18 years have passed. But, to Dumbledore it seemed just yesterday when a sudden disagreement broke between his brother Aberforth and his then best friend Gellert Grindelwald which led to a massive setback. He lost his sister Ariana in an incident very heart-breaking to remember, just a month before then, he had lost his mother Kendara too who was accidentally killed by his sister Ariana. This, however was not an end to tragic losses. Just years after the death of his mother and father, Percival Dumbledore was found dead in his was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban,the wizarding prison for tracking down and hexing the boys. The boys who witnessed Ariana doing magic tried to stop her from being different from others and attacked severe trauma of the attack left Ariana unable to function socially or to properly perform magic again. Percival,
out of repression had killed the , Dumbledore's brother Aberforth would speak to him only much like his dead family would. He barely spoke to him.
Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts just a few years after the tragic losses in his family, applying for the post of Transfiguration just days after professor Bedrock retired from the post due to his declining years. He was welcomed back by Headmaster Dippet as a Brilliant student turned companion. Dumbledore, who had been the best student of Hogwarts's history became the best Transfiguration teacher too according to the students, he did absolutely effortless job in creating a comfortable sofa out of thin air. An expertise he adapted for 12 uses of Dragon's blood was widely known to every individual at Hogwarts.
One day when he was sitting in his office brushing up his old letters of the traumatic days, Dumbledore saw a letter entitled: DEAR ALBUS [From Gellert.G].
He took out the letter from the dusty bundle and read. It was the very first letter written by Grindelwald to him. A dilemma filled his Heart, the memories of him and Grindelwald laughing and playing in their house, the search for the Hallows and the last one was the very severe when Dumbledore stood face to face with his best friend. Yes, that was the night Ariana had died, that was the night Dumbledore broke apart from his family completely. Tears were trickling down his glittering blue eyes running briskly into his long silvery beard.
" Today children, we would be learning one of the most laborious forms of Tansfiguration. An art which requires exceptional skill of your Wand and mind. Human Transfiguration" said Dumbledore.
Curiosity was filled among the students that what or how would they change themselves into some other form. "Now let me show you a very fine example of this art" said Dumbledore. He took out his Wand, placed it at his head and muttered the incantation. The place where Dumbledore stood just fractions of second ago was now empty, instead their stood [at the adjacent table] a beautiful, yellow colored Phoenix. The whole class ran into an applause, the bird hummed here and their and professor Dumbledore was back into his original form very soon.
"This, however is highly unlikely for you to do in your first lesson. Practical skills will be demonstrated by you in your next lesson while you write the LAWS OF SELF-TRANSFIGURATION in your note-books". The students, dissapointed that they would not be turning themselves today followed their teacher's instructions and wrote down a page long theory which was imprinted by Dumbledore on the Blackboard with a flick of his Wand. Th bell soon rang and students swept out of the class. Dumbledore noticed an abandoned copy of the Daily Prophet slipping out of a student's bag and called- "Miss. Mcgonagall, i guess you have dropped something while you were fastening you bag".
"Oh, Daily Prop- Im sorry Professor-was in a hurry" Half way completing a sentence, she picked the newspaper up, flashing TERRIBLE MISHAP IN EUROPE and before she could storm in back into her bag, Dumbledore noticed something unusual in it, although he was quiet sure what could be the sub-headings of the headlines.
"Would you mind my dear if i ask you lend me this copy for a while" said Dumbledore calmly.
"Of course Professor, getting late for the double Herbology,
Good day" handing it to the latter and hurrying for her next lesson.
Dumbleore read the paper thoroughly and his deepest fear came into paper read-
Dark Magic Radiates all over Europe. Several muggles went missing yesterday while fou dead bodies were found in the 'Hamilton courtyard' when one muggle claimed- "He was holding something as a wooden stick in his hand, hooded people were at his heels and were acting like lunatics, thrashing people all over..." And of course the department of Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes had to erase their memories. The culprit, who's obviously a Wizard, is still unknown. Some other muggles who saw him ravishing, claimed that he was bald and wore long black robes. The ministry says it's doing the greatest and the top Aurors are at their peaks to pursue the Unknown man. [continued pg 6,7...]
