It was late at night, and Grindelwald, Quincy, and I were standing before the Hallows' engraved emblem, which had stained the Durmstrang wall for decades.

"I feel nothing." Grindelwald whispered, blinking his eyes after staring at it for at least ten minutes straight. "I drew this before I learned more about the Elder Wand."

"Maybe you came back to modify it later?" Quincy asked, and he gave a slight nod as he pulled his wand out.

"We will see soon enough."

With a wave of his wand, he began re-tracing the lines that made up the symbol. As he was drawing in the air, I watched as the emblem slowly disappeared from view, bit by bit. It was like watching time flow in reverse, returning the wall into a state when it was still untouched. After finishing, we stood there, silent, but this time, it never reappeared, and I knew that Quincy was right... because Grindelwald was smiling.

"I did return once in secret. You were right; I did modify it. However, what I know now about the Elder Wand is not more than I did before. But... I now have information about some artifacts and resources I hid elsewhere. We can go collect it after we are done here."

"When are we going to leave?" Quincy asked, watching him recreate the emblem before someone had a heart attack after seeing it gone the following day.

"Whenever you are ready. I already have enough teachers under my control to create a coup and get rid of Karkaroff. To sell it, I would make them fight, of course, killing some of them, but make those who are against Karkaroff come out on top."

"We are also ready. Then, give us a few days! I want it to work out well... and I have an idea for it." I added with a smile, looking up at him. I expected him to ask what it was, but he just gently nodded, reminding me how my Father would do it. He was trusting me just the same...

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.......

"I like watching sunsets like these!" I moaned while stretching, sitting on the steps of the castle, looking towards the horizon, accompanied by Quincy and Dimitris.

It has been a few days since Dimitris returned to class, and everything seemed calm and peaceful. Maybe even idyllic.

"It is nice. Although it is windier here than it was back home."

"It is a colder climate, yes. It took me a lot of time to get used to it." Dimitris added, ready to explain how it was for him when we were interrupted.

"Then you two should return to the same place where you came from."

I didn't need to turn around to know that the voice belonged to the same guy who wanted to kill us in the cellar, Mika. Of course, we were not the only ones present; it was after classes, and many students were loitering around or preparing to head back to the village for the day. Now they all had to stop, watching the scene unfold, knowing that there would be a show to watch. Just as I wanted...

"Fuck off." I replied without turning around or standing up.

"Someone thinks his mouth can open as wide as he likes, huh? Stand up, Alexander! I challenge you to a formal duel!"

"Hm? Really? Right now?" I chuckled, finally standing up and patting down my trousers. Before hearing his answer, I had already used a stunning charm on him, flinging him away like an unwanted toy.

Whatever hubbub was about to explode around us died down instantly because what I did was not just rude in their eyes but straight up apprehensible. Even Dimitris looked shocked and glanced at us, horrified. There was no time to explain as the rest of the gang appeared, roaring with anger, shouting profanities at us, which was answered by Quincy's wand lighting up, knocking two of them out with a quick spell, followed by an intense exchange between our two parties.

The result was like a shockwave, making multiple students retreat with screams as our spells bounced off each other, blowing dirt into the air and scarring the ground wherever they passed. But, this time, there was no drawn-out duel nor holding back as Quincy and I disarmed and beat down the group in under a minute.

"You dare?! You bastards!"

I couldn't help but smile when I heard the angry and incensed shout aimed at us. It was straight from the source, Andrei, who was rushing out of the castle's main gate, holding his wand, and sending an icy spell towards me.

"Hmph!" With a snort, Quincy summoned a curtain of fire that melted it mid-air before my expelliarmus shot through it, aiming to disarm Andrei, but he managed to block it in time, deflecting the spell.

"You will pay for this!" He continued, but I was not worried, not for a minute.

"I just hate waiting, so I decided to skip to the main dish." I answered with a laugh as the duo of us began attacking Andrei. While I was focusing on dueling him, Quincy was interfering with Andre's attacks, trying to disrupt them or transfigure the ground around him, throwing obstacles in his way. Our wordless teamwork was making my job even easier as Andrei and my spells clashed in mid-air, resulting in bright explosions.

Fighting him made my mind relax, and soon enough, I felt bored. He wasn't as good as I believed, and I think he was also realizing the fact. When I attacked the dragons and Flamel, I felt as if I was up against someone who could read my movements from only a twitch of a muscle. Same with my Father or Grindelwald. I couldn't be careless when training; I had to focus all my mind on the fight against Grindelwald, implement faints of faints, masking my thoughts of what I wanted to do next while also thinking about my defenses and reacting to his change in rhythm.

They were in a different league; worse, I think fighting Fleur was more challenging than facing Andrei. How dissapointing... I was looking forward to it, and right now, I was hesitating if I should go through with my plan... But only for a split second. Of course, I should. No matter if my enemy right now turns out to be a weakling, he was nothing but a stepping stone to foil Voldemort's ally. Thinking about it, I waited no more, giving out the signal through the controlling curse, still on the pathetic gang of his followers.

Before Andrei could react, still in the middle of dispelling Quincy's spell, which turned the earth muddy below him, his students surrounded him in a half-circle. I saw the smile creeping up on his face, and he may have thought they were finally back on their feet, here to help him. But instead, all of their wands turned towards Andrei, hitting him with a multitude of spells. There was no death scream as he collapsed, and he was gone before he would comprehend what happened. The sudden death of a teacher stunned the onlookers while I just stood there, smiling.

