Hogwarts Archaeologist Toby

431 Grindelwald

"The process of cultivating the Mason Gate cannot be interrupted. This is a curse I have cast on myself. Once the full moon comes and I am not watered, I will become weaker than a werewolf who drank the wolfsbane potion. Merlin's heart cannot Like the feeling of hunger.”

"Even if I go to water on time, I will become weak due to excessive blood loss... If someone wants to attack me, this is the best time."

"Furthermore, even if I can hide it from everyone, I may not know when I will be able to grow a mature Mason door. What is poured into the seed is not only blood, but also emotion. Merlin's heart must be satisfied."

"This is also the reason why I have been reluctant to use that seed until I figured out that it was Merlin's heart... Although Merlin didn't say this explicitly, it seems that I guessed right now, that it is his heart. .”

"Before turning into Death, he was almost completely dismembered to protect the innocent."

It's been a full week since that seed was planted, and Toby is fully recovered, but the trouble Grindelwald caused haunts him all the time.

Lily Evans was sitting opposite the desk. She reached out to take the hot tea from Al, and at the same time looked back worriedly at Angela who was frowning at the chessboard on the sofa.

"Then why do you have to plant this seed?" Lily put down the tea cup and said, "You are completely asking for trouble."

Toby raised his head and glanced at Lily, and he said dissatisfiedly: "I asked you to come to Hogwarts early to serve, not to make fun of me. Besides, I also need to find out all the secrets hidden in this castle. This is something I have always wanted to achieve since I was in school.”

"In addition, as the principal of Hogwarts, I also need to ensure control of this school - not only the castle, but also the Forbidden Forest - follow me."

Toby walked to the window, and Lily followed curiously.

"Look there—"

Toby pointed in the direction of the Whomping Willow and the Forbidden Forest farther away: "You can't distinguish it very carefully now, but if you have been here a week ago, you can see that there are more places on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The new saplings - those are the trunks of the Whomping Willows coming out of the ground - might be better called Mason trees."

After seeing it clearly, Lily looked away, and she stared at Toby with a strange expression: "So you are telling me, it won't be long before the castle in the school will look like this?"

"The changes in the castle are much more hidden than those in the Forbidden Forest." Toby corrected:

"The branches of the Mason tree will penetrate into the cracks of the castle. They will be everywhere and can make the castle stronger - unless someone can take away the heart, otherwise Hogwarts will become It must be stronger than the Castle of Death...and safer.”

Lily hugged her arms unnaturally. She looked around the office suspiciously, feeling inexplicably that the branch might be staring at her silently in the dark.

Toby could see Lily's thoughts, and he explained: "It's not that exaggerated. After all, it is Merlin's heart, not mine. At most, it can be used to deal with some emergencies and find secret passages. Secret - Aren't you curious about how many treasures have been left in the castle by so many teachers and students? I have to find out, otherwise my job as principal will be in vain."

Lily shook her head and said: "I have never been curious about this kind of thing. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have studied those strange ancient magics in school... But I understand why you insist on it." Plant that seed. The Mason Gate doesn't matter to you at all, you care about the tree, right?"

Toby admitted Angela's statement.

"What can I use the Mason door for? Like Grindelwald, find a way to find Merlin in the world behind the door? Or do I follow Haierbo's approach again and let me replace Merlin with Death?"

"He has already rejected me once. This kind of self-righteous guy disgusts me the most. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have to worry about the troubles I might encounter in the future. You said there is hope only when you are alive - I don't think so. I’d rather wait until I’m dead before I can see him—no, even if I’m dead, don’t let me see him, it’s best never to see him again.”

"It must be very unpleasant, right?" Lily gloated unabashedly: "Meeting Merlin again after Dumbledore? If you want me to say it's all because you don't know what kindness is, you deserve to be sulking here."

Toby gradually became irritated: "What kind of kindness is this? I have said before that the first person I should meet is a person like Slytherin. Only he can understand me... Although our opinions are somewhat different--"

"Is that called a little different?" Lily sarcastically said, "You call the difference between pure-blood supremacy and Muggle-born supremacy a little different? These are completely different things."

"It's all the same thing." Toby corrected him seriously: "The only difference lies in my attitude towards Muggles - I will treat them well, and I will not want to start a war against Muggles, let alone I'm not going to catch a few Muggles and throw them behind Mason's door, and then watch to see if the number of wizard babies increases - don't compare me to those disgusting guys."

"Then you are really kind." Lily said in an exaggerated tone, and she sat back in her original position, acting as if she didn't really want to stay here anymore.

Toby's eyes followed Lily's.

"You have to help me," he said suddenly, "just like when we were kids - you, me, and Severus - now he's completely withdrawn, like a coward. But what do you think? Are you planning to completely side with Dumbledore to deal with me?"

Lily raised her head and stared at Toby with her green eyes: "Will you kill me?"

Toby thought for a second, and then showed an unbearable expression: "Although this will make me very painful, as long as I can achieve my ideal... I will lay flowers on your tombstone on time. If If I were still alive at that time.”

At this time, Angela, who was sitting on the other side of the sofa, suddenly said, "I'm sorry to interrupt—I know you are old friends, but there's no need to talk like that, right?"

Lily waved her hands without looking back: "Don't worry, I've gotten used to it. He threatened Severus like this before, saying that if he dared to become a Death Eater, he would kill him with his own hands."

