"Because of Dumbledore's obstruction," Delaine paused, then added, "and also because many foolish people failed to understand your great strategy and vision."
"Dumbledore?"
Grindelwald said slowly, "When Dumbledore began avoiding meeting with me, it was already a sign that my cause was doomed to fail."
"The whole world thought my power was unstoppable, but only I knew that everything had already strayed from our... my original ideals..."
He closed his eyes and was filled with regret, as if transported back to that narrow, cold prison cell where he endlessly chew on his failure over and over again —
If I hadn't placed too much faith in the power of the Elder Wand during the duel… if I hadn't neglected the honing of my own skills… perhaps I wouldn't have lost to Dumbledore.
If I had been a bit more lenient in my treatment of Muggles, perhaps my followers wouldn't have quietly chosen to betray me.
If back then I had killed all the Qilins, and not entrusted the election to creatures I couldn't possibly control…
If I had been able to fully win over Credence, to make that simple-minded boy willingly charge into battle for me…
If I hadn't underestimated Scamander just because he looked silly, and had simply killed the man early on…
Or even further back… if I had been more patient with Aberforth and Ariana, realizing how important those two burdens were to Dumbledore…
Maybe everything would have turned out differently.
But counting it all, Grindelwald found that there were simply too many points where his fate needed to change.
The fall of his empire didn't come suddenly. Countless mistakes led to his ultimate failure. Looking back, it seemed that every time he stood at a crossroads, he chose the wrong path.
In this long reflection, Grindelwald finally came to understand that it wasn't Dumbledore who defeated him—it was himself.
From the very beginning, he made the wrong decisions—ruling through cruelty and extremism, turning himself into the enemy of the entire world.
No matter how glorious his momentum had seemed, it was all like oil poured onto fire—blazing fiercely for a time, but when the fire died, he realized there had been no wood beneath to sustain it.
Because what he had challenged was not just Muggles, nor the cowardly escapism ingrained in wizards over centuries—but the very fabric of the world's order, along with everyone's fundamental interests and moral values.
"I didn't lose to Dumbledore. I lost to myself... to my arrogance and ignorance in youth."
Grindelwald repeated this again and looked at his loyal subordinate with a serene smile. He finally spoke aloud the truth he had come to accept after long reflection.
"Brutal rule can never last, Günther. No matter how beautiful the future looks, it cannot outweigh the pain right in front of our eyes."
"Fifty years ago, we made enemies everywhere, and were isolated and unsupported. We appeared powerful, but even within our own ranks, there was constant conflict—countless people questioned and resisted us."
"In order to silence opposition, we eliminated anyone who dared to speak against us—even those who had once been our comrades, even our own kin… even if they were actually right…"
"That was wrong."
Grindelwald let out a long sigh and said, "Contradictions and problems always exist. Forcing others to stay silent—that's the most dangerous thing of all."
"Those who share our ideals are comrades. But does having a different belief automatically make someone our enemy?"
"Look—what I never earned through killing so many people before, I've now gained easily after killing only a few."
He reached out and tapped a stack of newspapers on the table. They were thick, written in various languages, and still smelled of ink.
These were news reports from the wizarding world, collected by his subordinates from across many countries.
Before delivering them to Grindelwald, Delaine had quickly reviewed the papers himself, making sure there were no insulting remarks.
To his surprise, many of the articles praised the recent actions of the Alliance, re-emphasizing the threat Muggles posed to wizards. In the past, barely anyone outside the Alliance spoke this way.
Of course, there were also lengthy essays analyzing Grindelwald's schemes, aiming to awaken wizards' memories of the Alliance's bloody past.
But the wizards who had actually lived through those dark times were now a small minority. Most people regarded current events with optimism and support. Many even believed that Grindelwald had already paid for his crimes in prison, had repented, and had changed his ways.
"A person who has made mistakes is more qualified to lead than one who has always been right—because he knows what choices are wrong."— This has become a popular saying.
Even though the Alliance showed no mercy in their killings, public opinion was unexpectedly turning in their favor.
"Think again about the people around you, Günther. After the killings—do they feel pain, or pride? After the operation ends, are they left feeling empty and lost, as if they've merely vented frustration with life—or do they feel stronger, more affirmed in their identity and proud of who they are?"
"Actions that appear similar can lead to vastly different outcomes, all because of the slightest difference in intent. That's the real key to victory or defeat."
