The feeling of a brick wall collapsing on him was all Harry felt after placing his hand on Fawkes' back and flaming away.
He looked around and saw that Fawkes, Marvolo, and Daphne were all on the floor with him.
"I guess that since Dumbledore died they have reinforced the place against Phoenixes." Harry commented as he helped Daphne to her feet and picked Fawkes up. "Are you alright buddy?" He asked the bird, who nodded at him and flew up to his shoulder, perching there in wait.
"I think we should inform the others." Daphne suggested, earning a murmur of agreement from the other two.
Before they could do so they were blinded by a searchlight that was aimed at them, with a disembodied voice declaring.
"Leave now and we will forget that you tried to breach the walls, remain and you will perish." The voice boomed around them and before they could think a spell exploded near them, inspiring Marvolo to send his own exploding curse back in the direction the spell came from, with Harry using his Elemental ability to cushion the landing of the guards who were flung out of the side of the prison before stunning them.
"I'm guessing that noise is you, I'm at the other side of the building at the moment." Tonks' voice sounded in the trio's heads, with Harry telling her to stay put.
"We are being forced to fight, and fight we will." Daphne responded, cutting off the connection and sending Harry's blinding curse at the attacking guards.
For a long moment nothing happened and so the trio progressed into the prison, with Harry reminding Marvolo that they were not to kill anyone, knowing his exploding curse probably already had.
"Please, we don't wish to have to fight you. Turn back." One of the guards called out, giving up his advantage of surprise.
"We are here to take someone who will help quicken the downfall of Voldemort. Let us pass and we won't attack you." Harry responded, lowering his wand slightly.
"You sound younger than me, you are too young to have to fight in this war." The guard responded.
"Unfortunately I don't have that option, let me stun you and you won't get hurt."
"Who do you intend to free?" The guard asked, stepping out of his cover slightly.
"Gellert Grindelwald." Harry responded, pulling the man toward him when he saw his facial expressions turn to horror, stunning the guard before he could respond.
"We are running out of time, let's move." Daphne said, irritated at Harry's time-wasting.
The trio made their way up to the top of the prison, managing to avoid encountering any other guards as they reached Grindelwald's cell. It was a small square room without a single piece of furniture and the smallest window that could still be called a window.
"Harry Potter, it truly is a pleasure to meet you." The dark wizard greeted him with a grin.
"Gellert Grindelwald, in the flesh. I take it you already know why I am here." Harry asked the man, whose intense grin made Harry uncomfortable.
"You are here to grant me liberty, it is all I have dreamed of for the last seventeen years, though I never expected to see Fawkes here."
"He is our escape plan, I don't think we can make it out of here via the same route we entered."
"Albus has let you borrow him has he? He must really like you." Grindelwald stated as he rose to his feet, causing the group to exchange nervous looks.
"Albus Dumbledore passed away over a year ago, his funeral was a very touching affair."
The look on Grindelwald's face was horrendous, a look of hurt and despair the likes of which Harry understood all too well.
In his grief, Grindelwald raised his hands and blasted a hole in the side of the prison, a solitary tear leaked out the corner of the man's eye as he stared out through the hole he had made.
Harry walked over and placed a hand on Grindelwald's shoulder, surprising the Dark wizard, who turned to look at Harry before shrugging off his hand.
"Who is responsible for his death?"
"Lord Voldemort cursed an item that Albus believed could bring his sister back, I held him as he died… he thought I was my father, though he screamed for three people to help him. He asked for his brother, his sister, and he asked for you."
"I'm ready to leave this infernal hell-hole." Gellert announced, placing his hand upon Fawkes' back, an action that was mirrored by Daphne and Marvolo.
Using the newly made hole in the side of the building,the four wizards vanished, fire surrounding them as the prison disappeared.
"Tonks, we have completed our mission return when you are able." Harry called the Metamorphmagi on his ring, getting a simple response of agreement before the call disconnected.
"Thank you for rescuing me, if you could be so kind as to point me in the direction of a comfortable bed for the night I would appreciate that."
"I think I can help you out there." Marvolo responded, walking over to the door and holding it open for the elderly man.
"I can honestly say that if you asked me last year then I wouldn't have considered that I would break out one of the darkest wizards in modern history." Harry commented, his voice shaking from the adrenaline of the fight and rescue.
"We did it, we actually did it. This will be a fun story to tell the kids." Daphne responded, pulling Harry to her, capturing him in a deep kiss, and dragging him upstairs.
Harry wondered how long it would take for the newspapers to learn of their adventure, he also looked forward to reading the speculation on who could have broken Grindelwald out.
The Vipers all just hoped that this course of action wouldn't come back around to bite them.
The eventual sounds of several snaps indicated that the rest of the Vipers had returned from Nurmengard safely, with a single snap ringing out several hours later to indicate the return of Tonks.
She made herself a cup of tea before sitting down on one of the plush armchairs, putting her feet up for the first time in many weeks.