"Is everything properly prepared as I requested?" Erwin asked without preamble.
"Everything is prepared exactly according to your specifications, Master," Old Tom confirmed smoothly. "Except for the personal wand fitting, Miss Sunny has access to everything she requires."
Erwin nodded with satisfaction. "Excellent. Get some rest yourself, then. We'll visit Ollivanders later for her fitting."
"Understood, Master," Tom replied, then added carefully, "There is one additional matter requiring your attention. Lord Grindelwald is currently on the mansion's top floor."
Erwin froze momentarily. "The top floor? When did he actually arrive here?"
"Shortly after you initially reached Diagon Alley, Master. He likely hasn't finished his breakfast yet."
Erwin's expression hardened noticeably with understanding. So that explained the mystery.
He had wondered why he hadn't observed Grindelwald anywhere during their arrival. The legendary wizard had simply arrived earlier and made himself thoroughly comfortable in Erwin's private space.
"Understood," Erwin acknowledged, turning to address the others. "Charlotte, please escort Sunny and Fleur to the mansion's entertainment area for a while. They can rest and amuse themselves there comfortably."
Charlotte nodded immediately, comprehending the unspoken cue for privacy. She efficiently gathered the two younger women and departed toward the recreational facilities.
Once they had departed and privacy was assured, Erwin's demeanor shifted noticeably. He turned back to his trusted butler with obvious concern.
"Report the situation," he commanded quietly.
"The Saints organization was attacked," Tom stated in a carefully controlled low voice. "Lord Grindelwald remains unaware of the specific operational details yet, and Lady Vinda Rosier has been injured during the assault."
Erwin's frown deepened substantially. "Vinda was actually injured? There aren't many practitioners anywhere in the entire wizarding world genuinely capable of achieving that."
"According to her emergency message transmission, the primary attacker rode a giant dragon during the assault. Intelligence suggests it should be Alan Solent leading the strike force."
"They apparently couldn't restrain themselves any longer," Erwin murmured grimly. "Attacking the Saints organization directly represents an explicit declaration of open warfare. Have we successfully tracked their current location?"
Tom shook his head with obvious frustration. "My sincere apologies, Master—no, we haven't yet. He led a concentrated strike team against the Saints' primary stronghold and retreated immediately afterward. He was clearly afraid of sustaining a devastating counter-attack if he remained."
"How many attackers participated in total?"
"Lady Vinda's report indicated approximately fifteen combatants. All were riding dragons during the assault."
"Fifteen dragons?" Erwin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where could he possibly have acquired that many? Has the Ministry of Magic reported any dragon reserves being raided recently?"
"Nothing whatsoever, Master. I checked globally with all our contacts the precise moment the attack news arrived. No unusual activity has been reported at any registered dragon breeding facility anywhere. I suspect these must be wild dragons he's somehow tamed. Or perhaps the Solent family maintains a hidden asset and resource we haven't yet discovered or accounted for."
"That seems increasingly possible," Erwin conceded grimly. "The Solents systematically wiped out the entire Teresa bloodline family completely, leaving only Charlotte as survivor. They must possess substantial resources and capabilities we haven't properly accounted for yet. During my last confrontation in Germany, I realized from Alan Solent's confident reactions that what I destroyed represented merely a minor fraction of their total available power."
"So, what are your orders for response?" Tom asked directly.
"For the immediate present, allow him to remain at large," Erwin decided after careful consideration. "If he attacked the Saints without committing to full mobilization of his forces, that clearly indicates he doesn't yet possess sufficient strength for sustained open warfare against the entire Cavendish family organization. They maintain a powerful hidden foundation somewhere, and if they genuinely want to disappear and hide, hunting them down would waste far too much time and operational manpower we can't spare. Dispatch a tactical team to Germany immediately to stabilize the deteriorating situation there. I'll travel there personally before the Halloween deadline."
"Yes, Master. What about Lady Vinda specifically? Should we arrange to bring her back to England for proper recovery and protection?"
"No—leave her in position," Erwin stated firmly. "She is the Black Rose of France, legendary throughout Europe. She wouldn't have been caught genuinely off guard if she hadn't been deliberately ambushed through intelligence failure. Only she possesses the reputation and capability to keep Germany's magical community peaceful and stable right now during this crisis."
"Understood completely. I'll arrange everything immediately as instructed."
Erwin waved his hand, dismissing Tom to handle the urgent logistics personally.
He stepped into the private elevator, riding it smoothly to the top floor of the tower.
He entered his personal office to find Grindelwald had just finished his leisurely meal, carefully wiping his mouth with an embroidered napkin.
"You've returned, Erwin," the elderly wizard observed, a faint amused smile touching his lips. "Slower than I initially expected, honestly."
