- In Marvel: I Start by Marrying Scarlett Witch [Complete]
- MWM Chapter 103
Seeing Picquery approaching with more wizards, Grindelwald couldn’t help but frown.
Tom Fawley’s attacks couldn’t harm him, but they were incredibly troublesome. If this continued, once everyone joined in the assault, he would be forced to use more destructive spells like the Fiendfyre Curse, which would require him to kill indiscriminately.
If it came to that, the entire Magical Congress building might be destroyed, and thousands of wizards could die by his hand. If that were to happen, his cause would be severely compromised. Instead of being seen as a revolutionary, he would be branded as a mass murderer.
He could kill Muggles in large numbers, but he absolutely couldn’t do the same to wizards.
While Grindelwald was momentarily distracted, Leo noticed an opening and signaled to Newt. Newt immediately released the Swooping Evil that he had been hiding in his hand.
“Smoke Spell,” Leo muttered, as he continued to hurl spears with his left hand, and swapped his right hand’s Stupefy spells for Smoke Spells.
Thick smoke rose around Grindelwald, instantly obscuring his vision. The Swooping Evil, seizing the opportunity, launched itself from Newt’s hand and charged toward Grindelwald from above.
In the midst of the smoke, Grindelwald raised his wand, but then lowered it again. He detected the Swooping Evil’s attack but chose not to defend against it. At this point, even if he repelled the Swooping Evil, he couldn’t leave the building without fighting a large group of wizards, and he couldn’t afford to kill them.
Instead, he decided to feign capture, which would lower their guard and give him an opportunity to discredit the Magical Congress when he eventually escaped. After all, breaking out of prison wasn’t particularly difficult for him.
The Swooping Evil wrapped itself tightly around Grindelwald, binding his hands and pulling them close to his body. Its tail whipped back to Newt, who grabbed it and yanked, causing Grindelwald’s wand to fall to the ground.
“Accio wand!” Tina immediately cast the Summoning Charm, pulling Grindelwald’s wand into her hand.
Leo glanced at the wand and noticed that it wasn’t the Elder Wand, the one he had been expecting.
As the smoke cleared and Picquery, along with the representatives of the International Confederation of Wizards and a large group of wizards, arrived, they found Grindelwald successfully subdued by Leo, Newt, and Tina.
“Mr. Fawley, Mr. Scamander, and Miss Goldstein, you’ve stopped Grindelwald’s terrorist attack. Thank you!” Picquery breathed a long sigh of relief and expressed her sincere gratitude to the three of them.
Had it not been for their efforts, Grindelwald’s attack would have exposed the American magical community to the Muggles, especially after the recent murder of a Muggle senator. Such exposure would likely have led to an all-out war between wizards and Muggles, making Picquery the most disgraced and unsuccessful President in American wizarding history.
So now, she was truly grateful to the three of them.
The representatives from the Confederation and the large group of Congress wizards, besides feeling relieved, were also astonished by the trio’s strength. After all, this was Grindelwald, the most terrifying dark wizard, who had always dominated in battle and had just effortlessly taken down over twenty of the Congress’s elite Aurors.
“Take Mr. Grindelwald down to the deepest cell in the prison and keep him in solitary confinement,” Picquery ordered.
The Aurors cautiously placed special enchanted shackles on Grindelwald, which were designed to suppress magical abilities.
Grindelwald glanced back at the three of them, fixing his gaze on Leo. “You three did well, especially you.”
If not for Leo’s interference, he would have easily defeated Tina and Newt and left the building.
“Mr. Grindelwald, you will be imprisoned by our Congress for numerous unforgivable crimes until the International Confederation of Wizards conducts your final trial,” Picquery said sternly, stepping in front of Grindelwald.
With Grindelwald’s capture by the American Magical Congress, she had at least partially salvaged her reputation after today’s events.
Grindelwald looked at Picquery with a slight sneer. “Do you really think you can hold me?”
“We will do our utmost, Mr. Grindelwald,” Picquery replied, signaling for the Aurors to take him away.
With the situation resolved, the Aurors began treating the wizards injured by Grindelwald, and Picquery, along with the representatives from the Confederation, invited Leo, Newt, and Tina back to recount the entire incident in detail.
The misunderstanding was cleared up, and the charges against Newt and Tina were dropped. Picquery granted Newt permission to return the Thunderbird to its homeland, but because of the number and danger of the magical creatures in his suitcase, he was required to leave the United States as soon as possible.
Tina was reinstated to her previous department and promoted to Head of the Auror Office.
As for Leo, the American Magical Congress would award him the Medal of Heroic Wizardry, and whenever he visited the United States, he would be treated as a VIP, with access to magical items like Portkeys at no charge.
The attacks on the Muggle senator and the Muggle residences were undoubtedly Grindelwald’s doing, intended to incite a war between the American magical community and the Muggles—a testament to his wickedness.
“I’m going back to Magical Street to rest now. Today was way too intense!”
Back at the entrance of the hall, with everything restored to order, Leo returned the Niffler to Newt and waved goodbye for the time being.
Newt still needed to find the missing Occamy and Demiguise, and with Tina now leading the Aurors, Leo’s presence was no longer necessary. Besides, he had his own tasks to attend to.
Of course, Newt and Tina were both deeply grateful to Leo. Had it not been for him, they would likely still be locked up in prison, possibly facing interrogation by Grindelwald disguised as the Head of Magical Security, with who knows what kind of outcome.
“Apparate!”
After leaving the American Magical Congress building, Leo didn’t return to Magical Street as he had said. Instead, he Apparated directly to a dimly lit church.
What was he planning to do? Of course, he intended to take Credence with him.
Grindelwald had come to New York to find the Obscurial, so even though he had been captured, he wouldn’t have revealed the Obscurial’s existence to the Congress’s wizards.
Moreover, Grindelwald still believed that the Obscurial was a child under ten years old living in the orphanage, and had planned to have Credence help him find it. So, if Leo took Credence away, Grindelwald wouldn’t care when he eventually escaped.
This way, Leo would gain an ally whose power was second only to Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
“Transformation!”
Before entering the church, Leo once again transformed into the likeness of Percival Graves.
Credence trusted Percival Graves, the man who had promised to bring him into the wizarding world and teach him magic. Now that Grindelwald was captured, Leo could take on the role of Percival.
And unlike Grindelwald, who had only been deceiving him, Leo genuinely intended to bring Credence into the wizarding world and teach him magic.