DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter was created by JKR, I do not own the rights to any characters, nor do I pretend to.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I was wondering when you would come visit me again. Oh and you brought a friend?"

"This is Daphne Greengrass. She wants a wand. In the mean time I figured we could have a talk… Lord Grindlewald." Harry smiled.

"I wondered when you would figure it out." The man sneered. "I haven't been called Lord in 50 years. I no longer parade myself around as a dark lord. What do you want to talk to me about? I don't follow the wizard known as Voldemort, nor will I ever carry his mark."

"What can you tell me about this? A friend of mine called it 'Grindlewald's Mark', and another 'The Mark of the Seeker'" Harry pulled out a copy of the gold necklace of Luna's father.

"Ah yes. That is not my mark. I am just the most recent user of it. Mark of the Seeker is closer to the truth."

"Seeker of what?" Harry asked.

"The Deathly Hallows of course." Grindlewald replied.

"I've never heard of them."

"Few have. Even fewer believe that they are real. The story is popularized in children's tale called 'The Tale of Three Brothers. I obviously don't keep a copy of the book around here, so you will have to read it yourself. Now listen closely, for many people have killed for the information I am about to share with you. There are three extremely powerful magical items out there, supposedly created by Death itself. A wand, a cloak, and a stone. The stone is called the Resurrection stone, and is one of the only items in the world that allows you to communicate with the dead. The cloak is called The Cloak of Invisibility, and it is said that it will even hide you from death itself. The most recognized one is the wand. It goes by many names, and is the only item to be seen more than once throughout history. It is known as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, or the Elder Wand."

Daphne had a look of recognition on her face. "Binn's has mentioned those wands. There is no proof that they are nothing but a wand that was used by a powerful wizard."

"There is one thing that makes the already powerful Deathstick more powerful than the others. It is unbeatable. You cannot lose a magical fight while you wield it. The only way to gain control of it is by defeating you opponent."

"Sir, with all due respect, that sounds unbelievable." Harry said.

"You think so now kid. But the proof is standing right before you. I owned the Deathstick. I stole it off Gregorovich many moons ago. He himself never used it, he only tried to replicate it and bolster his own fame. Why do you think I wanted to conquer the world? A wand of such power makes you do crazy things."

"But Dumbledore defeated you, so that means he has the wand?" Daphne started to put the pieces together. "How did he beat an unbeatable wand?"

"The world thinks he defeated me, but he defines the term 'defeated' loosely. He thinks he can gain the power of the Elder Wand by simply disarming a person. Sure, it could work, but there are stronger magics of bonding out there."

"Like soul magic?" Harry asked.

"No silly boy. Soul magic is an extremely narrow subject with no more than a dozen spells. "

"Blood magic?" Daphne offered.

"Smart girl. Indeed. It was bound with my blood, as many have done before me. It cannot be forcefully taken from me without killing me. After Dumbledore supposedly defeated me, he locked me up in my own prison and took the wand for himself. Naturally, since it was my prison that I built, I knew how to escape. He still thinks I'm there, the old fool…we were once friends…but that's a story for another time. Have you ever seen the wand he uses Harry?"

"Yeah. It is pure white and it's very intricate and delicate looking."

"That's the one. It's a duplicate. You see, the elder wand by itself is nothing but a powerful combination of Elder wood and Thestral hair. I've actually got a dozen of such wands on the wall over there. Be a good boy and go fetch the box and I will show you. The fact that the magic of the Deathstick is much more powerful than the magic of a normal elder wand lends credence to the fact that it was created by Death."

"I don't understand. Was Death a person? And why do you have so many copies?" Daphne asked.

"Some things are not meant for us to understand. There are forces at work that reach far beyond our Earth. Death is one of them. If you want to understand, you need the set. As I have never had the set, I cannot answer the question."

Harry went over to a shelf and brought over a box with a dozen identical wands to the one Dumbledore was using.

