Grindelwald seemed to be thoroughly enjoying his role as Tver's teacher. For the entire day, he followed Tver around, taking in the quiet scenery of Hogwarts.
Tver could not help feeling that his teacher was enjoying this leisurely atmosphere a little too much.
In June, Hogwarts lay under a bright, slightly scorching sun. Fortunately, the shade of the trees softened it. The dappled light that filtered through only brought a gentle warmth.
Most students were still in classrooms, struggling through their final exams of the year. Those who had already finished looked relaxed, strolling in small groups with friends, occasionally breaking into light laughter.
The hum of insects and birdsong from the woods blended into the air, not disturbing the peace of Hogwarts at all. Instead, it made everything feel like summer at its most natural.
Seeing Tver's puzzled look, Grindelwald spread his arms as he walked across the lawn, facing the sunlight. He closed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath, as if trying to fix the moment in his memory.
"Ever since my falling out with Dumbledore, I poured all my time into my cause. I stopped taking the time to simply enjoy the sun, and my mind was never at peace again."
"Time really does pass quickly. After all these years, I've only just rediscovered that youthful drive, when I knew nothing of the future and still pushed forward without hesitation."
So he was reminiscing.
Tver shook his head with a faint smile.
People who had lived long enough always ended up like this.
He stopped walking and stood quietly behind his teacher, listening as he spoke.
"I've traveled through many countries in Europe lately and met quite a few of my former followers."
"Some of them are still in contact with each other. They occasionally talk about my old ideas and what they did back then. After realizing, to some extent, how selfish I was, they all feel a sense of regret."
"Others have hidden their identities and completely cut themselves off from their past."
"I don't blame them. It was my speeches that stirred them up and drove them to work for my selfish ambition to rule over Muggles."
"Tver, I am a selfish man. I always have been. I couldn't lie to myself, and I couldn't convince Dumbledore. My failure was inevitable."
"But you are different."
Grindelwald suddenly opened his eyes, turned, and looked straight at Tver.
"I've been carefully observing you for seven years. Only after I came to a conclusion did I decide to leave Nurmengard."
"This time, I... no, you... will succeed."
Tver suddenly understood.
Before graduating, he had invited his teacher more than once to leave Nurmengard and see the Muggle world for himself.
But Grindelwald had always brushed it off, saying he was too old and lacked the energy to take part in something so grand.
It was only after Tver graduated that he finally showed interest, wanting to see the world, though he never said he would help much. Until...
After meeting Dumbledore?
Tver felt like he had pieced something together.
He pressed down the smile at the corner of his lips, careful not to let his thoughts show.
"We've always been working toward this, haven't we?"
"Besides, you keep saying I'm too cautious, but isn't that because you weren't cautious enough back then? I'm just learning from your mistakes."
Grindelwald's expression darkened. He threw the notebook he had just taken out straight at Tver and followed it with a light punch to his chest.
"That's not for you to say."
Tver hurriedly caught the notebook. The hardcover hit harder than his teacher's aging fist.
Of course, he kept that thought to himself.
"What is this..."
He casually flipped it open, and the moment he read the page, he froze.
Francisca. Her son is the head of the French Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She is extremely loyal. After her Muggle spouse learned about the existence of wizards, they divorced in anger. Since then, she has been committed to promoting integration between wizards and Muggles.
Lisette. An Animagus and senior advisor to the Improper Use of Magic Office at the French Ministry of Magic. She enjoys teasing Muggles, but the reason is that she misses the days when she played with Muggle friends as a child.
...
The page was packed with names from top to bottom. The notebook itself was not very thick, but from a quick estimate, it contained at least several hundred wizards from across Europe.
The lowest-ranked among them were still retired Ministry employees.
Of course, the highest-ranked were not in particularly strong positions either. On one hand, most of them were already too old to hold key posts. On the other, having once carried the reputation of being Grindelwald's followers, they remained under constant scrutiny.
Take Francisca's son, for example. The fact that he had managed to become Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was already quite rare.
"These are my former subordinates," Grindelwald said, a trace of nostalgia in his eyes.
"I've already spoken to them once. Anyone whose name is recorded here is someone who can be of use."
"But whether you use them, and how you use them, is up to you."
Sensing the weight behind those words, Tver dropped his usual joking tone and carefully put the notebook away.
"I understand."
"Come on, show me around some more. Thinking about it, this is actually my first time properly touring Hogwarts."
Tver nodded and continued leading him through the various parts of the school.
"By the way, are you not using the identity of Ludo Bagman anymore?"
"Of course not. I got bored of it, so I called him back and made him get back to work," Grindelwald said casually.
"As for his debts, I also took care of them along the way."
"Took care of them? How?"
Tver froze for a moment.
He remembered clearly that Bagman owed quite a large sum. Otherwise, a department head would not have been thinking about running away.
And his teacher no longer had any personal savings. All his funds came from Tver. While it was not a small amount, it would still be tight if used to cover such a debt.
"Aren't you on good terms with the goblins at Gringotts? I heard from them that your business is doing quite well, so I had them add it to your payments."
"..."
Looking at his teacher, who spoke as if it were perfectly reasonable, Tver did not know what to say.
That amount of money really was nothing compared to his growing business. It was so insignificant that the goblins had not even bothered to mention it to him.
But still... spending your student's money so naturally...
Then again, if he treated it as payment for the list, it suddenly felt much easier to accept. He might even want to buy a few hundred more copies.
With that thought in mind, Tver and Grindelwald did not continue chatting for long.
As the bell signaling the end of exams rang out, the castle instantly filled with laughter and noisy celebration.
It broke the quiet mood of their walk, but at the same time stirred a sense of anticipation in both of them.
The final task of the Triwizard Tournament was about to begin.