Hogwarts: This Dark Lord is so evil

Annie felt a sense of profound awe upon hearing Levid's words.

She really didn't understand what Grindelwald's success had to do with whether or not he published a book.

Levid, seeing her puzzled expression, knew she hadn't understood at all.

"I ask you, what is the purpose of a book?"

"Um... to transmit and inherit knowledge?" Annie asked.

"Then, what do you think can be called knowledge?" Levid inquired.

"Magical theories and such?" Annie tentatively suggested.

"Knowledge encompasses many aspects, Annie... magical theory is just one of them. In fact, even cookbooks that teach you how to cook... cooking can also be a type of knowledge. So... since even cooking can be transmitted as knowledge, why can't ideas be?"

"Ideas?" Annie scratched her head. "Why transmit ideas?"

Levid felt a surge of wanting to scold her. He had made it so clear, yet she was asking him why ideas needed to be transmitted? All that rambling earlier, was it all for nothing?

However, he restrained himself from scolding her. Even if Annie didn't understand, that old geezer certainly would.

"Didn't you just ask me why his theories seem so reasonable, yet so many people oppose them?" Levid asked.

"Yes..."

"That's because Grindelwald hasn't systematically organized his ideas and disseminated them! Many people don't really understand his thinking, so naturally, they don't see the rationality in it."

"Think about it, even if he has the greatest eloquence in the world, and everyone at his speeches is fired up, how many wizards worldwide can actually attend your speeches? And how many people have the courage to attend your speeches?"

"In that case, many of the views you advocate during your speeches are very likely to be distorted!"

"Even if you are an upright revolutionary vanguard, you may end up being smeared as a terrorist!"

"Taking a step back, even if no one distorts your views, only those who have heard your speeches will understand all your propositions. Those who haven't heard them won't have much resonance."

"But if you publish a book, it's different! If, after giving a speech, he immediately started distributing his ideological works, then if his followers truly believed in the ideas and thoughts he expounded, they would definitely spontaneously help you spread these works around the world..."

"By then, the more people who recognize his ideas, the more people who support him there will naturally be."

After listening to Levid's words, Annie finally understood the general idea this time.

Then she asked again, "But what if people don't agree with your ideas? What happens then? Does that mean your ideas are wrong?"

"You need to first understand why others don't agree with your ideas? Let's take Grindelwald's so-called ideals as an example. He has always advocated that wizards should no longer hide and should rule Muggles or something... At first glance, it seems very reasonable. But... do you know what an ordinary wizard thinks when they hear this?"

Annie shook her head.

"They would say, um... it seems a bit reasonable, so why don't you try to reform it? Yes... most people will just watch and wait. They won't participate!"

"Because all of this is too far removed from them! Although their current life is ordinary, they are content. Grindelwald's proposals sound good, but they are too grandiose and unrealistic. Not everyone has a surge of passion and gets excited when they hear about change!"

"Everyone knows that if wizards could rule Muggles and become the elite, all wizards would benefit, but... that's just a slogan! It should be said that this is the ultimate goal. The fact is that this ideal has not yet brought benefits to anyone."

"Since Grindelwald started developing his career, has he done anything to benefit wizards so far? No, he only says that everyone will benefit after he succeeds... But what about now? Nothing!"

"Without any benefits, yet asking people to fight for a false goal you've set... does that make sense?"

"You can say whatever you want there, but it doesn't stop me from going to work and getting off work normally, and living my ordinary life, because what you say has nothing to do with me until it's realized!"

"Even Muggle politicians, before taking office, can at least pretend to propose some policies that benefit the people. At the very least, they can donate to orphanages or something, right?"

"But what about Grindelwald? A self-proclaimed revolutionary, besides shouting slogans all day, is launching terrorist attacks. He hasn't done anything beneficial to wizards..."

"A revolution that can't bring benefits to anyone... is it still a revolution? Oh... this statement is actually not accurate, it should be said that this is a revolution that cannot bring any benefits to ordinary wizards."

"As for Grindelwald and his supporters, there are still benefits, otherwise he wouldn't be causing trouble, and his subordinates wouldn't follow him."

"Grindelwald gained power, and his supporters, well, they can also satisfy their different desires..."

"You can tell how he tempted me and Tom. He didn't talk to us about revolutionary ideals, but made deals with magical power... because he knew we wanted that!"

"Even recruiting us was done with such methods, so how do you think he got his other subordinates?"

