Dear Reader,

I am so, so, SO sorry it has taken me this long to update. I have been extremely busy with band, school, getting my driver's license, extra-curriculars and homecoming. I promise I will try to update much more frequently, especially since there are only 2-3 more chapters left in this story. I hope you fans out there are still interested in this story and haven't abandoned it on my lack of responsibility. Please keep reading and reviewing, even if this chapter is not up to par! We're in the end and I promise to finish this story ASAP!

-LunarLitLover

Preview for Next Time: Artemis discovers Grindelwald's true identity

Recap: Albus has a plan to give the Ministry back to the right officials while still being just and not causing all-out war. He and Minerva are also hurting and at an impasse.

Chapter 28: The Fight to Right the Wrongs

Albus sighed and wiped his brow.

Despite herself, Minerva looked at him in concern. "Are you alright, uh – Professor? You should probably go sleep for a bit. You can go into that private office where Slughorn is and sleep too."

Sleep seemed to be reaching out for Albus even now; he swayed and closed his eyes briefly. But he opened them just as quickly and asked Minerva a question back. "And what will you do, Minerva? Get some sleep yourself? We have been working on our project for hours and hours without any rest to give us strength."

Minerva turned to look at the "project" and then back at Albus, who was still disguised as Grindelwald. The two were identical; the work of art was a life-sized replication of Grindelwald. The three wizards and Minerva had easily transfigured a statue to resemble Grindelwald, but had spent the last day and a half charming it with every spell imaginable to give it all the attributes of the real man. True, they had spent much time in manufacturing this fake Grindelwald, but he was essential to their plan of fixing the Ministry. Pity, though, that all of this hard work would be destroyed in less than a day's time.

The work had been time-consuming and complicated; all the available parties able were asked for help. Even so, it was a surprise that Slughorn joined in the fray to supply his talents for aid. From the beginning, he had not been as game on the plan as the rest of them, but the other three knew, even though they didn't say, that he would go along with it. Horace Slughorn might be stubborn, but Albus had been his friend for years. So Slughorn helped. And that's all there was to it.

But Slughorn, by his right, had eventually stopped working and rested. Even Riley, who had his own debts to repay, had gotten sleep. But Albus hadn't, and neither had Minerva. And she didn't plan to any time soon.

"No, Alb-Professor," Minerva replied, coming back to the present. "I'm not going to sleep right now. We're almost finished with the charming and I don't think I could sleep until I've seen this through."

Unexpectedly, Albus gripped Minerva by the shoulders and shook her fiercely. "Sleep, Minerva! Sleep! Please! I have done enough to you! Don't let me be the cause of your lost rest, as well."

Minerva pulled away and glared at Albus. "Don't worry about it," she spat coldly. "But I can't think you will too much. You've done a number of things worse than what you've done to me, and that hasn't stopped you. The thought of a girl losing a few hours of sleep certainly won't."

Albus looked down upon her slight comment, but took no more notice of it. "Minerva," he said, getting to the real issue, "You have no reason to abuse yourself to make this plan become a reality. You have done nothing wrong but trust a useless, unworthy man who betrayed you. And he is the one who should work himself to death in pursuit of an impossible goal. He is the one who should loose sleep in order to attempt to repair his follies. He, not you, Minerva, is the one guilty of crimes almost too unbearable to mention. And he is the one who will answer for them."

"And I'm sure he will," Minerva replied mockingly. "But I will also help finish this work; I will also contribute."

Albus sighed, knowing she would do whatever she wanted.

And Minerva turned back to the project and did just that.

---

The court-room door swung open unexpectedly. As Dumbledore stepped into the goblin and prisoner infested room, his footsteps echoed in the silence.

Artemis was the first to speak. "Vhat is this!" she screamed, jumping from her chair.

Grindelwald also rose to his feet but rather calmly.

Dumbledore inwardly smiled. The fake Grindelwald was obviously believable enough for the entire crowd; the plan was going well. He then outwardly smiled.

"I am here to put the Ministry back the right hands," Dumbledore replied firmly.

"Oh, really?" asked an angered Boric. "And who in Merlin's name are you?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

Even though the name meant nothing to any of them (except possibly a few captive lesser Ministry officials), a shudder seemed to go through the room. A cold draft blew the smirks off the faces of the goblins and a glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of the imprisoned.

The charmed Grindelwald stood. "I do not believe that your efforts will make any difference, Dumbledore, is it? But if you are certain you want to fight for this cause, I will appease you." He pulled out his wand. "To the death."

Dumbledore nodded. "So be it."

"Vhat! Grindelvald! This is ridiculous! Vhy are you even considering a duel? He just valks in here and says he vants to take the Ministry back and you ask no questions, you simply say you vill duel!" Artemis protested, practically throwing herself in front of an advancing Grindelwald.

"Artemis," the fake semi-whispered back. "I will take care of him in one swipe."

"But what if it's a trick?" Boris intervened. "He could have allies waiting to take you down, Grindelwald."

"I think not. But it doesn't matter. We will duel one on one in this room. No one will enter. And I will win. I am Grindelwald. You should have faith in me; after all, without my leadership we wouldn't even be sitting in this room of the Ministry's basement."

Without waiting for a reply, Grindelwald swept past the two goblins and took up a fighting stance in front of Dumbledore. With on last hardened look, the fake commanded, "Draw."

Curses and hexes began flying around the room, bouncing off walls and destroying furniture. The goblins and their captives, in fear of being hit, dashed behind one of the courtroom's stone walls. They, however, could not bear to miss the fight, so they stuck their heads out from behind their shield, only drawing in when a spell headed their way.

All of Grindelwald's curses were either repelled by Dumbledore or missed their mark completely. Conveniently, Dumbledore's often missed the mark, as well, but when they hit it was always at the same locations. The center chest, and the legs were the locations where spells seemed to converge, and these areas were remarkably hard enough to allow the spells to bounce off with a light twanging sound. However, everyone was so caught up in the action that these subtleties were lost on them; no one heard the noises – except Dumbledore, that is.

The whole thing was astonishingly convenient. The two wizards seemed equally matched, although that was due to both acting and engineering. They also had the same dueling style, a fact which Dumbledore himself hadn't realized until that moment. Yet no one else noticed at all.

Finally, it was time; the duel had run his course. With a small, unnoticed swish of his wand, Dumbledore immobilized the Grindelwald model. Then with another quick slash of the wand, a silent spell flew at Grindelwald's head.

And then Grindelwald exploded into a million pieces.