Erwin chuckled dryly at the casual greeting. "Are you, supposedly the responsible leader of our shopping expedition, genuinely planning to establish permanent residence camping out in the Cavendish Building?"
"What else would you suggest?" Grindelwald gestured casually around the comfortable office. "This is Diagon Alley, after all. With you personally present here, what possible harm could realistically come to the Eastern students under such protection? Besides, they certainly aren't defenseless rabbits requiring constant supervision."
Erwin shrugged, unable to argue against the logic. "That's a fair assessment. I genuinely can't dispute it."
Grindelwald carefully placed his napkin on the table, his previously amused expression shifting noticeably to something considerably more serious and concerned.
"So then, Erwin. Would you care to explain the recent attack on the Saints organization? You currently serve as the family's head, and while I'm merely expressing personal curiosity rather than demanding accountability, it strikes me as genuinely odd and concerning. You're consistently so cautious and thorough in your planning. How did someone possibly manage a successful sneak attack on the Saints, and specifically injure Vinda Rosier of all people? Even back during our most active days, she was extraordinarily rarely scratched in combat."
"I see word travels remarkably fast, Your Majesty," Erwin observed evenly. "I only received the detailed intelligence report myself mere minutes ago."
"That incident occurred in Germany," Grindelwald countered pointedly. "If I somehow lacked even that basic level of situational awareness after spending all these years there, my entire time in that region would have been completely wasted, wouldn't it?"
Erwin nodded slowly, conceding the entirely valid point.
Grindelwald stood deliberately and walked over, draping one arm over Erwin's shoulder with paternal familiarity.
Erwin didn't pull away or resist, meeting the older wizard's penetrating gaze directly and steadily.
"Erwin, look me directly in the eye," Grindelwald commanded quietly, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "And tell me the complete truth. Was this attack the result of genuine negligence on your part, or did you deliberately allow it to happen for some greater strategic purpose?"
Erwin's expression remained completely unchanged. He had anticipated precisely this confrontation and question.
"Aunt Vinda has helped me significantly and substantially over the years," Erwin stated with absolute clarity. "I would never cynically use her as a disposable pawn or calculated sacrifice for any objective. The Saints organization remains vital to all my future strategic plans—naturally, they are not expendable resources to be carelessly thrown away."
Grindelwald slowly removed his arm, stepping back with a heavy, troubled sigh.
"Erwin, you possess all the fundamental qualities required of a supremely successful leader," he acknowledged seriously. "You demonstrate strategic vision that genuinely exceeds mine, and you've proven yourself considerably more ruthlessly pragmatic than Dumbledore ever managed. You've already surpassed both of us in many crucial respects. But you also consistently value ultimate results over sentimental considerations. In your calculated worldview, absolutely nothing remains genuinely off-limits if the strategic price proves acceptable. That ruthless pragmatism virtually guarantees your eventual success."
He paused, his intense gaze boring into Erwin's eyes. "But Erwin, I need you to promise me something absolutely crucial: if the Saints organization ever becomes a genuinely necessary sacrifice for achieving your ultimate goals, please don't deliberately hurt Vinda in the process. If I personally stand in your way or become an obstacle, you can strike me down without any hesitation whatsoever. But leave her completely out of such calculations."
Erwin walked slowly to the office window, looking down thoughtfully at the street below where the assembled group of Eastern students was forming an orderly line to enter Ollivanders' famous establishment.
"Your Majesty," Erwin said softly, his voice carrying unexpected vulnerability, "have you noticed the changes? Diagon Alley is becoming genuinely more diverse and cosmopolitan. Wizards from England, France, Germany, and America all conducting business together. Now, students from the Eastern magical traditions are arriving as well. The entire world is changing fundamentally."
He turned to face Grindelwald directly. "When I first entered this magical world, I felt genuinely apprehensive and uncertain. I didn't know if I could possibly survive here successfully. To the established wizarding world, my family and I were essentially Muggles—people automatically looked down upon us with contempt. But as I spent more time immersed here, I discovered a genuinely shocking truth: my parents didn't die in any normal vehicular accident."
His voice grew noticeably colder, eyes burning with barely suppressed rage at the memory.
"I was deliberately dragged into a vicious power struggle between ancient pure-blood families without understanding why or having any choice. I became an unwilling pawn in a deadly game I never chose to play. Even before reaching legal adulthood, I had to constantly worry that I might wake up one morning to find myself casually discarded as no longer useful. If you had been in my exact position, what would you have done differently?"
Grindelwald remained thoughtfully silent. The world seemed remarkably simple when one knew nothing; knowledge inevitably brought its own crushing burdens.