"What... what did you do?" Came a question, interrupting my thoughts, and when looking at the voice, it was Dimitris who asked it.

"Taking out the trash." I answered, raising my wand, and before everyone's eyes, my 'puppets' raised their own, pointing them at their throats.

"They attacked us first; sadly, they were weak." Quincy smiled softly, like a true, evil Queen, "Falling under our control shows their lack of skill. We were waiting just for this moment~! Nobody can threaten us without consequences."

"You are... going to kill them?!" Dimitris gasped, and while looking around, I could see the shock in many of the students' eyes. No matter what, seeing death was not something that was common, not even here. Well, at least they will be able to see thestrals...

"If you have a problem with it, be fast. I have little time and patience." I grunted, turning away from him.

"I do have a problem with it." Answered not Dimitris but Headmaster Karkaroff.

He appeared with a pop, followed by multiple teachers, including Grindelwald, whose face was as placid as if he was taking a stroll in the garden.

"Tell them to stop now!" Karkaroff ordered, looking at Grindelwald, who answered in a calm, monotone voice.

"No."

"I command you!"

"You don't have the strength to command me. You lack power both in magical capabilities and in presence. I was watching you, and you are a shame to our faction. You are only good for shouting; taking action is not your forte. I am replacing you! It is time that a true wizard decides the fate of Durmstrang."

"You snake! You think, crawling out from a hiding hole is enough to give YOU a presence?!" With a roar he already used a killing curse against him but Grindelwald, without blinking, evaded it with a simple side-step.

Finally, Karkaroff realized that he may be a headmaster, but he did not earn that title because of his prowess. Even though I was watching, I didn't see how Grindelwald moved his hands, I couldn't read the killing curse ahead of time, and I only saw his wand glow green. If I was his opponent, it would have been too late for me as it was for Karkaroff. When I finally blinked, the Headmaster was lying on his back, eyes wide open, staring at the sky while Grindelwald looked around the rest of the teachers.

"I am the Headmaster from now on."

"Tyrant!" someone shouted, which was soon echoed by similar shouts and other supporting voices. It didn't take long for the teachers to begin fighting amongst themselves, apparating around the castle, including our Master.

"Well, back to business then!" I clapped with a laugh, turning towards the group of panicked guys. Even under the spell of the imperius curse, they knew well my words from previously meant nothing, and I was about to kill them off. "Bye-bye!"

"Stop!"

I felt a force grabbing me from behind as I was lifted from the ground, thrown in the opposite direction, and rolled down from the hillside until I caught the flat ground below.

"You dare!" Bellowed Quincy, attacking Dimitris, who was the one to flung me away.

After deflecting multiple of her charms, he hurriedly summoned his broom, being chased by an angry Quincy and by me after I got back to my feet as we left the castle behind.

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"Are you... really leaving?"

"Yep!" I answered, standing amongst the abandoned ruins, watching as the polyjuice potion finally wore off and I was returned to my original appearance alongside Quincy.

"So this is how you look, huh?" Dimitris asked again, shaking his head and smiling.

"Yep! Well, my name is Conrad Anguine, and she is my wife, Quincy Anguine." I grinned, reaching out and shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you~!" Quincy added, shaking his hand just the same, "When they find you, tell them you managed to chase us off!"

"Are you sure... that this is fine?"

"Duh, it was the plan from the get-go. This should ease your following years here." I nodded, stretching a little, "Even with your background, what you did now showed that all that bullying and bullshit means nothing. If they keep pestering you, then you can always bring up the fact that you should have let me kill them then!"

"Thanks, Conrad..." he whispered, getting sentimental, and I saw his eyes well up with tears.

"Take it as a goodbye gift from us."

"Yep!" Quincy agreed, gently punching his chest, "Make sure to become someone prominent, eh? Who knows, one day, you may be the one helping us!"

"Um! But... are you sure your, um, Master will be alright?"

"Yep. I wouldn't worry; he is THE Grindelwald, after all."

"WHAT?!"

"Why do you think we came here? We are collecting some of his old stuff. That's all... and we also decided to behead the snake of the Dark Lord while here."

"Voldemort?! What?!" Dimitris asked, showing no fear of speaking the name, making me flinch because I knew it could quickly alert him. The question is, does he have any time and power to come here. Probably not.

"Yeah..." We both answered at the same time, "Karkaroff was his man. It would be best for Durmstrang if they stayed out of this mess. Trust us."

"I trust you," he nodded, looking at us. "I don't know much about these things... but I will learn. As you said, one day, I may be the one who can help you out!"

"I do look forward to that!"

I don't like saying goodbyes, so we didn't stay long. When we parted ways, it was just an ordinary greeting, something that you would give your friend who you are going to meet tomorrow anyway, yet both of us knew that would not be the case. While Dimitris would wait there a little more before heading back to the castle, we were already racing towards the abandoned house where we first arrived. Was I worried about Grindelwald? Heh, no... not at all. All that was happening within the castle was nothing but a giant puppet show for the onlookers. They did not even know that their strings were being plucked on while it was happening.