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With a creak, the door opened, and Andre strode inside.
Henry and Alphard immediately jumped out of their beds, wands in hand, even though they couldn't manage more than a simple levitation charm yet.
"Shafiq, what are you doing in our dormitory?" Alphard asked warily.
Andre glanced around the room, his gaze landing squarely on Wade.
"I'm here to see you, Wade."
"Oh? And what brings you here?" Wade looked at Andre with interest.
Andre appeared extremely tense. It had only been a few minutes since they had parted ways, and Wade truly had no idea what he was here for.
"About that question you asked me earlier, I finally have an answer," Andre said solemnly.
Earlier, Wade had asked him if he wanted to join his side.
With a smile, Wade asked, "And your answer is...?"
Andre took a deep breath and declared, "I've decided to join you… to follow you!"
Originally, Andre hadn't planned on joining either side, but… He shuddered remembering how Wade killed those Goblins and that Troll.
After witnessing Wade's true abilities tonight, his resolve had already begun to waver.
And then, upon learning about that "miraculous magic" tonight, he had been even more tempted!
Andre understood very clearly: if Wade got hold of that power, there was no way he would share it with an outsider like him—unless he pledged true allegiance!
Thinking about that power that could make someone stronger, Andre had been unable to sleep.
The Shafiq family desperately needed him to become stronger!
After much deliberation, Andre finally decided to seek out Wade and… become his follower!
Seeing the look on Andre's face, Wade immediately knew he was serious.
But wasn't this exactly the effect he had hoped for when he deliberately revealed information about the "residue"?
"Very good, Andre. I knew you'd make the right choice," Wade said with a smile.
Tom, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all. Knowing there was power out there that could make you stronger overnight, only a fool would pass up the chance for a share!
Henry and Alphard, however, were looking at this scene in utter disbelief.
A senior student—one who had even had past conflicts with Wade—had now come here, declaring his loyalty to a first-year?
"I think I'm still dreaming," Alphard mumbled, dazed.
Without a word, Henry leaned over and pinched Alphard hard.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Alphard cried out.
"Seems we're not dreaming! But… what on earth is going on here?"
Henry frowned slightly. "You say you want to join us, but how do we know you're telling the truth?"
Andre replied solemnly, "I can swear an Unbreakable Vow!"
His words immediately shut Henry and Alphard up.
Even Tom couldn't help but glance at him again.
Once the vow was made, Andre would never be able to betray Wade.
"Good, I accept," Wade agreed readily, extending his hand. "Tom, you'll be our witness."
An Unbreakable Vow would put everyone's mind at ease, a perfect solution. After all, it was Andre swearing to Wade. If he broke his oath, Andre would die, but as the recipient of the vow, Wade wouldn't pay any price.
When Andre left, the joy on his face was unmistakable.
Since Wade had accepted his vow, it meant that, in a way, Wade had agreed to give the Shafiq family a helping hand in the future! Wade, in his first year, was so powerful and smart. He was someone destined to be as powerful as Dumbledore or Grindelwald.
And with this, Wade officially gained his first follower.
"Tom… this means we've taken our first step."
"What first step?"
"You know perfectly well what I mean, don't you?"
"Heh, so you've finally decided not to hide it anymore, Wade?"
...
Nurmengard.
Grindelwald quietly set down the book in his hands.
In his recent correspondence with Anne, he had learned some rather interesting things.
The two children he had been keeping an eye on had already formed their own little group, even though the school year had only just begun.
Granted, they were largely forced into this by the other pure-blooded young wizards, but even so, it showed just how remarkable these two boys were.
What intrigued him the most was that Wade seemed to agree with some of his own ideals.
Grindelwald stood and gazed out at the gloomy mountains beyond the window.
"Those two children will have a tremendous impact on my cause, I can see that much. But unfortunately, I still can't tell whether that influence will be positive or negative... Why is everything about them so shrouded in uncertainty?"
"Perhaps I should make the first move, approach those two, and find a way to bring them into our ranks..."
A draft of wind swept in from the window, snuffing out several of the candles on the desk.
Grindelwald's figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness, flickering in and out of sight with the dim light of the fireplace.
…
Hogwarts.
Headmaster's office.
Dumbledore frowned as he stared into the fireplace before him.
The fire was burning brightly, filling the room with warmth, yet Dumbledore's mind was restless.
"You seem troubled, Albus."
From behind him, Headmaster Dippet slowly approached the fire.
"Armando, I find myself more and more puzzled by Grindelwald's recent movements," Dumbledore said with a furrowed brow. "I originally thought he was preparing for a final battle, but… just when we were all ready to end this once and for all, he suddenly retreated."
"His power is no longer what it used to be. A retreat seems only natural, doesn't it?" Headmaster Dippet replied softly.
Dumbledore shook his head, concern in his voice. "But that's not like him. I fear… something has changed."
They had been poised for a decisive confrontation, and yet the Purist Party had abruptly pulled back.
Logically, such an action would deal a severe blow to their morale. It was completely out of character!
"In other words, something must have happened among them, something we don't know about," Dumbledore said grimly. "What troubles me is that we have no leads at all. If we continue waiting like this, we're essentially handing them the initiative…"
Headmaster Dippet asked, "So, you're planning to seek them out and force a final battle?"
"Mm… that's the stance the Ministry of Magic has taken as well. This war has dragged on for far too long. The Muggle world is anything but peaceful right now, a war could break out at any moment… I'm worried Grindelwald will take advantage of the Muggle conflict. If that happens, the International Statute of Secrecy might become a useless scrap of paper overnight," Dumbledore replied, his gaze filled with concern.
"Judging by his past rhetoric, he shouldn't recklessly place the wizarding world in jeopardy," Dippet mused. "Right now, this hardly seems like the best moment to expose the wizarding world to Muggles across the globe. As mad as he is, I don't believe he'd ignore the safety of ordinary witches and wizards. That wouldn't align with his usual ideals. If he truly did so, his own followers would likely fall apart."
The dim firelight from the hearth danced over Dippet's wrinkled face, casting shifting shadows.
Dumbledore said, "I used to think the same, but now, I can no longer read his mind as I once could. I can't stake everything on the hope that he hasn't changed his beliefs. We must seize the initiative!"
"But if they're determined to hide," Dippet replied, "even if we want to take the offensive, we can't find them. You know this yourself — the latest report from the International Confederation of Wizards just came in… the entire Nurmengard fortress has vanished without a trace. And those Purist Party members who had been so active around the world have disappeared overnight."
"A fortress doesn't simply vanish into thin air…" Dumbledore said grimly. "Most likely, he's used something like the Fidelius Charm to erase it from the sight of the world. But the question is, why would he do that? Armando, if this continues, we're at a serious disadvantage."
"Don't worry too much, Albus. You're getting a bit impatient."
Headmaster Dippet said calmly.
"In fact, we're not the only ones growing anxious. As you mentioned earlier, suddenly going into hiding has dealt a heavy blow to the morale of Grindelwald's followers as well. If Grindelwald does nothing, they'll fall apart on their own. So… in my view, they'll act soon enough. It's better for us to wait and watch for now."
"For the moment, it does seem like we have no other choice…" Dumbledore admitted helplessly.
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