Dumbledore was well above certainity who the bald man was. Gellert Grindelwald was doing aphotic stuff all over the country and deep down inside him, Dumbledore knew that no Auror in the ministry is Capable of over-powering and capturing Grindelwald. His exceptional skills and dark Magic could be handled by only one person- Albus Dumbledore himself. Throughout the years he has been fearing his old best friend not because if his Magical abilities but he might be knowing who killed Ariana the day they all separated. Was it Dumbledore himself? or his brother Aberforth?.
But now Dumbledore could not turn a blind-eye on Grindelwald. He has to find him and subdue him.
-
Dumbledore knew what to do. He knew where Grindelwald might be if he was their in Europe the last day. He rushed straight into his office, pulled open a drawer and muttered a few words,
probably an incantation. A bottle full of red coloured blood rose in the mid-air. He pocketed the bottle and left Hogwarts as fast as possible. Out of the grounds he was and Apparated straight into Godric's Hollow where he lived decades ago. But he did not go to his house, but instead went staright behind the Graveyard in a outside a chamber where he once came walking accidently. Dumbledore stopped. His eyes were sharply fixed at the entrance of the seemingly big hall. He hen took out the bottle of Dragon's blood with his hand while the other hand which was consisting of a wand at that time was measuring something. Same sparks flew out from nothingness like it had done several years ago. Dumbledore now poured a few drops of Dragon's blood taking a deep breath at the very edge from where the sparks were shooting out. He waited a few seconds and a sudden POP sound filled his ears. A thick sheet of air, probably a very powerfull charm fell to the ground with a notice and vanished again into nothingness. Dumbledore took a step ahead, and this time the sparks didn't flew out. The discovery of Dragon's blood, it's 13th use [not known to anyone] had worked. It had broken a charm of a powerfull Dark Magic.
He did not know what would happen next. Dumbledore stepped inside, it was a large hall with bitterness filled all over it. He noticed a type of archway at the far end of the hall from which very thin fumes of air or vapour were rising above. It's both ends had long thick wooden sticks, it didn't take much time for him to understand that it was a Death Chamber...it's beautifully polished Viel hung as though it were a way to enlightment. A similar sound was coming from far away, the same sound which he had noticed decades ago while he unintentionally came here. The hissing sounds of a snake were coming from the other side of the room. He went forward, the sound was now getting clearer and more prominent.
Then he stopped at a place where the hissing sounds were so audible that he might be feets away from it. A door stood still which had a rounded snake on it's knob. Dumbledore took out his Wand and touched the surface of the evry door. It swung open. Dumbledore's expressions which were gentle as usual remained unchanged as if he knew what would be inside.A lage snake was hanging in the bottom of air and it's owner-a bald man stood facing it's back at Dumbledore.
"Albus!" whispered Gellert Gindelwald. Dumbledore stood steel. " I knew you would come my dear friend. I have missed you all these years. And see where have i reached" he said pointing in the direction of the snake
"Your ambitions are gone way beyond my fears" said Dumbledore watching Grindelwald straight in the eyes.
"My ambitons?" he laughed, "the same were yours quite a period ago" now moving unsarcastically
" All those years Gellert, i have left my past where it should be- in the PAST itself. The muggle killings, an army of dead people, the mayhem you made yestrday-"
"Now, you don't need to tell me what is right and what is wrong." said Grindelwald speaking more severly. " -all hose things...with your family...were your mistakes...and you never corrected yourself. Did you?
"Somehow i am glad Gellert that those accidents happened to me. Had it not been it, i would have ruined endless lives in your friendship. Time is still there, i can help you- just leave you ambitions and commence a better life. Or it may be-"
"Look" said the latter cutting Dumbledore halfway through. " i have not waisted all these years to have a BETTER life as you say. No muggles, only Wizards and one man ruling the Death-
Gellert Grinsm Grindelwald". Empasising on the last words at his ut-most.
Dumbledore did not answer nor did he move. the latter spoke again.
"I've got an idea. I don't want to hear any of you Saint like words anymore . Either be on my side or...face me"
Silence fell for a few minutes which seemed to turn itself into hours.
" You have my decision. I face you"
Grindelwald stared him for a very brisk moment and they both took out their Wands.
