A/N: Wrote this before Darkly Hallows and Rowling's release of the relationship between Grindelwald, Dumbledore. Therefore, there will be no Elder Wand, no former friendship, no Dumbledore having a dead sister etc. Updated 1/19/08.
Wizard Battle: Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald
With a flash of light Albus Dumbledore brutalized the wards protecting the Dark Lord's throne room, creating a hole long enough for him to leap through. He found himself in a magnificent cavernous room of dark marble and stone. Empty suits of black armored knights with even darker swastikas engraved onto their ebon chest plates lined the walls. At the opposite end of the room past a gleaming gold throne reeking of dark magic Dumbledore spotted a decrepit old man in a dark cloak. With a fierce look Dumbledore vowed that the war would finally end tonight.
Grindelwald grinned as he turned away from the window and the ongoing battle outside of his fortress and smirked towards the powerful light wizard. "Ahh, so you've finally shown up?" he croaked. Turning back towards the window, his ancient black eyes glittering, he continued, "You know, it doesn't look like my friends are doing so well out there." He inwardly winced as one of his imported Hungarian Horntails went berserk from a Conjuctivus Curse and proceeded to obliterate dozens of his own men in a fierce blast of dragon fire. Grindelwald's followers were retreating back into the stronghold as several groups of British and French aurors, and the Order of the Phoenix forced them back.
"No, not well at all. Hmm…if you somehow succeed here, who knows, you just might win this little war." Sensing Dumbledore's rising anger, he turned back and sneered, "What a shame, three generations of your beloved; your wife, sons, and granddaughter won't be able to see it."
"Novus Incendio," Dumbledore roared with rage and power. His arm buckled as a blast of fire shot forward from his wand.
"Aguamenti."
A thick steam filled the room as a powerful jet of water spewed from Grindelwald's wand and collided with the searing flames. Dumbledore pressed forward and blindly let loose a flurry of stunning spells through the mist in his opponent's direction.
"Protego Zima," Grindelwald hissed and a silvery dome arced out to absorb Dumbledore's powerful stunners. Quickly he scuttled to his throne and tapped it with his wand. Instantly the fifteen suits of black armor leapt to life, wielding an assortment of wicked looking weapons.
Dumbledore quickly ducked and conjured a sword to deflect a vicious axe strike from one of the animated knights. Parrying several more strikes he rolled and stabbed at the swastika. With a loud clang Dumbledore's strike didn't even make a dent on the magically enhanced suits of armor. He quickly decided his own physical force would be ineffective.
"Magnitus!" he yelled out causing the animated knights to instantly zoom towards a magnetic spot in front of Dumbledore. They crashed into each other and left a pile of crushed broken pieces of metal.
The steam finally parted enough for the combatants to see each other. Grindelwald growled at the sight of his destroyed knights, so easily thwarted. He spent hours on each of them lacing into them protective charms. Dumbledore took a deep calming breath before pointing his sword towards his rival, and swiftly charged forward while launching powerful blasting hexes at the angry Dark Lord.
"Avada Kedavra."
Dumbledore threw himself to the side, avoiding the green light, before throwing the conjured sword up and casting a strong banishing charm, launching the projectile at Grindelwald with great speed. With skillful precision the Dark Lord blew it into dozens of pieces with a powerful blast of magic. With another wave of his wand the sword shrapnel transfigured into dozens of jagged metal swastikas and zipped back towards Dumbledore.
Throwing his hand forward Dumbledore launched a burst of wandless magic to blast away some of the fast flying projectiles. He hissed in pain as a few of the tiny swastikas zipped by, cutting into his robes and arms. Grindelwald cackled in glee in getting the first strike, however minor. Dumbledore quickly cast a healing charm on his cuts before scoffing at Grindelwald's happiness with scoring a minor blow.
Grindelwald smirked again as a gasp of pain came from Dumbledore. The swastikas seemed to have a boomerang charm placed on them and had circled back and embedded themselves into Dumbledore's back.
"Guren Kaina," Grindelwald completed the magical combo with a dark blasting curse, blowing Dumbledore back a dozen meters. Roaring with a hoarse laughter Grindelwald mocked the injured light wizard, "Is that all you have Dumbledore? Is this all the Lights greatest champion can offer." Grindelwald's smirk dissipated as Dumbledore slowly got back on his feet.
"Well, it looks like you have some surprises of your own," Grindelwald sighed in disappointment as he saw the gleaming black scales of Dumbledore's dragon hide vest. While his fire based blasting spell blew apart his cloth and leather robes and singed large portions of his auburn grey beard, it did little to the dragon hide vest which also impeded the metallic swastikas from slicing through his back and into his vitals.
"Nonetheless," the old Dark Lord mused to himself, the force of the blast must have hurt quite a bit.
