A Choice Between What is Right and What is Easy

Brothers at War

Be With You - Listen to your heartbeat don't you know that I just wanna be with you~

Once I had returned home, I collapsed against the soft fabric of my hazelnut coloured sofa. I rubbed my temples as if I had a headache, (which I didn't, but I was about to). Disappointment filled my being as I got up and decided to retire for the night. I ascended up the stairs, and once I reached my room I stopped outside the old mahogany door to hear the rustling of paper from the other side. My curiosity peaked. Someone was in my room. As quietly as I could, I entered my room to find none other than my younger brother going through my things that I had laid out on my desk.

It wasn't a surprise that he was snooping through my room. Ever since Ariana passed, he lost all trust in me. When he turned to face me, he looked like I just killed every single one of his goats, gruesomely. His face went white, and I was just about to have it. "Albus. What is this?!" His voice trembled. He sounded confused, yet scared. I cocked my head to the side, and just stared. Wrong move. That just made him even more furious than before. "Don't look at me like I'm not making any sense, Albus. You have papers all over your desk, contemplating whether you're going to get back with the murdering bastard or not!" Aberforth looked defeated, betrayed even.

"You've got to listen to me, Al. Are you going to leave me? I don't need much, but what I do need is my big brother to open his eyes, and realise what he's going to be risking. Our parents are gone, our sister is gone. The only people we have left are each other. And I don't want to lose my brother to a man such as Gellert Grindelwald. So please, Albus. Don't leave me alone."

I had never seen Aberforth so vulnerable before. Despite being a grown man, I could see his younger self, scared with tears welled up in his crystal eyes, begging me not to leave him by himself. I sigh, giving in to his sorrow filled face. I hold out my arms to him, gesturing an embrace which he gratefully accepts. "You know I'd never leave you, right? What kind of a brother would I be if I just packed my things and left you for some guy?" A horrible brother, that's what I am. "Come on. We should get to bed. Can't have us staying up all night now can we?" Aberforth nods, we both go our separate ways, and bid each other a good night. But despite my promise, I was not prepared for what was to come the next night.

Gellert's P.O.V

We had moved out of the cave, and finally reached the new place we'd call our home. Nurmengard Castle is a large and beautiful structure. I sent my followers inside to set up the castle to be a bit more homey. While I stand outside admiring the view of the castle with my second in command next to Sherbies; Vinda. And my sort of nephew; Aurelius. We all stand side by side taking in the summer breeze that whisks through our hair. "This is it." Vinda breaths, "this is our future, our brand new life to a greater future."

"A greater good." Aurelius finishes. I turn to stare at him with slight shock upon my face. "Where did you hear that?" A single drop of sweat falls from his brow, and his eyes dart from left to right. "I may have looked at some of your stuff while you were away, b-but it wasn't anything bad, I swear! I'm sorry." Aurelius looks down at his feet and fiddles with his thumbs in embarrassment. I sigh, resting my hand upon his head, then wrapping an arm around him in a sideways embrace. "Don't worry about it, Aurelius. Besides, I'd rather spend my time with my family rather than arguing with them." I let out a sorrowful breath, remembering the greater good that I could've had with Albus, and the fact that Aurelius doesn't have much time left until he passes.

"Meow~ - let's go inside, there is much to be done." Sherbies communicates, rubbing her fur all over my new, perfectly tailored trousers, but I could never be mad at her. Even though I don't speak cat, I feel as though sometimes she speaks to me in English. But that just might be the dark magic kicking in. The four of us entered the castle through the dark wooden doorway, stopping as soon as we were inside.

No one's P.O.V

Nurmengard Castle's interior was too beautiful for words to describe. The dark academia feel to the whole place brought a sort of peace to the 'villain' family of four. All that they need is right here with them. Once rooms had been allocated to each member of Grindelwald's army that would be living in the castle, Gellert and Aurelius stood on the main balcony that towered over the courtyard.

"This is it. The place we have gotten to, and the place we will stay. Our new home."

"Of course. You're a part of our family now, Aurelius." The boy with raven hair looks down. He's still not used to his name that was given to him at birth. Being a part of the infamous yet powerful family of Dumbledore was one of the last things he expected when trying to find his parents. "Imagine what the winters will be like here. I bet the snow will shine under the light of day, and at night it will look so soft you wish you could sleep on it." Gellert states, trying to defuse the uncomfortable tension that was in the air. The young lad chuckles. He always found that Grindelwald was a bit odd, but he admired that.

"Gellert. You know how you always tell me to listen to my heart." The Blonde man nods, remembering his words exactly. "Well, I lied. I did see more than I was supposed to when I looked through your stuff. I'm sorry. But it got me thinking. If you and Albus Dumbledore were going to change the world, why continue when it backfired? Are you really listening to your heart? Or are you listening to what your brain thinks is your heart?" Gellert pauses for a moment. He never truly thought about it like that before. Was this really all for nothing?

He looks back at Aurelius. Thankfully he didn't have a single feature that represented his father. All he could see was the boy's mother. Gellert had only seen her, but he could tell she had a kind and gentle soul. She might've been the only muggle that he could tolerate. Such a shame that she died, but that's the past and you can't change death. You can't change death, nor the past. But the actions you have in the present can alter the future. Then a light bulb went off in Gellert's mind.

As the sun began to set he raced down the stairs. With the Elder wand, and the blood pact in his pockets, he knew what he must do. "Listen to your heart. Feel it beat in your chest. What does it say?" Gellert apparated, using as much power as he could (which was a lot). He listened. He finally listened to what his heart was saying. But it wasn't 'stop this madness' it was more along the lines of 'find a way to show Albus who he can be'.

So many things crossed the German man's mind. But once he reached the front door to the dumbledore home, only one thing went through his mind. 'I just want to be with you.'