Within Temptation

Harry Potter fan-fictions of different genres and pairings surrounding the music of Within Temptation—tribute to the books and the band

Angels

Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Horror/Psychological (M)

The muggle shielded his family, begging us to let them go. They had done nothing. But that was beside the point.

My sister is damaged. My father is in prison.

And all because of muggles. Disgusting muggles.

I stood guard, keeping watch while Gell cursed the father, forcing him to murder his family in cold blood. I'm chilled by the screams as they are hacked to bits. I lie to myself, saying its sadistic excitement.

I look away from the window once and stare at the pool of blood mixed with both internal and external organs. I'm disturbed, but I tell myself I find it beautiful.

"We're done," Gell said. His hands are red. On the wall he's drawn the Symbol of the Deathly Hallows. Our obsession. "Let's go."

We leave for my home. It's late. Abe and Ariana should be asleep. I head down the stairs to get a glass of water. My hands are shaking. I try to calm them, lying to myself again.

The light turns on.

"Where have you been?" I turn around to look at my little brother. Abe crosses his arms, studying me coldly. "Albus, where were you?"

"Out," I say curtly. "What's it matter to you?"

"Ariana wanted you."

"I can't always be there for her, Abe."

"I can't either," he said, narrowing his eyes. "But at least I make an effort. Were you with that guy again? Gellert?"

"Someone say my name?" Gell asked, coming down the stairs, fresh from the shower. He and Abe appraise each other like opponents. "Bit late, isn't it, Kiddo?"

"I'm seventeen," Abe snapped. "I'm not a kid anymore."

Gell gets a look in his eye. I step between them. "Abe go to bed."

"Sure, take his side, why don't you!" Abe shouts. Can't he understand I'm trying to protect him? "You don't give two shits about your family! We're all we've got and you chose a stranger!"

"I think I'm hardly a stranger at this point, Abe," Gell said, grinning.

"Don't call me Abe."

"Aberforth, go to bed!" I shout.

"Don't tell me what to do!" The light of another room turned on and Ariana stood in the doorway, staring at us. Abe and I stare at her guiltily. Gell smirks.

"Albie?"

"Hey, Ana," I say, approaching my sister. "Did we wake you? Sorry."

She is looking past me at Gell. She seizes my sleeve. "Albie, I don't like him. Make him go away." It hurts me that my siblings can't see that I love him.

"He isn't going to hurt you," I assure her. I glance at Gell. He is still staring at Ariana. I frown. "Right, Gell?"

"Yep," he says, grinning.

"Just go," Abe snapped at him.

"Fine," Gell said, sighing. "I'll see you tomorrow, Al." He leaves out the front door.

"Look, both of you," I say. "Gell is a good friend of mine. Can't you do me a favor and treat him with some kindness?"

"Not with the way he looks at Ana," Abe snapped.

I blink. "How do you mean?"

"Yeah, typical of you to pretend not to notice," he spat. "He wants to do something to her, Albus. I just know it. I know you think he's your friend, but since you've met him, things have been worse!"

Ariana claps her hands over her ears. "No fighting," she pleads. "No fighting."

Abe glares at me. I drop my shoulders and lead Ariana back into her room. "We'll stop fighting, Ana," I promise. Abe and I will fight again. We always do, but for now, we'll agree on an impasse for Ariana's sake.

"Albie, will you read me a story?"

"Sure."

I tuck my sister back into bed, read her a tale of Beedle's, kiss her forehead, and leave her to fall back asleep.

I love my siblings, especially Ariana. There isn't anything I'd do for them. I just wish they'd understand that. I wish my sister could forget what happened to her when she was seven.

But as it is, we can't forget and I can't forgive. Not the injustice our family's gone through. Those brats deserved what they got for what they did to her…

Abe is on the steps.

"Please, Abe," I beg, "I'm tired. Can you please go to bed?"

"No. What were you doing tonight?" I don't answer. "Okay, I get it. He's your friend. You want to see the good in him. But Albus, there isn't any good in him. Not from what I can see. Every time I see him I get this really, really bad feeling. There is something very wrong with him."

I know all to well. I just don't care.

"Albus, please. I'm your brother. Let me help. Is he doing anything to you?"

I don't want to think of it. "No."

"Why can't you let me in?"

I'm trying to protect you and Ariana, damn it!

"I'm an adult now."

"Legally, yeah," I say, striding past him. "But just because you're legally an adult doesn't make you one."

#

Weeks passed by. I don't know where Gell had gone, but my family was much happier now that he wasn't around. I was, though I loathed admitting it, happier. I'm slowly recognizing how damaging a relationship with him has been.

We had a picnic in the back yard. Ariana played on the play set, singing a nursery rhyme while Abe pushed her. I watched them, ignoring the book I had brought outside with me. I am happy that we feel like a family again.

I don't think much of what passed with my time with Gell, but when I do I'm horrified by what I've become when I was with him.

Gell is very disturbed. I know that now, and I pray we won't cross paths again.

"Good afternoon."

I looked up at our neighbor, Elizabeth Peckington.

"Batty!" Ariana shouted, jumping off the swing and running to Bathilda to embrace her.

"Ana, don't call her 'Batty,'" I chide, "It's rude. Call her 'Betty.'"

Beth laughs. "I don't mind, really," she assures me. "May I join you?"

"You may," I say. Beth walks into our yard, pulling Ariana along with her. Ariana is grinning happily.

"Albie and Batty have a baby named Cathy," Ariana chanted, bringing a blush to my cheeks which I fight down, drinking some pumpkin juice. "Cathy was catty and chatty. Cathy was very bratty. She ran away with a boy named…named…Ashley!"

The nerve!

Beth laughs lightly. Ariana lets go of her, bored of vexing me. "Abe! Push me on the swing!"

