"..." Lady Greengrass quietly stepped back two paces, fingers turning the bracelet on her left wrist. Only then did she seem to relax.
Fudge met Dumbledore's calm blue gaze through the half-moon spectacles and clearly saw the old man's resolve. His shoulders sagged further, his voice hoarse.
"I understand..."
Pure-bloods. Dumbledore. Senior Ministry officials. None of them stood with him. Just as Dumbledore had said, he could not win.
[Author's Pov ---- In the original course of events, Fudge had been able to weaken Dumbledore's influence with surprising ease, but that had been the result of several factors coming together. The news of Voldemort's return had come from Harry alone.... He was the only eyewitness.
Many people trusted Dumbledore, but far fewer were willing to trust a child, even if he was the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived.
In the original timeline, when Fudge moved against Dumbledore, the Slytherins present today, even Lady Greengrass herself, had done plenty to 'fan' the flames.
Whoever went after Dumbledore, they would happily lend a hand.
And lastly, there was his own inaction. No matter how absurd the Ministry's Educational Decrees became, he endured them. Had he taken a 'firm' stand even once, at least half the Wizengamot would have voted them down, and they would never have passed.
But with Lucifer in this world, everything had changed.
Albus Dumbledore had finally hardened his stance. With the attitude he showed today, even without anyone else backing him, Fudge had no chance of defeating Lucifer]
"Take care of yourself, Cornelius." Only after hearing Fudge's resigned words did the old man's eyes soften again. He nodded slightly. Then he turned and left.
Did Dumbledore feel guilty about publicly crushing Fudge's authority as Minister in front of so many people? Of course he had. He knew that 'from' this moment on, Fudge was Minister in name only. Either he would be replaced soon, or would remain in the post as a figurehead until that replacement arrived.
But Dumbledore did not regret it. He was a man who could calculate even his own life. Once he made a decision, everything became a bargaining chip for the greater good. 'Lucifer wants to establish a guild, a massive Civilian organization independent of the Ministry and the 'International Confederation of Wizards?' Fine. As long as it does not turn into a criminal syndicate that shelters Dark Wizards.'
'He wants to use the Minister for Magic as a warning, cut off the hand reaching for him, and prevent endless interference in the future? That was fine too..... Given Fudge's abilities, the greatest contribution he could make to Wizarding world was to sit in that chair, stay put, and do nothing at all.'
'Personal humiliation meant little compared to the bigger picture.'
So, between Lucifer and Fudge, Dumbledore had chosen without hesitation. And before coming here, the two of them reached an agreement: no matter what, the existence of the magical world must never be exposed willingly.
Dumbledore understood the boy's character. Despite the trouble he caused, he was still a good kid, which was why he treated him with genuine kindness, Lucifer wasn't a monster like Voldemort, nor as radical as Grindelwald. So considering the future, that was all the condition he needed.
And to ensure it, Dumbledore even bound himself with Lucifer through an 'Unbreakable Vow.' who agreed readily, he had never intended to expose the magical world in the' first' place... at least not anytime soon.
It would bring him no benefit, only endless trouble. Once the vow was sealed, Dumbledore finally set his mind at ease. Willing to shield Lucifer from some of the pressure and keep him in check, he stepped forward.
And so, today's scene came to pass.
After Dumbledore left, Lady Greengrass departed with the other pure-bloods. Amelia Bones followed, then Crouch. In the end, only Shacklebolt and Umbridge remained.
Minister Fudge did not even look at them, lost in his own thoughts. Eventually, the two had no choice but to leave as well.
xxxxxxx
The next day, Fudge went to Hogwarts in an uncharacteristically low-key manner. In the past, he never traveled without an entourage. Even at his most restrained, he had two or three people with him. At times, he brought along two full Auror squads.
Today, he came alone.
Before many students were even awake, he arrived at Dumbledore's office.
Half an hour later, Lucifer was summoned. As soon as they met, Fudge spoke first. His voice carried an indescribable weariness.
"You've won, Morningstar"
Faced with Fudge backing down, he simply yawned and ignored him. The night before had been exhausting. He had to soothe the girls' emotions and also give Hannah a stage assessment.
In the end, she passed her final kindergarten exam with a solid eighty. Judging by academic standards, she was now a proud 'first-grade' Muggle elementary student.
"Minerva seems to want a word with me," Dumbledore said to get away from this nonsense as soon as possible, "I'll leave things here to you two. It's still early. You probably haven't had breakfast yet. Help yourselves."
He smoothly defused the awkwardness for Fudge, nodded to both of them, and flicked his wand lightly over the tea table. Two breakfasts appeared at once, with Lucifer's portion noticeably larger.
After eating with the boy often enough, Dumbledore knew his appetite well. With that done, he gave them another small nod and left the office, deliberately giving privacy.
"Let's eat first, Minister Fudge. No rush," Lucifer said casually, flicking his fingers at the table, "If we take it slow, I can skip 'History of Magic.' You know how Professor Binns is."
He had already started cutting into his sausage. Fudge smiled faintly, a touch of nostalgia in his voice, "Back when I was a student, my roommates and I would stay up all night talking. Whenever we had Binns' class, there was nothing to worry about. You could sleep through the lecture and make it all back."
Lucifer glanced at him with interest. "By the way, Minister Fudge, which house were you in?"
"Slytherin. The 'Fudge family' is pure-blood, though not especially famous. Before me, we never produced anyone important. Most of our family ended up in Slytherin or Ravenclaw...."
"No wonder," he nodded while eating a piece, "Ambition, and a bit of cleverness too."
Fudge said nothing and focused on his meal, he did think of himself as clever. But Lucifer was far too monstrous, capable of making two sides that hated each other agree for his sake. In that situation, he was completely isolated. What good was intelligence when the gap in power was that overwhelming?
Lucifer ate at an unhurried pace. Only when the bell for 'first' period rang outside the window did he finish his last sip of grapefruit tea and set the cup down.
At that right moment, Fudge spoke to convey his sincerest, "I've already prepared the apology statement. Tomorrow, you'll see the Ministry's sincerity in the 'Daily Prophet.' The Arkham Asylum Guild will bear no responsibility, and the Aurors will begin a full sweep of Knockturn Alley. Beyond that, do you have any other demands?"
Lucifer shook his head.
"That's all I want. That's about all the Ministry can offer anyway."
"When do you plan to make me resign?" Fudge asked with a droop of his face, which he tried his best to conceal but it still showed.
"Minister, what are you talking about? I'm just a student. What right do I have to force a minister to resign? You haven't broken the law, and the Wizengamot hasn't impeached you. Your seat is perfectly secure. There's no need to resign."
Fudge's expression darkened at once.
"Morningstar, at this point, spare me the hypocrisy. There's no point humiliating a loser."
"This isn't humiliation. It's the truth," Stating calmly, Lucifer emphasised so Cornelius wouldn't take his words lightly, "You keep being Minister. Don't provoke me, and I won't interfere in the Ministry's internal affairs. That's not my responsibility."
Disbelief, that's how Fudge stared at him, he didn't even eat much cause of the anticipation of his unsure future, "You're not joking?"
"I do have a sense of humor," Lucifer smiled lightly, "but joking right now..." He did not finish the sentence, but Fudge understood perfectly.
By then, his heart was already overflowing with wild joy. Before coming here, he had been convinced his career as Minister was on a countdown. Best case, he resigned on his own. Worst case, Morningstar pushed an impeachment through the Wizengamot and he was dragged down in disgrace.
And now he was being told he could keep his job? That was no different from having Galleons fall straight from the sky onto his head.
"From the sound of it, Minister Fudge," he teased, while staring at his untouched glass of pumpkin juice, "You're determined to resign and retire to the countryside, like Babajide Akingbade?"
"No, of course not!"
The boy's words snapped Fudge back to himself. The gray, withered look drained from his face, replaced by a healthy flush. His previously sunken belly even puffed out a little, whole presence had shifted, "I'm still in good shape and fully capable of contributing to the Wizarding world," he declared eagerly. "Mr. Morningstar, as long as Knockturn Alley still exists, I won't sleep easy. Do you have any other matters?"
"If not, I'll head back to the Ministry right now and deploy people. We'll catch them completely off guard!"
At that moment, Fudge looked positively radiant.
Lucifer watched in amazement. Power really was a miracle cure. The half-dead Fudge was instantly back to full health, "Safe travels, Minister," he said politely.
