Chapter 1004: The Dawn of a New Era (Part 3)
Chapter 1004: The Dawn of a New Era (Part 3)
"That's still good." Ivan nodded. A weaker effect was no problem; the most important thing was that it was risk-free!
This meant it could be used as a bargaining chip right away...
"By the way, President Hals, what about Grindelwald... did you catch that demon?" Horace Slughorn suddenly remembered the demon who had captured them and hurriedly asked.
"Don't worry about that, he's dead!" Ivan replied succinctly.
"Dead?! Are you sure?" Slughorn asked, his tone filled with disbelief. The other Potions Masters also found it hard to believe.
Given their age, they had all experienced the great catastrophe over fifty years ago, and they deeply understood Grindelwald's power and cunning. The sudden news of his death felt like a dream.
Before Ivan could respond, Walker interjected, "President Hals killed him in an honorable Duel! Grindelwald's body is now in the Department of Mysteries..."
Slughorn and the others exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock. They all understood the significance of an honorable Duel, which meant that Ivan had defeated Grindelwald in a one-on-one, face-to-face battle!
But... how was that possible?
Slughorn was utterly astonished. They had been imprisoned in the French Ministry of Magic for over half a year and had no idea that Ivan had defeated Grindelwald in the Ministry building.
Previously, when they learned from the Aurors who came to rescue them that a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy had become the Acting President of the International Confederation of Wizards, they were already surprised. Now, to hear that he had killed Grindelwald, they were beyond shocked.
Just as Slughorn was about to ask more questions, a female Auror rushed in, interrupting their conversation.
"What's the matter? Did something happen?" Ivan paused and looked at the female Auror, asking in confusion.
"It's information from Colin Morton. They encountered betrayal from several Auror colleagues during their Quest. These traitors, along with over thirty Death Eaters, have taken President Sir hostage and are now confronting our people at the Élysée Palace. Additionally, Muggle forces have been mobilized and are now surrounding the Palace of Versailles..." The female Auror quickly explained the situation.
Hearing this, Ivan's brow furrowed, but he soon relaxed. The six hundred Aurors in the Rapid Response Teams came from all over the world and had different ideas. It was impossible to completely win them over in just one or two months, so a few traitors were to be expected.
Of course, he hadn't been unprepared. The plan to attack the French Ministry of Magic had always been kept secret, and the true mission was only revealed to the participants on the day of the Quest.
Ivan had thought this would prevent any meddlesome individuals from leaking information. Once the war started, the overwhelming strength would make the disloyal ones see the situation clearly. However, it seemed that some still chose the wrong path.
Ivan shook his head inwardly but wasn't overly concerned. With Grindelwald out of the way, the entire Wizarding World was within his grasp. A mere France was of no concern to him, and even if the situation worsened, he had ways to turn it around.
After all, the Alchemical Device that could cover the entire city had already been repaired. If necessary, he could perform a large-scale memory wipe on all the Muggles in Paris.
"Let's go, we need to check the situation outside!" Ivan waved his sleeve, and a wave of ashen-white flame enveloped everyone present.
When Fenrir, Walker, Slughorn, and the others regained their senses, they found themselves atop a high-rise building. In the distance, they could faintly see the Palace of Versailles.
As Walker had mentioned, the area was surrounded by thousands of Muggle troops, including armored vehicles, and a dozen helicopters were hovering in the sky.
"These Muggles are truly foolish", Slughorn sneered. The Wizards at the Palace of Versailles had already been notified and had Apparated away. The so-called siege was nothing more than a complete joke!
Walker glanced at Slughorn but remained silent. This was not the time to discuss the stupidity of Muggles; they needed to figure out how to resolve the situation.
"Should we instruct the Aurors to disperse them?" Fenrir asked cautiously. Although these Muggles were fully armed and not as easy to handle as civilians, if two hundred Wizards formed a large circle and raised a Magic Barrier, casting a Muggle Repelling Charm, they could still make these people leave.
"No, that won't work. Muggles have entered the information age. If we directly drive away these troops, the higher-ups in charge would immediately realize something is amiss. I'll handle it myself. It's also a good opportunity to let certain people understand the situation", Ivan said coldly, looking at the Muggle forces surrounding the Palace of Versailles, who were attempting to advance step by step.
Seeing this, Ivan understood that the French President had likely chosen to side with Grindelwald. This was probably the real reason why Colin Morton and his team's quest had failed.
However, this could be an opportunity to appropriately demonstrate the power of Wizards. This way, future negotiations with Muggle leaders would be less troublesome.
"Do you plan to personally subdue these Muggles?!" Walker asked, both excited and delighted.
He had missed the chance to witness the historic battle between Ivan and Grindelwald, which had left him deeply regretful. He hadn't expected to have another opportunity to see Ivan take action so soon.
The potion masters, including Slughorn, also looked at Ivan. They were curious to see what this man, who had killed the President of the Grindelwald International Alliance, could do to boast such confidence in dealing with thousands of Muggles.
Under the watchful eyes of dozens of people, Ivan took a step forward, drew the Elder Wand from his belt, pointed it at the sky, and slowly began to incant.
"Wind!"
As the spell was cast, the already overcast sky grew even darker. Layers of dark clouds swirled and twisted, forming a massive tornado, as if a terrifying force was rapidly coalescing before them. Everyone present felt an overwhelming urge to flee.
"Watch closely, this is the power of the strongest Wizards!" Fenrir said, looking at the terrified Slughorn and others with a sense of pride.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
