A certain Hogwarts rune professor

Chapter 684 The End and Beginning of the Era

The funeral was arranged at Black Lake near the Forbidden Forest. Hundreds of chairs were lined up in the open space, but more and more people came, and the professors temporarily bought a lot nearby. All the chairs were facing a clean white table. stone table.The sky was sparse and drizzling.

The chairs were almost full of people, and there were still people arriving one after another. They stood solemnly in the back row.

Grindelwald didn't show up until the funeral started. Felix suppressed his doubts and sat quietly in his seat waiting for the ceremony to start.

Everyone heard music like the sounds of nature.

Near the surface of the clear green lake, a mermaid chorus sang softly. Their pale faces were very excited, and they expressed their sorrow in the mermaid language; A phoenix hovered in the clear sky, and a sad and moving dirge came out of its mouth.In the mermaid and phoenix melody, Hagrid appeared. He carried Dumbledore's body and walked towards the front row through the gap between the seats. Big drops of tears overflowed his beard and dripped onto the package. The body was covered in purple velvet studded with gold stars.

Hagrid placed the purple velvet on the white stone table very gently, and stayed there for a few seconds, his hands still holding the object.Then he went back down the aisle to (with a large space around) little Gropp, his giant half-brother in a huge jacket and tent-like trousers, with a docile expression and a reassuring slap Hagrid's head.

The music stopped, the mermaid dived into the water, and the blurred faces disappeared completely.Only the phoenix is ​​still gliding in the sky.A small man with thick hair and wearing a black wizard robe stood up, walked to the stone table, turned around and faced the crowd with a solemn demeanor.He cleared his throat.

Just then, an accident happened.

A silver lynx lightly landed in front of Felix and his party, raised its head gracefully, and said Kingsley's voice from its mouth: "Grindelwald is here! Bring some people, you'd better—oh , My God! There are too many people here!" His final voice had become very panicked, and he could not hear the calmness of the past at all.

The few rows of wizards in front looked at each other.

Babajid Akinbad, president of the International Federation of Wizards, frowned and said, "Did he bring those saints here? Is it to show off his force or prevent us from cheating?" No one responded to him, the silver in Felix's eyes The light flashed away, and his eyes suddenly widened.

He stood up quickly, and before everyone could react, he turned to Professor McGonagall and the three deans and said, "I'll go there first. There shouldn't be a fight, but—" "Of course there won't be a fight! He swore no Take the initiative to provoke a wizard war!" Aginbad raised an arm and said, the skin there had some strange lines.Felix didn't look at him, and continued to speak calmly: "But I suggest that the students—at least the lower grade students be prepared to evacuate at any time and pass through the secret room."

Professor McGonagall shook her body, her face turned pale, she grabbed the collar of her chest to confirm, "Are there a lot of people here?"

Felix said briefly: "Far beyond imagination." After speaking, he melted into the air like a drop of water and disappeared before everyone's eyes.The people who came to the funeral were discussing immediately, and Akinbad opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Professor McGonagall passed the crowd, raised his arm to signal everyone to be quiet, and said loudly:
"...Hogwarts will protect the safety of all guests. In case of danger, we will stand in front and buy you time. Mr. Filch and Mrs. Pomfrey are responsible for the evacuation. The prefects and professors maintain order, Wait for the signal. Evacuation location - Potter? Harry Potter?" she called.

Harry stumbled over, with a deep look of surprise on his face.

"You know where—" Professor McGonagall whispered, "In the Chamber of Secrets, there is a fireplace inside the man's statue that can be evacuated. It can be opened with a Parseltongue." After finishing speaking, she hurried towards the main entrance of the school.But within a few steps, she stopped in amazement.

The sky above the school gate suddenly shone with a dazzling white light, and the eyes of the wizard who was looking at the past stinged, every cell in Harry's body was alarming him, and then the sky darkened, no, Harry fought back tears Squinting his eyes, an illusory Hogwarts castle appeared in the sky, completely enveloped in white light.

The black castle seemed to be illuminated by white light. The light was like a small knife, leaving countless deep scratches on the wall in the blink of an eye. The wall cracked like a water bag, and it seemed that it would not be able to hold it in the next second. , Felix turned over a page of the rune book, tiny rune symbols flickered on the surface of the wall—the crack disappeared.

Grindelwald waved his wand, and all the light disappeared.

Felix raised his head, the castle lines looming.

"Dumbledore's move," Grindelwald sighed, "I was very impressed back then, but after so many years, I have imitated it well." The two were about two hundred feet apart, standing in the open space behind Grindelwald. The dark, silent crowd, numbering in the thousands, was completely inconsistent with the information Felix had received.

