Hogwarts: This Dark Lord is Good?

Chapter 389 389: Comrade Elena, welcome to our side!

Elena sat hunched on the wooden chair, her small frame trembling as she wiped away the stubborn tears that refused to stop falling.The morning light filtering through the dusty window cast long shadows across the room, making her look even more fragile than she already felt.

"I... I'm afraid that demon will find me," she whispered shakily, her voice barely audible. "So... so I wanted to ask what you're planning to do with me now."

"Hmm.." Wade observed her quietly for a moment before speaking. He raised his wand and gently tapped it against her shoulder. A soft golden light spread from the tip, flowing through her body like warm honey.

Almost instantly, Elena felt the crushing tension leave her muscles. The painful numbness left behind by the lightning strike that had forced her out of her Animagus form also faded away rapidly, replaced by a soothing calmness.

"The moment I discovered you," Wade said in a steady, reassuring voice, "I already concealed your whereabouts with several layers of spells. After all, I don't like inviting unnecessary trouble. So you don't need to worry. Your father won't be able to find you here."

Elena lifted her head, her wide, red-rimmed eyes filled with surprise and lingering disbelief. "You... when did you discover me?"

"The very first time you appeared in front of me, of course," Wade replied with a small smile. "What kind of little bird isn't afraid of people? Still, you happened to fly straight onto our carriage. I suppose that means fate brought us together in some way. Besides, true Animagi are quite rare. I was curious about your intentions, so I chose not to expose you at the time."

Elena fidgeted nervously with the hem of her dress, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"I... I didn't just randomly pick a carriage. The first time I saw you... for no reason at all, I felt like you were a good person. So when I had nowhere else to go, I flew straight onto your carriage without thinking."

"Oh?" Wade raised an eyebrow, momentarily lost in thought.

He suddenly remembered that he had exchanged for the Magical Creature Affinity ability through the system not long ago. He hadn't expected it to affect Animagi as well.

But when a witch completely transformed her body into an animal, the difference between her and a real creature became very small. Only the soul remained human. It made sense that the affinity would influence her too.

After figuring it out, Wade straightened his posture and declared with exaggerated seriousness, "Mm, your instincts were right. I really am a good person! You have excellent judgement!"

Miss Yuryev truly has remarkable judgement, he thought with amusement. Unlike certain people who kept calling him a Dark Lord no matter how many good deeds he performed.

"As for what to do with you," he continued, waving his wand lazily.

A beautiful tea set flew over from the side table and settled gracefully in front of Elena. The teapot tilted by itself, pouring fragrant hot tea into two delicate cups. "I honestly haven't decided yet. What do you think we should do?"

Elena wrapped her cold fingers around the warm teacup, staring into the steaming liquid. "I... I don't know either. As long as that demon is still alive and free, I don't want to go back to my country..." More tears slipped down her cheeks as painful memories resurfaced.

Wade smiled gently and spoke in a calm, encouraging tone. "I don't know whether Andrews told you, but I only recruit geniuses."

"I... I think I heard him say that," Elena murmured softly. "Being a genius is only the minimum requirement to even meet you..."

"In my opinion," Wade said warmly, his eyes brightening, "being able to master the Animagus transformation at your age is more than enough to prove you possess extraordinary talent in Transfiguration. You're already worthy of being called a genius."

His smile grew wider and more sincere. "So, my dear comrade, welcome to our side."

"Huh?" Elena blinked several times, completely stunned.

She had only come here to ask what would happen to her next — where she should go, what he planned to do with her.

How had she somehow ended up joining his group in just a few minutes?

"You're still attending Durmstrang right now, aren't you?" Wade asked curiously.

"No..." Elena shook her head slowly, her expression darkening. "My father... that demon never sent me to Durmstrang. He kept me locked at home and taught me himself. I learned all my Transfiguration from my mother..."

The moment she mentioned her mother, Elena's eyes turned red again. A flood of memories rushed back — warm hugs, gentle laughter, bedtime stories in soft Russian. Then the horrifying final day.

The more her mother had loved her before, the more violently she had hated her at the end. Elena could still clearly remember the pure hatred burning in her mother's eyes as she died.

Wade's voice softened considerably. "Don't think about it too much, Elena. This wasn't your fault. People can't control the circumstances of their birth..."

Elena looked up at him with trembling lips. "That's why... I'm going to avenge her. Even if she hated me in her final moments..."

"I don't think your mother truly hated you," Wade said gently. "You were her daughter, and you were innocent. She had only just broken free from the effects of a powerful Love Potion after years of being controlled. She was overwhelmed by rage and pain. There was no way she could stay calm in that state..."

"Is that really true?" Elena asked in a small, trembling voice full of fragile hope.

"In fact, you're not the only person who has gone through something like this. I know someone else with a very similar experience."

"Who?" Elena asked immediately, leaning forward.

"Tom," Wade replied. He then gave her a detailed but careful explanation of Tom's background — his mother's use of the Love Potion, his Muggle father, and how their relationship had slowly started to mend.

Elena listened in silence. After a long pause, she finally let out a deep, weary sigh. "At least I got to experience a mother's love for many years... when I think about it that way, I suppose I'm still fortunate..."

Wade watched her quietly for a moment before speaking again. "Actually, as for whether your mother truly hated you or not... you can ask her yourself."

Elena stared at him in confusion. "Ask her myself? But she's already dead..."

"Heh~ Catch." Wade tossed the small black stone toward her.

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