Erwin stared intently at Grindelwald.
Then he nodded slowly. "Of course. As you wish."
With no further warning, Erwin's wrist flicked, and a spell shot directly toward Grindelwald.
Grindelwald merely twitched his wand, deflecting the curse effortlessly. Erwin wasn't surprised—Grindelwald was formidable, and even a casual block from him was expected. The moment Erwin's attack missed, he vanished, Apparating away from his original position.
Sure enough, an instant later, a spell impacted the spot where he'd been standing, scorching the grass black.
Grindelwald chuckled. "Your reflexes are commendable, young man."
Erwin reappeared in a swirl of displaced air and immediately returned fire. His wand traced a sharp line through space, the spell hurtling toward where Grindelwald stood. But Erwin didn't celebrate. The figure dissolved into mist—an afterimage. Grindelwald had Apparated so quickly he'd left a phantom behind.
The Hogwarts professors were now permitted to Apparate on the grounds—a courtesy Erwin had extended, unlike Dumbledore's cautious restrictions. For Erwin, mobility in defense was a necessity.
"Your Excellency's reflexes match my own," Erwin remarked, spinning around. His amethyst wand sliced through the air, sending a curse soaring upward to detonate mid-flight. "Your attack was ruthless. Had I been a fraction slower, it would have been decisive."
Grindelwald's true form materialized nearby. "You reacted, didn't you? That is why you are Erwin."
He gave a languid wave of his wand. "It's been a long time since I've unleashed my full power."
He glanced upward at Dumbledore hovering above. "The protective barriers are yours to maintain, Albus."
Without waiting for a reply, blue magic erupted around Grindelwald like an inferno. He held his wand with the grace of a maestro conducting an orchestra. With each precise flick, blue flames fell to the ground, rising into a towering wall of fire. A forceful sweep later, and five spectral dragons burst from the blaze, their wings beating searing waves of heat against the earth.
Dumbledore descended immediately, the Elder Wand flashing as he cast a wide protective shield over the students and surrounding buildings.
Erwin looked up, unimpressed. Fire again. Whether it was Dumbledore or Grindelwald, their specialty was flame.
The crowd of young wizards gasped collectively.
Is this the Defense teacher's true power?
Can Erwin stop this?
Erwin's expression remained utterly calm, his eyes tracking the five descending dragons as if they were mere sparrows rather than apocalyptic constructs of magical fire.
Sunny Finch, watching from a tower window, realized the raw power on display exceeded even the advanced spells demonstrated at her school back East. Western magic has considerable merit, she thought, her gaze fixed on Erwin. She had a strong suspicion he hadn't used his full strength during their previous duel, and she was determined to gauge the true gap between them.
The lead dragon roared, opening a maw of condensed flame that glowed white-hot.
Erwin stepped forward deliberately, drawing the beasts' attention. They waited, poised, for Grindelwald's command to incinerate him.
Grindelwald raised his arm, his wand pointing directly at Erwin.
"Go."
Five torrents of dragonfire converged on Erwin's position, the heat so intense it warped the air itself.
The timid students covered their eyes, but those who knew Erwin—and the seasoned professors—watched closely. They wanted to see how he would counter this.
Just as the flames were about to engulf him, Erwin raised his wand. It moved like a conductor's baton, tracing a sharp, elegant arc through the air.
The temperature plummeted. The air grew suddenly heavy and humid, thick with moisture.
"Look!" a sharp-eyed student cried, pointing toward the Black Lake.
Everyone turned.
A massive column of water surged upward from the lake's depths, twisting and coiling into the shape of a serpentine dragon. It surged across the grounds with tremendous speed, racing to intercept the fire.
The water dragon collided with the wall of flame.
Steam erupted in a massive cloud, thick and blinding, hissing loudly as the opposing elements clashed violently.
Grindelwald watched, genuinely intrigued. "Erwin, what is this? Did you conjure this entirely yourself?"
"It's a fusion," Erwin explained, his voice carrying clearly despite the chaos. "I combined water manipulation techniques from Eastern magic with Western conjuration principles. This is actually the first time I've cast it."
Grindelwald nodded, his excitement palpable. "You constantly surprise me. But relying on this alone won't be enough. You know my fire isn't so easily quenched."