Gellert Grindelwald lying on the hospital bed looked haggard, his eye sockets sunken deep as if his vitality had been consumed by illness.
But when he spoke, his voice was full of vigor, carrying an unquestionable authority: "You actually came to see me for such a trivial matter?"
Hearing this, Adelaide, standing by the bed, couldn't help but twitch her lips. She hurriedly explained: "How can this be considered a small matter? Don't you think my behavior is too cold and heartless, and my feelings for my friends are so weak? In the long run, what if I accidentally go astray, turn dark, and become the Third Generation Dark Lord?"
Gellert stared at Adelaide with a strange and sharp gaze for a while, then sarcastically remarked without mercy: "Just because you've spent a few years with the gentle, kind, and naive Albus, you think you can transform into a savior who rescues the entire Wizarding World? Hmph, have you forgotten your own name?"
"The Wizards of the Grindelwald Family are natural masters of secrecy and lying—don't pay attention to those absurd claims by fools that 'honesty is a human virtue' or'simplicity is a beautiful quality.' Those are just excuses made by simple-minded people at the bottom of society for their own stupidity."
"Among the strong who truly stand at the peak of the world, how many would easily trust others and expose their innermost thoughts completely to someone else?"
Adelaide frowned deeply, her eyebrows knitting together into a deep furrow.
Raising her voice, she asked without hesitation: "Putting aside the issue of my surname for a moment, Great-Granduncle, do you truly believe Mr. Dumbledore is both gentle, kind, and naive?"
"Fine, I can agree with 'gentle and kind.' But as for 'naive'... to be honest, don't you think your filters are a bit too thick to have such a view of him?"
Gellert's lips curled into a mocking smile, and he quickly retorted in his unique, somewhat sarcastic tone: "Do you think Albus's position is comparable to yours? Please, stop using your narrow standards to measure the most outstanding Wizard in the world today."
"You must understand, with the powerful strength Albus possesses now, if he wanted to unify the entire European Wizarding World, it would be as easy as turning over his hand. Yet he hasn't done so—isn't that a great act of mercy? That's why I say he is too naive."
Hearing this, Adelaide immediately countered: "But just now, you said that so-called honesty and simplicity were just excuses for simple-minded people to hide their stupidity!"
Gellert interrupted her impatiently: "Haven't I emphasized repeatedly? Albus is on a completely different level than those mediocre people!"
While the two were arguing incessantly, Albus Dumbledore, who had been sitting quietly on the worn-out sofa by the door, finally lost his patience.
"Enough!"
Dumbledore exerted the authority he used with mischievous students, making both Grindelwalds obediently stop their bickering.
They were actually discussing whether he was a "naive" person right in front of him without any reservation. Did they not realize at all how embarrassing this behavior was for him?
Dumbledore scolded with a solemn expression: "Gellert, it is commendable for Adelaide to have such awareness; it shows she is walking on the right path. Furthermore, bloodline is by no means the key factor that determines everything. What truly matters is the education and proper guidance one receives later. Do you think that under my careful teaching, Adelaide would still follow in your footsteps?"
Faced with such a stern questioning, Gellert hurriedly defended himself: "Albus, I didn't mean that at all! I just don't want to see her suppress her own nature too much..."
Dumbledore responded decisively: "That is her nature! It is because Adelaide is pure and kind at heart that she considers deceiving a close friend to be a great evil. From this point alone, both you and I fall far short of her!"
Gellert glanced at Adelaide, who had an innocent look on her face, and raised his eyebrows slightly, muttering somewhat helplessly: "Fine, fine, since you think so, let it be."
Dumbledore said kindly to Adelaide: "Child, you did the right thing. Remember to go and sincerely apologize to Senior Cho Chang after returning to Hogwarts. In the future, no matter what worries you have in your heart, you must be honest and share them with each other. Only then can you be called best friends."
Share all my secrets with Senior Cho Chang, and then let her tell you everything?
Adelaide complained inwardly, but on the surface, she replied gently and obediently: "I will."
The heavy atmosphere in the ward softened. Under Dumbledore's gaze, Adelaide chatted with her Great-Granduncle for a while longer before getting up to take her leave.
Before leaving, Adelaide reached out her hand to her Great-Granduncle: "I know you were thinking of my safety, but I won't take any more risks in the future, so I hope Great-Granduncle can give me the other Spatial Ring as well."
Gellert asked in confusion: "What other ring?"
Adelaide raised the Sapphire Ring he had given her and blinked her big eyes, saying: "This one—you should have another one, right? If its purpose is to transport me to a safe place when I encounter Death Eaters, then you must have a way to find me quickly."
Gellert shook his head and said: "No, there is only this one."
"Eh?"
Adelaide said innocently: "But this cottage clearly isn't meant for one person. The basement has—"
"Say no more, here!"
Gritting his teeth under Dumbledore's probing gaze, Gellert took a Ruby Ring strung on a black cord from around his neck inside his hospital gown and handed it to Adelaide.
"Thank you, Great-Granduncle. By the way, you don't happen to have a backup ring, do you?"
Gellert curled his lip and said: "I swear on my honor, no more."
Adelaide rolled her eyes mentally. Does Gellert Grindelwald even have such a thing as honor?
"I hope you can swear on your feelings for Dumbledore."
"You child!"
Gellert glared fiercely at Adelaide, but seeing that Dumbledore had already narrowed his eyes, he feared that if he delayed any longer, this erratic child might say something else Albus shouldn't know. He could only say through gritted teeth: "I swear on my feelings for Albus, these two rings are all the keys to the Enchantment!"
Adelaide then smiled and bid farewell to her dear Great-Granduncle, leaving St Mungos in a pleasant mood.
A small prank to pay him back for using her as bait for Death Eaters without her knowledge, and completely taking over the space within the Icelandic Barrier—she had won twice more!
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