At last, after a series of unexpected twists and turns, the Sorting Ceremony came to an end. Professor McGonagall let out a long sigh of relief and passed the remainder of the evening's proceedings over to Dumbledore.
As usual, Dumbledore began by introducing the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for the year: Gilderoy Lockhart.
In truth, Dumbledore didn't need to say much. Lockhart had been the most talked-about wizard in Britain recently.
Once the introduction was complete, Lockhart rose to his feet, flashing his trademark dazzling smile as he greeted the students. Then, quite suddenly, he began to speak:
"Students, as a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class, and an honorary member of the Dark Force Defence League, I have always devoted myself to maintaining peace and order in our magical world."
"However, I have come to realise that this is not something I can achieve alone. I need allies—and who better than all of you? You are the future!"
"As you may know, the Central Bank of the Wizarding World, which I founded, is about to open its doors! I hereby make a promise to all of you: for students from families facing financial difficulties, my bank will offer interest-free loans. I call them educational support loans, and they will be available to every Hogwarts student!"
The Great Hall erupted into thunderous applause at Lockhart's words.
Clearly, Lockhart was enjoying the adulation.
He let his proud gaze sweep across the hall—until his eyes met Wentworth's. At that, Lockhart quickly raised his hand to signal for quiet.
Then he continued:
"That's not all. Each year, the Central Bank of the Wizarding World will donate a sum of Galleons to Hogwarts, creating a new fund to reward students who achieve outstanding academic results!"
"Moreover, we would be delighted to offer employment opportunities after graduation to such exceptional students. I assure you, the salaries at our bank are more than enough for a life of comfort and dignity!"
The Great Hall once again buzzed with excited chatter.
Until Wentworth led the way with a round of applause—after which the students joined in with even greater enthusiasm than before.
Dumbledore, standing quietly at the head table, observed the scene with calm, unreadable eyes. Yet when he looked at Wentworth, something deeper flickered behind his gaze.
Just then, Cedric leaned toward Wentworth and murmured, "Wentworth, why are we going to such lengths? No matter how much gold you throw around, Dumbledore won't let you mess about at Hogwarts!"
Wentworth kept clapping, his expression unchanging, and said coolly:
"Cedric, let me ask you—do you know who's responsible for funding Hogwarts' considerable annual expenses?"
Cedric nodded and replied, "Of course. The Hogwarts Board of Governors."
Wentworth gave a small nod, finally turning his head to look Cedric in the eye.
"Exactly. But when Hogwarts was founded, there was no Board of Governors. So… why shouldn't we become the Board of Governors?"
At those words, understanding dawned in Cedric's eyes.
When the Sorting Ceremony and the Welcome Feast concluded, the students returned to their common rooms, buzzing with animated discussion. There was certainly no shortage of things to talk about tonight.
Dumbledore, meanwhile, was striding briskly toward his office when Professor McGonagall caught up with him from behind.
"Albus, about Lockhart's proposal to establish a fund at Hogwarts…"
She hadn't even finished her sentence before Dumbledore interrupted her with a gentle smile.
"Minerva, I still have a few matters to attend to this evening. Let's discuss it tomorrow, shall we?"
At that, Professor McGonagall could only nod and take her leave.
Returning to his office, Dumbledore summoned Fawkes the phoenix and picked up the latest issue of The Daily Prophet. Then, with a sudden shimmer, he vanished from the headmaster's office.
When Dumbledore reappeared, he was inside the cold stone walls of Nurmengard Castle in Austria.
Sitting alone in an empty room, Gellert Grindelwald barely batted an eye at the unexpected visitor. He had grown used to Dumbledore's appearances.
"Take any seat you like. No need for formalities," said Grindelwald, gesturing at the vacant room.
Dumbledore didn't seem the least bit bothered. He handed the newspaper straight to Grindelwald.
Grindelwald took it and read it carefully. After a long pause, he set it down and spoke with a trace of skepticism.
"Two wizards, trying to repel the Alliance? Unless the two of us joined forces again, I doubt any pair of wizards alive could manage that. The magical world today simply doesn't have the conditions to produce wizards of that caliber."
"So, that means at least one of the two is from the Alliance. Am I right?"
Dumbledore gave a noncommittal nod, then sat down cross-legged on a cleared section of floor after casting a quick Scourgify. He said slowly:
"I don't know for certain. But my inclination is that both are new members of the Alliance—recruited by Wentworth."
Grindelwald looked genuinely surprised.
"He's… planning to take down Gringotts?"
Dumbledore spread his hands, musing aloud, "Not just that…"
Then, with a small chuckle, he added, "Your grandson…"
Grindelwald's brow furrowed. He cut Dumbledore off, frowning.
"Watch your mouth. Don't insult me."
Dumbledore corrected himself.
"…Your grandson certainly has grand ambitions. He doesn't just want to compete with Gringotts—he wants to interfere at Hogwarts, even replace the Board of Governors."
Dumbledore then recounted all that had happened during the Sorting Ceremony and the feast. When he finished, he added:
"And what's more, that wizard named Thomas Vole—he's just been appointed Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the British Ministry of Magic. If he is one of Wentworth's new Alliance members… well, congratulations. Your movement now controls nearly half of the Ministry's power."
Dumbledore paused, then added quietly:
"Oh, and one more thing. Thomas Vole's daughter—Cassandra Vole—shows signs of becoming the matriarch of the Alliance."
Grindelwald remained silent for a long time. Then, unexpectedly, he spoke.
"Wentworth has chosen… the wrong path."
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