"Albus, you're a bit late."
Grindelwald blocked the incoming barrage, calmly securing the final prisoners. Only then did he lift his head, meeting Dumbledore's grim gaze with a playful smile.
Magic pulsed off the Headmaster in sharp waves. And before him lay nothing but ruins: shattered walls, scorched earth, the once-vibrant mansion reduced to a blackened wasteland. The lingering traces of 'Protego Diabolica' filled the air with the heavy stink of sulfur, and beneath rubble, wounded or dead wizards remained buried.
Grindelwald didn't care.
But Dumbledore did, and his anger burned cold.
"Gellert! What happened to you? Why are you even more reckless and fanatical than before? Why insist on starting a pointless war? Why take lives for nothing?!"
He fired off four questions in a row, each laced with frustration and disbelief. His wand was already raised, waiting for an answer.
But Grindelwald just smiled. He leaned back, and an old-fashioned armchair shimmered into existence behind him, catching as if it had always been there.
"Why are you asking me this, Albus?Who caused today's mess? It wasn't me, and you should know that. It was Babajide Akingbade, the ICW, and those clueless ministers who think they're untouchable."
"...."
"They're the ones who started this war and planned today's ambush." Grindelwald flicked his hand. A gust of wind swept away the acrid smoke.
Seeing Dumbledore's expression didn't soften; Gellert's smile only grew wider, "You ignore the ones pulling the strings and come after me instead? Why? Just because I'm the villain at the moment? So, I automatically deserve to have wands shoved in my face, is that it? Is there no justice left at all? Look at me, Albus. Give me answers."
For a moment, confusion and shock flickered across Dumbledore's face, his pupils widened. Wasn't he the one demanding answers? Why was Grindelwald acting even more outraged than he was?
No, something was off.
Dumbledore forced himself to calm down. He knew better than to let Grindelwald lead him in circles. No one was better at twisting words and hearts, he'd once fallen for it too, and the consequences of that mistake still haunted him.
Compared to Gellert, Voldemort's tricks were laughably crude. No wonder he was called Little Voldy.
"You walking out of the Nurmengard tower was the true beginning of all this," Dumbledore said quietly, blue eyes were filled with disappointment, "You forgot our agreement. You were the one who said you'd live out your days there... I believed you, and you betrayed that trust."
"The tide of the era pushed me forward, Albus." Grindelwald met his gaze without the slightest guilt. The air between them felt like the echo of their legendary duel decades ago.
"I once believed, without doubt, that I'd stay in that tower forever, clinging to memories of that summer until the moment I died."
Dumbledore's beard trembled slightly.
"But the world never bends to a person's will," Grindelwald looked down at his own hands as if seeing something only he understood. His voice softened into a murmur, "The Acolytes need my guidance. The wizarding world needs my strength. And I... I want to witness the final transformation. So I went to Berlin. That's why I came here."
"No, all of that is nothing but excuses." Dumbledore's grip on his wand tightened, "Your return is root of this chaos. Stop blaming the world. Without you, things would have taken a better path."
"Better path? Like that clown Voldemort?"
Grindelwald let out a low laugh.
"Albus, look at what your mercy has cost the world. If you'd been decisive back then and dealt with that Tom Riddle, half the tragedies that followed would never have happened. I met that clown in Albania, you know."
The killing intent that gathered around Dumbledore grew sharper, but he held back, waiting for Grindelwald to continue, "You sought out Voldemort?"
"That's right," he said without hesitation, "I was curious about a wizard who could make you hide away in Hogwarts."
"And?"
"And he disappointed me. So did you, Albus. Go tell the world that from today on, there's only one Dark Lord. Me, Gellert Grindelwald."
"No." Dumbledore lowered his wand, twirling it circle. His beard fluttered quickly in the wind, "After today, there won't be any Dark Lord left in this world."
"Then come try."
The battle erupted without warning. Robes snapped in the wind as magic tore through the air, spells screaming between them. Golden light clashed with shimmering blue. Even the air seemed to sharpen into blades that carved deep gouges into the earth.
Dumbledore still held back enough to steer the fight away from mansion, not wanting to harm the collapsed Bulgarian Ministry officials scattered across the ground. Grindelwald followed the shift without complaint, never once trying to use them as leverage.
But once they were far enough away, Dumbledore unleashed his full force. In a heartbeat he was in front of Grindelwald, 'the Elder Wand' blazing with terrifying power as it transformed into a streak of cold light aimed straight at Dark Lord's chest.
A sharp tearing sound came.
The robes split open, yet there was no sense of flesh yielding. The shredded cloth twisted into dozens of venomous snakes, lunging for Dumbledore.
Instantly, a burst of gold swept out from him. And every snake turned to ash the moment it touched the light.
Albus Dumbledore.
Gellert Grindelwald.
Both of them had pushed their speed to the limit, attacking and countering with such precision that air itself felt thick with stray magic. Apparition grew harder to pull off, space refusing to cooperate.
Dumbledore would normally have Fawkes at his side, but the phoenix was still recovering after rushing across half the continent.
But then a troubling thought gnawed at him. Grindelwald had just crushed four hundred Aurors. And these were elite, not untrained fools. So why wasn't he even tired? Why did he look energized, sharp, almost exhilarated, fighting at his peak? 'What the hell is going on?'
He, Dumbledore, wasn't at full strength. Even with Fawkes carrying him, that long-distance jump had still taken a toll, his mind wasn't as clear as usual.
"Alright. Let's stop here," Grindelwald waved his hand, not wanting to waste time on a pointless fight.
"...."
"Hand over the Aurors you captured."
Giving him a short, sharp laugh, he retorted back finding disbelief, "Albus, you might want to have someone check your head. I went through all that trouble to take hostages, and you think I'll give them up because you asked nicely."
"Gellert, you're setting yourself against every Ministry in Europe."
"We've already been at odds for decades." Grindelwald rose slowly into the air, looking down at Dumbledore, "Tell Babajide this. If you touch even one Bulgarian wizard, I'll kill ten Aurors. And when I run out, I'll go catch more. They joined the Acolytes now."
"And..." His voice dropped, almost casual.
"Albus, as long as you let yourself be chained by moral scruples and that ridiculous softness of yours, you'll never be my equal.... You'll always be reacting, never leading. Once you've figured that out, come to Berlin next weekend. And bring 'your' Hogwarts' greatest student, Lucifer Morningstar."
He shot away, a streak of light that vanished toward Berlin. Dumbledore watched until he disappeared completely. Then he sighed, reached for his WhatsApp, and found urgent news waiting:
{Durmstrang had fallen.}
"... I'm tired."
He wasn't just tired of this shit, he was ready to drop dead, Dumbledore honestly wanted to wring the necks of every useless official involved right now. Why provoke Grindelwald if they didn't have the ability to deal with the consequences? Holding a stalemate and waiting for an opening would have been fine, but no, they had charged in headfirst.
Hundreds of Aurors lost, and now an entire school with them.
Babajide's face flickered onto the WhatsApp: exhausted, dark-skinned, and full of desperate hope. He clearly already knew what had happened from the surviving Aurors.
Dumbledore was the last shred of hope he had left. But seeing the old wizard's cold, tightly contained anger, his heart dropped.
He swallowed hard. "You... failed?"
"I've told you many times," Making his voice flat, not even trying to soften the blow, he replied, "if Grindelwald wants to leave, I can't stop him. Your 'four' hundred Aurors were wiped out in under thirty minutes. He's still at full magical strength."
"That's impossible," Babajide whispered in hororr.
"He's Grindelwald. It's not the first time he's pulled off a miracle," Dumbledore sounded almost like nonsense, yet it explained everything, "He wants me in Berlin next week for negotiations. Babajide, do your best on this last task."
He cut the connection without waiting for a reply. In the ICW headquarters in North America, Babajide collapsed into his chair.
He knew he was finished. This operation had been his idea, carried out with the ministers. The political fallout, global outrage, the public fury, someone had to take the blame.
Babajide racked his brain for any way out. There was only one: capture Grindelwald before the backlash exploded, but that was a fantasy.
"Sigh~"
xxxxxx
"Hmm..."
"You don't want to rest a bit longer?"
Grindelwald had been flying toward Berlin when he suddenly halted, Lucifer had just stepped out of pocket dimension, the boy looked perfectly fine, but he still asked out of habit.
Trading spells with dozens of wizards at once, taking curses head-on, slipping through coordinated attacks, only a being higher than Wizardry, could manage something like that.
Grindelwald himself would've needed a 'far' more roundabout approach.
"I'm fine, Gellert," Lucifer shook his head with a crack of his knuckles,
"Honestly, I was fully recovered while you and Dumbledore were busy arguing. No problem at all, forget that, calculating the time... If I hurry back to school, I might still catch Hermione and Susan's match."
Grindelwald was speechless. 'Kid, you nearly blew up the entire wizarding world... ten minutes ago, and you aren't even thinking of that? How come this is just your three or four percent of true power. I dare to even breathe when his body stablises to handle it.'
