HP: I AM SHERLOCK HOLMES Chapter 560: 0560 The Analysis

Albus Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts, is widely recognized as the greatest wizard of the age.

Dumbledore's well-known contributions include: defeating the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945; discovering the twelve uses of dragon's blood; and achieving remarkable success in alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flal.

Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.

On the Chocolate Frog card, the accomplishnt "defeated the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945" was listed first among Dumbledore's achievents, demonstrating the magnitude of this event's impact.

However, despite being ntally prepared, when the na "Gellert Grindelwald" was clearly spoken from Sherlock's mouth, Dumbledore's heart still gave a sharp jolt, as if stung by sothing.

In his blue eyes behind the spectacles, a complex emotion flickered briefly.

There was nostalgia for his youth, regret over past disagreents, and a trace of pain buried deep within his gaze that he had never spoken of to anyone.

He didn't interrupt Sherlock, rely sitting quietly in his large chair with his hands gently folded on the desk before him.

At this mont, he couldn't help but recall that wind-swept sumr in Godric's Hollow.

"Based on the information I've gathered, Grindelwald was superior to Voldemort in every respect," Sherlock said, keenly noting the fluctuation in Dumbledore's emotions but continued ticulously with his analysis regardless.

"First, there's the matter of ideals and beliefs.

Grindelwald pursued 'the greater good.'

He desired to establish a powerful, just, and wise wizarding society, to overthrow what he considered the corrupt and backward old order of his ti.

His core goal was to abolish the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy and establish a global hierarchical order led by wizards, rather than having wizards hide in the shadows.

Though fundantally this still represented wizarding dominance over Muggles, at least his objective was global in scope, unlike Voldemort who rely fixated on pure-blood rule in Britain. The difference in vision is vast.

Next, there's his style of action."

Sherlock leaned forward slightly, his fingertips were tapping lightly on the desk, his gaze growing sharper. "Grindelwald possessed exceptional personal charisma and oratory talent.

Like that one from germany, his voice seed to carry magic, easily persuading others to embrace his ideology.

He didn't rely entirely on fear and violence to compel people to follow him, but rather attracted a large number of like-minded wizards through promoting his ideals.

Among these followers, many genuinely believed in 'the greater good' rather than simply fearing his power.

Though his actions were accompanied by violence, such as the magical revolution he launched across Europe, they always carried a tinge of idealism.

He consistently attempted to achieve his goals through establishing a new order, only gradually losing his way later under the temptation of power.

As for Voldemort..."

Sherlock's tone shifted, taking on a more mocking tone. "From beginning to end, he only maintained his power through fear and self-interest.

Death Eaters either feared his retaliation or sought to gain power and status from him—there were no ideals to speak of at all.

He acted with cruelty, preferring to create intimidation through surprise attacks and massacres of Muggles or resisters.

In my view, he was more like a gang leader—his thods of rule were simple and brutal. Beyond violence, he had nothing.

Finally, there's the scope of influence."

Sherlock's voice returned to calm. "Grindelwald's activities spanned all of Europe. With his powerful appeal and top-tier magical ability, he sparked a revolutionary storm throughout the magical world, even controlling half of Europe's magical forces.

His na made MACUSA wary and drew attention from the Asian and African magical community too. His influence far exceeded Britain's borders.

Voldemort, even at his peak, only influenced Britain.

Though his terrifying reputation was known throughout the global magical community, his actual power never extended to continental Europe, much less other continents.

From this alone, Voldemort and Grindelwald simply aren't in the sa league."

Throughout Sherlock's exposition, Dumbledore's expression continued to change.

Initially, his gaze was sharp, as if scrutinizing Sherlock's analysis.

Gradually, the sharpness faded and his eyes grew gentler.

In the end, all emotions settled into a faint sense of release, as if decades of accumulated concerns had been lightly brushed aside by a corner through Sherlock's words.

He listened quietly throughout, neither interrupting nor refuting.

