In the Harry Potter Without Harry Potter
Chapter 273: Win-Win! (2 in 1)

"My English is very good, and certainly my understanding of the word 'protect' is not even a little off. It is because of this that I am saying that letting Green stay at my side as a Professor is the greatest protection for him."

Grindelwald's voice was flat, he casually picked up a cup of tea on the desk and took a light sip.

At the same time on the opposite side of him, a chair suddenly slid out, like a skater on the ice skating rink, with a beautiful rotation, it came to Jon's side.

Fawkes had jumped on Jon's head, the haughty phoenix acted like Hagrid's Beech and was very much fond of using his hair as a temporary base.

Jon sat down carefully in the chair and listened to the conversation, which could be considered a meeting between two of the top names in the wizarding world.

Dumbledore in the fireplace also saw Jon entering, and he flashed a smile, giving him a small nod of greeting.

"He's very talented, as you are well aware, and I also became well aware of that when I saw him fighting those Death Eaters during the day. Are you sure you can guarantee his safety if he stays with you, consistently at the forefront of the battlefield?"

Grindelwald said slowly.

"Especially when he has also done something like that, what would happen when that student of yours learns his identity from the mouth of the men who fought him today, do you think he will hate him as much as he hates you?"

Dumbledore was not compelled by Grindelwald's sophistry.

"Well, maybe you're right about all that, you're trying to protect him better by keeping him in Durmstrang, that's fine with me, Jon - he has done enough, I do think a safe environment is what he deserves. But what does that have to do with the fact that you want him to be a Professor of Transfiguration? Won't he, as a Hogwarts student, be able to live temporarily in Durmstrang?"

Grindelwald put down his cup of tea and said in a loud voice.

"Of course not. With a talent of his, what would he learn by staying with other third years and taking classes with them? He needs special teaching, Albus, this school except me, no one else can fully develop his talent, do you think I will teach him everything without any compensation?"

Dumbledore sounded like he was being sarcastic and joking.

"Oh, you are that stingy."

In response, Grindelwald snorted in disdain.

"So, here's the thing. To not waste his talent, I will have to teach him something, but because of my stinginess and the fact that I won't teach someone for nothing, not to mention that this one has already taken one of my things, is it an unreasonable request for him to come to my school as a Professor and help my future students shine?"

His words, obviously seem like a rogue speech, but what he said seemed reasonable, and the tone was full of unquestionable rhetorical questions and statements, like blocking all the words of rebuttal from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore, however, did not bother to look at Grindelwald but shifted his gaze to Jon.

"The British Ministry of Magic has established a Centaur liaison office for hundreds of years, but during all this time no Centaur has ever walked through the doors of the Ministry of Magic to communicate with the wizards, because the so-called liaison office is just wishful thinking of the wizards who feel that they are just trying to make contact and create a better relationship between the two parties. What you are saying is just what you think, Gellert, I actually don't mind about you trying to poach Jon from me, what I do mind is whether you respect the boy's own ideas or not. Has he ever told you what he thinks?"

Grindelwald leaned back in his chair as he too looked at Jon, his gaze not pushy or threatening, but calm with some interest in it.

When the choice was thrown to Jon, then in front of himself and Dumbledore, how would he choose?

When Jon heard Dumbledore's words, he had become somewhat confused.

How can I make a choice when I've already been pushed into the vortex?

You two can't come up with a decision, so do you want me to make a decision?

"Do not feel embarrassed, say the truest thoughts of your heart." Dumbledore said softly, "Gellert is not wrong, since he intends to teach you something, it is good for you, and in Durmstrang you can also have the safest learning environment. If you don't want to stay there, Fawkes is right there with you, and he can bring you back whenever you want, and this old rascal is not as good as he used to be and can't prevent you from leaving. So there is no problem with any choice you make, I will respect your opinion."

In the face of Dumbledore's debunking, Grindelwald was not bothered, he just picked up the tea that had been refilled at some point and took a sip.

Jon rubbed his hands on his thighs, he frowned for a moment, and then tentatively opened his mouth to ask.

"I can truly decide whatever I want?"

"Of course, I'm not a rotten old man to cheat a child." Dumbledore smiled and winked.

Jon took a deep breath, under the eyes of both Grindelwald and Dumbledore, he said in a positive tone.

"I don't want to stay in Durmstrang by myself. Even if Professor Dumbledore said I had done enough, I had no intention of spending time alone in the safety at the back watching my classmates and Professors head off to battle. My talent maybe my own, but without Hogwarts and Professor Lily, the Jon Green right now would probably be in that castle sweeping lavatories and doing dishes for the purebloods!"

Dumbledore's face, which was made of the green hearth fire, did not change its smile after hearing Jon's speech, only a touch more helplessness and a touch of relief was added.

The expression on Grindelwald's face also has little to no change, although he does not know the background of Jon, but from his performance of the day, it can be seen, his sense of belonging to Hogwarts is strong, so when the power of choice given to Jon, then he is not destined to stay in Durmstrang.

Just when it seemed like this matter was about to be concluded in this way, Jon, however, as if he hadn't finished his sentence, then said.

"But, I think, being a student at Hogwarts and a professor at Durmstrang, those two identities aren't that conflicting, are they?"

An awkward smile appeared on his face, the thickness of his skin obviously not yet tempered enough.

"It's not like Durmstrang is in short supply for the position of Professor of Transfiguration, I can learn first by following Headmaster Bagshot, and then return to Hogwarts to continue the struggle for the liberation of England when the situation in France stabilizes, and later if Durmstrang needs me, I will, of course, be obliged to take on the role of Professor."

After Jon's words fell, the Headmaster's office fell into a burst of silence.

