Harry stood there, the cold wind biting against his face, reddening his pale skin. He watched Krafft, who remained completely composed. He didn't look scared, nor did he appear overconfident; it seemed like Harry was just any other enemy to him. The magic inside the man was steady as it swirled within him, very... orderly. In fact, Harry hadn't seen such calm magic before—not even in his professors at Hogwarts, nor in the Delacours. Magic was volatile by its very nature; it needed to be to change its form so easily. To see such calm and orderly magic meant Krafft must have great control.
Still, that wasn't an advantage. There was no one on this planet who could match Harry in controlling magic—the Six Eyes wasn't something that could be matched in skill.
However, Harry still had to be careful. He had no idea what the man's innate technique might be, but considering Krafft was one of Grindelwald's Acolytes, it wasn't likely to be weak. Harry's magic was strong, but it wasn't well-suited for one-on-one duels, especially considering Krafft had just sent his King's summon, Taurus, flying into the city. The problem with Harry's innate technique was that accumulated damage took time to heal, and the worse the injury, the longer the recovery. He needed to be cautious in using his summons. He'd need Aries ready in case Krafft opened his domain—if he could, which seemed likely. Louis had told him about Simple Domains, but Harry hadn't had a chance to learn it yet. 'Just something else to add to the list,' Harry thought.
Though Harry was at a disadvantage in skill and experience, he had the Philosopher's Stone. When it came to power, nothing compared. The Stone practically gave him an unlimited amount of magic, though he'd prefer to keep it a secret for now. He'd need every advantage when he eventually faced Grindelwald.
"I'll give you one last chance to throw down your wand and join Lord Grindelwald. Cease this foolishness—a powerful wizard such as yourself should see that there is no future outside his rule," Krafft said, as if scolding a small boy.
"Grindelwald lost his future the moment he made an enemy of me," Harry replied coldly, his blue eyes piercing into Krafft.
"Very well..." the man replied.
The atmosphere seemed to shift, growing tense. Magic filled the air like the ozone before a thunderstorm, as if lightning could strike at any moment. Both wizards tightened their grips on their wands. Antoine and the others had gathered at the edges to watch. It was rare for an Acolyte to reveal himself—they usually didn't need to unless a particularly strong wizard was present. Right now, they were about to witness a duel between two powerful magic users. The tension continued to build, growing almost unbearable, and then, in a flash, it released.
The tension snapped as both wizards threw their wands up, jets of red and purple light clashing together. Their magic strained against one another, bolts of magical lightning crackling across the ground. Both wizards strained as they moved across the ruined earth. Harry poured more magic through his wand, yet he wasn't winning the clash. Krafft seemed to hold his own. This confused Harry—Krafft couldn't possibly match him in raw magical power. So how was he able to keep up?
Their beams continued to spit bolts of red and purple lightning, striking the buildings and the ground around them. Krafft bared his teeth as he pushed the beam forward, forcing Harry to slide back through the dirt. He was about to lose. Harry drew his wand back, ending the clash, and transformed his beam into a whip, which he arced around and slashed toward Krafft.
The Acolyte swiped his wand, batting the whip away before thrusting his wand forward, sending a blood-boiling curse. Harry ducked under it, but immediately had to shield himself from another deadly curse. He realized that he'd gotten lucky with Abernathy the first time around—the man had preferred hand-to-hand combat. But Krafft was firing off at least three spells every second. Harry was struggling.
Krafft unleashed a barrage of spells. He was an expert in the Dark Arts and a prodigy at Charms. For him, casting like this was as easy as breathing. He observed Harry critically—so much wasted movement, the way he held his wand, his stance. Despite Harry's power, he lacked skill. For every ten spells Krafft sent his way, Harry could only fire back two. Soon, Krafft's spells started slipping through. He hit Harry with an entrail-expelling curse, followed by a blasting hex that sent Harry crashing through a building. Krafft raised his wand and pointed it downward. With a gesture, the building collapsed on top of Harry.
Krafft sighed. Grindelwald didn't want the boy dead, but if Harry refused to join them, there was little choice. Left unchecked, the boy could grow into a dangerous enemy—one who might stand against Grindelwald himself.