Dumbledore coughed harshly splattering the floor and his robes with blood before righting himself. Wiping the crimson from his mouth, the pair slowly began to circle each other. The two wizards stared hard into each others eyes. Icy calm cold blue met old malevolent black as they instinctively and unsuccessfully tried to read each others' minds.
"Your move," the Dark Lord drawled.
Dumbledore let loose a massive barrage of high powered stunners, flame based spells, and blasting hexes. Grindelwald laughed and deflected and dodged everything sent at him with surprising agility. Dumbledore changed tactics, quickly summoning a few pieces of broken armor and transfigured the debris into several ferocious lions. Grindelwald smirked at the transfiguration master's creations before vaporizing them each with an unnecessary killing curse.
Dumbledore waved his wand as a fiery whip erupted from the tip. With a skillful flick he slashed at Grindelwald's amused face.
"This is truly pathetic," he spat as he dissipated the flames into wispy smoke with a flick of his own wand, "You're weaker than your foolish granddaughter and her father." He grinned as he felt Dumbledore's anger surge at the mention of those he loved. "At least the daughter, Emily I believe the dear's name was, had some use. My men hadn't seen such a lovely young girl in quite some time and well…she proved very useful indeed."
Grindelwald reveled in the rage pouring from Dumbledore.
"Avada Kedavra," the enraged light wizard yelled.
Summoning a piece of fallen armor he intercepted the Killing Curse, "Yes…yes…let your hatred free Albus Dumbledore." Grindelwald cackled as he deftly dodged several more Killing Curses. "You see, even the champion of the o' so righteous Light is not above using Unforgivables. We all have darkness in us Dumbledore and we all have the capacity to embrace it. Now, embrace true power!"
Dumbledore paused confused as his opponent pocketed his wand, Grindelwald channeled all his fury, anger, hate, and darkness from his magical core, gnarled hands rose towards Dumbledore and from them dark purple lighting burst forward.
Dumbledore gaped in shock at the display of raw wandless magic before crumpling to the ground and writhing in agony, the physical manifestation of Grindelwald's raw dark power coursing through his body. His back arched dangerously as screams echoed throughout the cavernous throne room of Dark Lord Grindelwald. This was a perfectly constructed room for sounds of agony to reverberate into the rest of his fortress. The light wizards storming through the dark fortress even paused from fighting for a brief moment as they heard the screams of pain and agony. Surging forward they fought more fiercely and cut through the ranks of the panicked dark forces like sunlight through the shadows.
Grindelwald roared in insane laughter as Dumbledore lay on the marble floor gasping for breathe, vaguely aware of where he was, smoke rising from his body. "I'm sorry it had to be this way Albus. You should have joined me years ago when I offered you the opportunity," he hissed, "All I asked was for information on Flamel's little red stone, and the promise you would join me or at least not stand in my way. Had you done that, many lives, including your beloved could have been saved."
Tom Riddle watched from the shadows, hidden under a powerful dark spell, cloaking him from the dueling wizards. He initially was going to wait and kill the survivor of this duel, thus destroying the most powerful oppositions he might face in the future. Unfortunately it seemed his master Grindelwald wasn't quite as weakened by this duel as Tom had hoped. "Oh well, at least Dumbledore will die, and Grindelwald won't live forever," he mused. No way would he try an assault on Grindelwald now…no, not today.
Dumbledore always wondered what it would be like to die. The power that Grindelwald wielded was incredible. He recognized the last attack now. Dumbledore vaguely recalled it was an old technique from the days of Merlin that Mordred himself had used. The fact that Grindelwald wielded such old and secret power was why Dumbledore knew he would die tonight. Still, Grindelwald's forces were decimated, and the Muggles had succeeding against his forces in their world as well.
Yet Grindelwald would survive this battle. He would live and he would rebuild and he would threaten the world again. Dumbledore had hoped to create a safe guard against this in mentoring the powerful Tom Riddle to become the new champion of the Light. This had backfired, as he saw Dumbledore's attempts as manipulations and an attempt to use him against the Dark Lord, which in a sense was true. "No," Dumbledore grimaced in pain, "Grindelwald must die today, for the Light has no answer for him if I die."
Grindelwald mocked the fallen wizard, easily reading his thoughts through his now ravaged occlumecy shields, "Dumbledore? Your precious Light doesn't have an answer to me even now as you have proved."
Stalking forward he continued, "You have shown the Light is weak and the Dark is strong. Now you will die." The Dark Lord raised his gnarl hands to deliver the final attack.
"Light…please give me strength…"
"DIE!" Grindelwald hissed, slamming his hands down, dark lightening again burst towards Dumbledore.
Things seemed to slow down for Dumbledore as he stared at the hate and darkness speeding towards him. In an instant Dumbledore saw the faces of his granddaughter, his sons, and his wife. He saw the faces of McGonagall and Alastor and Filius, and the young men and women of the next generation of Light Wizards fighting for his shot at the Dark Lord right at this moment. He saw Hogwarts and children running through the halls and living in peace. Finally he saw himself from a third person view, lying on the floor as death rushed towards him. He saw a vision, a burning fire surround himself…The fire of the Light, of hope…The Eternal Fire that couldn't be extinguished. That could not be put out.