Fawkes, who was lying on top of Jon's head, and was combing his brightly coloured feathers with his pointed beak, as if he sensed the sudden silence in the atmosphere raised his head to look curiously at what is going on.

The jumping green fire did not change back to its normal bright yellow colour, which proves that Dumbledore's floo network connected to this Headmaster's office from France had not been interrupted, and the image did indeed remain in a non-static state.

Jon at first just feel embarrassed, and after not hearing any semblance of a response, he was tempted to shrink his head into his robes.

This may seem like a win-win plan that neither dissociates from Hogwarts nor makes Grindelwald disgraced at the same time, but in fact, the only person who really wins is himself.

With the title Durmstrang's Professor, following Grindelwald to learn something, and then returning to Hogwarts, doing so with an empty glove!

Just when Jon thought that both Grindelwald and Dumbledore had been shocked by his shamelessness, a burst of unrestrained laughter suddenly rang out in this Headmaster's office.

"Hahahahaha! I'd love to know how you taught him up, Albus. He's smart, much smarter than you were in your youth!" sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Instead of receiving the imaginary scolding like "you want to eat on both sides", he was praised, which made Jon, who was already planning to be an ostrich, raise his head again and look blankly at the situation in the Headmaster's office.

Grindelwald laughed, and Dumbledore's smile became somewhat more helpless.

"I agree."

Jon froze, and the expression on Dumbledore's face in the fireplace showed surprise.

They looked at Grindelwald, who had by now curbed his smile, and listened as he repeated what he had just said again, as casually as he could.

"You can take the two identities of Hogwarts student and professor of Durmstrang together, and I also will allow you to stay and leave Durmstrang at will."

If not for Grindelwald re-emphasized it again, Jon would even have thought it was just his own ears playing tricks on him, and even now he still looked at the old man leaning back in his chair with an incredulous look, and then turned his head to look at Dumbledore.

Didn't you just say that he is stingy, Professor?

Dumbledore looked at Grindelwald, the surprise on his face had turned to seriousness as he asked on Jon's behalf.

"What about the price?"

Grindelwald played with his wand in his hand and gave a soft laugh.

"The price? Of course, there is a price, this world has always been fair since he can get more, then likewise he has to pay something, it is up to him to decide whether what he gains and what he pays is worth it or not."

He turned his head to look at Jon.

"Since you want to have both, I can completely agree, Durmstrang is not really lacking a professor of Transfiguration as you said, but if you want to follow me to learn something, then after this until you leave from this castle, it is necessary for you to complete whatever goals and tasks I assign to you in the future."

The request seemed very simple, so simple that it seemed like it could be agreed upon immediately by most people, but Jon hesitated and stated.

"I won't do something that I am morally against doing."

"If I wanted to give you a hard time, I wouldn't have delayed so long just due to the business with Albus." Grindelwald said flatly, "But you should not treat it as a simple promise, if you promise now and then fail to complete tonight's pledge, I will have a way to take back whatever you have learned from me."

For these words of Grindelwald, Dumbledore did not make a sound, he just looked at Jon, because only he himself can make a choice in this matter in the end.

After getting Grindelwald's assurance, Jon did not continue to tangle, since he dared to put forward such a "win-win" solution, he also dares to make this promise.

"I promise."

Jon's answer did not exceed Grindelwald's expectations, he turned his head to look at Dumbledore in the fireplace.

"So, this outcome tonight, are you satisfied with it as well?"

Dumbledore smiled again.

"As I said, I will not interfere with any of Jon's choices, as long as it is his own will."

"Then why are you still here?" Grindelwald unceremoniously gave the expulsion order, "I've already handed down the list you had sent over, the supplies needed will be prepared and sent over the day after tomorrow at the latest, and the matter related to your students has been resolved, so hurry up and disappear from my sight."

Dumbledore was not half impatient, the smile on his face remained the same, but the green flame in the fireplace has become increasingly faint, and then quickly disappeared.

The Headmaster's office returned to darkness for a second, followed by a bright yellow fire rekindled in the fireplace, illuminating everything around.

Fawkes, who had been lying on top of Jon's head, also swung out his wings and disappeared after lighting up with a golden-red light.

Now in Durmstrang, as long as Grindelwald is around, then naturally there is no need for Fawkes to stay by Jon and the students' side all the time, he can go back to France to provide a little more help to the wizards of the Witching Horizons.

Grindelwald and Jon were the only two left in the Headmaster's office.

"You can keep the title of Professor, and you don't have to be responsible for the specific teaching work. As for the third-year classes, you can follow them if you want, and if you don't want to, the faculty in Durmstrang won't bother you. Just come and see me tomorrow afternoon, before dinner."

After giving Jon a clear explanation about his arrangement, Jon still had no intention of leaving the Headmaster's office.

This could not help but make Grindelwald, who had already bent his head down to read those letters in the office, raised his head again.

"Do you have other business?"

Jon asked hesitantly.

"Sir. You were just talking to Professor Dumbledore that I have something of yours with me?"

Grindelwald put down the quill in his hand and looked at Jon.

"Dumbledore didn't say anything to you?"

Jon shook his head.

"Professor Dumbledore never spoke to me about it."

"And yes, it really isn't something to brag about either." Grindelwald said softly, "Chestnut wood with phoenix tail feather core and fourteen inches, a not bad combination."

Hearing his words, Jon took out an old wand in his hand with a startled look.

He recalled the scene when he had got it in Headmaster Dumbledore's office on his first day on the Hogwarts wagon.

At that time Dumbledore clearly showed a distinctive reminiscence about this wand from other wands.

Jon had previously speculated that the original owner of this wand might have had a good relationship with Dumbledore, so its original owner is in fact Grindelwald?

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