Burned Into Glory

Albus

"Albus."

Grindelwald found him under an olive tree outside his villa, far away from the fray of the wedding. He'd Apparated back to the villa after the wedding, expecting that Dumbledore would come to his home. He didn't exactly want to speak with Dumbledore in the midst of ten thousand followers outside the Colosseum, anyway. So here they were, with Grindelwald in tuxedo robes, approaching the smartly-dressed Albus Dumbledore, who stood beneath the olive tree with his hands in his jacket pocket.

"I suppose congratulations are in order, Gellert," said Dumbledore as Grindelwald approached, "though I can't say I am pleased with the way you've lured her to your... side."

"She came to me of her own volition in Paris, Albus," Grindelwald said smoothly, fingering the Elder Wand carefully, "and she fell in love with me genuinely."

"And you with her?" Dumbledore raised his brows. "Do you actually love that girl, Gellert, or are you just using her like you use everyone else?"

Grindelwald tipped his head and licked his lip. He smirked a little and asked softly, "Jealous?"

"No." Dumbledore swallowed hard. He narrowed his eyes. "Tina Goldstein was devastated when I returned her memories to her. You Obliviated her, what... as some sort of act of mercy?"

"She and Scamander were alive and well when you found them. You're welcome," Grindelwald said simply. "Things could have gone very differently after a British Auror showed up at my rally in full Polyjuice disguise with the intention of kidnapping my fiancée."

"Tina's just been trying to get her sister back, Gellert; she can see now that it's too late. Once you have hold of someone, you don't let go. I told her that."

"You were the one who told me to fight for the Greater Good, Albus, and for that advice I will always thank you. That is precisely what I am doing. I am fighting for the Greater Good." Grindelwald took another step toward Dumbledore. "When at last my vision for the future is realised, and the natural order of things is put into place, witches and wizards will live in harmony and in unity, and even the non-magical will be safe. Why would you fight against me, Albus? You know what future I seek, and you fought for it too, once."

Dumbledore was silent for a long moment, and then he asked gently,

"Where is your amulet? The blood pact amulet?"

Grindelwald scoffed. "You have it, I'm sure. It was stolen in Paris, on your orders, no doubt."

Dumbledore scratched at his hair beneath his fedora. He cleared his throat. "Even without it, you can not move against me. The pact is binding."

"So it is. You can not move against me, either, Albus," Grindelwald noted lightly, "so here we are, standing beneath an olive tree on my wedding day."

"Does she make you happy, Gellert?" Albus asked meaningfully, and suddenly the other wizard's pale eyes sparkled strangely. Grindelwald smiled a little and nodded.

"Very much so. She makes me feel happier than I have ever been in my life. Ever."

Including that summer, he meant to say, but Dumbledore got the message. He blinked a few times and whispered,

"Good. I'm glad you're happy."

"Are you?" Grindelwald laughed a little and nodded, staring at Dumbledore in disbelief. This man had loved him, to be certain, but he also presumably wanted him dead. Now he wanted him happy. Albus was a complex man, Grindelwald thought. He dragged his fingers over his hair and flicked his eyes up to the villa.

"There's a party," he noted, "and she's waiting for me."

"Of course. I wouldn't want to keep you," Dumbledore said, sticking his hands back into his pockets. "I wish you would stop all of this madness of yours, Gellert, but I also know that today is not the day you'll be convinced to do that. So instead, today, I shall restrain myself from evangelising the idea of stopping your politicking. Instead I shall restrain myself to congratulating you, and wishing you nothing but happiness, with all the hope that your marriage is truly one of mutual love and contentment."