"Take one out girl. You will find that they are very powerful, even if they only have one core. Still, better concentrate on your magic to find the best fit. And as to why I have so many? For the same reason that Gregorovich once owned the wand. I was trying to duplicate them. The true death stick is unique. I have been unable to replicate it and am left with normal, but powerful, duplicates." Grindlewald said.

Daphne did as she was told. She closed her eyes and hovered her hand above the wands. She picked the one in the very middle.

Grindlewald got a very feral grin when she picked up the wand. "Hmmm, best be sure and go through the motions. Girl, listen closely. I'm going to say a phrase, and after that you are going to follow with 'I, Daphne Greengrass, do claim this wand with my blood, for I am the Master of Death'."

Both teens looked slightly confused but Daphne shook her head in agreement.

"I Gellert Grindlewald, relinquish my hold on this wand. My blood on this wand, return to me! So mote it be."

"I Daphne Greengrass, do claim this wand with my blood, for I am the Master of Death. So mote it be"

A mist of fine red dust floated up from the wand and dissipated into the air. A fine red mist then floated from Daphne's hand and into the wood.

Harry spoke up. "Does that- Is that-"

"Yes boy. Your girlfriend picked out the real Wand of Destiny."

Daphne's face was in the perpetual repetition of looking like a goldfish.

"Wow, sir, I don't know what to say."

"I have no use for an unbeatable wand anymore, just take good care of it."

"So what about the other two artifacts. Did you ever find them?" Daphne finally managed to ask.

"I looked of course. But the wand is the item everybody wants. Everyone like me I suppose. I wanted unstoppable power, like many before me, and many after me. Dumbledore wanted the Resurrection Stone, to see his dead sister one last time. We never found either the cloak or the stone, but I doubt that man has stopped searching, especially since he thinks he has the real wand. It was one of our childhood ambitions to discover the existence of the Hallows."

"I'm still trying to get over the fact that Dumbledore was friends with the second most notorious dark wizard of the century. And why hasn't he noticed his wand is a fake?"

"Simple. He simply believes it is the real thing. He has no basis on which to judge it or compare it against. The copies are extremely powerful wands in their own right, and coupled with the simple power of belief, he can do amazing things. But do not sell your wand short Miss Greengrass. Nothing can beat the Deathstick's power. You can heal the unhealable, break the unbreakable, destroy the indestructible. Don't get me wrong. Voldemort is still a very strong wizard. I don't know how he made himself immortal, be it splitting his soul, a philosopher's stone, or ancient Egyptian rituals, but everyone bows before the Master of Death in the end. Go out and find the rest of the hollows if you wish to have a chance against that monster. And Don't. Tell. Anyone."

Both the teenagers were stunned speechless. Grindlewald spoke up again in a soft voice. "The reasons I gave you the opportunity to take that wand are twofold, Daphne."

"What is that sir?"

"Do you wonder how Dumbledore defeated me? He did not beat me on skill, or raw power. He hit me in my one weakness; love" Grindlewald's face briefly contorted into a look of anger, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. The two teens kept listening to the old wizards monologue very intently. Occasions like this are not bound to happen very often in life.

"He killed my wife while I slept. He said it was revenge for killing his sister. I think he is just afraid to admit that he might be the cause of his sister's death. His sister was caught in an argument between me, him, and his brother, so it could have been any one of us that accidently hit her with the fatal spell." He shook his head as if trying to get rid of the memory.

"It never gets easier- losing a loved one that is. But I bet it hurts him even more, to know that there are people out there who know of all his deep and dirty secrets and the skeletons in his closet. After he killed my wife, he came after me. I will admit I was so distraught that it didn't take much to subdue me at the time, I didn't even have the wand out, so he took the first wand he found which was one of these copies." He said that while motioning to the box of duplicates in front of him.

He took a minute to compose himself. "I give you that wand Daphne, so the same thing will not happen to you. The war is lost if Harry loses you. You are the only person he has ever given his love to freely and openly, I can see it simply in his eyes. You are his anchor. It is very rare for one so young to love so fully, but Harry has known very little love his whole life, and then he meets you, who returns as much love as he gives. He has this love and he does not want to lose."