Grindelwald's words grew a bit disorganized, and Delaine felt as if he understood—and yet also didn't.
"Sir… I don't understand."
He dropped to one knee as he looked up and asked:
"Are we supposed to be like Dumbledore… protect Muggles? Protect those who persecute us? Are we meant to become some hidden version of the Ministry of Magic—pretending to be righteous heroes?"
Like a lost lamb, Delaine looked up at his master and quietly asked: "Then… the global order led by wizards… the ideals of the Alliance… the greater good… are we to abandon all that?"
"Abandon it? No… We just have to find a new road—that is tortuous, but one that will still lead us to our goal."
Grindelwald patted Delaine's head and said:
"Don't follow my example of using extreme violence blindly; but don't be like Dumbledore either, shackled by fear of sacrifice, trapped by so-called morality and laws."
"Then… what should we do?" Delaine asked. "What should I do?"
Grindelwald replied:
"Become the one who brings light to darkness, who brings hope to despair. Learn to bring benefits to the majority, not death. Learn to solve problems, not create them."
"You cannot lay down your wand, but you must always stand on the side of reason and righteousness."
"Günther, go watch those videos recently played on the Streaming Mirror… The editing and presentation are all done under Wade's guidance, aren't they? Though he's young, he already understands these principles very well."
"That child understands both wizards and Muggles, and more importantly, he has a clear mind. He's good at learning lessons from the past and doesn't cling to the old, simplistic notions of black and white magic. Talk to him more. Listen to his opinions. You'll learn a lot."
"Dumbledore truly taught him well..."
Grindelwald said this wistfully with a deep fatigue showing on his face.
Seeing this, although Delaine's mind was still in turmoil, he quietly made arrangements for Grindelwald to rest properly.
Leaving Grindelwald's bedroom, Delaine walked down the empty corridor and suddenly realized that despite all Grindelwald had said, he had never mentioned the real reason for bringing Wade along.
But no matter how he thought about it, it clearly wasn't to forcibly recruit the young wizard into the Alliance, nor to threaten him not to tamper with the Bells.
And I am supposed to "communicate" with that boy... Communicate about what? Alchemy? Or video editing techniques?
Delaine felt a wave of frustration and couldn't calm his thoughts at all.
Grindelwald's confessions had almost negated his entire life, and also undermined the decades of pursuit and ideals Delaine had built his loyalty upon, leaving him at a complete loss for direction.
Unconsciously, Delaine walked to the Great Hall and saw that about a dozen people were still there—some were drunk and hadn't gone back to their rooms, others were gathered quietly around the fireplace chatting.
Delaine leaned against the curtains, watched them, and suddenly realized something.
Compared to the early days of the Alliance gatherings, more people had voluntarily taken down their hoods, and more faces now showed smiles.
Even the witches who helped prepare clothing for everyone—Delaine remembered how they used to be tense, tight-lipped, and visibly fearful, as if they were constantly surrounded by man-eating monsters.
But now, they were sitting beside two wizards who had participated in the recent action, busy with needlework while listening to the men recount how they broke through Muggle soldiers' defenses and rescued several children who were almost drained of blood.
They frequently gasped in awe and naturally showed sympathy, indignation, admiration.
The two wizards, whose wounds should have long since healed, still wore bandages and boasted proudly about how they taught the arrogant Muggle tycoons and nobles a lesson, earning cheers from their comrades.
Of course, there were some jeers and boos from other tables, but they pretended not to hear and looked even prouder.
This relaxed, natural atmosphere was completely different from the solemn, striving, and passionate environment Delaine had originally expected.
It was as if, during their celebrations, Mr. Grindelwald didn't order the auditorium to be arranged with long tables, where everyone would sit according to rank and toast to the Alliance's goals and slogans; instead, it became more like a cozy, lively tavern.
In that moment, Delaine seemed to understand Grindelwald's earlier words.
Brutal rule would cause even one's closest allies to collapse and scatter. But if justice, salvation, honor, and a sense of mission were added to the cause—even without constant ideological reinforcement—one could naturally win over the hearts of many.
Wade Grey... that child is so young, why does Mr. Grindelwald believe he can understand all this?
...
Wade had no idea that Grindelwald had just praised him in front of his most trusted follower—he only noticed that Delaine started appearing around him more frequently, and always with a scrutinizing, observant gaze.
It wasn't hostile, but it made Wade feel a little uneasy.
