Dear Reader,
This chapter is very short, but is very important, for it is a turning point in the story. I think I could've done much better, but then again, dynamic changes in characters are often very difficult to write. I hope you enjoy it, nevertheless, and find it believable. Also, I want to say that I know a lot of you are having trouble dealing with the concept of Albus Dumbledore being Grindelwald, but I wnat to say thanks for hanging in there for this unexpected twist. I had this twist in mind since the beginning, and its originality is what drove me to write the entire story. ADMMs have been done before, and they've been done with Minerva as a student and Albus as a teacher. But I doubt if there are many (or even any) where Dumbledore turns out to be the very enemy everyone thinks he was fighting. You will soon see how that part of the story, the "defeat of Grindelwald" that the wizarding community believes, will come to pass. I also want to note that some people believe that Albus's being Grindelwald is way out of character for Albus, and I suppose it is. But I would say it's out of character for the old Albus, the one we know through the books from years later. As a young man, he very well might have been a radical and only changed his ways through experience and learning. All will turn out well, I promise. And even though not eveyone likes the way I've turned things, I do hope they enjoy the story, for it is not only a romance, but one with a twisted plot.
I also want to thank everyone for their reviews of my beginning for my new story. I appreciated the comments, positive and negative.
-LunarLitLover
Preview for Next Time: The plan for "the end of all things"
Recap: Minerva has found out that Albus is Grindelwald and decided to go to Slughorn, the leader of the resistance against Grindelwald, for help. Riley, Grindelwald's right hand man, has also come to Slughorn for help. Albus/Grindelwald is planning on convincing Reese, the Minister of Magic, by any means necessary, to make him legally the leader of the British Ministry.
Chapter 26: Changing Eyes and Heart
"They are all in there, Sir," a young wizard told Grindelwald. "Reese, his wife and daughter. They are awaiting you."
Grindelwald did not look at the wizard, but instead gazed into the room through the tiny window in the door. He finally came out of the trance and responded, "Very good. But, may I ask, where's Riley?"
"I do not know, Sir," said the young wizard, bowing. "He left in a hurry this morning and hasn't returned."
"Hmm…" Grindelwald ran his long fingers over his chin, lost in his ruminations. "Well, no matter…I will set my mind to the task ahead."
The young wizard bowed again and retreated as Grindelwald opened the door.
All three of the inhabitants, the Reese's, were magically restrained to chairs, their wands having been stripped from them some time ago. Upon Grindelwald's entrance, the Minister gave him a filthy look, but could do nothing else. However, with a flick of Grindelwald's wand, their gags came off, and the Reese's burst into talking.
"Grindelwald! I'm warning you! If you lay a finger on my wife or my daughter…"
"…Oh, please, Sir! Spare my daughter and my husband…!"
"…I swear I will never stop hunting you if you touch them…"
"…Please! We don't want anything to do with this…"
"…There will be no need for Avada Kedavra…I will rip you limb from limb…"
"Well, this will certainly not do!" Grindelwald interrupted. With a wave of his wand he silenced them again. He then began to pace the chamber. "It is my turn to talk now. And you will listen, Reese," he said nodding at the Minister, who had glared at him with the intensity of a chimera. "And you better listen well!" he continued. "I am tired of playing these games! We have been at this for a while now, and you still blindly refuse to instate me as the new Minister of Magic. You also refuse to sign any of my proposals into law. You know, of course, that I need your approval to do legally anything what so ever, and you are refusing to give it. We have tried to persuade you in many ways, but none so far have worked…therefore, I think it's time to try something a little bit more drastic and hard hitting. So we have brought in your wife and daughter. And be warned, I will not hesitate to use the Cruciatus Curse on them should you refuse again."
Reese's eyes widened and his face lost all of its color.
Grindelwald ignored this. "So I will ask you again, will you instate me as the new Minister of Magic?" He waved his wand, and Reese's voice was restored.
Reese was trembling from head to foot. However, he replied, "No. I will not have a rat like you ruling the country."
His wife's eyes widened as well and she turned to stare at him. His daughter began to shake hard, in her fear of what was to come.
Grindelwald tried again. "Will you sign my proposal that gives Goblins spots on the trade board and guarantees them part of business transactions?"
"No," Reese answered again, getting bolder. "Goblins are scum. They do not deserve to walk in these halls, let alone be in government and do business with wizards."
Grindelwald gave him a disgusted look and tried once more. "Will you agree to fair wages and equal opportunity for half-blooded and muggle-born wizards and witches?"
"No," Reese replied for the third time. "I will not aid mudbloods and filthy half-breeds. They are the lowest of wizards and witches, and they deserve to be associated with us superior wizards as much as rotten goblins do." And with that, Reese spat on the ground at Grindelwald's feet.
Grindelwald's lip curled uncharacteristically. "Very well, Reese," he replied. "I don't want to do this. But you give me no choice."
Grindelwald's wand unbound Reese's 8-year-old daughter. She fell to her knees in fear, but Grindelwald pulled her forward into the middle of the floor. The girl lay in a ball, shivering with unconquerable fear.
Grindelwald raised his wand, preparing to say "Crucio!" But Reese's wife gasped; she'd obviously not expected Grindelwald to actually carry through with his threat. This had distracted Grindelwald, and he'd dropped his wand. However, now that he'd discovered the source of the noise, he raised his wand again.
But it never came down, for at that moment, the young girl had stopped thrashing wildly and instead looked up through her mass of dark hair into Grindelwald's bright blue eyes.
Her eyes were a sea of gray that would toss continuously and never stop. And they pleaded with him. They pleaded as his mother's eyes had pleaded when he had been sick as a young child. They pleaded as his brother's eyes had pleaded when he'd left to make his own way. They pleaded as his first lover's eyes had pleaded when he broken it off. They pleaded as Riley's wife's eyes pleaded when he mentioned equality for all wizards. They pleaded as his students' eyes pleaded when he taught Transfiguration. And they pleaded as Minerva's eyes pleaded when she asked for his love back. The plea in this young girl's eyes was desperate. It broke his heart as all of the others had. He could not ignore it.
He thought of his mother…his brother…his first flame…Riley's wife…his students…Minerva. They were all precious to him, and he couldn't stomach their begging. Then he thought of what they would say if they knew where he was now…the disappointment in their eyes would be unbearable…much harder to handle than pleading…he could see the hurt in Minerva's look even now…
He knew he couldn't do this. He wasn't cut out for torture. How had he gotten here? He had only wanted to help those wizards who were treated unfairly; equality and tolerance had been his only goal. Yet to achieve it he had gradually resorted to violence, coldness and greedy, heartless allies. How had it happened…?
However it had happened, it was finished now; he was done. There would be no more bribery, blackmail, torture or violence as far as he was concerned. Now it was time to set things right.
Albus put his wand back in his pocket and left the room, leaving a bewildered family in his wake.
Outside the room, he leaned against the wall, his eyes closed. What should he do now? How should he start repairing his mistakes? He knew he could never justify the lives that had been lost in the entire incident, but he had to do something…
"Look! There he is!" said a voice, drawing him from his thoughts. He opened his eyes.
In front of him, stood three people. Andrew Riley, Horace Slughorn and-
"Minerva!"