After entering Soria's office, Sean quickly understood the relationship between Dumbledore and Soria. There was indeed a deep history between them. When Soria was young, he had been an Auror in the Austrian Ministry of Magic. Back then, Grindelwald's forces had committed countless crimes across Europe, and Austria had been one of the nations suffering under his reign. As an Auror, Soria had fought against Grindelwald's followers for years. During the final, decisive battle where Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, Soria had been present and witnessed Dumbledore's victory firsthand. Afterward, it was Soria who escorted Grindelwald into Nurmengard prison, a fortress originally built by Grindelwald himself, which ultimately became the cage that confined him for the rest of his life.
"Dumbledore, why do you suddenly want to see Grindelwald? It's been thirty years since your last visit," Soria said.
"There's something I need to confirm with him," Dumbledore replied.
"What is it?" Soria asked.
Dumbledore simply looked at him in silence. Soria suddenly laughed. "Alright, I'll arrange for someone to take you there."
Listening from the side, Sean couldn't help but think that Dumbledore not only had vast connections, but also immense influence.
After leaving the office, Sean asked knowingly, "Professor, we're going to see Gellert Grindelwald?"
Dumbledore nodded. "He was once a great wizard, but he took an extreme path and went astray."
Compared to Voldemort, Grindelwald could indeed be considered great. He was a revolutionary whose influence spread across Europe and America, while Voldemort's power was largely confined to Britain.
Under the guidance of a Ministry staff member, the two Apparated to the outskirts of Nurmengard prison. It was a desolate mountain range, with a pitch-black tower rising sharply from the peak.
"Follow me," the staff member said.
Sean looked up at the massive structure. Compared to Hogwarts' grandeur, Nurmengard felt cold and solitary, much like the man who had built it.
The staff member led them to the base of the tower, but Sean saw no visible entrance—only a dark wall.
"Authorization!" a voice suddenly echoed from within the wall.
The staff member took out a piece of paper from his suit pocket and tapped it with his wand. The authorization transformed into a small hummingbird, which flew upward toward the tower. It slipped through a tiny opening just large enough for it, and then they waited for those inside to open the entrance.
"Professor, you've been here before, haven't you?" Sean asked.
"That was a long time ago," Dumbledore replied, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
At that moment, the black wall began to shift, much like the entrance to Diagon Alley. Soon, an opening appeared.
"Before entering, please hand over your wands," the staff member said.
Dumbledore handed over the Elder Wand without hesitation, and Sean did the same. Then the staff member led them inside.
Sean lost count of how many iron doors they passed through, each reinforced with magical barriers. At times they took an elevator, at others they descended staircases, and sometimes they walked through pitch-dark corridors.
"This place feels like a maze… I'm getting dizzy just walking through it," Sean muttered.
Nurmengard had been renovated from its original fortress structure into exactly that—a labyrinth-like prison.
After about twenty minutes, they finally reached the top level. Sean wasn't entirely sure if it was truly the top, but since the staff member said they had arrived, it must be where Grindelwald was being held.
"Grindelwald, you have visitors," the staff member said, inserting a key into the heavy iron door.
"Apologies, I'll lock the door once you're inside. Call me when you're ready to leave."
Sean wasn't worried. Grindelwald would never harm Dumbledore. In the original story, even when Voldemort broke into the prison and interrogated him about the Elder Wand, Grindelwald had refused to reveal anything, protecting Dumbledore's tomb until his death.
Dumbledore pushed open the heavy iron door. Even just watching, Sean could feel its weight.
The cell was small, containing only a washbasin, a toilet, and a bed. Sitting on the bed was a frail old man with thinning white hair and mismatched eyes. His hunched posture, aged face, and lifeless gaze made it impossible to associate him with the once-feared first Dark Lord.
Grindelwald slowly raised his head. He recognized Dumbledore, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Why are you here?" Grindelwald asked calmly.
"I'd like you to safeguard something for me," Dumbledore said.
"You sent me to prison. Why would I help you?"
"You will."
Grindelwald didn't respond. The cell fell into silence. He glanced at Sean. "Who is this child?"
"The most outstanding student at Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied. "Just like you were in your youth."
Sean activated his Magic vision and observed Grindelwald. The old man's magical power was even weaker than that of a graduate. Sean couldn't imagine what he had gone through before being imprisoned.
"You brought your student here. What are you planning?" Grindelwald asked.
Dumbledore took out a round mirror about the size of a palm from his robes. It was a fragment taken from the Mirror of Erised.
"Inside this mirror is Nicolas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone. I want you to keep it safe."
Dumbledore explained everything about Haerpo and Voldemort. For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared in Grindelwald's otherwise dull eyes.
"No matter who seeks the Philosopher's Stone, the outcome will not be something we want. I hope you'll safeguard it. Aside from me, only Sean can retrieve it," Dumbledore said.
"And you're not afraid I might desire it myself?" Grindelwald asked.
Dumbledore smiled. "If you can take it out, that would prove you have no desire for it."
In the end, Grindelwald agreed. Sean thought to himself that despite all the words exchanged, Grindelwald had likely intended to help from the beginning. Perhaps it had simply been too long since they last met.
Sean had wanted to ask about advanced Fiendfyre, but in this situation, it was clearly impossible. If he ever had the chance to meet Grindelwald alone, he might learn something.
With the Philosopher's Stone hidden in Nurmengard, as long as the Austrian Ministry didn't betray them, Dumbledore's arrangement should be extremely secure.
After retrieving their wands, the two left the prison and Apparated back to the department store.
However, not long after they left, a mysterious man flew toward Nurmengard from the other side of the mountains. He carried no wand and used no visible magical tools.
He raised his right hand and made a fist toward the black wall. The bricks at the top of the tower crumbled like fragile clay.
The supposedly impenetrable Nurmengard was breached with ease. Seven or eight guards rushed to the top, pointing their wands at the intruder.
"Who are you?"
The man ignored them. After landing, he walked toward them step by step.
The guards attacked simultaneously, casting spells with over ten magical frameworks each. The man didn't dodge. He simply waved his hand and blocked every attack.
"I heard Gellert Grindelwald is here," the man said.
"Are you here to break him out?" one of the guards demanded.
"No," the man replied. "I'm here to challenge him. He's supposed to be a powerful dark wizard, right?"
The guards tried to stop him, but before they even understood what had happened, all eight collapsed to the ground. The man extracted the location of Grindelwald's cell from one of them and walked toward it with anticipation.
He made the same fist gesture toward the heavy iron door. It twisted and deformed instantly. Grindelwald showed a hint of surprise but remained calm as he looked at the man.
"You're Grindelwald?" the man asked.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Ougadis." The man looked at the frail, aged Grindelwald and shook his head. "I heard you were powerful. Seems I wasted my time."
Without another word, Ougadis turned and left. He rose into the air and flew out of Nurmengard. The entire intrusion lasted less than three minutes.
By the time the Ministry's Aurors Apparated to the prison, the man had already flown beyond the mountains and vanished into the horizon.
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