He watched as Fudge disappeared into fireplace of the Headmaster's office. When Lucifer turned back, the portraits lining walls had come to life.
Phineas Black gave him a thumbs-up. "Kid, you're something else. You trained a Minister like a servant."
Another bearded former minister sighed repeatedly. "The times really are going downhill. Even someone like that can become Minister for Magic. Are there really no capable people left?"
This portrait belonged to Everard, who had once served as Minister himself. Seeing Fudge's behavior clearly left him heartsick.
Dilys Derwent curled her lip, "Everard, Fudge was Dumbledore's pick in the first place. If you ask me, his eyes for people isn't all that great. That man has no bottom line when it comes to power. Maybe without Morningstar... stirring things up, he probably would've turned on Dumbledore sooner or later for his own benefit."
Lucifer gave the greatest healer in wizarding history a thumbs-up in return. Now that was a portrait seasoned to perfection. She had dissected Fudge's nature with brutal accuracy.
The 'former' headmasters fell into a noisy discussion, not a single good word for Fudge among them, he half-heartedly hummed along, then pulled out his WhatsApp and contacted Bones.
"So, Fudge left?" she asked.
"Yeah. Are you sure you don't want to take advantage of this opportunity? If you miss it, once things settle down, pulling... Fudge off that seat will mean waiting for his next mistake."
Amelia Bones smiled and shaking her head, she had a blanket over herself, covering most of the lower body, "Honestly, I'm tempted. But reason tells me I can't do that. It would deal a serious blow... to the Ministry's credibility. And after this lesson, Fudge should be a lot more clear headed."
"It makes no difference to me anyway. As long as you can hold yourself back." Truth be told, Lucifer's original thought was simple. Just crush Fudge completely and let Bones take over. But when he talked to her the night before, she had firmly opposed it.
A struggle was a struggle, but rules were rules. And because he had acted too early, Fudge never even got the chance to really jump around. He had not broken any rules, nor had he committed any serious mistakes in the past.
He had only wanted something he should not have, and provoked someone he could not afford to.
Director Bones did not want to become Minister that way. It would set a terrible precedent for the future, one that said brute force and dirty tactics were all it took to sit in that chair. Lucifer understood her point perfectly, but he simply did not care. Who sat in the Minister's chair made no real difference to him.
xxxxxxx
Before long, Dumbledore returned, he noticed that Gryffindor boy was leaning against the windowsill, watching Hagrid teach the sixth-years.
Today, he had brought out a gigantic petrifying lizard. The creature was enormous, its hide harder than stone.
"How did the talk go?" Dumbledore asked, joining Lucifer at the window. In the past, he had always stood here alone, quietly enjoying the energy and laughter the young witches and wizards brought to the castle.
Having someone beside him now felt oddly different.
"Pretty pleasant, I'd say," he replied, turning away when the lizard knocked a student flat, "At least for Minister Fudge, it's a good outcome. He gets to keep his dignity."
Dumbledore looked at him in surprise. "I thought you would let Bones take over..."
"I did consider it," Lucifer shrugged, while he scanned a few orange leaves that had fallen on the ground, "but Madam Bones insists on playing by the rules. You know her, she can be very stubborn."
Just by hearing that, Dumbledore smiled with clear admiration, "I wouldn't call it stubborn. That may simply be Hufflepuff's persistence. They're always the ones with the highest bottom line. I can't quite match that myself."
Lucifer nodded in agreement, "She's about my level," he sighed with next, pondering over the past, "I should have been sorted into Hufflepuff."
Dumbledore fell silent. That level of shamelessness did not really belong to any house. In that regard, Lucifer had practically founded his own school and surpassed the founders themselves. Shaking his head helplessly, he spoke softly. "You should be satisfied now, shouldn't you? From today on, you won't have any enemies left in Britain. Lucifer, no more trouble, alright?"
"Professor, that's not fair," he said innocently, "From Robert to Fudge, and even those in Knockturn Alley, when was I ever the one who started it? I was just defending myself."
"....I'm old. I can't argue with you. From now on, leave counterattacks to me. You focus on your magic. How about that?"
"Sounds perfect," Lucifer agreed cheerfully. Who would not want an extra enforcer? With Dumbledore blocking trouble for him, life was going to get a lot quieter.
The Headmaster briefly nodded and muttered quietly, "Just to be safe, I'll drag Tina and Perenelle into this. They would absolutely not let you kill anyone, since they know the consequences. Hmm... as 'for' Nicolas and Newt, Lady Greengrass, they'd be too easy for you to fool."
Lucifer froze. Is this the legendary 'I'll tell your parents' move? Somewhere hidden, a shout blasted like a warhorn,
"Morningstar! You rotten son of a bitch! You bastard!"
xxxxxxx
The Next Day
'The Daily Prophet' posted an apology letter and official statement from the Ministry of Magic, issued in Fudge's name.
The statement fiercely condemned Bask and his accomplices for their illegal actions, branding them violent home-invading criminals. At the same time, it praised Lucifer Morningstar for standing up to the attackers and announced that he would finally be awarded the 'First Class Order of Merlin', a clear signal of the Ministry's stance.
After that came the promised crackdown on Knockturn Alley. On paper, at least, it looked convincing. The Ministry struck a righteous pose, declaring itself utterly opposed to crime.
Students kept sneaking glances at Lucifer eating the toast being jammed by his girlfriend, Hermione. Secrets never stayed buried for long, plenty had seen what happened the other day, when a whole crowd of pure-bloods and Dumbledore himself showed up at Fudge's door.
....Many of the students here had parents working at the Ministry and knew more than they let on. Fudge was still barely holding onto a veneer of dignity, but only the Department heads and senior officials truly understood how things stood now.
The Minister was a figurehead in name only. The ones who actually held power were Bones, Greengrass, and those closely tied to Morningstar.
They were the real decision-makers now. Lady Evelyn Greengrass didn't even bother going into the Ministry anymore, she had taken a few months off directly until her baby was----
Amelia Bones's office, on the other hand, was packed to the brim. Anyone with even a shred of ambition showed up to pay their respects, with the obvious exception of people like Arthur Weasley, who had long since mastered the art of coasting.
Over in Diagon Alley, the corpses that had been lying outside the Arkham Asylum Guild quietly vanished. With those nauseating sights gone and the Ministry's statement published, people who had been hesitant about posting commissions finally relaxed. They trickled back into the Guild, lining up to ask Banfield' Maids' to register their requests.
Many witches and wizards weren't conservative because they loved the old ways. They simply didn't know how good the new ones were. Once you tried them, there was no going back, plus such "beautiful ladies" they got to look at for hours and chat with.
That alone swayed a lot of hearts.
Next, take the WhatsApp, for example. It had developed to the point where people were completely used to life without owls. As a result, owl sales at pet shops plummeted.
The Arkham Asylum Guild worked much the same way. Compared to the old headaches of trading goods, not knowing who to contact, and the Ministry's painfully slow efficiency, it was in a league of its own.
Its Headquarters was basically a one-stop hub for administration and commerce. One visit could solve everything, and if you had spare time, you could even take on side jobs and earn some extra galleons.
After this incident, anyone with a functioning brain could see just how powerful Wizard Guild's backing really was. That only made people more confident about using it.
Knockturn Alley, though, was utterly ruined. Hit Wizards sealed the entrances. The 'Department of Magical Transportation' shut down the Floo Network. The 'Department of Magical Law Enforcement' prepared the harshest possible sentences.
Several Auror teams already stormed the alley and swept it clean. No questions asked, everyone was arrested first, explanations later. Old Borgin was the only one who escaped, having gotten advance warning from Lucifer. Rest was hauled off, shopkeepers and customers alike.
It took two 'full' days and nights of interrogation before they finally released the people with clean records.
The few shop owners who had slipped through the net gathered together afterward, their faces dark. They looked about as cheerful as Snape would be when seeing Sirius Black alive and well, at the end of the year.
"Lucifer..." An elderly man growled, "I see it now. This was all his plan. He wanted an excuse to wipe out Knockturn Alley and bring every dark troublesome voice under his control."
"And those idiots like Bask just walked right into it," Someone else spat, "Handed him the perfect excuse."
"Fudge is an idiot too!" Shrieked an old witch with one blind eye, "Can't even outplay a child. What right does he have to be Minister for Magic?"
"Enough," Someone interrupted impatiently. "What's the point of saying all this now? What are we supposed to do?"
