I became Voldemort

Chapter 236: Everyone Is Here

Grindelwald's prophecy didn't come in mere fragments or scattered words, but in vivid images.

Fifty years ago, he had seen the instant a nuclear weapon detonated, witnessing the terrifying power born from Muggle technology. Now, he was seeing another vision, equally enigmatic but not without clues.

The white veil and the sense of death immediately made Cyrus think of the Department of Mysteries' Death Chamber in the Ministry of Magic.

Whether from the original story or the movies, the Death Chamber had left a deep impression on Cyrus—especially the moment when Sirius Black vanished through the archway, disappearing into another world as the white veil fluttered.

As for the darkness...

"Could it be Voldemort?" Cyrus pondered briefly.

Grindelwald's lips curled into a stiff smile, as if his skin was being forcibly pulled into that expression. It was almost as if he had guessed what Cyrus was thinking. In a low voice, he said:

"Voldemort is an extraordinarily talented and utterly mad individual. He won't be defeated so easily, we both know that. The real question is how he'll return after this failure."

Prophecies were never a power one could control at will. Even the most gifted seer could only catch glimpses, fragments of the future. Grindelwald had seen Voldemort return from death, but he didn't know exactly how.

His peculiar eyes remained fixed on Cyrus, as if there were countless unspoken words lingering behind them.

In fact, when it came to the prophecy, there was one crucial piece of information Grindelwald had not yet revealed, and it was the very reason he had ultimately decided to leave Nurmengard.

"I know you plan to defeat Dumbledore in front of the entire world."

"I can help you," Grindelwald said.

"And what's your goal in this? Is it simply because I intend to break the Statute of Secrecy?"

Cyrus raised an eyebrow. He didn't believe for a second that Grindelwald was a generous, selfless wizard. "The world I envision is not the same as the one you wanted."

After all, Grindelwald was an ambitious man, someone who had always pursued grandiose goals. Though his actions had been extreme, they had ultimately been in the name of what he considered the greater good—for the benefit of wizards.

Cyrus, on the other hand, wasn't nearly so noble. His pursuit was for his own interests, with the broader aim being to create a world where wizards and Muggles could, at best, coexist without hiding—beneath him, of course.

"Fifty years... I no longer care about those things," Grindelwald said with a trace of sorrow.

Time erodes ambition, and the fifty years he had spent languishing in Nurmengard, reliving his past pains day after day, had worn down his once lofty dreams.

The world didn't seem all that important when compared to the betrayal of those closest to him.

Cyrus looked at Grindelwald. He had to admit, the offer was incredibly tempting. Having such a powerful ally by his side, even Dumbledore, armed with the Elder Wand, would be no threat.

"But I refuse."

"You refuse?" Grindelwald seemed genuinely surprised by Cyrus' response.

His raised eyebrows conveyed disbelief, as if every single one of them expressed how incomprehensible the refusal was.

"Aren't you afraid I might team up with Dumbledore to take you down? Breaking the Statute of Secrecy will undoubtedly lead to chaos, and he won't stand idly by while rivers of blood are spilled."

"Defeating both the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald and the greatest wizard Albus Dumbledore at the same time seems far more valuable to me," Cyrus replied with a confident smile.

His goal was to showcase his power to the entire world, and the stronger the opponents, the better the contrast would be.

The combined pressure of facing Grindelwald and Dumbledore together was certainly immense, but now that Cyrus had fully mastered the powers of ancient magic and inherited the legacy of Morgana, he felt he could at least attempt it.

But that wasn't the only reason.

Cyrus was reluctant to ally with Grindelwald because of the notorious reputation that followed the dark wizard.

Associating with him would inevitably place Cyrus under the same label—extreme and evil, just like Grindelwald.

Even though fifty years had passed, and people may have forgotten Grindelwald's appearance, forgotten his words or the exact actions he took, they would never forget the fear he had instilled in them. Nor would they forget the hatred they harbored toward him.

"You've chosen the hardest path," Grindelwald remarked with a frown.

"Then let's wait and see," Cyrus said with a faint smile. With that, he completely ended the conversation with Grindelwald, straightening his posture.

In an instant, the frozen time seemed to thaw, as if spring had suddenly arrived.

After a while, the sound of commotion came from outside the Great Hall.

More than a thousand wizards, led by Dumbledore and the other professors, lined up and entered. Cyrus noticed Harry and his friends waving at him from the crowd, so he responded with a happy glance.

"Thank you for waiting, gentlemen," said Madame Maxime, followed by a group of witches dressed in blue. They moved gracefully, almost like fairies.