Krafft took a step forward, but stopped. Something was wrong. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he stared at the collapsed building.
Bzzt.
There. He saw it—a red spark dancing across the rubble. His eyes widened just before the rubble exploded outward into pillars, which transfigured into spikes. Krafft pointed his wand at the incoming attack. "Sonus Pulsus!" he shouted, and a high-pitched shockwave burst from his wand, shattering the stone. He conjured a shield to protect himself from the debris.
After the dust settled, he looked ahead to see Harry, uninjured. "Something is wrong... is he using light magic? No, that's too advanced," Krafft muttered to himself. Though he wasn't allowed time to think any further, as Harry started firing spells at him at an even faster rate. Krafft batted them away and shielded against the rest.
Harry was furious. Being forced to use the Philosopher's Stone so early had greatly annoyed him. He wouldn't hold back any longer—he'd finish this fight. He fired off a series of stunners and disarming charms, knowing they were fast. While he did this, he transfigured the rubble into snakes with his free hand. He hissed at them to attack, and they obeyed. He would overwhelm Krafft.
Krafft continued to deflect the spells, then fired his own chain, expecting to push Harry back. But it didn't work. Something was wrong.
'Why is he faster now?' Krafft thought to himself. The answer came to him as he stared into Harry's crystal blue eyes. He saw a small smile form on Harry's face.
The Six Eyes saw everything.
With every spell Krafft fired, Harry learned. The more Harry learned, the more he fired back, until they were now casting spells at a pace that the French wizards watching could hardly believe. Harry fired off three spells, then rushed to the left. Krafft returned fire with his own chain before launching a Bombarda at the building next to Harry. But Harry did something unexpected—he Apparated. With a crack, he was gone. Krafft's instincts kicked in, and he ducked under a piercing curse, returning fire as Harry reappeared.
Apparating was one of the abilities Harry couldn't copy. Intent-based magic like that required practice and learning. Half-apparating could cost him body parts, but thanks to a certain French witch, he'd learned the skill well enough.
Harry whipped his wand, conjuring a torrent of fire, which Krafft blocked with Aguamenti, creating a cloud of steam. Krafft Apparated behind Harry, but Harry had anticipated it. He fired a bolt of lightning that shattered Krafft's hastily conjured shield.
The two wizards clashed, Apparating around the battlefield, each trying to outmaneuver the other. But Harry's adaptability, combined with the Philosopher's Stone, began to turn the tide.
Eventually, Harry's relentless assault wore Krafft down. Harry leaped toward him, firing a bolt of lightning, which Krafft barely shielded. As Harry closed in, Krafft countered with a blasting hex, hitting Harry squarely. Harry twisted midair, using his momentum to cast an altered version of Incarcerous, ropes wrapping around Krafft and pulling him toward Harry.
With a crack, Harry Apparated almost on top of Krafft, his fist connecting with Krafft's chin before Krafft Apparated them both onto a slanted building. They slid down the roof, Harry kicking Krafft, making him shout in pain. Krafft tapped his wand against the tiles, transfiguring them into rats that swarmed Harry. Harry shoved them off before jumping off the edge, lightning crackling around him as he shifted into his Animagus form. With a loud eagle cry, he dived at Krafft with his talons outstretched, but Krafft sent a burst of raw magic into Harry's side, pushing him away.
Harry hit the ground rolling, then shifted back into his human form, landing on top of Krafft. Krafft raised his wand, but Harry was faster. He fired a spell that slammed into Krafft's side, ripping the skin off his body.
Krafft stifled a groan, but remained clear-minded enough to swing his wand and send a shockwave that forced Harry back. Harry slid to a stop, remaining on his feet, pacing in a circle around Krafft, who stood up.
'I miscalculated... the boy isn't just a strong wizard. He's a monster,' Krafft thought. 'I made a mistake taking it easy on him... I've lost my chance to beat him easily. I'll have to use my Magic Technique.'
Harry sparked red as he pressed his hand against the ground. Krafft's eyes widened as he flooded his body with magic and sprinted backward. The ground erupted into spikes and stone vines, reaching for Krafft, who Apparated further up into the air.
