"I met her here, though she was the only one in the town, the fruit there was truly edible." Ian was still somewhat concerned about the pancakes.
Just that.
Dumbledore, however, was already trembling and bowing his head.
"I've come this far."
Ian felt an incomparably clear sadness, pain, and the urge to escape. He realized that this memory might be the day Ariana died.
"You don't have to force yourself any further."
Ian eventually suppressed his curiosity and whispered a reminder, as the headmaster might have wanted to verify something which he had already honestly responded to.
"I've long recognized your uniqueness, so this isn't for me, Ian." Dumbledore took a deep breath and raised his head.
The frame of his glasses reflected the image of the house, showing no color in his eyes, "This may be the only lesson I can give you."
His words fell.
The hesitant headmaster probably couldn't muster the courage to enter the house. Ian only felt the scene around him change, and soon he and Dumbledore were inside the house.
Three people were arguing, one of whom had blue eyes and a head of blond hair, exuding a rebellious aura. Ian figured this must be the man.
Sure enough.
"That's Aurora's grandfather, Gellert Grindelwald. I assume you've already researched information about him." Dumbledore's eyes were filled with complexity.
In this scene, there he was, his brother, his old friend… and his deceased family.
"Me, and my brother, Aberforth." Dumbledore once again introduced the arguing people present, both he and his brother with red hair, having handsome appearances.
However, the younger Aberforth was thinner than the younger Albus, and both had full heads of red hair. Though their looks were almost the same, there were also subtle differences.
Ian's gaze finally turned to the room, where a little girl huddled in the corner, somewhat flustered and hesitant, wanting to intervene yet intimidated by the atmosphere.
In her early teens.
The mentality of a seven or eight-year-old.
Understandably timid in such a scene.
"Ariana."
Ian softly muttered.
Dumbledore had already closed his eyes, tears glistening at the corners.
"We've always kept her protected at home. She encountered bad experiences in her childhood, which led her to hate her own magic power, and in our negligence, she became an Obscurial."
The old headmaster's voice trembled immensely.
"Obscurial? I recall reading in the library that little wizards who continually repress their magic power might form a parasitic force called Mormon within them."
"Those who become Obscurials generally don't live past ten. The Mormon will perish along with the host, and in extreme cases, the Obscurial might be assimilated into a Mormon."
Ian realized the terrifying situation that had befallen Ariana.
"It could have been resolved... It definitely could have... I could have done it..." Dumbledore painfully murmured, averting his remorseful gaze.
"Because of the Mormon's outbreak?"
Ian guessed that this was the cause of Ariana's death.
"Keep watching."
Dumbledore quietly responded.
In the scene.
The three were indeed arguing fiercely.
"Your plan is insane and terrifying. Ariana needs a quiet environment, not one filled with the chaos of war. I absolutely won't allow you to drag her into this mire!"
The thin Aberforth was angrily reprimanding his brother, "Albus, do you want our sister to get hurt again? You've completely lost your mind!"
His angry reproach.
Made the young Albus Dumbledore's face full of conflict and struggle. However, at this moment, the blond Gellert Grindelwald stepped forward and directly pushed the aggressive Aberforth away.
"Cowardly fool, it was the Muggles who hurt your sister, leaving her in this state. Shouldn't they be held responsible for her tragic fate of not living to adulthood?"
"If we can change the world and make those Muggles behave, we can prevent such tragedies from happening, and bring the Muggles who harm wizards to justice!"
Gellert Grindelwald's emotions were extremely high.
"Your foolish mind can't see the real problem! Escaping? That will only lead to our destruction. Your brother and I have the power to change the living environment for all wizards!"
"The world will come into harmony!" Saying so, Gellert Grindelwald turned to look at the young Dumbledore, his voice firm and carrying an extremely persuasive tone.
"Albus, for us, for the future of wizards, and for your sister's vengeance!" Gellert Grindelwald's words caused the wavering Dumbledore's eyes to gradually become determined.
"It's something we must do! Someone has to start this!"
He solemnly spoke to his brother Aberforth.
"Are you going to abandon us? Abandon me, abandon Ariana, abandon our home, and follow this expelled Durmstrang student in madness?"
Aberforth's expression looked incredulous.
Filled with shock.
Also carrying an uncontrollable anger.
"We will win."
The young Dumbledore simply replied, just like his elderly self now, the young man in the memory scene also didn't dare to turn to look at his sister in the corner at this moment.