" I regret it Albus"
A sudden moment was done from Grindelwald's Wand and several pieces of what looked like sharp knives shot out from it's tip. Dumbledore blocked it, almost at once. They both were circling each other.
" PASCAMAZINTEL!" cried Grindewald
and pointed his Wand straight at Dumbledore but this time no jets of light came shooting. Instead, the manikins of what looked like of plaster stormed curses right at him. Dumbledore blocked the first with brisk movements from his Wand and the dummies flew high in the air and broke down into pieces. He did the same for the remaining. The last one which seemed to be the Leader of Manikins stood about ten meters away from him and a jet of Green light erupted from his head straight for Dumbledore. But it missed. ]
Dumbledore had Apparated within moment and appeared just adjacent to his position. The killing curse did not hit him. Grindelwald was watching he whole situation with rage of winning the duel.
"SALASKA-PUDIRIO!" said Dumbledore and cages started falling at sides of Grindelwald through mid-air, it were literally squeezing him from head to was now kneeling, lower and lower he did fell with each and every split of second. H then joined his hands in a way of hiding something in between his hands, but it was not that. Grindelwald was clutching his Wand inside his hands and then when he was hardly able to breathe, he led out a wild SHRIEK and spread his hands wide-apart-the cages blasted off from him and flew in every direction.
"Excellence of execution" thought Dumbledore after seeing Grindelwald blasting off the highly magical bind Cages.
Grindelwald now seemed full of exasperation, fo a brisk moment Dumbledore thought he was shaking but he got up and said- " Only you could have done that" in a whisper. Then he pointed his Wand on the ceiling which seemed way too high and muttered something. Thick white smoke erupted from the very tip of it and clouds formed in air. Dumbledore did not know what curse might that be [Was it a curse?]. Figures started materializing in it-one..two...three..
and four. Four blurred figures had appeared and they were now refining. Dumbledore's eyes were wide open at this sight. Ariana,Aberforth, he himself and the one he was now dueling stood in those clouds. It was the very morning when his sister had died and Aberforth was shooting cuses on Grindelwald. Dumbledore knew what was next, his sister was going to die within moments. Surely, Grindelwald had put on this memory to weaken Dumbledore, so that his emotions can take over his skills. Dumbledore fell to his knees, his hand wide out-stretched towards the cloud. Grindelwald stood expression less probably waiting for Dumbledore to drop his Wand and to make him loose the duel. But, something completely different from Grindelwald's thoughts happened. The kneeling old man got to his feet and blasted of the cloud of memories with his Wand which he was clutching with both of his hands.
Gellert Grindelwald stood flabbergasted, he had surely assumed that Dumbledore was going to Quit the duel. "No...No...Not..them" Dumbledore was shouting. Grindelwald now seemed inadequate to do anything else, he brought his Wand to his chest height, saw Dumbledore with one corner of his eye and pointed his Wand at the snake who appeared to be sleeping. For a very slight moment, he thought not to do it but whispered- "Relashio!".
The snake attained a haste. He sprang to life and bowed to his master who had just released him. Grindelwald hissed in parseltounge and the snake an straight for Dumbledore who had noticed it coming. He got to his feet, ready to fight. The large Serpent was crawling around the Tansfiguration master who had left his emotions behind on the floor. The Serpent splattered fire all over the place except the place where his owner stood. Dumbledore did vigorous turns from his Wand to avoid the fire coming near to him. It seemed a real effort for the old man to repel it.
"AQUA-REGIA!", and arrows shot from the tip of his Wand and went straight for the serpent,
the arrows struggled their way past the fire and fixed into it's body, it screamed and yelled with each and very arrow it was being hit with, At far corner, Grindelwald was shouting up at the Serpent and commanding him in his language. It understood him and repelled the arrows at once not away from him but straight towards the caster of them. It took a bare moment for Dumbledore to cast a very powerful shielding charm around him to prevent his own magic turning his face towards him. The arrows vanished. The latter on the other side was still shouting in Parseltounge to somehow fail Dumbledore.
