[118] Gold and Bone

Hall walked toward Nurmengard. The path wound through the trees deep in the Forbidden Forest. The surrounding trees stood silently like guards under the overcast sky. His footsteps rustled on the fallen leaves.

When he reached the castle, Hall pushed open the door. The hinges creaked softly. Grindelwald was writing something in the study. The room was dimly lit. His desk sat by the window, and he was completely shrouded in shadow.

Hall raised his hand to knock.

"Come in, my child."

Hall entered cautiously. Grindelwald hadn't put down his pen. He added a few strokes, the nib hovering over the paper.

"Finally deigned to visit this poor old man!" Grindelwald placed the pen on the shelf and rubbed his eyes.

"Teacher." Hall felt guilty. He had cancelled several evening sessions recently.

"I know I've been slacking off lately. There's been so much to do. I promise I'll work twice as hard from now on."

Grindelwald chuckled. "Hmph, you little brat. Your excuses get better and better. But I doubt you'll keep slacking off forever. Your participation in the tournament with Potter was orchestrated by that person."

"The headmaster thinks I should deal with him directly instead of torturing him. But he attacked me first." A cold glint flashed in Hall's eyes.

"Ha. If it were me, he'd be dead beyond any doubt," Grindelwald muttered. "Unless he ran into Albus."

That was Hall's thought as well. The Dark Lord was preparing to reshape his body and return. They had to strike first.

Grindelwald coughed a few times. Even with the rain outside, Hall heard it. "Teacher, have you taken your medicine properly?"

Grindelwald waved impatiently. "Don't worry about trivial things. I know my own body. Let's talk about the next plan."

Hall waved his wand, casting a detection spell.

"Oh, you're not going to take advantage of this poor old man again, are you..." Grindelwald clutched his chest theatrically.

"You can clearly recover to your best condition." Hall took out a newly brewed potion and placed it on the table. "Old man, don't try anything funny. I've put a charm on the bottle. You can't spill it, and don't even think about hiding it. I'll be watching you take it."

"Alright, alright. I'm getting old."

Hall was about to respond when the negative feeling returned. It irritated him inexplicably. His face darkened. "That's right. I don't need to care about any of this, do I?"

The next moment, he jolted awake. Something was wrong. He extended his consciousness outward. Something had appeared in the Forbidden Forest — clumps of black mist, cold and sinister. The moment his senses touched it, a chill ran down his spine.

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"Teacher, there's something in the Forbidden Forest." Hall's voice was low, his hand tightening on his wand.

Grindelwald noticed his unusual behaviour. He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed toward the forest. "Looks like we're in trouble."

Hall snapped back. His voice came out hoarse. "Teacher... are you cold?"

"What?" Grindelwald raised an eyebrow. He waved his hand, summoning a fire. The fireplace crackled, brightening the room. Hall finally felt warmth, but the unease remained.

"Are you... cold?" Hall repeated. This coldness wasn't physical. It felt like a void in the soul, imposed upon the mental world. Utterly awful.

Grindelwald finally understood. He threw his head back and burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face. "Are you scared? Ever since I met you, you've acted like a shrewd old fox, confident of victory. I've never seen you so dishevelled."

A smug smile crept across Grindelwald's face. "Alright, Hall. I'll take my medicine on time. Your training sessions resume tonight. See you then." He waved his hand, shooing Hall away.

Hall cast several rain-proof charms on his robes and stepped into the downpour. When he stepped out of Nurmengard's magical boundary and looked back, the entire castle had vanished into thin air.

Hall walked until he stopped abruptly beside a towering tree. He turned his head slightly and said to the empty air, "Don't bother hiding. I know you're there."

He had realised he was being followed. This person had tailed him all the way, even patiently waiting for him to emerge from the magical boundary. To the follower, Hall had simply disappeared into thin air. He had hoped they would leave on their own. But no — the stubborn stalker clung to him like a persistent fly.

No response. The surroundings were too quiet, as if Hall were the one mistaken.

He closed his eyes and sighed. The follower didn't know Hall could hear his thoughts.

"How did he find me? I used my illusion magic perfectly. I was careful. This is unbelievable — I didn't make a sound. This is one of my most proficient spells. How did he see through it? No, I can't expose myself. Maybe he's bluffing."

The thoughts flooded in the instant Hall opened his mind. A cacophony of noise sent a sharp pain through his skull. But the source was unmistakable. He knew that voice.

"Krum. Come out."

No reaction. Hall slowly drew his wand and pointed it in a direction, a faint glow emanating from the tip. He took a small step forward.

A rustling sound came from a thicket of bushes. The bushes parted, but nothing was visible. Hall knew Krum had emerged. "Do you need me to help you show yourself?"

The moment he finished speaking, a figure materialised out of thin air. He was wrapped in a raincoat, a large hood pulled up, obscuring most of his face. Only his eyes were visible, a hint of wariness flickering in them.

"Alright. I know you're very capable, Hall. Trust me, I really mean no harm."

"No bad person wears those words on their sleeve." Hall's voice was cold. "Why were you following me?"

"I saw you enter the Forbidden Forest. Isn't your behaviour suspicious?" Krum's brow furrowed.

"That's no reason to follow me."

"Is that so? You said you didn't want to participate, then put your name in anyway. Do you remember the rules? No help from professors. But I saw you call Professor Black over and talk for a long time by the edge of the woods. After you parted, you went deeper into the Forbidden Forest." Krum's voice grew louder. "I suspect you're cheating!"

Hall found it ridiculous. Because what Krum was thinking was: "The trap has been set. Why did he stop here..."

A trap?

"So you followed me to see if Professor Black helped me cheat?" Hall's smile was as fake as a mask.

"Yes, and I'm going to expose you!" Krum grabbed Hall's arm, trying to drag him in a certain direction.

Hall was strong, but Krum's sudden pull caught him off guard. He was dragged a short distance. Anger surged through him. He retaliated swiftly, gripping Krum's wrist like iron clamps. Krum's face contorted in pain, forcing him to release his hold.

"You have to come with me to see the headmasters!" Krum lunged again.

Hall dodged nimbly. "You're asking for it!" He swung his wand, a faint light flashing, stopping Krum in his tracks.

Krum raised his wand in return. Their wands faced each other, the air thick with tension. Then Hall felt it again — that cold, unsettling feeling. Raindrops slid down his cheeks, icy and chilling. The sticky sensation seeped into his collar, raising goosebumps.

Hall paused, frowning deeply.

"Now!"

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