Harry potter:Dark lord

Tom didn't particularly enjoy Robert's company, but he disliked the idea of being constantly monitored by a so-called guardian even more.

In truth, Tom and Robert were quite similar in nature.

Both had secrets they preferred to keep hidden, and their desire for solitude stemmed from the same reasons.

Eventually, Robert agreed to Tom's plan. They decided to cooperate in escaping from Dumbledore's watchful eye, but once they achieved their goal, they would go their separate ways.

Robert had no objections. He didn't need to spend all his time with Tom just to gain merit points from him. They would both be at the same school and likely in the same college, so opportunities to earn merit points would always exist.

Besides, like Tom, Robert had secrets he couldn't afford to expose. Living alone was the safest choice.

After finalizing their plan, the two resumed their individual tasks.

Half an hour passed in silence before Tom suddenly spoke.

"Why didn't you accept Grindelwald's offer?"

Robert set down the Transfiguration book he had been reading. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking about what he said last night. Don't you think… he made a lot of sense?"

Tom carefully wiped his wand with a handkerchief as he continued. "Besides, if we had accepted his offer, wouldn't we have gained our freedom immediately? We wouldn't have to go through all this effort to move out on our own…"

Robert chuckled. "Do you really think what he said made sense? Or are you just drawn to the power and knowledge he promised? You don't seem like someone who 'cares for the greater good.'"

Tom flushed slightly at Robert's direct observation but quickly regained his composure. "Aside from his promise of power, his words did make sense."

"Look at us. We're powerful. Compared to us, Muggles are weak. Why should we have to hide from them? Why shouldn't the strong rule over the weak? Shouldn't we stand at the top of the world?"

"I really don't understand why Dumbledore is so determined to stop him."

Robert stared at Tom in disbelief. "No way, Tom. Do you really believe what Grindelwald said?"

Tom frowned. "Doesn't it make sense? Why shouldn't I believe it?"

Robert sighed. "The reason you think he makes sense is because he's telling you exactly what you want to hear."

Tom narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Robert leaned back against his pillow and said, "You've always thought you were special, haven't you?"

"Of course," Tom replied proudly.

"A lot of wizards think the same way. They believe they are superior to Muggles simply because they have magic. Grindelwald plays on that belief. He tells people they are unique, that they are meant to rule."

"'Magic blooms only in the souls of a few'—such an inspiring phrase, isn't it?"

"When you heard it, didn't you feel chosen? Didn't you feel like you belonged to an elite group, destined to stand above everyone else?"

"That's the trap. Once you accept that idea, you start believing that breaking the Statute of Secrecy is justified. And to do that, you need to join Grindelwald's cause… which is exactly what he wants."

"When he invited us last night, did he talk about his grand vision for the world?"

"No."

"What did he say instead? He told us that if we joined him, he would give us the power we desire."

"Why did he focus on that? Because he knows we're young. He knows we don't really care about 'changing the world.' What we care about is power."

"So he dangled power in front of us, hoping to lure us in."

"In reality, Grindelwald's ideas aren't about making the world a better place. He tailors his message to different people, saying whatever they need to hear to gain their support."

"He's not a revolutionary. He's an ambitious man who uses revolution as an excuse to achieve his own goals."

Tom's mind buzzed with Robert's words. "So you're saying his vision will never come true?"

Tom didn't particularly care about the state of the world. His concern was whether Grindelwald's ideas were achievable.

If wizards could rule the world, he had no objections—so long as he was one of those in power.

Robert shook his head. "Even if he does succeed, it won't last."

Tom remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate.

"As I said, Grindelwald doesn't care about the world or other people. His ideas will only lead to chaos."

"When people who understand the consequences realize this, they will fight back. People like Dumbledore."

"But even if there were no wizards opposing him, do you think Muggles wouldn't resist?"

"Don't underestimate them. They're not just weaklings with no power."

"Do you even know how many wizards exist compared to Muggles?"

"No matter how powerful you are, how many Muggles can you fight at once? Do you really think Muggle military forces are just peasants with pitchforks?"

"Don't forget—The International Statute of Secrecy wasn't created to protect Muggles from wizards. It was created to protect wizards from Muggles."

"If the wrong kind of Muggles discovered magic, do you have any idea what they would do?"

"What they would do to us?"

"They wouldn't just fight us. They would experiment on us, dissect us, control us."

"If a war broke out, Grindelwald's fate would be either death at the hands of powerful wizards like Dumbledore, or he would drag the entire wizarding world down with him."

Tom fell silent.

He might look down on Muggles, but he wasn't foolish enough to ignore reality.

No matter how powerful a wizard was, they weren't invincible.

And not all wizards were strong—most weren't even skilled fighters.

If wizards waged war against Muggles, the best-case scenario would be mutual destruction.

The more likely outcome? Wizards would lose. Their wands would be confiscated, their identities exposed, and they would become nothing more than research subjects for Muggle scientists.

Without wands, how different were they from ordinary people?

The moment the war began, the fate of wizards would already be sealed.

(End of Chapter)

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