disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings portrayed xD
Written for Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry: Music Club
Defying Gravity- Wicked
Prompts Used:
(Characters) Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindewald
(Word) Defy
(Word) Instincts
(Dialogue) "Together we're unlimited."
(Dialogue) "I don't know how, but I hope you're happy now."
For the Greater Good
1946
There was a knot of tension twisting and wrenching in his stomach. He had avoided the journey for almost a year, but knew it must be done. With one last sweeping glance across his classroom, Albus closed the door and waved his wand over lock. Wrapping his scarf tightly around his neck, he set off through the grounds.
He walked the path to the wrought iron gates as he braced himself against the bitter Bristish winter. Albus gave the Hog at the top of the gate a nod (as he always did) as he broke and recast the enchantments binding the gates and continued walking on. After fifty yards or so, Albus stopped. He glanced around and then quickly turned on the spot and disappeared as if into thin air.
As he returned to land with a gentle thud, Albus found himself on a barren plain, dominated by massive sand dunes, about two miles from the shore on the Belgian coast.
It was dreadfully windy so Albus used his arm to protect himself from the blasting sand as he crossed the hilly terrain. Luckily, the long flowing sleeve of his robes protected most of his face, but already he could feel his beard becoming heavier as the grit nestled in amongst the hair.
With massive strides he made his way through the sand in little time and quickly found himself on flatter ground, soon he could see the faint outline of the shore in the distance.
The salt laced air lingered on his taste buds, making him thirsty, as he made his way closer to the sea. He stopped a few of times to examine twigs, abadoned on his path, finally pocketing a long, arched one.
The waves crashed violently against the shore, spitting their white foam at him. Albus reached for the twig from his pocket and threw it in the choppy water. With his wand in his other hand, Albus cast a silent spell on the twig, transguring it into a handsome boat with large white sails and oak stained woodwork. With another wave of his wand, Albus conjured a rope ladder and climbed aboard.
The water shook and thrashed against the boat, but that is not why Albus was taking the journey slowly.
Until now, he had been sure of his destination but from here on out it was guesswork and gut instincts. He knew Nurmengard lay on an island (more a sand bay) but nothing more. One would think it easy to find a massive prison in the sea; but as with many other magical buildings, Nurmengard has protective enchantments rendering it invisible, until you set foot in its land.
Albus steered the boat further out to sea; occasionally throwing his arm out to the breeze, as if he were trying to feel the air, looking for signs of magic.
He searched and searched for hours, going over the same territory again and again; before he felt a sudden buzzing whip across his beard. He sailed in its direction and took a deep breath; he could smell the magic the in air.
He had found it; a small, almost undetectable, mound of sand sticking out of the water, near to the coastline.
Albus moored the boat as close as he could and jumped out. His feet only felt momentarily wet but he paid it no attention as he reversed the spell on the twig and placed it safely in his pocket.
Albus was not shocked to see the small island magically enhanced when he turned to face it. The island was still no more than 30 foot wide. A huge grey stone wall with one small iron gate was now visible. The prison was a thin but massive grey stone tower, at least one-thousand feet high. Just to look at it one felt the air of misery. It looked abandoned, though Albus knew it almost to be so. The stone had lost its battle with the rough elements and was crumbling away, moss clung to every available surface. There were no visible windows, unless you counted a few, very thin slits in the stone work.
"FOR THE GREATER GOOD"
Whenever he read or heard those words he felt sick to his stomach. With guilt, with regret.
"I don't know how, but I hope you're happy now." Albus muttered to himself as he looked up at the tall, dismal fortress.
He opened the small gate, it was covered in slimy moss and seaweed, so he reached for his handkerchief before going through to walled passage way.
Standing guard outside of a small arched doorway, protected by a metal grill, was a very large troll wearing what looked like a military green tie. The troll was drooling and apparently in a daze, as he did not react as Albus approached him.
