"What did you say?!"
Grindelwald's eyes flew wide, and he nearly forgot to breathe.
"You don't have a single member, and you dare ask me to join you?" Grindelwald laughed in disbelief. "How does one person count as a cult? Why don't you join me?"
"Once you join, the Witch Cult will have other members, won't it?" Hermione looked as though this were perfectly obvious. "Then the entire Pure-Blood Party will merge into the Witch Cult, and we'll all operate under the new name. I'm the Supreme Witch. As for you... since you are a Dark Lord, I suppose I'll reluctantly let you be second-in-command."
"Well? Aren't I generous?"
The muscles in Grindelwald's face twitched violently.
He finally understood. Not only was this girl monstrously cunning and powerful, but her skin was thicker than a castle wall.
"So you're fucking trying to get something for nothing out of me?"
Looking at the girl before him, her eyes curved into crescents and her smile as sly as a little fox's, he finally lost his composure and, for once, swore.
"You call this joining? This is a fucking takeover! And you want me to be your second-in-command? Should I thank the great Witch for her gracious favor, too?" Grindelwald ground his teeth. "Keep dreaming!"
Grindelwald's chest heaved with anger as he glared at Hermione.
For the first time in all these years, someone had gotten under his skin enough to infuriate him like this.
Even the failure of his painstakingly laid plans hadn't provoked such a reaction.
"No need to thank me. I always reward merit. You've earned this."
Hermione smiled sweetly.
Dumbledore couldn't help laughing.
In all the years he had known Gellert, this was the first time he had seen that expression on his face.
His face was black as