The Greater Good [GrindelwaldxDumbledore]

~ Chapter Twenty One~ Ministerium für Magie

As the numbers diminished Gellert breathed a sigh of relief. The heat of Marcus' questioning gaze made him scrunch his eyes to battle the headache erupting in his head.

"Everything alright Gellert?" Marcus asked. Not waiting for a reply he grabbed Gellert's shoulders and steered him away from the remaining crowd. "I must say this seven-day waiting nonsense would do our cause much good. It is almost as though you are waiting for someone to show up."

Gellert did his best to hide the flush of pain from his face, he hated the fact that Marcus was right. "Seven days, it gives us time to formulate a more universal and undeniable message. All European ministries being hit at the same time with the same message from a unified force will send more shockwaves. If we rush in now, all emotion and no planning, it is likely that some of our rebellion will be caught and our aim will be blown to the wind."

"And your friend might show up."

"Doubtful."

Marcus patted him on the back. "We'll catch him later, once he sees us doing the greater good he'll jump on board."

Gellert sighed, "Perhaps."

*****

Gellert leant on a lamppost, his eyes taking in the splendour of the heavy gothic architecture of a four-story building in the late afternoon sun. A cool wind gusted through the street but did little to take the heat from the air. 

People scurried past him, some pausing to look in the same direction, a flash glance at an unimportant historical building. Hurrying on without a second thought. 

Like rats, squandering the resources and spreading disease in populations beyond your own. Gellert pulled his lapel closer to his face, not to keep away the wind, but the straying glance of the people leaving the building he was watching. 

"Is that the last of them?" Marcus said from behind a newspaper. He rose from the bench to join Gellert.

"Hard to tell, many of them use the floo-network. But Briggs is often one of the last out of the office. I think there are enough of us to deal with any stragglers." Gellert stepped into the road. He strode to the eastern alleyway and pulled out his wand. 

A flash of amber light and the roar of flame sent Gellert sprawling backwards into Marcus. The air filled with words of shock and shrieks of concern. A figure became more pronounced as the light grew tolerable, his arms raised above his head, a large bird perched upon his closed fists.

"Albus?" Gellert tried to blink away the blindness.

"Am I too late to join the party?" Albus brought his arms down so he could stroke the phoenix. He spoke gently in the bird's ear and sent him away.

"Never too late for someone like you." Gellert rushed towards his friend, ignoring the dismissive coughs and sighs from the band of people behind him. 

Albus bekoned Gellert closer and whispered so no one else could hear, " I have heard things that make me a little apprehensive to travel, but something told me today might be a good day to visit Gemany, and I wasn't wrong."

"Apprehensive?"

"There are a few unpleasant rumours hanging around back home, and your exploits here have not gone unnoticed either, I'm sure I don't need to spell out how this could be potentially problematic."

"I have not been acting alone."

"So I see," Albus smiled, "I needn't have worried about you being lonely. By the way, that book you sent was fantastic."