"What can we do?" the old man said bitterly, "The rules have been rewritten. We either submit or get wiped out. Even Dumbledore stood up for him, and the pure-bloods are cooperating like obedient lambs. With us sewer rats, do you really think we can fight Morningstar and Asylum?"
"All we can do is wait. Wait for someone who can stand against him. Until then, we behave. I'm certain he's still watching us, just waiting to slip up."
After that, no matter how unwilling they felt, others knew he was right. It was the only way they'd survive. Over the next few days, reality proved that saying about age sharpening wisdom into something monstrous was absolutely true.
Diablo really was still watching those who had slipped through the net, he cleaned their bodies. The moment the Aurors pulled out, Lucifer had Lady Greengrass buy up every vacant shon in Knockturn Alley on his behalf. By now, less than twenty percent of the properties there still belonged to others.
The rest all bore Morningstar name.
There was no room left to expand in Diagon Alley. Ollivander was the true land tycoon there. That left only Knockturn Alley as a target. Lucifer had plans to turn it into a full strip of food, drink, and entertainment, like he promised his wife Amelia Bones.
xxxxxxx
In the blink of an eye, Saturday arrived. No matter how chaotic things were outside the school, competitions inside Hogwarts went on as scheduled.
Today was the third-year division.
Compared to Ginny's 100% winning performance, Hermione who was fighting as Susan's proxy, her chances of winning were just a little over forty percent.
So early that morning, Lucifer said softly, "Don't be nervous, your knowledge is better than anyone else's.... Put all of them together and they probably still know less than you. But some people don't care about getting hurt. They won't stop until they're sure opponent can't fight back. Remember that, okay? And keep an eye on the Durmstrang student."
As he spoke, Lucifer glanced toward the Slytherin table at a buzz-cut boy. For a third-year, the kid was built like a 'fifth' or sixth-year.
Lavender Brown, who'd been listening the whole time, asked curiously, "Lucifer, is that guy really that strong?"
He didn't answer directly, but pointed toward the staff table instead. Many people followed his gesture and froze when they realized he was pointing at Grindelwald.
They hurriedly looked away and dropped their gazes.
"Anyone chosen by Grindelwald isn't someone you can afford to underestimate."
That made sense to everyone, and heads nodded all around.
In truth, Lucifer was practically helping Hermione cheat. In the futures Ellie'd seen through time itself, she usually lost to that boy. It wasn't because she was weaker, but her opponent could take an absurd beating and fought like he didn't care whether he lived or died.
His girlfriend nodded seriously, as she drank her pumpkin juice, "I know, Lucifer. I'm not nervous at all."
He fell silent. If not for the fact that small hand clutching his was slick with sweat, he might almost have believed her. This wouldn't do. After a moment's thought, he resorted to his ultimate move.
"Whoa!" x 99
The Great Hall erupted in a chorus of shocked noises. Everyone saw Lucifer plant a firm kiss on Hermione's pouty lips which now had a bright red blood mark lingering there, and the young witch immediately buried her face in his chest, too shy to look up.
Nervousness forgotten, her heart was hammering wildly in her chest. 'If we weren't so pressed under an audience...' She glanced at him and observed his closeness.
'I'd snog him senseless, and maybe do other thi-' Hermione slapped her inner self, trying to control the level of her ugly sexual hormones.
At the staff table, Dumbledore watched the scene with a gentle smile. His mood lifted noticeably. This was exactly why he was willing to help Lucifer. Gellert Grindelwald had been right about one thing.
Dumbledore had neither the right nor the standing to shackle an ambitious soul, he was only a headmaster.
Unless someone was trying to overturn the Wizarding world itself or risk exposing it to Muggles, he really shouldn't interfere.
Voldemort back then had crossed that line. Letting him rule the Wizarding world would have meant at least half the population dead. The more violently things escalated, the greater the risk of exposure.
But Lucifer showed no such signs. His ambitions were even larger than Voldemort's. That fool had fixated on
Britain alone, while this mere third year boy was looking at the world, weren't even playing the same game.
More importantly, he had reason, emotions. His ambition was separate from his personal life, and on balance it brought more benefit than harm to the Wizarding world. Given that, what reason was there to stop him?
Rather than obstruct, it was better to guide things along and reduce the bloodshed along the way. That was the right choice.
Gellert, who understood Dumbledore better than anyone, could guess exactly what his old friend was thinking. He curled his lips in a smirk. 'Just wait. Let's see how much trouble that kid causes you. When the time comes, I don't believe you'll still be smiling.'
Setting down his knife and fork, Grindelwald was the first to head for the doors. The Durmstrang teachers and students immediately followed.
As they made their way to competition grounds, Grindelwald continued pondering how he might slip free of Dumbledore's watch and carve out a full day for himself.
And what exactly did Lucifer mean by purification?
xxxxxx
Late at night, to meet a certain guest, he returned to Lux's penthouse.
At exactly midnight, a silver bell in the room trembled softly, Lucifer casually pressed a button at his side, and the cast gates of the Lift slowly swung open. Following the light, Barty Crouch made his way into the sitting room.
"Good evening, Mr. Morningstar."
Lucifer was in a great mood today.
Hermione had taken first place in the third-year division without any serious mishaps. Just as he'd predicted, the only one who truly gave her trouble was the Durmstrang student, and it wasn't minor either.
The boy had a solid grasp of several practical Dark spells, but more importantly, he was ruthless toward his opponent, and just as toward himself---Got hit again and again by Hermione's spells, yet forced himself through effects with willpower, or broke them on himself outright. In the end, he even tanked an entire 'Multi-Shot Jinx' head-on just to launch a proper counterattack.
It was enough to shake Hermione's composure. She only secured victory by relying on Transfiguration, conjuring a 'full' set of chains that locked him down completely just like at the Troll incident in her first year, and wrenching wand from his hand.
Only when all three judges declared her the winner did she finally let out a long breath.
Even Lucifer was a little surprised. He had no idea how much poison Grindelwald had poured into that kid's head. The boy was willing to risk crippling injuries just to win, and once he lost, it was like all the color drained out of him. He just stood there, unmoving.
"Please, have a seat, Mr. Crouch." Coming back to himself, he smiled, and gestured at sofa across from him.
The moment Crouch sat down, the teapot floated over on its own, and a silver tray of desserts appeared beside it. Lucifer picked up a piece of plum cake, took a bite, and said casually, "We have a lot to talk about tonight. Have some tea. Helps keep your head clear, Mr. Crouch. Make yourself at home."
Barty didn't bother with false politeness, he nodded and lifted his teacup. He was already on the pirate ship, there was no point pretending otherwise. As they ate their late-night snack, the two chatted idly.
"When Mr. Grindelwald told me you were the mastermind behind everything, I honestly thought I'd misheard him... It wasn't until he signed an 'Unbreakable Vow' with me that I finally understood. The one pulling the strings of the entire wizarding world is you. A third-year Hogwarts student."
"Pulling the strings is a bit much," Lucifer said, shaking his head. Desserts weren't cutting it, so he snapped his fingers.
Clack.
The heavy double doors swung open, venting a sudden draft that made the candles flicker. Haru Nanakusa stepped into the room, balancing a massive, steaming platter of ribs on one palm. The rich smoky aroma of charred meat and sweet glaze instantly 'flooded' the air, cutting through the scent of Earl Grey tea.
She was wearing a tight, dangerously short white nurse's uniform that hugged every curve of her hourglass figure. The thin fabric strained across her exceptionally full heavy bust, forcing her deep cleavage into plain view. Her light silver-purple hair was pulled back into a casual, messy ponytail, leaving soft strands to brush against her pale neck.
Her striking blue eyes, marked by distinct concentric rings, fixed instantly on Lucifer with mischievous affection, glowing faintly in dim light.
'Thud.'
She set the platter down, leaning low over the table. The movement gave a provocative view of her chest, clothes stretching tight against her skin.

"Here you go, love," Haru said, her tone dripping with playful confidence that contrasted with the tension in the room. She smirked, completely ignoring Crouch, "A real meal for a change. Sweets don't suit you anyway."
Crouch's teacup froze halfway to his mouth. His eyes locked onto her, rigid Ministry sensibilities entirely shattered by the lack of shame in her attitude.
"Nazuna made it especially for 'you."
"Did she now?" Lucifer dug into the ribs without a second thought, sound of tearing meat and crunching cartilage filling the quiet room as he chewed enthusiastically, "Perfect, do share it with her."