"Go on, then," he sighed, realising there was just nothing he could do but accept the truth, "I'm heading to Durmstrang. It's been years, I'm curious how much it's changed"
Changed directions mid-air, the two parted with a nod.
Lucifer was swallowed by the dark shadows, going south towards the Scottish Highlands, while Grindelwald turned north. Hogwarts, even though he rushed back, still arrived a step too late. By the time he reached the Great Hall, students were already drifting out in small groups. Flitwick and Lupin were dismantling the dueling platform.
"Lucifer!"
Daphne was, as always, the first to spot him. She dragged Astoria along as she practically bounced across the hall, "Where were you today? I looked for you everywhere!"
"Hiding in the pocket world studying. Tried a few new spells."
Ruffling her hair, he smoothed out the little heiress's indignation, "So? How'd the matches go? Did Hermione make it through Susan?"
He didn't bother asking about Ginny. That one had been obvious.
"Before that, she almost lost to Potter, then Bones gave her a peg." Astoria still looked rattled, "He used the 'Disarming Charm' like it was an explosion spell. Blew half the stage apart and scared Hermione so badly she lost her rhythm. She only won because she accidentally used 'Transfiguration' to turn a crack on the platform into a big mouth that swallowed Potter whole. Total fluke."
"And?"
"But she was much calmer in the semi-finals against Malfoy and won. It's just... he didn't seem to fight at full strength, looked deeply upset about Potter's loss."
Just from Astoria's description, he could picture the whole chaotic mess.
"Then came Bones, she was too tired already, and trying to counter jinxes by bookish specific spells, in the middle of fog, Granger got petrified in the back and was slained..."
"So uh... where's Hermione now?"
"McGonagall thought it was biased you couldn't participate, so they discussed to let her in. Third-year had two fighters... Gryffindors dragged her and Ginny back for a celebration. Both their year's 'finalists' were kittens, after all."
Lucifer nodded with a back rub, he had no intention of interrupting, "Alright, I'm heading back to see Hermione. I'll spend time with you two tomorrow."
He patted both girls on the head as reassurance, then hurried off, mind already drifting back to spark of insight he'd felt in the battle earlier.
Watching his retreating figure, Daphne puffed up her cheeks, and stopped her foot on the ground, "He's busy spoiling her again..."
Cause of their shared class time table, and used to, getting along well with girls of his harem, Lucifer was spending a lot of time indulging openly. Now that he'd gone back to disappearing for days, Daphne couldn't help feeling a bit lost.
Astoria, acting like the older sister as always, patted her arm, "Lucifer's probably doing something really important to Granger. Let's not bother him, you know she's had issues with 'Time-turner' lately, her memory can't keep up with other personalities...."
"I know, I saw her writing the same Herbology report for three days straight... 'differently," Daphne huffed softly, she also got scared when she noticed the fact, just doing once was a headache already, "Just complaining a little. Come on, let's go visit the Giant squid."
She tugged her cute Astoria toward the Black Lake.
xxxxxx
Durmstrang,
At that moment, Grindelwald had no idea Mazikeen was plotting to give him pain. Capturing Durmstrang had gone absurdly smoothly, there wasn't even a proper fight. Once professors were subdued, students lost all will to resist. After their wands were confiscated, a few of his followers were enough to keep the whole school contained.
When Grindelwald arrived, he didn't call a meeting or entertain any formalities. He simply gathered everyone, staff and students, into the Great Hall and had the professors released to stand among their pupils.
'Tension, fear, hatred, resentment,' countless emotions fixated on him
Almost everyone instinctively ignored the still bound headmaster, Igor Karkaroff whose heart had already shattered. He'd fled England years ago precisely to escape retribution, and somehow he'd still ended up in the hands of the Acolytes. Why did he have to be this unlucky?
"Silence"
Grindelwald spoke only a single word, and the hall instantly fell quiet enough to hear a pin drop. The air turned suffocating. He didn't care, standing at the front of the stage, he closed his eyes, letting old memories of his school days rise and settle.
After several minutes he opened his mouth again, showing a clear vision of disappointment, "Hundred years... a 'full century' ago, I entered this great school. The vitality then, fierce hunger for knowledge, it's still vivid in my mind. From the day Nerida Vulchanova founded Durmstrang, it enjoyed a glory few schools could compare to. But now... it has fallen to this. I fail to understand, when did the standards for choosing a headmaster become so low?"
With a flick of his wand, Karkaroff floated helplessly into the air.
"Do you know what kind of man he is?" Grindelwald asked, sweeping his gaze over the assembled crowd. No one dared to answer, he didn't mind. With another small motion, he restored Karkaroff's ability to speak.
A spell glowed on the man's chest.
"Since you're all so quiet, let him introduce himself. Igor Karkaroff," Grindelwald said lazily, not even giving time to save his face, "Tell them where you come from, the life you've lived... and what you've done."
Facing the threat of death, pride meant nothing. Panic stripped Karkaroff bare, and he obeyed.
"I-I'm from England. I was... a Death Eater. I served the Dark Lord. I'm sorry."
"Wrong answer."
The spell flung Karkaroff across the hall. Screams echoed as he crashed into the crowd, his body jerking violently. In seconds, he was foaming at the mouth, collapsing unconscious.
"Dark Lord? No. Voldemort is just a moderately capable dark wizard."
Grindelwald's voice rang out, slow and clear, "Not every clown gets to call himself a Lord. And a true Lord does not rule through fear alone. And yet you let this dog of his sit as your Headmaster, strutting around Durmstrang as if he owned it. I am... disappointed..."
At that, many students lowered their heads in shame. Among all magical schools, Durmstrang placed the greatest pride on lineage and status. Most here carried themselves with arrogance. After Grindelwald's words, realization dawned----
They had respected a man who was essentially someone else's lapdog.
A murmur rippled through previously silent hall. Grindelwald didn't rush them, waiting calmly for emotions to settle before speaking again.
"I know many of you hate me. Some of your elders died in the last war... But that is nature of this world. There is no absolute right or wrong, only strength.... 'War is nothing more than kill or be killed.' Before coming here, another four hundred Aurors fell by my hand. Perhaps some were your parents...."
Durmstrang students turned pale. Those with family in Auror forces were trembling on the edge of fainting.
"Until you possess the strength to oppose me, there is only one thing you can do, and that is obey. Do you understand?"
Grindelwald's heterochromatic gaze swept across the room, calm yet carrying a pressure that crushed the breath from their lungs. Whatever resistance spirit, both Staff and even upper-year students of Durmstrang once had dissolved completely.
In a single night, his shadow spread across Europe, then surged outward at an astonishing speed, swallowing the entire Wizarding world.
All Ministries of Magic fell silent. Intelligence had already reached them, but many refused to believe it at first, scrambling to verify the reports through every channel they had. In the end, had no choice but to accept the truth.
Four hundred Aurors? More than four hundred, and it still hadn't been enough, the Ministries were stunned!
Just a spell from Grindelwald had been all it took to overturn the entire battlefield. Was there anyone left in this world who could truly stop him? How had the ICW and various Ministries managed to win back then?
Driven by those questions, long-sealed
archives were dragged out into the light. Elderly figures who had retired long ago, living out their days in peace, were invited back.
People grasped desperately for any weakness, any method that could bring Grindelwald down.
But after listening to firsthand accounts and combing through the records, the old men fell into silence.
Their Victory had come at a price paid in blood, under the leadership of the very best, and, most critically, because of Grindelwald's own choice.
Miss any one of those three, and the war could never have ended.
Back then, Grindelwald had chosen to fight until the end. That was why Dumbledore had been able to defeat him. Now, though, he had no intention of doing that. If he could win, he fought.
If he couldn't, he ran.
And as long as Grindelwald stayed alive, every opposing force would live in a nightmare, no one could truly restrict his movements. That was only the long-term threat. The crisis right in front of them was already crushing.
By the latest count, 316 Aurors from twenty-two different countries had fallen into Grindelwald's hands. No one knew who was alive or dead. And if they were all gone... Half of those countries' Ministers of Magic would be 'finished' on the spot!
Babajide had already been besieged. With a bitter smile, he announced that he would resign after negotiations. But what good was that? You resign, and then what? Do Aurors magically get us out of this mess? Right now, there were only two possible outcomes.
The first was the worst. Grindelwald completely lost it and went on a killing spree. In that case, everyone was finished. They'd be torn apart by furious, panicked civilians, maybe even hunted down by the victims' families.
The second outcome was slightly better, captives were still alive. And if they were, there was hope, for room to maneuver, a fragile chance to save them. So, they wholeheartedly tried to contact Dumbledore.
The old man gave no response at all. Every message vanished like a stone dropped into the sea, without so much as a ripple, and quietly entertained Fawkes for his hard work.
At Hogwarts, a new week began.
