Disclaimer: I am not rich,got no talent in writing... soo all you see and recognise belongs to our lovely HP Goddess J.K. Rowling~ She's got darn rights of Harry Potter, I own nothin... u got that?
Alrighty~ Here's a cookie~
A Dark (K)night
Prologue
It was a typically cold and brisk night considering British weather, as one Albus Dumbledore confidently walked the street of Privet Drive. Calmly walking the road the esteemed Headmaster was fast to call one of his own inventions to hand. The Deluminator, if asked Dumbledore would call it one of his better creations, though the usefulness would escape most wizards of course. Where'd be the purpose in extinguishing light with such a device if one could simply use a Nox spell for the same effect.
The device in hand slowly hovering over each lantern, had the street rapidly deluminated as the light source simply convulsed and finally morphed into orb like forms being rashly absorbed by the Deluminator.
Not little satisfied by his own handiwork Dumbledore allowed a small smirk and made his way towards the beforehand established and marked house of the relatives the soon to arrive toddler should be deposited.
Stopping mid walk the wizened wizard exclaimed slightly mirthful "I should have known you're here tonight, Professor McGonagall" Not in the least startled as the house cat, he was staring at, jumped and promptly transformed into his loyal and trustworthy Deputy, Minerva McGonagall, Dumbledore was fast to adjust back to his, controlled, but fast stride over to the house sporting the number 4.
"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore", the stern looking Professor answered while matching his pace. "Albus, I really feel the need to tell you again. I watched these muggle all day and they really are the worst kind of people th-" Albus was fast to interrupt his Deputy here.
"My, my Minerva, we've discussed this already. There's really no other option for young Cleopha. Besides this is also part of her family. I am sure they will treat her just as good as Lily and James would." He eyed his Professor and they stopped their impeding towards the house.
Watching as Minerva still seemed to struggle with what she was about to do, he calmly added.
"And think about all the trouble she would've gone through in our world. You know yourself no one looks kindly onto people like her. Now don't fret over this too long, my dear. Isn't it enough that I personally assure you that the young girl will only benefit from growing here?" Albus lightly brushed her shoulder but stopped and patted her firmly.
"I- It's just... No of course you're right Albus. I am sure the girl will find her way into their hearts. Just..I feel she would've been better of with her real family, but I guess it's really just for the best. " And with that Minerva turned a small smile to her mentor and boss.
His eyes twinkling in a delighted and jovial manner Dumbledore confirmed McGonagall's statement with a grandfatherly smile of his own, continuing his strive.
Not a second later they stood firmly in front of the door to privet drive number 4, only for Dumbledore to search the sky with his eyes.
"Now, now, it seems our nightly outing will come to reason soon." Dumbledore jovially hummed as a small wave of magic indicated the arrival per portkey.
The atmosphere surely went down fast, as the tall bespectacled man with the raven hair appeared at the rim of the street. Chasing down the path towards the two scholars, a small bundle in his arms.
"James, my boy. I see young Lily has decided to stay apart this endeavour?" Ignoring the grim look on James Potter's face Dumbledore inquired with his usual eye twinkle, slightly eyeing the bundle in his arms.
"Evening Professors. I fear Lily was adamant about at least staying away. She is still struggling to comply to all this." The voice, deep in tone, still noticeably carried a hunch of sadness, as James reckoned the Headmaster with a stern look.
As if tasting something bitter, McGonagall brashly fixed James with a look of her own. " As if you could expect something else from a loving mother, James. Cleopha is as well your child as is Daniel. It's not the child's fault for being..." A sorrowful sigh escaped her as she traced the small bundle in James arms with not a small amount of hesitation.
Left to her own thoughts, Dumbledore consolingly brushed Minerva's shoulder and added
"Now, now, I fear it is all well known that every now and then a child like her is born. Even with both parents magical. It can happen to the best of us. And now it is our duty to ensure that she will not be living as a disparage. We all know how our society looks upon... people like her."
"Enough with that, we all know my daughter is a squib, no use in parading about it any longer. Although I really hope we're doing the right thing here...Albus are you really sure that this would be the better option? I mean, sure it'll get a little stressful hiding with Daniel and Cleopha, but still...I wonder if Lils wasn't right all along" The stern eyes of James Potter raved about his daughter in thought, slight wetness glistening in dim moonlight.