"She's getting desperate for your cock," Chuckling softly, in a low purring sound, Haru walked around the chair, the hem of her short dress rustling softly, and stood directly behind him. She rested her hands lightly on her husband's shoulders, long manicured nails digging slightly through his shirt. She leaned down, her cool breath brushing against his ear. "I'm hungry too, you know."
Without interrupting his meal, Lucifer tilted his neck to the side, exposing bare, warm skin of his throat to her, a silent gesture of trust and cooperation that was clearly part of a long-standing arrangement between them.
"That's what I like about you, my man," Haru's concentric eyes widened, darkening with lust as her breath hitched, parting her lips, revealing two sharp, glistening fangs, proof of her vampirism. She sank them deep into his neck.
'Squelch.'
A soft, wet gasp escaped her lips as she began to draw his blood. The heavy, metallic scent of iron mixed with the smoky aroma of the ribs.
Her form casting a long shadow against the back of his. She was drinking with a focused intensity, her throat working in slow gulps to enjoy the intimacy arousal. Lucifer meanwhile didn't even flinch, his pulse remained steady under her lips. He casually reached for another rib, completely unbothered by the vampire drawing 'from' his veins.
But Crouch stared, utterly petrified. A drop of tea spilled over the rim of his cup, splashing onto his trousers with a tiny hiss, but he didn't notice. His mind couldn't process the scene, a third-year student treating a lethal vampire with such casual indifference, offering his throat while having a midnight snack?!

Haru finally pulled back with a wet, satisfied sigh, a thin smear of crimson now staining her lips, "Put a baby in my belly next time, Nazuna needs siblings to play with," She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at Crouch with a sharp, mocking grin that made the older wizard flinch. 'This vampire was too hypnotic!'
Lucifer took a napkin, wiped the grease from his fingers, and looked back across the table at the stunned wizard, his voice entirely even, as if the interaction were a common occurrence.
"I just happen to have a few secrets, kindness and a different perspective for our world. Mr. Crouch, you've worked in the 'Department of International Magical Co-operation' for many years. Don't you think that before Grindelwald appeared, the wizarding world was basically stagnant? No progress. Only decay. Vitality bleeding away. If things continued like that, it wouldn't have been surprising if it all just... quietly died one day."
Crouch almost stared at the woman's lower back wrongly, who had gone to stand outside in the balcony, staring at the 'full' moon, then remembered who he was, nodding deeply. The boy was right. Across the world, aside from North America being somewhat active, most magical societies hadn't changed in decades.
Everyone was just drifting along, Dumbledore included. It was as if the purpose of a wizard's life was simply to survive year after year, have children, and continue existing in this half-dead state while hiding from Muggle society.
"So everything you're doing is to change the world?" Crouch asked, watching him closely, "Grindelwald's return certainly woke up many countries. It gave them a sense of urgency."
Lucifer shook his head, "Changing the world is just a side effect. My real goal is to live freely without restraints. Any upheaval along the way isn't the outcome. It's just the process."
In just this short exchange, he'd already formed a clear impression of the boy. A maturity far beyond his age. Ambition and arrogance worn openly, with absolute confidence.
The Wizarding world had been thrown into chaos again and again because of this boy, yet Lucifer himself couldn't have cared less.
His eyes were fixed solely on his own interests. Very Slytherin.
But that was fine. They were on the same side now, from what Grindelwald had implied, Lucifer could be irritating at times, but he treated his own people well.
After patiently waiting for him to finish eating, Crouch finally steered the conversation where it needed to go, "Mr. Morningstar, you called me here tonight. Is there something you need me to do?"
"I want you to become the overall Guildmaster of Arkham Asylum."
Crouch frowned, but only briefly. He relaxed almost immediately, "Then I'll resign from the Ministry tomorrow. I'll need some time to wrap things up, but once that's done, I can take over."
Decisiveness was a core trait of any successful politician. Fudge, who'd lucked into his position, didn't count, Crouch did. Having chosen to board Lucifer and Grindelwald's ship, he wouldn't waver, nor would he cling to his position as a senior Ministry official.
Besides, he could clearly see the Guild's future. It already had more than a dozen branches. Expanding across the globe wasn't a fantasy. When that happened, his influence as the one at the helm would dwarf anything the Head of the Co-operation Department could dream of.
"Ah, no need to resign."
Just as Crouch had made up his mind, Lucifer waved a hand, "For now, you'll take the title of special advisor. Keep your post as Head of International Magical Cooperation. That position is going to be very important...Don't move it until we find the right replacement."
Like Dumbledore, Crouch was fluent in over a hundred languages. On top of that, his years of experience gave him deep insight into many countries and an extensive personal network. He was perfect for helping the Guild expand internationally.
Lucifer would provide the resources.
Grindelwald's force, everything else could be left alone for the time being.
As he laid out his plans in detail, Crouch quickly grasped his intentions and nodded repeatedly. They talked until two thirty in the morning.
Only then did Crouch slip quietly out of the penthouse. Back at Hogwarts, Grindelwald spent an entire day thinking before finally figuring out how to shake Dumbledore's surveillance.
He first had one of his followers rush in from Berlin, pretending there was an urgent matter. Then, right in front of Dumbledore, he borrowed the headmaster's fireplace and temporarily left Britain.
After arriving in Paris, he quietly flew back to London and went straight to Lucifer's pub.
"Why here instead of your Dorset estate?" Grindelwald said with mild regret, "I could have paid an old friend a visit while I was at it."
Rolling his eyes, Lucifer tossed the empty bottle of child beer aside, "Gellert, can you give Newt a break already? Yeah, he ruined plenty of your plans back then, but wasn't that mostly Dumbledore's influence? If you want to pick a fight, go bother him. Newt is helping me plant trees right now. Don't disturb him."
"Understood. I'll go once he's done planting."
Lucifer stared at him in silence. There was no helping this grudge holding old bastard. Couldn't he learn to be a little more magnanimous?
"Come on." The two of them went down into the underground chamber. For once, he took out his wand and began drawing a temporary fireproof array along the walls.
"You mentioned purification before, what exactly are you talking about? What do I need to purify?"
"How many people have you killed?" Lucifer asked, turning back.
Grindelwald thought hard for a moment, then gave up and shook his head, "Too many to count. I don't remember. But at least a hundred wizards, probably more."
"Then you should understand what killing does to the human soul."
"I don't think it's a bad thing," However, opposed to Lucifer, Grindelwald's reply was terrifyingly calm, "If anything, it's made my Dark magic much stronger."
The walls of the Chamber glowed red-hot brilliant colors flowing through engraved lines, shimmering like a rainbow after rain, dazzling and unreal. Only after finishing the final stroke of the array did Lucifer turn around, "Gellert, you've gone down the wrong path."
"The wrong path?"
Lucifer tapped his own temple, "I have come to understand Sentient Magic determines your lower limit, but will determine the ceiling. Your will has been... tainted by the curses of the dead. Borrowing external power might benefit you now, but your true potential has already been locked in place. Don't you want to see what lies beyond?"
That single sentence hit Grindelwald right where it hurt. To outsiders, Wizards of his level seemed glorious, crowned as Kings of the century, the strongest of their age. But who would be satisfied with shining for only a century?
Especially after witnessing Mazikeen's power firsthand, Grindelwald understood all too well how vast the gap really was, "Then do it," he said at last, making up his mind. After purification, many of his signature spells would lose power, strength would drop instead of rise. But if it meant a brighter future, he would endure it.
Whoosh----
A mass of pure white flame appeared in Lucifer's hand. The temperature in the room spiked instantly. Bathed in firelight, the protective arrays on the walls flared even brighter, the flowing light inside accelerating.
"Wait, no. This is purification, right?"
Grindelwald asked, stunned. "Why are you using fire?"
Lucifer looked at him like the answer was obvious, "What do you think? I'm going to burn you with Holy fire."
"Pfft...."
"Hahahaha." It wasn't just Grindelwald who nearly lost it. Even Maze, watching the spectacle from the bedroom, couldn't keep a straight 'face' and started laughing.
Meanwhile, Jeanne, standing beside Albedo, looked distinctly uncomfortable, memories of her final moments at the Heavenly Saint surfacing uninvited.
Grindelwald stared at Lucifer, speechless, "Are you purifying the curses, or are you trying to purify me out of existence?"
That 'flame' looked even more terrifying than his own Protego Diabolica. If it hit him directly, surviving two seconds would already be impressive.
