Magic of the All Hallows Eve

The Truth behind the Truce

How did THE Albus Dumbledore suddenly propose to share all his knowledge to a one-year-old boy? The answer lies in what happened that night in Hogwarts.

31st October 1981

The Halloween Feast at Hogwarts was in full swing. Live bats flying around, delicious cuisines on the plates and the students digging in forgetting for a few hours about the doom circling outside.

Albus Dumbledore was helping himself to a few treats, his appetite not rising beyond that of a garden rat. He was innately feeling cold and dreadful today as if a dementor was standing right behind him all day today. A gush of air came in from the doorway of the Great Hall and suddenly everything went dark and hazy. He stood up, but felt more like a spirit. When he gazed at his own body, working on its own accord, he realised he indeed was a spirit.

The Great Hall returned to its normal condition and seemed as if nothing had ever happened. Even the living Dumbledore was much more lively and happy. The spirit of Dumbledore was shocked yet intrigued by what was happening.

"Am I dead?", he asked to nobody in particular. The Great Hall didn't seem to be able to see nor hear the free spirit hovering about. Not even the various ghosts were able to see him.

"Do you think, wise human, if you were dead, your body would still move up and about?", a low and powerful voice came from behind him. He turned to see a shining white ball floating in mid-air with black hazes moving around it. Just the opposite of a black hole.

"No, human, I am not related to any black or white holes of the universe. I am just what I am — neither existence nor non-existence. Neither matter, nor force, nor magic, nor energy. I am too beyond that. Let us formally introduce ourselves. . . I am Death, part of the Life Force", a voice resonated around him but he could sense it coming from the white ball right in front of him.

"Pardon me for asking, um. . . Death, but in what state am I?", Dumbledore asked him in his most polite tone possible.

"You are now viewing the universe, or more on your scale, the Earth from the point of the Matrix. No, not the muggle idea nor movie of it, but the matrix which governs all universes, times, space and realities", Death said. (A/N: I know, it wasn't released till '99, but as said, Death can view into different timelines and the future from his POV)

"For what purpose am I brought here, then?", Albus asked again.

"I want to forewarn you about the dreadful future of the Master of Death ahead. And as you are going to hand him over one of the Hallows, and indirectly, two of them, it seems fit for me to give you this vital task which will change the course of your Future forever"

"So, the Legend of the Hallows is accurate in the fairy tales?", he couldn't help but ask.

"Human, you have shown greed, unprecedented ambition, manipulation, overlooking and a wide range of other negativities while in pursuit of my Hallows. You are to stop all your ambition for them at this instant. That is the reason for which I have called upon you today. You are to leave all ambition aside and just take your knowledge to make an amend in the thread of your timeline", he said in a maliciously threatening tone.

"As for your genuine curiosity, of course not. They were made by the great minds of the three Peverell brothers, trying to accomplish magic similar to the Veils of Death. But when each Peverell brothers died in their respective circumstances, they asked me to guide their Hallows in the thread of time as a gift to each Master of Death succeeding Ignotus Peverell. But alas, after their declaration up till now no one has become the Master of Death in your thread of time"

"What does the Master of Death really mean? Not fearing Death, refraining from Death or calling from Death?", Albus said remembering each of the three Hallows.

"None of them yet each of them. The Master of Death is my channel to the World of the Living through which I can impart goodwill, gifts and punishment to the Living. I will be able to talk to the Master of Death at points he needs guidance, but as I have realised seeing your timeline, he won't be able to motivate himself nor have the strength to channel me through him. Although I am refrained from doing so, I wish to alter one decision, excluding yours, in this timeline to make my Master of Death worthy of the fight to come years later, and not by begging Luck to do so"

And so Death took Albus Dumbledore into a trip of the future. How Lily and James Potter were killed, how he left Harry at the doorsteps of the Dursleys', but refused to check on him as he devoted himself into worldly matters and the search of the Hallows, how he refused to take a trial of Sirius Black or reveal that Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper just so that his 'elegant plan for the Greater Good' will work as he thought, how he hid the Philosopher's stone in Hogwarts to research on it just to replicate and study the intricate magic, Harry's miserable life at Hogwarts, him enduring the wrath of Tom Riddle four times in the six years at Hogwarts, how he got crushed by Cornelius' propoganda and led Harry in an even more miserable life, and so on until his own unfortunate death when he was finally coming to his senses.

"I will not show you any longer than that as you weren't present on this plane of existence after that. But now use your knowledge you have gained about this timeline and tell me what should I change in order to make my miserable Master of Death a life to be reckoned by the whole Magical world, as you are more adept at the delicate worldly matters like people's propoganda", he commanded.

It took Albus 2 hours to work it out. He checked and rechecked everything possible and when he was done, he spoke. "Your Master of Death became miserable mostly due to the death of his loved ones and him leading a superbly disconnected and abnormal life. Although removing Tom Riddle could be a move, but then it would create innumerable changes which would again lead useless. However, changing just one small thing in the attack at Godric's Hollow will do everything we need"

And so he told Death to tweak the timeline just a bit. He exploited Voldemort's overconfidence fully and made James disillusion himself and create his doppelganger. In return when Voldemort almost struck the killing curse at Lily, James core flared enough to blast Voldemort out.

"You do realise that you have to satiate the promise you had made to yourself when you started a career in educating youngsters, do you? In my opinion, Master Harry James Potter seems like the most worthy candidate", Death said politely this time.

"I think so too", Albus agreed fully.

"I'm afraid you will return to the grounds at Hogwarts castle 4 hours ahead of your departure from your world. I cannot alter time for you. And remember —", he added in a threatening tone, "If you do not strive to do what you have told, I will make your stay in the Death Realm worse than of Tom Marvolo Riddle", and he vanished off and Dumbledore fet as if he was portkeying to the edge of the wards.

"And exactly how will you do so?", James asked after a moment of silence.

Albus had to admit he was at least caught slightly off-guard — another occurence that didn't happen everyday — but he thought over a few moments before it hit him —

"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. . . 

A/N: Here you go, a long chapter! Did you really think that Albus will so easily give away his knowledge for free? Anyways, please vote, share and comment!