The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes would've been, for attentive observer, vanishing for only a blink of second until he gently but determinedly attended to James worry. " I know this is a hard choice to make, my boy. But we've went over this discussion multiple times and I fear the outcome of a new discussion would end the same. Think about the stress, you and your family will have to go through in this difficult times," A slow and seemingly painful sigh escaped from Dumbledore
"This is all for the greater good, James my boy. It will be hard enough to protect Danny and Lily, but imagine to include young Cleopha here, a girl without even the means to cast accidental magic in self defence, and yet she surely will be as demanding as Daniel. I fear that with growing time Lily and you will simply not have the time to be attentive to her. And we cannot risk young Danny not getting his training. You see-"
James was fast to cast a dismissive, yet slow hand gesture towards Albus. "I know all that Albus, I know." James sighed and looked one last time at his small baby girl until a hard conviction flashed through his eyes. "You know Albus, now that I think of it, it doesn't sound that much of a cost after all. Minerva is right, Cleopha is my daughter as Daniel is my son, thank you Minerva for bringing light to my stupid eyes."
At his serious look and the vindication of a father in his eyes, Minerva broke a smile at James. "Yes, James. I think it took you long enough."
And continued with a blank stare at Albus. " See Albus, I told you a father would stand for his children, besides what predicament."
The once jovial and grandfatherly smile escaped Dumbledore in exactly that moment and the only indicator that something might've happened was the slight eye widening of one Deputy Headmistress and a not very attentive Father, who chided himself for a nearly bad decision.
That was all until the rapidly engulfing darkness of a stunning spell hit both adults. And the night sky riffled at the ear piercing scream of a child no more than a year old demanding her parental affection, or maybe horrified at what it had witnessed.
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and supreme Mugwamp for the ICW, Great Sorcerer and Headmaster of Britain's most famous and esteemed school of wizardry , Hogwarts, dreaded this outcome.
Not because he had any scruple or feared he could've been overpowered. No Albus hated this action for something very different, he hated it when people ignored his well given advice. Do they not see his wisdom, do they not comprehend that he's of an entity much more than they could ever achieve?
It frustrated him, more than anything else. When he had to slip his masquerade and instead slip into a so very different role than people knew him to be. He who had achieved greatness would always bestow his grandfatherly advice on the younger ones and they would look up at him, would gladly bid his wishes and wordings, because it is him, that all powerful man who had defeated Grindelwald and shown the world just how powerful he is, but yet decided to climb down of his throne.
He who always and gladly listened to worries, sorrow and always had an open ear. He could destroy them, change everything but he decided to play the forthcoming God and established his grandfather personality. So how he loathed James in that moment...
The moment This unruly boy of a Potter decided to throw a well thought plan over board. And of course ignore Albus advice.
It was fast, only a sliver of a second before Minerva realised something was across with her mentor. But all too late was her reaction. Isn't it always hard to react to an attack from within your shields...
Her eyes widened and not a breath of voice could escape her throat, as twinkling eyes glistened darkly at her and the red light of a stunning spell engulfed her into the land of unconsciousness.
The unexpected movement to his side and the sinking figure of his late Professor normally would've been easily noticed by James and the well trained Auror would surely have had a way to dodge the incoming red of a spell, but as unexpectedly the attack came he was additionally rather distracted by his new found vigour as a father. His last thought was never truly comprehended as he sank to the ground his bundled Daughter levitating out of his arms. Blackness overcame him.
Dumbledore sighed in exasperation. "You shouldn't have done that James, my boy. I really dread doing this to someone with as much talent as yourself, but you leave me no other choice. Obliviate."
The greenish light lit up the tip of his outlandish wand and the sacked body of James tensed shortly
"You will remember that everything went as planned. Your daughter has safely arrived at the Dursleys and you stayed till morning to witness how she was warmly embraced and welcomed by Petunia and her husband. You feel relieved at the new home for your daughter and genuinely believe it was for the best." Dumbledore's voice echoed lonely over about the empty street
"Now, Minerva. I hoped against all hopes you would've chosen to stay behind as well. But it seems I've to do you the honours as well. Obliviate." Again the greenish spell hurried towards a still body and again Minerva tensed shortly.
Sightly shaking his head Dumbledore repeated the process. " You will remember being at Hogwarts having not enough heart to see one of your favourite students and good friends abandoning his daughter. You will remember having slight doubts, but after I returned and told you how welcomed the girl had been, you truly accept the decision as the best."
Satisfied his memory charms will suffice Albus turned and spared the levitating bundle all of his attention. Hovering the girl towards himself, with a little bit of wandless magic, he stared into he wide opened green currents of eyes. Feeling a shiver run down his spine he stared directly at the girl.
