slightly sad but there's fluff, no worries
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They were on a mission given by Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt himself to find a few dark artefacts in a place called Nurmengard Castle in Austria, both Head Deputy Auror Harry Potter and his partner, Auror/Potioneer Draco Malfoy. They were to bring back the artefacts to England for them to be examined and destroyed. Harry knew it was not a normal castle. Draco had explained to him that the castle built by Gellert Grindelwald once served him as a place to gather his followers but then was made as a prison. When Grindelwald died, the castle's magic withered away along with its owner, leaving it abandoned.
No one ever stepped into the castle ever again after Grindelwald's death in 1998. Seeing that it was no point for them to visit the horrid place, everything was left the way it was, untouched. Draco even told him that Grindelwald's dead body was still there because they didn't want to deal with. It was quite sad to him really. Because he knew how much Albus Dumbledore adored the other even though he was a dark wizard and he knew that Albus would be sad if the dead body didn't get a proper burial. Harry told as much to Draco and in return, the blond said he was too kind and would help Harry give the wizard a proper burial next to Dumbledore's grave to honour them both.
So there they were, standing at the entrance of the gloomy castle. "I can feel that this castle is mourning for its owner, Draco," Harry said sadly. "It was once a beautiful castle. The Manor had a picture of its once glory. This place deserved better," Draco agreed with an equally sad tone. They stepped in to the eery place. The spirit of the castle had rescued itself by sleeping in the walls, by retreating into the welcoming wood away from the dust. It stayed there with the memories of its birth, of the life that once were its colours and sounds, for that was the way of spirits. So though the floors were bare and the paint was in need of loving care, though the furniture lay still without the warmth of its family, it stood all the same, strong beneath the flakes and dirt of years. They could tell that the castle had lived a happy life.
It felt like stepping into another world as they walked down the empty halls, looking into every room, searching and prodding with their magic for the dark artefacts. Harry could feel she was tired of holding the castle together, the core was weak and sad. He then stepped into Grindelwald's study room. "Oh, love. I am sorry for intruding but I am here being called upon to do my job. Pardon me," Harry whispered softly as he placed a tender hand to the wall. He felt the magic core of the castle pulsed weakly. Harry made his business quick, feeling like he shouldn't intrude this place for so long. He searched and searched through everything. Then, he stumbled upon a book. A journal, Harry realised. Gellert Grindelwald's journal to be frank.
He opened the journal and something fell from the pages. He bent down to grab it and saw a picture of two young male together, smiling to the camera as they huddled in a loving embrace. One was a redhead with blue eyes while the other had blond hair with blue eyes. He could tell that the latter was Gellert Grindelwald, having seen the picture of his teenage years back when he first met Aberforth during the war. "So that's Albus Dumbledore when he was young," Harry muttered softly. "They looked so in love," he then said with a wondering tone.
He placed the picture back in the journal and looked through the entries randomly. He felt ashamed to read at them but he was so intrigued by these two former lovers.
"I have met the most beautiful man I'd ever seen in my entire life. He was so sweet when he visited Aunt Bathilda. His voice sounded so melodious and soft. He looked like an angel, smiling so innocently at me as we introduced ourselves. What beautiful blue eyes he has, glimmering bright. I am by far a weak man for beautiful things and Albus Dumbledore is one of them. It was amazing and remarkable."
