HR Chapter 103 The Resurrection Stone Part 2

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Whether this was true or not, Ian couldn't tell. He couldn't read Grindelwald's thoughts, but the man's smile suggested that his conversation with Dumbledore had been a pleasant one.

"You'd never guess what I saw," Grindelwald continued, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "He received a letter from someone— treasured it so much he wouldn't even let me touch it. Aurora must have told you about our family's talent. Our stingy headmaster was clearly worried I might 'see' something from that letter. Little did he know, I'd already glimpsed something he'd rather not happen the moment I walked in."

Grindelwald's expression turned gleeful. "Whatever is in that letter, in the near future, someone will steal a photo from it. If he'd let me see the letter, I might have warned him. But now… well, let the stingy man worry about it himself."

Perhaps old men shared the same mischievous tendencies as children.

Ian lowered his head, choosing not to respond. He trusted Dumbledore, but Grindelwald was another matter entirely. There were things he could confide in the headmaster, but he certainly didn't want Grindelwald prying into his thoughts.

Of course, if Grindelwald decided to cheat, there was little Ian could do about it. The only thing a cheater can't counter is another cheater— even a minor one. It was a nearly unsolvable situation, and Ian knew better than to test his luck.

"Perhaps it's a letter from Aberforth?" Ian's habit of playing the fool had become second nature. Whether it was useful or not, feigning ignorance was always safer than revealing too much. To be honest, it was a bit exhausting. There were too many ancient, cunning minds to navigate, and since arriving at Hogwarts, he'd developed a new skill: [Acting].

Perhaps because Ian had already mentioned to Grindelwald that he was planning to complain to Dumbledore, the professor didn't seem to connect him with the letter— at least not on the surface.

"He and his brother haven't been in contact for years. Even though I've been… confined to a certain place, I've kept up with the goings-on outside," Gilderoy Grindelwald remarked, raising an eyebrow. "This involves a past event… From your expression, it seems you already know the story."

It could only be said that Ian's [Acting] was passable, but it wasn't exactly masterful.

"Only a little," Ian admitted quickly, taking a tactical sip of tea. The tea had a clear, light green hue, as fresh as spring leaves, but it tasted as bitter as chewing on a piece of Wolfsbane. 

It was truly foul… Ian, skeptical, took another sip, and the taste remained just as bitter and peculiar. He began to suspect this was Gilderoy Grindelwald's idea of a Halloween prank.

"Slurp Slurp~"

Ian took another sip, still grimacing, like someone tasting their first sip of cold, unsweetened pumpkin juice. 

Grindelwald didn't seem to mind Ian's curious, cat-like reaction. His expression carried a hint of regret, and his tone held a trace of remorse. "That tragedy changed everything, and it also showed that some prophecies can indeed cost the prophet."

"Our kind of talent allows us to glimpse fragments of the future, but if we fail to interpret them correctly, the prophet suffers the backlash of the prophecy. I'm cautious enough now, but I still feel it's not sufficient… I hope you'll remember this too," Grindelwald added, giving Ian a meaningful look.

"I'll remind Aurora," Ian replied, blinking before returning to his tea in silence.

"I'm not worried about that child. She always has some… unique interpretations of the future she sees, which might be a talent that protects her from punishment," Grindelwald said, his expression tinged with awkwardness and his tone laced with a hint of helplessness.

"Is the future revealed by prophecy inevitable?" Ian hadn't yet reached the age to take Divination, and he was curious about one of the most mysterious branches of magic in the wizarding world.

"It depends on how many wizards believe it… I usually don't reveal this little-known answer to others, as it almost represents the common weakness of prophets," Grindelwald explained, placing a hand on Ian's head and ruffling his still-thick hair. "Of course, for a little wizard as likable as you, I'm willing to answer all your questions."

Grindelwald stood behind Ian, one of his eyes briefly turning milky white. 

The scene reflected in his gaze shifted, though it didn't differ from what he'd seen over the years. "Oh, by the way, if the events of a prophecy are sufficiently disruptive, even the most outstanding seer may struggle to truly see the future. I think this is also significantly related to the influence of history," he added softly, his voice patient and instructive.

His eyes returned to normal, and the corners of his mouth curled slightly, showing no disappointment at not seeing a new scene. For him, just seeing the flags raised in the vision was enough.

"Suppose I'm a seer, and I make a prophecy that I didn't actually see, but due to my high reputation, everyone believes it. What then?" Ian asked, watching as Grindelwald moved to face him. Since there was no escaping the conversation, he might as well absorb knowledge from a seer who had left his mark on history.

"That's a great question. Almost no one would make such an assumption. Wizards can indeed guide the course of the future because the future possesses uncertainty until it becomes the present," Grindelwald explained, sitting down across from Ian and pouring himself a cup of the same bitter tea that Ian found overwhelming. "Different seers may see different futures and can choose to direct the present toward the future they desire. However, in the case of your assumption about a future that hasn't been prophesied, even renowned seers might not be able to provide you with an accurate answer."

"Alright," Ian replied, continuing to drink his tea with some regret.

"What flavor do you taste?" Grindelwald suddenly asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Bitter. Purely bitter," Ian answered honestly.

"Good, that proves you're living a happy life," Gilderoy Grindelwald remarked, his words intriguing enough to make Ian pause and glance at the cup in his hand.

"For me, this is a sweet tea, though it's changed a bit recently," Grindelwald added with a chuckle, taking a sip. He then continued, addressing Ian's earlier question, "In fact, as far as I know, Merlin once attempted something similar, and in the end, he warned future generations in his legacy not to be curious about it…"

His response was somewhat vague, yet it clearly concealed specific details.

"Is that even possible?" Ian's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Wizards are wonderfully magical, Ian, but I still can't give you a definite answer," Grindelwald replied, his smile bright beneath Lockhart's face. "Because some things require time to verify."

His words were laden with meaning, causing Ian's already wide eyes to grow even wider.

"What did you do?" Ian couldn't help but ask.

"Just a little misdirection, as for the purpose…" Grindelwald's eyes sparkled, though Ian, sitting across from him, didn't have the keen sight to notice that each flicker of light in Grindelwald's gaze represented a different future he had witnessed. 

The scenes varied greatly, but almost everyone was steeped in the coldness of death— hundreds of prophecies over decades, without exception.

The greater good requires a price. Grindelwald's prophecies never contained the future Dumbledore hoped to see; they always involved a smaller price for a more magnificent prospect.

"It's time to prevent our headmaster from making foolish mistakes. After all, some things still require his participation as a great man for us to obtain the answer to your earlier question," Grindelwald said, standing up and adjusting his clothing. His single eye finally focused on a misty scene. 

The mist began to dissipate, but the things within it remained unclear. Recently, Grindelwald hadn't completely deceived Dumbledore; he was also immersed in challenging the highest achievements of the seers.

(To Be Continued…)