MWM Chapter 185

“Apart from a few Muggles, most are actually kind-hearted. Many wizards’ parents are Muggles. If we follow Grindelwald’s plan to kill or enslave Muggles, it won’t just lead to a war between Muggles and wizards; it will also drive many Muggle-born wizards to side with the Muggles.

The final outcome would be far from what Grindelwald imagines. Instead, it would result in a shattered wizarding world, with countless Muggles and wizards dying in the conflict. That’s why, no matter what, we must find a way to stop Grindelwald.”

After finishing his story, Dumbledore sighed heavily.

Aside from pure-blood and half-blood wizards, a significant portion of the wizarding world consists of wizards whose parents are ordinary Muggles. Furthermore, Muggles aren’t as weak as wizards might think.

In recent years, the wizarding world has evolved. Unlike in the Middle Ages, when many wizards were uneducated and only knew a handful of spells—making them easy prey for groups of Muggles—today’s wizards, assuming they graduate normally, are proficient in numerous spells. Most magic is available for purchase in bookstores, and the average wizard’s skill level is far beyond that of the Middle Ages.

But Muggle society has progressed as well. Their inventions—guns, bombs, and various advanced technologies—can just as easily kill careless wizards. 

That’s why, despite his disagreements with some Ministry of Magic policies, Dumbledore ultimately chose to align with them to find a way to defeat Grindelwald and prevent his extreme ideologies from taking hold.

“Professor, your thoughts align with mine. However, Grindelwald is incredibly powerful, and without your help, we can’t do much. The battle in New York was largely due to luck. Grindelwald wasn’t defeated by the three of us; he merely chose not to tarnish his own reputation. 

After returning, I closed my shop and dedicated myself to studying magic, hoping that next time we face him, I’ll be more useful,” Leo nodded, showing his agreement.

Dumbledore smiled at Leo and said, “I heard from Newt that your physical strength is exceptional, but your magical abilities could use some improvement. If you’re free in the evenings or on weekends, you could come here. I could offer you some guidance on your magic.”

Dumbledore had learned some details of the New York battle from Newt and knew that while Leo’s magical skills were not particularly strong, his physical capabilities were impressive, and he had a natural talent for combat.

After today’s conversation, Dumbledore confirmed that Leo was on his side, so he didn’t mind offering some personal guidance to improve his magical abilities. 

After all, according to his intelligence, Grindelwald was once again making moves in France, likely planning a rally soon to incite wizards to join his new faction. The stronger Leo became, the better it would be for him and Newt to prevent the situation from worsening.

“A personal lesson from the professor? That would be an honor!” Leo maintained a calm exterior, but inwardly he was thrilled. 

He had meticulously laid the groundwork—fighting Grindelwald in New York, adopting Credence, sharing similar ideologies with Newt, and today’s meeting—all to earn Dumbledore’s trust.

“By the way, I heard from Newt that you’ve adopted a child,” Dumbledore said casually as the meeting neared its end.

Leo nodded, “I’ve adopted two. The older one is named Credence, and the younger one is Tom Riddle. Which one are you referring to, Professor?”

“Two?” Dumbledore was momentarily taken aback by Leo’s response. No wonder Newt’s letters always mentioned his good heart; it seems adopting Credence was just a coincidence.

“I’m asking about Credence. Have you noticed anything unusual about his body?” Dumbledore inquired.

“Unusual? Well, there was something, but I’ve already taken care of it,” Leo replied after a moment’s thought.

Dumbledore paused, surprised, “What do you mean, you’ve taken care of it?”

If he wasn’t mistaken, Credence was an Obscurial, something even Dumbledore couldn’t fix. For Leo to claim he’d resolved it was astonishing.

Feigning confusion, Leo looked at Dumbledore, “Professor, you seem quite concerned about Credence?”

“Well… he might have some connection to our family, although that isn’t confirmed yet. Also, he might be an Obscurial,” Dumbledore hesitated for a moment before deciding to be upfront.

“What? An Obscurial? That’s impossible. At Credence’s age, if he were an Obscurial, he should have died long ago,” Newt interjected, speaking up for the first time in surprise.

As a top magical creature expert, Newt was undoubtedly familiar with Obscurials. He had even encountered one in Africa while searching for magical creatures. The girl he met was only eight years old and would have died from the Obscurial’s overwhelming magic if he hadn’t intervened. 

He had attempted to separate the Obscurial from the girl, but sadly, he failed, and she died. The Obscurial, left with only its instincts, was placed in his case. When Leo first adopted Credence, Newt had similar suspicions but dismissed them due to Credence’s age.

“An Obscurial, you say? I had no idea. I only noticed that his magical energy was unstable. So I used a special spell I discovered while searching for herbs in the Albanian forest to stabilize his magic,” Leo said, feigning a sudden realization.

“We aren’t certain yet. But if you could, perhaps you could bring him next time you visit, so I can have a look,” Dumbledore suggested, glancing briefly at his brother wiping glasses behind the bar.

Whether Credence was truly his nephew was still under investigation, involving some of the Lestrange family’s history, but it was likely.

“Of course, I’ll bring him over tomorrow,” Leo agreed without hesitation.

He had anticipated that Dumbledore might know about Credence’s potential identity, and this was all part of his plan.

He adopted Credence not just for his talent but also because he was Dumbledore’s nephew, which could further cement his trust with Dumbledore.

As for the Four Symbols Seal, it was a jutsu he performed using chakra, entirely different from any magical system. Even with all his abilities, Dumbledore wouldn’t be able to decipher it.

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