"Is everything properly prepared as I requested?" Erwin asked without preamble.
"Everything is prepared exactly according to your specifications, Master," Old Tom confird smoothly. "Except for the personal wand fitting, Miss Sunny has access to everything she requires."
Erwin nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent. Get so rest yourself, then. We’ll visit Ollivanders later for her fitting."
"Understood, Master," Tom replied, then added carefully, "There is one additional matter requiring your attention. Lord Grindelwald is currently on the mansion’s top floor."
Erwin froze montarily. "The top floor? When did he actually arrive here?"
"Shortly after you initially reached Diagon Alley, Master. He likely hasn’t finished his breakfast yet."
Erwin’s expression hardened noticeably with understanding. So that explained the mystery.
He had wondered why he hadn’t observed Grindelwald anywhere during their arrival. The legendary wizard had simply arrived earlier and made himself thoroughly comfortable in Erwin’s private space.
"Understood," Erwin acknowledged, turning to address the others. "Charlotte, please escort Sunny and Fleur to the mansion’s entertainnt area for a while. They can rest and amuse themselves there comfortably."
Charlotte nodded imdiately, comprehending the unspoken cue for privacy. She efficiently gathered the two younger won and departed toward the recreational facilities.
Once they had departed and privacy was assured, Erwin’s deanor shifted noticeably. He turned back to his trusted butler with obvious concern.
"Report the situation," he commanded quietly.
"The Saints organization was attacked," Tom stated in a carefully controlled low voice. "Lord Grindelwald remains unaware of the specific operational details yet, and Lady Vinda Rosier has been injured during the assault."
Erwin’s frown deepened substantially. "Vinda was actually injured? There aren’t many practitioners anywhere in the entire wizarding world genuinely capable of achieving that."
"According to her ergency ssage transmission, the primary attacker rode a giant dragon during the assault. Intelligence suggests it should be Alan Solent leading the strike force."
"They apparently couldn’t restrain themselves any longer," Erwin murmured grimly. "Attacking the Saints organization directly represents an explicit declaration of open warfare. Have we successfully tracked their current location?"
Tom shook his head with obvious frustration. "My sincere apologies, Master—no, we haven’t yet. He led a concentrated strike team against the Saints’ primary stronghold and retreated imdiately afterward. He was clearly afraid of sustaining a devastating counter-attack if he remained."
"How many attackers participated in total?"
"Lady Vinda’s report indicated approximately fifteen combatants. All were riding dragons during the assault."
"Fifteen dragons?" Erwin’s eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where could he possibly have acquired that many? Has the Ministry of Magic reported any dragon reserves being raided recently?"
"Nothing whatsoever, Master. I checked globally with all our contacts the precise mont the attack news arrived. No unusual activity has been reported at any registered dragon breeding facility anywhere. I suspect these must be wild dragons he’s sohow tad. Or perhaps the Solent family maintains a hidden asset and resource we haven’t yet discovered or accounted for."
"That seems increasingly possible," Erwin conceded grimly. "The Solents systematically wiped out the entire Teresa bloodline family completely, leaving only Charlotte as survivor. They must possess substantial resources and capabilities we haven’t properly accounted for yet. During my last confrontation in Germany, I realized from Alan Solent’s confident reactions that what I destroyed represented rely a minor fraction of their total available power."
"So, what are your orders for response?" Tom asked directly.
"For the imdiate present, allow him to remain at large," Erwin decided after careful consideration. "If he attacked the Saints without committing to full mobilization of his forces, that clearly indicates he doesn’t yet possess sufficient strength for sustained open warfare against the entire Cavendish family organization. They maintain a powerful hidden foundation sowhere, and if they genuinely want to disappear and hide, hunting them down would waste far too much ti and operational manpower we can’t spare. Dispatch a tactical team to Germany imdiately to stabilize the deteriorating situation there. I’ll travel there personally before the Halloween deadline."
"Yes, Master. What about Lady Vinda specifically? Should we arrange to bring her back to England for proper recovery and protection?"
"No—leave her in position," Erwin stated firmly. "She is the Black Rose of France, legendary throughout Europe. She wouldn’t have been caught genuinely off guard if she hadn’t been deliberately ambushed through intelligence failure. Only she possesses the reputation and capability to keep Germany’s magical community peaceful and stable right now during this crisis."
"Understood completely. I’ll arrange everything imdiately as instructed."
Erwin waved his hand, dismissing Tom to handle the urgent logistics personally.
He stepped into the private elevator, riding it smoothly to the top floor of the tower.
He entered his personal office to find Grindelwald had just finished his leisurely al, carefully wiping his mouth with an embroidered napkin.
"You’ve returned, Erwin," the elderly wizard observed, a faint amused smile touching his lips. "Slower than I initially expected, honestly."
