Kiev, Wizard's Inn.

The surrounding windows have been obscured by a black curtain, and no light can penetrate into them.

Gilderoy Lockhart sat quietly in his seat facing the old wizard who called himself Otto Apocalis, and two pieces of unfolded parchment floated in front of him—a duel signed with the name of the flower, and a contract of employment.

And beside the two of them, dozens of middle-aged wizards with different expressions were surrounded, each with a look of expectation in their eyes.

As the known master of dueling in the wizarding world to have only lost one of his first public duels in a one-on-one duel, Gellert Grindelwald's magical prowess has risen to the level of an art.

There is no doubt that everyone is looking forward to appreciating Grindelwald's dueling skills again.

Grindelwald asked slowly, narrowing his eyes and rubbing his fingers against the scab on the Elder Wand.

"So, what is your decision? Mr. Lockhart. ”

"Mr. Apocalis, or I'll ......"

Kurt Mayer, who was standing next to Grindelwald, frowned, stepped forward and was about to volunteer to say something.

"Shhh ”

Grindelwald pressed a finger to his lips and motioned for Kurt to be quiet.

The gesture is as elegant and protective as it was decades ago, yet with an irrefutable assertiveness.

Kurt Mayer met Grindelwald's eyes, his lips moved, and he retreated into the shadows of the room in obedience.

Grindelwald walked over to Gilderoy Lockhart, picked up the file that was in the wizard's hand, and flipped through it.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, a well-known author, a third-class medalist of the Order of Merlin, an honorary member of the Anti-Magic League, has adventures in all corners of the globe...... Tsk, what an awe-inspiring resume. ”

"Actually, my favorite honor is being a five-time winner of the Wizarding Weekly Award for Most Charming Smile......"

Lockhart swallowed, a big smile on his face, and tried to take his attention off the two parchments in front of him that read "Albus Dumbledore" and the phoenix dance.

As a wizard who graduated from Hogwarts, Gilderoy Lockhart naturally knew the Headmaster's handwriting.

Not to mention, at the end of the parchment, there are also magical seals from the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts - whether it is an "employment contract" or a "duel book", both of which have been certified by both the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts.

Obviously, things were far more serious than he had imagined - the Ministry of Magic was secretly controlled by Providence, or everything was dictated by the Ministry of Magic, and it was difficult for him to determine which was worse.

Ignoring the tremors in Lockhart's voice, Grindelwald continued to look at the papers in his hand and read softly.

"In your book, you have been fighting with all kinds of magical creatures, but according to the investigation of the relevant authorities, it is actually collected from magicians who have actually experienced these things, not your own experience, you just used the Oblivion Charm to attack them-"

"I can explain it! It was just an accident!" Lockhart shuddered, subconsciously arguing loudly.

"Shhh And that's not even to the worst part. ”

Grindelwald smiled slightly, put a finger to his lips, and continued unhurriedly.

"—Illegally tampering with other people's memories, deceiving the International Ministry of Magic, and impersonating the badge of the Order of Merlin...... It is said that you also planned to trick Albus Dumbledore into applying for the position of Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts......? Of course, even if there is no last one, what you have done before is enough to sentence you to the forfeiture of all your ill-gotten gains, life imprisonment, and even the death penalty. ”

"Speaking of which, by the way, I'm currently temporarily teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts - I haven't heard from Professor Dumbledore about wanting to fire me. ”

Grindelwald glanced at Lockhart, who was about to refute something, like a fire dragon staring at its prey, and exhaled a breath gracefully and slowly, quietly admiring the whole process of the witch's face from ruddy to gray.

"As for the evidence, I think a drop of truth potion should be all you need, right? Now, tell me your answer. ”

"I agree to all the atonement punishments you propose!

Lockhart grabbed the quill on the table and began to sign behind the stack of papers without looking.

"Oh, that's not what I want to hear, you don't seem to understand what I mean. ”

"Y-What the hell are you trying to say?!"

"What I mean is actually ......"

Grindelwald looked around at the wizards around him, nodded slightly, and whispered lightly.

"Although it will be up to you to coordinate the secrecy of the Nikolaev shipyard for some time to come, if you try to pass on the news to the outside world, or if you can passively sabotage and cause the information to leak - I allow all official wizards of the Destiny Group to eliminate the traitor on the spot before reporting to us. ”

Grindelwald waved his wand slowly, and a small note flew into the hands of everyone except Gilderoy Lockhart.

"This is a safe house address built in Ukraine, and if there is a dangerous situation due to leaks, everyone will evacuate immediately. ”

"Wait, what about me?"

Lockhart asked with some trepidation.

"Don't worry, you won't need this...... We'll protect you. ”

Kurt Maier read the note in his hand carefully, memorized the contents in his heart, waved his wand to turn the note in his hand to ashes, and grinned at Lockhart.

Grindelwald nodded with satisfaction and said in a serious tone.

"Very well, that's it, from now until the end of the project...... We all need to be silent for a while. ”

"Hmm?!Is it so grim this time?, Mr. Goose Pocalis. ”

Kurt Mayer was slightly stunned, bit his tongue, and asked with some curiosity.

"No, it's just ...... The situation is a bit delicate, and there is nothing wrong with being cautious anyway. ”

Grindelwald's eyes flickered for a moment, and he repeated in a deep voice, "Remember! From now on, unless I come in person, once there is an exchange of letters or the presence of you in the safe house, I will judge the mission as a failure." ”

According to Elena's worst-case scenario, the U.S. government may join forces with the Magical Congress of the United States and the American Leprechauns.

If that happens, then the wizarding and non-magical worlds may be in a state of flux - the remaining European wizards must fight back as soon as possible, or it will be too late for the traitors to join forces and start walking towards the whole world.

Even if not the worst outcome, judging by the current indications, the Muggles of the United States, the Magical Congress of the United States, and the Gringotts of the Americas have all set their sights on the disintegrating behemoth of the former Soviet Union.

"This is a response to most of the unexpected situations during this time, and you should look at this when you have doubts. ”

Grindelwald took a document from his bosom and solemnly handed it into Gilderoy Lockhart's hands

Then the old man waved his hand and walked towards the door without looking back.

Counting the time, he had been away from Hogwarts long enough, and Dumbledore would be suspicious if he didn't go back.

"Wait, Mr. Apokalis, can I ask you a question?"

Seeing that Grindelwald was about to leave, Gilderoy Lockhart stood up and asked loudly.

"Why must it be me, and is there any quality in me that deserves such attention from you and you?

"Good question, but that's what I'm curious about...... Hopefully, in a few months, you can give me the answer. ”

Grindelwald paused, glanced back at the blonde wizard, and said meaningfully.

Immediately after, it turned into a black shadow and dissipated into the air.

(End of chapter)