"That sounds… a little too careless, doesn't it?"
Avada still found it hard to believe.
"If it's really that easy to get in, then aren't they worried that people might climb into Nurmengard for all sorts of bizarre or pointless reasons? And if I remember correctly, Grindelwald also possesses a vast amount of high-level knowledge. Surely there would be people who wanted to go there and apprentice under him, or something like that…"
"That is precisely why its location is concealed, the structure is reinforced, and a very tall wall was built around it—those are all meant to prevent the kinds of situations you just mentioned."
Goshawk still seemed patient enough to keep explaining.
"For us, it's one thing, but within wizarding society, Nurmengard's location is a top-level secret. Only a handful of extremely special positions are qualified to know it. Even former Headmaster Nobby Leach only managed to contact Grindelwald in secret after becoming Minister for Magic…"
"And the name Grindelwald itself was the shadow that hung over an entire era. Most people are too busy being terrified of him. Why would they ever go looking for him of their own accord?"
"…That's true."
Seeing that Goshawk did not seem inclined to continue speaking for the moment, Avada raised another question.
"But I still have one question. If all I'm doing is making a trip to Nurmengard and meeting Grindelwald, it shouldn't take too much time, should it? Even if there's something extremely complicated that requires a long conversation, at most it would only take a day or two…"
"So why are you telling me not to take part in all of the upcoming plans?"
"The execution of those plans won't begin for at least a week, maybe even months. There shouldn't be any time conflict between those and my going to see Grindelwald, should there?"
"This matter is not as simple as you imagine."
Goshawk shook her head.
"Grindelwald almost never interferes in the university's operations, and whenever he personally asks to meet someone, it is only ever because of something of immense importance. All the more so when the person he wishes to meet is you—someone he has never met before, and whose status within the school is, on the surface, entirely unremarkable."
"Don't forget—he is a Seer."
"You mean that my conversation with him is very likely to affect my fate for quite a long time to come, or that he may assign me some special secret mission?"
"You could understand it that way."
"…Alright. I understand."
Avada nodded, indicating that he had no further questions.
"In that case, when would it be convenient for you to go to Nurmengard? Assuming you don't have to worry about class arrangements."
Goshawk leaned back slightly in her chair as she asked.
"If the sooner the better… then tomorrow."
"Tomorrow… very well. After breakfast tomorrow, Professor Baker will take you to Nurmengard. But I recommend that you bring some food and water. It's hard to say how long you may end up staying in that tower."
…
Even after leaving Goshawk's office, Avada still felt a little dazed.
Fortunately, things on the cave side were finished early, so I can focus entirely on dealing with Grindelwald without splitting my attention any further.
Two days earlier, the seven people inside the Horcrux cave had already successfully developed a stable method of reaching the island in the middle of the lake.
And in the end, the key to solving the problem had turned out to be unexpectedly simple: the chain that had hauled the boat ashore.
That chain was long enough to stretch directly from the shore to the island in the middle of the lake. And because it was connected to the boat itself, part of its magical properties were the same as the boat's—for example, it would not disturb the Inferi in the lake…
Most importantly, it had no restriction whatsoever when it came to spiritual capacity.
So in the end, the seven of them used the boat to drag one end of the chain onto the island, then built a sturdy, broad bridge on top of it, while the boat was left moored beside it as an emergency backup.
The whole process took less than two days. Even Dumbledore had been surprised by both their efficiency and their method. In Dumbledore's original expectations, the chances of them even discovering the hidden boat had been quite low, and even he himself had never imagined the outrageous trick of turning that chain into a bridge…
At long last, they had finally earned more than a week of holiday, and were now waiting in eager anticipation for the formal start of the experiment.
As for the reports regarding the Inferi, they were still being prepared and had not yet been published in the papers, though it would probably happen within a day or two. When that time came, wizarding society would no doubt once again be horrified by Voldemort's atrocities—another favorable step for both Dumbledore and Nobby Leach University.
But Avada no longer had the mind to think about any of that now.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Nurmengard to meet Grindelwald?
Grindelwald… Grindelwald…
"Hah. This is ridiculous. I'm actually nervous about going to see Grindelwald. I can meet Dumbledore—who used to be at least his equal, and far stronger than him on top of that—every day, and I can even joke around with him sometimes…"
"And this time, it's not even my real body that's meeting Grindelwald. Even if he blows this body to pieces on the spot, it wouldn't really matter."
"But then again, he's been aged, imprisoned, and cut off from magic for a full fifty years now. I wonder how much of his strength he still has left?"
"Forget it. There's no real point thinking about that. Grindelwald was never truly terrifying because of personal strength alone…"
Fortunately, the steady growth of his spiritual power meant that even going without sleep for a day or two would no longer do him much harm, while his precise control over his own stamina allowed him to fall asleep quickly whenever he needed to. He was no longer like he had been a few years ago, worrying himself sleepless over every little thing…
That night, he actually slept rather well.
And so, early the next morning, he found Professor Baker waiting for him in the dining hall.
"Ready?"
Professor Baker asked.
Avada was not sure if it was just his imagination, but the look in Baker's eyes seemed a little strange…
No, it was not his imagination at all. He could directly see Professor Baker's spiritual power, and what it displayed at the moment was a tangle of complicated emotions.
Fair enough. If it were me, and I discovered that a student who once knew one of my secrets had suddenly grown strong enough to qualify for a direct conversation with my superior, my emotions would probably be indescribably complicated too…
"I'm ready, Professor."
Avada nodded.
"Then let's go."
Professor Baker led him to the same great hall where he had first entered Nobby Leach University, then stopped before a dark wooden door and took out his key.
"This key of mine carries a special authorization. Through this door, it can take us directly to a location near Nurmengard. You should remember that place—it may be useful for Apparating there in the future."
"I have a feeling this won't be the only time in your life you go to Nurmengard."
With that, he lightly traced a few marks across the key with his finger. Once the key seemed to have become somewhat dimmer and duller, he inserted it into the lock of the wooden door and gave it a gentle twist.
The door opened.
Beyond it lay a gloomy forest choked with weeds, with patches of unmelted snow still lingering on the ground.
And farther in the distance, one could just make out a towering, majestic spire.
(End of Chapter)