"Wow…-" She listened with a faint blush as the old man casually described her relationship. It was kind of strange that he knew so much about them, but stranger things have happened.

Harry was listening and he was becoming very embarrassed and self conscious. The old man knew more about his life then would seem normal.

"The second reason is the reason why I didn't give it to Mr. Potter. Surely with that wand he could defeat Him easily. He doesn't need it. Harry's power will surpass everyone's on this planet without that wand some day. Anyone that has lived as long as I have can see that. Anyways, best not keep all our tricks in one bag though, the saying is. Lady Luck and Fate are fickle friends after all. There will be a final confrontation, no doubt about it. You won't need that wand to win; I place my life on it. There is a power in you, boy, that no one can stand up to, not even mythical wands, or immortal dark lords."

"What are you saying, that I can dodge death?" Harry asked incredulously. How could an unbeatable wand not help him? "He's got 50 years of experience on me."

"No boy. I am saying that when the time comes, you won't have to." Grindlewald sagely stated.

"That's some pretty deep stuff." Daphne stated awkwardly.

Grindlewald turned his back, nearly consumed in emotion. Reliving one's past is never easy.

"Sir?" Harry spoke up. "Would you like a chance to fight? To fight against the monstrosity known as Voldemort?"

Grindlewald turned around with a snap. "Why should I fight against him? I do not fear him! I was already conquering the world while he was still in diapers. I know magic that he still does not know, nor will he ever know. I've committed atrocities that would even send a shiver down His spine. Tell me boy, why would a 107 year old dark wizard like me want to fight against another?"

Harry seemed very small at that point in time. It was easy to forget that the man in front of him was once an extremely powerful Dark Lord, and still is. "Redemption."

"Redemption? You sounded like Dumbledore there. You know, Dumbledore and I were once very alike. Like two peas in a pod, the old saying is. He didn't always piss sunshine and rainbows. We both had lofty ambitions for the world, but he chickened out in the end. Now he's just an old senile headmaster while I'm a washed up wand maker. Why would I be interested in redemption? I'm responsible for the deaths of thousands. I won't shirk out of my past."

"To restore honor to the name of Grindlewald. Show Dumbledore that you will still triumph over him in the end. Show Voldemort that he is not all powerful. Show the world that even dark wizards can do good deeds, and turn your actions into the betterment of the world. Use your skills that once brought the world trembling before you against the very wizards who soil what it means to be pureblood. You may be the wizard we need to turn this war in our favor. Voldemort wants to subjugate the entire country for no reason other than because he had a bad childhood. That man is a walking irony of himself. "

"Yes... Yes… I like the sound of that! Too long has Voldemort's minions gone rampant. He has twisted the old pureblood beliefs beyond recognition, and it disgusts even me. If you kill all the muggles, who is there left to rule? No one." He mulled over his thoughts for a minute. "I will join you. I will show the world why I was once the greatest wizard in Europe. I hope the smell of combat doesn't make you sick boy? I will not hold back against my enemies."

"Thank you Sir. We need every single capable witch and wizard on our side, and with you we have gained a powerful ally. Do you need a place to stay? We got room at the castle. Then again you can probably handle any potential assassins. I don't care if you spit out killing curses like a boxer spits out teeth, as long as it is against our enemies."

"No one even knows I'm still alive, not even Dumbledore. I will relocate myself, and I will contact you in a few days time. I will not stoop to Killing curses, I know far more… entertaining… spells."

"Did Dumbledore ever check up on you after he threw you in your own prison?"

"Ha boy. Did he ever check up on you after he threw you with those muggle relatives of yours? There's your answer. Dumbledore is a senile old fool. Strong, yes. But still a fool. And every fool has a weakness, do you know his?"

"Er, his ability to give everyone second chances?" Harry replied hesitantly.

