The Malfoy's Christmas Ball was always an extravagant affair, and this year was no exception. The ballroom, a vision of glistening beauty, was filled with witches and wizards from all across the world, their faces all hidden beneath various masks of shapes and colors. Every year the Malfoy's would select a theme in which their guests were required to match their costume to, and this year's theme was; Masquerade Ball.
Among the throng of unidentifiable guests was a particularly mysterious pair. If you looked close enough you could vaguely see a pair of stormy blue eyes peering out from beneath a black and white raven mask, donned in pitch black dress robes, and at his side stood a woman dressed in a red and gold full-face venetian mask and matching gown. Every now and then, a stray curl would surface from behind her mask.
"Any sign of him yet?" Hermione asked, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
"No, but I have the knights stationed near every entrance. They'll notify me when he arrives." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a galleon just long enough for her to see it before slipping it back into hiding.
Hermione nodded her head. She had cast a Protean Charm on fake galleons, much like she had in her original fifth year, so that they would be able to stay in contact with the Knights of Walpurgis throughout the night.
Alas, this particular ball was not intended to be fully enjoyed, at least not for Tom and Hermione. If everything worked out according to plan, this ball would mark the end of the wizarding war, and perhaps even the end of the war going on in the muggle world. It dawned on Hermione that she might be altering history as she knew it quite significantly, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The sooner the war ended the better.
"In the meantime, would you care to dance, m'lady?" Tom asked, turning to her with a bow.
She curtsied in return. "I would love to, m'lord."
Leading her through the crowd and over onto the dancefloor, they easily fell into step as a gentle waltz began to play. For a brief while Hermione was able to forget the nerves in regards to the coup they were attempting to pull off and just enjoy being in Tom's arms.
There had once been a time when Hermione had loathed the idea of being in the height of Pureblood Society, and to an extent, she still did, but she had come to be more comfortable in it, undoubtedly the result of years spent living with the Malfoy's.
"It would seem we're not the only ones who decided to take the opportunity to dance while we wait," Tom said, motioning off to the side with his head.
Following his line of gaze, she found that he was referring to the couple dancing nearby. It didn't take long for her to recognize her friends, even with masks. The woman's golden hair gave it away.
No sooner was the dance over, then the two of them went over to greet them, removing her mask for the time being so that she could see them better.
"It's so good to see you again, Druella," Hermione said, giving her friend a hug. "I wasn't sure if you would be able to make it."
Druella eagerly returned the hug. "I wouldn't miss a chance to see you for the world."
Hermione then turned to hug Cygnus. It might not have been exactly appropriate, but no one else seemed to notice, and quite frankly, she didn't care. Cygnus and Druella were her friends and any friends of hers could expect to receive hugs.
"How are you, Cygnus?"
"I'm doing well, thank you, Hermione," he replied with a smile.
She had to admit that there was something different about Cygnus. He had always been a bit more laid back with his appearance. That much hadn't really changed. She could see it in his face. His eyes seemed a bit lighter than usual, softening as he glanced over at his wife, whom she noticed he was holding hands with. He seemed happy… They both did… more so than she had ever seen them before.
They stood and chatted for a while about what had happened since they had last seen each other. Tom's uncle, the horrible Morfin Gaunt, had recently died. According to the Ministry Representative, who had stopped by Riddle Manor to inform them, claimed that he had strangled himself, no sign of magic being used at all. It didn't really come as a surprise to Hermione. Merlin knew he was senile.
Regardless, as the last remaining member of the Gaunt Family, the family's meagre possessions, along with the Gaunt Shack, had been passed down to Tom. With the body of his uncle removed, he entered the shack and rummaged through it, taking what little he found of interest. The only notable item he had found was the Gaunt Family Ring, which was currently secured around his finger.
In the end, the death of Morfin Gaunt had brought about some good. The three generations of Riddle Men were able to finally put aside their differences and burn that miserable shack down together. As morbid as it sounded, it served as a bonding experience for them.
"He's here."
Feeling a heating sensation against her chest, she reached out and pulled the coin that she had fashioned into a necklace for the event. The signal was coming from Abraxas. Slipping it back into hiding, they turned to the north entrance.
The crowd had cleared, making a path for a man in a gold goat mask, presumably Mr. Malfoy, a younger man in a white half-mask that was reminiscent of the Phantom of the Opera, clearly Abraxas, as well as a third man, who was easily recognizable in a two tone mask, one half white and the other half black, a pair of just as mix-matched eyes staring out underneath.
It was Grindelwald…
"Looks like it's showtime," Hermione whispered, replacing her mask.
The group turned back to each other, nodding their heads in silent agreement. Cygnus and Druella quickly wished them luck before they parted way with their friends.
They waited until the three men had finished their procession and the crowd had once more scrambled to go and join them, eager to grab them full attention before they became tied down with the other guests.