Two days passed quickly. After the last batch of Silvraxis Bells was completed, Wade stretched his body. Seeing it was still early, he decided to head back to his room to read a bit more.
Yesterday, Wade had found a magical notebook on the bookshelf. It recorded several advanced spells, including the powerful [Protego Diabolica].
He still remembered the spectacular scene from the movie where blue flames engulfed Paris like a gas stove. And during the last operation, he had witnessed how Grindelwald, relying solely on that one spell, led a group of still-inexperienced next-generation Alliance members to suppress the Muggles' firepower.
Wade didn't question why that book had ended up on his shelf; he simply committed each line to memory and kept pondering over it again and again.
If he could "dig up" books of that quality from the shelf every day, Wade thought he honestly wouldn't want to go back to school anytime soon.
But as soon as he stepped out of his room, he ran into Delaine again.
"Finished?" the stern wizard asked, looking at him.
"Yes," Wade replied.
"Care to walk with me?" Delaine tilted his head in invitation.
Wade hesitated for a moment, then accepted.
"Today we took down another private villa belonging to a famous Muggle figure."
Delaine said after they had walked a while. "That guy wasn't involved in any of those vile experiments, but he had imprisoned over a dozen young girls and forced them into prostitution."
Wade didn't ask what became of that Muggle. Instead, he asked: "What about the girls?"
"Their memories of the incident were erased with Obliviate, then they were sent to a nearby Muggle hospital," Delaine replied. "A small portion of the money from that man's vault was taken—enough to cover all their medical expenses."
Hearing that, Wade actually felt a little moved.
In the beginning, the Alliance used to just leave victims behind, making them the Ministry of Magic's problem.
And the Ministry's way of handling things was simply to send those injured by magic for treatment, while any ordinary injuries or trauma were tossed over to the local Muggle authorities.
As for what happened to those patients afterward, the Ministry of Magic—despite loudly claiming to protect Muggles—actually didn't care.
But now, the Alliance had finally realized that for Muggles, medical treatment is a long and painful process. The high cost of healthcare can crush many ordinary families, yet solving this problem was just a small matter for the Alliance.
They even learned a new use for the Obliviate Charm—not just to conceal the Wizarding world, but to help victims forget painful memories and regain hope in life.
This idea didn't come from Wade; rather, some soft-hearted wizards had noticed that victims often attempted suicide right after being rescued. That was what led them to take this approach.
Wade said with emotion, "You've changed the fates of many people—though they won't remember it, the honor remains undiminished."
"Honor…"
Delaine mulled over the word, then suddenly asked, "Is this what you wanted to see, Wade Grey?"
"…What?" Wade's heart skipped a beat. He looked up in confusion.
"Lately, I've been wondering," Delaine said calmly, "are you working with us because you were forced to, or are you using us to achieve your own goals?"
"You want those people dead too, don't you?"
"The ugliest sides of human nature are fully displayed in those Muggles, yet under the shelter of power and wealth, Muggle laws can't touch them."
"To protect the wizarding world, neither the Ministry of Magic nor Dumbledore would ever allow them to be properly punished—but us, we're the only ones unafraid to kill."
Delaine stared into Wade's eyes and asked directly, "So it wasn't us who chose you—but you who chose the Alliance. Isn't that right?"
Wade took a deep breath and said helplessly, almost innocently, "Was I the one who forced you to kidnap me?"
"I just thought those people were genuinely inhumane and immoral, so I put in a little more effort during the mission, that's all."
"Or would you rather I slack off on purpose, sabotage you in secret, get hit with a few Cruciatus Curses before finally cooperating—would that seem more 'righteous' to you?"
Delaine gave a look that said "say whatever you want," then shifted his gaze and casually handed Wade a piece of parchment.
Wade: "...Book of Friends?"
"A new version. It can preserve information for a long time and only disappears once it's been read."
"Take it... Even if you return to Hogwarts in the future, if something like this happens again, you can still come to me."
"Why?" Wade couldn't help asking.
It was one thing for people like John Wovilette and Antoine Moreau to offer help, but Delaine Günther had barely interacted with him and even seemed to view him as some kind of schemer behind the scenes.
Even now, he showed no smile, yet was suddenly acting so generous.
"Mr. Grindelwald asked me to communicate with you more," Delaine said frankly. "I don't mind being used—but I want to know... why someone like you has earned his favor."
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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +235 Chapters
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