The young witches and wizards had no idea that world beyond the castle walls had already changed. The news hadn't even reached Britain yet. Fudge, lucky in his own special way, felt that his relationship with the ICW wasn't great anyway, so clearly this had nothing to do with him.
The students were still buzzing about yesterday's competition. At breakfast, you could hear them enthusiastically debating Ginny's, Susan Bones, and a Hermione's chances of winning their year group.
Susan Bones was a sure thing. The strength she'd shown was completely overwhelming, even older students from the higher years got chills watching her. While Ginny's battle awareness and chosen of spell-casting gave an eery reminder to her older siblings of their Mum.
Hermione was the one people worried about. Her advantage didn't look that big, and there was something about her chances that felt... unreliable. Compared to her, even Potter or Malfoy just felt safer, but sadly, they lost.
People for rooting for Susan, while Granger served as her back-up, it infuriated the bushy-haired girl who buried herself in the pile of books in Hogwarts library, feeling sullen.
Hearing that, Lucifer was discussing with Daphne, trying to figure out how to squeeze in some emergency special training for Hermione.
Daphne, thinking way outside the box, suggested heading down to Knockturn Alley to grab a few dark wizards. They had to be the ugly kind, the sort who looked evil at a glance.
If Hermione could get used to facing opponents that disgusting, she definitely wouldn't panic when competing against students from other schools.
Lucifer was stunned.
At first it sounded like Daphne was just messing with Granger like usual, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
Dark Wizards were scarier than students, and what Hermione lacked was exactly that kind of experience. Training with him every day wasn't helping much at all. She never felt nervous around him.
Just as the boy was seriously considering whether to go "shopping" in Knockturn Alley, he suddenly felt someone watching him from the staff table. Lucifer looked up and met Dumbledore's gaze, heavy with worry.
After a brief pause, he immediately put on a shy, innocent smile. No one would ever guess this well-behaved looking boy had played the role of a Dark Lord just yesterday.
Dumbledore certainly didn't. Seeing Lucifer smile so brightly, a wave of guilt rose in the old man's heart.
Was he really going to drag the boy into this whirlpool? Then why had Grindelwald insisted that he be brought along, that he act as a witness?
"Albus, as long as you let yourself be chained by moral scruples and that ridiculous softness of yours, you'll never be my equal."
Grindelwald's taunt echoed again in Dumbledore's brilliant mind. He realized he had no real rebuttal, if he were willing to ignore everything and storm into Berlin, even if he couldn't capture three hundred followers at once, grabbing a dozen or so would be easy.
Do that a few more times, and Gellert would be left a one-man army. After that, the situation would devolve into two men spiraling toward madness, locked in a test of endurance to see who cracked first. Just imagining it was terrifying. It was something he simply could not do. And so, in the end, he could only let himself be led by the nose.
Still... he would talk to the Lady Greengrass and his guardians first. If he took Lucifer along without notifying them, the trouble waiting for him afterward would be no less severe than anything Grindelwald could cause.
Dumbledore made his decision. As for safety, as long as he was there, Grindelwald would not be able to lay a finger on the boy.
After breakfast, the students went off to class, he contacted Lady Evelyn first, who was quite easy to deal with he thought, she completely trusted Lucifer to make his own decisions, the Headmaster couldn't believe it, a 'pure blood' family like Greengrass supporting a Muggle-born?
"Times have changed...."
Then he contacted the elders, and explained the situation, Dumbledore was invited to visit them in person. The turn of events was, frankly, a little absurd.
Nicolas's estate in Dorset had already been completed. It lacked the extravagant grandeur of the palace in Paris, but it sprawled across a large area and had everything one could want. Newt had even transplanted a variety of rare magical plants, keeping the air fresh at all times, with subtle effects that refreshed the mind and body.
Dumbledore had no mood to admire his old friend's new home. He had a strong feeling this visit would not go smoothly.
No one came out to greet him, the gates stood open. When he entered the sitting room, Nicolas was there, but without his usual warmth. He sat with a stern expression, slowly sipping his tea.
Glancing around, Newt, Tina, and Perenelle were nowhere to be seen, which made him quietly breathe a sigh of relief. Convincing one person was better than convincing four.
"Nico..."
"Dumbledore."
Nicolas Flamel cut him off before he could even get started, setting his teacup down with a heavy thud. "Do you really think this is appropriate? Lucifer is just a child, and you want him to face Grindelwald head-on? He's clearly plotting something, possibly... even something aimed directly at him. And knowing that, you're still willing to walk straight into his trap?"
"I don't have another choice." Dumbledore gave a bitter smile, he was really too old for such kind games, and needed rest, "More than three hundred Aurors are involved, Nicolas. You know what that number means to those Ministries of Magic. If they lose that many frontline fighters, even if... Grindelwald does nothing, other Dark Wizards and criminal groups will lose their fear. They'll start stirring up trouble, and the wizarding world will sink into even greater chaos. What can I do?"
Nicolas's expression softened slightly. He understood Dumbledore's dilemma, but did not mean he could accept Lucifer being dragged into it.
"Then how about this," he said slowly, "You go talk to Grindelwald first. Maybe negotiations are possible without bringing the boy along. He can't be the only one setting terms."
Dumbledore nodded earnestly. "That's my plan. What I've told you today is only the worst-case scenario. If it truly comes down to it and Lucifer must be present, I can guarantee his safety, you have my word."
Shaking his head with a sigh, Nicolas could only reduce the level of hostility, "I have never doubted your strength. But Grindelwald's most frightening weapon has never been brute force."
Indeed, that was exactly what worried Dumbledore most. Gellert could plant a seed in someone's heart with just a few words. Once it took root, no one could predict what it might grow into.
In the end, Nicolas agreed not to interfere with Lucifer's freedom of choice. If he was willing to go, he would not stop him. If refused, no one be allowed to force him.
Dumbledore accepted those terms.
After returning to Hogwarts, he finally began responding to Babajide and nearly frantic Ministers of Magic, coordinating who would serve as representatives for the negotiations.
In truth, the only ones making decisions would be him and Grindelwald. Still, the formalities had to be observed. Those people's presence was needed so that, afterward, no one could pin the blame on him if things went wrong.
They communicated for an entire afternoon. Babajide, knowing he was about to resign anyway, found a sudden surge of courage and agreed to go in person. The other Ministers, however, refused to show up. They either planned to participate remotely or send officials from 'International Cooperation Departments.'
Dumbledore did not particularly care. Whoever came, as long as they bore witness, was good enough. That evening, during dinner, he invited Lucifer up to his office.
"How was your weekend?"
"Very good. I've made a lot of progress with my magic, there is Hogsmeade weekend to look forward to."
Lucifer nodded happily.
"That is good to hear." Dumbledore smiled, genuinely pleased, "But weekends are also for relaxing and enjoying life. A balance between work and rest is important."
"I'll keep that in mind, Professor. Is there something else you wanted to talk to me about?" Lucifer asked, fully aware of the answer.
That not so hidden expression of trouble was visible on the Headmaster's face, but he still explained Grindelwald's request.
"I won't force you to choose. That's Lady Greengrass and Nicolas's position as well, you have a week to think it over. I'll try to communicate with Grindelwald 'first."
"No need," Lucifer agreed almost without hesitation, "All things considered, Grindelwald is one of my major clients. He's spent a lot of money with me. I doubt he'd do anything...And besides," he added lightly, "You'll be there, won't you, Professor? You can't possibly let anything happen to me at all."
Dumbledore's expression turned complicated. Being trusted like this did make him feel touched. But this child... why did even his compliments hit so hard?
"Lucifer thank you for your courage. You really are well suited for Gryffindor."
Now it was the boy's turn to feel uncomfortable, Luna had once said he belonged in Ravenclaw. Now Dumbledore was saying Gryffindor, why did no one ever think he would be perfect for Hufflepuff?
"Professor," Lucifer said, clearly disgruntled, "I'm going with you straight into danger. Aren't you going to give me something in return?"
In his sour mood, he started bargaining, "I don't need much. Just casually give... Slytherin three to five hundred house points, Gryffindor will get the Quidditch Cup this year, so it's only fair, right?"
Sometimes being too good at things is its own kind of trouble. No matter what achievements you rack up, people start acting... strangely.
Lucifer had been 'feeling' that firsthand lately, the Professors had suddenly become stingy with house points. They barely called on him in class anymore, instead giving other students chances. It left a knot of odd frustration, emptiness in his heart.
What was the point in attending school, if nothing to brag about in his resume? Maybe he did like to be in the middle of things?
At this rate, the only way forward was solving some truly major crises.nHe even started wondering if he should release a few Dementors to ambush Harry Potter.
That was 'the Chosen One', after all. Saving him again ought to be worth a decent payout of fame, right? Lucifer wondered if Hogwarts magic was affecting his mindset of House rivalry.
Still, a favor handed to him on a silver platter by Dumbledore was much easier than breaking his own wings to stir up trouble. 'Five hundred points.' That translated nicely into Slytherin's victory, and would be carved in History of Magic!