A thought came to his mind: Most of these people were recruited by Grindelwald.

Kingsley said with some embarrassment at the side: "There are people in other parts of the school. They have surrounded the school, but these people have no intention of doing anything." Felix looked past Grindelwald and looked into the distance. Some people Point at them.

Farther away, wizards kept coming, and the "cracking" sound of apparition was continuous. The latecomers squeezed each other and looked up hard, as if they were participating in a rally or watching a game.Only Felix didn't smell the smell before the war.

Grindelwald waved to him.

"We haven't had a serious fight yet. There's still a little time before Akinbad arrives. We might as well take this opportunity—"

Felix looked at the crowd suddenly. He used Legilimency and shot a spell over. A tall and burly armor jumped out from the rune book, and the spell was instantly bounced off.Felix withdrew his gaze, feeling even more confused. These people seemed to have come with a mission, ready to cause trouble.

But unless Aginbad and those ministers of magic are blind and let Grindelwald make a false oath.Otherwise this kind of thing can't happen.

"Then it will meet your request." Felix said calmly, the book of runes began to turn pages, and black lightning bolts shot towards Grindelwald, Grindelwald opened his eyes wide, and his wand let out a sharp whistling sound , Black lightning splashed in front of him.

At this time, it was possible to see who was the elite and who was the rabble in the crowd behind him. Some people stood up and joined forces to support the protection magic, but more wizards retreated again and again, making a mess.Felix's eyebrows loosened, but then they furrowed again.

"Stand back." Grindelwald shouted as if suppressing his anger.

He raised his wand, and a silver firebird covered in blue flames emerged from the tip of the wand.The two eyes of the fire bird were replaced by crystal flames.

"Patron saint?" Felix thought to himself. He was not completely sure when he saw him in the newspaper, but now that he saw it with his own eyes, he finally made an accurate judgment.

The castle transformed in the air with ancient runes and memory magic turned from lines to entities, trapping that strange patron saint inside.Grindelwald waved his wand, and the firebird suddenly swelled hundreds of times, rampaging. At the same time, blue and white flowers fell from the sky, and they stuck to the castle wall summoned by Felix. In the blink of an eye, the two The battlefield in the middle turned into a sea of ​​flames.

Professor McGonagall, Sprout, Snape, Bones, and Akinbad arrived first, followed by a dozen ministers of magic from other countries and accompanying Aurors, all of whom opened their mouths in surprise.

There was an incredible light in Akinbad's eyes. Unlike the shock and awe of others, there was more doubt and puzzlement in his eyes. He rolled down his sleeves and stared at the pattern on his wrist in a daze.The Unbreakable Vow didn't work, so neither was serious?Or is one-on-one not starting a wizard war?

Professor McGonagall and Ms. Burns looked worried, and Felix seemed to be at a disadvantage—the entire castle was shrouded in magical flames, and a dozen firebirds poked their heads out of the tower, their bodies were bigger than fire dragons, and they were entrenched on the high ground. Spit flames everywhere.

At this time, Felix threw the book of runes high, and the book of runes turned into a ray of light and merged into the castle.

The castle expanded more than ten times in an instant, almost the same size as the real school castle, with magic symbols flashing on every brick.

It sounded like a cry from far away.

Some figures stepped out of the air with neat steps—they were students and professors of Hogwarts. They held wands in their hands and chanted spells in unison. Red spells pierced the air.Grindelwald's flames were forced to split apart, and then rune creatures with exaggerated sizes appeared one after another. They were not afraid of death, and rushed straight into the sea of ​​flames. A few seconds later, a firebird was crushed and turned into pieces. The flames just happened to be annihilated by the student's spell underneath.

If this is a battle with the projection of the castle as the battlefield, Felix has already begun to regain lost ground.

Grindelwald waved his wand solemnly, and the two seemed to have reached a tacit understanding. They were not using new magic, but were competing with each other on their understanding of magic.New firebirds are constantly splitting, and the flame petals in the sky are raining down, but everything becomes useless. The students in the castle—they are just images fabricated by Felix Tu, which are essentially the same as the rampaging monsters on the ground. Relics are no different - they don't die and are more powerful than real students.

"That's him?" asked a wrinkled old wizard in the crowd behind Grindelwald.

"That's right, are you satisfied?" Vita Rozier asked.The old wizard coughed twice.

The last ray of free flames was extinguished, and only the original Firebird Patronus remained in the castle.Felix weighed in his heart, if Grindelwald only had the strength he showed right now, he could still handle it...

Grindelwald has dropped his wand.

"Stop—" Akinbad yelled at the right time, he stood up, raised his arms and gritted his teeth and said, "Grindelwald, do you want to break your oath? Do you want to start a war?"