It was as if he were using Sherlock's words to revisit that period buried deep in mory—both brilliant and regretful.

Only after Sherlock finished did Dumbledore slowly raise his head and look at him deeply. "What you've said is essentially correct. Grindelwald's vision and sphere of influence were indeed far greater than Voldemort's.

However, there's one point you may have overlooked.

Voldemort isn't without areas where he matches Grindelwald."

"Oh?" Sherlock raised an eyebrow, a glimr of curiosity in his eyes as he leaned forward slightly. "I'm all ears."

"Strength," Dumbledore's voice was soft but conveyed a sense of certainty.

"In terms of pure personal dark magical ability, Voldemort is stronger than Grindelwald.

I've fought against both of them. On this point, I'm clearer than anyone."

Sherlock paused, clearly not expecting Dumbledore to give such an assessnt.

But he quickly recovered and smiled, his eyes showing a asure of agreent. "That's right. You're the one who faced them both directly. Your judgnt is naturally the most accurate."

"Well then, let's return to discussing Karkaroff," Dumbledore said, shaking his head gently to dispel the complex emotions about the past.

He picked up the glass jar filled with cockroach clusters from the desk, reconsidered, and set it back down, his tone becoming serious once more. "Regardless of Voldemort's vision, his strength remains beyond question.

"Even in his weakened state, he's still an extraordinarily powerful enemy to us.

As you just pointed out, Karkaroff's behavior very likely indicates that Voldemort is recovering his strength. We absolutely cannot let our guard down."

"Very well," Sherlock said, his smile fading as his expression grew serious.

He looked at Dumbledore, his tone carrying a hint of teasing as he directly stated his request. "Then please tell more about Karkaroff.

"Don't tell he's also a spy you've cultivated, like Professor Snape."

"He certainly is not," Dumbledore couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. However, he quickly realized that Sherlock was joking with him.

Still, the joke was rather cold.

He suppressed his smile and stood from his chair, walking toward the black cabinet against the wall. As he walked, he said, "Since you're here today, you might as well take a look.

"So things may beco clearer after you've witnessed them firsthand rather than hearing describe them."

"Take a look?" Sherlock was montarily puzzled, but when he saw Dumbledore's next action, he imdiately understood.

Dumbledore opened the black cabinet door and retrieved a stone basin with intricate carvings on its surface.

He carried the basin to the desk and carefully placed it on the smooth surface before sitting back down in his chair.

"A Pensieve? You're going to show your past mories again?"

"Precisely. Observing these mories directly will be more intuitive than my verbal description," Dumbledore nodded, his gaze earnest. "With your exceptional powers of observation, you may discover details that I overlooked back then."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Sherlock didn't refuse.

Dumbledore's approach suited him perfectly.

He had never been able to resist the truth hidden in details.

"Then let's begin. We're about to enter my mory. I think you'll find it not only vividly detailed but also completely accurate."

As he spoke, Dumbledore drew a transparent crystal bottle from his pocket, filled with swirling, floating silvery-white substance.

He uncorked the bottle and slowly poured the silver substance into the Pensieve.

As soon as the material entered the stone basin, it began to rotate slowly.

It emitted a faint luminescence, behaving neither quite like flowing liquid nor dispersing gas, but presenting a wondrous state sowhere between the two.

"You go in first," Dumbledore said, gesturing toward the Pensieve.

Without hesitation, Sherlock leaned over the Pensieve, plunging his face into the cold mory, then falling through darkness.

A few seconds later, his feet landed firmly on solid ground.

He opened his eyes and looked around, imdiately recognizing this place.

The courtroom in the depths of the Ministry of Magic.

A year ago, he had sat in on the Wizengamot's interrogation of Peter Pettigrew in this very location.

"I see you've recognized where we are," Dumbledore's voice sounded beside him. Sherlock turned to see Dumbledore standing next to him.

Pointing to a figure at the center of the bench, he said, "That's ."