"Relax, this is your reward," Lucifer said confidently, "I'm basically Fawkes's ancestor. There's absolutely no risk, the Bible says I was the Lightbringer, and 'for' a very good reason."
Gellert Grindelwald knew about that, which eased his mind somewhat. Still, the sight made his skin crawl, so he shut his eyes.
"Go on."
Then another thought hit him. He quickly opened his eyes, "Lucifer, have you tested this on anyone else before?"
Unfortunately, he asked too late, he had already hurled the pure white sacred fire at him. The moment it touched his body, searing agony tore through him. Only then did he hear Lucifer's awkward, sheepish laugh, "Well... you're the 'first' wizard test subject. Heh hee~"
"Aaaaaagh- Luuuciferrr!"
"You rotten... ugh! Son of a bitch! You bastard!"
Perhaps it was the 'first' time Grindelwald had ever cursed someone like that. The elegant man's image was gone.
Even Mazikeen, watching it live eating her snacks felt bad for the sort of friend, well, it would have been more emotional if she didn't have a camera in her left hand.
Pain.
So much pain.
Barely managed to curse once before plunging into an endless abyss of agony, Grindelwald's consciousness was blurring as he mentally sent his regards to Lucifer's entire family tree.
He wasn't someone who couldn't endure pain. Back in the day, to temper his will and master certain utterly vicious Dark Arts, he'd even cast the Cruciatus Curse on himself and grit his teeth through a full minute.
But this was different.
This pain surpassed the Cruciatus Curse by ten times, a hundred times. It wasn't even on the same level, not just pain anymore. It crushed the soul.
"ΑahhhhΗΗΗ!!!" Grindelwald's horrifying screams echoed through the dungeon, and others all burst out laughing. It was Mazikeen who did the hardest, she even egged Albedo on to record the whole thing so she could replay it later for entertainment, and told Lucifer to punish him more brutally.
That said boy was busy trying to control the holy fire so it wouldn't actually burn Grindelwald to death, so he had no time to deal with her.
....Albedo was genuinely happy to see Mazikeen so full of joy, even going so far as to teach her how to record things in the Television.
Makima, however, wore an intrigued thoughtful smile. She didn't care about Grindelwald's reaction at all. What 'fascinated' her was the holy fire itself. If it could purify the soul, did it have healing properties as well? Her ancestor Lilith's had been severely damaged, when she gave away her immortality. Even if she were given it on the spot, she'd probably last only a short while before falling gravely ill and dying for good.
The three of them stood together like a pack of villains, laughing or just giving evil smiles as they watched a poor man scream in pain. Fortunately, there was Saint Jeanne, the only one who remained uncorrupted, still offering kindhearted advice.
"Mr. Grindelwald, if it hurts, you should pray to the Lord," She said earnestly, "It really helps ease the pain. Trust me, I've been through it."
"Um... Jeanne, I think he can't hear you right now," Albedo said helplessly at the piggy's genuine tone, she was really clumsy, which made her terrifyingly seductive.
After one hour, Grindelwald's screams were finally dying down. Lucifer was observing him carefully. Good, he hadn't passed out. And endured the worst of it, from here on, it would only get better.
When he purified himself, it hadn't been nearly this bad. He was part of the flame itself, so being burned didn't bother him at all. Grindelwald, however, was being purified by an external force. Naturally, the situation was completely different.
Half an hour later, when the flames stopped actively clinging to Grindelwald, Lucifer knew it was over. So why had he set aside a full day at the start?
That was for Grindelwald's recovery.
As expected, he had been unconscious from a little after nine in the morning until past ten at night before 'finally' waking up. The moment he regained consciousness, he felt the difference.
The first thing was lightness. A double sense of relaxation, both mentally and physically. His whole being felt optimistic. Then came the clarity of the world itself, control over willpower and mental energy was smoother than ever.
Unfortunately, his will also felt far more loose. Just as he'd expected, the power of many Dark Arts had dropped accordingly.
"I feel like I've gone back to school, starting over from learning magic," Grindelwald said to his tormentor in fascination, "Right now, I'm a blank sheet of paper."
Lucifer corrected him calmly. "An old sheet of paper, full of wrinkles."
"...." Already used to it, If Grindelwald got angry over this, the Devil's mouth would probably drive him to an early grave.
xxxxxxx
A new week began, Lucifer returned to school, while Gellert went to Paris, then back to Berlin, where he decisively dealt with two families that had been secretly colluding with outside forces.
Dumbledore wasn't that easy to fool. If Grindelwald didn't stir up some trouble, that man would definitely start getting suspicious.
Sure enough, news from Berlin appeared in the papers the very next day. People now understood why Grindelwald had suddenly left.
During his time at Hogwarts, he hadn't shown much of the Dark Lord side of himself, so many had relaxed their guard around him. Now, all of it came rushing back to them at once.
With everyone's attention drawn elsewhere, the news of Crouch becoming a special advisor to the Wizarding Association didn't cause much of a stir.
Only a few people took note.
Dumbledore, however, looked enlightened. No wonder he'd seen Crouch when he confronted Fudge back then. It seemed Lucifer had already secured his cooperation at the time. A very good choice, indeed.
Fudge noticed it too, but by now he'd been mostly sidelined. His influence barely extended beyond his own floor. Whether his orders even made it out depended entirely on Bones and Greengrass, so he didn't care much anymore.
"Lucifer, where are we going to have fun today?" Herbology class ended in the afternoon, and Darcy was already standing prettily outside the greenhouse. The weather had warmed up, and she'd changed into Beauxbatons' spring uniform.
The blue silk fabric paired with a pale blue pointed hat made her look even more delicate. Every smile and every glance carried a natural, effortless charm.

The moment Daphne saw the older harpy, her face fell. She snorted softly and said,"Valentine, your competition is in two weeks. Instead of training, you're hanging around Lucifer all day. Don't you think... Beauxbatons is already embarrassed 'enough?"
Darcy hadn't even had time to react when a third-year Beauxbatons girl who shared the class with Slytherin heard that remark. She burst into tears and ran off, immediately followed by a swarm of Hogwarts boys scrambling to comfort her.
In the second and third-year matches, Beauxbatons had placed dead last once and second to last the other time. Realizing she'd hit an innocent bystander, Daphne felt a twinge of guilt, but she still stubbornly craned her neck and glared at Valentine.
Smiling faintly, Darcy only tutted at the blonde witch, Granger was given a day off today for rest, so it was only Daphne she had to deal with, "Greengrass, I didn't expect you to be worried about me. Thank you for the concern, but it's really unnecessary. First place in 'fifth' year will definitely be mine."
"You're all talk," Daphne scoffed, puffing her now slightly bigger chest, "Hogwarts has already won twice. You don't stand a chance."
"It's not Hogwarts that's strong," Darcy corrected calmly. "It's Lucifer. Aside from Granger, Bones and Weasley, the other contestants aren't worth worrying about."
That single sentence left Daphne speechless. She knew perfectly well why Ginny and Hermione had won. Weasely was impressive even without Lucifer, but Granger being girlfriend had been carried there almost entirely.
Unable to win the argument, Daphne turned to Lucifer with pitiful eyes who sighed and rubbed her head, "How about I take you back to Lux tonight for some lamb chops? The kind you like."
She nodded happily, shot Valentine a provocative look, then obediently took the initiative to leave.
Lucifer spent time with Darcy every day. That had been agreed upon long ago. At least, the Greengrass young lady kept her word, and even made Hermione understand.
"You really dote on her," She said sourly as she watched Daphne go.
He could only reply helplessly, "She's still young. Can't you give her a little slack? You always have to provoke her in bad ways...."
The look Darcy gave him grew even more resentful. "Oh? So I'm bad now, is that it? I shouldn't have come at all. I should've sent Alexandra instead. Let's see who you'd side with then."
Okay, he was speechless. Could her focus be any stranger? Still.
"Fine. Next term Alex can come. I promise I'll side with her, okay?"
"Oh, so you really..." Darcy started to huff, then froze halfway through. She stared at him, startled, "What do you mean, 'come next term'? Did Alex tell you she's coming?"
"No," Lucifer said with a mysterious smile, "Madame Maxime will know in a few days. You can ask her then."
"Oh, come on, tell me."
"Nope," he said cheerfully. "Who told you to mock me just now?"
With his hands behind his back and his mood clearly improved, Lucifer headed toward the Forbidden Forest. No matter how Miss Valentine chased him, pouted, or acted cute, he refused to say another word.
