The duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald had begun some time ago.
The entire Department of Mysteries was in a state of chaos, with everything broken and severely damaged.
The restrictions imposed by the Ministry of Magic were practically useless against the two of them, as though they were riddled with holes. Once they had figured out the location, coming and going freely was practically effortless. Apparition was as easy as saying a few words.
For others, however, the very concept of Apparition was incredibly difficult to master.
Dumbledore emerged from the large marble fireplace, the blue-green flames quickly fading and dissipating behind him. The tall, sprightly old man swiftly stepped away from it and then vanished.
Only blurry afterimages remained.
Grindelwald suddenly appeared from behind a dark door, then vanished just as abruptly. A grey mist followed closely behind him, swirling around his body and obscuring his true form.
The confrontation between the two was almost impossible for the naked eye to follow.
In fact, by then Grindelwald had already trimmed his messy beard. His tangled, dirty hair and yellowed teeth now looked remarkably clean, while many of the wrinkles on his face had disappeared.
The braziers hanging from the dark walls, which served as the room's lighting, suddenly burst into dazzling flames. They ignited rapidly and exploded into several brilliant fireballs, illuminating the entire dark chamber once again.
Then the fireballs shot toward the corner of the wall where Dumbledore was standing.
Dumbledore deftly flicked his wand.
A nearby fish tank, filled with stagnant greenish water, rippled several times before suddenly surging outward like a nimble fish devouring the flames.
"You're still so weak, Albus."
Grindelwald sighed, his voice barely audible.
"Perhaps. But sometimes weakness can be transformed into a strong armour."
Dumbledore's voice was equally faint.
Their voices were almost inaudible, yet both heard each other clearly.
Apparition.
Another frantic exchange of Apparition followed, with neither side sparing a thought for the consumption of magical power. Every movement was aimed at gaining the slightest advantage in the battle.
The two could suddenly appear in any corner of the room, while the alternating light and shadows dazzled everyone's eyes.
No one could keep up with their pace.
At some point, the thick black chains lying on the ground suddenly tightened. They sprang into the air, split apart, and rattled through the room from all directions, as though attempting to block every possible route.
Both sides were trying to hinder the other's movements.
Restrictions and counter-restrictions, exquisite Transfiguration, and countless other spells were constantly displayed during the duel, keeping everyone watching on the edge of their seats.
A rumbling sound suddenly rang out, like a well-trained army marching in perfect formation.
The golden centaur sculptures came to life.
These might have been some of Dumbledore's forces.
At some unknown point, the sculptures from the Ministry of Magic's reception hall had been summoned here to serve as his soldiers.
Small iron goblins also came to life. Their previously closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing fierce glints as though they had just awakened from a deep sleep. They raised their heavy iron hammers high.
Several house-elf statues holding kitchen utensils also came to life. They waved their brooms and clanged pots and pans as they entered the battlefield.
In the blink of an eye, what had originally been a duel between two people had become a battle between two legions.
Knives, axes, and hammers clashed, producing crisp metallic clangs.
They felt neither fear nor pain and fought without hesitation.
The head of a golden centaur was severed with a single blow. It fell to the ground with a thud and bounced several times before being picked up by its long arms and placed back onto its body.
A goblin raised its sickle and hammer high, wildly swinging its arms and smashing them against the centaur's body, sending sparks flying.
Iron filings, copper filings, and silver filings flew everywhere as deep scars appeared across their bodies.
The clanging filled their ears with ringing.
This was their "blood."
However, the contest of magic was not limited to the battle between the two legions.
The duel between the two wizards was taking place elsewhere at the same time.
Chaotic flames danced through the air, radiating scorching heat and baking everything around them. The resulting chains of flame burned intensely.
A wall of wind blades blocked the flames, emitting sharp whistles and crackling sounds.
The spectators couldn't even determine who had cast which spell, who was attacking, or who was defending.
The flames gradually subsided.
Just when everyone thought the attack was about to end, they suddenly erupted once again.
To everyone present, the scene was a bizarre spectacle of interwoven light and shadow.
A blazing lion suddenly appeared from nowhere, roaring inside the Department of Mysteries.
Its roar was like thunder, deafening everyone.
Its entire body was blood-red, and every inch of its fur erupted with brilliant flames that scorched and burned everything around it.
It ran nimbly, spreading blazing red flames wildly like a tidal wave of fire, overwhelming and unstoppable.
Wherever it passed, gold and iron melted, accompanied by the incessant sizzling of burning metal.
The water that had been slowly flowing across the floor suddenly rose together, countless chaotic droplets gathering into a powerful curtain of water.
Dark-blue waves surged forward first, blocking the flames' attack.
But it did nothing to help.
The water then began burning, defying the laws of physics, rapidly spreading toward the doorway as though it were not water at all, but fuel oil.
"Everyone, back off! Filius!"
Professor McGonagall shouted.
She and Flitwick then raised their wands high together, summoning layer after layer of clear water curtains to protect the crowd.
Just as the lion was rampaging through the entire chamber, a huge, visible wind blade descended from above and slashed directly downward.
The powerful fire lion was unable to dodge in time and crashed straight into the sharp wind blade.
In an instant, the beast-shaped flames that had gathered together were split in two, then four, before rapidly dissipating until they vanished completely.
They were utterly annihilated into the void.
On another battlefield...
The mechanical clocks that had been scattered across the floor had vanished without a trace, transforming into sturdy metal chains.
Some were then controlled by the opposing side, transforming into gleaming swords and blades.
The shining iron chains suddenly tightened and expanded, weaving themselves into a net that blocked the incoming swords.
With a series of clanging sounds, the sharp weapons had their edges dulled before instantly transforming into sharp needles, attempting to find an opportunity to break through.
But they had no choice but to crash into a sturdy black-iron shield.
In an instant, they scattered across the ground.