Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling. I own only the plot and several OCs.
A/N: This is another side story to my main work, The First Mission. Written before the DH, it is an AU now. Those who already browsed through The First Mission will see the allusion to what Harry saw in the Pensieve.
The Cost of Revenge
Chapter 1: The Choice
Young redhaired man was briskly walking along the dimly lit High Street of Hogsmeade village in the direction of the Hog's Head inn.
His clothing gave away the heir to a rich pureblood wizarding family, and he looked quite handsome, but the dark look in his naturally blue eyes and the overall expression of grim determination were making his face quite scary. And the hatred he was radiating was probably intense enough to let him take out a Dementor or two without resorting to the ancient Patronus Charm.
He hurriedly approached the turn to the side street. Last thing he needed was being a few minutes late again. It wasn't like things could get any worse for him...
CRACK!
...or was it?
Next moment, his wand was pointed at the source of the noise, which appeared to be a tall, thin woman in black robes. She had red hair too, but they were already turning grey.
"Albus!"
He lowered his wand, looking at her incredulously.
"Mum! What are you doing here?"
Circe Dumbledore sighed heavily.
"Albus, my dear boy, I understand it is a terrible blow for you but I beg you, please, don't do anything rash!"
He glared at her.
"Albus, Aurors will capture Jarlath and send him to Azkaban. There is no way he can escape the justice..."
"That's what he's doing right now, while I waste my time for meaningless talks!" he spat.
"Now don't you dare to speak to me like that, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!" Circe raised her voice.
Albus cringed. He really didn't like his full name, which his loon of a father gave him. At least his little brother Aberforth was spared that on their mother's insistence. Of all his friends at school, only Tomasz Caelumen (who preferred to be called Tomek) was able to memorize it at a first attempt... The unwanted thought of Tomek and his sisters infuriated Albus even more.
"This beast Jarlath is about to leave the country as we speak," he did his best to keep his voice in check. "I've got to stop him now at all costs!"
Circe gave him a weak look. Her son had always been a bit impulsive, even before his time at Hogwarts, but this recent tragedy was clearly driving him over the edge.
"It's too dangerous, Solana wouldn't want you to –"
"We'll never know what she would or wouldn't want of me!"
"Son," Circe spoke, deadly serious. "Revenge and justice are totally different things. Even if you confront this... murderer... and manage to take over, it will hardly make you feel any better. I advise you to leave it to the Ministry. The law will be upheld and the justice will be served –"
"Yah, when the Ethereals return!"
"You shouldn't be speaking like that!" Circe exclaimed in indignation. "Lady Scarlett, God bless her soul, had always said that in the end nobody escapes the justice and that the path of blood and vengeance never leads to good. I don't want to lose you too, son," her voice broke.
The grim expression on Albus's face faded slightly.
"I've just got to do it, mother," he spoke somberly. "If I don't, I'll never be able to live with myself."
He glared at the dark-looking inn. "He might still be there."
He turned around the corner.
"Be careful there, Albus," Circe said quietly, watching him striding towards the building.
She didn't know whether to hope that the evil madman was still there so it would be over right away, or to pray for Jarlath to be somewhere else already, so Albus might calm down a bit... though her hope for the latter was close to nonexistent.
It took Albus merely five minutes or so to search the building. Judging by that and the frustrated look on his face when he stormed out, Circe understood that Jarlath escaped again.
"That was close!" Albus exclaimed angrily. "He left just ten minutes ago!"
Circe didn't answer. At least her interference wasn't long enough for him to blame her.
Albus clutched his wand, glaring at the darkening sky in impotent fury.
"What about the funeral?" Circe asked softly. "You should at least make an appearance. Tomek, Sally, Helatha and even Mars are all going to be there."
Albus shook his head. "I doubt they would like to see me at all. Tomek and Hela were against this marriage in the first place. And I don't think I can bring myself to look into their eyes right now."
"I'm sure they blame you no more than me. Tomek has already Flooed to our mansion to bring his condolences."
Albus sighed heavily. By right it should be the head of Caelumen family who should receive condolences, even though Dumbledore family was grieving as well...
"I'm not coming back until I'm done with it," he said resolutely. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Tell them whatever you see fit... And keep these for me."
With these words he reached into his pocket and extracted a pair of home-knitted woolen socks with the symbol of Sun on each.
Circe smiled weakly as she took them.
"Of course."
The fact that Albus kept some sentimentality after all made her feel slightly better. However, her son clearly didn't want to make it seem that way.
"I've got to go, Mum. Bye." His words somehow sounded harsher than he intended.
Without further adieu, he Disapparated.
Circe didn't try to track and follow him any more. She could only hope that her elder son wouldn't get himself into bigger trouble.
Maybe, he would drop his search after another miss, she wondered. Yes, when Snorkacks fly.
Sighing dejectedly, she Apparated back home. The funeral of her daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter was something she wished she'd never have to attend, it seemed so wrong... Even though her old friend Lady Scarlett Whisperwind-Caelumen, the late matriarch of the Caelumen family, had said many times that life makes no mistakes, it just is. This eccentric, though very honorable and fair woman had always fascinated Mrs. Dumbledore and her husband Amethyst. In her turn, Lady Scarlett thought very highly of Circe's elder son.
Circe shuddered. Suddenly, it seemed pretty ominous to her that Solana was killed a mere few months after her mother's departure on a long journey, or 'the next great adventure', as Amethyst put it. She wasn't fond of that superstitious Divination nonsense they studied at Hogwarts and most certainly didn't believe in death omens and Doom, but she couldn't help noticing that it did seem like a series of deaths in Caelumen family. First, Scarlett's husband Alexei, then Scarlett herself, though both went because of natural reasons, now Solana... Who would be the next? Tomek? Helatha?