Harry kept feeding more power into the earth, transfiguring it faster than he ever had before. But when he saw Krafft Apparate, something shifted. Harry felt a shimmer pulse through the air, and moments later, all the stone structures shattered. Then Krafft pointed his wand at Harry, and Harry felt pain explode through his body. His lungs felt like they'd burst; blood filled his throat and mouth, and he realized they had ruptured.
'What did he do?' Harry thought. Another shimmer through the air, and suddenly the shattered stones and debris flew toward him at tremendous speed. Harry tried to Apparate, but he couldn't concentrate—he couldn't breathe. He tried inhaling, but his lungs were destroyed.
Harry could only shield himself as everything smashed into him, breaking every bone in his body, tearing his arm from its socket, and crushing the left side of his head. Buried under the rubble, red sparks continued to build up, and his body reformed, snapping back together. He released a shockwave, pushing all the rubble away.
"You heal as though you've mastered magic reversal, but you're too young to have done so... tell me how you're doing this," Krafft said as he landed slowly, using his wand to control his descent.
Harry looked at him with pure malice. He had been completely beaten. Krafft had overwhelmed him with his skill and experience, as well as whatever ability he was hiding. If not for the Stone, Harry would be dead. "I can do more than just heal," Harry shouted, pressing his hand to the ground. The earth shook, and dozens of humanoid rock figures rose from the ground, shifting until they were identical copies of Harry.
With a crack, Harry Apparated from the spot. The clones charged. They couldn't perform wandless magic, but each held a small reserve of power, making them far more advanced than regular golems. Krafft began firing spells, breaking them apart, though they proved harder to defeat than expected. They were able to enhance themselves with magic, dodging his spells. Krafft Apparated to the roof of a building, summoning a ball of lightning. The air shimmered as he compressed the lightning from the size of a basketball to that of a golf ball. "Fulminos Obliterarte!" The ball of lightning slammed into the ground, exploding outward and destroying over twenty golems.
While Krafft fought, Harry watched him. He saw Krafft's spells compressing to a fraction of their original size. Harry cursed himself. 'It took me way too long to realize what his magic technique was.'
'The bastard can manipulate pressure,' Harry deduced. 'He must have reduced the pressure around me to near zero, creating a vacuum that dragged everything to the center. And now he's increasing the pressure on his spells, forcing more magic into smaller space.'
Harry created another golem, pouring far more magic into this one. He fashioned a replica of his wand, handing it to the golem, then Apparated down to the battlefield, where Krafft had just defeated the last golem.
Without hesitation, Krafft created a high-pressure bubble around Harry. Harry slowed down, his body straining under the force. His nose and ears began to bleed, but they healed when Harry tapped into the Stone's power. He raised his wand and fired a stream of lightning, forcing Krafft to release the bubble and create a vacuum around himself, which dissipated the lightning. Harry tried again with another spell, but it was forced apart by the vacuum.
Switching tactics, Harry banished rubble toward Krafft, transfiguring it into daggers. The vacuum didn't affect them, forcing Krafft to dodge, though the knives did manage to cut him. Harry had now seen twice that creating low or high-pressure zones affected Krafft's movement, likely because he had to keep the Earth's atmosphere from interfering.
Krafft stopped trying to catch Harry in a high-pressure dome and instead began firing explosive spells, enhanced by his magic technique. Harry moved through them, slashing his wand sideways, summoning a wall as he ran, cutting off Krafft's line of sight. Krafft retaliated with a massive explosion that leveled the entire area, forcing Antoine and the others to shield themselves.
Krafft sliced his wand, blowing away the smoke. He saw nothing—no body, no sign of Harry. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to hope that he had finally beaten the boy.
SMASH
Harry erupted from the ground, having used transfiguration to burrow underground. His fist connected with Krafft's jaw, knocking him senseless. He followed up with a knee to the stomach, knocking the wind out of Krafft. Harry pointed his wand at the back of Krafft's head, ready to cast the final spell and end it, but Krafft smirked. The spell fired but dissipated as Krafft formed a vacuum around the back of his neck. At the same time, Krafft had dropped his wand and clasped his hands together tightly.
