Christmas Dinner
Cynthia joyfully followed Tver and helped him take off his coat.
"Thank you," Tver always felt pleasantly surprised by her thoughtfulness, no matter how often it occurred. "You know, you don't have to do this every time."
Cynthia ignored his comment, busying herself with hanging up the coat before giving him a gentle push towards the dining table.
"Come and see," the young girl said excitedly, "I've prepared lots of delicious food for you!"
Tver, guided to the table, was indeed surprised by the lavish spread laid out.
"I know you've already had dinner, so the roast turkey and such I'll leave for the professor, and the desserts—how come there's only one pudding left?!"
Cynthia immediately turned her gaze towards the prime suspect.
"Don't just stand there," Grindelwald, pretending not to hear, gestured for Tver to join him, "Are you enjoying being a professor? Even preparing gifts for your students."
Tver, smiling, pulled the visibly miffed young girl to sit down with them before addressing his mentor.
"We played a game, and I promised the winners Christmas gifts."
Cynthia, placing the last pudding in front of him, asked with keen interest, "What kind of game was it?"
Grindelwald also looked on curiously.
"Thank you."
Tver then explained the game to them both.
"It was just a simple snowball fight, mainly to help the students get a feel for advanced magic. After all, it's always best to start them young."
Grindelwald nodded knowingly. That was how he had taught Tver, who, after mastering the Shield Charm and Fiendfire Cruse, was encouraged to try Protego Diabolica.
It was meant merely as a lesson to understand the integration of different magics and deepen his spellwork comprehension.
Yet, to Grindelwald's surprise, Tver had managed to grasp the basics of Protego Diabolica, a spell he took pride in, in just one afternoon...
It was then he realized for the first time that Tver was not just some lucky kid who had stumbled into Nurmengard, but a successor bestowed upon him by fate!
"Planning to groom your own confidants from Hogwarts students?"
"Not necessarily. The combat abilities of Hogwarts students might be weaker than those from Durmstrang, but they are more devoted to researching other aspects of magic."
As Tver tasted the pudding, the rich lemon flavor burst in his mouth, causing his eyes to slightly squint with satisfaction.
Grindelwald remained neutral. Although he specialized in Dark Arts and Transfiguration, he held no disdain for White Magic, especially since he had been defeated by it before.
Cynthia, however, was thrilled—not just by Tver's approval of the pudding but also by his interest in White Magic.
Ever since they met in their first year, Tver had been exploring various types of magic, most notably the peculiar and often sinister Dark Arts.
Such studies were unheard of for first-year students even at Durmstrang!
Fortunately, each time he delved into Dark Magic, he would talk to her afterward, reassuring her that his heart remained uncorrupted by the darkness, which gradually eased her worries.
Still, she believed that delving too deeply into Dark Magic was not wise, even at Durmstrang, where even the most extreme forms were seldom discussed.
Thinking this, Cynthia shot a resentful glance at a senior who had been expelled last term for engaging in excessively malevolent Dark Magic studies.
If only he hadn't taught Tver those Dark Arts, she'd make him lemon-flavored treats every day!
"By the way," Tver suddenly spoke up, "I've noticed some students with unique characteristics. Some, due to memory loss, have an unstable casting will, and others, like twins, share a subtle connection in their wills. These souls are fascinating to study, they could help me—"
"Clang."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just dropped my cutlery," Cynthia quickly picked up her fork and knife.
Grindelwald looked on with a proud gleam in his eye. When it came to soul studies, this student had long surpassed him.
As for the notion of evil, well, wasn't that just perfect for him?
"Hogwarts students are more numerous and more inclusive. I think, could you not subtly influence them through the Muggle-born students?"
Tver was surprised. His teacher had always harbored a subtle disdain for Muggles, and now he was suggesting such a strategy.
"Your idea is good. I also think we need to win over the middle ground between Muggles and wizards; they could be our strongest supporters."
"It's you," Grindelwald said with a relieved smile, "this era will belong to you, Tver."
"Not just him," Cynthia seriously emphasized, "us, Tver and me."
After her words, laughter filled the room, and they continued to enjoy the sumptuous dinner together.
Cynthia's cooking skills might not have matched Tver's father's, but they certainly surpassed his mother's. Thinking back to the remora fish soup he had before coming here, Tver felt his desire for cake diminish a bit.
"What's wrong? Does it not suit your taste?" Cynthia quickly asked, concerned.
"Not at all," Tver responded with a smile. "I'm just thinking about how many dishes there are; we might end up eating until Christmas itself arrives."
Cynthia's eyebrows lifted in excitement. "Why don't you stay over tonight? I can tidy up a room for you!"
Before Tver could respond, she zipped upstairs like a busy bee, eager to prepare.
"Your vacation must be quite long, why not stay here and keep me company for a chat?" Grindelwald suggested.
"Of course," Tver replied respectfully, "I also have some questions I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh?" The old man set down his utensils, surprised. Since last year, Tver had not needed to ask him for advice.
"What sort of problem has stumped you? Let's hear it and work through it together."
"It's about a soul. If I grant it life and help it construct a body, how can I maintain complete control over it?"
"A body constructed from life force?" Grindelwald pondered. "Such a body heavily relies on a continuous supply of life force. Couldn't you control it by mastering its life source?"
"He's quite adept at drawing life force too. Once I let him go, he can independently find wizards to sustain him."
Grindelwald realized what kind of soul Tver was referring to. He scoffed disdainfully, his tone harsh, hinting at the shadows of the formidable dark lord he once was.
"You know about Unbreakable Vows, right? Bind his soul in a similar way. If he defies your will, destroy him!"
"Isn't that method quite damaging to the soul?"
Tver hesitated. He had learned from his mentor how to imprint souls, but that was for living beings. He wasn't sure if performing such an act on an unprotected soul would lead to unintended consequences.
Grindelwald, undeterred and even dismissive, replied, "Didn't you say that fool had several pieces of his soul? If one fails, just use another."