"Finished reading?" Dumbledore asked, turning back when he heard Wade stop flipping the pages.
"Hmm? Oh, yes…" Wade looked at the notebook thoughtfully.
"Are you a little disappointed? Neither I nor my friend directly solved your problem," Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Not at all. I was seeking guidance in the first place, not expecting immediate results. And now, I've already gained a great many valuable suggestions." Wade's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Heh, that's also my old friend's habit. Did you notice the address at the end? He only leaves his contact address for students he takes a liking to. When I first met him, it also began with an address like that," Dumbledore said with a gentle smile.
"This address…"
"You just need to send a letter there by owl. Even I don't know where he actually lives," Dumbledore shook his head.
"Then your friend… is he the legendary alchemist, Nicolas Flamel?" Wade asked.
"Oh? You've heard of him as well?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.
Wade sighed. "To be honest, anyone who studies alchemy would know his name. His standing in alchemy is like the name Dumbledore in the wizarding world."
"Ah… to be honest, I haven't blushed like this since Minerva praised my hat," Dumbledore said with a cheerful laugh.
"You deserve that praise, Professor," Wade said with a smile.
"Well, enough of that… it seems Nicolas has been a great help to you."
"Very much so, Professor." Wade's eyes were bright.
"In that case, you should correspond with him more often. In fact, Nicolas quite enjoys speaking with young people. He once told me that chatting with the young makes his aging mind feel young again," Dumbledore said happily.
Wade nodded. "I definitely will."
Being able to discuss alchemy with Nicolas Flamel was an excellent opportunity, and Wade intended to make full use of it.
Wade picked up a pocket watch beside him and glanced at it. "Oh, Tom should be entering the trial soon. I'd like to go and watch."
Hearing this, Dumbledore also stood up. "Yes, I was just thinking of going to take a look as well. After all, a second-year student attempting a seventh-year trial is something many would want to see."
"I believe that with his ability, passing the trial won't be a problem."
As he spoke, Wade picked up a coat and draped it over his shoulders.
"Little Tom, are you coming?" he asked.
Tom the cat shook his head, stretched lazily, and made it clear he intended to go back to sleep.
"Alright, I'm off then. Keep an eye on Sneak," Wade said.
Tom spread his paws as if to say, but I want to sleep.
"Just put it in the box. Don't take off the blindfold on its head yourself, or lying on the floor won't feel so pleasant," Wade said, fastening a small blindfold onto Sneak.
Tom nodded helplessly.
After that, Wade and Dumbledore left the Slytherin common room and headed toward the Forbidden Forest.
At this time, all the students in Hogwarts had already gone to the forest to take part in the trials.
Aside from a few scattered ghosts, there was not a single student left in the castle.
"I wonder if that old man has found any useful clues," Wade said as he watched the ghosts drifting past, thinking of that stubborn old wizard.
Seeing that Wade seemed somewhat concerned, Dumbledore said, "Even if he hasn't found anything, he won't be in danger. As a great wizard who established Hogwarts during that turbulent era, his abilities are not to be underestimated. I think you can have a little more faith in him."
"I thought so too, but it's been quite a while. According to our agreement, he should have come back to replenish his magic by now," Wade said with a sigh.
Hearing this, Dumbledore felt that Wade truly was a kind-hearted boy.
Even though Slytherin had once attacked him, he was still worried about him.
"Don't worry. Perhaps he has found some kind of lead and has been delayed because of it…"
"Alright…"
The two chatted idly as they walked, and soon reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
At this moment, many young wizards were laughing and playing within the forest.
In the past, they had never been allowed to enter the Forbidden Forest, but now they could at least openly wander around its outskirts.
Of course, these students laughing and playing were those who had not yet entered the trial.
As for those who had passed or been eliminated…
Wade and Dumbledore quickly spotted them.
At the medical stations outside the tents, many silent students sat there, their faces filled with doubt about life.
Because Grindelwald had adopted a softer approach, he had specially invited a number of healers from St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to set up medical points nearby.
"Are my trial stages a bit too difficult?" Wade could not help but ask.
"But no one has suffered any fatal injuries, have they?" Dumbledore replied with a sigh.
Due to Grindelwald's proper and well-structured arrangements, there was nothing he could do to stop him.
So the fact that Wade had already adjusted those dangerous trial stages into their current form was, in itself, quite an achievement.
"Heh…" A cold laugh came from nearby.
Wade and Dumbledore turned toward the sound and saw Grindelwald leaning against a large tree, watching them.
"And why is the Director laughing?" Wade asked with an innocent expression.
"Tsk, tsk…" Grindelwald clicked his tongue as he looked at him, then replied perfunctorily, "Nothing."
Only that old fool Dumbledore would believe Wade's harmless appearance and even smile at it with satisfaction…
If Wade were truly that kind, he would stand on his head and wash his hair.
No one understood better than Grindelwald just how ruthless and self-serving this little wolf cub was.
Forget it. Dumbledore would never believe him anyway, so there was no point in saying anything.
He would just wait and see what expression Dumbledore would have when he finally discovered Wade's true nature.
"Has my friend started his challenge?" Wade asked again.
"Oh, you mean your poor friend Tom? Yes… it's almost his turn. The poor boy, only in his second year, yet forced to challenge a seventh-year trial. Wade, Tom is truly fortunate to have a good friend like you," Grindelwald said in a mocking tone.
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes, Tom having a close friend like Wade is indeed a good thing…"
In his view, Tom, who had once been dark and twisted by nature, had become at least somewhat normal now, largely thanks to Wade. So even though Grindelwald's tone was clearly sarcastic, he still felt the last part of his words was true.
Grindelwald stared at Dumbledore in disbelief. I was mocking Wade, and you actually took it seriously?
Then he saw Wade standing behind Dumbledore, casting him a meaningful look.
Fine, fine. I'm done meddling. Dumbledore, when you suffer a great loss in the future, don't come looking for me.
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