In truth, several schools had long wanted to restart the Triwizard Tournament, but negotiations had stalled. The biggest obstacle had been Karkaroff, who didn't dare return to Britain. Now that he was gone, and with Grindelwald's appearance disrupting everything, the plan had been shelved again.
Lucifer had spoken with Crouch earlier, asking him to push the project forward. Not only that, but to expand it by bringing in the Guild as well. How far it would go depended on Crouch's ability. If it wasn't enough, he would add fuel to the fire himself and make sure the entire Wizarding world erupted.
Meanwhile, Grindelwald walked unhurriedly toward the seventh floor. Every student he passed stiffened nervously and greeted him with forced politeness. Only after he'd gone far away did they dare hurry off in the opposite direction.
After experiencing pain worse than death itself, followed by the lightness that came with purification, Grindelwald finally understood just how much killing affected him. This time, when he returned, merely subdued his enemies and handed them over to others for execution.
The offending 'family' was based in Munich. After everything was settled, he strolled through the city streets. Passing by German Music Copyright Society, he noticed a sign. This place hadn't originally been a hotel or an association. It used to be a tavern, and a famous one at that.
He thought of a certain corporal he'd once met, and a sudden idea surfaced in his mind. Unable to restrain himself, he hurried from Berlin to Hogwarts, eager to speak with Dumbledore.
"Password."
The stone gargoyle spoke lazily, yawning as it did. "No password, no entry. I don't care if you're the Dark Lord or any other kind of lord. Everyone needs the password."
"Oh," It added after a pause, "except that kid Morningstar."
Generally speaking, a Dark Lord was like a rampaging juggernaut. He went wherever he pleased. However, there were always exceptions, such as this brave stone statue. If it didn't want someone entering the Headmaster's office, then even a Dark Lord wasn't getting in.
The strongest presence in this castle wasn't Dumbledore. It was this ugly stone gatekeeper Lucifer had somehow sweet talked into submission. Of course, for the gargoyle to unleash that kind of power required extremely harsh conditions and an equally steep price.
"The password is... Pepper Imp?"
Dumbledore's voice came from behind the statue. Upon hearing the password, the gargoyle hopped aside and cleared the way.
Grindelwald studied it for a moment longer before stepping into opening and riding the spiral staircase up into the headmaster's office.
When Dumbledore saw him, a sharp glint flashed through his calm eyes.
Something was different.
He couldn't quite say what, but Grindelwald no longer felt like a Dark Wizard. He seemed more like an unconventional scholar, "You killed quite a few people again."
Suppressing his curiosity, he chose to strike first, just as he'd planned.
But Gellert shook his head, "Some are begging for death. What am I supposed to do? Keep them around for Christmas dinner? You see, that's exactly the problem with ambitious schemers," he went on, "Things were already stable, but they just had to stir up trouble. If they don't value their own lives, why should I?"
"Gellert, I know your methods,"
Dumbledore said, his tone edging toward a warning. "I hope you won't start punishing entire families again like you did in the past. How many witches and wizards do you think the world can afford to lose? Don't forget your ideals... Those people are your compatriots too."
"Relax," Grindelwald replied with a grin, "I held back this time. Only thirteen people died. A very lucky number, don't you think?"
In Christianity, thirteen was unlucky. In the Wizarding world, though, it was considered auspicious. Dumbledore didn't comment, but his attitude softened slightly. "So why are you here?"
"Oh, nothing much," Grindelwald said casually, "I suddenly feel like teaching. How about letting me give the students a lesson?"
"What subject?"
"Muggle Studies."
xxxxxxx
"Look at these legs. Don't you want to touch them?"
"And this butt. Come on, give it a wiggle."
"And this belly... honestly, you just can't put it down."
In the Forbidden Forest, Lucifer was on a video call with a researcher from the Magical Beasts Care Center. More accurately, Pearl and Daisy (the Pandas) were the ones on camera.
He rested a hand on Pearl's belly and gave it a gentle bounce, sending a wave of jiggling fat rippling across it.
One of the conditions of adopting, looking after Pearl and Daisy was that he had to stay in regular contact and record their physical condition.
.....Hannah watched Lucifer spout utter nonsense with a perfectly serious expression, biting back her laughter the whole time. She genuinely couldn't understand how a perfectly normal explanation always turned indecent once it passed through his mouth.
"Good, good."
On the other end of the call, elderly researcher nodded repeatedly, smiling without pause. He could tell at a glance how well the Pandas were being raised.
Pearl and Daisy were in perfect condition, almost too spoiled. Translated into plain language, they were too round, way too fat. Just how good did their meals have to be to raise Giant Panda into massive balls?
The researcher had no idea that Lucifer's leftover supplements for Fawkes had all been gobbled up by Pearl and Daisy. Of course they were gaining weight, the stuff was literally designed to do that.
Fortunately, the panda magical beasts wasted nothing they ate and never developed obesity-related illnesses, so he fed them without worry.
"Mr. Morningstar, if you have time, you're welcome to visit the care center," The researcher said warmly, "We have plenty of Pandas there, could exchange our experiences."
He was Newt's friend, and a close one at that. Otherwise, there was no way Pearl and Daisy would've been entrusted to Lucifer, "I'll definitely come if I get the chance," he replied with a smile. After a bit more casual chatting, they ended the call.
"Come on, Abbott. Let's take the pandas for a walk, you need exercise too, then I'll head back." Lucifer took Hannah's hand, with two chubby furballs waddling along behind them.
A gentle breeze stirred. Golden light from setting sun filtered through the patchy canopy, scattering across the forest floor.
Feeling playful, the two of them deliberately stepped on the spots of light, their pace quickening and slowing at random.
The Pandas followed faithfully, step by step, until they suddenly stopped, bumped straight into each other, and rolled right up in front of them, Hannah burst out laughing and leaned against the boy's shoulder.
But happy moments never lasted long. As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lucifer put Pearl and Daisy away and walked her back to the castle.
She stayed behind to eat at school.
Lucifer, meanwhile, still had to accompany Daphne back to Lux for her 'favorite' lamb chops. Since today was all about soothing an explosive young lady, he couldn't bring his "sister-in-law" along.
Astoria Greengrass puffed up in annoyance, secretly wondering if she should throw a tantrum of her own sometime so he would coax her too.
Realizing he'd practically turned Hogwarts into a day school, Lucifer'd barely stayed in the dorms lately, and roommates were already used to it.
Tsk... Gryffindor in that sense really was great, who also had desires of fooling around at night, if he had been in RavenClaw, his curious roommates would probably be snitching on him nonstop, and McGonagall being the Headmistress would keep him on a tight leash.
Even Snape, by comparison, was much easier to deal with.
While Lucifer and Daphne were enjoying a candlelit dinner, Dumbledore finally gave in to Grindelwald and allowed him to give a public lecture. And of all things, it was going to be Muggle Studies.
Refusing was pointless. No one knew what had gotten into Grindelwald, but he was dead set on teaching a class. Even if Dumbledore said no, he'd just force his way in during dinner and start lecturing anyway.
There weren't many people in the world who could calmly keep eating while Grindelwald spoke. Warriors like Jacob Kowalski were once-in-a-century exceptions.
That was why Dumbledore was so conflicted. Unless he dared to ban everyone from the Great Hall and make them hide in their common rooms after class, there was no stopping Grindelwald once he made up his mind.
At least it was a school-wide public lecture. If he said anything truly outrageous, Dumbledore could intervene at any time.
"Great," Grindelwald said cheerfully before leaving, "Albus, you can think of this lesson as a debate. It's time the students saw what the real world looks like."
Watching him walk out of the office,
Dumbledore pondered his true intentions. Was he trying to indoctrinate the students? That seemed unlikely, doing it right in front of him would be far too obvious.
But it was undoubtedly tied to
Grindelwald's ideals. It was a crisis, yes, but also an opportunity. If Dumbledore openly refuted his arguments, the impact wouldn't stop with Hogwarts. Once the news spread, it could influence the many followers in other countries who didn't know the full truth.
The next morning, after Lucifer returned to Hogwarts with Daphne, he announced Grindelwald would be giving a public lecture after that evening's banquet.
"Grindelwald is teaching us?" Ron stared in shock at the wizard, who had stood up and was smiling as he waved at the students. "What's he going to teach us? How to get ourselves sent to Azkaban?"
"No." Seamus Finnigan shook his head, "It's probably something to do with Dark Magic. I heard Durmstrang lets students learn it. You saw it during the tournament."
