The Greater Good: Dumbledore and Grindelwald

The Bagshot Descendant

A few weeks had passed since Albus had returned to Godric's Hollow and things were beginning to sink in.

Albus' sister Ariana was just as quiet as ever and only ever really spent time with Aberforth, who liked to prowl outside Albus' room and shoot him angry glances whenever he wasn't looking after Ariana.

This left Albus shut up in his room most of the time, which suited him just fine.


However, a certain absence had left him on edge - the absence of family friends to offer their apologies of the passing of Kendra Dumbledore and console the three children in any way they could. Albus personally couldn't care less if they were sorry or not, but he had expected them to pop over once in a while.

Almost as if his thoughts had influenced it, the doorbell rang shrilly. Albus, who had been leaning back on his chair in front of his desk, his wand balanced on his top lip, jerked forward suddenly, causing his wand to cascade onto his desk. However, Albus made no move to answer the door, knowing that Aberforth would do the honours.

Moments later, however, his brother yelled to him from the bottom of the stairs. "ALBUS!!! COME DOWNSTAIRS AND SAY HELLO!"

Breathing heavily in exasperation, Albus stowed his wand in his pocket and stood up slowly, crossing his room to the door, opening it, and descending the fourteen steps from his room to the hallway.


Inside the living room, an unfamiliar sight met him. Aberforth and Ariana sitting on one couch, Ariana's head resting on Aberforth's shoulder, with an elderly woman and a young man, about Albus' own age, sitting next to her. While the woman, who Albus recognised as their neighbour Bathilda Bagshot, wore a pleasant smile, her male companion's expression was marred by impatience and annoyance.

"Oh!" Albus said, surprised. "Miss Bagshot!!"
"How nice to see you again, Albus!" Bathilda said warmly. "And how terrible to hear of the news..."

It took Albus a few moments to realize what she was talking about. "Oh, yes. Well...that's very nice of you to say, Miss Bagshot, but-"
"Bathilda, Albus," she said warmly. "Stop sulking Gellert!!" she barked suddenly. "And sit up straight!!"


To Albus, she continued, "I don't believe you've met my great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald?"

Albus looked Grindelwald in the eye. He was a curious-looking young man with wavy locks of blond hair, cold, blue eyes (much like Albus' own), and a piercing stare. Not to mention the fact that although (Albus suspected) his surname was spelt with a 'w', it was pronounced as though there was a 'v'.

"I don't believe we've been introduced," Albus said politely, holding out his hand.


After a nudge from his great-aunt, Gellert sulkily got to his feet and shook Albus' hand. "Yes, I'm Gellert Grindelwald. And you are?"


"I've already told you, Gellert," Bathilda scolded, with a touch of annoyance in her tones. "This is the eldest of the Dumbledore kids, Albus. Their mother, Kendra, has just passed. You remember?"
"Ah yes, I remember," Gellert smiled, looking down at Aberforth and Ariana. "Please accept my sincerest apologies..."

"Not at all," Albus said, releasing Gellert's hand and pocketing his own. For a moment, he struggled for something to say. "So...you didn't graduate from Hogwarts by any chance?"

Gellert shook his head no. "Durmstrang," he said simply.

"Ah," Albus said.


"I was expelled," Gellert continued.

"Expelled?!" Aberforth exclaimed.



"Gellert!!" Bathilda cried. She turned to Albus imploringly. "You must understand! I - he - we just-!"


"It's fine," Albus smiled knowingly.



"What was Grindelwald expelled for?" Aberforth asked, impolitely ignoring Gellert as though he were contagious.

"Why don't you ask Gellert?" Grindelwald asked irritably. "I was expelled for...being inquisitive."


Something in Albus' tone told him that Gellert was done with the subject. Aberforth, however, was not so receptive. "What do you mean?"


"Aberforth, that's enough!" Albus said sharply. "Please excuse my brother," he said to Gellert. "He doesn't mean any harm."


Gellert waved away Albus' apologies dismissively. "It's something I'll get uses to, I expect. I've moved here to Godric's Hollow to live with auntie."
He gestured to Bathilda as he said this, and then his gaze trailed over to the vast array of books lined up on the shelves on the walls.


"A voracious reader, are you Gellert?" Albus grinned. "I see we are of like mind."

"I possess interest in a few...select subjects," Gellert said mysteriously, but did not elaborate. He strode to the bookshelves. "Albus...you don't mind if I...?"
"Of course not," Albus said generously. "Please, be my guest."

Gellert began to run his fingers along the books, apparently searching for something.


Bathilda smiled. "Young Gellert is very intelligent. He passed his O.W.Ls with nine Outstandings and two Exceeds Expectations, didn't you know?"
"So there are things that you're not perfect in?" Aberforth said snidely.

Gellert seemed to brush this off as he flipped through a hardback volume. "Astronomy and Muggle Studies," he said. "Gazing toward the stars has never been a particular gift of mine. My talents are much more...grounded. And, of course, it was Father that persuaded me to take Muggle Studies. If he hadn't then..."

Gellert trailed off as he flipped through the book. Something caught his eye, at which point he stopped the flicking of the pages at once and placed his finger on it, tapping the page as if he'd found something. "The Wand of Destiny..." he said to himself. "The Deathstick. The Elder Wand. They're all linked to Antioch Peverell," he murmured under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" Aberforth said, utterly bewildered.

Gellert ignored him. "Albus...you don't mind if I take a copy of this, do you?"


"Err...feel free," Albus said invitingly.

Before he could ask what Gellert meant, Grindelwald had already reached into the recesses of his dark jacket and pulled out his wand, which was noticeably long and crooked. He tapped the cover of the book in his hand thrice and muttered 'Geminio'. There was a glow of white light, and suddenly, a second copy of the volume had materialized over the first.

Gellert pocketed the copy, and placed the original on the small table between the couches. "Many thanks, Dumbledore," he said politely, nodding his head as he stowed his wand away. "I'm very sorry for my departure, but I have something terribly urgent to attend to. Rest assured you have not seen the last of me. Good day to you all. Auntie, I'll see you at home," he added, before Gellert Grindelwald was gone in a swish of black leather.


As soon as the front door was closed, Albus picked up the book from the table. It was a copy of 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'. Albus flipped it over and glanced at the page that Gellert had been so interested in. 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' was embossed at the head of the page.


Albus smiled. Was it possible or was it by chance?

Could it be true, or was it mere coincidence?


If Albus was not very much mistaken, then he knew why Gellert Grindelwald had been expelled from Durmstrang. He possessed, as did Albus, a burning desire to seek out The Deathly Hallows.


Albus glanced up at the front door. Gellert was right. Albus had not seen the last of him. Not by a long shot.