Authors Notes: Thank you all for the reviews! I appreciate them so much. Please keep them coming, they keep me going! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter (in whom the characters belong to the great JK and I own none of them…sadly.) I hope you enjoy the chapter and remember….REVIEW!!!
Chapter 18: Meeting the Wand Maker and the Thief
I sat in his sitting room at Hogwarts. My eyes closed… I meditated on the silence. I am afraid. Not afraid of facing Gellert's wand, even if the rumors were true. No…the truth. The very idea of knowing the truth made me physically sick. Why must it be such a terrible thing? So great and so terrible. I knew the day was coming…rapidly…when I would once again face Gellert. I had not laid eyes upon him since that day…his blood and dust caked faced…looking down at Ariana's limp body and then he was gone. I can feel the solitary tear escape my closed eyelid. I can hear my breathing speed up…my pulse racing…without even having to look at my watch, I know it is time to do. Before I could face, Gell…no… Grindelwald …The Gellert I knew and loved died with Ariana. This man…this…murderer was nothing to me. Except I had created him…who had encouraged him? Who had encouraged him to do what was needed for the 'greater good'? Who had encouraged him to seek the Deathly Hallows? I had. "It is my fault". I muttered quietly to myself. "All mine." After several more minutes I sighed. Before I could face Ge… Grindelwald , I needed to see an old friend. Dimitar Gregorovitch. With a sigh I arise from my chair. Grabbing a small beaded bag, I make my way out of my quarters and through the castle. It was twilight. Almost all of the students and teachers for that matter were back in their respective dorms or offices. They were so carefree. Many would say it was because of I that they were so carefree. I, like everyone else, heard what was often proclaimed. " Grindelwald would never attack England…not with Dumbledore here. Dumbledore is more powerful then he could ever be." Oh yes…I heard it. And perhaps they were right. During that duel I held my own and had it continued, would have won. But what factor would the Elder Wand play? Passing the boundaries of the school I stop. Casting a quick look back at my beloved Hogwarts. With a loud CRACK I disappear into that familiar and yet rather uncomfortable rubber tube feeling.
Opening my eyes I made haste to my destination. Walking out of a dark ally into a busy street I made my way a few feet before I turned into what looked like a dilapidated building. However, Albus thought to himself, it is never good to judge a hippogriff by its feathers. Walking through the rich ornate building. There were a few customers about the large room. Wands filled shelves that were over ten feet high. Albus spotted who he was looking for. "Dimitri!" he cried is salutation. The wand maker looked up from behind a counter and smiled, his busy brown beard obscuring the smile. "Albus!" Coming from behind the counter Gregorovitch shook hands with Albus. "It has been too long, Dimitri." Gregorovitch began to speak however, Albus raised up his hand in a polite way of interrupting. "Alas, Dimitri I am afraid this is not a social visit. I must be going, I just need you to confirm something." Albus pulled out a picture of a young man. Smiling the young man had golden blond hair. Gregorovitch's eyes got wide and his mouth fell slightly. "That man…he…" but Gregorovitch could only splutter. Albus looked directly into his eyes. "Dimitri, did this man steal one of your wands." Gregorovitch just nodded.
With a bow of the head Albus turned around and headed out of the door. Barley had he stepped through the door before he disapparated.
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With a loud crack Albus appeared in another foreign place. Looking around he saw people gathering around a large stage. Many of them look scared and wishing they were anywhere else but here. Albus strode through the large crowed that easily topped 30,000 souls. The gusty wind blew midnight blue robes and long beard. The overcast sky casting dark shadows on the ground, Albus made his way to the middle of the crowed. There Albus could see him. His golden hair was shorter then he remembered, with a couple streaks of gray. His black robes swirled in the strong wind. A magical banner hung from the front of the platform. Albus's stomach felt like he received a punch when he read it. 'For the Greater Good'. With a wave of his wand to his throat, Albus bellowed at the same time Grindelwald started to speak, his voiced magically magnified over that of Grindelwald's. "GRINDELWALD!" People who stood next to Albus closed their ears and moved away. Anyone yelling at the Dark Lord was not a person to stick next to. Grindelwald looked around until his eyes found Albus. Grindelwald's eyes widened in surprise and perhaps, Albus hoped, in fear. "PUT YOUR WAND DOWN. IT IS OVER."
Grindelwald made his way down the stage and walking to Albus shook his head. His voice was colder then Albus remembered…no sign of the joy he so fondly remembered…and tried so long to forget. "No, Dumbledore…I vill let you put your vand down. You cannot defeat me…you know vhy…do not make me kill you." "Grindelwald…you have caused enough pain and destruction. How could all these deaths of been for the greater good? Give me your wand." Grindelwald's nose flared, a smile curled his lip. It was as if a giant predator had found his prey. At the same time both wizards slashed their wands in the air at each other. A jet of green light issued from Grindelwald's wand while a jet of dark purple emitted from Dumbledore's wand. The duel between Albus Dumbledore, the great avatar of goodness for all magical beings everywhere between Gellert Grindelwald, the Dark Lord, the murderer of thousands was on. Love versus hate. The stakes were the future of the entire wizarding world and it was winner take all.