It took over ten days, from the end of 1991 to the beginning of 1992, before Dumbledore finally decided to ask Roger that question.
Dumbledore wasn't usually indecisive; on the contrary, he was remarkably decisive in many matters.
But this time was different.
Just as Grindelwald refused to share future information because he couldn't bear to see Dumbledore fall into the abyss, so too...
Grindelwald held significant weight in Dumbledore's heart.
The question he was about to ask could greatly impact Grindelwald's future, and potentially the entire world.
It was a question as important as the global nuclear war button or the life and death of a loved one, and Dumbledore couldn't afford to be anything but cautious.
"I don't need to introduce Grindelwald to you, do I?"
"No need." Roger shook his head. He had heard some things about Grindelwald in his previous life and had investigated some in this one, so he considered himself knowledgeable.
Seeing that he didn't need to recount the past, Dumbledore got straight to the point, relaying what Grindelwald had asked him to tell Roger.
"Do I want him to come out?" Roger was taken aback by the question.
Knowing Grindelwald's identity as a Seer, Roger's first thought wasn't whether he wanted him to or not.
Instead, he wondered if this question was some kind of 'Seer's riddle.'
After a few moments of thought, finding no hidden meaning, Roger stated his true feelings: "That's Grindelwald's own business. Why ask me? As long as he doesn't make me his enemy, I generally don't meddle in other people's affairs."
Back in the Middle East, although Roger had impersonated a Seer, it was the 'followers' who had protected him when he was weak. He had stayed and fought alongside them through the entire Gulf War at great personal risk to repay their kindness.
Grindelwald, however, had no connection to him, and Roger didn't care what choice he made.
As for Grindelwald's relationship with Dumbledore, there was a saying: a friend of my friend isn't necessarily my friend.
Regarding the potential impact if Grindelwald were to emerge, Roger never feared the unknown; he dealt with things as they came. If he were afraid of the unknown, he wouldn't have set Harry on the path of time magic and shattered the original course of destiny with his own hands.
"Is that so... I understand." Roger's answer was not unexpected by Dumbledore.
Roger was a person who rarely concealed his true feelings. Everyone at Hogwarts who paid attention to Roger understood his nature.
The key point of this question wasn't how Roger answered, but that Roger had answered.
Looking at Roger's calm eyes, Dumbledore, who had been planning to travel to Austria again to see Grindelwald, suddenly had a change of heart.
"Speaking of which, when I last saw Grindelwald, he told me some things about the future."
"Oh? What future?" Roger asked with interest.
While Roger could foresee other futures besides impending danger, his ability was only on par with Sybill Trelawney, the Divination professor – a half-baked skill he rarely used.
"He said not to let Voldemort get the diary."
"Do you know what diary it is?" Dumbledore asked casually.
"The diary..." In an instant, Roger pieced together the cause and effect.
"It should be Voldemort's first Horcrux."
The moment Roger finished speaking, Dumbledore's hand involuntarily clenched slightly.
Skill was relative.
Having experienced one riddle, Dumbledore had a deeper appreciation for how valuable a Seer who didn't speak in riddles was! After answering, Roger retorted, "Headmaster Dumbledore, what do you think? Do you want to stop Voldemort?"
"What would be the consequences if Voldemort obtained his first Horcrux?" Dumbledore didn't directly answer Roger's question but posed another.
With a Seer who answered every question before him, Dumbledore naturally wanted more information.
He didn't want to make a decision blindly.
When given a choice, one should always choose the optimal path.
"I don't know what might happen in the future. The future isn't set in stone, so I won't make definitive statements."
"However, Voldemort's mind is currently heavily corrupted by Dark Magic. His choices are prone to extremes and emotional reactions, much like a drunkard."
"Voldemort once told me that to prevent his mind from decaying, he inscribed his mental state onto his Horcruxes. If he obtains the first Horcrux... we might not be facing a half-mad Voldemort, but the original Tom Riddle from your memory."
Roger uttered Voldemort's true name from before he became Voldemort.
If his Three-Dimensional Theory were published, Roger believed that Tom, in his youth, could have gone much further down this path than Voldemort did.
He just didn't know if Voldemort would make that choice.
After all, just as the current you and the 17-year-old you are both you, would you be willing to give up your current consciousness and let your 17-year-old self control everything about you?
It was destined to be a difficult choice.
The classic question of the Ship of Theseus – 'am I still me?' – was not easy to answer.
"I see." Although Dumbledore knew about Horcruxes, given his nature, he clearly wouldn't delve deeply into such matters.
He knew far less about the specifics of Voldemort's Horcruxes than Roger did.
After getting the answer he wanted, Dumbledore pondered for a moment, then said, "I want to stop him. Are you willing to help me, Roger?"
Dumbledore respected Roger's wishes and wouldn't force him to help; if Roger refused, Dumbledore would find another way.
"It's not impossible, but I only know that the diary Horcrux should be in Lucius Malfoy's possession. As for where he's hidden it, or if he's willing to hand it over..."
Before Roger could finish speaking, Dumbledore interrupted, "Knowing who has it is enough."
How could Dumbledore possibly choose to have a young wizard follow him to do dirty work?
Even though Roger's image in his eyes was no longer closely associated with the word 'child,' he was still a child, after all.
All Dumbledore wanted was Roger's intelligence support.
Roger had killed many people, but Dumbledore could tell that he was someone who disliked violent conflict.
During battles, he would usually choose to display his power as much as possible, making the opponent give up the idea of fighting, ending the confrontation without a fight.
Roger rarely chose to act for the sake of showing off, unless he encountered troublemakers like Slytherin and Gryffindor, who wouldn't be afraid unless they were hurt.
"Are you going to find Lucius now?" Roger asked Dumbledore, who had finished speaking and turned to leave.
"Yes."
"Take me with you. With me there, Lucius should understand what to do."
Although Roger had already begun researching the path to 'immortality' and was curious about Voldemort's mind-inscription technique, he also knew that Dumbledore would not let him come into contact with the Horcruxes.
Therefore, Roger wasn't there for the Diary Horcrux, but purely to help provide backup.
The greatest wizard of the century in Britain, bringing a powerful Seer, to ask you if you're hiding stolen goods... Lucius Malfoy shouldn't be so foolish as to resist or lie, right?
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