Falsifying history is good business

Chapter 226 The Person Grindelwald Most Wants to Save

When Grindelwald talked about being able to resurrect a person, Lin You saw a strange light on his face; it was hard to describe what this light was, because it was not like the fanaticism of a devout believer, nor was it like the hysteria of a desperate person.

Even the spiritual power of the Ophiuchus universe could not accurately control the emotions of Grindelwald when he said these words; if it had to be said, this light was calm and rational, with a certain hope in exchange for sacrifice.

"You look like this now. I can't believe that you are Gellert Grindelwald. You are even crazier than Voldemort." Dumbledore was silent for a moment. "Although I know you are not that stupid, do you really believe the words of a demon?"

“If the authenticity can be verified, even if it comes from the devil’s mouth, it can still be believed, right?” Grindelwald rested his elbows on his thighs, as if this was the only way to maintain his balance while sitting.

"Have you verified that he can bring the dead back to life? Who did he resurrect, you?" Although his voice did not change much, everyone could hear that Dumbledore was suppressing his anger.

"Of course not; he just told me a name." Grindelwald suddenly said another name that Lin You was familiar with, "Evelyn O'Connor, a British professor of archaeology; she once died during an archaeological excavation, but was resurrected by a magical magic. O'Dimm told me this information and said that as long as I check it out, I will know that he is not lying."

Earl Goff calmly hid himself in the shadow of the wall, as if subconsciously wanting to stay away from the conversation between the two and this incident.

Neither of the two old wizards who were talking noticed the boy's action.

Dumbledore said decisively, "I will check it too. But what I want to know now is, did you believe O'Dimm's words after your investigation and then send people to look for the Spear of Longinus? Is that holy spear related to your plan?"

He didn't even question how Grindelwald passed the message to the "Saints" members; because this was not a problem for the first generation of the Dark Lord. After all, no contract can bind a person in every detail, not to mention that the person bound is Grindelwald.

"Yes, O'Dimm knew that I wanted to resurrect someone, so he gave me a plan..." Grindelwald hesitated, "Forget it, since you have discovered it, this doomed plan is not important anymore."

Dumbledore did not intend to give up the pursuit. He asked: "Who do you want to resurrect? Comrades, enemies, relatives, friends; in the first half of your life, countless people around you lost their lives. Which one is worth making a deal with the devil to resurrect?"

This question made the former Dark Lord fall into deep memories. For a man who conquered almost the entire European wizarding world by force, his path must have been paved with blood; the deaths he witnessed, heard, and created were countless. Who would be worth the trouble for him in his old age?

After a long moment, Grindelwald spoke again.

"My comrades...when they decided to follow in my footsteps, they knew what risks and sacrifices they would have to take in their future; we all knew that not everyone would live to see the final outcome. So, I feel sad for the passing of each comrade, but I will not regret it all my life."

The hoarse and blurred voice now sounded sonorous and powerful, and the glory of the past seemed to have returned to the former ruler of the European magic world in an instant.

"As for my enemies and even the many innocent victims, I feel sorry for their deaths. However, killing them was a choice I made after careful consideration; I am willing to bear these sins until the end of my life, but I will not regret it."

At this point, Grindelwald's voice became much lower, and then he even lowered his head, as if every word that followed was as heavy as a mountain or a rock, weighing down his body and making it impossible for him to raise his head.

"But there is one person whose death was neither the sacrifice we once thought was right nor the inevitable disaster after careful consideration; her death was simply due to a meaningless conflict, a meaningless quarrel... a tragedy that should never have happened."

Not only Grindelwald lowered his head, but also Dumbledore; the old wizard's body swayed slightly, and his back was obviously hunched.

From Lin You's perspective, he could see crystal light sliding down the sides of the crooked nose.

"Ariana... You want to revive Ariana." Dumbledore first muttered to himself, and then quickly woke up, "Do you really have a way? Does that O'Dimm really have a way?"

Grindelwald kept his head down and said nothing. Dumbledore rushed to the bedside, but suddenly stopped, panicked and retreated, and asked cautiously, "Is there really a way?"

Does the greatest white wizard of the century want to save his sister?

Of course he did, more than anyone else! Ariana's death was the greatest pain in Dumbledore's life, like a knife or an axe, leaving an indelible scar in his heart. Otherwise, he would not have lost his mind the moment he saw the Resurrection Stone and fell into the death trap carefully designed by Voldemort.

So, when he suddenly heard that there was a way to resurrect Ariana, Dumbledore panicked and was terrified; he was no longer afraid of the devil, but that the devil's method would not work. He was even more afraid that because of his actions, the resurrection plan that had a chance to be realized would fail.

"It's very complicated and difficult." Grindelwald's voice came from under his lowered head, "First, you have to send Ariana's soul to the Egyptian underworld. Then, you have to find an ancient Egyptian Black Book of the Dead and use the magic on it to reverse the boundary between life and death and let her soul be reborn. Of course, you have to prepare a body in advance to accommodate the returning soul."

Dumbledore was skeptical: "I have never heard of such a magical ceremony."

"Yes, every step here is difficult." Grindelwald said, "Just the first step is to summon a great devil from hell; because only a great devil can accurately retrieve Ariana's soul from hell."

"Is this why you seek the Spear of Longinus?"

"Yes. Ordinary sacrifices cannot summon the Great Devil." Grindelwald finally raised his head. "In addition to the Holy Lance, I also asked the 'Saints' to help me find those dark wizards who have the strength and experience to deal with the devil. Unfortunately, there is no result yet."

"John Constantine?" Dumbledore's mind seemed to flash with lightning, and he said the name of a certain Hell's detective.

"He is indeed on the list. He was even one of the candidates that Odimm offered to me." Grindelwald looked surprised. "How did you think of him?"

"Because it was he who stopped the Saints from attacking Muggle archaeologists, and it was he who reported the Saints' actions to me and the Ministry of Magic. But Constantine himself doesn't seem to know the reason why you are looking for the Spear of Longinus."

"No, that's not right! There must be a conspiracy here, Albus." As the former Dark Lord, Grindelwald made a judgment almost instantly, "I don't know who it is aimed at, it could be Constantine, or it could be you..."

Dumbledore said resolutely: "Of course; so I must investigate it too!"

Grindelwald was stunned for a long time, and even loosened his grip on Dumbledore's hand. As his best friend, he couldn't help but understand his thoughts; the so-called investigation was not only about the conspiracy, but also about whether the resurrection method was effective.

Yes, when the opportunity to save Ariana was presented, no matter how great the risk was, it would not stop Dumbledore from trying.

Therefore, the former Dark Lord did not try to dissuade his friend, but reminded him seriously: "If that O'Dimm comes to you and asks you for a deal, you must remember to tell him that Grindelwald has already paid for this deal, and there is no reason for him to get additional benefits with the same contract."

Dumbledore frowned. "What did you pay the devil?"

"What else could it be? Didn't we all hear similar things in bedtime stories when we were children?"

What the devil wants most, of course, is the human soul.

Grindelwald smiled and said, "Isn't it worthwhile to exchange a sinful soul for a pure and innocent soul?"

Lin You saw clearly that Grindelwald was laughing when he said this, but Dumbledore was crying; however, both the smile and the tears were mostly obscured by the shadow of the cell.

Although he said he wanted to save Ariana's soul, in fact, there was only one soul that Grindelwald really wanted to save - Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

The soul that constantly struggles with the remorse of hurting its loved ones and longs for wool socks all its life.

(End of this chapter)