The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part Two

December 20, 1937

London was cold even for December, the streets empty. A man walked briskly through an intersection, slowing to avoid a muggle motorcar, stepped onto the far sidewalk. He wore a smart fitted black suit and a tie, with a dark plum vest. The man's blonde hair was styled very professionally - smoothed back with perfumed oil. He walked with a slight limp, a cane with the head of a phoenix on top, glimmering with dark red ruby stone eyes.

He paused, looking up at the facade of the building which he stood before and read the sign.

Wool's Home for Orphaned Children.

He drew a deep breath, walked forward through the doors, and put on his most charming air.

"Good afternoon," he greeted a scruffy girl wearing an apron, who stood in the hallway, holding the hand of a pink-faced little girl. He paused walking forward as two children - boys, shouting loudly and playing with toy swords - ran past, nearly running directly into him. The boys stopped to look up at the stranger, and something about the expression in his eyes made them cower.

"Billy, ent I tol' yeh not to be runnin' 'bout without watchin' where yeh be goin!" She shouted.

"Yes Miss!" The boy called Billy nodded and hurried from the room, his mate following after.

"Those boys ent never listenin' no matter what yeh been telling them, I tell you what for!" the girl muttered. She looked the visitor over, not noticing that the girl whose arm she held firm had gone pale and was staring at him, too. "Who are you?" the girl asked.

"My name is Gellert Grindelwald," the man replied, "And I am here to meet with Mrs. Cole. I have an appointment."

The girl eyed him for several long moments, then turned and shouted out, "MRS. COLE!!!!" She turned back to Mr. Grindelwald. "Wait here, sir, she's on her way down. Iffen yeh'll excuse me, I got to go and get this wee'un off to bed. Always ill, this 'un is."

"How dreadful," Grindelwald replied. "Do feel better, dearie," he said, and he bent forward reaching into his suit coat pocket and withdrew a single yellow daisy flower, which he handed the girl with a flourish.

The girl took the flower, her eyes wide, but filled with terror more than appreciation.

Grindelwald smiled, and stood back upright as the girl was dragged off by the woman in the apron. "Come now, Martha, don't be draggin' yeh feet like that!"

Grindelwald looked about with interest at the home, and despite having been told to wait there in the hallway, he ducked to peek into the dining room to the left, and then to the parlor to the right. The dining room had been empty save the furniture, but the parlor had one boy, sitting in a hard wood back chair, staring out the window.

Grindelwald stood just inside the doorway of the parlor, studying this boy, a smile on his face. "Tom, I believe they call you?" he said.

The boy looked up. He stared without speaking.

Grindelwald glanced back at the hall, waved his palm, and then, boldly, stepped across the room to where Tom sat.

"How are you, Tom?"

The boy didn't answer, but he stared up at Grindelwald with wide eyes.

"Do you speak, Tom?" he asked.

Tom nodded.

"Just not to me?"

"Just not to doctors," Tom said. There was an edge to his voice.

"Oh, Tom, I am a different sort of doctor."

Tom looked back out the window.

Grindelwald smiled. "What if I tell you a secret, Tom? One that you can test and see if I am telling the truth about. Then, I shall return in about a month and see you again, and we shall talk again."

Tom glanced at Grindelwald, not wanting to admit interest in what the man was saying.

"There is a man who shall be visiting you in just a few days' time, Tom. He has auburn hair and a great long beard. That man is called Albus Dumbledore. He will come and tell you something quite incredible about yourself, something you don't even know. Something wonderful."

Tom's eyes searched the man's, and his interest could not be hidden now.

Grindelwald smiled. "I shall come back after he has visited you and then we may speak more freely, for you shall trust me better once my words have proven truthful."

"What will the man tell me?"

"You shall see, Tom."

"Why don't you tell me whatever it is and I shall decide now whether to believe you or not?"

Grindelwald smiled, "You are a very smart, very special boy, aren't you, Tom?"

Tom stared without answering.

"Of course you are." Grindelwald smiled, then hooked his cane over his shoulder. "I shall see you again soon. Just after your birthday."

"Okay..."

Grindelwald smiled and started walking away.

"Sir?" Tom's voice was sharp with the tone of a last minute choice to ask the question he was about to.

"Yes, Tom?" Grindelwald paused, turned back, smoothing the arm of his suit coat as he leaned against the phoenix head cane.

Tom held out a money clip, which had the same phoenix shape as the cane.

Grindelwald smirked. "Keep it, Tom. Put it in your little box in your closet." His eyes sparked at the look of surprise on Tom's face. "Do not tell Albus Dumbledore about me coming to see you."

"Why?"

Grindelwald chuckled, "He's never liked being beaten at his own games, Tom. You'll find that out soon enough."