"Domain Expansion: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."
A sphere enveloped them. "I have to admit, boy, you did well to force me to activate my domain. I never thought I'd have to," Krafft said, gazing at Harry. The domain around them was strange—the ground was sand, and the walls were a dark, foggy blue. It felt as though they were on the sea floor. "This is my domain. In here, the pressure is as high as the Mariana Trench. Once I allow it, you'll be crushed into paste," Krafft said. Harry said nothing, merely gazing back at him.
"Out of respect for your power, I'll give you one final opportunity to join us. Something I rarely offer," Krafft said, looking into Harry's eyes. "Take a moment to consider. Don't be hasty."
Krafft waited for Harry to answer, but Harry remained silent, just staring at him. Krafft felt a sense of frustration. He didn't like failure, and failing his master most of all. But he could do no more. "So be it," Krafft said before his domain took effect.
However, instead of being crushed, Harry stood there for a moment, unharmed, before his body shattered, turning to stone. Krafft's eyes widened as he heard an explosion, followed by the sound of shattering as his domain crumbled. On the outside of his domain stood Harry, his wand pointed directly at Krafft.
"How?" Krafft asked in a low tone.
Harry smirked at him, despite the dried blood soaking his face. "I knew you were trying to lure me in by making my long-range spells ineffective. You wanted to spring your domain on me," Harry said. "I switched places with a golem I made earlier. Not an elaborate plan, but you were getting desperate, so I thought it might work."
Krafft snickered. Being brought low by a child didn't feel good, no matter how powerful that child was. But he had to face the fact that he had lost. His magic technique was burnt out from using his domain, and his wand wasn't in his hand. By the time he reached it, he'd be dead.
"You've shown me a lot..." Harry said, pulling his blindfold over his eyes. His eyes felt raw—he hadn't used them to such a degree in quite some time. "It seems laughable how bad my technique was compared to yours. But now, you've shown me the way. I'll make sure Grindelwald knows it was you," Harry added, wanting Krafft to feel the sting of failure, the feeling of helplessness.
Krafft felt his composure crack at Harry's words, and he immediately rushed toward his wand. But the spell had already left Harry's lips. It was one of the darker curses he'd learned from the Delacour library—slow, easily blocked in normal circumstances, but perfect now. It hit Krafft, and he stopped dead in his tracks. His skin immediately went pale—so pale, he looked like a corpse. He stumbled forward, his mouth opening and closing as his body twitched uncontrollably. Eventually, he collapsed, still trying to reach his wand.
Harry had hit him with a blood-vanishing curse. As the name suggested, the blood vanished from Krafft's body, leaving him in agony as his heart continued pumping air through his veins. Harry walked over to Krafft's lifeless body, picked up the wand that had been just out of Krafft's reach, and slipped it into his pocket. He was glad he had won, but it didn't feel like a true victory. He shouldn't rely on anything other than his own power. The fact that he had to use the Stone meant he wasn't good enough. Not good enough to fight the other Acolytes, and certainly not good enough to kill Grindelwald.
"Monsieur Potter!" Antoine shouted as he ran up to him, the others trailing behind. They were all awestruck. Most hadn't seen such a wide display of power in their entire lives, while a few of the older men hadn't seen it since the great duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Harry turned to the man. "Sorry about the village. I'll stay to help with repairs," he said politely.
"Non! Please, think nothing of it. You have saved our home from Grindelwald—something we will never forget," Antoine said, bowing his head.
"It's not over yet. We need to mop up the rest of them on the outskirts," Harry said.
"Of course, Monsieur Potter," Antoine replied.
Harry glanced down at the dead body of the Acolyte. One of Grindelwald's most important lieutenants was dead. This would be a huge blow to him.
This was just the beginning.
(AN: I'm not too happy with this fight if I'm honest, I just feel like it's a bit meh. Anyway we are getting close to the end. Next chapter the war is going to continue though there will be a bit of a time skip. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Also I'm not a science expert so my explanation of pressure may not be entirely accurate, but tbh I don't really care that much. This bitch is dead.)
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