"How comes such a small creature would be able to do so much harm in the future" He sighed a long and old breath. " But as it goes such is the flow of nature, do forgive this old man but I can simply not allow something like you becoming a threat in my plans. So it has to be." the morose look in Albus eyes shifted and instead he returned a twinkle in his eyes, only this twinkle was dark and for all matters not well intentioned.
With nefarious precision Albus waved his wand about the bundle and levitated her on the doorstep. Shifting in his posture he bowed over the young girl and produced a carefully crafted letter from his robes. And quietly said "As you perhaps will realise in eventually near future, I, my girl will not be your ticket for the next great adventure", A dark chuckle escaped Dumbledore "can't have something like this on my hands, can I now" At the rhetorical question for himself Dumbledore could only shake his head in dark mirth
"But do not worry, I just happen to know that these fine people here will take all too good care of you." He placed the letter on top of the bundle and mirthlessly righted himself, swishing his wand in a complex and difficult way.
For the normal wizardry populace this would look like someone managing an orchestra, and even for the trained eye, Dumbledore's wandmanship would look like someone overly overdoing a normally simple ward schematic. Only a very few people, skilled in the art of warding and curse breaking would identify this supreme masterpiece of warding as one of the most sinister and vicious blood wards.
The Furia-Mari ward. An ancient Egyptian symbolic blood ward. The ancient Pharaoh's often used in their tombs, mostly in combination with evil constructs, Golems or Inferi. As this special piece of magic casts an unavoidable desire to ravage, hate, destroy and malice on the area of effect. It's properties enhancing the desire to kill for Inferi and Golems and the desire to become extremely angry or to just run amok in humans.
Now the most remarkable thing about this blood ward is that it can be bound to a special target. Which in fact would lead anyone entering the area of the ward, turning their ire against the target, without developing effects towards others within that area.
In his youth Dumbledore refined the arts of his magic by travelling to magical places all over the world, which coincidently once led him into a forgotten tomb in Egypt whereas he stumbled upon a rather irritated Sphinx.
Wondering why the beast sought out to attack immediately instead of asking, as usual for those creatures, a riddle. Albus proceeded to study the reasons for what could set a powerful being as a Sphinx into such mental instability. And thus he unravelled the secret behind the Sphinx foul mood.
And now, years even decades after his more adventurous times in life, he refined the ward for nothing less than himself. The most devious part about that ward though... well Albus discovered in his late research that this special blood ward was classified as forbidden and extremely dark because it's power would come from the target. The ward, once bound to a target would suck it's magic fundament out of the poor victim itself.
Cutting and piercing the air with his wand in strangely rhythmic movements Albus came to an abrupt stop, simply pointing his strangely shaped wand at a small stone he pulled out of his pockets.
Reacting to the magic commanded at it's common structure, the small rock started to glow a velvet red, changing promptly to a quivering and pale blue.
Now what kind of ward would be called blood ward if it wouldn't require at least a small sample of blood. As if every second counted, Dumbledore produced a small knife, with runic emblems carved in the cold metal.
Without hesitation Albus brought the knife to his hand and slit a line along it. Leaving his bloody appendage fastening around the ward stone. "Now, just a small drop will suffice from you," with immense glee the hand of Albus Dumbledore glided over the small form of a girl, pulling the knife carefully over the small thumb " And now it's farewell or better may we never cross paths again, my dear."
Not realising what caused this unknown feeling, this burning sensation in her small thumb distressed the small girl very much, the whispering voice of devious vibrations coming from that weird tall man made everything even worse. But now that man grabbed her wrist and pressed her itching and burning thumb onto something cold and exhausting.
The small ward stone reacted instantly. The blood of both, the casters and the target, entering it's construct pumped the old and powerful magic through it's matter within seconds.
A small and invisible vortex of utter depletion covered the young girl, as the magic to run the vicious ward was taken from her in masses.
Without a hint of joy or care, the girl did what every child would do in such a situation. She screamed. Not any scream, really, no a scream so full of agony and desperation that it brought the world to a stop. At least for a short moment, the moment it took for the small girl to become magical exhausted and drift into oblivious.
Dark (K)night~
The small house on the little hillside struck with no manner of importance. The garden, a small piece of obvious care glanced in the moonlight and allowed presumptive glances at the well cared for rose bushes and even small grown tulips. But on second glances, the eyes would find it's matches at the small field of white and stunning lily's, growing in neat perfection at the sides of other well coloured flowers.
Now nothing out of the ordinary of course, except the small detail that said flowers shouldn't be able to grow at the same time of the year. But who couldn't ignore such a minor detail for the sake of mesmerizing beauty.
Of course this view would never be laid eye on by any other than wizardry population. What luck that Godric's Hollow was as much muggle town as it was wizard.
