Dark child

14

By next morning, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs. Norris and Colin Creevey.

There were small groups of whispering students all over the castle, talking about no subject but Harry being an ascendant of Salazar Slytherin. Harry himself seemed to be so confused about his true roots, but things got even worse as he was found where exactly another attack happened that day, this time to no one but Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick. "He is either having a terrible luck or is truly the one behind the attacks." Elara told Severus, on their way to Dumbledore's office, as she had promised before.

Elara was never in the headmaster's office and Snape was guiding her. They marched in silence around a corner and he stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.
"Lemon drop!" he said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of concern for what was coming, Elara couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As she and Severus stepped onto it, Elara heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Elara saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Elara rapped on the door.
"I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Said Severus and got back to the staircase, going down.
The door opened silently and she entered. Professor Dumbledore was sitting at his chair with a tiny smile and concentrated eyes, and in the middle of the office, there was no one but Harry Potter, shaking.
"Ahh Miss Riddle. Come and sit here. Harry you can leave now." Said Dumbledore cheerfully.
Elara and Harry exchanged weird looks and did as they were told.

Elara looked around. One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices Elara had visited so far, Dumbledore's was by far the most interesting. If she hadn't been feeling nervous and miserable, she would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it.
It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat — the Sorting Hat.

Elara was thinking if she needed to say hello to the hat or not that Dumbledore returned with 2 cups of tea. He put the first one in front of Elara and the other in front of himself, and then he sat down.
"So Elara — can I call you Elara? — okay Elara I see that you have recognized the Elder wand. What do you want to know about it?" Said Dumbledore so friendly.

Elara started excitedly: "Um, I think I know everything about the Elder wand. If I remember correctly, it was meant to be at the position of Gellert Grindelwald, who is currently in prison. You trapped him there, didn't you? I'm mainly curious about Grindelwald himself. How was he like? How did you managed to catch him? Is there any chance I can visit him at his cell some time?" She finished to catch air for breathing.

Dumbledore chuckled and said "Easy girl, easy. Drink your tea and let me answer all of your questions... Yeah that's it. Yes the wand was in his possession but I defeated him and eventually became the master of the Elder wand. Now the wand is mine. I sent him to jail but I wasn't working alone in a way of arresting him. It's a very long story. Why do you want to visit him, anyway?"

"Because I really appreciate his style. I wish he was my father." The words came out of her mouth without her actually wanting to let go of them; but they were all true. Elara admired Grindelwald more than any other villain in the history of magic. But she wasn't sure why did she tell Dumbledore this.