Dumbledore, for his part, was completely bewildered. This seemed to be the third time Lucifer had come straight to him asking for points. The very tool the school used to encourage competition had basically turned into the boy's personal bargaining chip, which left him deeply ashamed.
Before him, no headmaster had ever sunk this low, having to beg a student to get things done. Just look at the disdain in the eyes of the former headmasters in their portraits. Even someone as seasoned as Dumbledore felt his cheeks heat up.
But then----
"No problem at all, Lucifer," Dumbledore said, switching expressions instantly, his smile warm and reassuring, "Hogwarts is part of the wizarding world. Your upcoming adventure is a tremendous contribution to school. Awarding points is only fair... Though I will need to think carefully about the official reason for those points."
"That's easy," Lucifer waved his hand and proceeded to educate Dumbledore on concepts like tailor-made awards and custom commendations.
The Headmaster who listened with patience felt stunned, was now fully convinced that even without magic, the boy could still thrive in the world on sheer brains and social 'finesse' alone.
"Professor," Lucifer added as a final reminder, "I only ship the goods after the payment clears."
Only then did he leave the office.
"'That kid is a real profiteer!" Phineas snapped, voicing exactly what Dumbledore was thinking.
Back in his pocket world, Lucifer made a point of informing Nicolas that he had agreed to Dumbledore's request, even though it had always been part of the plan.
After all this trouble, he was obviously not doing it just to watch the chaos unfold, had his own goals.
Nicolas wasn't surprised when he saw the message. He knew the boy had no real fear of Grindelwald. He only reminded him that no matter what Grindelwald said, should treat it like hot air.
Lucifer agreed enthusiastically, as he was invited for dinner, then once again, Flamel took the opportunity to lecture him about Grindelwald's treachery and moral bankruptcy.
Quietly, he summoned Grindelwald over and let him read Newt's messages. Gellert, who had been in quite a good mood, instantly snapped.
"What the hell?!" he exploded into a mild tremor, "He spent years sabotaging me, and now he has the nerve to say my character's the problem? He steals the blood pact between me and Albus and that makes him righteous? 'Scamander is an absolute disgrace to Hufflepuff!"
Furious, Grindelwald went off to vent his frustration on the Durmstrang students. He hadn't actually left the school at all, choosing instead to brainwash, aiming to reshape the ideology of the next generation from the ground up.
But today, he planned to use more physical methods to teach them what it really meant when people said magic was power.
After his last class ended, he took his time going back to Dorset. Nicolas had already instructed the house-elves to prepare a small banquet. Newt and Tina were invited as well, the entire evening passed without touching on any serious matters.
Instead, everyone took turns criticizing Dumbledore for handling things poorly and cursing Grindelwald for being utterly inhuman, especially for dragging poor Lucifer into the mess.
He listened with a cheerful grin, nodding along and occasionally chiming in to agree, had a thick skin like that. Otherwise, Lucifer could never have worked so comfortably as the Lord of Hell, and wedded numbers exceeding hundreds of thousands of wives down there.
When he appeared at school the next day, news had finally reached Britain.
Bulgaria had joined the ranks of the Acolytes, and Grindelwald had defeated 'four' hundred Auror alone. The world, and especially the UK, was struck speechless. That many Aurors was more than even two Britains could muster.
Yet Grindelwald emerged unscathed, captured over three centuries of them, and just allowed only a little more than a hundred to escape.
Suddenly, even Ron too realized his fear of Voldemort had faded quite a bit. After all, even at his peak, Tom Riddle had never achieved anything like this.
Lucius Malfoy stared at newspaper at home for a long time. Then his thoughts began to stir again, and out of habit, he asked Narcissa for her opinion.
"What do you think about me reaching out to Grindelwald? We could stay in Britain as his inside agents, feed him Dumbledore's intelligence. He clearly has the makings of someone who does big things.... Once he defeats Dumbledore, the Malfoy family's standing will definitely rise to a whole new level."
Narcissa knew her husband very well. His ambition outweighed his ability by ten times, maybe a hundred. If he wasn't busy stirring things up, he was on his way to. And yet he chickened out just as fast. That was why, in Britain's wizarding world, the 'Malfoy family' always seemed extremely active, but somehow never actually accomplished anything.
"Lucius, dear" She sighed, speaking with deliberate patience, "Grindelwald has truly risen now, won't even look at us."
Her husband reacted with shock and anger, "How is that possible? The Malfoys are an ancient pure-blood family. In Britain---"
"You said it yourself," Narcissa cut him off with a dark line on her face, "In Britain," She continued coldly, without biting any tongue, "The Acolytes number at least several hundred now, probably over a thousand. Add to that the Ministry he's taken over, with a constant stream of manpower. Do you really think this is still like Death Eaters, a handful of strays barely holding together?"
That brutal reality made Lucius's face flush red, "But we still have an advantage. Grindelwald has no power base in Britain, and his greatest enemy is here."
"And then what?" She shot back with equal confidence, enjoying authority in the family's matters, "What kind of relationship do you have with Dumbledore? You know it perfectly well. How exactly are you supposed to spy on him? Are you planning to send Draco to get close to him at school?"
She fixed Lucius with a hard stare, "Lucius, I'll tell you this. Whatever schemes you want to play, I won't stop you. But if you dare drag our son into it, I will not let it go." Narcissa's sudden fury startled the older man, who hurried over to placate her, swearing he would never use Draco for anything like that.
At least when it came to pure-bloods, the Malfoys still had some sense of decency. In the end, Lucius reluctantly gave up on the idea of defecting to Grindelwald, for now.
Once situation became clearer in the future, he would switch sides without hesitation. Because the Malfoys always stood on the winning side.
While Lucius was contemplating a career change, his former colleagues were seething with rage.
"...The Dark Lord? Is he worthy?!"
Bellatrix Lestrange who was imprisoned in the prison of Azkaban, and getting patrolled by Dementors had caught a good sneak at a minor Auror trainee, Tonks, carrying the latest edition of 'the Daily Prophet', who had come with several Ministry inspection officials today, they made sure not a single soul could escape, not wanting any new chaos unloading from Grindelwald.
Nearly half of it was devoted to praising Grindelwald's power, hailing him as the greatest Dark Wizard in history, the one and only Dark Lord.
"Only the Master deserves to be called the Dark Lord! That old relic who lost to Dumbledore, what right does he have?!----Aahh, these creatures!!"
xxxxxx
Friday
Today, Dumbledore traveled alone to Durmstrang.
The Institute was known as the most mysterious magical school in world. All students were strictly forbidden from revealing its location. People only knew it was somewhere in Northern Europe, but little beyond.
....Dumbledore himself only learned the exact address because Grindelwald had once mentioned it to him, northern Norway, in the Scandinavian region.
Otherwise, he would have needed a guide. This time, he wanted to see whether leaving Lucifer behind would still allow him to resolve the matter through negotiation.
'Screee--'
Arriving openly and without deception, Dumbledore didn't rely on his strength to force his way in. The cry of a phoenix echoed across the snow-covered castle, and before long, Grindelwald flew out to meet him.
Seeing him standing alone with nothing but a bird, Grindelwald frowned slightly. "Where's Lucifer Morningstar? Why are you alone?"
"Our grievances shouldn't drag others into them," Dumbledore said softly.
"Then there's nothing worth discussing," Grindelwald replied, turning to leave at once. However, Dumbledore stopped him with a knowing glance between the two.
They didn't talk for long, ten minutes later, they parted on bad terms.
In short,
Dumbledore --- "Gellert, listen to me."
Grindelwald--- "My ears have lost it in Nurmengard Castle."
So, he could only return to Hogwarts deeply disappointed, already knowing that leaving Lucifer out of it wouldn't work. Early Saturday morning, the two of them first went to the 'Norwegian Ministry of Magic' in Oslo, where they met representatives from the 'International Confederation of Wizards' and various national Ministries, before traveling together to Durmstrang.
"Albus.... Morningstar."
Babajide greeted them with a weary expression. Back in early January, when Lucifer first met him because of the conflict with Robert Graves, the man had still carried himself with authority. Even though Grindelwald had been giving him headaches, his presence and control over situation were unmistakable.
But now... he looked like nothing more than an ordinary old man on the brink of collapse. A completely irrelevant thought drifted through Lucifer's mind: As a Uagadou graduate, did this old man have a lot of magic laborers at home?
The thought had nothing to do with situation at hand, and he found himself spacing out.
Representatives from other countries stepped forward to exchange greetings, all of them extremely polite. They crowded as close to Dumbledore as etiquette allowed.
They were about to face Grindelwald head-on, and right now, he was the only thing giving them even a shred of security.
Faced with their enthusiasm and deference, Dumbledore's calm expression didn't change in the slightest, "Everyone," he said evenly, while internally his beard was twitching, "there are some things that are better said upfront. I can say with certainty Grindelwald will use the hostages in hands to make demands you won't be able to accept. That isn't something I can decide for him."
