Chapter 11: Grindelwald's Triumph

Jacob Brown could see the British aurors regroup a few feet to his right. He watched as one of them sent shockwaves through the army and the British went running away from the school. "Figures," he thought, but then he saw them turn around, get behind some of the barricades and attack the back of the army. The army of inferi obliged and several of them turned around to deal with the new threat behind them. The Americans left behind where the British had been suddenly began to push the divided army back. "Brilliant," Brown thought. But he had no way to get behind the army.

At that moment a group of twenty students from Laveau, led by their headmaster, emerged from the woods opposite the British. Brown wasted no time, moving the people around him to charge the army just as the Laveau students attacked the back. It worked, the army began to wilt. Then the woods erupted in white hot flame.

"What did that?" screamed Secretary Zimmerman, who was standing next to Brown.

"No idea," he replied as a stunning spell flew past his head, "but I don't think it's good for us."

"We need to finish this soon, we can't win a long battle," she said.

Brown nodded and bit his lip. He stood up and screamed, "Avada Kedavra!" A jet of green light erupted from his wand, striking an inferus in what was left of the front lines. It was the cue the Americans had been waiting for as they all began to send killing curses into the undead forces.

Brown took a glance at the Laveau forces and noticed Headmaster Rodriguez and three other students locked in a duel with a tall, pale man in dark robes. The four Americans were sending spells at amazing speed, but the man was blocking them as if he was swatting flies, still finding time to send spells at Brown's forces.

Brown was brought back to his own fight by a killing curse which missed him by inches. Two inferi stepped up and challenged Brown. Brown blocked and evaded their spells easily for a few minutes until he found a weakness. Then he struck, killing one on the first try. The other blocked Brown's first attempt, but fell off balance and Brown killed him on the second attempt. He turned back to the pale man. Only Rodriguez was left, and he seemed to be flailing trying to get away. Rodriguez lost his balance. The man saw his chance and struck with lightning speed, sending Rodriguez flying into the fiery woods. The man turned and smiled at Brown.

"Inside, get inside," Brown ordered, and his forces obeyed, following him into one of the small buildings. They entered what appeared to be a dorm lobby and they quickly moved the furniture creating defensive positions. They could hear the inferi trying to get in the magically sealed door, but Brown was confident in his locking spells. "You went to Marshall right?" he said, calling Zimmerman over.

"Yes," she said.

"What protection do the buildings have?" Brown asked.

"Several anti-jinx spells. But they're just designed to keep the students from spying or killing each other. They're not designed to ward off an army," she said as the wall exploded, revealing the pale man, wand extended and several inferi ready to attack behind him.

"I got the skinny guy," Brown said.

"Grindelwald?" Zimmerman said. Brown looked at her suspiciously. "World History class," Zimmerman said and went off to lead the defenders on the other side of the room.

Brown took a deep breath, stood up and yelled, "Stupefy!" A red jet of light shot from his wand toward Grindelwald who casually batted it away with his wand. He sent his own stunning spell in response, which Brown evaded.

The duel was unlike anything Jacob Brown had ever experienced. Grindelwald was quicker than him; Jacob was only able to survive by using his fencing instincts to ensure that his body was able to move as quickly as Grindelwald could fire off a new spell. But it seemed like Grindelwald was able to move faster and faster as the duel moved on, almost like he was playing with Jacob.

Jacob blocked spell after spell, many of them not even recognizable, unable to get his own shots in. A couple of American wizards joined him and fought. Jacob was able to get a few stunning spells off while they distracted Grindelwald, but they were no match. "Stupefy!" Jacob yelled as Grindelwald sent a killing curse at the wizard on his right. Jacob could tell that he had caught Grindelwald off guard, but Grindelwald's wand seemed to defend for him, moving on its own and sending Jacob's spell back at the wizard on his left.

Alone again, Jacob backed away slowly, blocking spell after spell from Grindelwald, whose focus seemed to increase after the near miss. Several times he was backed into a table or a fallen witch or wizard, but his fencing instincts kept him on balance. He had seen what happened if he lost his balance against this wizard. But he couldn't find a weakness, a point to attack or exploit. Every time he thought he had found one, the wand seemed to know it and block the spot for Grindelwald. The wand almost had a mind of its own.

Jacob remembered Harry's words: "The second most feared dark wizard in European history was Gellert Grindelwald. He believed in the Deathly Hallows and sought to find them all. He found the Elder Wand..." The Elder Wand, great. Jacob decided to try an offensive, blocking the latest spell and then sending every spell he could think of at Grindelwald. There was no particular order, rhyme or reason; he just sent the next spell which popped into his head. Grindelwald began to back up, surprised by the sudden change of style. Jacob screamed, "Avada Kedavra!" An emerald jet lashed out from his wand directly at Grindelwald, but he waved his wand at it. As the spell hit his wand, it deflected, almost like it had hit a wall and slammed into an inferus fighting next to Grindelwald. At the same time, Jacob felt a table leg slam into the back of his knees and he felt himself beginning to fall.

Time slowed down as he fell backward. He lost grip on his wand and it flew from his hand as he hit the floor, feeling something break in the process. Grindelwald appeared standing on top of him, studying him. Jacob tried to kick Grindelwald, but he couldn't move his legs. Slowly, Grindelwald raised his wand and said "Good bye, Jacob Brown. Avada Kedavra!" A bright green jet of light slammed into Jacob's chest, a roar louder than a jet plane rushed through his body and then everything went dark and silent.

Albus Potter emerged with his father and friends to utter chaos. The advancing army which he had seen last on the hillside was completely unorganized and seemingly fighting against itself. Harry spotted Ginny and Teddy Lupin fighting six inferi about a hundred yards to his right. "Stupefy!" he said, rushing off to join the fight.

"Where do you want to go?" Hugo said.

"We should have brought Scorpius," John said.

"There wasn't time. You were with me when I had the dream, he wasn't," Albus replied.

"There," Ashley said, pointing to a small group of American wizards struggling against a group of inferi about twice as large.

"Good idea," Albus said rushing to join the fight.

The Americans welcomed their help and were able to easily push back the surprised inferi in a matter of minutes. Harry, Ginny and the other British aurors came up as they were finishing the last one off.

"Well done," Harry said.

"The battle is not over yet," one of the Americans said.

"You can say that again," Albus said.

Just then, one of the small buildings across the campus exploded, sending bricks and wizards everywhere. The screams of American witches and wizards filled the air as they were sent running from the rubble. But the air was soon filled with the chilling voice of Grindelwald which seemed to come from the woods and bricks themselves. "Jacob Brown is dead, the school is ours. Give it up, you cannot win," he said.

Silence followed until a new voice came through the same way that Grindelwald's did. "This is Vice President Cannon ordering a retreat. We need to regroup. Repeat, this is Vice President Cannon ordering a retreat, all Americans leave now."

Albus turned to Harry who nodded his head. "Meet us in Philadelphia," he said and turned to run through the now smoldering trees, Albus and the others right behind him.