a kitchen in his pocket, and there might even be a house elf in it.

After returning to the hotel, Dumbledore said he was going to meet a friend and asked Loren to stay in the room and not go anywhere.

In a place like Albania, Dumbledore's friend, Loren could only think of the thief-like figure in the Order of the Phoenix - Mundungus.

Mundungus, who resold the Black family antiques, gave the Horcrux Slytherin's locket to Umbridge, and deserted the battlefield to kill Moody. Many members of the Order of the Phoenix hated Mundungus, but Dumbledore still saved him and asked him to provide intelligence and detective work.

Loren kept in mind the lesson of staying away from such stupid teammates and would remind Harry next time.

After walking around the room for a few times with nothing to do, Loren felt a little regretful for not bringing Flamel with him.

I leaned against the window bored and looked outside.

The sky was not dark, but a deep blue, and the stars were reflected on the snow, making the outside very clear.

Shadows covered Loren's blue eyes, and in his field of vision, the space at the edge of the woods suddenly began to distort.

With a "pop" sound, a man suddenly appeared. He looked around and quickly walked towards the hotel.

The space behind the man also distorted, and another person suddenly appeared.

The man took out his wand and pointed it forward: "【Fainted】"

A red light flashed, and a person in front fell down

The latter person fumbled around on his body, finally pulled something out, and quickly Disapparated away.

"this?"

Such a straightforward robbery made Loren silent. He thought that there would be some gray areas in the magic world, but they were just on the edge, selling some black magic items and researching some black magic. He never expected that it would be such a direct robbery.

At least after Voldemort's fall, dark wizards shouldn't be so presumptuous.

Sitting back on the sofa, leaning back against the cushions, Loren stared at the ceiling. The scene just now kept replaying on the ceiling, and the red light of the Stunning Spell turned into the green light of the Killing Spell.

It was just a different spell, still gently pointing forward, and still causing people to fall straight down. There didn't seem to be any difference.

In front of the hotel, so he just [fainted]. Loren couldn't help but wonder, if it was in the woods farther away, would the wand emit a green light, and perhaps there would be a fierce fire afterwards, and there would be no body left.

Is there really nothing in that forest?

This is a magical world. Many people died silently. Magic is such a magical thing.

For the first time, Loren intuitively felt the fragility of some things. He did not have this feeling when he killed the troll with his own hands.

Dumbledore came back looking like his younger self, his face looked a little ruddy, perhaps because he had drunk some wine.

Loren told him what he had just seen and expressed his speculation, "... many people must have died in this place, and no one would have noticed their death."

Dumbledore had a complicated expression. He was pleased with Loren's idea, but also felt helpless about the situation. "Loren, this kind of situation can only happen in a place like Albania where the Ministry of Magic has difficulty regulating it."

Most countries have their own Ministry of Magic, which strictly monitors illegal activities, and even the entry and exit of wizards requires approval.

Loren was puzzled, "Why? It shouldn't be difficult for the Ministry of Magic to control this place?"

They spent an afternoon traveling around Albania, and found that there were no vampires, werewolves, or evil witches who had lived for centuries.

Dumbledore explained that Albania's geographical location meant that it could not be subordinate to the Ministry of Magic of other countries, nor could it establish its own Ministry of Magic. All the wizards in Albania left.

There are only more than 3 wizards in the whole of Britain, and even fewer in a small place like Albania, so it is impossible to establish a Ministry of Magic.

As for the Muggle issue, the situation here was very chaotic. There were various riots and Muggle riots until 1990.

Dark wizards gathered here to trade. The intervention of others might cause retaliation and disrupt the order of the country, so the Ministry of Magic of each country did not want to be involved.

"how about you?"

Loren looked at the greatest magic master in the world, who could do it regardless of his prestige or ability.

Albus Dumbledore, Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot, Supreme Wizarding Court, President of the International Confederation of Magic, has been nominated many times by the British Ministry of Magic as Minister of Magic.

Dumbledore looked confused. He stepped back and sat on the sofa. "I can't do it."

He still looked like a middle-aged man, with a neat beard and short hair. He was worthy of the reputation as the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts, but his voice and eyes revealed his age.

This god-like person, who seemed omnipotent in Loren's eyes, seemed a little powerless.

"I am afraid of power. I have been preventing myself from approaching power for a long time." Dumbledore's voice was very light, and he was lost in some memories.

“When I was young, I also dreamed of changing the world and shouted inspiring slogans.”

"I have a close friend who is traveling with me. He set out with a great dream, and he wanted to gain power for the sake of his dream."

"Ultimately, under the alienation of power, he went further and further astray and made many wrong things."

"Many people died, and many irreparable mistakes were made, which ultimately could not be made up..."

When Dumbledore was young, his sister was bullied by Muggles and his father was imprisoned for revenge.

In order to take care of his sister, the family had to stay in Godric's Hollow. Family affection is a bond, but also a shackle for Dumbledore. He longed for a freer life. No gifted teenager would want to be trapped in a small valley for his whole life.

Later, he met Grindelwald, and they both had lofty ideals and were equally talented. They were so close that they seemed like one person.

Building a new wizarding order, no one will suffer like Ariana, and every wizard can freely practice magic. Albus indulges in the passionate love of youth and lofty ideals.

In the end, the death of his sister made Dumbledore decide to calm down for a while, and he and Grindelwald drifted further and further apart from then on.

Grindelwald's incident made Dumbledore realize the terrifying power of power. He was afraid that he would make the world a worse place under the pretext of "for the greater good."