"Whether you accept those demands or not is something you'll have to consider yourselves... Please don't place too much hope on me."
The representatives' faces turned grim, but they knew Dumbledore was telling the truth. It was Babajide spoke up hoarsely for others sake, "Albus, I understand. But you can't completely wash your hands of this either... Otherwise, Grindelwald will only push further. When it's time to be tough, you still have to be."
Dumbledore nodded, and the two of them began discussing finer details.
Meanwhile, Lucifer was pulled aside by several representatives. Between the lines, they were all asking the same thing: could he invent some kind of device to defend against sound attacks?
Grindelwald's performance had scared them badly, he agreed readily and promised to produce a prototype within half a month. Sound defense was easy enough. But 'the Dark Lord's' terrifying scream attacked the soul itself. The two had nothing to do with each other.
Of course, the representatives didn't know that. Seeing how smoothly Lucifer agreed, they praised him as the most outstanding alchemist since Nicolas Flamel.
Half an hour later, Dumbledore and Babajide finished their discussion. The group traveled via the Floo Network to the nearest fireplace hub to Durmstrang, then mounted broomsticks and flew toward school.
At that very moment, Grindelwald was receiving an unexpected visitor.
"Mr. Grindelwald." The man bowed slightly, then looked up, revealing a haggard face.
If Lucifer had been there, he would definitely have laughed and added a friendly greeting: "Mr. Graves, hasn't been that long. How did you end up looking like a stray dog?"
That's right, the one who came to see Grindelwald was Robert Graves.
After slaughtering his own kind, Robert's former power and status vanished overnight. He became a wanted man in North America, the number two fugitive on the ICW's list.
Number one, of course, was Grindelwald himself.
But Robert knew Auror methods, habits inside and out. He slipped past pursuit with ease, fled across the ocean, and somehow even tracked down Durmstrang.
"Graves," Grindelwald said with mild curiosity, at the man coweing, "What made you think of coming to me?"
From a certain point of view, Robert had delivered himself straight into a trap. First, his connection to Lucifer.
Even setting that aside, Grindelwald's past impersonation of Percival had made him mortal enemies of the Graves family. Robert shook his head with a bitter smile.
"In the entire Wizarding world, aside from turning to you, I have nowhere else to go."
"I don't see any reason to take you in."
Grindelwald toyed with his fingers, sounding utterly casual, "Former head of security for the International Confederation of Wizards, a leading advocate of hardline resistance against me. Do you really think I'd trust you?"
"Sir, I understand your concerns. Please hear me out," Robert's expression didn't change, he was here to submit no matter what, "Yes, I was one of the most determined voices opposing you. But it wasn't because of lofty ideals, purely a matter of benefits. Your appearance disrupted the balance of the world. And now, turning to you is also about benefits. Only you can protect me... help me get my revenge. Isn't that exactly the creed you follow? Everything for the greater good."
He met Grindelwald's increasingly amused gaze without flinching, "All I want is a place to survive. My final goal is only to kill Morningstar. He's the one who destroyed my family and my life... Sir, I can give you the secrets of the 'American Magical Congress' and intelligence from 'International Confederation of Wizards. I'm also well-versed in Auror training and assessments. I can help train the Acolytes with targeted methods."
"Those are decent terms." Stopping fidgeting with his fingers, Grindelwald said at last with a smile, "But the value you're showing me doesn't come close to the boy's. His talent alone, let alone artifacts he makes, is far beyond what a homeless cur like you can compare to."
Robert clenched his fists.
Humiliation surged through him like a tidal wave. How glorious had his past been? First a respected professor at Ilvermorny, then a collaborator with the North American Magical Congress, a representative in the International Confederation of Wizards, holding real power in his hands.
All of it had been destroyed by a kid.
Now he was nothing more than a 'homeless dog' in Grindelwald's mouth, not even worth accepting when he came begging.
"I can wait..." Robert took a deep breath, "Morningstar is, in the end, Dumbledore's student, your greatest enemy. Even if there's cooperation now, sooner or later they'll stand opposed....When that time comes, I'll be the sharpest, most vicious blade in your hand, stabbing straight at that lawless little wizard."
"Good, very good!"
Grindelwald applauded loudly. He genuinely thought Robert was quite a talent: clear-headed, patient, ambitious, capable. He had everything except luck. Offending the Devil was bad enough. That kid had already 'forgotten' about this poor bastard entirely. And yet Robert had delivered himself right to his doorstep anyway.
Did he really have a death wish?
Grindelwald suppressed the urge to laugh and said to Robert, "I can take you in for now. If you manage to prove that you're worth more than Morningstar, you'll get everything you want... For now, go. Find Vinda. She'll arrange things for you."
"Yes." Robert could barely contain his excitement as he left the room.
Taking a moment to steady himself, Gellert had been planning to share this little bit of amusement with Lucifer, but before Robert had even gone far, Vogel came in with a report.
Dumbledore and others had entered the surveillance perimeter and would arrive soon. Robert's matter had to be set aside for now, it was time to cooperate with Lucifer and see his plan through.
......
Half an hour later, Grindelwald met the negotiation delegation outside the conference room. Dumbledore and he stood ten meters apart, staring at each other. Time seemed to freeze, just the two of them standing there was enough to turn the room into a clash of absolute light and shadow.
In the end, Grindelwald was the one who broke the stalemate, chuckled softly and stepped aside, "Please, come in, no need to feel dread."
Dumbledore said nothing. Calm as ever, he walked in first. The other representatives hurried after him, each one doing their best to keep as much distance from Grindelwald as possible, not daring to look at him.
Only when Lucifer entered did he smile at Grindelwald, who returned it. But when his gaze shifted to Dumbledore's back, a trace of pity crept into his eyes.
Lucifer's plan didn't really conflict with Dumbledore. He just didn't want the old man getting in the way. Still, being kept completely in the dark was rather pitiful. 'At his age, running around endlessly for nothing. Maybe after today, things would finally ease up for him....'
With that thought, Grindelwald took his seat across from Dumbledore, his eyes gradually sharpening.
Dumbledore sensed the change and spoke coolly. "Grindelwald, why must Mr. Morningstar be present before you're willing to talk to us?"
"Do I need a reason?"
"Do you ever do anything meaningless?"
"All right," Grindelwald said lazily, leaning back. "If you insist on an explanation. Negotiations between you and me require a witness. Someone qualified, there aren't many in the Wizarding world. Besides you, Aberforth barely counts. That old alchemist, and then there's Scamander... If I asked them to come, would you be willing?"
"...."
"So, it's better to have this kid here. He's the future of the wizarding world, should witness what the former peak looked like."
Smiling modestly at just the right moment, Lucifer played down the heroic vibes calmly, "You flatter me, Mr. Grindelwald."
Babajide and other representatives looked baffled. They hadn't even started talking terms yet, and Grindelwald was already mocking them sideways. So what, aside from the handful of people you personally named, the rest of the Wizarding world is just trash?
And yet Dumbledore... actually accepted this explanation.
He knew Grindelwald's arrogance well. In fact, he strongly suspected that the people he had listed weren't ones he respected at all. He probably just wanted Dumbledore to bring them along so he could kill them with a single spell, "Very well," he said at last, "Then let Mr. Morningstar serve as the witness."
He looked to Lucifer for confirmation, and when he nodded did he continue.
"Grindelwald, state your terms. What will it take for you to hand the captives over to me?"
The delegation instantly tensed, palms slick with sweat.
"Simple," he said casually with a flick of his palm, "The International Confederation of Wizards' disbands. The Ministries of Magic from these countries swear loyalty to me. Then those Aurors go home safe and sound."
"You... you've got to be joking."
Babajide had wanted to say you're dreaming, but in the end he didn't dare go that far, even his protest sounded weak.
"Don't push it too far."
Dumbledore frowned, this wasn't a negotiation at all. It was a demand for outright surrender, "I'm not here to listen to fantasies, or argue," he reminded flatly, "If we can talk, we talk. If not, then I'm done."
For once, a sharp edge flashed through his blue eyes, "I don't believe you dare kill all three hundred Aurors. Do you have any idea how many wizarding families stand behind them, how many connections are involved? If you really do it, no one in the world will ever want to join your side again."
"Albus..."
Babajide had never seen him like this before and was genuinely frightened. He was afraid that pushing Grindelwald too far would drive him into a frenzy and get everyone killed.
Lucifer, enjoying the chaos, eyes widened at Dumbledore in open support. That's more like it. The so-called 'White Wizard' wasn't made of dough, being calm all the time was boring. 'Yes, push back. Hit him head-on!'
"Yeah, maybe... I'm afraid of you?"
Grindelwald raised a hand. He said he was scared, but was smiling. This was the Dumbledore he wanted to see. That lifeless old man from before was nothing like the one in his memories.