Deep in her uneasy thoughts, she put double security spells upon the grounds after her return, even though it would be utterly stupid for Jarlath to try to break into their mansion. She couldn't risk the safety of her husband, little Aberforth and her own safety.
Albus was searching Knockturn Alley for any signs of Jarlath. There were only so many places where someone on the run could find refuge. If the vermin wasn't there either, he might just have to give up... Return home... Face his parents... Face Caelumens...
NO!
He couldn't give up. He had to find Jarlath and rid the world from that ill-minded lunatic. The ghastly image of dead Solana and Lucy once again leapt in front of his mind. Albus tried to shut it down, like Mars Longbottom taught him years ago, but his tattered Occlumency shield was failing.
Grinding his teeth, Albus continued the search. He had to admit, the whole thing wasn't safe, but he was beyond thinking about danger for himself now. Besides, he used to be one of the top students in Professor Clagg's D.A.D.A. classes, surpassed only by Mars, and slightly ahead of Jason Crouch from Slytherin.
"Merlin, give me strength," he hissed, noticing an approaching shadow. He raised his wand for attack but then lowered it again, identifying the figure as an unknown middle-aged balding man in dark robes.
Few hours later, Albus was finishing his second bottle of Firewhisky in the Leaky Cauldron. After searching both Knockturn and Diagon Alley in vain, he felt as empty as if he was kissed by Dementor. He had no idea where to go next. Just as he was contemplating about getting another bottle, a middle-aged balding man approached him.
"Well, what does a young man like you here at such a late hour?" The stranger asked curiously.
"Skip out," Albus replied hoarsely. He didn't care what the man would think of him; actually, he was a bit too drunk for any thinking.
"Problems?" The man asked understandingly.
Albus tried to focus on him. He had already seen him somewhere... recently...
"Who're you – hic – to ask..?"
"My name is Heinrich von Stilgath, though I doubt it would tell you anything," the other said smoothly. He did have slight German accent, but it was almost unnoticeable.
"Albus Ddumbla - Dumblebore," Albus tried to introduce himself.
"Well, Mr. Dumblebore, perhaps you could use some other company than the bottle," von Stilgath noticed. "It's not an everyday occurrence, being targeted by some young man who looks ready to kill. Has something happened?"
Fifteen minutes and another half a bottle later, von Stilgath interrupted Albus's drunken rant.
"Coincidentally, I may be able to help. But we need to wait until you... well... feel better."
"I'M FINE NOW!" Albus roared before dropping his head on the table.
When Albus woke up, his head was killing him. He looked around, trying to understand where he was.
"Drat! If I get that drunk ever again, Solana will never let me forget –"
He froze, as his recent memories slowly crept back into his mind.
"JARLATH! I'll rip you into pieces when I get my hands on you, you abomination of a humankind!"
"Standing up straight again?" a middle-aged man entered the room. "Here," he gave Albus a tiny bottle with green liquid.
"It will cure the hangover."
Albus glared at him.
"Who are you? And where I am?"
"My name is Heinrich von Stilgath," the man said patiently. "We met last night in the Leaky Cauldron."
Albus emptied the bottle. The relief came almost instantly.
"Well, thank you for your hospitality, Mr. von Stilgath, but I need to get going. My parents are probably worried sick by now."
Von Stilgath looked at him shrewdly.
"I thought you wanted to find the man who murdered your wife and daughter."
Albus swirled around.
"How do you know?"
"You told me last night. And I told you that I may be able to help."
Albus's sharp reply froze on his lips.
"Help me?" he inquired.
Von Stilgath nodded. "I happen to have an access to advanced tracking techniques, some of which are used even by your Aurors."
Albus's eyes narrowed.
"And who are you working for?" He asked suspiciously as his mother's lessons about vigilance resurfaced in his memory.
Von Stilgath smiled widely.
"I aid a noble and influential wizard who is striving to improve the lives of his wards, despite the slanderous rumors spread by his enemies, the great and magnificent Baron Walter Hartes von Blutig!"
Albus frowned. He had heard that name before from Lady Scarlett, and her attitude towards that German Baron was far from favorable. However, he was not in a position to be scrupulous.
"If you'd agree to do Baron a little favor, we would gladly do you a return favor, Mr. Dumblebore."
"It's Dumbledore, sir," Albus corrected. "And what kind of favor do you expect from me?"
Von Stilgath's smile became wider.
"Perhaps you could help us to track down something we've been searching for quite some time. If you are as skilled as I believe – and I rarely make mistakes with people – with your help it will be found in no time," he stated. Then his voice softened and became a bit sugary.
"I don't demand an immediate answer, but I suggest you to consider it. If you agree, I'll have my second-cousin Hans Hitler looking into your... problem. He is gifted in finding people who don't want to be found. I may even say, it's his hobby."
Albus thought hard about it... Trusting a servant of power-mad Baron was something his intuition advised him not to do... But if he didn't Jarlath would probably escape with his life... If his vigilant mother was there, she'd likely tell him to stay as far from Baron Hartes and his nefarious minions as possible, not that it would affect his final decision.
Finally, he made a choice despite his trepidation. Revenge had to fall on murderer's head. He wasn't going to wait until the heavenly forces would enforce their justice. Albus turned to his new acquaintance and said: "I agree."
A/N: Sorry that it was so short. This story is abandoned for now, in favor of the FM, but I might yet expand it later and include more of Dumbledore's friends, their past via flashbacks, possibly their time at Hogwarts, and the consequences of Dumbledore's choice. Unfortunately, doing it right now would expose some plot ideas for my other story.
Reviews & constructive criticism are welcome.