"It's just to pass the time," Grindelwald said with a smile. He followed Akinbad's gaze and looked behind him, "Oh, I found them to watch the fun. I'm worried that the funeral will not be grand enough-in that case I will This old friend of Dumbledore's will be disappointed too."

Akinbad's expression was stiff, and he couldn't help lowering his voice and yelling: "Grindelwald, you violated the rules. If you still want to negotiate, let them leave."

Grindelwald gave him a sideways glance. Felix thought he would refuse, after all, he had made such a big noise, but Grindelwald actually compromised.

"You heard it too, you can leave now, and do whatever you want." Grindelwald pointed his wand at himself and whispered, his voice clearly heard in the ears of everyone present.Then, one by one, they Apparated.

Grindelwald put away his wand, spread his palms and asked. "I'm the only one now, don't you worry?"

Akimbard and the professors were visibly relieved.They were surrounded by thousands of wizards before, and the black mass of people's heads were connected into pieces, and anyone would feel terrified.What's more, there are thousands of students in the school and people who have traveled thousands of miles to attend the funeral.

It seems that Grindelwald was just trying to demonstrate to them—the International Federation of Wizards and the Ministry of Magic of various countries—and it has to be said that his goal was achieved. In the past few days, Grindelwald quietly called There are so many people, even if most of them are—according to Grindelwald himself, they are here to watch the fun, but this appeal is enough to make them dare not make any small moves while ringing the alarm in their hearts.

Grindelwald walked over and held out his hand to Felix.Felix hesitated, then grabbed the offered hand.

The two felt each other's spells in each other's arms.and something else.

"I know what you are going to do! You will become the public enemy of all wizards." Felix whispered, his eyes fixed on Grindelwald, his body was riddled with holes.No wonder he was in such a hurry!
Grindelwald was taken aback.Then he bowed slightly.

"I'm deeply honored," he said, "oh yes—" his hands suddenly became hot, "I'm sorry to spoil your plan with Dumbledore. But Dumbledore overestimated himself, a good man How can it be more deterrent than outright bad guys?"

After he finished speaking, he walked towards Aginbad.

"Grindelwald!" Felix stopped him, "Will innocent people die today?"

Grindelwald stopped in his tracks.

"Innocent people? I don't think . . . no," he said without looking back.

Felix stayed where he was, and Professor McGonagall called him, and he raised his heels.He opened the hand he just shook hands with and stared at the palm of his hand, where a petal of a frozen blue flame lay quietly. Felix crushed the petal silently, and a spell appeared in his mind.

It is magic that summons saints.

Felix let out a long breath.

The alarm was lifted, and there was one more funeral attendant.Except for the discomfort of the Hogwarts students who had been with Grindelwald for a year, the others did not show much strange expressions.Neville wanted to stand up and question the trick of the looking glass, but was held back by Seamus and Dean.

"Don't be impulsive, Neville," Harry whispered, despite his mixed feelings.

Akinbad said a few words, saying that Grindelwald was invited by himself, and after the funeral, they will start further negotiations, and peace will be just around the corner.Grindelwald standing next to him looked noncommittal.

The funeral went on.When Aginbad returned to his seat in the first row, Grindelwald did not follow him. He walked up to the little man with thick hair and wearing a black wizard robe. He asked politely, "Excuse me?" , is it now time to describe the life of the deceased?"

"Yes, yes." The little man stammered.

Grindelwald grinned.

"Then leave it to me. I believe that there is no one in this world who is more familiar with Dumbledore's strengths and weaknesses than me."

The little man's expression froze, and he looked at the wizard in the front row as if asking for help, where there was a row of big figures sitting there.But no one said a word.The little man stepped aside awkwardly.Grindelwald glanced at the body on the white stone table, and Dumbledore seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

He turned around and said slowly:
"I met Dumbledore far earlier than you imagined. At that time, Dumbledore had just graduated, and I was expelled from school for studying black magic. Fate made two depressed young people meet in Godric's Hollow. We hit it off, and soon became closer than blood brothers, because brothers are only related by blood—think of how many broken family ties are in reality—and we have an ideal ideal..."

As soon as he said the beginning, it caused quite a commotion.But Harry knew it was all true.

"Dumbledore has many advantages, but aside from those tedious academic research, his most commendable contribution is to firmly defend the rights and interests of Muggles and Muggle-born wizards. It is embarrassing that he himself was Muggle victim, oh poor Albus, whose family has been torn apart by a few Muggles, and of course our law enforcement agencies and the Statute of Secrecy."

Professor McGonagall fidgeted. She tried to stand up, but Felix held her down.

