Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling or Timothy Zahn.
Grindelwald, Ogden, and Crouch stand on the bridge of Nurmengard, observing the battle at Cornwall.
Ogden. They're clear, Admiral.
Grindelwald. Good. [to Crouch] So . . . Mr. Crouch?
Crouch. They fulfilled their mission. They obtained fifty-one of the mole miner machines you sent them for.
Grindelwald. Fifty-one. Excellent. You had no problem guiding them in and out?
Crouch. They fulfilled their mission. How many times do you intend to ask me the same question?
Grindelwald. Until I'm sure I have the correct answer. For a while there, your face looked as if you were having trouble.
Crouch. I had no trouble, Grand Admiral Grindelwald. What I had was conversation . . . with Harry Potter.
Ogden. What are you talking about? Current intelligence reports indicate that Potter is . . .
Grindelwald silences him with a look.
Grindelwald. Explain.
Crouch. He's there right now, Grand Admiral Grindelwald. He arrived in Cornwall just ahead of the Durmstrang.
Grindelwald's eyes narrow.
Grindelwald. Potter is in Cornwall?
Crouch. In the very center of the battle.
Grindelwald. And you said nothing to me?
Crouch. I told you before, Grand Admiral Grindelwald. You will leave Potter alone. I will deal with him . . . in my own time, in my own way. All I require of you is the fulfillment of your promise to take me to Upper Flagley.
Grindelwald holds his gaze with Crouch.
Grindelwald. It's too soon.
Crouch. Why? Because you find my talents too useful to give up?
Grindelwald. Not at all. It's a simple matter of efficiency. The rumors of your presence haven't had enough time to spread. Until we can be sure Potter will respond, you'll just be wasting your time there.
Crouch. Oh, he'll respond. Trust me, Grand Admiral Grindelwald. He will respond.
Grindelwald. [sardonic] I always trust you.
Grindelwald strokes his hinkypunk.
At any rate, I suppose it's your own time to waste. [to Ogden] Captain Ogden, how long will it take to repair the damage to the Durmstrang?
Ogden. Several days at the least, Admiral. Depending on the damage, it could take as long as three or four weeks.
Grindelwald. All right. We'll go to the rendezvous point, stay with them long enough to make sure repairs are properly underway, and then take Mr. Crouch to Upper Flagley. [to Crouch] I trust that will be satisfactory?
Crouch. Yes. I will rest now, Grand Admiral Grindelwald. Alert me if you need my assistance.
Grindelwald. Certainly.
Exit Crouch.
I want a course projection, Captain. The most direct line from Cornwall to Upper Flagley, at the best speed a Firebolt could take it.
Ogden. Yes, Admiral. You think he's right about Potter going there?
Grindelwald. [shrugs] The Aurors had ways of influencing people, Captain, even over considerable distances. It's possible that even out here he was close enough to Potter to plant a suggestion or compulsion. Whether those techniques will work on another Auror . . . We'll see.
Ogden. Yes, sir.
Ogden calculates the course the Firebolt would have to take.
Well, even if Potter leaves Cornwall immediately, there won't be any problem getting Crouch to Upper Flagley ahead of him.
Grindelwald. I knew that much already, Captain. What I need is a bit more challenging. We're going to drop Crouch off in Upper Flagley, then backtrack to a point on Potter's projected course, a point at least twenty light-years away, I think.
Ogden. [frowns] I don't understand, sir.
Grindelwald. It's quite simple, Captain. I mean to disabuse our great and glorious Auror Master of his growing belief that he's indispensable to us.
Ogden. So we wait along Potter's projected approach to Upper Flagley and ambush him?
Grindelwald. Precisely. At which point we decide whether to capture him for Crouch or simply kill him.
Ogden. You promised Crouch he could have him.
Grindelwald. I'm reconsidering the deal. Potter has proved himself to be highly dangerous, and by all accounts has already withstood at least one attempt to turn him. Crouch should have more success bending Potter's sister and her twins to his will.
Ogden glances around nervously.
Ogden. Perhaps he's looking forward to the challenge, sir.
Grindelwald. There will be many challenges for him to face before the Ministry is reestablished. Let him save his talents and cunning for those. At any rate, he'll likely forget all about Potter once he has the sister. I expect our Auror Master's wants and desires will prove to be as erratic as his moods.
Ogden. I respectfully suggest, Admiral, that we still make every possible effort to take Potter alive, particularly since his death might induce Crouch to leave Upper Flagley and return to Horcrux.
Grindelwald. Interesting point, Captain. Interesting point, indeed. You're right, of course. By all means, we must keep him off Horcrux . . . at least until the work on the Rackharrow canisters is finished, and we have all the hinkypunks there we're going to need. [smiles] His reaction to what we're doing there might not be at all pleasant.
Ogden. Agreed, sir.
Grindelwald. Very well, Captain. I accede to your suggestion. It's time to be going. Prepare Nurmengard for lightspeed.
Ogden. Yes, sir. Direct route to the rendezvous point?
Grindelwald. We'll be making a short detour first. I want you to swing us around the region to the commercial out-vector near the broomship depot and drop some probes to watch for Potter's departure. Near-system and farther out. And who knows? Where Potter goes, the Ford Anglia often goes, as well.
Ogden. And then we'll have them all.
Exit all.
