Dumbledore's office suddenly collapsed, and Professor McGonagall felt her body lurch forward and plunge headfirst into the basin, but her hair did not hit the bottom of the basin. She fell into a cold, dark substance, as if being sucked into a black vortex.
Looking around, McGonagall found herself on a circular platform, surrounded by witches and wizards dressed in attire from 50 to 60 years ago.
On the central platform below, a white-haired man in a black coat slowly raised his head to gaze at her and Dumbledore, or more precisely, at the wizards around him, the iconic white hair and almost handsome face that all wizards could not mistake – Grindelwald, one of the most dangerous dark wizards of both ancient and modern times.
Professor McGonagall felt her heart tighten. With a strikingly similar arrogant look, she gazed at Dumbledore in astonishment and couldn't help but inquire,
"Grindelwald?! You don't mean..."
Dumbledore shook his head and raised his finger to his lips, indicating to Professor McGonagall not to speak first.
Grindelwald's slow and clear voice emanated from below.
"Brother, sister, our time is running out."
The man's voice was somewhat deep, as if it possessed a magic that compelled people to listen and continue hearing.
"Magic will only flourish in a few. So, we must lurk in the shadows."
Grindelwald raised his eyebrows, showing a hint of disdain, and proceeded softly, "However, the laws of the past no longer apply."
With Grindelwald's words, there was a stir among the wizards, and the assembled began whispering among themselves, many of whom had guessed what Grindelwald meant to convey today.
"My dream is that those of us who live by truth and love, it is time to fight for the place we deserve in this world."
Unperturbed by the commotion among the crowd, Grindelwald looked around and raised the pitch of his voice.
"At that moment, our wizards will reclaim their freedom."
Having said this, Grindelwald raised his wand...
Suddenly, Mug's ear caught Dumbledore's voice.
"Well, I think this is nearly the same; we should return."
Dumbledore whispered to Professor McGonagall, extending his arm to grasp her elbow.
In the next moment, Professor McGonagall felt herself ascending slowly in the air, and the platform began to dissipate, leaving only a dark void in the blink of an eye. Then she felt as if she had turned her head in slow motion, her feet suddenly touched the ground, and both were back in the warm headmaster's office at Hogwarts.
"Is this?"
"This is the most famous public speech I could find before Grindelwald provoked the war throughout the magical world."
Before Professor McGonagall could finish her speech, Dumbledore nodded and replied first.
He waved his wand and moved it over the Pensieve, causing Grindelwald's face to dissolve again into a chaotic silvery substance on the liquid surface, while continuing to speak.
"Muggles are not inferior, nor are they insignificant. Although Grindelwald foresaw the decline of the magical world, his arrogance as a wizard made him oblivious to more important matters. So, he attempted a drastic change, and the series of resulting errors led to his ultimate downfall."
"You are too modest," Professor McGonagall shook her head. "The entire magical world knows that in the end, you defeated Grindelwald one on one and stopped his ambition."
Dumbledore's eyes flickered, neither denying nor acknowledging, shaking his head in evasion.
"But that was forty-six years ago; I mean, we are all old now, Milwa."
In comparison to Professor McGonagall, who has devoted herself to teaching, caring for Hogwarts, and Dumbledore in the British magical world like a patron saint, the distance is immense. Or more precisely, as a former good friend of Grindelwald in his youth, Dumbledore still maintains a very complex attitude towards Grindelwald even today.
During the last few decades, some of Grindelwald's apocalyptic predictions have been unfolding. Muggles have surpassed wizards in many fields, and Dumbledore recalled a muggle weapon called an "atomic bomb" that he accidentally saw a few years ago. That's not what the Ministry of Magic forbids - the misuse of muggle supplies. Only wizards can awe the muggles.
Unbeknownst to them, the magical world has begun to be forsaken by the mainstream human society. The most apparent sign of this is the increasing emergence of non-magical creations that wizards will not use, just as muggles once used magical creations.
Hence, the number of muggle students has been increasing every year despite the opposition from the school board and pure-blood families over the years. Because in their view, someday the barrier between the two worlds will vanish, and by then, either both will coexist or one will perish.
"Elena Kaslana, from her persona, I can clearly see the shadow of Grindelwald. But she embodies the hope of a new world that is more adaptable and forward-looking. Perhaps she is the one who can alter the entire world. Be it magical or not. The only quandary is she is not on the magical side at present."
Dumbledore's expression was so solemn as he gazed earnestly at Professor McGonagall.
"Imagine if there were a non-magical world led by Grindelwald. It would not only be a catastrophe in Great Britain but have a profound impact globally. Most significantly, she is younger, smarter, and more perilous than all of us."
"So, Professor Dumbledore, what do you mean?" McGonagall furrowed her brow in confusion.
"Bring her back to Hogwarts!" Dumbledore pondered and added, "Of course, try to be more delicate. If you can have her enroll voluntarily, that would be best."
.....
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