Erwin continued with quiet intensity, "I had absolutely no choice except to step off that chessboard entirely and transform myself into an actual player rather than a piece. I paid an extraordinarily heavy price for that transformation. I fundamentally reshaped the British magical world's entire power structure. I personally shaped Diagon Alley into what it represents today. But I understand with perfect clarity that raw power alone isn't remotely sufficient to genuinely become a player controlling outcomes. The precise moment I decided to play this game myself, numerous powerful people immediately determined to stop me at any cost. So I require not merely the strength to move pieces, but the overwhelming strength to overturn the entire board if necessary. If they refuse to permit me to move my pieces fairly, I'll make the entire game a dead end for everyone."
Erwin's hand pressed firmly against the cool window glass, fingers curling as though he could somehow grasp the entirety of Diagon Alley in his palm.
He turned to face Grindelwald directly. "So, to genuinely possess the power required to overturn any chessboard, I'll cherish and protect every tool I can effectively control—including the Saints organization. They will never be reduced to mere disposable pawns; once I've completed my preparations, they will become my dragon-slaying weapons. Aunt Vinda represents exactly that. And so do you, Your Majesty."
Their eyes met and held for a long, charged moment.
Finally, Grindelwald smiled with something approaching genuine warmth. "Then you'd better accelerate your preparations considerably. At my advanced age, I genuinely don't know if I'll survive long enough to become your dragon-slaying weapon."
Erwin replied with absolute conviction, "Don't concern yourself unnecessarily, Your Majesty. The chessboard will remain fundamentally incomplete without you present."
Grindelwald turned and settled back onto the comfortable sofa, leaning heavily against the cushions. "Age makes one drowsy at inconvenient times. Do you mind if I take a brief nap here in your office?"
"Not at all. Please, make yourself entirely at home."
Grindelwald nodded gratefully and closed his eyes.
Erwin quietly departed the office, closing the door soundlessly behind him.
In the corridor outside, he straightened his robes carefully before an ornate mirror, then called softly to Ebony, who was curled contentedly on a nearby cushioned perch.
Scooping up the sleepy shape-shifting familiar, he walked purposefully toward the mansion's entertainment area.
Inside the recreational facilities, Charlotte stood alert to one side while Sunny Finch and Fleur Delacour were clearly enjoying themselves immensely with the various Muggle-inspired games and diversions.
Seeing Erwin's approach, Charlotte immediately stepped forward professionally.
"My lord."
Erwin nodded acknowledgment, glancing briefly at the two thoroughly entertained girls. "They seem to be genuinely having an excellent time."
"Indeed, my lord," Charlotte confirmed. "These adapted Muggle inventions prove irresistible to wizards encountering them for the first time. It's fortunate the entertainment area remains restricted exclusively to Cavendish staff and approved guests, or this would become the single liveliest and most crowded spot in the entire tower."
Erwin smiled slightly at the assessment. "Accompany me to Germany next week. Aunt Vinda has been injured and requires support."
Visible killing intent immediately flared from Charlotte's normally controlled demeanor. "Who dared attack her?"
"Alan Solent led the assault personally."
Charlotte's face turned absolutely glacial with barely restrained fury. "My lord, if circumstances permit, please leave him to me personally. He needs to pay the ultimate price for what he did to the others in my family bloodline."
Erwin nodded understanding. "You'll need to continue improving your combat skills substantially. You're not yet a match for him at your current level."
"I will improve," Charlotte vowed with absolute conviction. "One day soon, I'll make him kneel and beg desperately for forgiveness before I end him."
"Good. Now, inform Sunny and Fleur that it's time to depart. Take Sunny to Ollivanders to select her personal wand."
When Sunny and Fleur finally emerged from the entertainment area, they both looked genuinely reluctant to leave the diversions behind.
Sunny declared enthusiastically, "Erwin, I'm even more interested in mastering Apparition now than before! I should visit here every single weekend if possible."
Erwin smiled warmly. "I'll inform Tom to arrange permanent access for you. You'll have direct authorization from now on."
Sunny impulsively patted his shoulder with friendly affection. "You're absolutely the best! Can I finally go choose my wand now?"
Erwin nodded confirmation. "Yes, proceed immediately. The other Kunlun students have already finished their individual fittings. Someone will escort them to the mansion building to purchase additional supplies. Naturally, they're free to browse Diagon Alley independently afterward and purchase whatever catches their interest—the remaining time is theirs to use as they prefer."
Sunny grinned with obvious delight. "Perfect! Let's go, then. I absolutely can't wait to finally get a proper wand!"
Erwin smiled at her infectious enthusiasm. "Mr. Ollivander must have gained considerable experience helping so many Eastern students select appropriate wands this morning. He'll certainly help you find the perfect match for your magical signature."
Sunny laughed appreciatively. "Wow, Erwin, you essentially used the other Kunlun students as experimental guinea pigs to prepare for my fitting! I absolutely love that strategic thinking!"