Are You Ready to Welcome His Majesty the Dark Lord?

Voldemort's plan was simple, in his words:

"Although the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix have managed to capture the Hebrides and gain air superiority, the overall war situation remains unchanged."

The Death Eaters and the Grindelwald's Acolytes should concentrate more superior forces to retake the Hebrides.

However, after the meeting adjourned, Voldemort left Grindelwald alone and immediately whispered:

"My real plan is to feign an attack on the Hebrides while secretly launching a surprise attack on Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic!"

Grindelwald picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, glanced at him, and frowned, saying:

"But at the military conference just now..."

"That's tactical deception." Voldemort sneered, his snake-like face gleaming palely in the dim light.

"I have deeply analyzed the lessons learned from the many defeats I have suffered in the past."

Grindelwald raised an eyebrow, seemingly quite interested in this lesson, and gestured for Old Voldy to continue.

Voldemort didn't mince words. He wouldn't admit his mistakes to his subordinates, but there was nothing to hide from this senior figure of equal rank.

He paced back and forth in the room, speaking in a slow, unhurried voice as he went.

"My strategy and tactics were good. To put it bluntly, they were far superior to Dumbledore and Stark. They were not even on the same level."

However, a group of hopelessly foolish subordinates failed to carry out my orders and ruined my brilliant command.

How can we win this battle, burdened with such a heavy load?!

"..."

"The second point is the issue of intelligence on both sides," Voldemort said in his loud, clear voice.

"There's a despicable fellow lurking among the Death Eaters, who always manages to deliver the most accurate information to Dumbledore and Stark."

He stopped and turned to look at Grindelwald, eagerly anticipating the approval of this veteran:

"It's precisely because of the intelligence asymmetry that they've been able to repeatedly overcome tactical gaps; otherwise, I would have defeated them long ago."

Grindelwald looked at Voldemort with a strange expression, and finally said very seriously:

"Tom... brilliant!"

"So, what are you planning to do..." the old man shrugged. "How do you plan to address these two points?"

"I will utilize my strongest skill—command—to deliver the tactics directly to each Death Eaters," Voldemort said confidently.

"They take direct orders from me, which allows them to effectively execute the most perfect tactics."

In layman's terms:

Continue with the micro-management, and increase the intensity!

"As for that Death Eaters traitor, I haven't found out who he is yet, but we gave him incorrect information at the meeting just now."

"During the raid, we feinted and then used the Portkey to go directly to Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic."

Grindelwald paused for a moment, then asked, "Who else knows about this plan?"

"Just you and me," Voldemort said softly.

He trusted Grindelwald for the time being, after all, the two were working together to fight against Dumbledore.

This old man's hatred for that other old man probably runs much deeper than his own.

After all, he had been imprisoned for fifty years, Voldemort didn't believe Grindelwald would go to Dumbledore to betray him.

Unless they're having an affair.

"A very good plan," Grindelwald said softly. "To maintain secrecy, I won't let anyone know beforehand."

Including my student.

"Very good." Voldemort laughed heartily. "Hogwarts is part of that strategic objective."

I will send another group of Death Eaters to attack the Ministry of Magic alongside your men.

"As long as we kill Minister Bones, we can quickly replace him with my men and take control of the United Kingdom situation."

"Okay," Grindelwald said expressionlessly.

"And what about Dumbledore and Stark?" Voldemort asked, raising his head.

The success of all strategic objectives hinges on stopping these two individuals.

"I have already had Karkaroff inform Dumbledore of my arrival in the United Kingdom."

I've crossed paths with him many times and I know that man well. This information will lure him to come looking for me.

Upon hearing Karkaroff's name, Voldemort merely gave a curt "hmm."

Two years ago, he sent the Carrow siblings to kill Karkaroff, who had surrendered to the Order of the Phoenix.

Unexpectedly, he discovered that he had already been controlled by Grindelwald using the Imperius Curse.

This is also why Voldemort didn't kill Karkaroff, the traitor.

After all, he could serve as a spy to gather information.

This came in handy just in time.

"The spy lurking beside me will also inform Dumbledore of your arrival," Voldemort said in a hoarse voice, looking at Grindelwald.

"This perfectly corroborates the authenticity of Karkaroff's intelligence."

"My two students and I are Dumbledore captive," Grindelwald said confidently, stroking his wand. "Even kill him."

"Then I'll hold Stark back," Voldemort said.

The two sides quickly reached an agreement.

"There's one more thing..." Voldemort stroked his wand with his pale fingers, his eyes fixed on Grindelwald.

