Aberforth could see things; little cracks over people and sometimes places that grew or disappeared for as long as he could remember. He doesn't know what they are or why he sees them. It wasn't till Ariana once mentioned colors around people that he might not be the only one to sees things differently (wrongly, abnormally) not that he cared or more accurately had time to care for himself; he'll leave that to Albus who Merlin knew spent too much time doing so.
One of the reasons why Aberforth doesn't like Grindlewald (much less like to have a dinner with the blonde) is because the moment he came into their lives Albus' lines grew until it looked like he might be shallowed whole in them. It was like...Albus was a poor (if the situation didn't scare Aberforth he would have laughed at the thought of Albus being poor) fly that had strapped into a spiderweb by a cunning and flattering spider. Aberforth has never ever gotten along with Albus even before Ariana was attacked but he doesn't like whatever Grindlewald represents. Whatever the foreign wizard means for them.
That sense of foreboding and loathing only grew the next time he saw his sister. Ariana, his baby sister, who's cracks had grown. Not only grown but looked as though she might be shattered at any given moment. It scares the hell out of Aberforth because he remembers finding mother's corpse and her lines being shattered to pieces. The very thought was enough to ruin Aberforth appetite but he still kept eating only so he didn't have to talk to his brother or his beau.
The atmosphere of the dinner was already something of a shatterpoint. Aberforth for once in his life was keeping his mouth shut and just eerily watched those around him. He wonders briefly if anyone can feel how tense and wrong this dinner was. No, he doubts anyone at this table does. Albus was too lovesick over Grindelwald. The blonde wizard that was a 'match' for him and his magic. Ariana was hidden in her room so she didn't count.
Much to Aberforth's unvoiced relief
Harrison had been adamant, as Aberforth himself, that Grindelwald was not allowed to meet Ariana until the foreign wizard earned Harrison's trust. Albus had been so mad at Harry to deduce by Harry's tone that would never happen much, again, to Aberforth's relief.
Merlin's pants Aberforth loved Harrison - not in romantic way - and was thankfully for the wizard who was willing to knock Albus down a peg and take Aberforth's side when most adults would never do such a thing.
It was healthy for Aberforth's older brother to be knocked down a peg especially with Grindelwald around. By the blonde's flattery Albus was becoming too large for his robes (or, Aberforth mused, lured to a spiderweb he might never come out of)
to the point it would be unbearable if Harrison wasn't here being his and Ariana's magical guardian that their mother had secretly appointed before her death.
"So vhat is your opinion on muggles Mister Harrison?" Grindelwald asked and before Aberforth's eyes the the cracks over the dinner table grew cracked further.
Merlin's saggy left leg. It would be a miracle to get through with the night without a single curse (and it would a curse not a jinx when it came to Grindelwald) being thrown.
Harrison took a sip of his water before answering calmly. "What of them?" He asked his tone falsely casual.
"Vhat's your opinion on them?"
"Have I ever told any of you of childhood?" Harrison asked his tone still falsely casual. No. He hadn't except for that one time when they first meet that Harrison told them that he could have been an Obscurus just like poor Ariana.
Harrison James Evans was not one to talk about himself. So why was he bringing this up? Aberforth wondered but didn't voice his question.
"My parents were killed by a wizard when I baby. I was left an orphan and was left to live my father's muggle family the Dursleys. Most of my accidental magic was healing the injuries that gave me for being a freak-" Harrison smiled at the word freak. It wasn't a pleasant smile. No it was more like a smile of sharp broken glass being mashed together. "- overnight."
"What happened?" Albus asked in a grim voice. This probably furthering his dislikement of muggles that had been turning into hatred through Grindelwald's influence and poisonous words.
"We eventually departed. I was on semi-good terms with two thirds of the family last I spoke to them." Grindelwald raised an eyebrow in disbelief at that.
"Despite being abused by a muggle family I don't hate muggles. The second friend- my best friend actually- I ever made was a muggleborn and Hermione was the smartest witch of her age. Her parents are lovely folks and treated me kind whenever I meet them. My father James Evans was muggle born too. My opinion Grindelwald is that you cannot judge a race by just by the actions of a few," Harrison pointedly stared at Albus as he finished his speech.
Aberforth fought back a smile. It was childish but he could help but think: take that Grindelwald now get the house (and our lives) so I can finish treacle tart in peace.
A/N: Originally posted on ao3 under the pen name youngjusticewriter. Part two of "The advantages of foreknowledge and the disadvantages." series.
Four things:
1.) Treacle tart is Harry's favorite dessert. He even smells it when he's near Amortentia (which is a powerful love potion).
2.) Instead of saying that Albus was becoming to big for his pants I used robes.
3.) The reason why Harry lied about his parent's blood status (and his and his father's last name being Lily's maiden name) was because he can't say his dad was a Potter and his mom a muggleborn because if anyone looked up Harry's story it wouldn't match with that time info. Does that make sense?
4.) This has been rewritten but has kept a good bit of the original fic.