"Ah, there you are! We were wondering where the two of you had run off to," greeted Mr. Malfoy.
"Forgive us, we were simply taken in by the festivities," Tom said, flashing them his most charming smile. "We were actually hoping we might be able to have a word with you… in private…"
"Oh?" This seemed to capture Grindelwald's attention. "May I ask what about?"
Tom pretended to glance about, checking to see if anyone was close enough to overhear them. There wasn't. Everyone was much too busy with their conversations to pay attention. Not that they truly cared if anyone were to hear them. Most of the people in the room were either acolytes or supporters.
"It has to do with the offer you made us years ago."
An all too pleased grin tugged at moustache lined lips. "Darius, might you have a room in which we can withdraw to?"
Mr. Malfoy nodded his head. Motioning to them, he began to lead them through the crowd, towards a different entrance, breaking off into a small empty corridor with only two doors, one leading to the kitchen and the other leading to a bathroom. However, Mr. Malfoy entered neither of these doors. Instead, he took out his wand and quietly muttered an incantation in front of a blank wall.
The wall in front of them slid open to reveal a hidden staircase. He led them up the stairs, which seemed to go on forever, the secret entrance sliding closed behind them, leaving them in the darkened stairway, illuminated only by a faint glowing light coming from above.
Eventually they arrived in what appeared to be Mr. Malfoy's secret study, for it contained many things that they were sure he would not want the Ministry to know about. Hermione had, of course, known that the Malfoy's were in possession of disreputable artifacts, but she would have never guessed that they had this many.
The entire room was lined with shelves and shelves of magical relics that screamed with dark magic. Hermione couldn't help the bile that rose in her throat at the sight of what appeared to be a werewolf skull. Suddenly the Malfoy's disapproval of Remus Lupin made sense to her. She wasn't sure if they still did so, she sincerely hoped not, but it was clear that they had hunted werewolves at one point.
"Now that we are in private, please do go on," Grindelwald urged them.
"We've been thinking about that offer you made us so many years ago, and of course we've been following your achievements in the Daily Prophet," Tom began. "Hermione and I agree with what you're trying to achieve, and we were wondering if it would be possible for us to join your cause, even though we are still students."
Grindelwald turned to look at Hermione, who was fortunate for the fact that the mask concealed much of her face, preventing the men before her from seeing the scowl beneath.
"Is this true?"
She nodded her head. "I do not believe that it is right for our kind to have to hide simply because we are gifted in ways that the muggles cannot understand."
He seemed satisfied with this answer, judging from the grin on his face.
"I wish to join as well, if I may," Abraxas added in.
Mr. Malfoy clamped a hand on his son's shoulder, his eyes shining with pure pride. Abraxas stiffened under his grasp, but said nothing.
"It would be an honor to have you three join my ranks," Grindelwald replied. "I have spies in many places, but I have yet to find a way to penetrate the walls of Hogwarts. You would serve me well by acting as my eyes and ears from the inside."
The three of them bowed their heads in fake respect.
"Well then, I think this calls for a toast!" Mr. Malfoy exclaimed. "Dobby, come here!"
POP! In a blink, Mr. Malfoy's personal house elf was standing before them, dressed only in the same old pillowcase that he always wore. Hermione noticed that he seemed a bit more squeamish than usual. Not that she could blame him.
"Fetch a bottle of our finest elf-made wine," he ordered.
Nodding his wrinkled pink head, Dobby snapped his fingers and disappeared again. A few minutes later, a tray with five glasses, each filled with blood-red wine, appeared on the desk.
The group gathered around the desk, each picking up a glass.
"To a new and prosperous era for the Wizarding World!"
Raising their glasses, Tom, Hermione and Abraxas exchanged looks between each other. A new and prosperous era, indeed…
While the older men wasted no time in taking a drink, the three teenagers delayed a moment before joining them. Hermione's lips had barely touched the liquid when a slight cough sounded. Pulling away from the glass, she looked up just in time to see the glass fall from Mr. Malfoy's hand, shattering to the floor at his feet.
The coughing quickly became worse and worse until Mr. Malfoy sounded as though he was full on choking. Abandoning his own glass, Grindelwald rushed over to his follower's side, pulling his wand out and pointing it at the choking man's neck, as if preparing to do some sort of healing spell.
With his back turned, Tom was left with the perfect opportunity to strike. Silently she saw him mouth an incantation. Grindelwald's wand promptly flew from his grasp and straight into Tom's outstretched hand. Tom grinned triumphantly. By the laws of succession, he was now the rightful owner of the fabled Elder Wand.
Mr. Malfoy's suffering was soon forgotten as Grindelwald slowly rose from his crouched position, turning to face them, his expression unreadable save for the coldness in his eyes.
"This was a trap… I see now that I underestimated you. You have far more potential than I initially thought," Grindelwald stated. "It's a shame… You would have made a truly superb second-in-command."
