When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 60

A Fleeting Alliance

For the past two weeks, Harry had spent much of his time toiling in the crater-filled field that separated the warring factions, both he and Grindelwald watched over by onlookers perched on the edge of either trench.

The work was tedious for the most part, but something that required precision, and though Harry had no experience drawing runes, Grindelwald insisted he did his part.

Strangely, the pair worked quite well together, even with the unavoidable tension between them that, on several occasions, became outright hostile.

Harry would compare the experience akin to if Voldemort invited him to dinner regularly.

Not that he would accept, of course.

Working together as he and Grindelwald were, was a temporary and tolerated measure for both men, each knowing where they stood with the other, and undeniably aware that they would soon again come to blows.

He'd of course had his doubts, but with Yaxley of all people having confirmed the veracity of the runes Harry had been presented with by the Dark Lord, he was content that this facet of the task was safe at least.

"COMMANDER EVANS!" Grindelwald called from where he was working on a cluster of intricate runes that Harry wouldn't trust himself to etch.

With a sigh, Harry approached and looked upon them as the Dark Lord gestured for him to do so.

"What do you see?" the man asked curiously. "How is this and every other cluster we have drawn similar?"

Harry eyed the runes thoughtfully.

To him, most of the clusters were similar, but with the runes placed differently. Something told him that wasn't the answer Grindelwald was looking for, but when he pondered it further, there was only one other similarity he could identify.

"They're all either drawn in threes or sevens."

Grindelwald smiled brightly as he nodded.

"Excellent, and do you know what the significance of that is?"

Harry shook his head.

"Well, in the study of runes, arithmancy, and other magical branches, there are what are referred to as magic numbers."

"Magic numbers?"

Grindelwald smirked, taking no small amount of joy in Harry not knowing something.

"When it comes to formulas, the best results are yielded when incorporating the magical number system. No one truly knows how or why it works, it just does. It has been studied extensively for centuries relating to runes, but it still remains a mystery. It simply works, and that is why all of the runes we are working with are being gathered in threes and sevens," he explained. "Never underestimate the power of something so trivial. Any wizard worth their salt will always work within the parameters of magic numbers, no matter what it is they are trying to achieve."

Harry nodded.

Grindelwald had taken to teaching him things as they worked; runes, arithmancy, and they even discussed magical theories to pass the time whilst they were creating their clusters.