The Silent Witch of Hogwarts

Night, 1945.

As the winter sun disappeared below the distant horizon, the middle-aged man in a formal suit slowly withdrew his gaze. He had short, silver-white hair and heterochromatic eyes.

"Lord Grindelwald..." The aloof woman standing beside him bowed slightly and said, "That person is coming."

As she spoke, everyone else present shuddered slightly.

"I know, Vader," Grindelwald said, letting out a soft sigh. "I will deal with him."

"As for you..." He paused for a few seconds and then said, "You only need to keep those useless people from the Ministry of Magic in check."

"Yes, Lord Grindelwald." Grindelwald's loyal right-hand man, Vida Rozier, nodded slightly, then looked at the people in the hall.

"Have you all heard Lord Grindelwald's orders?"

"Kill those Ministry of Magic scum!" she said, raising her wand high. "And, for the greater good!"

At her command, all the wizards present raised their wands and shouted slogans. Only one girl, who stood in the corner and had silver hair like Grindelwald, seemed a little flustered. However, she also had a pair of pointed ears like an elf. She nervously gripped her wand, her blue eyes lowered, and she dared not make eye contact with anyone.

As the wizards filed out, Grindelwald spotted a striking silver figure in the crowd. After a few seconds of thought, he suddenly spoke: "Miss Hamilton, please stay behind alone. I have something to discuss with you."

At his command, Vida was the first to turn around. She and Grindelwald exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment.

"We always need to have some insurance," Grindelwald said in a low voice.

"I understand, sir." Vida took a deep breath. If her face had been full of fighting spirit just now, it now carried a hint of tragic determination.

It was as if she already knew how the story would end, but so what... She wouldn't give up the fight, nor would she give up any chance to change things.

The wizard called Miss Hamilton was the same somewhat awkward silver-haired, pointy-eared girl who had been swimming against the flow of people, her thin body hunched over to avoid bumping into others.

As she finally reached Grindelwald, all the other wizards had left, and only Vida remained standing beside him.

"Vida... I'd like to speak with her alone." Grindelwald's heterochromatic eyes swept slightly over Rozier. "Besides, others need your help too."

"I..." Vida pursed her lips and nodded gently. She didn't ask anything more, but gripped her wand tightly and quickly walked out of the hall.

"Clatter".

With the doors closed, only Grindelwald and Miss Hamilton remained in the magnificent hall.

"Miss Hamilton," Grindelwald called softly to the girl before him.

"Girl... Grindelwald... Sir..." Miss Hamilton stammered, nervously clutching the hem of her dress, not daring to look up and meet Grindelwald's gaze.

This rather impolite manner only elicited a slight smile from Grindelwald: "Do you know why I left you alone?"

"I'm sorry... I... I don't know..." Miss Hamilton pursed her lips and gave her answer.

"I don't think... I... what can I do..." she said, clutching her cuffs, her darting blue eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes.

"Ah...that's true." Grindelwald chuckled softly. "Quite a few people have said the same thing over the past few years."

"What can Miss Hamilton do? Miss Hamilton doesn't even dare to fight! Miss Hamilton can't even kill a Niffler! Miss Hamilton can't even carry Lord Grindelwald's briefcase!"

Grindelwald's voice grew louder and louder, and Miss Hamilton in front of him seemed to shrink smaller and smaller until she was almost curled up on the ground.

"However..." Grindelwald suddenly changed the subject, a smile spreading across his face: "Miss Loila Hamilton."

I don't think so.

"But he graduated early from Durmstrang at the age of fifteen, and learned the silent casting of most spells at the age of fourteen..." Grindelwald paused and put his hand on Loila Hamilton's shoulder.

"You are far more powerful than you realize."

"But...but..." Loila carefully raised her head, wanting to say something, but Grindelwald held up an index finger to his lips.

"Miss Hamilton, I've heard your discouraging remarks for three years now," he said, shaking his head. "And now seems like the time not to talk about such things."

"I have a task for you," he said in a low voice.

"A...task?!" Loila seemed startled, quickly taking a few steps back and her ears perked up. "I...I can't do it...Lord Grindelwald, you know I..."

"No, quite the opposite." Grindelwald smirked. "This is something only you can do."

"Only someone with half Veela blood like you, only someone who has mastered the Silent Charm, only someone who has never appeared before Albus Dumbledore can do this," Grindelwald said with unusual firmness. "And more importantly, I believe you can do it."

"I..." Loila looked at Grindelwald with some surprise, seemingly not expecting him to say that. She subconsciously asked, "Then... what kind of mission is it?"

"It's simple." Grindelwald shrugged, tapping his Elder Wand on Loila's shoulder. "Albus Dumbledore is very strong."

"It's far stronger than anyone imagines." A strange look flashed in his heterochromatic eyes.

"But...you...you will win." Loila seemed absolutely certain of this.

"No..." Grindelwald seemed to have lost his previous confidence. He lowered his head and said softly, "No one is confident that they can defeat Dumbledore."

Even Merlin was the same.

What...what? Loila didn't expect Grindelwald to give Dumbledore such a high evaluation. Although she knew that Dumbledore was very powerful, this was too terrifying!

If Lord Grindelwald loses to him, won't I be thrown back into prison? I just got out of there...

"So..." He didn't give the terrified Loila any time to think and continued, "So if I lose, we'll have to rely on you."

"Me? Me? Me? Me? Me? Me? Me?" Loila's eyes widened, her fear vanishing in an instant, replaced by astonishment.

"If you're no match for him... what should I do..." she asked, pursing her lips.

"It's simple." Grindelwald blinked. "Everyone makes mistakes, even him."

"You just need to find his weakness... and then..." Grindelwald lowered his voice, "and defeat him."

"But...even so..." Royla pursed her lips, looking at Grindelwald. After all, if Grindelwald had already lost, it seemed that Royla's actions were...

"He won't kill me." Grindelwald saw through Loira's thoughts and seemed exceptionally confident about it: "Just as I won't kill him."

"Therefore, all you need is one chance," Grindelwald said, raising his wand. "A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

After saying that, he strode to the center of the hall, his gaze no longer fixed on Loila behind him.

"Let's go, Miss Loila Hamilton." His voice grew serious. "From now on, it's your own journey."

"And I... will have to face him alone." He said, a slightly sad smile appearing on his lips. "Although it's somewhat undignified... it's for a greater good."

This seemed to be the only time Loila had ever seen him say those words in such a sorrowful tone.

"Yes... for a greater good."

This was the last time Loila saw Grindelwald; after all, no one had expected that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would take so long.