Disclaimer: The Harry potter series belongs to J. K. Rowling. The only profit I gain from this story is the enjoyment and experience of writing it.a
Written for the The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition- Round 9
Main Prompt: Macbeth
Additional Prompt:
2.(word) deceit
6.(word) feather
9.(quote) 'Sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side' - BBC Sherlock
Heroes Can Deceive Us
Dumbledore was hunched over his desk looking through the papers. Grindelwald had pressed his advantage and had attacked another wizard community near the coast. Dumbledore sighed, and ran a hand down his auburn beard in thought. But his thoughts were interrupted when his fire burst to life and Mundungus came stumbling out. He looked very excited as he righted himself.
"Dumbledore, have you heard? Grindelwald is dead!"
Dumbledore started, and looked over his spectacles.
"Don't know the details. Only that Lestrange is the one that had done it."
#
Rodolphus Lestrange stood uncomfortable in the Minister's office. He could almost hear the Daily Prophet, and any other worthy paper reporter, sniffing around outside. Fudge was saying something about receiving an Order of Merlin, First Class, and all of that nonsense. Not that it wouldn't come in handy, it was just that at the moment he had more important things on his mind.
#
"You've done a great feat," murmured Bellatrix in his ear as she rubbed his shoulders. He had returned home for a short time after seeing a healer.
"I am glad you approve my dear," he said, amused by his wife's good mood. He had left several months ago with his wife hardly speaking to him.
"So what put you in such a good mood while I was gone?" she let out a high laugh, and pushed off the back of the chair.
"Can't I be proud of my husband?"
He snorted in disbelief and shook his head.
#
He was going to become Head Auror, and the thought sent a thrill down his spin. He could change a lot from there, he had no doubt Bellatrix would be pleased.
"I do have one question before you go, Lestrange," Fudge said taking his hat off and turning it in his hands. "How exactly did you kill him?"
"I plunged a dagger through his chest while he slept," Lestrange said flatly, his eyes drifting away from Fudge to the moving portraits on the walls.
Lestrange had worked to gain trust in Grindelwald's ranks for some time. Killing him during the night had been a simple measure to avoid an honest fight with him. Lestrange was sure that he would have lost a duel against such a powerful dark wizard.
#
He returned home to confront some reporters on his front yard. Bellatrix was there and she took the lead spinning a tale of bravery over his actions. Over the course of the next couple of weeks Dumbledore, and Fudge worked to soothe the wounds that were left by Grindlewald.
Bellatrix swept into the room Rodolphus was reading in. She tossed a copy of the Daily Prophet on the side table next to his chair.
"Why don't you do something?"
He glanced down to read the headline:
Dumbledore is the True Savior
He wasn't surprised in the least.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked as he tossed the paper away.
"Become Minister of Magic," Bellatrix said, a smile sliding onto her face.
#
Fudge's death was only the first among many deaths. Rodolphus was hidden from sight from the terrified civilians as they hurried down Diagon Alley. Death Eaters is what their group was being called. They followed some great dark wizard more powerful than Grindlewald. Like his wife had predicted they were already calling for someone to save them. In some ways he felt a bit of remorse at the blood that was being shed. But then a saying he heard from his father would come back to him.
"Sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side." His father would say his broad back towards him as he stood in his study. Portraits of his ancestors nodding in agreement.
Rodolphus' desire for power only grew when he thought about this. If he could bring the world of magic out of hiding he would be remembered for centuries to come.
#
He hadn't planed to kill Dumbledore but things simply fell into place. As they faced each other, Rodolphus drew the wand he took from Grindlewald's body. He knew what it was now, the Elder wand. He couldn't lose any duel, and he wasn't a fool to let his guard down like the previous owners.
The duel was fierce and he strolled over to the fallen body, he knelt. He could hear bells ringing far off, "Don't listen to the bell, Dumbledore, because it summons you either to heaven or to hell."
"Rodolphus, do you really think what you are doing is for the greater good?" Dumbledore coughed, his breath coming out in ragged pants.
Lestrange looked out across the war torn battlefield. Wizards and Witches on both sides were spread across the ground. "Perhaps not,"he said, trailing off as he looked. A feather as black as tar fell from a crow that flew over his head. It drifted down into a pool of blood. "But I can gain immortality through this."
"Horcruxes?" Dumbledore whispered the very word seemed to make the air chill.
Rodolphus laughed and shook his head, "No, once I save this world. I shall be remembered through history."
"You think that people can not see through your deceit?"
"People see what they want to see," Rodolphus replied unaffected by Dumbledore's belief. If he had fooled everyone to make him Minister, he doubted they would see through his mask anytime soon.
He rose again and pointed his wand at Dumbledore. But before he could utter a word a spell hit him squarely in the back. He toppled over to stare at the sky, his gaze sightless.
Dumbledore pushed himself up to see who had cast the spell. A handsome young man with dark hair and dark eyes. Dumbledore recognized him as Tom Marvolo Riddle's son, he had lost his family to Lestrange a year back.