Riddle And Grindelwald (Book 3)

11. Long Awaited Reunion

Although Genevieve didn't want to remove the memory charm from Mathilde, and risk her daughter's sanity. She knew it wasn't her choice to make, if was Mathilde's.
And she owed it to her daughter to give her back her childhood memories, which had been taken from her.
Once the pair were in an isolated room above the Hog's Head, Genevieve began the long and painful process of deleting each of Mathilde's false memories, one by one.
As she went, she also placed real memories she had of Mathilde, back into her daughter's mind, which helped her to unlock other memories inside Mathilde's head.
Despite the process being long, Genevieve knew it was the only way around the magic Dumbledore had placed on Mathilde.
Instead of breaking through the wall in her daughter's mind, Genevieve found a way around it.

Mathilde kept her eyes closed throughout the process, but when Genevieve had finished, she opened her eyes, finally seeing the truth of her life for the first time in nearly 20 years.
"Mother" mumbled Mathilde.
Genevieve smiled, "Hi Mathilde".
Mathilde leaned accross the table and hugged Genevieve tight.
"I've missed you" admitted Mathilde.
"You too, sweetheart. How do you feel?" Questioned Genevieve, as she released her daughter.
"Strange"
"How so?"
"Well, most people forget their childhood memories as they grow up. But all the things I did in my first 8 years with you, I can see easily, as if they happened yesterday".

"That's probably because I brought the memories to the front of your mind. There's a chance they will fade again in time, but if they do, you won't forget who you are. Unless someone places another memory charm on you, there is no chance of you forgetting your real identity" informed Genevieve.
"Are you sure?" Asked Mathilde.
"As sure as I can be about something I've never done before" answered Genevieve truthfully.
"It's weird, because I remember who I was before, but I also remember everything I've done in my new life. I'm having a hard time remembering what is real and what is not"
"Well, I removed all the false memories that Dumbledore placed. So everything you are seeing should be real".

"I know, but the life I have been living is a lie. Jennifer Figg is not a real person" sighed Mathilde.
"Jennifer Figg will always be a part of you, just as Genevieve Walden will always be a part of my life and my identity. Your personality was not changed, so everything you have become is the real you. Your life is not a lie. All your goals and dreams are the same as they would've been, if you'd stayed with me" replied Genevieve.
"That's not exactly true. Father would never have allowed me to be the person I have become"
"Maybe not. But you still would have wanted a different life to the one he was going to give you. When I gave you up, I allowed you to live the life you always wanted. I let you be normal".

"I am so grateful to you, for doing what you did" admitted Mathilde.
"So, you forgive me, for giving you up?" Questioned Genevieve.
"There's nothing to forgive. You did the best thing for me, despite your limited options. If I had grown up with you, I would have been turned into a killer. I may have even ended up dead like my brothers. You gave me the chance to truly exist in the world, and not have to hide away because my father is a criminal" replied Mathilde.
"He is still your birth father, and there is nothing I can do to change that. All I did was remove you from our lives, so that you could make your own choices. But I couldn't give you a new identity".

"My thoughts regarding my father confuse me. I remember the man from my childhood, who used to frighten me, but who I knew loved me very much. And there is another man with the same name, who people only whispered about, for they were too afraid to say his real name aloud. I know that man is evil, and has committed many terrible acts. But it is hard to believe that the man everyone fears, is my father, the same man from my childhood" admitted Mathilde.
"I may be the only person alive, who understands what you mean. I grew up with Gellert Grindelwald afterall. I was vaguely aware that he was a criminal, which is why we were always on the move. But I didn't see him as a bad man, until I got to Hogwarts, and heard people whisper about him. It was hard for me to accept that my guardian, whom I loved, was the same mass-murderer that everyone was scared of" replied Genevieve.