Are young wizards these days really this bold!

That is truly a statement shocking enough to wake the dead.

Kraft was so startled his eyes widened.

"You... what did you say!?"

He felt as though his ears might be suffering from some outrageous auditory hallucination due to his advanced age.

"He said he wants to be a Dark Lord."

Aurora recalled her conversation with Ian, lost in thought. Then, she added, "Oh, and he also wants to go to Nurmengard to study under my grandfather, saying it would help him graduate."

Aurora felt her summary was quite precise—concise and clear. After speaking, she returned to reading her notes. From start to finish, the German girl’s tone remained remarkably calm, as if she were discussing mundane daily trivialities.

However, Kraft’s emotions were clearly not as stable as hers.

"?????"

Kraft was utterly dumbfounded. He didn't know much about Hogwarts, but even so, he didn't believe the difficulty of graduating from Hogwarts reached a level requiring one to seek advanced studies from Grindelwald at Nurmengard.

And furthermore! What was this about wanting to be a Dark Lord!? Were the young wizards these days really this audacious?

"Dumbledore’s school has produced yet another ambitious soul! Hahahaha! The world’s greatest white wizard? This is truly ridiculous and ironic!"

After the initial shock passed, Kraft began to laugh wildly. He did not doubt the truthfulness of Aurora's words. After all, this was exactly the kind of situation he and many other Acolytes longed to see—Dumbledore had cultivated Voldemort, and now, another boy who aspired to be a Dark Lord had emerged from his school.

Could there be anything that pleased the Acolytes more? No! To them, this was the ultimate proof of Dumbledore's extreme hypocrisy. If not, why would Dumbledore’s school give birth to one anomaly after another?

"Very good, very good. I underestimated that little fellow’s arrogance, but this is not a bad thing for us. You could certainly try to win him over with some small favors."

"I have observed him; his magical talent is quite decent."

Kraft laughed so hard he became breathless. As he sat down in an old rocking chair to rest, he offered his advice earnestly. His clouded eyes were filled with a sense of excitement... and anticipation. Any opportunity to smear Dumbledore was something they, the Acolytes, would gladly add fuel to.

"Buying his loyalty? My grandfather taught me that, so I gave him a book." Aurora paused for a moment before adding, "My own book."

The girl emphasized this, likely so Kraft wouldn't think she had given him a book from a bookstore. However, Kraft didn't care about such details. He only cared that Aurora had already attempted to win someone's favor.

"Excellent! To be able to apply what you have learned is a form of growth!" Kraft clapped his hands happily. "For children of your age, it is not difficult to win their hearts. I believe you have already gained your first follower."

Kraft had great confidence in Aurora. It wasn't just because she had inherited that great talent; it was also because he knew her striking beauty and appearance would hold a "moonlight" level of attraction for most young boys her age. This, too, was an advantage that could be exploited.

Kraft looked at the young girl before him with high expectations and praise. However, Aurora shook her head at him.

"I don’t think a book is enough to make someone pledge their loyalty to me." Aurora looked very clear-headed. She closed the notebook in her hand and placed it in the drawer.

"Of course, of course. This can just be the beginning." Kraft remained all smiles.

"Perhaps the method of winning hearts works on many other young wizards, but Ian Prince is likely an exception. He is very different from them." Aurora spoke calmly, her young yet exquisitely delicate face filled with seriousness.

"He is your first friend. Is that why he is particularly special to you?" Kraft squinted, his gaze becoming guarded once more. He had been so focused on the lethal impact of Aurora's beauty on young boys that he had almost forgotten the young wizard was also exceptionally handsome.

"I know what you are thinking, but it is not what you believe." Aurora shook her head helplessly. "It is true, as the first person who dared to befriend me, I have some curiosity and interest in him, but that is definitely not why I consider Ian Prince special." Her heterochromatic eyes held a calm that seemed beyond her years.

"Oh?" Kraft looked puzzled.

"You have taught me many things. Therefore, even though the contact was brief, I can still make a judgment. He is not the type of person to have faith... He will not become one of you." Aurora stated it simply.

Kraft, however, did not agree. "That is because you have not yet established faith within his heart... Miss, do not overestimate the character of others. All that talk about becoming a Dark Lord and learning from Lord Grindelwald is merely the ignorant arrogance and grandiose delusion of a child his age."

"As he grows older, as he discovers his own frailty and realizes his own mediocrity... if he is smart enough, he will learn to lean on the strong around him." Kraft lectured with deep meaning.

However, Aurora shook her head firmly again.

"You are wrong." She closed her eyes for a moment. "He will not understand mediocrity, nor will he understand leaning on the strong, because... perhaps he truly will become a Dark Lord."

Aurora opened her eyes again and turned her head toward the doorway. She seemed to be transported back to the daytime, back to when the little boy walked in and looked around before she discovered him.

"I have seen him." This time, she wasn't speaking to Ian, but explaining to Kraft.

"Ah?" Kraft was confused.

"Not during the day, but back in Diagon Alley. Before I had even entered that shop... in fact, I had already seen some things." Aurora spoke softly.

Kraft immediately realized what she meant.

"You mean to say, what you saw was...!?" Kraft’s voice became filled with shock and uncertainty. He stared fixedly at Aurora.

Aurora nodded slowly. "My talent is not as powerful as my grandfather's, but occasionally, I can glimpse a corner of the future... I saw him, saw fragments of his future."

Aurora spoke in a low voice.

"You saw him become the Dark Lord?" Kraft's voice was trembling. He seemed to have heard something unbelievable, something he did not want to accept, yet felt forced to acknowledge.

"No."

Aurora’s shake of the head left Kraft with a look of incomprehension.

"Being a riddle-maker is not a good habit. Do not learn from your grandfather, or that damned Dumbledore..." Kraft sighed helplessly.

In truth, Aurora had no intention of beating around the bush. Her thoughts seemed to be tracing back as she whispered, "I saw him standing before a tower, holding his wand high, casting a spell."

The German girl looked at the deeply perplexed Kraft with those legendary mismatched eyes. As the old man and the young girl locked gazes, the words Aurora whispered were like a raging storm.

"There was mist blocking my vision, but there was one thing I saw very clearly, and that is..."

"Dumbledore was kneeling at his feet, weeping."