Erwin chuckled dryly at the casual greeting. "Are you, supposedly the responsible leader of our shopping expedition, genuinely planning to establish permanent residence camping out in the Cavendish Building?"
"What else would you suggest?" Grindelwald gestured casually around the comfortable office. "This is Diagon Alley, after all. With you personally present here, what possible harm could realistically co to the Eastern students under such protection? Besides, they certainly aren’t defenseless rabbits requiring constant supervision."
Erwin shrugged, unable to argue against the logic. "That’s a fair assessnt. I genuinely can’t dispute it."
Grindelwald carefully placed his napkin on the table, his previously amused expression shifting noticeably to sothing considerably more serious and concerned.
"So then, Erwin. Would you care to explain the recent attack on the Saints organization? You currently serve as the family’s head, and while I’m rely expressing personal curiosity rather than demanding accountability, it strikes as genuinely odd and concerning. You’re consistently so cautious and thorough in your planning. How did soone possibly manage a successful sneak attack on the Saints, and specifically injure Vinda Rosier of all people? Even back during our most active days, she was extraordinarily rarely scratched in combat."
"I see word travels remarkably fast, Your Majesty," Erwin observed evenly. "I only received the detailed intelligence report myself re minutes ago."
"That incident occurred in Germany," Grindelwald countered pointedly. "If I sohow lacked even that basic level of situational awareness after spending all these years there, my entire ti in that region would have been completely wasted, wouldn’t it?"
Erwin nodded slowly, conceding the entirely valid point.
Grindelwald stood deliberately and walked over, draping one arm over Erwin’s shoulder with paternal familiarity.
Erwin didn’t pull away or resist, eting the older wizard’s penetrating gaze directly and steadily.
"Erwin, look directly in the eye," Grindelwald commanded quietly, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "And tell the complete truth. Was this attack the result of genuine negligence on your part, or did you deliberately allow it to happen for so greater strategic purpose?"
Erwin’s expression remained completely unchanged. He had anticipated precisely this confrontation and question.
"Aunt Vinda has helped significantly and substantially over the years," Erwin stated with absolute clarity. "I would never cynically use her as a disposable pawn or calculated sacrifice for any objective. The Saints organization remains vital to all my future strategic plans—naturally, they are not expendable resources to be carelessly thrown away."
Grindelwald slowly removed his arm, stepping back with a heavy, troubled sigh.
"Erwin, you possess all the fundantal qualities required of a suprely successful leader," he acknowledged seriously. "You demonstrate strategic vision that genuinely exceeds mine, and you’ve proven yourself considerably more ruthlessly pragmatic than Dumbledore ever managed. You’ve already surpassed both of us in many crucial respects. But you also consistently value ultimate results over sentintal considerations. In your calculated worldview, absolutely nothing remains genuinely off-limits if the strategic price proves acceptable. That ruthless pragmatism virtually guarantees your eventual success."
He paused, his intense gaze boring into Erwin’s eyes. "But Erwin, I need you to promise sothing absolutely crucial: if the Saints organization ever becos a genuinely necessary sacrifice for achieving your ultimate goals, please don’t deliberately hurt Vinda in the process. If I personally stand in your way or beco an obstacle, you can strike down without any hesitation whatsoever. But leave her completely out of such calculations."
Erwin walked slowly to the office window, looking down thoughtfully at the street below where the assembled group of Eastern students was forming an orderly line to enter Ollivanders’ famous establishnt.
"Your Majesty," Erwin said softly, his voice carrying unexpected vulnerability, "have you noticed the changes? Diagon Alley is becoming genuinely more diverse and cosmopolitan. Wizards from England, France, Germany, and Arica all conducting business together. Now, students from the Eastern magical traditions are arriving as well. The entire world is changing fundantally."
He turned to face Grindelwald directly. "When I first entered this magical world, I felt genuinely apprehensive and uncertain. I didn’t know if I could possibly survive here successfully. To the established wizarding world, my family and I were essentially Muggles—people automatically looked down upon us with contempt. But as I spent more ti imrsed here, I discovered a genuinely shocking truth: my parents didn’t die in any normal vehicular accident."
His voice grew noticeably colder, eyes burning with barely suppressed rage at the mory.
"I was deliberately dragged into a vicious power struggle between ancient pure-blood families without understanding why or having any choice. I beca an unwilling pawn in a deadly ga I never chose to play. Even before reaching legal adulthood, I had to constantly worry that I might wake up one morning to find myself casually discarded as no longer useful. If you had been in my exact position, what would you have done differently?"
Grindelwald remained thoughtfully silent. The world seed remarkably simple when one knew nothing; knowledge inevitably brought its own crushing burdens.
