So! This is my NaNoWriMo epic. In a nutshell, the alternate story of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. Not canon compliant, this is a major AU, though I tried to keep as historically and canonically accurate as possible, given the circumstance :)

The characters live in my head, but they originated in JKR's and are hers. I'm not making any money off of this. I didn't have a beta for this, so any mistakes are mine.

Don't complain to me about the content and don't say I didn't warn you. This story contains: Mpreg, Godwin's Law, severe lashing, sex, bending of historical events, defiling of historical landmarks, heavy drinking, death, gore, and probably a few other things I've forgotten. If it offends you, stop reading.

And with that, the first chapter of Off White Magic! Enjoy!

Which Came First?

--Albus--

I was 11, and I was away when it happened. We were getting my books for my upcoming year at Hogwarts. I will never lose the sound of my mother's angry voice, Aberforth's confusion, and the impotent rage of my father. They had not deigned to stop at beating her. She may have recovered from just a beating. However, they did unspeakable things to her body as well. The blood...the torn bloody dress, broken twigs of her fingers, blackened eyes and.... It was horrid, still is horrid to remember. My father had killed the Muggle boys involved. They were dead when we returned, and Ariana forever changed.

Percival Dumbledore left in silence and he did not fight the Aurors that came for him. My mother did not cry and I did not either, as horrified as I was. Aberforth cried like a baby of course, though he is not so much younger than I. I was more concerned with my own future: What would we do without our father? Was I still going to Hogwarts? Why did this happen now?

I soon found out what it would mean to lack our father here. Our mother gathered us one day and we were packed and moved from Mould on the Wold to the backward town of Godric's Hollow. The move took less than a day. It was a far cry from our nice house. The wood flooring and paneling was scuffed and worn down with age, no shine to ever grace it again. No matter how much our mother cleaned, the place always remained a little dusty in the corners.

Aberforth was ecstatic however, as we were allotted a large plot of land than the one we'd held in the city, which meant we could keep livestock. Aberforth wore my mother down until 2 goats were purchased, a female and a male, and from that point on my brother spent his time with them.

I was less than impressed with the extra land and instead immersed myself in books. My mother explained that yes, I would be going to Hogwarts. My dedication to my studies increased, what little I could learn from books I absorbed ravenously. I was determined to pull myself out of the dump our life had become and rise above it, at any cost.

The morning was crisp the day that I left for Hogwarts. I was very worried about leaving, despite my earlier thoughts of escape. What if they did not like me? I did not know what to expect from people, they were not predictable like books. My mother whispered something in my ear, but I did not hear her.

Then I was boarding the train. It happened so quickly that I was bewildered.

I was not expecting that the tale of the "Muggle killer" Percival Dumbledore had reached as far as London. The knowledge that his son was on the train to Hogwarts had spread like wildfire, and I found myself the target of glares and whispering, even dodging a few curses aimed my way. Slowly I made my way up the train, sliding doors open and peering inside. At each door I was met with unwelcome looks or insults. It went on this way until I came to the very last carriage, by then straining to drag my trunk alongside me. I desperately hoped that this last carriage would contain a soul capable of a shred of decency.

I stood there for a very long time before my shaking hands touched the cold steel of the door and slid it open. Initially I thought the car was empty, so quiet was its single occupant. The tiny boy was curled against the window and did not turn towards me for a long time. Frowning but without a better choice, I shuffled into the car and heaved my belongings overhead with difficulty.

When I collapsed into the seat across, he was looking at me and I saw why the car was empty. He might have looked normal if it weren't for the greenish hue of his skin, and the distinct pockmarks of someone who had recently been ill, with what I guessed was what my mother had called "Dragon Pox" in passing once, when speaking to my father late at night. I did not quite know what they had meant by it then, for my younger self thought that surely dragons did not just go walking around Britain giving sicknesses to small children! But this child looked only recently well enough to ride the train. I winced and he blushed and looked away from me.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I understand if you don't want to stay....."

His voice was quiet and wispy like steam. He returned to staring out at the rapidly rushing forest outside, one hand curled unconsciously into his hair to shield his face. I peered at him speculatively and reasoned to myself that if he were contagious, he wouldn't have been allowed on the train. I put on my best smile and sat beside him, curling my long legs under me, then leaned over his shoulder.

"What is your name? Everyone is mean to me too...." He turned to me, hazel eyes sparkling as he realized that I had not decided to treat him as contagious.

"My name is Elphias," he chirruped. "Um. Doge. Elphias Doge."

He flushed and held out his greenish hand without thinking, and withdrew it just as quickly, frowning. "S...sorry. I...."

I murmured a quiet platitude to him and waited for for a scathing remark that did not come. Clearly the news of my father's reputation had not reached this boy. I was now hesitant to give my own name.

"And you?" Elphias had picked up on my reticence and was peering at me through his messy brown hair. I sighed, there was no way that I could put this off indefinitely.

I gathered my wits and braced myself. I whispered, "Albus. Albus Dumbledore."

A quiet 'oh' was the only response from Elphias, and his eyes widened a fraction at the admission. I clenched my teeth and waited, but no scathing response was forthcoming.

I chanced a look, and relaxed. His face was calm, and for a moment I thought had not heard, but he spoke again before I could say more.

"I'm sorry. It must be hard for you."

I flushed at that, so he had heard. And he wasn't edging away from me! And he was smiling! Smiling as if I did not carry this shame with me! My auburn hair fell into my eyes, and I blew at it impatiently. He giggled and pushed his shaggy hair out of his eyes, "It's distracting isn't it?"

"What?"

"Our hair, it always gets into my eyes"

"Yes, but I enjoy it this way"

"Not so much for me...but there was not time for me to get a haircut before I came"

"I see..."

We sat and talked for the better part of the ride, the scenery passing us by unnoticed. Soon enough our excitement turned to nervousness again as the train began to slow. Reluctantly I removed my trunk and braced myself for more ridicule. However, when the doors to our car opened the distracted Prefect ushered us hurriedly off of the train, not even sparing me a look.

Waiting for us were carts that were pulled by the most terrifying animals I had ever seen. They looked like horses that had been dead for two years and then reanimated to pull the carts. I shivered as I stared at them, wondering whose idea it was to have these hideous things pull them. Didn't Hogwarts know to use horses? I thought. But everyone shoved past me, unseeing. Elphias paused beside me, confused at my resistance.

"Come on Albus! We should get a cart before they are taken!" He tugged on my sleeve, surprised when I stood my ground.

"What is it? Horseless carts are not so interesting!" I flinched and allowed him to drag me along. He couldn't see them, and I realized that nobody else could either. What did it mean?