It was the middle of the night as she woke up. Her sleep not very deep, but who could blame her, had she yet allowed the utmost sin a mother could allow. Yes, Lily Potter had agreed to push her daughter, her own flesh and blood away from her.
And for what? For the fear of exposing her magic less child to her society. But Lily knew what that sentence really was. "AN EXCUSE!" She yelled torn from her light and nervous sleep. Sweat covered her by half an hour she dared to lay down and now she was all but drenched.
Her fearful eye turned left, to where her beloved husband would lie. But of course all she laid eye on was the empty and cold side of his part of their wedding bed. A slight, but firm and cold dread nearly crawled her neck and spine as Lily pushed the blankets away and tumbled towards the bathroom.
Water, a glass of water. All she needed would be a glass of cold and fresh water and everything would be ok again. She briefly considered the thought where James would be right now, only to immediately stumble back to her harsh reality.
"Not a dream!?" confused and not a little panicked she grabbed tightly around her shivering body.
Trying to reassure herself with a little bit of self instilled warmth.
But her mind raced. Her daughter, she had allowed him to take her to THATWOMEN!
With a light thump Lily sank to the ground tears raging her tired eyes open and yet making her even more miserable.
She knew how that women, her once so lovely sister, despised everything freakish. In her terms called magic. How could she even consider pushing her own blood towards that monster of a women?
There was no answer for her sorrow, no waking from an unreal dream...until she remembered holding her cute and squeaking daughter and her owlishly blinking twin in her own arms and then there was the reason for the curiosity woken in both toddlers.
A berry came to mind. No an odd shaped berry, which berry would have a long stick attached to it.
It was more like a wondrous piece of art. Many berries pulled upon a long and artfully crafted stick.
Her eyes widening in absolute horror, She let the second not even end. With a force only a mother could find when called to protect her children Lily burst from her position on the ground and raced to the floo.
The green fire lighting up in the fireplace only paled at the furious expression her green eyes carried right now. A killing curse, some say is a calm way to die. Because the last thing you would see, would be the pale green of hopes call.
But were a person, believing that adage to see the flaming green of one Lily's eyes he would maybe reconsider that statement into one of greenish devil hell flames impaling your utter soul with hate and fury.
With brash and forced voice she nearly spat the words "Leaky Cauldron" at the ever more paling green flames, As she vanished.
Her mind had just latched one daringly word. "Dumbledore"
She remembered now. How that berry shaped wand came to a halt at her twins, thinking good dear uncle Albus wanted to play she realized too late. The compulsion being in place she panicked and searched for James, only to loose her memory in a careful turn towards her attacker.
~Dark (K)night~
July 31th 1945
The blackened cobble street glimmered eerily in the brink of dusk. Ashes covering the most of pavement putting on a show of wild and chaotic steps being laid upon the undisturbed peace of black and grey.
It was not long ago that the devilish fire engulfed this piece of altruistic Germany, but the silent streets of the once so loudly claimed walkways left time to be a speculated gift. Untouched memories of people, men, women, even children being burned alive. Now only sentimental but not permanent statues of coal and ash.
As if a higher entity welled up the gall to mourn for all those poor souls, the wind avoided the streets, left the more crucial parts of still intact human ashes persisting due only a little longer. Which irony it would state, that only two silhouettes, witnesses, perhaps the last living among a hundred kilometres would burn this horrifying but yet mesmerizing picture into their minds.
A man shivering on his knees, his once so eye catching blonde eye stained with soot and sweat stared with something of awe and fear at the taller person standing just a tad away from him.
"It worked!" the kneeing man merrily exclaimed " I've achieved a greatness no one will ever can compare to, ha ha aha. I've won now." the silence between two waved along the deadly crematory, that once was a very populated town until the happy, no even euphoric laughter took reign over the sad deathbed.
The small Podium smeared with crude and mysterious symbols only barely withstood the onslaught of heat and flames, as the hellish ritual he, Grindelwald pulled of, took form. Years of searching had finally led Grindelwald towards his goal.
While his once partner in action as well as in bed still clung to the mysterious rumours and legends about the deathly hollows, Grindelwald knew that his success laid elsewhere.
So had he not given up, after many of trials and errors searching for the hidden "G". Oh he knew what it was alright. Wasn't he a genius, and cunning mind himself. But only a true wizard would conclude what the once so secret Order of the Freemasons had tried to hide.
Pesky little bastards they were. That's right "were" he tried to convince the hidden organization to join his course, only to be laughed at, spat at. " We're were hidden since even Christians started counting." Pah! "why would we step down to help a mongrel like yourself" Answers? No mock he received for his ambitions.
