The Dark Lord's Guide to Employment at Hogwarts

"Could you please stop insulting me? Tell me now! Otherwise I'll deliberately make some mistakes in my notes!"

"...Since you asked sincerely, I will be merciful and tell you." Li Weide said, pointing the tip of his feather pen at Professor Binns who was reading the textbook slowly on the podium.

Professor Binns is a ghost, and the only ghost professor at Hogwarts who doesn't need a salary...

"You mean to start with ghosts?" Tom suddenly realized.

If you ask who knows Hogwarts best, it is not Headmaster Dippet or Dumbledore, but the ghosts that have been wandering around Hogwarts all year round!

Ghosts don't need to walk if they want to wander around the castle, and they don't even need to follow a route.

Because not only can they fly, they can also pass through walls!

In addition, these ghosts have stayed in Hogwarts for a very long time. Are there any secret places in the castle that they don’t know about?

In other words, as long as Anne thought of this and went to find some ghosts to inquire about the information, she would definitely be able to find the exact location.

"In other words, the day Annie found the exact location was the day the Witch Party attacked..." Tom said slowly.

"Actually...it's hard to say. What if Grindelwald and Dumbledore were playing hide-and-seek in America and had a great time? You know, they used to love each other..." Levid said with a look of evil humor.

"Beloved?" Tom's eyes widened. "Could it be that... between them... ugh... it's so disgusting!"

"It's okay. After all, this is the national condition of England." Li Weide said with a smile.

Hearing this, Tom calmly took a half step to the side.

"Tom, are you serious about taking a half step to the side? If there's anything to be guarded against, it should be me who's guarding against you, right? You're the fucking British!"

……

The disappearances in the United States continued, and even many Aurors from other countries who came to support were missing.

But Li Weide does not think that the lives of these missing people are in any danger.

Because even if Grindelwald started the Wizarding War, it would be impossible for him to kill so many wizards so unscrupulously.

He only kills innocent Muggles.

Therefore, those missing wizards... were either caught and hidden by them, or... were members of the Witch Party themselves!

Time quickly came to mid-March.

The number of disappearances began to decrease, and Dumbledore finally found Grindelwald, who was hiding in the dark. It was said that a war almost broke out between them...

It’s a pity that the magic of the two was too powerful. After they met, the wizard reporters who followed them found it difficult to keep up with them.

At Hogwarts, Tom, who had been secretly observing Anne for a long time, finally discovered that she had started talking to the ghosts in the school.

In other words, she would soon be able to find the exact place that Li Weide had prepared specifically for them.

Tom immediately went to find Levitra who was brewing potions in the Room of Requirement and told him the news.

"It's not easy, she's finally going to be found. But the timing is just right." Levid said, handing over the newspaper that recorded the meeting between Dumbledore and Grindelwald and how they almost fought.

"Why do you say that?" asked Tom.

"It seems Dumbledore and Grindelwald met and almost fought several times. This means that Dumbledore has confirmed that Grindelwald is in the United States."

"Dumbledore confirmed that Grindelwald is in the United States? Are you saying... Grindelwald is not in the United States at all? This is a mystery set up to make Dumbledore mistakenly believe that he is in the United States?" Tom asked.

"If Grindelwald were here, it wouldn't be a near-war, it would have already happened. After Dumbledore fell for his trick, he certainly wouldn't dare allow Grindelwald to wreak havoc in America, so he was naturally tied up there. In other words, from today on, the real Grindelwald could start making his move at any moment. Be prepared, young man."

Tom pondered for a moment, then asked, "What if Dumbledore receives the message and comes back immediately? You know, wizards travel very quickly."

"When the action comes, they'll naturally find ways to stir up trouble and hinder Dumbledore... Even if Dumbledore isn't hindered, and ignores what's happening in America and returns to Hogwarts, Grindelwald won't suffer any loss. You don't think he's causing all this trouble just to hinder Dumbledore, do you?"

"You mean, if Dumbledore really leaves, then the actions of the Magical Congress of the United States will become real?"

"There's never been a fake operation, Tom... So far, there have been so many disappearances. Do you know how many vacancies there are in MACUSA?" Levid said leisurely. "People are missing, so positions can't remain vacant forever. Of course, they need to be replaced. How do you know if the new people in office are part of the Witch Party? If Grindelwald deliberately releases a few more people... how do you know if those who are released will become part of the Witch Party? These Witches who control high positions can do a lot of things. Whether Dumbledore returns or not, MACUSA will be deeply infiltrated by Grindelwald's Witch Party."

