The Greater Good △⃒⃘ Gellert Grindelwald

4

June 21st, 1898.

Clouds of steam filled the station; a chugging rhythm was slowing as a bright scarlet steam engine entered the station. Families were struggling to stay together as the crowded platform hustled and bustled with parents looking up and down through the train's windows, in hopes of finding their children.

None in the crowd, however, were waiting for Aberforth Dumbledore. As the blond boy stepped off the train, his trunk in hand, he immediately started to look for a clear place to apparate home (so no one would accidentally tag along). Having quickly found an empty alcove, he spun on the spot, appearing seconds later in front of the Dumbledore cottage in Godric's Hollow.

To his surprise, he discovered that the normally secluded house, had the curtains pulled and windows open, for anyone who wished to snoop their eyes in. Albus, as usual, so irresponsible.

When he walked inside, he had expected to be greeted by his siblings, but found the cottage empty - not a soul in sight. His sister wasn't home, and nor the brother who was supposed to keep her inside the cottage at all times.

Quickly placing his trunk in his room, he decided to try Bathilda Bagshot's place, where Albus's new companion was no doubt staying. Using magic to cool himself off in the stinking hot weather, he jogged down the road to the neighbouring cottage, where he found himself face to face with his sister, who was quickly leaving the cottage, books in hand.

"ARIANA! What have I said about leaving the house?" he exclaimed, grabbing her wrist tightly.

"I was just -"

"What have Albus and I said -"

"I don't care what you and Albus said - no one's been here to stop me! Mrs Bagshot is nice and trustworthy, and I was only dropping in to borrow some novels. I'm just so bored of reading the children's books you give me!" she shouted back, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red, her fists clenching around the books in her hand.

"You. Must. Not. Leave. The. House. That is the number one rule, sister!" he replied.

"Well, I'm sick of your rules! Gellert thinks your rules are 'stupid' and that 'I must be going mad locked up all day in a cottage'!" she exclaimed, pushing past him and heading back up the footpath to the cottage, ignoring her brother as he made his protests.

"Gellert? You've been talking to Albus's new boyfriend have you? What did mother say about not trusting strangers?" he screamed.

"I don't care what mother said, she's dead!"

Running back into the cottage and locking the door to her room, she quickly hid the books (which were most certainly not novels) underneath the loose floorboard underneath her bed, where she hid her most precious possessions - most of which she wasn't allowed.

She hadn't expected Aberforth to be arriving so soon, but then again, Albus had barely said two words to her in the last few weeks and Aberforth's letters had been cut short due to his exams. Unfortunately, he had caught her at a bad time, provoking the overprotective beast inside of Aberforth to lash out at her.

She missed Gellert; they had only had five or six conversations in the last few weeks (due to Albus's possessiveness over him), but they were the most interesting conversations she'd had in her entire life.

She still hadn't revealed what she was, in fear he would mention it to Albus, but he had given her some recommendations about a particular set of books she should read, all of which could be found in his great-aunt's library. His choice of books had amused her, being exactly what you would expect from a wizard supremacist, loather of muggles and someone interested in the Dark Arts.