Erwin continued with quiet intensity, "I had absolutely no choice except to step off that chessboard entirely and transform myself into an actual player rather than a piece. I paid an extraordinarily heavy price for that transformation. I fundantally reshaped the British magical world’s entire power structure. I personally shaped Diagon Alley into what it represents today. But I understand with perfect clarity that raw power alone isn’t remotely sufficient to genuinely beco a player controlling outcos. The precise mont I decided to play this ga myself, nurous powerful people imdiately determined to stop at any cost. So I require not rely the strength to move pieces, but the overwhelming strength to overturn the entire board if necessary. If they refuse to permit to move my pieces fairly, I’ll make the entire ga a dead end for everyone."
Erwin’s hand pressed firmly against the cool window glass, fingers curling as though he could sohow grasp the entirety of Diagon Alley in his palm.
He turned to face Grindelwald directly. "So, to genuinely possess the power required to overturn any chessboard, I’ll cherish and protect every tool I can effectively control—including the Saints organization. They will never be reduced to re disposable pawns; once I’ve completed my preparations, they will beco my dragon-slaying weapons. Aunt Vinda represents exactly that. And so do you, Your Majesty."
Their eyes t and held for a long, charged mont.
Finally, Grindelwald smiled with sothing approaching genuine warmth. "Then you’d better accelerate your preparations considerably. At my advanced age, I genuinely don’t know if I’ll survive long enough to beco your dragon-slaying weapon."
Erwin replied with absolute conviction, "Don’t concern yourself unnecessarily, Your Majesty. The chessboard will remain fundantally incomplete without you present."
Grindelwald turned and settled back onto the comfortable sofa, leaning heavily against the cushions. "Age makes one drowsy at inconvenient tis. Do you mind if I take a brief nap here in your office?"
"Not at all. Please, make yourself entirely at ho."
Grindelwald nodded gratefully and closed his eyes.
Erwin quietly departed the office, closing the door soundlessly behind him.
In the corridor outside, he straightened his robes carefully before an ornate mirror, then called softly to Ebony, who was curled contentedly on a nearby cushioned perch.
Scooping up the sleepy shape-shifting familiar, he walked purposefully toward the mansion’s entertainnt area.
Inside the recreational facilities, Charlotte stood alert to one side while Sunny Finch and Fleur Delacour were clearly enjoying themselves imnsely with the various Muggle-inspired gas and diversions.
Seeing Erwin’s approach, Charlotte imdiately stepped forward professionally.
"My lord."
Erwin nodded acknowledgnt, glancing briefly at the two thoroughly entertained girls. "They seem to be genuinely having an excellent ti."
"Indeed, my lord," Charlotte confird. "These adapted Muggle inventions prove irresistible to wizards encountering them for the first ti. It’s fortunate the entertainnt area remains restricted exclusively to Cavendish staff and approved guests, or this would beco the single liveliest and most crowded spot in the entire tower."
Erwin smiled slightly at the assessnt. "Accompany to Germany next week. Aunt Vinda has been injured and requires support."
Visible killing intent imdiately flared from Charlotte’s normally controlled deanor. "Who dared attack her?"
"Alan Solent led the assault personally."
Charlotte’s face turned absolutely glacial with barely restrained fury. "My lord, if circumstances permit, please leave him to personally. He needs to pay the ultimate price for what he did to the others in my family bloodline."
Erwin nodded understanding. "You’ll need to continue improving your combat skills substantially. You’re not yet a match for him at your current level."
"I will improve," Charlotte vowed with absolute conviction. "One day soon, I’ll make him kneel and beg desperately for forgiveness before I end him."
"Good. Now, inform Sunny and Fleur that it’s ti to depart. Take Sunny to Ollivanders to select her personal wand."
When Sunny and Fleur finally erged from the entertainnt area, they both looked genuinely reluctant to leave the diversions behind.
Sunny declared enthusiastically, "Erwin, I’m even more interested in mastering Apparition now than before! I should visit here every single weekend if possible."
Erwin smiled warmly. "I’ll inform Tom to arrange permanent access for you. You’ll have direct authorization from now on."
Sunny impulsively patted his shoulder with friendly affection. "You’re absolutely the best! Can I finally go choose my wand now?"
Erwin nodded confirmation. "Yes, proceed imdiately. The other Kunlun students have already finished their individual fittings. Soone will escort them to the mansion building to purchase additional supplies. Naturally, they’re free to browse Diagon Alley independently afterward and purchase whatever catches their interest—the remaining ti is theirs to use as they prefer."
Sunny grinned with obvious delight. "Perfect! Let’s go, then. I absolutely can’t wait to finally get a proper wand!"
Erwin smiled at her infectious enthusiasm. "Mr. Ollivander must have gained considerable experience helping so many Eastern students select appropriate wands this morning. He’ll certainly help you find the perfect match for your magical signature."
Sunny laughed appreciatively. "Wow, Erwin, you essentially used the other Kunlun students as experintal guinea pigs to prepare for my fitting! I absolutely love that strategic thinking!"
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