Vienna Attacked!

Hermione used magic to transfer all the Auror to the stretcher.

Grindelwald surprisingly showed mercy, leaving the most severely injured person with multiple comminuted fractures.

Given the wizard's healing abilities, it wasn't a serious injury.

Hermione also found a lot of Gregorovitch's notes and a large amount of Potions ingredients in the ruins.

She reluctantly agreed to help Gregorovitch remove it first, otherwise it would be completely destroyed if left under the rubble in a couple of days.

A quick plug for an app: A perfect replica of the old version of the popular book-tracking app with source switching capabilities.

She suddenly turned her head and looked nervously toward the island.

The sounds of battle that had been going on non-stop suddenly ceased... Had the two decided a victor, or had they simply moved their battlefield?

As Hermione went over to take a look, she heard footsteps coming from the side of the road. She raised her wand, then put it down again.

William walked in front, followed by Grindelwald.

The two sides appear to be at peace.

Not knowing what had happened, Hermione rushed over, looked at William, and asked cautiously with concern, "Are you hurt?"

William was silent for a while, then said in pain, "I hurt my back."

"Then I'll support you, and you can put your hands on my shoulders!"

Hermione hurriedly hugged William, then turned and glared angrily at the old man beside her.

Grindelwald watched William's performance and couldn't help but roll his eyes, thinking to himself, "Albus How could Albus teach such an 'unconventional' student?"

He said irritably, "Little girl, this little bastard is lying to you on purpose."

I'm the one who's injured! Look at him, he doesn't look injured at all!

Upon hearing this, Hermione really looked William up and down, and seeing him glaring at the old man with unfriendly eyes, she knew she had been tricked.

As William glared at Grindelwald, a sharp pain shot through his head; it turned out Hermione had bumped his head on it.

William, clutching his head, retorted defiantly, "I twisted my back last night, doesn't that count as an injury?!"

Hermione, her face flushed, thought about her boldness the night before and fled in panic, continuing her search for junk in the ruins.

The old man felt somewhat uncomfortable upon seeing this.

It wasn't that he was being abused by other couples, but rather that he suddenly remembered:

When he was that age, he also had a "head-to-head" encounter with someone.

Looking back now... I was so out of my mind!

William turned his head, stared at Grindelwald, and asked directly:

Why did you kill Gregorovitch?

The old man snorted coldly and said, "I never intended to kill him; it's just that you all think that way."

"Then why are you looking for Gregorovitch?"

I want to take him away.

"Leave?"

Grindelwald, his back hunched, countered, "Did Dumbledore ever mention the Deathly Hallows to you?"

"You mean the Elder Wand, right?" William asked bluntly.

"Gregorovitch was the previous owner. You stole that wand back then, and it later ended up in Professor Dumbledore's hands."

The old man showed no shame whatsoever; instead, he displayed a mischievous smugness.

"That idiot Gregorovitch goes around telling everyone he has the Elder Wand."

I only saved him; otherwise, he would have died long ago.

That's true; the Elder Wand's legacy is tainted with bloodshed. If another wizard were to try and seize the Elder Wand, they would probably have killed Gregorovitch.

Grindelwald was silent for a moment, then spoke again, his tone suddenly becoming cold and sharp.

"I didn't kill him, but you don't really think Death would let a former owner of an Elder Wand live out his natural lifespan in peace, do you?"

William frowned slightly.

"You mean, Death will send a wizard to kill him?"

"I am the wizard sent by Death," Grindelwald said, looking up.

"Whether I wanted it or not, whether I knew it or not, I was chosen by Death to seize the Elder Wand."

"But I didn't kill Gregorovitch; on a whim, I tried to break this fate."

But what makes destiny destiny is that it cannot be easily broken.

Grindelwald's blue eyes stared intently at William.

"When I was in Nurmengard, I made a Prophecy:"

One day, another powerful wizard will embark on a journey to find the Elder Wand.

He'll find Gregorovitch and kill him; then he'll find me and kill me too!

Grindelwald had long accepted this fate, and all these years he had been quietly waiting in Nurmengard.

When a visitor arrives, he will laugh at the person, offering the deepest mockery of the visitor's ignorance.

Then... die peacefully!

That was Grindelwald's original plan... until yesterday, when he made a new Prophecy and saw yet another "future".

A brand new future!

"For some unknown reason, the future changed, and Death changed as well," Grindelwald said.

Death decides to intervene in reality and accelerate the process.

He would send other forces to kill Gregorovitch... so I left Nurmengard to find Gregorovitch.

It's not about killing him, it's about saving him!

"Excuse my bluntness, but you're not exactly a philanthropist who likes to save people," William said incisively.

"Especially that person, who is neither related to you nor a friend, is not someone you should leave Nurmengard."

Grindelwald has killed so many people; even if he spends decades in prison, he won't suddenly become a saint.

"It's less about 'rescuing' and more about using them as bait," the old man said coldly, making no attempt to hide his intentions.

"I Gregorovitch as bait to lure the forces sent by Death."

That way, he would still have a glimmer of hope.

Otherwise, death is certain.

And I, of course, have my own purposes.

Grindelwald looked at William, his gaze seemingly piercing through him.

"I need your help to get Gregorovitch out of the Ministry of Magic."

They will definitely hide Gregorovitch, and may even use the Fidelius Charm.

But if it were you, Soros wouldn't be on guard.

Even if you won't help me, don't stop me anymore.

William looked at Grindelwald with suspicion.

These words alone, without any substantial evidence, are not enough to convince him.

Forget about persuading him; the Ministry of Magic had barely transferred Gregorovitch to the Ministry of Magic, and now he's gone to Minister Soros and says:

Death has come to kill Gregorovitch; handing him over to Grindelwald will save him...

Soros would probably just say: Get lost!

They might even actually issue arrest warrants for William and Hermione, helping the criminal Grindelwald.

Seeing William's expression, Grindelwald suddenly sneered:

You don't believe me?

Death... Of course, many people don't believe it.

We still live in a dark age of ignorance, still mocking the "mysterious" forces we cannot see or understand.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back and said:

"If history has taught us anything, it is that the illustrious facts of the past have become bedtime stories that we ridicule today."

Isn't this the fate of the Three Brothers?

Grindelwald said arrogantly:

"I claim that Death is after Gregorovitch, but you are questioning me and refusing to help."

If I were facing Albus now, I'd probably have even higher expectations.

William rolled his eyes. "Then go find 'your Albus '! What are you wasting your breath talking here!"

"When will that force attack Gregorovitch?" he asked curiously.

"The future I see is several years from now, not now. I don't know when the attack will happen." Grindelwald shook his head.

William couldn't help but rub his forehead.

Just as he was in a dilemma, Hermione suddenly ran over, holding a Golden Snidget in her hand.

"Missandei's letter..." Hermione said anxiously.

Vienna under attack!

(Please vote for this post, everyone!)

Thank you to "Book Friend 20201204174229974" and "I Won't Tell You What" for their generous donations.