Forgive

Chapter 12

Newt, Ava, and Theseus trudged through the snow, Ava deliberately looking away from the tattered wanted posters of Gellert Grindelwald.

"I don't suppose either of you'd like to tell me what this is about, would you?" Theseus asked.

"He just asked that we meet. And that Ava and I would be sure to bring you." Newt answered vaguely.

"Right."

They entered the Hog's Head, and Ava immediately recognized Aberforth Dumbledore, who was cleaning a dirty mirror behind the bar.

She caught his eye in the reflection of the mirror and smiled.

"Here to meet my brother, I expect?" Abeforth called without turning.

Newt stepped forward. "We're here to see Albus Dumbledore."

Ava whacked him on the shoulder. "That is his brother, you splendid yet daft Magizoologist." She smiled at Abeforth. "'Ello, Aberforth."

"Ava." He finally turned, facing Newt, eyes narrowed. "Up the stairs. First on the left." And turned back.

"Don't be offended." Ava told Newt and Theseus as they walked up the creaky stairs leading to the second floor. "He's like that with almost everybody."

Newt raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"

"I'm not one for rules, Newt." She shrugged.

"Has Newt and Ava told you why you're here?" Albus Dumbledore asked Theseus as the Scamander brothers and Ava entered the room where Aberforth had directed them to go.

"Were they meant to?" Theseus countered, mild challenge in his tone.

"No, as a matter of fact."

Theseus' eyes shifted to Newt and Ava, Newt struggled to hold his brother's gaze, but Ava held it calmly and firmly.

"There's something that we—that, Dumbledore—would like to speak to you about." She told Theseus. "A proposal."

His gaze flickered between her and Newt, considering, then looked at Dumbledore. "All right."

Dumbledore, having crossed the room, took a silver pendent from a table and dangled it in the firelight. A blood troth. "You know what this, of course."

"Newt had it in Paris." Theseus agreed. "I can't say I have much experience with such things, but it looks to be a blood troth."

"That would be correct."

"And whose blood is contained within?"

"Mine." Dumbledore paused. "And Grindelwald's."

On cue, they all turned to stare at Ava, who was glaring at them challengingly, as if saying 'What are you looking at?'.

Theseus turned back to Dumbledore. "I'm assuming that's why you can't move against him?"

"EXCUSE ME?" Ava fumed, her blue-and-grey eyes blazing.

"No—not you!" Theseus said hurriedly, realizing how bad he sounded. "The troth."

"Yes." Dumbledore told him, ignoring this interaction. "Nor he against me."

"Can I ask what would possess you to make such a thing?"

"Love. Arrogance. Naïveté. Pick your poison. We were young. We were going to transfer the world. This ensured we would. Even if one of us had a change of heart."

"What would happen if you were to fight him?"

Ava eyed Dumbledore, intrigued, but he remained mute, staring at the troth.