There were also a few wizards among them, but they were not as eye-catching, especially under the dazzling beauty of the half-Veela, Fleur Delacour.

The magic in Fleur's bloodline almost captivated half of the wizards at Hogwarts, while the other half, who weren't mesmerized, were all witches.

However, such tricks had no effect on powerful wizards, especially someone like Cyrus, whose magical resistance could rival that of a dragon.

"The French wizards' sense of time is truly something to behold," Cyrus remarked sarcastically.

This comment made the Beauxbatons students somewhat displeased, and Fleur's younger sister, Gabrielle, glared at Cyrus angrily, her cheeks puffing up like a pufferfish.

But no one argued back, as Cyrus was simply stating the truth.

Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Madame Maxime, originally intended for the students to sit at the Slytherin table, but seeing that it was already filled with Ilvermorny students, he directed them to the Ravenclaw table instead.

With that, all the students and teachers finally took their seats, although Cyrus noticed that there were still a few empty chairs at the faculty table.

Dumbledore stood at the golden podium engraved with an eagle, waiting until the hall was completely silent before he began his usual brief speech.

"Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, ghosts, and—most especially—our distinguished guests. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to Hogwarts. I hope, and indeed trust, that you will find yourselves comfortable and happy here."

Dumbledore said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "The Triwizard Tournament will officially begin after the banquet. For now, I invite everyone to eat and drink to their heart's content, as if you were at home!"

With that, he strode back to his seat, where Cyrus and Grindelwald were seated on either side of him.

Madame Maxime's seat was placed a bit farther away. Hagrid, another large figure, had not taken his eyes off Maxime since she first appeared.

This amused Cyrus, who wondered if Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Maxime, would go for an 'unforgettable' romance with Hagrid.

Then, the feast began.

It was clear that for this tournament, even the Hogwarts kitchen had taken on a new flair. The house-elves had learned new recipes, and an array of French dishes appeared, along with some American food crowding the tables.

Cyrus picked up a beef burger and paired it with a cold, iced cola.

At first, the students below seemed a bit reserved, but it wasn't long before they grew lively and enthusiastic.

The Durmstrang students shed their thick, fur-lined robes, revealing crimson uniforms underneath.

Star Quidditch player Viktor Krum attracted a great deal of attention, so much so that even Ron and Harry shifted their focus away from Cyrus and Malfoy, eagerly approaching Krum with admiration.

Ginny and Hermione weren't as obsessed with Quidditch players as some others were.

At the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy, the young master, initially wanted to go find his two usual companions, but Goyle and Crabbe sat stony-faced, clearly not intending to acknowledge him.

Their parents, like Draco's father Lucius, had once refused to cross the fire, and now, they had already treated Draco as a traitor. The fact that Barty Crouch Jr. had sent Lucius Malfoy to be an undercover agent to Cyrus was not widely known afterall.

Feeling snubbed by his supposed "friends," Draco's mood soured. He sat back down in his seat, eating the exotic dishes in silence.

At that moment, more guests arrived.

The Great Hall doors opened to reveal an elderly wizard. He appeared to be even older than Dumbledore, hunched over with a walking stick, moving slowly and unsteadily as he entered. Behind him followed Graves, along with several wizards Cyrus didn't recognize. Apart from the old wizard, the others were middle-aged or in their prime.

As soon as they entered, they immediately noticed Grindelwald, and their expressions became much more serious.

In fact, these wizards were elite Aurors sent by the International Confederation of Wizards to deal with Grindelwald. Of course, none of them were foolish enough to attempt an arrest at this moment.

Their purpose was simply to confirm the situation. They needed to see for themselves if Grindelwald was truly alive, as the French Ministry of Magic had suspected. If he was, it meant they might soon be facing yet another war!

"Albus, long time no see," the elderly wizard leading the group seemed unfazed by the tense atmosphere. When he saw Dumbledore, he was overjoyed, speaking in some sort of unclear language.

Surprisingly, Dumbledore not only understood him but also responded in the same language.

"Welcome, Babajide," Dumbledore warmly stood up, embracing the old wizard and guiding him to a seat. Afterward, their conversation switched to English.

"I didn't expect you would restart the Triwizard Tournament. If I had known earlier, I would have ensured that Uagadou participated," Babajide said, sounding a bit regretful.

He then greeted Cyrus and the other school heads.

"Hello, Mr. Akingbade," Cyrus also greeted him politely.

He remembered the identity of this elder.

In the original story, after Dumbledore's death, Babajide Akingbade succeeded Albus Dumbledore as the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. Although he wasn't mentioned in detail in the original series, it was clear he was also a wizard of considerable magical power.

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