"A whole school of Dark Wizards," Someone muttered under their breath, careful not to let the high table hear.
Most people thought the same. In their minds, a Dark Lord and Dark Magic were inseparable. What they couldn't understand was why school had agreed to Grindelwald's request.
It wasn't just the students. Even the professors were baffled. Professor McGonagall, in particular, looked like she could crush a fly between her brows. Dumbledore hadn't consulted her beforehand, and after the announcement, the two of them spoke in the office for a long time.
When finally emerged, she looked deeply worried. With the morning announcement hanging over them, no one could focus in class.
During Charms, even while practicing the 'Vanishing Spell,' students kept whispering about it. Professor Flitwick eventually had to set off several dazzling fireworks and loud bangs to drag their attention back to the lesson.
"Gellert, what are you plotting now?"
Even Lucifer had no idea what Grindelwald was planning and asked out of pure curiosity in the space.
"Patience, you'll find out soon enough."
The man was playing it mysterious and said they'd find out that evening, Lucifer curled his lip, then used the excuse of helping him adjust to his current strength to thoroughly beat the old man up.
At last, night fell, after classes ended, nearly every student followed the same route. First back to their Common rooms to drop off their bags, then straight to the Great Hall to wait for dinner.
That evening, everyone ate far faster than usual. By six thirty, only scraps and cold leftovers remained on the plates, "Students, please proceed to the entrance hall and wait patiently. The Great Hall needs some adjustments."
With a wave of Dumbledore's hand, the tables vanished, leaving the hall empty. Hearing this, students obediently filed out. About ten minutes later, the doors to the Great Hall opened again, and entire space had been completely rearranged.
The Hall now looked like a massive lecture theater. Dumbledore had even arranged the seating in tiered rows, wrapping around the front so every student would have a clear view of the guest table.
And behind that table hung a huge blackboard. Grindelwald was the only person seated beneath it; all the other professors, Dumbledore included, had moved to the front row of the audience seats.
Heads of Houses led prefects around organizing students. It didn't take long before everyone was seated neatly. Curious eyes were pinned on the white haired Dark Lord, each student wondering what exactly the infamous Gellert had come to teach them.
"The candles are too bright."
His muttered complaint was loud enough for everyone to hear. Dumbledore sighed, flicked his wand, and hundreds of floating candles instantly dimmed. Half of them went out entirely, and rest had their flames covered by a faint haze, turning the light soft and misty.
Only then did Grindelwald give him a satisfied smile, "Thank you, Albus. You've grown more considerate than you used to be."
With that, he stood up and glanced around. Not many dared meet his gaze, and those who did found themselves drawn in by those mismatched eyes.
Finally, Grindelwald began to speak.
"So, this is what it feels like to be Headmaster of Hogwarts. I have great
respect for the four Founders. They were truly remarkable wizards who earned their place in history."
His praise for Hogwarts startled many, and oddly, filled them with pride. Flattery depends on who's speaking it, and hearing it from the most 'feared' Dark Lord alive hit differently. What no one noticed was that Helena Ravenclaw, the Grey Lady, in her tower, quirked her lips into a pleased little smile. 'Not bad. That man knows what he's talking about.'
While on the other hand, Lucifer's eyelid twitched like crazy. Of all the openings he expected, flattery from Grindelwald was not one of them.
Originally, outside of Dumbledore, Gellert feared no one. But now, he was using social niceties like a normal person. Environment really does change people.
"Today... I'll be giving you a Muggle Studies lecture." The sudden shift into the actual topic made half the hall mentally drop their jaws. All eyes shot toward him in disbelief.
You? Studying Muggles?
How to kill them with extra pain?
But no one dared show it on their face, and not a whisper spread. If nothing else, McGonagall seriously envied this level of classroom discipline and focus, while Grindelwald continued calmly.
"Or rather, think of this as a debate class. People always say my real specialty isn't Dark magic, but persuasion. Your Headmaster---"
He motioned toward Dumbledore.
"He thinks the same. So the moment he spots any rhetorical traps, won't hesitate to stand up and challenge."
Everyone looked at Dumbledore, who remained perfectly composed. The old wizard dipped his head in agreement.
"Dialogue requires both sides to speak their minds. I look forward to seeing what surprises you have for me." Grindelwald smiled faintly, then he raised his wand and the blackboard filled with two words: "Muggles" and "Wizards," written on opposite sides like opposing camps.
His voice echoed clearly in every ear.
"Children, you should first understand one thing. I am fundamentally different from your local street-thug Voldemort. He's obsessed with so-called blood purity. I once heard a saying----"
"People boast most of what they lack. I suggest you investigate his family tree a few generations back. I guarantee you'll find Muggle blood."
A few students shivered at the blunt mention of Voldemort, though it was far less dramatic than before. After all, a Dark Lord whose reputation rivaled Voldemort's in the UK had been casually roaming their school for half a month. Anyone would get used to it eventually.
"In my eyes, a wizard is a wizard and a Muggle is a Muggle. Bloodlines only prove your ancestors produced someone exceptional. Your own skill can't be measured by that. You have to show it yourself."
"Oh, and starting next school year, Durmstrang's admissions won't be restricted by blood status. If anyone wants to transfer from Hogwarts, you are very welcome."
"Cough, cough!" Dumbledore gave two pointed coughs, "Gellert, you're getting off topic. This is not a Durmstrang recruitment drive, it's a Muggle Studies class."
Grindelwald gave a small smile. He didn't argue; simply steered smoothly back to the original subject.
"Thank you for the reminder, Albus. Good. Let's get back to Muggles. Some people believe I hate their kind, so how could I possibly have studied them? But that idea makes two mistakes."
He raised two fingers.
"First, I don't hate Muggles. I merely believe they've taken over the living space that once belonged to wizards."
"Second, it's precisely because I conducted detailed research and investigation into Muggles that I became certain they pose a threat to wizard survival."
A low ripple of whispers moved through the hall. Following Grindelwald's logic, many students found themselves thinking that he wasn't entirely wrong, especially Neville who learnt about Nuclear bombs, biological weapons, Missiles, Aircrafts, Moon Landing's from Hermione Granger, during his 'first' travel in Hogwarts Train.
Dumbledore's frown deepened.
"Grindelwald, stop fear mongering. It's been fifty years since your defeat and the Wizarding world still stands. We've never even come into open conflict with Muggle society."
The man was frightening. Convincing others came as naturally to him as breathing. Two sentences and he already had people walking in circles behind him. This time, Grindelwald ignored the interruption and continued at his own pace.
"Children, I was born in 1883. More than ten years before my birth, the Franco-Prussian War had just ended, and the name 'Germany' appeared on the world stage for the first time. The year I was born, Romania joined the Triple Alliance.... Twenty years later, the Boer War ended. Thirty years later, the Balkans ignited the world, and World War I involving dozens of nations erupted..."
Grindelwald recited events with ease.
Many of these historical details weren't even known by Muggles, yet he listed names, dates, and death tolls without hesitation.
Vinda Rosier rose at the right moment and began enlarging photographs and sticking them to the blackboard. They were hellish scenes from wartime: roaring fire, fields of corpses, whole cities reduced to ashes.
Even though the images were static, air seemed to drop in temperature. Many girls, and even some boys, squeezed their eyes shut in fear. Aside from Grindelwald's voice, the Great hall had fallen into a deathly silence.
Pure-blood or Muggle-born, it didn't matter. This was the first time any of them had received a proper history lesson, "You could say that in my era, the entire world was a volcano in mid-eruption, destroying sky and earth alike. Muggle wars caused countless accidental wizard casualties..."
Grindelwald suddenly sighed, voice turning hoarse, "Machine guns and artillery were locked in a race over... who could slaughter more of their own kind faster. Compared to them, what is the Killing Curse that wizards fear so much?"
"A single Muggle war can kill roughly the same number of people as the entire wizarding population. And wars of that intensity, they managed to wage... twice, even three times, in just the span of twenty years."
"Dumbledore, tell me, have I spoken even a single false word?"
The question left the Headmaster quiet. Grindelwald had spoken only the truth, and the photographs even had sources attached. They weren't taken by wizards but borrowed from various Muggle libraries and museums.
That was why Dumbledore once shared his concerns. The era they lived through had been too volatile. Everyone lived in constant fear, never knowing when disaster from the sky would strike them down. It was a time when ignorance, innovation danced together. Technology and religion clashed without restraint.