Dumbledore understood that he and Gellert were the same kind of people. They had lofty ambitions. With the blessing of power, such ambitions could lead countless people into disaster with an inadvertent thought.

As his fame and power grew, he became more resistant to power.

Looking around, is there anyone in the wizarding world who can stop Dumbledore when he goes astray?

No one can.

Loren fell silent. Dumbledore was undoubtedly a great man, but his respect for life became a shackle for himself.

Chapter 81

No one can say what Dumbledore does.

Albusford runs the Hog's Head Inn, and the two brothers are strangers. Grindelwald is imprisoned in Nurmengard, and the two may never see each other again in this life.

Fate has never been kind to Dumbledore, whether it is family or love.

Even if life is in endless darkness, he can emit the light of fire from it.

Dumbledore sat on the sofa in silence. He looked at Loren, but also seemed to be looking through Loren at some unknown place.

Loren said nothing. He tiptoed back to the bedroom, closed the door, and left Dumbledore alone in his memories.

The next day, Dumbledore ate and talked with Loren as usual. But unlike usual, Dumbledore no longer winked mischievously. He moved decisively and cast spells neatly. He didn't look like an old headmaster at all.

Loren didn't like this mature and steady Dumbledore.

The two stayed in Albania for a few days. During the day, Dumbledore took Loren to search for clues related to the prophecy all over the mountains. At night, they stood in front of the window and watched the magic light flashing from time to time in the forest.

Loren already knew that this small country was bordered by Serbia and Yugoslavia to the north, Greece, and Italy on the other side of the strait. Compared with these two countries, Albania was more like a backward village, without any trace of modernization.

12 month 31 day.

The wind blowing down from Mount Jezerca, the highest peak in Albania, is still cold, and wizards with various purposes are still wandering here as the New Year approaches.

Dumbledore took Loren to the shore of Lake Ohrid early in the morning and waited. For several days, they left their footprints in every corner of the forest, but found nothing.

As the prophecy said, we need to wait for an opportunity, when the old year turns to the new year.

Looking at the calm lake, Loren looked at Dumbledore from time to time.

He still trusted Dumbledore. He knew that this old wizard who was over a hundred years old and had a rough fate would always support Hogwarts.

Loren could feel that Dumbledore still cared about him.

The conversation that day seemed to have never happened, but there was a sad barrier between them.

The sunlight rises from the bottom of the lake and then sets.

Just as the sunlight sank to the bottom of the lake, Loren turned his head and looked behind him.

In Loren's vision, in the forest, the vast blue beams of light were like flowing galaxies, connecting the starry sky and the earth.

He had seen this color of blue light when he first entered the Room of Requirement, coming from the diadem of Ravenclaw.

"What did you see?" Dumbledore noticed Loren's actions.

Loren pointed to the source of the blue light, "There."

Dumbledore pulled Loren and disappeared on the spot. After several moves, the two landed in front of a tree.

The sturdy old tree still has lush branches and leaves in winter. The ice and snow can hardly bury its body, and a dark hole in the trunk is exposed outside.

As they got closer, the blue river of light became brighter in Loren's eyes, but it was not dazzling at all. "There is something shining inside the cave."

Dumbledore tapped the tree gently, and a hollow echo came from inside.

This is a hollow tree. Its inside has become hollow for unknown reasons, but it is still tenaciously alive.

He stretched out his hand and waved it, and the transformation magic took effect on the tree. The hole extended and expanded downwards, revealing the scene inside.

A python was hibernating inside, twelve feet long, red and yellow, with web-like patterns on its back and a blue gem resting under its head.

The moment Loren's eyes touched the sapphire, the river of light connecting the starry sky and the earth gradually converged.

"Principal Dumbledore." Loren's legs felt weak. Anyone who gets so close to a python for the first time will feel weak in the knees. It's written in their genes.

"You're a Gryffindor."

Dumbledore's voice was soothing, not at all nervous, and he put his hand on Loren's shoulder, which made Loren feel more at ease.

"There is a layer of scarlet light on this snake." Loren guessed that this might also be an Animagus.

Dumbledore obviously understood what Loren was thinking and waved his elder wand.

"【True form revealed】"

The spell shot towards the sleeping python, but was bounced off by its thick scales.

The animals transformed by the Animagus do not have any magical abilities, let alone the ability to deflect spells.

Besides, this is Dumbledore's spell, the spell of the elder wand.

Dumbledore looked at this scene, his expression darkened, and his voice became a little hoarse, "It cannot be restored. This is not an Animagus, it is a blood-cursed orc."

He told Loren about the Blood Curse Orcs, a cursed class of people who could control themselves to transform between humans and animals at first, but as time went on, they would lose control and be trapped in animal bodies forever, forgetting all memories of being human and becoming true animals.

Loren suddenly understood the meaning of a desperate soul, a despair that transcended the distance between life and death.

As the death row approaches, the inmates will gradually go insane, and the blood curse is another vicious form of death penalty. As a part of the human being, they gradually dissipate, and before they completely dissipate, every part of the human being that remains is filled with despair, reason, memory, and emotion.

The sleeping python was awakened by the spell and the voices. The eyelids on its thick and ferocious snake head blinked, revealing pure black eyes instead of the vertical pupils of a python.

This scene was a bit weird. Loren actually felt that it was a bit like a girl waking up from a deep sleep.

Nagini opened her eyes and saw the young Dumbledore, and the python suddenly burst into tears.

She had been wandering in the forest for who knows how long. She didn't dare to face anyone in this state. She left all her friends behind and came here to find a cemetery for herself where no one would disturb her.

This forest was seldom visited and uninhabited, making it a perfect place to hide. No one she knew would come here.