"Let him talk." Felix said calmly, with an expression as if he was looking at a dead person.

"...The victim has the right to revenge on the perpetrator-in any way imaginable, but Dumbledore gave up. This experience must not only not damage Dumbledore's greatness in the eyes of some people, but also make him The personal image is endowed with a heroic and tragic color, and I applaud his kindness and compassion. But I saw his weakness and cowardice."

The crowd was talking.

"We used to talk about everything, so I know the little secret that Dumbledore buried in his heart. He hopes that wizards and Muggles will coexist harmoniously and be like a family. What a noble ideal! It's a pity that he only wants to get results, but he has no idea about realizing this goal. The price you have to pay as a result is frightening..."

"...Because he was timid, he finally stood against me. He abandoned his ideals, our ideals! Throughout his life, he dared not take a step, and even when he finally died, he could only hold a cautious heart. Hope." The expressions on everyone's faces became angry, Grindelwald looked around without a trace of fear: "This is Dumbledore, maybe you and I have different views on him, but one thing is the same, Deng Bullido represented an era, and with his passing, an era is over."

"And a new era is coming."

After saying that, Grindelwald turned his head to stare at the stone table without looking at the others.Dazzling white flames climbed up the same white and flawless stone table, the flames rose higher and higher, there was a sad phoenix cry in the sky, the flames suddenly disappeared, and a white stone tomb appeared on the spot - Dumbledore's body and table All were encased in stone tombs.

The funeral is over.

After a while, the voices in the venue gradually became louder. Grindelwald was silent for a moment, staring at Felix. Felix met his gaze. He nodded indiscernibly, then turned and walked towards the Forbidden Forest. There was no response to Akinbad's shout behind him.

Akinbad and several ministers of magic stood up, looking blankly at Grindelwald's back, "He actually apparated directly! Does he not want to negotiate?"

Felix raised his head and stared at the sky. The phoenix disappeared at some point, and it might never appear again.Another familiar person leaves forever, and he is next—in someone's words, welcoming the arrival of a new era.

"Professor Hype?" said a soft, cautious voice.

"Oh, Miss Granger," Felix glanced sideways, "and Potter, Weasley, Longbottom. Please take a seat. When does the train leaving school leave?"

"An hour later." Hermione said, she glanced at Felix, as if she was thinking about something in her heart: "The president of the International Federation of Wizards seems to have reached a consensus with Grindelwald..."

"You mean - the two of them took an 'Unbreakable Vow' in the presence of a dozen Ministers for Magic?"

Harry and the others were taken aback, they didn't know the news at all.Hermione thought for a while and said, "Oh——I guess this is really frustrating, and it can be seen from his performance today that he is not an obedient person...Although we are all aware of the risks, we don't care about anything. Can't do it, because any objection means standing on the opposite side of those people—”

"What are you trying to say, Granger?"

"Oh," whispered Hermione, "I mean, well, anyone in that situation would feel powerless..."

Felix smiled. He seemed to cheer up, but he didn't.

"It's not Grindelwald that makes me feel powerless, but the world-shaking changes that are about to take place. I both long for it and dread it. There is no experience to refer to."

"Professor," Harry said, "no matter what happens, we will stand with you." Ron and Neville nodded in agreement.

Felix straightened up, and looked at them one by one with scrutiny, "Okay, I will take it seriously. Then from now on, accompany me to look at the sky and wait for news from the outside world. I hope it won't scare you—— If I'm not mistaken," he muttered.

Harry and the others looked at each other.

Time passed by little by little. In fact, in less than 5 minutes, Alimia Bones came over with a face that changed drastically. She stumbled, as if she might fall at any moment.The fear in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

Harry had never seen her like this.

"Ms. Burns?" asked Aginbad, who was discussing the situation with his secretary and other Ministry of Magic officials from other countries.Grindelwald's sudden departure caught them off guard.

Ms. Burns, blushing, stammered: "Mr. Akimbard, and everyone, G, Grindelwald—he, he—"

"Have you found any trace of him?"

"Not yet," she looked shaky, and many wizards who were still present looked at her, "but we have confirmed the location of those people brought by Grindelwald."

"Where did they go? We can't let them gather on a large scale. The news brought by Brelio said that Grindelwald gathered nearly 5000 people at that time. Even a demonstration is too much."

"All over the world," said Ms. Burns weakly.

"what?"

"All over the world!" She shouted at the top of her voice: "Those people, led by six or seven hundred core saints, publicly exposed their wizard identities! It is roughly estimated that they appeared in more than two thousand Muggle cities. None of them Casting magic with scruples, flying over the city——Mr. Aginbad, the magic world has been completely exposed, and it is irreparable!"

(End of this chapter)