"NO! I CANNOT DIE!" Dumbledore roared, as he felt strength and the Light fill his body. With blinding speed he rose up and whipped out the last trick up his sleeve. Grindelwald roared as he pushed forth more and more hate and fury through his hands.
Dumbledore stood up straight and tall, his hair blowing in an invisible wind and his blue eyes twinkling bright with power. His right arm stretched high and out towards the dark lightening, in his hand clenched his greatest work, a Philosopher's Stone.
Grindelwald screeched and Dumbledore roared as the lightening collided with the powerful scarlet stone. Dumbledore felt the darkness being absorbed by his Philosopher's Stone, miles away Nicholas Flamel felt his stone burning as well. Grindelwald's face clenched in an ugly focused sneer as he slowly stepped forward while fueling more and more hatred and darkness into his attack. Dumbledore fought back and poured all his love and hope into the Philosopher's Stone.
"You can't kill me Grindelwald!" Dumbledore shouted, "You can't extinguish the fire of the Light, it is eternal and embodies the strongest force on this earth!"
"NO!" he replied, "I am the strongest, the most powerful! You will die!"
They were face to face, only a meter apart. Two of the most powerful wizards ever to exist and they were pouring their entire power into one little yet powerful stone at point blank range. Dumbledore grimaced as a beautiful fire blazed from the stone. Both Grindelwald and Dumbledore roared as they forced as much as they could at each other. Dumbledore felt the stone cracking and suddenly the blazing fire was sucked back into the stone. Everything was for a moment as both wizards stared at each other. In the briefest instant both wizards felt fear as the Stone exploded.
Tom Riddle gasped as he shielded himself from the vast amounts of magic suddenly being released. "Incredible!" He thought, impressed at the display of raw power. Perhaps tonight he wouldn't have to lift a finger to ensure his rise to power was unhindered.
The minutes trickled by slowly as smoke slowly escaped the large room. Eventually he could make out two bodies…they were…alive. "Looks like I might have to lift a finger or two," Tom smirked to himself. Creeping closer he saw deep magical lacerations covering both the broken bodies. Blood was everywhere, particularly large pools of it the nearer he got to the bodies. Nonetheless, he could hear labored raspy breathing from both the powerful wizards.
Preparing to cast two Killing Curses he paused as he heard something. Gazing upwards fear entered his black heart as phoenix song filled the air. Retreating to his corner he stared in awe and fear as a beautiful red and gold phoenix swept into the room from nowhere and trilling a beautiful song. Tom Riddle paused, unsure what the magical bird would do.
Dumbledore could not see. Physically he could feel nothing but pain. But he felt good on the inside. He could hear a beautiful song filling his body and sensed something land next to him. Next thing he knew he felt something wet drip into his mouth. Minutes passed as the wetness dripped onto his body, his arms, legs, onto his destroyed hand and eventually he could open his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes on. The phoenix had red and gold plumage and it seemed to be blazing with that beautiful eternal fire from his vision. The eyes were the same amazing green eyes as his wife.
"Are you…are you here, for me?" He rasped.
The phoenix trilled a happy noise which Dumbledore took as a yes. Remembering his wife's maiden name he decided on something. "I shall call you Fawkes."
"Heh…he…heh…ho-how, swe-swee- sweet…" Grindelwald managed to croak. The phoenix's presence was having an opposite effect on him as he felt his magical power dwindle with every trill of the Light creature.
Dumbledore gingerly rose again, amazed at the power of phoenix tears and the absence of his physical and mental wounds. He felt a calm and goodness he hadn't had since the war began. Striding over to the broken Dark Lord he stooped down and picked up his wand.
"We- Well…It lo-looks…like yo-your…righteous Light ha-had…and an-answer for me." Grindelwald gurgled as blood poured out of his mouth. Slowly he reached into his cloak and withdrew his wand and put the tip at his heart.
"Pyro Avalerion," he managed to whisper.
Grindelwald cackled a hideous, hoarse, low laughter as flames began to encompass his body. Dumbledore stared down at the burning wizard at his feet. The dark laughter began to lessen, but Dumbledore knew he would never forget it. It was something he knew would haunt his dreams for the rest of his days. With one final look at the now dead body he turned and left, Fawkes on his shoulder trilling away.
Hours later Tom Riddle gazed at the ashes of the former Dark Lord, deep in thought. His mentor was dead and Dumbledore was alive and stronger than ever with that damn creature at his side. He knew that Dumbledore should have died tonight. "How am I ever going to beat him? Oh well…no point in letting my former mentor's wealth of knowledge to go to waste. In fact, there was one ancient text titled Horcruxes that he knew would be quite useful. Yes, useful indeed.