"In conclusion… nobody does anything legitimate."

"Do you think there are any good people around him? A group of villains gathered together… people naturally think they are terrorists. His so-called ideals are just a target erected for his own benefit. Only fools would believe it!"

Li Weide's words were normal at first, but later on…

Annie was almost driven to tears by his sarcastic remarks.

She really wanted to say that she genuinely believed in Grindelwald's ideals and was willing to follow him, that she wasn't a fool! Nor was she one of those villains who joined because of their own desires!

However, after carefully considering Li Weide's words, Annie's beliefs were greatly shaken…

Because her aunt… Veta Rosier, she joined the Pure-Blood Party not for the so-called ideals Grindelwald was currently proposing.

But to… become Grindelwald's most trusted assistant, so that when Grindelwald stood at the pinnacle of the world in the future, the Rosier family could also gain honor together…

She had actually been aware of some of these things before, but she would quickly and deliberately ignore them…

But now, Li Weide tore off this last layer of fig leaf, directly exposing the most real situation in front of her!

What so-called ideals were just some high-sounding excuses used to decorate the facade.

Those Pure-Blood Party members gathered under Grindelwald for their own desires, and their own interests were not consistent.

The internal voices are actually inconsistent… so how can they expect other people's voices to be consistent with theirs?

Rather than saying they believe in this ideal and gather around Grindelwald.

It's better to say they only believe in Grindelwald himself!

No one is wrong, one song, one hair, one inside, one content, one is looking at it!

Annie fell into silence.

Her faith was shattered in an instant, and it took her a long time to recover.

Tom had been secretly watching Annie's expression change.

Seeing her change from disbelief to thoughtfulness, to later shock and confusion, and finally to being completely stunned…

In fact, he also felt that Li Weide's words made some sense.

Since Grindelwald started his rebellion, he has indeed done more destruction than construction.

People only have fear for them, not trust. In that case, what is the point of them saying anything?

At this time, Tom suddenly remembered what Li Weide had said a long time ago, "Don't underestimate the power of the people," and combined it with what Li had just said… he couldn't help but become thoughtful.

If Grindelwald hadn't used those terrorist tactics from the beginning, but instead directly proposed some policies beneficial to the bottom-level wizards to the International Confederation of Wizards, letting all wizards understand that he could bring them benefits…

Then slowly cultivate his prestige among the wizards, and after more supporters gathered, then start talking about the superiority of wizards, wouldn't there be more supporters?

Because according to previous experience, what he proposed was beneficial! People naturally have a sense of trust in his words! After that… Tom didn't dare to think about it anymore.

Tom glanced again at Li Weide, who was calmly looking at the Marauder's Map, and was very shocked.

If the person causing trouble wasn't Grindelwald, but Li Weide, maybe he would have succeeded…

Li Weide is obviously about the same age as himself… where did he learn these things?

Could it be, his family?

After a long while, Annie said in a voice as small as a mosquito: "Listening to you, Grindelwald really has no way to succeed."

"It's not like that," Li Weide said casually while looking at the map, "If he can clear his name and squeeze out the poisonous blood, it's not impossible to be reborn."

Annie looked at Li Weide in surprise, "What do you mean? Didn't you just say…"

"If I were him, if I wanted to succeed, I would definitely not use force first, but since the mistake has already been made, then I would have to push out a few scapegoats to take the blame. After clearing my name, I would go into politics. After obtaining legal power, I can naturally improve my popularity by proposing some policies that benefit the people's livelihood. By then, it will be much easier to find a way to propose reforms. Anyway, as long as there are enough benefits, people will automatically forget… Why rebel?"

When Li Weide said these things, his eyes didn't leave the map in front of him, as if he was really just saying it casually.

But Tom couldn't help but look at Li Weide, his eyes narrowed.

After Annie left with a heavy heart, finding an excuse, Tom asked, "I don't believe you didn't see that she was trying to get information out of you."

Li Weide looked at Tom with a smile, "I also don't believe that you didn't see that I deliberately let her get information out of me."

"What exactly do you want to do?" Tom frowned and said, "Could it be that you really want Grindelwald to make a comeback?"

"If he can do things that benefit the people's livelihood for the sake of popularity, as I said, then what does it matter whether he is bad or not? I just hope for world peace and the happiness of the people, Tom… have you forgotten? I am a good person!"

"I wouldn't believe a single punctuation mark of these words of yours, even if my last name was Li!"