Albus even tried tickling his leg to gain his attention but all the troll did was raise his club to his nose to scratch it.
Fancying his luck, Albus reached out to touch the barrier and was pleasantly surprised to find it disappear at his touch. Inside it revealed a very small entrance hall which housed a reception desk and a dark doorway.
A middle-aged, hard-faced looking witch in matching military green robes and hat,sat behind the desk. Albus made to introduce himself but she stood and moved out from behind her desk without a word and made towards the staircase.
"Lumos," she said with a wave of her wand. "Come." She beckoned him with her hand.
"Well, she was expecting me." Albus thought amused. He too lit the tip of his wand and followed her up the narrow and winding staircase.
It took them over an hour and a half to reach the top floor of the tower. The older witch was exhausted and put of breath but ignored Albus's protests that he would be fine completing the journey alone. Deep down he suspected that she'd rather not make the journey back down alone. The staircase was in a treacherous state of disrepair and she had already slipped a few times coming up; her fate could be much worse if she slipped down.
The witch did allow him the grace of standing outside the door that guarded the top floor of the prison, whilst he went inside.
Albus made his way down the bleak corridor of empty cells taking deep heavy breaths; trying to summon the courage for who he was about to face. Just before reaching the end of the row, Albus released his spell and stashed away his wand. He did not want to give Gellert any chance to read his expression.
The darkness was overwhelming and it took a minute for Albus's eyesight to adjust. With one final breath Albus moved to face the man he loved.
His cell was no more than a 10 foot square with a stone bed and a bucket. A sliver of sunlight broke through a small crack in the stone and rested on Gellert's face.
Even though Albus had only seen him about 9 months previously, he had aged terribly. His blonde hair was long and matted, his face black with dirt which was encrusted in the lines and his greying skin hung from his bones. Albus could help but pity him.
"Albus? Is that you?" He said in an unfamiliar, croaky voice. Gellert grinned maniacally bearing his green and chipped teeth. He got to his feet slowly and painfully to grasp the iron bars between them.
"I'm glad it was you." Gellert said, his eyes down cast to the floor.
"It couldn't have been anybody else." Albus whispered sadly.
A few minutes of silence passed as Albus struggled to express what he wanted to say. Gellert played with his fingers, acting like a mad-man. He looked up to fully meet Albus's gaze.
"I almost did it, Albus." He whispered with glee.
A flash of rage shot through Albus's glare. "You went to far," he spat back through gritted teeth.
Gellert regarded his friend with an almost confused expression and then smiled serenely.
"That's why I needed you. Together we're unlimited. Together we could rule the world."
"You defy all that is good and right. You have evil in your heart and evil will never truly reign whilst there's still some good left world." Albus cried, not caring how loud his voice grew. "Do you feel no remorse? Do you not feel even one ounce of the pain you caused? Oh yes, we both planned and schemed as lads, but I could never have caused the amount of pain that you have."
Albus felt the years roll down his cheeks but did not turn away; he had waited a long time to say these words.
Gellert stared at him blankly and Albus began to wonder whether he had even heard him. Albus stared at him, rife with pregnant tension; he watched as Gellert sat back on the floor again.
"Say something. Please," Albus begged, finally.
Gellert looked up but did not bother to move even though the single ray of Sun shone directly in his eyes. It highlighted a small tear.
"Don't you love me any more, Albus?" Gellert asked with a sad expression and a child-like voice.
Albus's heart broke and he turned away.
This was not the man he had loved. This was a man driven to madness in a prison of his own making. He could not bear anger towards something that pitiable. It pained Albus to see him like this. Inside a vice was gripping ever tighter in his heart.
Albus could not cause him any more pain.
"Of course I still love you." He choked.
"Good." Gellert replied before pushing himself up and moving over to his bed. He pulled his dirty, moth eaten blanket right up to his neck and snuggled up into it.
"Night Night, Albus. Love you."
"For the greater good." Albus muttered to himself as he walked away.