"Ok. You're right, I don't dare kill them all. But I can follow the trail."
He leaned forward slightly.
"If I assimilate these three hundred Aurors, won't their families and friends become potential Acolytes as well?"
Dumbledore's expression changed. This was exactly what he feared most, longer they were imprisoned, the more variables crept in. If they were released after half a year, chances were a large portion of them would come back as sleeper agents.
Seeing the unease, Grindelwald was finally satisfied, and bared his fangs, "My demand is very simple," he said slowly, "As long as you, Albus Dumbledore, sign a blood pact with me, I'll release them today."
Blood Pact.
Hearing that, Dumbledore felt his thoughts drift, it was an extremely ancient form of magic. Using the blood of both parties as a medium, it forged an Unbreakable Oath that prevented either side from betraying their promise. Even the mere thought of breaking it would be punished.
Back in their youth, Grindelwald and Dumbledore had used a blood pact to ensure neither of them would betray the passion and ideals they once shared. It was meant to stop the day when they might stand on opposite sides.
...It was more than a contract spell, but a symbol of their confidence.
In each other's hearts, aside from the other, there was no one in the world who could stand in their way.
History proved it right.
One of them did betray the great cause of Reviving the Magical World and overturning the 'Statute of Secrecy', yes. But it also proved that, apart from Dumbledore, no one could stop Grindelwald.
Before the alliance was broken, aside from Newt causing Grindelwald a bit of trouble, everyone else was little more than puppets to be played with. Gellert had nearly become the 'Supreme Mugwump of International Confederation of Wizards', poised to use official authority to push the wizarding world into open war with Muggles.
Unfortunately, a shameless little Niffler stole the blood pact. Even so, despite all of Dumbledore's magical knowledge and power, he still couldn't break its binding.
In the end, it shattered only by chance. Dumbledore wanted to protect Credence.
Grindelwald wanted Credence dead.
Neither wished to harm the other, yet their magic collided violently, and with Aberforth's interference, the blood pact 'finally' broke, unwillingly.
And now... Grindelwald wanted to form another blood pact with him?
As Dumbledore fell into thought, the other representatives, Babajide included, looked completely lost. A blood pact? What was that?
Lucifer kindly explained its function and effects. After listening, Babajide's expression turned grave, he spoke solemnly to Dumbledore. "Albus, you can't agree to this. Once a blood pact is signed, you won't be able to act against Grindelwald, while he'll be free to target ordinary witches and wizards however he likes."
"I know," Dumbledore said quietly after a moment of silence.
"Heh."
Grindelwald let out a laugh dripping with mockery, the disdain in his eyes undisguised, "This is exactly why I hate you useless parasites who sit in high office doing nothing. Can you even understand plain speech?"
"Didn't Morningstar explain it clearly just now? A blood pact doesn't only prevent the two sides from harming each other.... You can add other conditions. Yet the only thing rattling around in your heads is one restriction, terrified Dumbledore won't be able to protect you anymore. Is that it?"
Babajide's old face flushed red. The other representatives lowered their heads in shame, because that was exactly what they'd been thinking. If Dumbledore got banned from acting, then Wizarding world might as well lie down and wait to die.
So, the person who was being dreamt of the bodyguard defused the awkwardness, "What kind of blood pact do you want?"
"Very simple." Grindelwald tapped his fingers lightly on the solid wooden table and looked straight into Dumbledore's deep, unreadable blue eyes, "Albus, we're both remnants of an old age. Even if we fight to the death, so what? Do you want to leave behind a wizarding world in ruins, one where our own people no longer have the strength to resist Muggles?Haven't you noticed? Today's wizarding world has no one to take up the mantle...."
His voice carried deep exhaustion, and an even stronger sense of bitter disappointment, "Four hundred Aurors? Back in my day, even if a hundred gathered together, I'd still have to avoid their edge. But look at them now. Rotten to the core, and this is supposed to be the elite?"
"So I came back. I want this world to stay alert forever. I want a sword hanging over these wastes of space, forcing them to move forward."
"Always."
Even Babajide and the others were affected by his presence. They stared blankly at the arrogant white-haired man, shame welling up in their hearts. They had been busy guarding their own little patches of ground, scrambling for power, raking in Galleons they could never spend. And yet a Dark lord was worrying about the 'fate' of the wizarding world.
"Albus, the condition of the blood pact is this. You and I are forbidden from acting against wizards of the opposing camps. Everything will be left to the younger generation to handle."
Babajide's eyes lit up. He frantically signaled Dumbledore to agree. Had Grindelwald gone mad? If those two overwhelming forces couldn't act, wouldn't it just come down to numbers again? Even if the Acolytes were elite, they'd be helpless against enemies two or three times their size.
But would Grindelwald really be that stupid? Of course not, he had additional conditions.
"At the same time, Morningstar will serve as witness. You and I will swear an 'Unforgivable Oath'. No more than five countries' Ministries of Magic may jointly act against the Acolytes. If that line is crossed, then you and I must retaliate against those countries together."
Five...
Everyone began calculating in their heads. If the strongest countries joined forces, five of them, and were willing to pay the price, they could absolutely wipe out Grindelwald's faction. Right?
As for the Acolytes, so long as Grindelwald stayed out of it personally, holding their current territory would be easy enough. Expanding further would be a stretch. At best, they could swallow a few neighboring small countries.
So this was meant to be a balanced confrontation? Once they understood Grindelwald's intent, room noticeably relaxed.
Fine. Great. Awesome. As long as the struggle stayed within the rules, they were confident. With experience, they could drag their opponent down to the same level of mediocrity they themselves had perfected.
From the very beginning, what the 'International Confederation of Wizards' and the various Ministries had feared was never Acolytes themselves. It was Grindelwald alone.
Only enemies who exist outside the rules are truly terrifying.
Now that he was stepping back inside them, it just meant there was one more player at the table.
Dumbledore, however, still frowned.
'These terms were a terrible deal for Gellert. His position was stronger than ever, why shackle himself now?'
"Thinking I'm plotting something?"
Grindelwald flicked a sheet of golden parchment onto the table in front of the old wizard, "Read it yourself. If you think any clause is a trap, say so."
Babajide leaned in, checking it alongside Dumbledore. Soon enough, dozens of people crowded around that single piece of parchment. Lucifer got squeezed out of the circle and exchanged a glance with Grindelwald. (I've got something fun to tell you later.)
The boy raised an eyebrow. (How fun?) He only received a smile in response, before long, the contract had been thoroughly examined, no traps were found.
"Albus, what do you think?" Babajide asked with a hopeful nod.
Dumbledore shook his head slightly, finding truly incompetent officials here, "My opinion doesn't matter. What matters is the stance of the 'International Confederation' you represent, and the views of the other Ministries."
"I need to consult my Minister," A sixty year old Department head said at once, and rest quickly echoed the sentiment.
"You have plenty of time to think," Grindelwald said, tapping the table lightly, doors opened on their own, "There are empty offices next door. Albus, care to have lunch together?"
"No, thank you," Dumbledore refused instantly.
So, he turned to Lucifer instead. "And you, Morningstar?"
"Of course," The boy rubbed his stomach, "I barely ate this morning."
With that, he followed Grindelwald out of the meeting room. This time it was Dumbledore who froze. Could he really let Lucifer be alone with Grindelwald? With no other choice, the old wizard followed after them. Up ahead, the two were already laughing themselves silly in their private mental space.
Dumbledore spent the entire meal on edge. Fortunately, Grindelwald didn't bring up anything sensitive. He only asked about Hogwarts, then mocked teaching standards without mercy.
"You can't even find a decent 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' professor. You really are getting worse with age."
Not having a good response to that, though the remark did remind him of something. He'd almost completely forgotten about Voldemort lately. Who knew where that wandering spirit had gone? As for the escaped Black, he hadn't crossed Dumbledore's mind for a while at all.
An hour later, the three returned to the conference room.
Babajide spoke first losing hairs, "Grindelwald, we agree to your terms. At the same time, the 'International Confederation' will announce your official pardon... As long as you behave yourself, you may train the next generation and enjoy your retirement."
"Hahaha!"
"I need your pardon? If you're so capable, why don't you try arresting me again right now?" Grindelwald let out a scornful laugh.
"You!" Babajide felt like flipping the table. Come on, we're already negotiating peace. Couldn't you at least give us a way to save face?
Ignoring his discomfort, Grindelwald continued regardless, "Since you've agreed, I have one more condition."
"You're going back on your word?" The representatives reacted with shock and anger.
"Of course not. Just a small additional request." Then he raised a finger, "Since we're calling a temporary ceasefire, you should lift the economic blockade on Berlin. My people should be free to travel the world as well.... Naturally, Western Europe will also welcome other wizards into my territory. But I don't trust the Confederation's ability to restrain individual Ministries. How do you plan to guarantee my followers' safety? You need to give me an answer."
"This..."
