They had unanimously agreed that Ian had the bloodline of the Dumbledore family.
Of course, Ian didn't know this. His eyes were always on the real Grindelwald at the teachers' table. The extraordinary Prophet masquerading as a hack writer seemed to be choking heavily on milk.
"Hiss~ I didn't expect anyone but Headmaster Dumbledore could break through Grindelwald's defense!"
Once upon a time.
When Ian first learned that Grindelwald had replaced Lockhart as the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, he had wondered if Nimongard was already abandoned.
He thought the most seamless plan would be to have a Saint impersonate Grindelwald to stay at Nimongard and confuse the public, not only to avoid causing a stir but also to mislead many followers.
The facts at this time proved Ian's suspicions were not wrong, but he hadn't expected that the impersonator of Grindelwald wasn't a Saint; he seriously suspected Grindelwald had swapped the real Lockhart elsewhere.
"How dare old Grind do this? That was Lockhart, who would even be willing to cut himself for fame!" Ian felt his guess was probably close to the truth.
If otherwise, how could this report have been published in British newspapers? Also, how could the Saints dare to smear their leader whom they've followed for so many years? To even bring up comments about love and succubi! Perhaps only the imaginative writer Gilderoy Lockhart could talk glibly about such things.
The article's interview lines.
All carried the style of Gilderoy Lockhart's shameless showmanship.
"What are all these jumbled reports! Don't these newspapers have other news to publish?" The Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts finally caught his breath after a while.
As he wiped the table in front of him with a handkerchief, he critiqued with a tone full of speechlessness and annoyance, "Those who write such reports should be burned at the stake. They're completely slandering our Headmaster... and that innocent student's parents imprisoned in Austria."
This was perhaps an unexpected morning for Grindelwald.
"Grindelwald isn't innocent, Professor Lockhart. That era is far from us, and you have always lived in the United Kingdom. Perhaps you don't know what kind of Dark Wizard he was." Quirrell, also shocked by the interview in the news, still softly responded to the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"..."
Grindelwald gave this turncoat a deep look.
"I bet the things in the report are definitely not Grindelwald's own words." The Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts still insisted, defending to the surrounding professors.
"I understand Dumbledore, the Prophet Daily indeed seeks to sensationalize." Professor McGonagall also didn't believe the content in the report. Beside her sat the murmuring Ravenclaw Headmaster and Hufflepuff Headmaster. Neither gave any opinion about the news, only discussing why Grindelwald would suddenly reveal himself.
No one knows if the news is fake.
But the smiling photo of Grindelwald on the newspaper can certainly not be fake.
"Sorry, I suddenly feel unwell. I need to leave temporarily." Gilderoy Grindelwald tightly gripped a crumpled newspaper as he suddenly stood up.
He hurriedly walked towards the hall's doors, possibly rushing back to Austria... Grindelwald probably didn't expect Lockhart would embellish his role to such an extent.
"Damn fraud! Does he have a problem in his head?" As the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts passed by Ian, Ian could still hear his grievances and angry curses.
"Sorry, I don't know anything." Aurora, seeing her grandfather's slightly embarrassed back for the first time, also hesitated for a moment before putting down her food and following him.
Unexpectedly, the little German girl seemed somewhat excited on her face. She didn't know if she genuinely wanted to inquire about the untold stories of Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Or perhaps she thought she found a hold over her grandfather?
The family of roaring laughter was something Ian couldn't quite comprehend.
"Everyone, quiet!"
This time, Professor McGonagall used magic means, her voice overpowering all the chattering little wizards. She waved her magic wand and immediately collected all the newspapers in the hall.
Not just the Prophet Daily.
The "Wizard and Muggle Express" Ian held wasn't spared either. After both Grindelwalds left, Ian was initially reading a report about a wildfire in Little Hengerton.
Since everyone rushed to read the Prophet Daily, some newspapers were casually tossed onto tables by subscribers. Ian's attention was drawn to the photo on the paper.
Although the wildfire burned almost everything, Ian still recognized the location in the photo as the Little Hengerton where he had once gone to fetch the Resurrection Stone Ring with Grindelwald.
Voldemort's old home.
The news report didn't point this out. The content only focused on how the Muggle World couldn't control the wildfire. The newspaper's editor analyzed various aspects such as the UK's national defense, military, technology, bureaucratic institutions, and people's livelihood, concluding that the country's doomsday might be inevitable.
"The Wizarding World also has capable people."
Even after the newspapers were confiscated, Ian praised the tabloid's editor for his far-sightedness. The surrounding little wizards still continued quietly discussing Dumbledore and Grindelwald's topic even after Professor McGonagall's warning.