But now no more, had he Grindelwald, most powerful wizard and soon leader of a better world took it all from them. Oh how he relinquished in every single scream the Order of Freemasons uttered in desperation for forgiveness. But Grindelwald knew no halt until his hands clung to the so much desired Artefact.
The Podium flared in fire and magic as Gellert stood proudly, hopefully and even a little desperately. All his dreams and all his accomplishments hung on this ritual. Failure would mean his end, had his forces been decimated strategically and his hideouts ousted by his... ex-partner... Dumbledore. Oh how he regretted... but there's no medicine for regret in this world.
He was on the run and his reserves came slowly but steadily to an end. He knew it of course, that he wouldn't be able to hide for much longer. So he decided now better than never. The ritual circle exhausted him, costing him nearly two thirds of his magical reserves, but the walls of his hidden chamber in midst of the highly populated town reverberated with strutting and ancient magic. It was time, claiming his position in front of the ancient torn page in front of him. Safely lying on the podium, he made his start. Chanting the long forgotten language, singing the powerful old words in a singsong unbeknown to man since many thousands of years.
The magic gathered around him as his voice carried a language that should not be spoken. And as if the stone, the air, the water and even the light and dark remembered what is being said, the room shook and tried to spat everything it got at the powerful dark lord in it's midst. The shadows tried to strangle Grindelwald, the light tried to burn his eye sockets out, the earth shook and tried to bring him to fall, the water drowned his lungs in fluids claiming his life just as much as the air, that brought his skin to crawl under pressure. But he would not have it!
HE WAS GRINDELWALD! Who if not he would be able to finish this ritual, and nothing would stop him, not even death. It was that single moment that Grindelwald felt as if he was the apex of it all. The words coming from his throat, ignoring the watery tone. His vocal chords acted alone, and his mind was stimulating and preparing to engulf in the sacrifice this kind of ritual would demand.
And sacrifice would be delivered. The resounding words broke into a magical symbiotic with the rhythmic chanting, slowly the words became visible forms of golden and silver strings attached to a chord of magic, swinging through the room until they finally reached the maxim.
A bursting screech erupted from everywhere. All attacks on Grindelwald stopped, as the magic reached it's final form. Every word, syllabus erupted in hellish red and crimson burning flames began to lick at the stone.
Then, embraced in painful heat and flesh melting flames the inferno teared at everything. Eating humans, stone, house and pet, everything erupted in flames, the notorious flames of hell.
~Dark (K)night~
What felt like an eternity finally came to an end. And in midst of his room, correction his now open plaza Grindelwald sank to the ground, not daring to take his eyes of the surrounding apocalypse.
What have been moments before lively streets and well visited shops was now a blackened hell filled with sorrow and despair.
But what had his heart in his throat, was the man the... being before him.
Standing tall and with blazing amber eyes watching his every movement, was a high grown slender looking man. His style of clothing screaming nobility and power. His black baroque suit seemed to swallow even the slightest bit of light, his pitch black silken hair making no forthcoming of that as well, except the smallest piece of pale platinum blonde strand lying at the back of his earlobe, which protruded a snake like earring.
The man/being took one last analysing look at Grindelwald before his face turned in disgust and anger. A sudden flare of very hot and dark magic surrounded him. "You are not an heir, what have you done you fool." The Grindelwald now had other problems at hand. He heard the powerful voice well and instantly knew that this man was not without immense authority, but what more than less captured his mind right now, were the scathingly black flames licking and latching inside his body.
The suppressive power he was engulfed within tried to tear him up from within. And it was successful. With agony piercing every cell of his body, Grindelwald wished for the cruciatus curse instead. But the blazing flame would not stop to tear and eat from his soul. "I-..I've lost" A single tear made it's way down his face until his utterly broken form stilled and he was granted unconsciousness.
Unbeknown to him, his tormentor just looked disgusted at his broken form, snapped his finger and disappeared with a swirl of black dust.
It was that moment that Albus Dumbledore found his old lover and wrote History to his pleasures.
AN:
Yeah prologue and stuff... Yayy~~ … ok too much enthusiasm
someone got a problem with ma summary? That's ok give me an example of a better one later and maybe I'll change it. To people who guess what I intended the "G" to mean, write me if you're correct I'll write a omake of your preference. Only the first one to get it correct though... I am lazy as... well you know the part where you uhm leave it at that.
I hope you like cliffhanger and uninteresting stories leave a comment I feed on them. See ya
No really leave a comment, I am starving~