On the eve of Christmas 1988, Dumbledore brought Adelaide bad news.
According to Dumbledore, her Great-Granduncle, whom she had never met—Gellert Grindelwald, the first Dark Lord who once terrified countless people and shook the foundations of the Wizarding World—had fallen gravely ill!
According to news from the Nurmengard prison doctor, Gellert's condition was extremely serious, even reaching a critical, life-threatening state.
As part of end-of-life care, the International Confederation of Wizards specially authorized Adelaide to visit Gellert Grindelwald in Nurmengard for the last time, led by Dumbledore.
Upon hearing this news, Adelaide couldn't help but turn pale with shock. H-how could this be!
In the original timeline, Gellert Grindelwald almost survived until the very end; even Dumbledore passed away before him. How could he be gravely ill and dying now?
All sorts of possibilities flashed through Adelaide's mind, the most likely of which was Lord Voldemort's upgraded Horcrux causing trouble.
But this seemed illogical—if he truly had that ability, why wouldn't he go after the savior, his arch-nemesis?
The Old Dark Lord had no direct conflict of interest with him.
Adelaide's heart suddenly constricted, and an ominous premonition surged into her mind.
Was there a possibility that the Horcrux had already instructed the remaining Death Eaters to strike at the savior, but Dumbledore was still unaware?
This idea might sound ridiculous, but considering Harry Potter's situation before he went to Hogwarts, it might actually be possible.
Adelaide looked at Dumbledore with a complicated expression. For all these years, one question remained unanswered in her mind: Why did Dumbledore choose to turn a blind eye to the bullying Harry suffered at his aunt's house and the school violence he encountered?
One must remember that the misfortunes Tom Riddle experienced during his childhood accounted for at least half the reason he transformed into the terrifying Lord Voldemort.
Now, Dumbledore only worried that Harry would lose himself due to public adoration, but wasn't he afraid that Harry might also become psychologically warped from long-term unfair treatment, ultimately walking the same path as Lord Voldemort and becoming the Third Generation Dark Lord?
Adelaide sighed. She genuinely couldn't put her mind at ease, as the Wizarding World was full of incompetent organizations.
Knowing that the savior would be born between the Potters and the Longbottoms, and knowing that Lord Voldemort would target them, why didn't they choose Dumbledore, the person Lord Voldemort feared most, to be the Secret-Keeper?
No one thoroughly investigated when Sirius was framed. The traitor Peter lived with the Weasley family, members of the Order of the Phoenix, for over ten years without anyone realizing he was an Animagus, and he even shared a dormitory with the savior for three years—speaking of which, after the Weasley Twins got the marauders map, weren't they curious why their little brother was sleeping in the same bed as a stranger named Peter?
The more Adelaide thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Since visiting Nurmengard required following a series of complicated and tedious procedures, she and Dumbledore wouldn't be able to leave until next week at the earliest, giving her a few days of free time.
She felt this time shouldn't be wasted; she needed to personally confirm the current status of the savior.
Adelaide scratched her head. She vaguely remembered that the savior's aunt's house was supposedly at Number 4, Privet Drive, in Surrey, and she could get there by train in less than an hour.
Action speaks louder than words. With her mind made up, Adelaide immediately fabricated an excuse, telling Edward that she was going to a classmate's house to finish homework, and then slipped out the door.
Her luck today was genuinely good; tickets were easy to buy, and she successfully arrived in Surrey before noon.
After asking for directions all the way to Privet Drive, Adelaide had just reached the intersection when she heard a high-pitched and grating scream. Immediately afterward, a Little boy wearing clearly ill-fitting clothes zoomed past her with a "swoosh~," sprinting away into the distance with all his might.
Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Adelaide clearly saw a lightning scar on the corner of his forehead and a pair of slightly worn glasses perched on his nose, bouncing up and down continuously with his running movements.
It seemed this was the legendary The Savior Harry Potter.
Following behind him were several bad boys who clearly meant no good. Each of them wore a menacing expression and continuously shouted various threats and curses as they relentlessly chased the savior.
It seemed she had stumbled upon the savior being routinely bullied by his cousin's gang.
What provided Adelaide with some comfort was that, apart from looking somewhat disheveled, the savior didn't seem to show any other abnormalities.
It seemed the Death Eaters had not yet made a move against the savior; her previous assumption was incorrect.
But if it wasn't related to the Horcrux, then what reason could have caused Gellert Grindelwald to fall gravely ill—
"What are you doing lurking around here?"
A cold, deep challenge came from behind Adelaide, instantly interrupting her train of thought.
Adelaide was puzzled. She was clearly standing openly at the street corner; how was she lurking?
Wait... the voice sounded like an adult male. Why would he talk to a girl who wasn't even ten years old?
In a flash, Adelaide adjusted her expression, entering her dramatic persona. She turned around in a panic, like a startled fawn.
What met her eyes was a tall, stern-faced middle-aged man. He was slightly bald on top and wore an ill-fitting large jacket and baggy old jeans. Something long and thin seemed to be hidden within the wide sleeves.
Relying on her knowledge of the Wizarding World, Adelaide instantly realized that the bald man most likely had a wand hidden in his sleeve!
Could the man be a Wizard sent by the Ministry of Magic to secretly protect the savior? If so, why did he call out to her?
Adelaide decided to test him.
Blinking her large, watery eyes, she pinched her voice and pleaded in an extremely pitiful and delicate tone, "Uncle, look at that Little boy over there, he's so miserable! Please, have mercy and go help him, won't you?"
The bald man scoffed, replying with evident impatience, "What does that have to do with me? Stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong and get lost!"
How strange. Harry Potter was the recognized savior of the entire Wizarding World, yet this fellow was coldly watching him being bullied, and judging by his expression, that indifference didn't seem to be feigned.
Adelaide raised an eyebrow. Something was definitely wrong with this guy!
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