Ferdinand paused, his hand slightly shaking the teacup, causing ripples to form.
"Heir?" he repeated.
Then he recalled the wizard in the video who released that spell. Flow Mirror hadn't captured his face directly; from behind, he appeared to be a tall, thin young man.
Fiona slightly furrowed her brows and said with a hint of confusion, "Grindelwald is already over a hundred years old. Isn't it natural for him to have an heir?"
"To be precise, he's about one hundred and ten years old."
Moody squinted his normal eye into a slit, his expression solemn as he said,
"You don't understand, Madam Grey, for a wizard like Grindelwald, this age isn't considered old."
"Especially those Dark Wizards; they have their unspeakable ways to prolong their lives."
"Moreover... given his style, it's hard to imagine he would allow anyone to share his power."
"But..." Ferdinand hesitated, "That young man beside him..."
Such a position, such magic... it really looked like an entrance ceremony for an heir, arrogantly declaring their power to the world, announcing this person's existence.
Moody nodded slowly, "So... if Grindelwald truly has an heir, then he is not just a follower but has truly inherited Grindelwald's bloodline and ideology."
"But such a person... such a powerful person..."
Moody unconsciously tightened his grip on the steak knife, clenching his jaw as he said, "Yet we've never heard of him!"
The Magic World, although closed off and conservative to the Muggle World, has wizard families in Europe that intermarry and frequently communicate, often ignoring spatial distances. They are not shut off from each other's news.
A wizard with exceptional talent might grow powerful by diligently practicing magic for a dozen years within a secluded castle;
But an excellent heir needs not only talent and effort but also experience and tempering, learning to communicate and collaborate, establishing a good network, and developing decision-making and leadership abilities.
He cannot, like a fairy tale princess, grow perfectly locked away in an Ivory Tower.
But that so-called heir? Where did he study? Does he have friends? Who did he learn from? What are his hobbies?
Moody knows many people, including former Dark Wizards he captured and acquaintances he befriended, even among the current Witch Pure Party.
But after inquiring around, he obtained no additional information apart from a surname, as if that person dropped from the sky.
"—Braun. I asked everyone, and that's what they call him. But I don't even know if this surname is true or not."
Moody said with a heavy tone.
The Greys fell silent, feeling a chilling sensation creeping in.
The Witch Pure Party, Grindelwald, these were once terms buried in history. In the past year, although they began to stir again, they did not ignite war as they did decades ago; their actions focused on confronting Muggles who persecuted wizards.
Some say Grindelwald is repenting for his past crimes, and all he does now is atoning for himself;
Some call him the Guardian in the magic world's dark night;
Others say the once mightiest Dark Wizard recognized the world's transformations and the state of the Witch Pure Party, understanding the irresistible force, thus using this method to gain the recognition and acceptance of the Magic World.
In any case, the once domineering Witch Pure Party seemed to have mellowed out, and Grindelwald's dominance and ambition have been eroded by time, like an old Lion losing its former sharpness, posing no fear.
But now, knowing that he secretly raised such a person is like seeing an invisible, giant net slowly spreading, concealing deeper and more massive shadows in the depths of darkness, while the gradually encircled mosquitoes remain oblivious.
For a long time, they were immersed in these emotions, unable to speak.
After a while, Ferdinand spoke in a low voice, "If that's the case, could the Dark Wizards of the Cursed Forest... and the Dark Wizards of the Cursed Mascot... be the same person?"
His voice instinctively lowered, as if fearing to awaken something terrifying.
"It's very possible." Moody nodded, "We speculate—purely speculate—that the Dark Wizard could be another heir cultivated by Grindelwald, only he was the loser in the competition."
His gaze fell onto his plate, where he had cut a piece of beef pancake, leaving an irregular gap at the edge, slightly charred.
Moody sliced a large chunk with the knife, fingers tense, veins bulging on the back of his hand, as if exerting force against someone.
"They are playing a dangerous game," he said with intense loathing, "They are using the lives of innocents as stakes in an extremely dangerous, evil game."
He shoved the cut piece of meat into his mouth, chewing venomously.
Fiona's lips trembled slightly, "I thought... after watching Flow Mirror, I thought they were protecting the audience inside..."
"They are both protectors and attackers. Only those people show one side of themselves to the world."
Moody coldly remarked, "After fifty years, Grindelwald has grown more cunning; he no longer shouts and slays but learns how to deceive the masses."
Fiona twisted her fingers, instinctively glancing upstairs, then said, "In a week, Vid is returning to school... under this situation..."
Moody's stern expression finally softened a little, and he reassured,
"Don't worry, Madam Grey, Hogwarts remains the safest place in the United Kingdom. Not even Grindelwald's pup, nor Grindelwald himself, would dare easily set foot in Hogwarts."
Moody paused and added, "And I'll be at Hogwarts this year."
"Really?" The Greys exclaimed in surprise simultaneously.
"Dumbledore invited me to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, and I have agreed,"
Moody said, "Hogwarts will become the center of the Magic World, given the impending crisis. I can't stand by idly either... I'll keep an eye on Vid for you."
He put down the cutlery, earnestly saying, "I won't sugarcoat things for you, Ferdinand, Madam Grey; Hogwarts will be more dangerous than ever this year, but also safer than anywhere else."
"I will protect the children in the school, fighting until the last moment. Unless I die, your son will never be in mortal danger—I promise you!"