Gellert's long imprisonment had stunted his usual impeccable ability to understand human emotions. He had already developed a thorough understanding of the reactions love, happiness and pride could evoke. He had learned to manipulate these feelings, to use them to persuade people to act in a certain way all the while remaining unfettered by them.
Of course he was aware that Hermione was remarkably righteous, but he had been so taken off guard by her usual logic that he had completely forgotten that she too was bound by guilt and compassion. Attempting to torture the pink bat in her presence had been an error in judgement and the alternative punishment was inefficient. She would quickly come up with an alternative and he would be in exactly the same position again.
No, he already knew that the witch would only be stopped by ultimate fear. Torture and threats were a language she would understand and be easily susceptible to.
Of course, this wasn't the first time he had encountered this problem. He had sat through many meetings of 'The Order of the Phoenix', listening to complex plans and missions when the same could be achieved by a bit of gold or a single threat.
Of course, their determination to antagonise the ministry was another obstacle. He knew from experience that it was much easier to have ministry support. He had suggested that they stop arguing about Voldemort's return, (clearly that wasn't getting them anywhere.) and instead announce that they had been mistaken and Sirius Black had killed Cedric Diggory, claim that he was gathering supporters. At least they would have ministry support then and maybe even the population would start getting prepared for attacks. Of course, that would involve lying and incriminating Black even more, (even though said Black had been the only one to agree to the plan.) so nothing could be done there.
No, in conclusion, he would be better off working alone. He needed the power of the ministry, he needed his extensive network of spies and supporters, his ability to influence every echelon of society and the morals of the order would never work.
Dumbledore's message had been expected but he still felt a cold flush of fear when he said she had fallen ill to a dark curse. He was back inside the castle within hours even as he knew that he had been manipulated.
She was fine, sleeping in her bunk.
He left, heading down to the magic room and finding peg boards covering the walls. Rolls of fresh parchment and pots of different coloured ink covered a massive desk. It was the perfect planning room.
He sat at the desk and pulled a clean parchment towards him and began to write. It only took him moments to realise that he was woefully underequipped. He had almost no information, no idea where his followers had ended up and was fighting between two established, influential bodies.
He needed information first and access to his entire fortune. The Goblins were relatively immune to wizarding politics but even they had been forced to freeze his accounts. Fortunately, with their usual surliness they had done nothing more than the ministry had asked of them, so the family accounts had remained untouched. All the same he needed the other half of his fortune.
His first mission would be to persuade the goblins to reopen the vaults, his second would be to gain intelligence. The solution to that was really rather simple.
House elves were loyal, intelligent and mostly went unnoticed by witches and wizards. They had been invaluable to his intelligence forces in his time and they had been almost entirely overlooked this time.
The Hogwarts kitchens had to be serviced by elves, and he suspected the kitchens would be directly beneath the hall. It was common to have the kitchen table mirror the dining room so that food could be made to spontaneously appear. There was an easier option than traipsing around the castle though.
'Elf.' He called imperiously, turning towards the empty space beside his chair. An elf wearing a smart pillowcase popped into the space looking infuriated.
'Young masters should not summon us. We's Hogwarts elves, not for yous to boss about.' The elf was a female, her pillow case cinched at the waist with a length of rope and a ladle stuck through it like a sword.
'I am looking for an elf to take into my family.' He informed the small creature and it looked at him suspiciously.
'And the young master is needing a house elf for what?' The elf rested her hand on the ladle as if she were about to brandish it at him.
'I am head of my house, our family elves passed whilst my grandfather was too sick to arrange breeding. My father too died before the situation could be resolved.' He explained and the elf's ears suddenly perked.
'I is knowing of an elf looking for employment sirs.' She informed him. 'I can send her to yous if yous is interested.'
Gellert nodded and the elf disappeared with a pop. He only had to wait a couple of minutes before she reappeared, this time with another female elf. The second elf was a mess; although her dress was clean, he could smell the alcohol on her and she was leaning heavily on the other elf.
'I is bringing Winky to you sirs.' Here the older elf hesitated. 'Winky is a good elf sirs but she is needing work at the moment.'
The elf was young, and although she was a mess now that was a sign that she had been devoted to her old owners. Reinstating her employment would go a long way to earning that devotion for himself.
'Winky?' He asked, his voice formal but not cold. The little elf looked up at him, then promptly burst into tears.
'Is is not fit for work sirs, I should not be seeing now.' She sobbed into the older elf's shoulder. He reached out for the elf's hand, taking it in his own.
'Would you form a bond Winky? My family is in need of your service.' The elf perked up suddenly, looking at him with something that could only be described as awe.
'Winky would be happy to agree sirs. Winky would do anything sirs.' He smiled, drawing his wand and tapping it against their joined hands as he recited words to the ancient ritual. Winky blinked tearfully as she too completed her part of the ceremony. The older elf disappeared with a crack.
The wash of magic that bound them was a comforting familiarity. Winky's back straightened as she felt the power of the bond, the invoked magic informing her of the true family she now served.
'I is happy to serve the Grindelwald family, Master.'
Gellert allowed a smile to grace his lips. Winky would become a powerful asset in the future.'
'For now I want you find information. I want you to mingle with other elves and find out whose master's serve Voldemort. Tell them only that you are in the service of an old European family.' The elf nodded eagerly, disappearing with a snap. Gellert turned back to his parchments, pleasantly surprised to find a tea exactly how he liked it waiting on the table for him.