Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, except the plot.
Summary: Adalbert Waffling, a wizard in the 1920's, comes into inheritance of a very unique house, called the Portrait House. The house is said to be able to make many mysterious and wonderful things come about, during difficult times. Adalbert is just about to experience a few of those.
NOTE: This is set in the 1920's during the beginning of the reign of Grindelwald. There will be no mention of the future (Harry potter, ect.)
In a flat near the border of Germany, Adalbert Waffling woke with a start from his bed at an unexpected scratching coming from his window. He relaxed when he saw that it was only a small brown owl with a piece of parchment attached to its leg. Adalbert could not help but be nervous. Earlier that week, there had been a second attack in the wizarding world, near Berlin. It had been the second killing in two weeks. Both of the outcomes looked strikingly familiar.
In each case, men in dark robes had come out into a public place, using charms to disguise themselves even further. They had singled out about five people both times and had killed them on the spot. Neither of the groups of attackers stayed very long, just long enough that their Lord Grindelwald had commanded that a purification of the entire world would start soon. As soon as that message was conveyed the attackers would vanish leaving no trace for the aurors.
The attacks had left the wizard world in fear and doubt. Many had taken to not being out after dark in case the cloaked figures decided to appear again. Adalbert had no intention of being caught by these murderers and had taken to staying in his house for the rest of the week.
He did not often get owls and the one that had woken up filled him with dread. He suspected that it was some terrible news. A family member dead, but when he opened the window up and let the owl in he found that the parchment carried the seal of Gringotts. So maybe it was not such terrible news as a death.
Adalbert quickly removed the scroll from the bird and unrolled it. He read out loud to himself in a thick gruff voice. "'Mr. Adalbert Waffling, we at Gringotts fell it is important to notify you that you have recently come into possession of a large property in northern Britain, which was passed onto you by a deceased Noel Elwood. Gringotts requires that you visit the estate at least once with a goblin representative before you come into full possession of the property. We request that you respond to this message as soon as possible. --- Gringotts Wizarding Bank."
Adalbert's eyebrows furrowed together as he stared at the note in his hands. He had never even heard of a Noel Elwood. He could not even begin to imagine why some old batty witch would leave him an estate. Plus, now he would have to leave the house. He looked over at the clock on the wall. The goblins said that they wanted to see him as soon as possible, but Adalbert had no desire to leave the confines of his home, but he knew he would have to do it sooner or later. He decided to ponder it over a hot cup of tea and some toast.
He walked across the room and shrugged on a dark green robe and stuffed his wand into his pocket, before heading down the hall of his flat to a small sparsely furnished kitchen. Adalbert sat sleepily at the small table that was pushed into the corner of the small room, and began to flick his wand lazily at the shelves on the opposite wall. His breakfast began preparing itself as Adalbert ran his hands through his light brown hair.
It was halfway through his breakfast that Adalbert decided that it would be better to visit Gringotts now rather than later incase the attacks became more frequent. With that decided he pushed his half eaten breakfast away from himself and cast a quick scourgify on the kitchen and on himself. Before he walked down the hall into his study where his fire place was. Adalbert pulled out a handful of floo powder and tossed it into the fire. "Gringotts!"
This story goes along with my other story 'Twisted Summer' and can be read separately.
Pandora