But out of nowhere, something happened that was completely unexpected, not for Dumbledore but for Grindelwald.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" SHRIEKED DUMBLEDORE and Grindelwald's Wand flew into the air and the latter caught it. He stood Wand-less and Dumbledore had two. The serpent lost it's control and creeped here and their storming and raging everything which came into it's path. Their was no master for it to control. Grindelwald had lost his Wand which meant the Snake which was controlled by him for years was now free. The snake [who may be seem to have understood that Grindelwald was Wand-less] now went straight for Grindelwald who was completely un-armed.
But, Grindelwald took up quickly and raised both his hands in his front, palms out-stretched which seemed that he was pushing a wall or something. Now a thick barely visible wall was encircling him which had thin outlining of blue colored breeze. It didn't take much time for Dumbledore to catch that Grindelwald had just created a very strong Protection Charm out of nowhere. It was an exceptional skill, Wand-less magic at it's best. The Serpnt who was storming for him bounced his head back when it touched the very tip of the Circular Charm.
Grindelwald was muttering something very vigorously with his hands still out-stretched. The Serpent, out of rage shot a pallet of Monstrous fire out of his mouth which illuminated the whole Chamber, dull figury shadows appeared on the walls. The Fire was going stronger and stronger and it's former owner was now struggling to keep it away, his hands were shivering and then suddenly the Circle which was potecting him broke and vanished. The fire collided with him and he flew into air uncontrollably flying backwards. Dumbledore noticed in an instance that Gellert Grindelwald was about to fall in the Viel.
Dumbledore did not think anything but only one thing was their in his mind- Grindelwald was about to die and he,Dumbledore, had to save him. He rolled his Wand with several clockwise moves and Water erupted out of the tip of his Wand and spread it's translucent sheet over the fire...but nothing happened...he understood at once that it was not an ordinary fire.
It was Gubairithian aka the everlasting fire. For a very stubby moment, he thought Grindelwald would die, his magic was proving effortless and so it would be because The Gubairithian fire cannot be suppressed. Gellert Grindelwald's weapon of destroying everyone who came into it's path had over=powered and worked against himself. Never he had thought before the consequences of foot-loosing the Serpent.
Dumbledore who looked troubled and almost fearful abandoned his cloak and put his Wand on his right wrist and hummed endless incantations which were echoing all round the chamber and within moments it's inference had place where moments before stood Albus Dumbledore was now empty and now there was a large,over sized,mountainous looking Phoenix. Grindelwald on the other side was just at the verge of collapsing in th Viel. Dumbledore took no time accelerated his large wings and fled straight o save his opponent. Grindelwald's leg slipped and just then Dumbledore caught him with his beak and with a lot of effort [as uncontrollable fire was all around th place] the two former pals returned to the ground. The latter fell to the floor,
almost unconscious. Then the large, beautiful Phoenix spread his wings in full-swing and now Grindelwald [lying on floor] saw magic which only Dumbledore could have done. Fire was rising all over Phoenix's body, it had turned emerland was burning from head to , he rolled himself in an angular motion encircling it's very spot with full serpent's fire which was at peak moments ago was being dragged inside the Phoenix and it took fractions of minutes and the Phoenix vanished-the serpent on the other hand was burning in the fire which the Phoenix had shot at him before vanishing.
Both men remained at their places which seemed like days to Dumbledore. Silence was prevailing the whole scene between them until it was finally broken by Gindelwald.
"Albus...I..-". but the latter suppressed him of words after he showed him a hand not to say anything. Probably Dumbledore was afraid once again of what Grindelwald might say which may lead the emotions to dominate him.
"Say nothing Gellert...forget it all...one thing i would ask you before leaving this place forever. Which path do you choose now?"
Gindelwald stood reaction less. He was neither wincing at this question nor he was eying his find with disgust.
"My path?" he said velvetly, "you've just shown me my path dear mate. I was a foolish to overlook your advice...hundreds of lives though I've ruined with it" he said pointing at the Elder Wand in Dumbledore's hand. "You're the only legitimate to own this..rather than being in irrelevant hands like my very own...but this cannot be it. I deserve to be chastened. But,
before that, Do you Forgive me Albus?"
Dumbledore smiled at him and caught his hand in his own. " Yes, i forgive you. You know what,
today is one of the most happiest days of my life. I have defeated your devil...the one which was hiding right there" he said pointing at Grindelwald's mind "-but not here" he said touching his [Grindelwald's] Heart.