They exchanged looks, the condition itself wasn't unreasonable. Honestly, Grindelwald wasn't the only one worried. They were just as uneasy about the safety of their own wizards in Germany. But coming up with a solution on the spot was easier said than done.
"I might have an idea."
Lucifer who had been coasting and watching the show the whole time, yawned. After waiting so long, it was finally his turn. In an instant, every gaze snapped toward him.
"Since we've already called a halt," he said with a smile, "there's no point in drawing lines anymore. We're all wizards.... The Acolytes are just a part of the wizarding world. As long as they go through the proper channels and get travel permits, they should be free to go anywhere."
Grindelwald nodded delightful. The other representatives had no objections either, or wanted to keep stirring up trouble. Restoring normal order meant everyone could go back to coasting comfortably.
The only one feeling miserable was Babajide. Grindelwald, Morningstar, the representatives, all of them, seemed to think the 'International Confederation of Wizards' had no real deterrent power at all.
That was basically denying decades of his work. Since becoming Supreme Mugwump, Babajide had poured his energy into expanding the Confederation's influence and building an order that every country had to obey. Now it all felt like a joke, no one took them seriously.
Still, after a brief bout of frustration, he felt oddly relieved. What was the point of dwelling on it? He was about to resign and take responsibility anyway. The coming crisis should be the next person's problem.
He was too old to keep fighting. Going home to be just chill sounded far more comfortable.
"Gentlemen, handling everything strictly at the national level is just too cumbersome. That's why a civilian organization would be useful."
He smiled shyly, "Coincidentally, for my own products to circulate more smoothly, and to make things easier for wizards in general, I've been thinking about this for a while."
"I'm planning to establish a Wizards' Guild. No background checks, no factions. As long as you're a member, you get basic rights. You can travel freely to any country whose Ministry of Magic has also joined."
"Isn't now perfect time? Anyone who joins the Wizards' Guild wouldn't need to be labeled as an Acolyte or anything else... As long as they obey the law, treat them like ordinary wizards. Simple, right?"
Dumbledore stared at Lucifer in disbelief. What was he trying to do, steal authority and status from the ICW? The other representatives had the same thought. The way they looked at the boy changed. Wasn't this kid a little too ambitious?
You're still in school, and you already want to stick your hand into other countries' affairs?
"Interesting..."
In the middle of the tense silence, Grindelwald suddenly laughed, "Morningstar, no wonder I took a liking to you right away. It's a solid idea... Instead of letting the Confederation sit above our heads throwing its weight around, why not create a new organization?"
"Fine. I agree." Seeing the ugly looks on everyone else's faces, he raised an eyebrow at Dumbledore, "I'll have all Acolytes, and the wizards within these few countries, join your Guild. How about this? Set the headquarters in Berlin... I'll use my authority to help promote it. Just give me a nice honorary president title in return."
"Lucifer," Dumbledore said, placing a hand on the Gryffindor's shoulder, who now seemed too Slytherin, "Be wary of any goodwill that appears out of nowhere. There's always an agenda behind it."
"Professor, are you saying he wants to take over my Guild?" Lucifer asked bluntly, to which Dumbledore neither confirmed nor denied it.
"Who knows?"
"Albus, don't paint me as some monster. I'm not so low as to steal a child's toy." he said irritably.
"Perhaps you once wouldn't have,"
Dumbledore replied calmly, paying it no heed to his past self, "But now, I can't see through you."
He didn't pursue it further. What mattered most was the boy's opinion, "Lucifer, your proposal is a good one. A civilian exchange organization does have plenty of room to grow. But you're still a student. Do you really have the time and energy to manage all the tedious details?"
"The wizarding world doesn't lack people looking for work," Lucifer replied with a prepared answer, showing a genuine smile, "I've already spoken with Lady Greengrass.
She can provide plenty of manpower. I'll recruit a few more staff. Keeping basic operations running won't be a problem...."
Dumbledore let out a quiet sigh. "It seems you've been thinking about this for a long time." There was an odd, nagging feeling in his chest. Something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint any concrete problem.
That uncertainty was what made it so uncomfortable. Still, he couldn't think of a better way to make both sides compromise. Lucifer's proposal really was the best solution, with the Wizards' Guild serving as a buffer between them.
"I agree with your overall plan," he said at last, "As for the details, can we discuss them later?"
Lucifer saw no reason to disagree. The other representatives had nothing to add, their agreement hadn't even been signed yet, and they were still the weaker party, didn't have much say in anything.
Soon after, everyone else was politely ushered out. Only Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Lucifer, acting as witness, remained in the room.
First came the birth of the blood pact.
Their blood rose into the air, entwining and merging. Then, from Grindelwald's pocket, a beautifully crafted silver vessel flew out.
Dumbledore's pupils shrank sharply.
It was identical to the one from the past. The blood solidified, set into the center of the silver like a ruby. The magic completed itself, and the blood pact fell from the air.
Grindelwald caught it in one hand and stared straight into Dumbledore's still-dazed blue eyes. "Albus, you're not going to let Scamander steal this one too, are you?"
Lucifer's expression twisted. He nearly lost control and laughed out loud. The old man really knew how to be sarcastic, would have to tell Newt about this later, just to scare him.
Dumbledore avoided Grindelwald's sharp gaze and didn't answer. He only said softly, "Let's swear the Unbreakable Vow. The others are still waiting outside."
Snorting, Gellert extended his hand. They clasped together in more like an embrace of the past, and eternal future, Lucifer quietly raised his wand, then Crimson 'flames' wrapped around two arms, yet caused no harm. As he finished reciting the terms of the 'Unbreakable Vow, those flames sank into their skin.
...Fiery red patterns flashed briefly, then vanished. The vow was complete. If either party violated the contract, they would be consumed by raging fire. But Grindelwald wasn't afraid in the slightest. Once Lucifer finished researching his method of creating Wizarding bodies to inhabit, he wouldn't care how many were burned away.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, looked grave. All these contracts existed to preserve the current balance. Grindelwald had made many concessions, but he feared someone would lose their head and launch another sneak attack against him, or that multiple nations would unite to assault the Acolytes again.
If that happened, he would be forced to stand completely on Grindelwald's side, against the entire world.
The others were invited back in. After confirming everything was in order, relief spread across their faces. They immediately asked to take the prisoners away.
Grindelwald couldn't be bothered with them. He summoned Vinda and told her to escort Babajide and the rest to retrieve their people, "Morningstar, when will your Guild be ready?"
"Give me a month," Lucifer had already started preparations. If he really branches offices within a week, it would deepen Dumbledore's suspicions, so he deliberately slowed things down.
He knew their Headmaster wasn't foolish, was surely uneasy of everything that had happened today. But it was fine, there was no evidence, and Lucifer hadn't done anything underhanded.
He just wanted to control the world. What was so wrong with that?
"If you need anything, come to me. People, money, whatever. I've got you covered." After that, he aimed another jab at Dumbledore. "Albus, I hear you recently held a dueling tournament for Underage Wizards. I just became a headmaster myself not long ago, so I'll sign those kids up."
Dumbledore was tired of this nonsense, and he finally scratched his beard, shook his head to let the flames burn brighter than light, "Suit yourself. Come if you like."
Expecting Grindelwald to behave was a lost cause. As long as the current balance held, Dumbledore was satisfied. Their future interactions were bound to be frequent. It almost... didn't sound too bad.
There were 316 Aurors in total. Aside from the eighteen Lucifer had accidentally killed at the beginning by not holding back enough, everyone else was alive. They hadn't been mistreated either, looked like they'd just been on a short holiday, which eased a lot of minds.
Only eighteen dead. The number wasn't small, but compared to losing all three hundred plus, it felt like incredible luck. Dumbledore had planned to leave early with Lucifer, but they were asked to escort everyone back to the 'Norwegian Ministry of Magic'.
By the time Lucifer returned to Hogwarts, the weekend was completely gone and it was already late at night, he wasn't bothered at all. After letting the young witches and Nicolas know he was safe, he eagerly took a private bath, then collapsed into the bed.
Contacting Gellert, remembering the fun he had mentioned earlier, so decided to enter the space first and dragged that old man in with him.
"So, what was that 'fun' you were talking about today?"
Just momente ago, Grindelwald had added Dumbledore to his contact list earlier. The two of them had been chatting away nonstop, so much so that he had completely forgotten about Robert. When Lucifer brought it up did he remember.
"Oh, right. Robert Graves came to defect to me, he had just one condition: that I kill you."
"Huh?" Mazikeen stared, a huge question mark practically popping up on her forehead. "Isn't that just walking straight into a trap?"
"He doesn't know about the relationship between Gellert and Lucifer," As soon as Makima finished speaking, she let out a giggle. The more you thought about it, the more pitiful Robert seemed. In this world, only two and a half people even had a chance of avenging him.
Albus Dumbledore was Lucifer's Headmaster, so he was out. That left Grindelwald, or half of Voldemort.
And setting aside whether Voldemort was even easy to find, hardly anyone in the Wizarding world knew, or believed, that he was still alive.