But he could not let Grindelwald continue. If he kept speaking, Dumbledore was certain eighty percent of the hall would walk out with hostility toward Muggles.
"Gellert, we cannot always fix our gaze on the past. Does a bright future truly fail to hold your attention?" Taking a slow breath, Dumbledore continued to be a gentle grandfather, "The same year you fell from power, the Muggles' world war also finally ended.... The fifty years since have seen only minor conflicts. The world at large has been peaceful. You shouldn't continue viewing Muggles with hostility. Children, think of your current lives. How long has it been since you heard news of a war?"
His words woke some of the students from their daze. Muggle-borns, like Hermione, Justin, nodded at once. Their world did feel safe. Other than being cautious of human traffickers, robbers, gangs and the occasional shooting...really wasn't much else.
Yes, very safe.
"I've never denied that things are better now." Grindelwald smiled lightly at Dumbledore's rebuttal, "Understanding history correctly doesn't mean copy-pasting it into the present. I simply hope you understand that everything I did was a helpless choice under the pressure of that era...For example, have I once declared war on Muggles today?"
Dumbledore gave a faint nod of approval, Gellert had improved in that regard. He caused storms only within the Wizarding world now, without more radical ideas.
"But..." Grindelwald shifted his tone into a heavy one, "Peace and stability are never gifts granted by others. Even if wizards hide with all their might, who can promise the day will never come when we are exposed? So never pin your hopes on anyone else. Before the crisis arrives, the magical world... must have the power to make would-be threats think twice."
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Before anyone noticed, an hour and a half had passed.
Grindelwald was, without question, an exceptional teacher. Even after all that time, students were still fully focused, hanging on every word, their emotions rising and falling with the rhythm of his voice.
"Wizards aren't good with numbers. Most people can't even remember the exchange rate between Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. But the numbers I'm about to give you are ones you must remember."
"In 1830, the world's population surpassed one billion. One hundred years later, in 1930, that number became two billion."
"And just last year, according to Muggle statistics, the global population reached 5.5 billion."
When Grindelwald finished, Great hall remained oddly quiet. Many students looked confused. Aside from a handful, no one reacted the way he expected, his train of thought faltered for a moment.
Making Lucifer sighed and raised his hand to help him along.
"Mr. Morningstar?"
"Mr. Grindelwald, before you tell those numbers, you need to explain what a billion actually means. In the Wizarding world, people almost never use numbers larger than a thousand, much less ten..."
Grindelwald slapped his forehead, finally realizing the problem. So he switched roles into a math teacher for a few minutes, breaking down what a billion meant. Only then did he get the reaction he wanted.
Everyone knew Muggles were numerous, but they had no idea it was to this extent. Billions, even if you replaced humans with ants, the idea alone could make your scalp tingle.
"Now the question is... what's the total population of wizards?"
But he didn't expect anyone to answer, so he continued.
"Since the establishment of Ministries of Magic, wizard populations have been recorded. Yet from then until now, our total numbers have barely changed. We fluctuate between three and four million."
"That's impossible!" Someone blurted, "If Muggles increased more than ten times over, how could wizards stay the same?"
The student froze the moment words escaped, then quickly lowered their head, praying he hadn't just offended a Dark Lord.
Grindelwald didn't take offense, instead gave a nod at the boy, and simply replied calmly, "When I first learned this, I reacted just like you. But facts are facts. They don't change because someone dislikes them. After my people investigated, we found two possible explanations...."
"First. Wizards generally have lower fertility than Muggles, who expand their families once they have stable lives. Wizards don't.... Only a tiny number of families have more than one child. A family like the Weasleys, with seven, is practically legendary across the wizarding world."
At that, several Weasleys turned red, unsure whether to feel proud or deeply embarrassed.
Across the Slytherin section, many pure-blooded students glanced at them with envy. Having siblings was a luxury they couldn't afford. Malfoy was among them. He might mock Ron's home life daily, but that didn't change the fact that plenty of people secretly envied the Weasleys.
Lucifer nodded repeatedly. He'd noticed the same thing himself. Otherwise, ahem, why would he bother dating so many women? If not to expand the Morningstar's Ambrosius bloodline, then for what? 'Yup, that's right, I'm sacrificing myself for the sake of the world...'
He kept quietly cheering for Gellert; finally, he got a legitimate excuse to give Hermione's grandfather.
"Second." Grindelwald's voice cut through the whispers, pulling attention back, "The true wizard population is much larger than our statistics suggest, but most of that unseen population are Squibs."
"So many Squibs?" Filch muttered under his breath. He didn't believe it, though his voice was barely audible.
"Of course. You're Argus Filch, correct?"
Filch nodded quickly, startled to be acknowledged.
"The term Squib usually means someone born to Wizarding families who cannot use magic. I expanded the definition... I classify as Squibs anyone who has magic but cannot use it. There are far more of these people than you think."
"When a wizard is young, they always go through uncontrolled magic outbursts. For some, it's extremely weak. If those children grow up immersed entirely in Muggle society, drilled with the belief that supernatural doesn't exist, their magic gradually settles. Eventually it goes still and dies."
"They should have been part of the wizarding world. Yet for all kinds of reasons, they're shut out instead."
"As Muggles become more convinced of their so-called truths, fewer wizards will be born among them."
Dumbledore tilted his head slightly as he watched Grindelwald's serious expression. His old friend had changed in many ways, yet the core of his worldview, that sense of looming danger, hadn't shifted at all.
He still viewed the world with caution. No one could really say whether that was right or wrong. How could one claim that having a sense of crisis was a mistake?
But Grindelwald expected everyone to share that same level of caution. And if everyone lived with the same alarm he did, it wouldn't be self awareness anymore, becoming open hostility.
Caution was a burden meant for the few. Ordinary people who knew too much would only 'find' their lives disrupted.
"Gellert, the things you're talking about aren't problems for students to worry about," Dumbledore's voice was low, hands resting on the table, "The Ministry of Magic was founded to uphold the 'Statute of Secrecy' and help wizards live safely among Muggles. And for the most part, they've done quite well. There are people working tirelessly for that goal. As for the wizard children who slip through the cracks, yes, they exist... But Hogwarts still has its 'founders'' safeguards to identify, and at least in Britain I can guarantee that most children with the right talent to attend Hogwarts are sitting here today."
"Quite well?" Grindelwald suddenly burst out laughing. He laughed for a long time, then snapped his gaze back to Dumbledore, "Are you sure about that, Albus? Are you sure the Muggles don't know about us?"
A prickle of dread climbed through Dumbledore's chest, but Grindelwald didn't give him time to respond.
The next moment, he pulled out several photographs, enlarged them, and pinned to the blackboard.
With each image, Grindelwald explained what was happening, until finally he dropped the bomb, the last two photos. That did it.
Screams erupted through the Great Hall. The open lecture ended in chaos. Prefects hurried students back to their Common rooms, but the fallout was only beginning, "Damn it! Those Muggles should all die! Once I graduate, I swear I'll kill them!"
The Slytherin common room was packed. Everett, and Graham roaring, face flushed with rage. Just thinking about those photos made the two wish they were already a powerful Dark wizard so you could slaughter Muggles on the spot. They weren't the only one. Most of the students looked just as shaken and 'furious'. Clearly, the shock had hit hard.
Lucifer had gone to calm them down after soothing a crying Hermione first who was affected the most, she could have been ended up the same, if McGonagall hadn't arrived on time.
Daphne was now curled up in his arms, face paled. Astoria wasn't doing much better beside her, he held both, trying to steady their breathing and ease their trembling. All the fear and anger came from those 'final' two photographs.
The fear was simple: they showed children around their age, some even younger, cut open on an operating table. No censoring, there was nothing blurred. Just raw, 'unfiltered' brutality and blood. The anger came from who those children were.
They wer---more precisely, young witches and wizards whose accidental magic had alarmed their parents, who were then taken to hospitals and reported to the authorities. Slytherins might be pure-blood supremacists, but they still saw Muggle-borns and half-bloods as their own kind.
Seeing those images triggered a cold, visceral sense of "that could be us."
There's no such thing as a perfect secret. A hidden society of three million people living among Muggles without a single leak was impossible. At least the people stationed at places like the pyramids knew about wizards.
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1 Extra Chapter - 125 Power Stone's! 🎉
Everything will be explained in next couple of Chapters, regarding him being vulnerable, his ways of becoming stronger during World Cup's Massacre, his true nature.