This was welcome news for Erwin. At least it wouldn't drag on forever. His original plan had been to chip away at the Yaxleys gradually, but with so many wizards now at his command, he could strike decisively.
Just as Erwin prepared to lead the charge toward the Yaxley shop, more swirls of Apparition filled the air. Moments later, they cleared, revealing Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson's father—the current Parkinson patriarch—stepping into view. A sizable entourage trailed them: thirty or forty wizards by rough count.
Lucius strode forward with a grin. "Erwin, such a grand operation, and you didn't even invite me? Last time you wrote, I figured we'd dropped the formalities!"
Erwin met his gaze steadily. "This is a pure-blood feud, Mr. Malfoy. Surely it's not your place to get involved?"
Lucius chuckled. "Not anymore. The Malfoys and Parkinsons just declared a joint pure-blood war on the Yaxleys!"
Erwin blinked in surprise. "That's allowed?"
"Theoretically, yes," Lucius replied. "Though no one's ever tried it."
Erwin paused, weighing his options. Lucius's reliability was questionable at best. But then Snape leaned in from nearby. "You can trust the Malfoys, Erwin. Your father's bond with Lucius runs deeper than you know."
That settled it. Snape's word carried weight. "In that case, thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Erwin said.
"Call me Uncle," Lucius insisted.
After a beat, Erwin nodded. "Uncle Lucius, then."
Lucius beamed. "And this is your Aunt Narcissa—your mother's dearest friend. Not sisters by blood, but closer than if they were."
Narcissa's eyes welled up as she regarded Erwin. "Poor child, you've been through so much. It's all my fault. If I'd known you'd enter our world, I never would have respected your mother's wishes and stayed away. It must have been hell."
Erwin offered a reassuring smile. "Not at all, Aunt Narcissa. My path's been smooth enough." He left out the near-death scrapes; relatively speaking, it had been.
His attention shifted to Pansy's father, who raised a hand preemptively. "Don't expect my undying loyalty. Pansy swore hers publicly, and she's my only child—no choice there. But the Parkinsons won't fully back you... not yet, anyway."
Erwin nodded, unfazed. "Your support means a lot regardless, Mr. Parkinson. Shall we?"
Inside the Yaxley shop, panic gripped the defenders. Diagon Alley wasn't vast; a force of nearly a hundred wizards was impossible to miss. Even Ollivander's nearby had shuttered its doors.
"What now? We run, or we're done for!"
"Rubbish—if we flee, the family will finish us anyway."
"Fine, but sitting here means they slaughter us outright. The Ministry stays out of pure-blood wars, long as no bystanders get hurt."
"We hold the line. Reinforcements are coming!"
"Right—stall until they arrive. Set up defenses!"
With grim resolve, they pointed their wands skyward. "Protego Totalum!"
A shimmering blue dome materialized, sealing the shop tight. Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they lowered their arms.
"That should hold."
"Layered like that? Unless their magic dwarfs ours or they hit with something catastrophic, we're safe for a bit. Long enough for backup."
"Good—I'm drained dry. Can't even manage a Lumos."
Outside, Erwin's group halted before the shop. Wands drawn, Lucius and the others awaited his signal.
Erwin held up a hand. "Not yet. Let's start with a bang."
He hadn't forgotten his goal: to showcase the Selwyn family's might. This fight was about sending a message.
Puzzled glances rippled through the ranks—what did he mean?
Spotting a fuse snaking from the shop's base, half-buried but obvious, Erwin flicked his wand. A spark leaped forth, igniting it. The fuse hissed to life, racing toward its mark.
Through the window, the Yaxleys peered out. "What's their game? Why the holdup?"
"Beats me—some trick, probably."
Then came the roar. Flames erupted in a thunderous blast, swallowing the shop whole. Diagon Alley quaked.
The wizards recoiled in shock. "What in Merlin's name?"
"That's no spell—pure destruction!"
"Looks Muggle-made. I've heard of these... bombs?"
"Muggles with that kind of firepower?"
Lucius's eyes narrowed. Note to self: research Muggle tech later.
Erwin watched impassively. Child's play, really. Imagine aerial barrages via Floo Network Express, mate—they'd scatter you to the winds.
With another flick, he reined in the blaze, containing it. The shop crumbled to smoldering ruins, smoke curling away to reveal the intact blue barrier beneath.
"Protego Totalum?" Erwin muttered.
He knew it well—not some arcane secret, but basic Hogwarts fare. Any alumnus could conjure one for laughs. The scale was the trick: shielding a castle like Hogwarts demanded godlike reserves, the stuff of legends. Dumbledore might've managed it, but even Erwin doubted his own limits. As long as the old headmaster lived, Hogwarts stood untouchable.
...
...
Bonus chapter progress:
Power Stones: [11]/100
5 Star Reviews: [6]/10
Every stone gets us closer.