Grindelwald was the only option.
"That's it?"
Lucifer was thoroughly disappointed. He'd thought Grindelwald might bring him something entertaining, and replied flatly, "A nobody I don't even care about isn't 'fun.' If you want to use him, do so. If not, squeeze him for everything he knows about North America's schemes, then kill him..."
Grindelwald shook his head seriously, he had put a few minutes of thought into it, no way he would be discarded so easily, "I plan to put him to work first. Use him to expose 'International Confederation of Wizards'' dirty secrets, damage their credibility, and make it easier for your Guild to expand."
Mazikeen jumped in before anyone else could speak, "And once he's outlived his usefulness, have Lucifer step in and completely crush his mental defenses... Oh, right, doesn't he have a feud with Rouse Wilkinson? Start by placing him under there!"
"Very good, Maze. Your thinking is getting more and more mature. I'm proud of you...." Gellert didn't have a daughter of his own, but watching her grow increasingly... crooked in her own way gave him the odd sense of pride of a father watching his child come of age.
Lucifer meanwhile, felt conflicted. Aside from him... there really wasn't a single good person in this room, he needed to be someone upright. Otherwise, these people were going to break the planet sooner or later.
For now, he rubbed Mazikeen's right cheek with the back of his palm in praise, encouraging her to keep it up. Then he exited the space and burrowed into bed, rescheduling the night of Amelia's urgent demand for stomach rubs.
The next day, news of the Wizarding world's peace talks with Grindelwald splashed across the front pages of every major paper. The reporters moved faster than hummingbirds and Snitches, digging up most of the details overnight and publishing them at lightning speed.
{Peace For Our Time.}
The headline in the 'Daily Prophet' nearly made Lucifer spray milk from his mouth. Even Hermione, a Muggle-born witch, wore a thoroughly bewildered expression.
Did the wizarding world really know nothing about Muggle history? How did they dare run a slogan that screamed propaganda like this?
She read aloud from the paper:
"Grindelwald and Dumbledore, together with the Ministries of Magic of multiple nations, have signed a treaty. The ancient magical 'Blood Pact' will restrain the two powerful wizards, preventing them from acting freely against the weak."
"The International Confederation of Wizards and various Ministries recognize Grindelwald's rule over Germany, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, and other regions."
"Both sides will engage in equal and active exchanges.... It can be foreseen that within the next decade, the Wizarding world will continue to enjoy prosperity and peace."
"Witness to the reconciliation of the century: Lucifer Morningstar. At just thirteen years old, he served as a witness to the Unbreakable Vow and the Blood Pact..."
Hermione couldn't go on, she stared in shock along with the other students at the boy who looked completely unbothered, calmly wiping the corner of Daphne's mouth who was on Gryffindor table today. She knew bits of pieces here and there, but the entire ordeal was completely out of her loop, what in Merlin's name?!
"L-Lucifer... yesterday you..." Ron stammered, putting down his bowl of cereal which had flakes on the table.
They were used to not seeing Lucifer around for an entire day. What they hadn't expected was for him to quietly go off and take part in something this enormous.
Putting away the handkerchief, he nodded at the stunned Ron, "Yesterday I went to the negotiations with the Headmaster. I acted as a witness on the side, nothing worth making a fuss over."
"That's the Dark Lord," Neville said, feeling goosebumps rise on his arms. These days, the title of Dark Lord was gradually shifting away from that nameless, unspeakable figure and settling firmly on Grindelwald.
Lowering his voice, it was Harry who asked, "Lucifer, what was it like seeing Grindelwald in person? Was he different from ordinary wizards?"
After giving it thought for a moment, he replied back to his house mates, "He has a stronger presence, with manner that seems casual, but it's very elegant. He has his own kind of charisma..."
That last point mattered.
Among the negotiators yesterday, more than a few had been moved by Grindelwald's professed concern for the future of the Wizarding world and had already begun contacting him in secret.
The nearby students fell silent, listening to Lucifer's assessment. Then questions started flying from every direction, he couldn't be bothered to answer them all and waved off, "You can ask all you want, but it's better to see for yourselves. Durmstrang is also entering the Dueling tournament. Gellert Grindelwald will personally lead their team."
BOOM!
That did it. The news exploded and spread like wildfire, before long, the entire school knew that Grindelwald would soon be visiting Hogwarts.
The last time he'd tried to come, Dumbledore had flatly turned him away. This time, he would be invited in openly.
"Albus, have you lost your mind?"
Professor McGonagall stormed the staircase, directly marched into poor Dumbledore's office, strikingly furious, "Why would you agree to such an outrageous demand from Grindelwald? Even if he can't lay a hand on students, a few words from him are enough to twist their minds."
"Minerva, this is the direction things are going," Dumbledore replied, the exhaustion in his voice impossible to hide. He had spoken with Grindelwald late into the night.
"Coexisting with him is now inevitable, we cannot completely cut off the spread of his ideas. The more we forbid it, the curious the students will become... Instead of letting them learn about him in secret, it's better to bring the real Grindelwald here openly. We respond as we go, and let them see that he is just an ordinary wizard, and his ideals are unrealistic."
"An ordinary wizard..." McGonagall was left speechless by Dumbledore's description. She wanted to argue further, but seeing how worn he looked, she couldn't bring herself to press him.
She assumed Dumbledore was exhausting himself thinking of ways to deal with Grindelwald, and sighed quietly. "Albus, as long as you know what you're doing. We must not let temporary peace make us lower our guard."
"I won't, Minerva."
McGonagall left the office. Through the slatted windows of the corridor, she saw students lounging on lawn, carefree as they enjoyed their holidays. In her heart, she made a silent vow.
She would not let Grindelwald disturb this peace. At the same time, Lucifer left the school once more and returned to Newt's home in Dorset, bringing, with him a gift.
The gift he brought with him was a German newspaper: 'Die Silberne Fledermaus.'
Taking into account that old man Newt wasn't exactly fluent in German, and that his eyesight wasn't what it used to be either, Lucifer very thoughtfully read the paper out loud for him, projecting his voice as he went:
"Grindelwald stated that seventy years ago, he and Dumbledore had formed a Blood Pact concerning the future of the wizarding world. However... utterly despicable 'Newt Scamander' shamelessly stole this Blood Pact in Paris and used underhanded methods to destroy it."
"All subsequent conflicts and wars in the Wizarding world can ultimately be traced back to this rash and discourteous act. Scamander should be held responsible for it."
"Mr. Grindelwald says he finds it hard to believe that honest, kind Hufflepuff House could produce such a blasphemous individual..."
"Good news. This time, the Blood Pact token remains firmly in Mr. Grindelwald's possession. And through our newspaper, he wishes to pass a message to Scamander: 'he is waiting at Durmstrang, Scamander is welcome to steal it again.'"
Lucifer didn't even make it to the end before he was laughing so hard he was practically doubled over.
Newt, on the other hand, was beet red, while Tina was so angry her chest heaved with every breath.
"That damned Dark Wizard," She snapped while clutching her packet of moon clave powder, "What nonsense is he spouting now?"
"Honestly, it's understandable," Lucifer said, picking up a Ginger newt biscuit shaped as a ragdoll cat "After all, Newt here basically stole their years old Bromance certificate. Holding a grudge over that seems pretty normal...."
Bromance Certificate? It was practically a Marrital bond!
The Scamander couple present here knew about the complicated relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.... Hearing Lucifer's strange but painfully accurate analogy even after being out of loop, they froze for a moment, then burst out laughing together.
"A Bromance certificate... yeah. That's actually spot on." Even Tina felt a good chunk of her anger drain away. Putting herself in Grindelwald's shoes, if someone had stolen the token of love between her and Newt.
She'd probably hold an even bigger grudge than Grindelwald did. But wait. What exactly was the token of love between her and Newt?
As she laughed, Tina gradually stopped smiling. Because when she really thought about it, from the day they met until now, Newt had never given her a single proper gift. The only memorable thing was his line about her eyes being "as beautiful as salamanders," and even that had later been completely overshadowed by Grindelwald's sapphire-blue eyes that "shine like jewels."
Tina shot an unfriendly look at Newt, who was still smiling shyly.
Danger.
Years of 'finely' honed survival instincts kicked in. Newt jolted, turned his head, and sure enough, met Tina's dangerous gaze. Even though he had no idea what he'd done wrong this time, every fiber of his being screamed that he needed to change the subject immediately.
"Lucifer," Newt said quickly, "you came back today for Hermione's issue, didn't you?"
"Nope, I came specifically to read you the newspaper."
"..." You little menace!
xxxxxx
At Monday's feast, Dumbledore awarded Lucifer a 'Special ContributionAward' on the grounds of his "tremendous contribution to peace in the Wizarding world," and added two hundred points to Slytherin.
Combined with all the previous bonuses of Daphne, House point display was nearly maxed out.
........
xxxxxx
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