"Then repeat the oath after me."
Grindelwald's and Dumbledore's hands clasped tightly together. Silver-white threads wound around them both.
"Outsider not belonging to this world..."
The two finished reciting Aiden's prayer, using Aiden's angelic status as the ritual's anchor.
This vow was merged into both their lives.
The moment the oath was completed, the two exchanged a glance and simultaneously used spells to blast Aiden away.
"You two bastards—"
Aiden fell toward the cliff below. His drawn-out voice echoed through the canyon.
Dumbledore's wand emanated a soft glow. Grindelwald's wand lit up with green light.
Grindelwald struck first. Black magic burst forth. The ghostly blue flames' temperature rose to the extreme.
Fused with Grindelwald's magic, the flames turned completely black.
The flames swept together to form a giant serpent, biting toward Dumbledore.
Unhurriedly, Dumbledore invoked Hatred's power. Large amounts of cold water surged from the ground.
The water flow, as if alive, extended tentacles that coiled around the flames. The clash of water and fire erupted in massive amounts of white mist.
"You've tamed them too, Albus!" Grindelwald shouted toward the other side of the mist.
In the smoke, a wand tip lit up with brilliance, drawing a stream of light from left to right.
The mist was torn open, revealing Dumbledore's figure.
"After all, I don't want to fall too far behind you, Gellert."
Dumbledore's face wore a wild smile.
Their spells collided. The Deep Realm King's power wantonly distorted reality.
"This is... the most powerful wizards of this era," Newt said. The others were shocked by the scene before them.
With a flicker of space, Aiden returned to their side.
He patted the dust off himself.
"Those two guys," Aiden spat.
Boom. Ghostly blue flames and silver light collided, producing a violent explosion.
All sound was suppressed by the blast.
Destructive white light spread. Everything visible along its path melted under the radiance.
Aiden reached out and grasped at the void. All the acolytes who followed Grindelwald were pulled to his side.
At the same time, a clock floated above Aiden. The hour hand turned.
A layer of space frozen in time enveloped everyone. The next second, they were swallowed by white light.
"Why?" Vinda Rosier asked, looking at Aiden uncomprehendingly.
"In the end, I'm also a wizard," Aiden said. He didn't turn back, sitting down to watch the couple outside fight to the death.
"Albus!" Grindelwald forcefully opened his hands. Ghostly blue flames wrapped around him. A massive demon dragon rushed out from the flames.
"Gellert!"
Dumbledore similarly called his name. Hatred's power was continuously converted by him into the magic of love.
White particles burst from his body. An equally massive silver Patronus appeared.
Phoenix and Demon Dragon fought from ground to sky.
The entire Nurmengard Castle disintegrated in their struggle. Mountain peaks crumbled under the sheer force.
Finally, Grindelwald's magic supply encountered problems. The Deep Realm King fragment forcibly seized through prophecy's power began erupting.
"Expelliarmus!"
Dumbledore seized the opportunity and knocked Grindelwald's wand away. At the same time, he Apparated before Grindelwald, pressing his wand against his throat.
"You've won, Albus."
Grindelwald was already prepared to accept his fate.
"No, let me out!" Vinda Rosier beside them forcefully pounded the protective barrier Aiden had created.
Grindelwald coughed up blood. The surrounding flames began spreading uncontrollably.
Hell's power ran rampant on his body. At the same time, Aiden withdrew the protection and walked over.
Vinda Rosier wanted to follow but was scorched by the flames and pulled back by Newt, who Disapparated away.
"Why not kill me, Albus?"
Grindelwald's expression was pained, waiting for his beloved to give him the final blow.
"I think you've already lost. Perhaps how things develop next should be arranged by the victor, shouldn't it?"
Dumbledore picked up Grindelwald's Elder Wand and nodded to Aiden.
"Honestly."
Aiden crossed his hands behind his head and walked before Grindelwald.
Reaching out, he pressed on Grindelwald's chest. The system began extracting the Deep Realm King characteristics from him.
After the characteristics were extracted, the rampage on Grindelwald's body finally stopped.
He sat up, calmly accepting his defeat.
"I've lost. According to the contract, I will henceforth imprison myself in Nurmengard."
Grindelwald stood up, shook his trench coat, and walked into the castle.
Other acolytes were at a loss. Only a few with firm will followed.
Dumbledore pulled out the shattered blood pact from his pocket. A trace of sorrow flashed in his eyes.
At the end of August, major news bombarded the entire wizarding world.
Dumbledore had defeated the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in a duel at Nurmengard.
From this point, the dark clouds shrouding all of Europe dispersed.
"Time to go?"
At the Hog's Head Inn, outside Aiden's room door, Dumbledore leaned against the threshold.
"Yeah, I've been out for quite a while. Missing home a bit," Aiden said, packing his luggage and stuffing it in his pocket.
"Next time we meet, who knows how long from now," Dumbledore said, curling his lip.
"Then will you mourn for me?" Aiden teased.
"I'd rather pray for you," Dumbledore said, deliberately putting his hands together.
"Haha, then let's meet again in fifty years, Professor."
A staff appeared in Aiden's hand. A golden clock floated above his head.
Dong—The bell rang. He disappeared from the Hog's Head Inn.
"Fifty years from now..."
Dumbledore turned back somewhat desolately. All the figures in the Hog's Head were blown into sand by time.
1996, Ministry of Magic, Department of Mysteries.
"Director!" An Unspeakable rushed in and kicked open the Director's office door.
The Director, who'd been building a house of cards during his break, watched it instantly collapse.
"What now?" He turned around, irritated.
"We detected an extremely massive entity traveling through time," the Unspeakable said, handing over a report.
"Oh, that one. He's gotten even stronger. It's fine; no need to worry about it."
The Director saw the familiar magic wavelength on the report.
"But it seems to be heading for the Department of Mysteries," the young Unspeakable said, nervously fidgeting with her hands.
"What!?" The Director's expression changed drastically.
Just as he was about to stand, a temporal ripple emanated from his office.
BOOM. Like trying to stuff an elephant in a refrigerator—it burst.
The Director's office suffered the same fate.
"Aiden Prewett!" The Director's furious shout echoed underground.
"Haha, Director! Long time no see," Aiden said, stepping forward to shake his hand.
"Pay me compensation!" The Director waved his hand. Several pieces of parchment appeared and began frantically recording damages.
"So petty. I'll fix it for you."
SNAP. The sound of fingers snapping echoed. Time itself appeared to reverse. The shattered office rewound like a tape.
"Tch," the Director said, turning his head away.
"Alright, fixed it for you. I'm leaving now, bye-bye," Aiden said, walking straight into the wall and disappearing.
The Director scanned the Unspeakables who'd gathered to watch the commotion. "What are you looking at? Haven't you got work to do?"
The Unspeakables quickly lowered their heads and got back to work.
Another peaceful day at the Department of Mysteries.