"I'm afraid that just isn't my style. I prefer to be in control myself."
He nodded his head in understanding. "Yes, I see much of myself in you. You are destined to achieve great things, there is no doubt about it."
The two rivals stood staring at one another for some time. Hermione wasn't entirely sure what was going on. It was almost as if the two were having some sort of silent unseen battle in their minds.
"If you're unwilling to submit yourself to my leadership, then perhaps you would agree to join me as my equal," he offered. "Think of all the things we could accomplish if we worked together."
Lowering his newly acquired wand slightly, Tom started to take a step towards him, and for a moment, Hermione thought he might actually accept. However, she ought not to have feared such. Things started to happen at an alarmingly fast rate. Before she could even comprehend what was going on, the two of them were holding each other at wand point, Grindelwald having swiped Mr. Malfoy's wand from his cane.
A battle broke out not too long after, Hermione and Abraxas joining in. Masks were discarded. Spells were fired this way and that across the room, shattering many of Mr. Malfoy's priceless artifacts. No one seemed to care about the damage. In fact, Hermione made a conscious effort to make sure the werewolf skull in particular was destroyed.
They all knew that the odds were in their favor. It was three against one. Grindelwald himself must have surely known that his odds of winning were slim, but still he persisted in fighting back.
Tom pulled back from the fight after a while, staggering backward as if from exhaustion. While he pretended to catch his breath, Hermione and Abraxas kept him busy, continuing to fire spells at him. Grindelwald was strong and agile, but he was not without weakness. He was so focused on the process of blocking and casting spells that he failed to notice Tom disappear from before his own eyes, reappearing only feet behind him.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A green bolt shot out of the end of Tom's wand, bathing the study in an eerie glow. At exactly the right moment, the spell hit Grindelwald in the back. Hermione and Abraxas ceased their firing, taking a step back as they watched Grindelwald's body seize up in pain, a howl of pain ripping from his throat as his body fell to the ground.
They just stood there for the first few moments, their eyes trained on the fallen dark wizard.
Their plan had worked… Grindelwald was defeated…
Now that it was over, they were left with time to reflect on all that had just gone down. Tom's gaze fell to the wand in his hands, taking the chance to fully examine it for the first time. The awe was evident in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Abraxas slipped over to his father's body, which had since gone stiff, the sounds of choking and coughing long stopped. He too was dead.
"What exactly happened to him? I know the plan was to distract Grindelwald, but… was his death part of the plan?" Hermione asked.
Abraxas nodded, staring at his father with a mix of hatred and sorrow. "I anticipated that he would want to make a toast and ordered Dobby to slip a vial of basilisk venom into his glass."
Hermione gasped. It made sense now… That was why Tom had taken her down to the Chamber of Secrets… It also explained Dobby's squeamish behavior. The poor house elf had been ordered to murder it's own master… Knowing what she did of the Dobby from the future, she could only imagine how Dobby must be feeling. He was probably trying to find ways to punish himself at that very moment.
"Y-You wanted to murder your own father?"
Abraxas turned to look at her with tear filled eyes. "All I ever wanted was to make him love me… to make him proud of me… but there was never enough room in his heart! His only love was Grindelwald, or at least what he represented..."
Hermione knew this to be true. Mr. Malfoy was by no means necessary a good father. At times he would pretend that he cared, but when it came right down to it, it was only because he thought he could get something out of it.
"I've tried so hard to stop caring, to stop trying to live up to his expectations these past years, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop loving him!" he continued. "I finally realized that the only way I would ever escape his shadow was if he died… so I killed him!"
Hermione didn't know what to say to that. She hadn't known that he felt that way. Though, she probably should have. With all the times he had talked about his father…
"According to my father…"
"My father said…"
"My father thinks…"
Hermione couldn't help but be reminded of a boy who had once been known to say similar things.
"Wait until my father hears about this."
"My father will hear about this!"
It would seem that Abraxas was more like Draco than she thought.
Without even thinking, she began to step towards him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. Abraxas clung to her tightly, his whole body shaking as he broke down crying. She didn't say a word, knowing that there was not a single word she could say to comfort him. What he had done wasn't good, but seeing him in such a pitiful state, she found that she couldn't bring herself to hate him for it. She just stood there and hugged him, letting him cry it all out.
The more time she spent getting to know the young purebloods, the more she came to realize just how deprived of love they were.
Eventually he ran out of tears, and his sobbing stopped. He pulled away, refusing to meet her gaze as he went to retrieve his mask.
"We should probably go announce our victory to the guests downstairs. They're probably wondering what happened to their host and guest of honor."
They nodded in agreement. Levitating Grindelwald's body into mid air, they started back down the secret passageway without another word. Grindelwald may be dead, but they still had a room full of Grindelwald's supporters to deal with.
It was going to be a long night.