Sherlock looked in the direction he indicated and saw another Dumbledore sitting in the center of the bench.

Beside him sat Mad-Eye Moody.

What surprised Sherlock was that Moody didn't yet have his iconic magical eye.

His two eyes were still normal, and his face bore far fewer scars than it would later. Though still serious, he possessed more vitality than in his later years.

What followed was almost identical to the scene from Peter Pettigrew's trial a year earlier.

Two Dentors in black cloaks escorted a wizard step by step to the chair in the center.

The wizard, shrouded in the Dentors' aura, trembled violently, his face pale as paper, barely able to stand.

The Dentors pressed him into the central chair, and the chains on the armrests imdiately bound him tightly.

When Sherlock got a clear look at the wizard bound to the chair, he couldn't help but chuckle softly, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery.

The man was none other than the current Headmaster of Durmstrang—Igor Karkaroff.

Compared to the present, the Karkaroff in Dumbledore's mory was much younger.

His hair and beard were pure black, without a single gray strand.

He wasn't wearing his signature sleek fur coat but rather a thin, shabby gray wizard's robe.

Like Peter Pettigrew during his trial a year ago, having just left the Dentors' presence, he was in a state of extre terror.

His body shook uncontrollably, his teeth chattering audibly, his eyes filled with despair.

After the chains on the chair's armrests bound him, a voice imdiately spoke: "Igor Karkaroff, you have been brought from Azkaban to give testimony to the Ministry of Magic.

"You inford us that you have important intelligence to report."

From the voice alone, Sherlock already knew who it belonged to.

Barty Crouch. His position was the sa as Fudge's position during Pettigrew's trial—in the middle of that long bench.

His face had far fewer wrinkles than it would later, and he appeared full of vigor.

Sherlock imdiately understood that this mory took place before Barty Crouch's son was arrested.

What followed was Barty Crouch questioning Karkaroff about Death Eater intelligence, while Karkaroff, like a drowning man clutching a lifeline, desperately revealed everything he knew about the Death Eaters.

Just as Lupin had previously told Sherlock, to gain his release, Karkaroff had essentially sold out every Death Eater he knew.

However, his luck wasn't very good.

The first few nas he ntioned had either already been caught by the Ministry or had died during capture.

In his desperation, he directly nad Severus Snape.

Sherlock smiled.

Truly worthy of Severus Snape.

Last year at this ti, Peter Pettigrew had done exactly the sa thing.

Fudge had ntioned then that Dumbledore had vouched for Snape.

Now Sherlock was finally witnessing this scene firsthand.

However, Karkaroff's luck finally turned.

After Dumbledore testified for Snape, proving his innocence, Karkaroff, to save himself, rattled off several more nas of deeply hidden Death Eaters.

Just then, the scene before him suddenly blurred like smoke blown by the wind.

A few seconds later, a new scene began to erge.

Sherlock understood—this was another new mory.

Still the Ministry's courtroom.

But this ti, the person being escorted in by Dentors was soone who surprised Sherlock sowhat.

Ludo Bagman.

At this ti, he was in his pri as a Quidditch star—his nose was unbroken, his build was tall and lean , and his physique was robust.

Following the trial's proceedings, Sherlock quickly learned that Ludo Bagman was not a Death Eater.

However, he had been charged with passing Ministry intelligence to Voldemort's followers during the wizard war.

Faced with the charges, Bagman looked completely innocent, claiming he had no idea and thought he was gathering intelligence for his own people.

Finally, after a vote by Wizengamot mbers, due to lack of conclusive evidence, he was acquitted.

Sherlock scoffed again at the sight.

Then the room before him dispersed like before, and the third mory began to unfold.

This ti, Sherlock only needed one glance before his spirits lifted, his gaze instantly sharpening.

Because he could clearly sense that while this was also a trial, the atmosphere of this particular mory from Dumbledore was worlds apart from the previous two trials.

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