The moment Lynch finished speaking, a rustling sound came from behind the bushes.
Soon, a lean, grey wolf with cold eyes emerged from behind the bushes.
The grey wolf walked towards Lynch, its steps lengthening, and its form suddenly grew taller, transforming into a Wizard.
He wore a grey robe, his face concealed by a wide hood.
The Wizard stopped at the edge of the white brickwork.
Lynch looked at him, “You shouldn't be here, Dumbledore will find you.”
“I am an Animagus, you should have confidence in my ability to hide myself. Besides, according to your plan, it is crucial for us to fight You-Know-Who, I need to see how your plan is progressing with my own eyes.”
The grey-robed Wizard responded to Lynch, his voice deep and hoarse, with no fluctuations in tone.
Lynch knew this was because the newcomer's vocal cords had been severely damaged, and even after the best treatment at St. Mungo's Hospital, it had left this permanent injury on him.
“My plan is going very smoothly.” Lynch surveyed the scenery of the Forbidden Forest around him, finding it incredibly pleasing, “All of Dumbledore's reactions are within my expectations.”
“He was the one who locked you in here back then. The Ministry of Magic wanted to send you to Azkaban, but he refused, citing ‘too dangerous, inconvenient to transfer.’ Now, he's going to release you himself?”
Lynch let out a light laugh: “This is our esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore, who always puts personal likes and dislikes last, and always compromises for a greater goal. Although he considers me very dangerous, he also believes that my harm to the magic world and Muggle world is far less than that of Lord Voldemort. So when I told him the news of Lord Voldemort's reappearance, letting me out to help him fight Lord Voldemort was something that would naturally happen.”
The hoarse voice remained flat, “You've only moved from a small cage to a larger one.”
“I stay in the cage, and the reward is that the only Wizard in the world who can directly confront Lord Voldemort is on our side. Although his path is different from ours, he is on the same side as us. We all have the same goal, which is to completely eliminate Lord Voldemort.”
Lynch glanced at the grey-robed Wizard: “One day in the future, you will be glad he is on our side.”
“Perhaps.” The grey-robed Wizard was noncommittal, then he asked, “Why are you still standing there and not coming out? If I'm not mistaken, Dumbledore just lifted the restrictions on you. Or are you planning to reject the olive branch he extended to ease relations?”
“Oh, my dear Reggie.” Lynch lightly shook his finger, calling out the grey-robed Wizard's name, “This is not an olive branch of reconciliation, this is Dumbledore's final test today.”
“A very hasty, and very bold test. He really opened a gap in this cage and then left, without leaving any means of control.” Lynch extended his right hand, gently stroking the invisible crack in the Stone house barrier from a distance, sighing softly, “Freedom, ah, what a tempting thing, only after losing it do you know how precious it is.”
“Isn't he afraid you'll just run away?”
“He is afraid, but he needs to know more if he can trust me to eliminate Lord Voldemort.”
“If I step out of the Stone house before he arrives with witnesses tomorrow, even if I eventually return to the Stone house, it proves that in my heart, the desire for freedom is the strongest. Then I am just a liar who cleverly sugarcoats myself for freedom, and not worthy of trust.”
“If I am not of one mind with him, then keeping me by his side means he would have to expend energy dealing with me while also facing Lord Voldemort. In that situation, it would be better to just let me leave here and continue hunting Dark Wizards; perhaps Lord Voldemort would come after me first.”
“He could also keep you locked up here, since you've already given him the most important intelligence.”
Lynch glanced at the grey-robed Wizard named Reggie, “Knowing that the enemy is stronger than himself, and almost impossible to kill, but having a powerful card in hand and not using it, Dumbledore is not such a pedantic and foolish person.”
“Dumbledore gambled correctly, I will not escape, eliminating Lord Voldemort is indeed the most important thing in my heart.” Lynch's voice became a little ethereal, “Besides, Dumbledore is still holding my wand. It is the only wand in the world that can fully unleash my magic advantage. Without it, my chances of defeating Lord Voldemort would be very slim.”
“So you can't leave Hogwarts in the short term, can you...?”
The hoarse voice had no fluctuations, but Lynch still detected a hint of disappointment in it.
He looked at Reggie: “I knew that besides caring about my freedom, you must have something else. Tell me, what happened?”
“It's nothing major, but it's a bit tricky, and no one can solve it but you.” Reggie said, “It's those House-elves.”
He continued to explain: “Our main factory's operation relies heavily on those House-elves; they are key to us manufacturing those battle cards. And the reason they work so wholeheartedly in the factory is to repay the ‘Mist Executioner’ for saving their lives.”
“But you're locked up and haven't appeared.”
A gentle smile reappeared on Lynch's face, “So some fools jumped out and started sowing discord?”
“Yes.” Reggie replied, “Someone on the board wants to gain control of the factory. The jackals we brought in for rapid development are starting to covet our wealth.”
Lynch waved his hand: “Don't bother with those pure-blood twenty-eight family fools, a bunch of maggots who escaped judgment through unspeakable means. We'll clean them up later.”
Reggie looked up at Lynch: “Kill them all?”
Lynch stroked his chin: “Consider them lucky. The Unbreakable Vow I signed with Dumbledore stipulates no more killing. I'm not sure what consequences the decision I make now will have when the vow period occurs. Use the evidence of their misconduct in the business association, and kick them out.”
Then he continued: “Tell those House-elves I will meet them in a month.”
“A month later? Bringing so many House-elves to Hogwarts isn't a good idea.”
“It's not bringing them to Hogwarts.” Lynch said, “It's me going to see them.”
“You can break the Unbreakable Vow!?”
Reggie's hoarse voice finally rose in pitch.
“No, I haven't broken the Unbreakable Vow.” Lynch's smile remained, “The vow stipulates that I must not set foot outside Hogwarts, so I will honestly stay here until the vow ends.”
“But what I learned in Muggle society once told me that sometimes, you can talk to people thousands of miles away while standing at home. You don't need to worry so much, just send me the materials I need.”
Ignoring Reggie's astonishment and confusion, Lynch continued: “Now, my friend, it's time for you to set off for Paris. Ten years of preparation, now let's see what you've reaped.”