Snake Charmer

Chapter Sixteen

 Asteria's eye twitched as she handed her wand to one of the guards. She didn't like being without her wand. Not that she needed it so much anymore. It was just easier to cast spells.

The guard frowned at her and Albus cleared his throat. She smiled tightly moving back over to her dad. Albus wrapped a protective arm around her, leading her down the dimly light concrete hallway, her body suddenly feeling heavy.

Asteria let out a small groan, rubbing her temples.

"The effect of the damping wards. Can you handle it?" She nodded and braced herself against the pounding that was starting in the front of her head. This place was making her feel like she had a truck sitting on her chest.

"Little Dove? Look at how you haven't grown." Asteria frowned at the sound of Grindelwald judgmental voice. She slowly turned toward the cell door. Grindelwald smiled at her.

"What can I help you with dear one?" Albus took a step away from her, allowing her to step closer to the bars.

"Papa, I need you to tell me how to make it where the visions don't hurt." Grindelwald arched a curious eyebrow at her, his eyes flickered over to Albus for a split second.

"Well, for starters you have to stop fighting them. Stop treating them as nightmares. I'm more interested in Tom." Asteria frowned and anger flashed in her eyes as she gripped onto the bars.

"Why? What have you seen Papa?" Grindelwald sighed and took a step toward her.

"Tom Riddle is your Destiny, and you my dear daughter are his Doom." A slow smile spread across his face as he stared at Asteria.

"And how do you suppose that I am that. I have no idea how to stop him! This is your fault! Your idealism!" She snapped, but Grindelwald just laughed and reached through the bars, snatching Asteria by the either side of her face. She gasped in shock and then a strangled cry gets stuck in her throat as images as slammed into her mind.

Albus lunged forward ripping Asteria away from Grindelwald's grip.

"What. Did. You. Do?!" Grindelwald never took his eyes off of Asteria, who was staring back at her papa in disbelief. He had given her every spell and incantation that he had ever learned. Dark magic included. A ghost of a smile graced her lips.

"Thank you, Papa." Grindelwald smirked at her and nodded his head.

"Now go rip out his heart like he did yours. Grindelwald's get even." Albus scoffed and shook his head leading Asteria back down the hallway and as far away from Grindelwald as he could. This was why he was against her seeing him. He had looked into her mind. He had invaded her private thoughts that she wasn't ready to talk about.

"He took the hurt away Dad." Albus tensed at the soft tone in Asteria's voice, confusion taking over his face. He gripped Asteria's upper arms making her look at him.

"What are you talking about?" The light had returned to Asteria's eyes as she stared at her father lovingly.

"Papa took the pain that Tom had caused me. It doesn't hurt anymore." Albus inhaled a deep breath. He didn't know if he liked this. He was afraid of what the consequences of this would be.