Toby said regretfully: "It's a pity that Dumbledore saved him. If Dumbledore was not willing to let him return to Hogwarts, I would have done it to him as early as in Egypt-everyone in the bar was willing Listen to me, I have a good relationship with those people."

"It's too late now." Lily mocked: "Everyone else thinks you are a lunatic. Only I know that you are the one who hesitates the most - otherwise you will let Severus go? I never remember you. You have to ask for his opinion before you ask him to do something.”

Lily was referring to the event that brought Severus back to Hogwarts - Snape had ruthlessly rejected the offer of the Vice-Headmaster's position, determined only to continue studying the Dark Arts.

Toby's eyes widened, acting as if he heard something unreasonable.

"It's not your turn to blame me for this matter. We all know who made him frustrated. He didn't use the magic circle so many times to summon me back - it was obviously you who was so heartless. woman."

"I'm ruthless?" Lily narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Well, it's all Severus' fault." Toby said immediately, "Who made him yell that word at you—I don't care, but the three of us have very different personalities."

"That word is not the point at all." Lily stared at Toby closely, and she said word by word: "The main reason is his attitude towards other people, and he has been refusing to change—and you are the same. I just Shouldn't have known you before enrolling."

Toby responded indifferently: "But it's too late for you to regret it."

Lily stared at Toby angrily.

But it didn't take long for her to become disappointed again, and her tone became much lower: "But I should at least feel lucky to have the opportunity to regret it - during the days when I was a housekeeper, I never thought about it. It’s such a thing, I just hope that the people who remember me can completely forget me.”

Angela listened to the conversation between the two people from a distance.

"She is very kind, otherwise I wouldn't say such a thing—if I disappear, I will definitely hope that you and Toby will never forget me for the rest of my life, and I will always feel regret for taking the scepter away Incomparable."

Al looked at Angela, her eyes filled with approval.

"ah."

[If I were missing... Toby would probably be dead as well - as long as I can spend all the gold before I die - no, I still hope I can die in a pile of gold - so confusing ah.....】

Toby really didn't want to hear the conversation between Angela and Al, and he didn't want Lily to secretly ask himself immediately afterward: "What did Al say? But can you really understand what it said? Is this also ancient magic? Why don't I have this ability?"

"Because I haven't studied to this level when I was in school." Toby sighed, he rolled his eyes, and suddenly stared at Lily with interest.

"I seem to know what to do with the Mason Gate—you have a Patronus, too, right? Why don't you try and find your own Al behind the door—"

"No!" Lily quickly refused: "You can't even deceive Severus, let alone me - I don't want to help you study ancient magic anymore, and never mention this matter."

Toby cast a disappointed look at her: "It's a pity that your family has made you weak. I used to be quite optimistic about you - if only I could kill Penny... Hiss , if I really do this, do you think Harry will change his name? Maybe you will be with Severus - you can tell me what you think secretly, don't worry, I will keep it confidential, I definitely won’t let James know.”

Lily looked at Toby calmly.

Only few people will know that this is when she is really angry.

Just like the time when Toby was asked to secretly follow Snape when he was a child - that full moon night that changed everything.

"No," Lily said, looking into Toby's eyes.

"Tsk." Toby closed his eyes, with regret written all over his face.

After a while, he casually took a piece of parchment, took out the quill, and began to write something on it.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"I'm writing a letter to Severus." Toby said suppressing his mood, but you could still hear the slightly malicious tone in his tone: "I have to tell him about this as soon as possible, maybe his heart will be broken again." After a few stabs, you can better understand what black magic is... maybe he will become even more powerful than Haierbo."

"Stop it!" Lily roared angrily, "Stop it now!"

On the other side of the office, Angela and Al didn't know when they stopped playing chess to pass the time, but watched another farce in the room together.

"Toby calls this a good friend? Has Dumbledore never corrected the way he gets along with his friends? Why do I think this is more serious than becoming a Slytherin?"

"ah......"

[Not sure, but I really wish Snape could be here too. It would be great to see the three of them fighting. 】

After making a fuss for a while, Lily grabbed the parchment, tore it to pieces, and then burned it all with flames.

Tobian sat comfortably on the seat, and he said in a tone as if nothing happened: "Okay, it's time for us to talk about business."

Lily stared at him warily: "You'd better think more before you speak, otherwise you won't just lose Severus."

"Although I would like to hear why you would deny being with Severus, it seems that we can only stop here." Toby said solemnly: "Since James is willing to talk to Regulus If I want to share the content with you, then I think this must be with Dumbledore’s permission, right?”

"Did he give you any extra orders? Or did he really plan to just do it and watch it, and don't care about anything?"

After hearing this question, Lily hesitated to speak.

"Sure enough." Toby continued to ask: "What did our minister say to make you feel so embarrassed?"

After a brief silence, Lily sighed and said: "Dumbledore said... He said that Grindelwald is just trying to find ways to make you become enemies full of hatred for each other. But before that, You already have more tangible enemies."

"He planned to attack Grindelwald...I don't know when Dumbledore suddenly became so aggressive, but that's what he told me."

"And, he intends to invite you to participate."

Toby didn't change much after hearing these words, but Angela and Al looked over nervously.

After a few seconds, Toby said: "It's because of power. Power corrupted Dumbledore and made him no longer like his former self."

"But I like Dumbledore now - as long as it's not about me."

If you can't solve this trouble, then get rid of the person who caused it.

Dumbledore's thoughts were exactly the same as Toby's.