Chapter 27: “My Heir”

Although Sean couldn’t open his mouth, he still showed an excited expression, even though his heart had already calmed down.

As a wizard, he felt he should try to behave as normally as possible. On the other hand, he was really excited to have drawn two top prizes.

Grindelwald waved his right hand, the needle on the record player next to him played again, and the melodious music started again.

Finally, the door of the Vanishing Cabinet was pushed open. This time, it was Dumbledore who came out of the cabinet.

He was wearing a brown-red wizard robe, which the sharp-eyed Sean could see at a glance. This robe was the one worn by Dumbledore at the Hogwarts opening ceremony.

“Albus.” Grindelwald slowly opened his hands. His smile was even fiery than the burning fireplace beside Sean, “My dear friend.”

Dumbledore also smiled but less enthusiastically.

“Long time no see, Gellert.”

“We haven’t seen each other for six years. You didn’t attend last year’s Triwizard Tournament due to illness. I’ve been worried about you for a long time, Albus.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I’ll talk to you next time. I have to take this student back. Mr. Wallup, what’s your first class tomorrow?” Dumbledore looked at Sean.

Just as Sean was about to signal that he couldn’t speak, he suddenly found that his mouth could move again.

“Uh, Herbology, professor.” Tomorrow was Friday, and Ravenclaw had no classes all morning, but Sean understood Dumbledore’s hint.

“Well, come on. Professor Sprout certainly doesn’t like you being late.” Dumbledore waved at him.

Sean glanced at Grindelwald. He didn’t mean to stop and still looked directly at Dumbledore with a smile on his face. Sean walked to Dumbledore’s side but kept a certain distance from him.

“What made Albus like you so much?”

Dumbledore gave him a kind smile and then led Sean toward the cabinet.

“See you next time, Gellert.”

Just as Sean stepped into the cabinet with one foot, Grindelwald’s regretful voice sounded, “Albus, would you be seeing me again?”

Sean could feel that the hand that had been resting on his shoulder paused.

Dumbledore looked back, with a melancholy voice in his voice, “Gellert…”

“Albus,” Grindelwald’s voice carried some regret and a strange sense of joy, “have you still not let go of that bet?”

Sean could feel his heart beating violently. This is something that only the two of them would know. However, compared to his heart’s huge sense of curiosity, Sean was more worried that he would be silenced or cursed to keep that secret.

Sean felt Dumbledore’s hand on his shoulder removed, and Dumbledore’s voice sounded in his ear.

“Sean, you can go back first. Also, can you wait for me there for a while?”

“Of course, Professor.” Sean immediately walked into the cabinet and breathed a sigh of relief.

When Sean turned around, he saw that Grindelwald walked to Dumbledore’s side with a wild expression on his face and put a hand on Dumbledore’s shoulder. It’s like a close friend whom they haven’t seen in years.

Unexpectedly, Grindelwald turned his attention to Sean again and asked, “Sean, I have a question.”

“Yes, sir?”

Grindelwald stroked his mustache and smiled, “Why didn’t you choose Nurmengard?”

Sean glanced at Dumbledore and said slowly, “Maybe, the Hogwarts student union president who came to recruit students looks more… kind?”

“Kind?” Grindelwald’s smile gradually widened as if he heard a joke that made him overjoyed, “Heh, very good. I might have to teach Sterling a lesson tomorrow.”

He waved his hand, and a blue flame suddenly ignited in the air. Grindelwald stretched his hand towards the flame and took something from it.

It was a transparent glass bottle with something floating gently in it. The thing seemed to be a combination of gas and liquid, showing a psychedelic silver-white color. The glass bottle slowly floated in front of Sean.

“Sean, take this as a gift of our first meeting. It’s going to be a wonderful journey for you from now on.”

Sean looked at the glass bottle and turned his attention to Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded slightly at him.

Since the principal nodded, he could accept the gift. Sean grabbed the glass bottle and stuffed it under the robe.

The two were still looking at him. Sean sneered and then closed the cabinet door by himself, “I’ll be leaving then.”

The cabinet door was about to close, and Sean saw Dumbledore’s increasingly cold expression while Grindelwald waved enthusiastically at him.

“Looking forward to seeing you next time.”

The cabinet door was closed, and only the crackling sound of burning in the fireplace remained in the room, and the cool night wind blew in from the window, overshadowing Grindelwald’s last words.

“My heir.”

Dumbledore has completely restrained his usual gentle smile, and he looked at Grindelwald with a solemn expression.

“Gellert, you violated our agreement.”

“Agreement?” Grindelwald smiled. He fiddled with the collar pin on his neck again, “It was just a wonderful accident. I didn’t do anything.”

“Gellert.” Dumbledore’s tone increased a little.

Grindelwald took Dumbledore’s shoulders and walked to the other side of the room. He waved lightly, the fire in the fireplace became more vigorous, and a coffee table appeared.

“It’s been a long time, old friend,” he picked up the red wine on the coffee table and pulled the cork, “I think we should celebrate our meeting this time.”

A glass appeared in the hands of the two of them, and Grindelwald poured two glasses of red wine. He filled his glass to the full, still holding the wine bottle in his other hand.

“To both of us.” As if not seeing Dumbledore’s serious and indifferent expression, Grindelwald raised his glass with a smile and then drank it.

He placed the wine bottle on the coffee table, and several old books in the middle of the table shook. A piece of parchment slipped out, with seven names written in wild and unruly squiggles, four circled in red handwriting, and three in green handwriting.

Grindelwald picked up the parchment, and he flicked it lightly. His tone was psychedelic, as if he was drunk.

“Albus, we can’t stop the opening of a new era.”