Beth sits beside me. "You're sister is adorable."

"My sister is worse than my brother when it comes to being a thorn in my side."

"Well, what are siblings if not annoying?"

"True, but you notice it's only when you come by she acts like that."

Beth shook her head. "She wants me to be her sister, that's why. She'd like there to be another girl in the family, especially when she's the only girl and you are the oldest. Statistically that means you'll be the first to wed."

"Unless I don't want to marry," I point out, offering her a glass of pumpkin juice.

Beth shrugs.

"What?"

"Nothing," she says. "You're friend, Gellert, where is he? I thought he'd have almost become family by now."

"No. I haven't seen him in a while. And we're better for it. I see that now."

"Good," Beth said. "I hated what he was doing to your family, Albus—"

"Who asked you, Bitch?"

Beth and I started and scrambled to our feet, staring at a furious Gell. The swing stopped squeaking.

"Why are you here?" Abe shouted. "Get out!" Gell ignored Abe.

"I found it," he said, "and I got it. And when I come back, you're talking to this bitch? After I told you to have nothing to do with her? You—"

"Nothing happened," I say. I don't know why I'm bothering to explain myself. I thought I was free, but… "Gell, nothing happened."

"What sort of attitude is that?!" Beth shot back. "You don't own him, Grindelwald!"

"Albie," Ariana clutched onto Beth. "Why is he here? I thought he went away and was not coming back. Albie make him go away."

The look in his eyes when he stared at Ariana…it was so evil. Was he looking at my sister like that this whole time?

"You heard her," Abe growled, his wand ready.

"You think you're man enough to take me, Abe?"

"Abe, don't," I say, "I've got this. Beth, take them inside. Please. I'll handle this."

Beth leads Ariana inside. Abe follows them reluctantly.

"Why were you talking to her?"

"Beth is only a friend," I remind him gently. "There's nothing going on with us. Never has. Gell, why did you come back?"

Gell stares at me. "Why? Did you forget our goal?" he took out a wand.

"Oh my God," I say, staring at it. "Is that…"

"It is. Albus we are almost there. Just two more! Two more, can you imagine?"

The Elder Wand, fashioned by Death himself, is in Gell's hands. Gell pockets the wand and embraces me, kissing me.

"Albus, we are so close to our goal. We'll soon be Masters of Death and we can get our revenge on the wizard world. We are almost there. We are so close."

I look at the house. Ariana is watching us from the kitchen window. Did she see? Does she know? I push Gell away, making my decision. "No."

Gell stares at me. "No?"

"I can't. I won't abandon my family. They trust me again, Gell. I can't let that go. I need my brother and sister and they need me. I'm sorry. I'm done with this revenge and power crap. It's not worth it. I'm out. Just…stay away from us. Stay away from me."

I turn around and head inside. I don't want to encourage him, so I don't look at him again, though I desperately want to.

#

Ariana shrieks, waking me and Abe. We race to her room and barge into the door.

Gell stares at us, lying on top of Ariana. He smiles, "Hey, Al, Abe."

I seize my wand, blasting him off her.

Ariana is in tears. Abe picks her up. Blood drips down her legs onto the bed and now the floor.

"Albus?"

"Get her out of here," I order. "Get Ariana to the hospital."

Abe doesn't move. Ariana weeps.

"Now!" I shout. Abe runs.

Gell laughs.

"Oh c'mon!" he taunts. "You're angry, I get it. After all, she's your sister. That makes her off limits to the both of you. That sucks. A pretty, little, mad girl that you two brothers are so desperate to keep locked away from the world's eyes. One has to wonder why neither of you—"

"Crucio," I hiss. Gell screams, twisting on the ground. It's not enough to see him suffer. It's not enough. Not for what he did to Ariana. I lower my wand, letting red hot anger and hatred surge through me. I want him to die—

The Elder Wand is out and I'm flung across the room. My wand is snapped from the force.

Gell stumbles to his feet. As I process what has happened, he is able to corner my siblings. Ariana shrieks, Abe is screaming.

No. No! Not them! NO!

"Leave them alone!" I shout, stumbling out Ariana's room. "Gell, stop! Stop!"

Ariana is in the corner, covering her ears, crying. Abe is writhing on the ground.

"Gell! I'm begging you!" I seize his shoulder.

He releases Abe long enough to send me flying into the banister. I crumple to the floor and he continues to torture my brother.

"Gell, if you want to kill someone, kill me!" I shout. "Kill me instead!" He doesn't listen. It's like he can't even hear me. "KILL ME!"

"NO!" Ariana shrieks. Her body begins to shine bright white. She's using magic…but if she uses magic, she'll…

"Ariana!" I shout, rushing to her. "Ana, it's okay! I've got it under control!" I don't. And my voice betrays me. "Ariana you have to calm down!"

Ariana either doesn't listen or can't hear me. Magic is pooling out of her too fast, too wildly.

No. No! NO!

Her magic shines through the house. Gell, sensing danger, releases Abe and disapperates. There isn't much else to be done. It's too late to stop her.

"Ana!"

I grab Abe and apparate outside the house, several blocks away in time to see it explode. Abe stares where our house used to be, processing what just happened.

When reality catches up to him, he can't stand and falls to his knees, weeping loudly. The residents of Godric's Hollow are exiting their houses to see the commotion. Aurors are appearing everywhere and trying to find witnesses.

I try to pull Abe to his feet. He shoves me, staring at me with hate.

Why didn't you save her?

It's not that I didn't want to. I would have saved her in an instant if I could.

But I couldn't.

It's not my fault. It's not my fault she died. Don't blame me. There wasn't anything I could do…

I stared at what was once our home.

But there is something I can do to, hopefully, make it right...