In the Harry Potter Without Harry Potter

Chapter 313: The Sacrifice of the Sample

There's no need for Jon to worry about the issue of safety in the Triwizard Tournament so early on.

The tournament would begin with the start of the new academic year in September, and now it was only just May, with four months in between for preparations, in which the rules and judges would also be decided.

Slytherin's portrait has been re-framed and placed among the portraits of past headmasters.

And compared to the Triwizard Tournament, Jon had another question that he was somewhat curious to ask.

"Professor, there's something I'm not quite comfortable asking at Durmstrang earlier, that Headmaster Bagshot. I don't suppose that's his real name?"

To this, Dumbledore did not hide it from Jon, originally Grindelwald had concealed his identity only to hide it from those who he wanted to be kept in the dark, there were only a handful of people in the wizarding community who knew his true identity.

"Gellert Grindelwald, that is his real name, in his youth he made some mistakes and so was imprisoned for over fifty years, only being released from prison again a few years ago."

Despite the brevity of his words, Jon certainly had a good idea of what Grindelwald was really like.

He blinked and asked tentatively.

"I've read about Mr Grindelwald's former exploits in the history of magic and know that at one time no one was his equal but you, so why didn't he come to France with you to deal with the Dark Lord now that he's an ally with us?"

Dumbledore shook his head.

"He didn't come out to help me, Jon. He was supposed to stay in prison for the rest of his life, in no position to pick up his wand again and just end his life peacefully, but things in Britain caused a lot of things to change, and one of them was his re-emergence from prison."

"But even so, not having held a wand for more than fifty years and not having used magic had a great effect on him in itself. Not to mention the fact that he has not completely recovered his strength now, even if he is back to his best, there is no way he can compare to what he once was."

As he said this, Dumbledore's gaze deepened.

"Besides, he has his own ideas, ideas that are very different from the man he once was."

"My thoughts are irrelevant to him."

***

In the tall, icy fortress at the very edge of the Arctic ice field, Grindelwald looked at Erik with a flat face.

"The only thing that matters is exactly what results you have come up with now, and whatever thoughts I may have, they will not sway the final truth."

Eric, who seemed to have respect for this old man but not the reverence as the rest of the Acolytes, said, rubbing his forehead.

"The results are there, but a lot of experimental samples were consumed earlier to rescue the boy you spoke of, and I'm not sure if any of those people have noticed the problem; what if they took a few of the bears' carcasses and found something wrong?"

Grindelwald sat back in his chair as he looked up at the creatures frozen in the huge wall of ice.

"What can they do if they find out something is wrong? Do you think those people can think of the direction we are exploring? Or who else in the magical community would have thought of it now, besides us?"

His comment was obviously somewhat absolute, but Eric did not deny it, and the tone of his reply was not patronising, but rather a carefully thought-out affirmation.

"Indeed, it is true that if any wizards did know what we were doing, they would probably just call us crazy."

An unnoticeable smile suddenly appeared at the corner of Grindelwald's mouth.

"Besides, these samples are not a bad sacrifice, did you read yesterday's newspaper?"

Eric scratched at his dishevelled hair and whined.

"How can I possibly read the paper so timely in a place like this, sir, the daily papers Hans usually brings me are more than three days out of date."

"Green killed two of Voldemort's best men, the one who is ruling Britain." Grindelwald narrowed his eyes, "Or in front of that man himself, just with a basilisk's fang."

Eric's eyes widened.

"Hey! I thought he fled in disarray with my help! He's only fifteen!"

"Fourteen years old for now."

"I was still in Durmstrang when I was that age getting confined by Hans for poking a slug with a wand!"

Grindelwald said softly as he gently shook the wand in his hand and crossed his legs.

"That is why I said that these samples were not a bad sacrifice at all."

***

Jon, of course, had no idea about Grindelwald paying attention to anything concerning him.

After communicating with Dumbledore in his office about all the things that had happened, he found Hermione and the others.

The Hogwarts students had been taken to Witching Horizons to resume regular school life, and in Lyons, Professor McGonagall had found a special area to use as a temporary site for the school to teach the students.

With the decision to use the Triwizard Tournament to decide the final fate of France, the work of the professors has been eased, and they can devote more time to teaching.

That meant that after six months of wandering plus two or three months in Durmstrang, Hermione and the gang finally returned to normal schedules at the end of the term.

After coming here, Jon also finally had time to start studying the notebook-like book he had found from the labyrinth through the map Adrien had left behind after school.

After comparing it with a few dictionaries, he was able to ascertain that the language in which the notes were written was German.

Bit by bit he translated the opening pages of the note completely by comparing it with the German dictionary, and upon seeing the result of the translation, Jon's spirits lifted!

Apart from the gem, the notes were something that Adrien had treasured with extra care, and while at the Labyrinth, Jon had felt sure that it would be worth no less than the gem itself, and that was indeed the case.

It's a detailed guide to the advanced human transfiguration magic, Animagus.

Not the normal kind that any gifted wizard could learn, but rather an Animagus that was modified to suit the gem and could completely change the nature of the wizard's own magic!

Jon unconsciously recalled the words of Slughorn during his first lesson about the ring in his first year on the wagon.

Throughout history, the greatest research into magically altering a wizard's own magic had been the advanced transfiguration magic - Animagus, but this transfiguration magic may have seemed to be successful by turning a human into an animal completely.

But the wizard's own magic has not changed even a little bit, because Animagus cannot transform one into a magical creature.

To truly achieve the final transformation, there must necessarily be a change in the magic, that is, a change that would allow the wizard's Animagus to transform into the form possessed by the magical creature.

And this note left by Adrien is a hypothesis and a conjecture for using the ring to accomplish this transformation!

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