Hogwarts: Era of Darkness

It happened during the time when Conrad was up on the podium, giving his improvised speech. Further away, atop one of the sloped buildings, a man was crouching down, watching the crowd. After being immobile for a long time, he suddenly flinched, standing up straight before speaking softly, seemingly to himself.

"The cloak is only good when your opponent doesn't know you have it, old friend."

At first, there was no answer to his words, but when his blue eyes finally went from looking at the youngster further away and gazing towards the opposite rooftop, the air abruptly warped at the same spot where he was looking. A moment later, Dumbledore appeared, throwing a cloak backward, attached to his wizard robes, letting it hang behind his back as a cape.

"I don't have it, Albus." Grindelwald said calmly, his appearance remaining that of a middle-aged, average man, but his voice was the same kind that the old wizard knew oh so well.

"I guessed as much."

"Are you still going to try and kill me?"

"Thinking about it." He answered without hesitation, looking at his old friend, his gaze calm and unafraid of a possible confrontation.

"Then why spare me all those years ago?"

"I didn't spare you; I left you there to rot and die a slow death."

"No, you didn't." Grindelwald sighed, shaking his head, "You are ambitious, Albus, but not cruel."

"I became cruel. Isn't it what your young disciple believes?"

"He does think that, and I can understand why. But don't forget, we have known each other for almost a century. Back then, you couldn't do it to me, and I believe you wouldn't be able to do it now either."

"You would have done it..." Dumbledore answered after a moment of silence, having a slight, soft smile behind his long beard. "You would have also collected all three to then rule over all wizarding kind and bring forth a collective order. One that has one voice, one direction, one goal... and eternal peace."

"Grandeur dreams of a young mind. We both know that now, don't we, old friend?"

"I don't know anymore. I had a long time to think about it and had new experiences to make me think of what would have happened if I had stayed with you. If I don't stand in your way and instead help you. Maybe what transpired with Tom Riddle would have played out differently. Perhaps he would have never become the scourge and death-bringer he eventually turned out to be. Maybe he would have remained a weird muggle boy without ever being discovered. My only solace was that he never found out about the Hallows... Who knows what kind of abomination he would have become."

"The strands of fate, vowed by magic, are indeed unpredictable. My good friend, it seems to me that we have swapped places. Our talk here, right now, makes me remember our last duel..."

"It is not too late, Grindelwald." Dumbledore continued after taking a deep breath, understanding what his old friend was implying. "We can still join hands and do what we planned in that special summer year. We can do it all; we have it all for our plans to become reality. We have all three, Grindelwald... All three!"

"Those plans would never work, Albus! Don't you see it? They were plans, born from naivety and misled desires. We were dreaming of a world of wonder without truly understanding magic, fate, and the Hallows. We were young geniuses who thought we knew it all and did it better than our teachers! Even if I give you the Stone, it would bring you nothing more than ruin. The three never can stay together for long. Anyone who has them will fall because their fate will create ripples so strong that they will tear them apart."

"I didn't know that in your old age, you became a seer, my friend."

"In my cell," Grindelwald smiled amicably, looking into his friend's eyes, "I had time to think and peer behind the veil. You didn't abandon me; you saved me. I want to return the favor, Albus." He said, and his honesty and the truth behind his pure words were undeniable, even without the usage of spells peering into his mind. "We can still stop it all."

"What about the kid?"

"Grudges must be settled, but that doesn't mean anyone has to die. We can work things out. Albus... You were right; we can all change. We all have our destinies, but the route we can take to fulfill them is up to us! Please..." For a long moment, Dumbledore was looking at his stretched-out hand, thinking deeply, before his eyes twitched, and Grindelwald knew he had to lower his arm.

"My decision is final, old friend." Dumbledore answered, his right hand clutching his wand. "Our dream is the correct path, even if I need to turn it into reality by myself. I wish that I could turn back time and stand with you... but I will do it now. For you." Then, this time, it was him who raised his other hand, stretching it towards Grindelwald. "Join me and let us do what we originally dreamed of... For the Greater Good."

"No." Grindelwald answered without hesitation, standing in a dueling posture. "I'm sorry, Albus. I will have to stop you then. For your own sake, before it is too late and you die."

Dumbledore knew there was nothing to talk about anymore. Instead, it was his wand that spoke, sending a red spark towards Grindelwald, who, in a flash, deflected it before both of them teleported, appearing hundreds of meters away, exchanging a flurry of spells so fast, their arms seemed to be stationary.

The world surrounding them was colorless, turned black and white as time seemingly stopped as the two's magic clashed. With two quick flashes, they were no longer in Diagon Alley, in London; they were already somewhere uninhabited, lost in England's lush, green fields. Dumbledore raised an army of earth golems with one spell, sending them against Grindelwald.

His opponent was unperturbed, taking a deep breath and twirling his wand above his head, turning Dumbledore's eyes serious as he looked up to the sky, seeing black clouds appear from nowhere and the torrential rain come down, forming massive spears that pierced the land and his golems. They were all nailed to the earth one by one, dissolving them into mud, before lighting struck down, aiming to hit the old wizard.

With raising the Elder Wand, one bolt of lightning struck it on the tip, just for it to be absorbed and shot out as an attacking spell right at Grindelwald. Conrad's master was unperturbed by the fact that apparating away and reappearing behind Dumbledore, the two exchanged another move, then a second, third, and fourth.

Their exchange was like the core of the storm. As lightning fell around them everywhere, as the earth was thrown into the air, floating as if gravity itself retreated, the two wizards were aiming different untaught spells at each other. As the ancient magic met, clashing and exploding, the thundering noises were like war drums playing next to their ears.

Although both of their faces were stoic and concentrated, their eyes unblinking, their minds calculating every move the other was making, trying to create an opening or getting in a counter-spell to end the battle. It was a fight where it took only one mistake to come to a conclusion, one momentary lapse of judgment. Yet, neither of them was relenting, matching the other.

Ultimately, the two separated, standing in the rain and lightning, looking at each other, saying nothing. Still, both of them knew what the other was thinking about. Dumbledore's index finger unconsciously strokes his wand, finally understanding what Grindelwald had to feel back then when it was he who held it between his fingers, facing off against him. It was, even if he wouldn't admit it, infuriating.

On paper, he should be the one winning this fight; his wand should give him the edge over the other, but Grindelwald was still keeping up with him. Was it the work of Nicolas's elixir? Did age really matter this much? No, that can't be. He was stronger when they fought all those years ago. But then again... how could Grindelwald keep up with him? He was rotting in a cell, all alone, this... Was this the wand's doing?

"I know your thoughts, old friend." Grindelwald spoke, but his wand kept pointing at him. "And they are correct. That wand is a treacherous, evil being. It obeys you as long as you are worthy in its eyes. The moment it feels like he has found someone better, he slowly begins holding back. It tests you and its new candidate. I know, I experienced it... It will abandon you for another when it feels you are no longer worthy and never hesitates. It is the nature of power; it is power's incarnate! And power only cares about one thing... more power."

"..."

"As I said, it is not too late." He continued, sighing, "Think about it... and we can stop this before it is too late."

With that, Grindelwald suddenly disappeared, disengaging from their battle, apparating away, leaving Dumbledore standing in the rain before slowly holding up his hand and looking at the wand between his fingers.