Tom asked in surprise, "So... Grindelwald intends to seize power in the Magical Congress of the United States of America, and then, incidentally, use this to lure Dumbledore over. And Dumbledore can't change this fact no matter what?"

"At least that's how Grindelwald sees it," Levid said with a smile. "He wants the power of MACUSA, and he wants the magical power here too! Tom... take note. The powerful never make choices, because they choose to take it all!"

Chapter 136 I admit that I have a gambling element

"The strong never make their own choices... they will want everything..." Tom was thoughtful after listening to Li Weide's analysis.

Suddenly, the door to the Room of Requirement opened.

Anne came in.

She glanced at the two people in the room and was about to say something when her eyes fell on Tom Cat who was brewing a potion for herself...

Anne blinked, then rubbed her eyes.

She frowned and shook her head, then stepped out and closed the door again.

After a while, the door opened again...

Annie looked again at Tom Cat, who was stirring the cauldron.

Then, she retreated again...

After repeating this three times, Tom asked, "Are you doing some strange ritual?"

"No... I don't know... I think I'm hallucinating. I just saw a cat brewing potion..." Anne looked at Tom the cat, who was concentrating on stirring the cauldron. "Okay, I guess I'm sick. I still have this hallucination..."

"This is not an illusion, Annie..." Li Weide said helplessly.

In fact, if Annie hadn't spent almost all of her free time in the past three months looking for the specific location of the magical power, she would have discovered Tom Cat's change long ago.

It wouldn't have taken until today to see Tom Cat brewing potion.

However, the fact that she came to the Room of Requirement today was proof enough that she had found it...

Otherwise her expression wouldn't be so relaxed.

After a moment, Annie finally confirmed that what she saw was not an illusion, but a real scene.

Then she started watching Tom Cat work and even forgot the purpose of her coming here...

After Tom Cat poured the brewed potion into the bottle, he stood up and ran to Levid holding the bottle.

Li Weide was brewing another pot of potion at the time. Seeing this, he took out his wand and tapped the bottle.

Then the potion in Tom Cat's hand cooled down completely.

Seeing this, Tom Cat happily tilted his neck back and gulped down the wine. Then he ran back to his nest, lay on his back and fell into a deep sleep.

After Anne witnessed the whole thing...she looked at Tom who was reading a book calmly beside her.

"Tom...this...do you think this is right?"

Tom shrugged. "A lot of outrageous things, as long as you put them on Wade, you will find... they don't seem so outrageous..."

Anyway, he was completely used to the strange things around Li Weide...

Moreover, since he grew up in an orphanage and had only recently come into contact with the wizarding world, his reaction to seeing these strange things that did not even conform to common sense in the wizarding world was far less than that of Anne, who grew up in a wizarding family...

"Okay... As long as you're happy..." Anne now understood why Grindelwald was so interested in these two guys...

"So, why did you come here suddenly? Is there something wrong? Or do you want to practice magic with us?" Tom asked.

"Ah! That's right! I almost forgot something!" Annie only then remembered why she came here to find these two people. "I'm looking for you two, and I do have something important to tell you!"

Li Weide and Tom looked at each other, then looked at Anne quietly, waiting for her next words.

"About that magical power! Grindelwald didn't actually take away all the magical power! There is still a lot of magical power hidden in places that Grindelwald hasn't discovered!" Anne said excitedly.

Li Weide and Tom showed great interest and excitement in perfect sync.

"You mean... there is still a lot of magical power that Grindelwald hasn't discovered? But how is this possible? There is obviously very little in the Forbidden Forest!" Levid asked "anxiously".

"I've been investigating this matter lately!" Annie said. "You think there's no hope, but... I just can't give up. Then it suddenly occurred to me that if this magical power is hidden in the remains of the Forbidden Forest, then why isn't it also in Hogwarts Castle, the largest building near the Forbidden Forest? Maybe Professor Morgana left a part of it in the castle, too?"

"So, you started your investigation in Hogwarts Castle?" Levid asked. "Since you had this idea, why didn't you tell us before?"

"I...I'm afraid you'll laugh at me," Anne said. "What if there's nothing in the castle? Wouldn't that be a waste of effort?"

"That's right... ahem, I didn't mean to laugh at you," said Tom.

"Since you come to us, it proves that it is indeed in the castle and you have found it?" Li Weide asked.

