Riddle And Grindelwald (Book 3)

17. Battle For Supremacy

"It was foolish to come here tonight Tom, the aurors are on their way" said Dumbledore calmly.
"By which point I will be gone, and you and Potter will be dead" spat Tom, who was furious at Dumbledore for using his old name.
Genevieve was stood inbetween Tom and Dumbledore, with her back against the wall.
She didn't want to get involved, but she also couldn't bare to lose Tom again. So, if she had to, she would protect her husband, even though she knew she was not strong enough to defeat Dumbledore.

Tom sent the Killing Curse at Dumbledore, but the headmaster stepped to the side, allowing the spell to blow up the empty security guards desk behind him.
Dumbledore flicked his own wand at Tom, and the force of his spell caused the hairs on the back of Genevieve's neck to stand up.
Tom conjured a shield to protect himself, and Dumbledore's spell made a loud gong-like noise as it hit Tom's shield.
The sound made Genevieve involuntarily shudder. And she was reminded of just how powerful Dumbledore was, despite his age.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore? Above such brutality are you?" Questioned Tom, in a mocking tone.
"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom. Merely taking your life, would not satisfy me, I admit" replied Dumbledore.
"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore" countered Tom.
"You are quite wrong, I'm afraid. Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness".

Tom screamed at Dumbledore and sent another green death spell at him.
This time it was the golden centaur statue who jumped from the Fountain of Magical Brethren, to protect Dumbledore.
Dumbledore then flicked his wand, sending a firey rope at Tom, which looped around him.
But Tom was not worried, for he quickly turned the fire rope into a snake, which then began to advance on Dumbledore.
The headmaster flicked his wand, turning the snake into nothing more than dark smoke, which then faded away into nothing.

Tom once again sent the Killing Curse at Dumbledore, and Genevieve didn't see how the old man was going to defend himself this time, as the golden centaur had been smashed to pieces when it defended him last time. And the witch was busy pinning Bellatrix down, and the wizard was protecting Harry.
A second before the spell hit Dumbledore, a phoenix suddenly flew in front of him, swallowing the green spell whole.
The phoenix exploded, and its ashes fell to the floor.
Genevieve watched in amazement as a baby flightless phoenix, arose from the ashes.
She knew that phoenix's couldn't die, but she had never seen one burst into flames and rise from its own ashes before, as phoenix's were such rare magical creatures.

Genevieve was so engrossed in watching the baby phoenix, that she momentarily forgot about the fight going on between Dumbledore and Tom.
"Master!" Screamed Bellatrix, bringing Genevieve back to the present.
Genevieve looked up from the bird and saw that Dumbledore had encased Tom in a large swirling ball of water.
Tom was unable to breathe, and Genevieve's heart stopped as she looked at how defenseless he was.
"Vee!" Screamed Genevieve as she began to panic.
She removed her wand and pointed it at Dumbledore, "Stupefy!".

Dumbledore deflected Genevieve's spell without much effort, and did so with such force that Genevieve was knocked off her feet.
"I would stay down if I were you, Genevieve, for I do not want to hurt you" said Dumbledore quietly.
Genevieve's loyalty to Dumbledore, only went so far, and she would not stand by and let him kill the man she loved.
She was prepared to take Dumbledore head on, even if it got her killed. For she knew that her spirit would live on if her body was destroyed, because her Horcrux would keep her alive.

But when Genevieve stood up to face Dumbledore, she saw that the water ball was gone, and Tom had disappeared.
Harry, thinking it was safe and that Tom had run off, began to make his way around the golden wizard to join Dumbledore.
"Stay where you are Harry" instructed Dumbledore.
The headmaster seemed scared and Genevieve didn't know why, for it was clear that he had won the fight.
Tom was gone and Genevieve had no idea where he was.
Her husband wasn't one to run away from danger, and he certainly never left her behind either, so she couldn't think of what had happened to him.

Terror gripped Genevieve as she began to fear that Tom's body had been destroyed yet again.
She knew his Horcruxes would keep him alive until his body was resurrected. But she couldn't stand another 14 years without seeing him.
Her thoughts were interupted when Harry suddenly screamed out in pain and dropped to the floor.
"Kill me now, Dumbledore" hissed Harry, in a voice that was not his own.
"If death is nothing, kill the boy and take me down with him" continued Harry.

After putting two and two together, Genevieve realised that Tom was possessing Harry, which meant he was not dead.
The two boys shared a strange connection that Genevieve could not explain. And Tom was using that connection to his advantage to test Dumbledore.
Before the headmaster could decide what to do, Harry screamed again, and a black mist rose out of him, before forming the shape of Tom.
"You are a fool Harry Potter, and you will lose everything that you care about" whispered Tom, as he stared down at Harry's unmoving body.

Suddenly the sound of flames erupting filled the room, and as Genevieve looked around the atrium she saw all the fireplaces light up as Ministry officials stepped out of them.
She gasped as she saw the Minister for Magic walking towards them, being guided by the golden house-elf and the goblin.
"Vee!" Shouted Genevieve in fear.
Tom spun around when he heard the terror in his wife's voice, and he looked around at all the Ministry personnel who were rushing into the atrium, realising that he was vastly outnumbered.
He stretched out his arm to Genevieve and she ran to his side.

Tom then began pulling Genevieve towards Bellatrix, who was still trapped under the golden witch statue.
"Leave her, we haven't got time to help her. We need to get out of here" insisted Genevieve, as she tried to drag Tom towards a fireplace.
"Half of my death eaters have been tied up downstairs, I can't afford to lose my lieutenant as well" admitted Tom.
Genevieve groaned and begrudgingly helped Tom pull Bellatrix out from under the witch statue.
Together, the three of them leapt into the nearest fireplace, and used the floo network to safely transport them back home.