Old Stories

If we had to say, Edmund could indeed be considered Albus Dumbledore's great-uncle. Well, to explain this, we have to mention the complicated love-hate relationship of Edmund's parents' generation.

It's not that complicated.

It's just very distorted.

Let's keep it short. While Gellert Grindelwald led his Mublical party across much of Europe, this powerful and ruthless dark wizard still tried his best to avoid a direct confrontation with Albus Dumbledore. Perhaps future tabloid journalists will say there were many "dirty secrets" involved, but the truth is quite simple:

Even with the blood oath he made in his youth, vowing never to harm each other; an Obscurial flowing with Dumbledore's blood; and a powerful and domineering Old Man's Wand, Grindelwald still didn't believe he could completely defeat Dumbledore.

Given Grindelwald's status at the time, even if he fought Dumbledore to a draw, it would be tantamount to a defeat.

Therefore, a kind-hearted subordinate brought him another bargaining chip: a red-haired girl whose family had been destroyed and who also happened to have the surname Dumbledore.

She was Edmund's mother. A young girl who had just lost her parents and then her older brother during their escape. She knew no magic except for the phrase "restored to its former state." The 13-year-old Elena Dumbledore was terrified and cowered, looking as wretched as a small flower about to die.

Interestingly, upon seeing her, Grindelwald merely smiled gloomily and ordered his most trusted aide to take her away. It seemed he had no intention of letting the fragile Dumbledore stand between him and his nemesis, leading to another accidental murder with no known killer.

Grindelwald's rare "change of heart" led to a hasty marriage. Old Mr. Soman took good care of Elena, nurturing her like the most delicate flower, raising her to adulthood and marrying her as soon as she came of age.

……

The good news is that Mr. Soman truly loves his wife very much.

The bad news is that he inherited Grindelwald's political legacy and is the one who has slipped through the net and has not yet been held accountable by the European wizarding community.

It was obvious that Albus Dumbledore disliked old Soman intensely. Elena, on the other hand, both respected and feared her distant relative, finding it completely difficult to face him.

The storytelling session was over. At this moment, the alley was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone was waiting for Mrs. Soman's response.

But she just clenched her fists, breathing heavily as if she couldn't catch her breath. At the same time, she subtly pulled Edmund back a little.

Edmund raised his eyebrows in exasperation, just then Albus Dumbledore spoke up.

"It's been a long time, Elena. I really hope to see you in a brighter, warmer place. I guess I'm almost like a banshee in your eyes: 'Seeing that old man is never a good thing!' Oh well, if you've ever thought that to yourself, I won't blame you."

Dumbledore spoke fluent German and in a very gentle tone, as if he were worried that if he were even slightly more stern, he would disturb something.

Even so, his next words still startled Mrs. Soman.

"After all, the last time we met was at this child's funeral."

Two pairs of identical blue eyes met, and Edmund smiled strangely, meeting Dumbledore's gaze without any hesitation.

Few dare to challenge Dumbledore's gaze; even the most arrogant and self-assured would succumb to his seemingly all-seeing blue eyes. After all, Dumbledore was not only the headmaster of the world's most famous magic school, but also the most powerful white wizard of the century, and a magical genius who lived to the ripe old age of 90.

Edmund, however, seemed completely unaffected. He was thoroughly sizing up Dumbledore with great interest, observing the hat on the head of this acknowledged strongman, his twisted nose, and his silvery beard.

As an 11-year-old boy, he showed a real lack of respect, but you can't blame him for that.

After all, Edmund was dead. How could a corpse know fear?

"Really? You attended my funeral?"

Before he could speak, Dumbledore waved his wand, cutting off the three from all outside sound. Edmund thus benefited, and no one else heard his astonishing question.

"I think so, Mr. Soman. Although your father did not issue an obituary, I have come uninvited to attend your funeral," Dumbledore replied gently.

"That's wonderful—they won't talk about what happened back then, so I'll ask you." Edmund smiled happily, ignoring his mother's tugging.

"What kind of coffin did my father choose for me? What kind of wood was it made of? How big was it? Was it edged with gold or carved with patterns? I hope he didn't use brass; I hate that cheap metal."

"Shut up! Shut up! Edmund—"

Elena couldn't take it anymore. She found it hard to accept that her son was discussing that day's tragedy with a stranger... with Albus Dumbledore!

To this day, this grieving mother still refuses to recall that small coffin... Moreover, it was her family's deepest secret!

"Edmund—"

Elena finally mustered her strength and stood up again. She glared angrily at the silent Dumbledore, not daring to guess what he was thinking.

The woman grabbed her son's shoulders and shoved him behind her, then pointed her wand at her great-uncle, whom she never wanted to see again.

"You...I need you to promise me...Albus Dumbledore! I need your promise!"

Edmund shrank behind his mother with some helplessness, unwilling to provoke her any further, but he also found it hard to imagine how effective his mother's threats would be.

"Go ahead and speak, Elena. I'm listening."

Edmund grimaced in surprise, not expecting Dumbledore to be so compliant. He peeked out and stole a glance at the old man, who was hailed as the greatest white wizard. Dumbledore stood there expressionless, like a priest listening to confessions, or a prisoner awaiting sentencing.

"You, you..."

It was like punching cotton; Elena's expression darkened further. If it weren't for her connection to Dumbledore, her brother might still be alive; but if it weren't for her connection to Dumbledore, she herself might have already perished in the war. She truly didn't know how to face this relative, and she truly didn't want to recall that painful past.

But her son, who had miraculously returned from the dead and was shrouded in mystery, was lurking behind her, and even now he was not behaving himself; the villain who had murdered and stolen the treasure was still at large and had not been brought to justice; her husband had countless enemies, including some despicable dark wizards…

As a mother, what could she do?

With a series of "snap" sounds, several wizards dressed in Auror uniforms materialized in the distance. Elena, defeated, withdrew her wand and stiffly spoke, half pleading and half commanding:

"I want you to protect my son. If you truly feel indebted, then... then you must protect my child—protect him from danger and guide him to be a good person."

Edmund whistled lightly upon hearing this, unaware at the moment what kind of constraint this symbolized, and how many of his schemes and amusements would be extinguished.

"That's so cool, Mother! You've found me a powerful protector!"

Neither of the adults looked at him. Albus Dumbledore gazed at Elena, with her red hair and blue eyes, and found a moving resilience in those motherly eyes.

Therefore, the headmaster of Hogwarts replied with a sigh:

"Okay, I promise I will, Elena."

……

Well, at this moment, even someone as meticulous as Dumbledore didn't realize that this promise would bring him enormous trouble.