"Yes!" Annie said excitedly. "I looked everywhere but couldn't find it. Just when I was about to give up, I saw Peeves throw a dung bomb at the crowd and then run through the wall... Then it suddenly occurred to me... these ghosts wandering around the castle all day must know a lot of things we don't know!"

"Oh! Yes! We can ask the ghost! Why didn't I think of it? Annie, you are so amazing! You can even think of this!" Li Weide said with admiration.

"This is indeed a good idea, Annie! You are so smart!" Tom also began to tacitly feed Annie with sweet talk.

Anne felt a little flattered by the praise.

In fact, she had racked her brains to find that place, and she felt a great sense of accomplishment.

After being praised by these two boys that Grindelwald valued, she almost floated into space...

"Then I communicated with many ghosts. I didn't dare to ask directly where this magical power was, so I asked them if there were any hidden secret rooms or secret passages in the castle..." Anne said, taking out a large piece of parchment from her pocket and spreading it out.

Levitra and Tom gathered together and found that the drawing on the parchment was actually the floor plan of Hogwarts Castle.

Moreover, the words "secret passage" are marked on the walls of many corridors.

Even the location of the Room of Requirement is marked.

This shows that Anne has indeed gained a lot in these few months.

Even though she didn't find the location of that magical power, she found many useful secret passages and secret rooms in the castle.

Levid looked at the map with joy. Most of his knowledge of the locations of the secret passages in Hogwarts came from his memories before he traveled through time.

He had wanted a map like this for a long time, but unfortunately, the Marauder's Map hadn't appeared yet...

And now... Annie directly placed a map that recorded various secret passages in front of him!

This is what they call "unintentionally planting willows and getting a shade..."

Thinking of this, Li Weide's eyes glanced at the girls' bathroom on the third floor on the map, intentionally or unintentionally.

However, there was no sign indicating that there was a secret passage there.

Li Weide didn't find it strange.

Although that is the entrance to Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, you have to go through a long pipe first.

Generally, male ghosts avoid places like the women's restroom.

Most of the female ghosts who occasionally passed by thought that it was just a dirty sewer pipe.

No one will look closely, so it is reasonable that they don’t know the secrets hidden underneath.

Come to think of it...how did fifth-grade Tom find out?

Could it be that... this guy actually has a habit of sneaking into the women's restroom?

Li Weide thought of this and couldn't help but glance at Tom.

Tom was puzzled by Li Weide's strange look.

"Right here!" Anne pointed to a hollow space beneath the castle. "The Bloody Baron said this was once a large secret chamber. Someone once stored a powerful force inside, and a battle erupted there... I think that's exactly where Professor Morgana first gathered this power, as described in the manuscript!"

"Then how do you know that this kind of power is still hidden there? What if the power inside is gone? What if it was taken away by the people fighting? This is not surprising at all!" Li Weide asked.

Anne said, "I don't know, but now that you know there's such a place, are you willing not to go and see it?"

Anne actually saw all of this in the manuscript that she brought back from Grindelwald, so she naturally couldn't tell the truth directly to Levid.

Of course, this part of the manuscript was modified by Levid, making Grindelwald mistakenly believe that after Morgana was killed, that power was re-sealed by the then headmaster and professors...

Of course, Anne didn't know this, she thought it was inside.

"Okay... let's find a time to go inside and take a look." Li Weide smiled and said, "Annie, when do you plan to take action?"

"I'm going to investigate some more! You guys should get ready too! I'll come find you once I figure it out completely." Annie said, packed up the map, and left the Room of Requirement.

Looking at the closed door of the Room of Requirement, Tom couldn't help but ask, "What does she mean? Why did she tell us about this place? Isn't his behavior completely out of your plan?"

"Plans aren't always set in stone, Tom..." Li Weide smiled. "Rather, the current state of affairs is working in our favor."

"Beneficial?" Tom asked. "Wasn't your plan that Anne, after finding the location, would tell Grindelwald and lure him here? Why is she telling us now?"

Tom's eyes suddenly widened as he asked, "Could it be that...she still wants the magical power inside? She plans to join forces with us and devour the magical power inside without telling Grindelwald?"

Levid shook his head and said, "If she discovered the location and kept it to herself without telling Grindelwald, Grindelwald would easily be able to discover what she had done through her increased strength. Therefore, she doesn't have the courage to do so. Therefore... the most likely possibility is that Grindelwald was the one who made the decision to tell us the location."

"Why is Grindelwald telling us this?" Tom asked in confusion.