"I wrote to him many times, asking Gregorovitch to come here and make me a wand, but you took him away..."

Grindelwald fiddled with his wand and said coldly:

"Gregorovitch is out of the question, he's dead."

"Dead?!" Voldemort's eyes flashed.

"When I was defeated, Dumbledore," Grindelwald explained.

"I took Gregorovitch away because I wanted him to do one more thing for me."

He actually refused, so I... ha~"

Voldemort's eyes were deep and thoughtful.

He glanced at the wand in Grindelwald's hand, a hint of greed flashing across his eyes.

Grindelwald gripped his wand tightly; for a moment, he thought Voldemort was about to attack.

Unexpectedly, he simply grinned and said coldly:

"Since he's dead, let it go."

After Grindelwald left, Voldemort immediately waved his wand.

A tall Dementor emerged from the darkness.

He was cloaked, his face completely hidden beneath a headscarf, and his arms were scabbed over, emitting a greyish-white sheen.

The moment the Dementor leader entered, the temperature in the entire room dropped by more than ten degrees.

The icy aura, however, had no effect on Voldemort whatsoever.

He sat on the sofa, blinking his reddened eyes, and asked:

"I allowed your race to reproduce for two years. How many Dementor do you have now?"

"Master, the Ministry of Magic has attacked us... There are only about two thousand of them at the moment," the Dementor leader stammered.

"That's enough." Voldemort nodded. "Take a portion of your people and, together with Grindelwald's Grindelwald's Acolytes, attack the Ministry of Magic."

Midway... he changed direction and attacked his subordinates.

Voldemort didn't care about the success or failure of the Ministry of Magic.

If he can eliminate Dumbledore and Stark, and obtain the Elder Wand, he can destroy the Ministry of Magic at any time.

He was confident that his strategy would not go wrong this time, so eliminating Grindelwald's influence as soon as possible was of paramount importance.

That way he can seize the Elder Wand.

So what if you ambushed friendly forces? I'm the Dark Lord!

Who can be more noble than whom?

"Yes, Master..." The Dementor leader replied without hesitation.

"Send the remaining Dementor to attack Hogwarts... You will be the main force this time!" Voldemort ordered.

"Yes!"

Compared to those Death Eaters, Voldemort now only trusts the Dementor, who would certainly not betray him.

After the Dementor left, Voldemort waved his wand once more.

After an unknown amount of time, Wormtail Peter shakily pushed open the door and entered.

"Master... you called me?"

Voldemort lay on the sofa, listlessly saying:

"You've been staying at Snape's house the whole time. Has he made any unusual moves?"

Voldemort didn't completely trust Snape... in fact, he didn't trust anyone.

Therefore, placing Wormtail in Snape's house, seemingly out of disdain for him and to have Snape help keep an eye on him, was actually a way of monitoring Snape.

"Nothing unusual, except he always likes to make me do chores... cleaning, washing his underwear and stuff like that..." Wormtail complained.

"Heh~ Since you're annoyed, I'll give you a new task."

Voldemort tilted his head slightly to one side, examining the Wormtail.

Peter, fearing being sent to the battlefield, immediately said, "This job... is quite good... Master."

"Don't worry, the new mission is safe. I just need you to keep something safe for me."

"What is that?" Wormtail thought it was some kind of treasure, and excitement flashed across its face.

Voldemort waved his wand, and a halo of light floated over.

The Runespoor head had been chopped off by William, writhed and coiled within the Winky magical protective sphere floating in mid-air, as if it were underwater.

The Wormtail was no stranger to this snake.

He was the one who caught it in the forests of Albania back then.

"You are to keep this snake safe until I attack Hogwarts," Voldemort said.

"Owner..."

"What, you're unwilling?" Voldemort narrowed his icy eyes.

"I do..." Peter swallowed hard.

"Peter." Voldemort stood up, slowly walked to Wormtail's side, and placed his hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Back then, you saved me and resurrected me. I still remember it... Of all the Death Eaters, you're the one I trust the most."

Voldemort's right hand, which gripped the Wormtail, was an Alchemy arm.

"Take good care of this snake for me. When I get back, I'll make you a metal body that can resist all spells."

Wormtail looked delighted and readily agreed, "Yes, Master."

"My dear, my good servant, my... darling, I'm entrusting you with my life."

After Wormtail left, Voldemort stood at the window, gazing into the deep night.

"Dumbledore's life, Hogwarts Castle, the Elder Wand... I want them all!"

World, are you ready to welcome your Demon King?!