"No boy. His lemon drops. His sweet tooth will be the death of him, so if you ever want him incapacitated, mess with his candy."

"Er, thanks?"

"Sure, now scram. I sure you got other things to do than listen to the ramblings of an old man."

After the kids left he went over to a bookshelf on the wall. He pulled a torch and the wall opened up to reveal a suit of armor.

The armor was pitch black. The armor only reflected the barest amount of light, it was almost like a taint against the sun itself.

He lifted the horned helm off the stand and put it on his head. "I think I can get one more good round out of these old bones. That boy is the future of the world, and I will stand proud next to him and his allies. I will show those terrorists the power of a true pureblood. "

Daphne and Harry arrived back in the castle.

"That guy is pretty barmy."

"I think it comes with age. Or maybe it is because he was once a friend of Dumbledore's and we all know how barmy he is."

They were traveling up to their rooms when they came across Sirius carrying two large boxes.

"Oh hey, I was just looking for you pup." Sirius said.

"Hey Padfoot. What are in those boxes?" Harry replied.

"Here take this one. They are the ward stones you wanted for the room."

"Why did you get two boxes?"

"Oh, well, uh, the other one is for my room, so er…"

"You don't want me walking in on you and the Professor doing the dirty, like you did on me. Right?"

"You could phrase it like that."

"Right."

"Anyways, some of the ward stones are already configured into power stones, all you need to do is charge them with your wand. The spell stones don't have any runes on them yet so that is all up to you. They are large and pure enough to cover your whole room easily."

They were about to part when Sirius spoke up again. "Oh, and pup, Amelia has a mission suited for your special talents. Here's an envelope with the details. She didn't tell me what it is, other than it's happening in a few days. I would read the message soon and burn it."

"Hmmm.... Interesting. My first mission, hopefully it's not too dangerous."

"Probably not. The Aurors are thinned out a lot, otherwise one of us probably would do. We just don't have the man power."

He opened up the letter and read to himself.

HP

One of my sources tells me there is an information and illegal goods rendezvous scheduled to happen this upcoming Friday at midnight. The location is in an old abandoned warehouse at Kingston upon Hull. My source says it should be easy to find. Recover any valuable information if possible, and then destroy the supplies. Make it look like an accident if possible, muggle style.

-AB

He read it a second time, just to make sure he understood it properly. It seemed easy enough; stake out the drop point, collect some information, and burn the evidence. He had five days until Friday, and he had some stuff to take care of in the mean time. He tucked the letter into his pocket and picked up the box. He nodded his thanks to Sirius.

Harry carried the box of crystals up to his room. He opened the box and sorted the crystals. There were four powerstones, and four spellstones, along with one matrix. He was immedietly impressed by Sirius. The combination of stones that he got would provide the most flawless of warding schemes.

He did admit that he was probably overdoing it a bit. He just wanted some privacy wards and detection wards on the room. He really didn't need all the stones, or the size. "Rather have overkill, than not killed enough," a wise man once said.

As it is, a powerstone is like a battery, and is linked to a spellstone, which projects the wards in the area you want covered. The matrix bundles all the wards together and can be used to 'house' all the wards including the runes. This is the most secure way of doing it, in which there is the least amount of possibility of breach. It is also the longest lasting as the wards will take longer to degrade with the separate powerstones. The use of a matrix stone also allows for easier customization and changes or upgrades.

Alternative, one could skip the matrix stone and configure the wards directly to the spellstones. This is a longer process, but a lot cheaper. As each setup is working independently from each other, there is a greater chance of failure.

The most common use is straight up combination wardstones that both power the wards and hold the runes to control them. This is still done with the stones place in 4 corners and have them run in series like the other setups, or a singular wardstone at the center of the project. The last option would have been perfectly adequate for Harry's use, but since when did wizards use common sense? The main problem with using the combined wardstone is that they degrade fast, and as such you can't put as powerful wards on it as one would like, and they require frequent recharging or even replacement.

Now warding doesn't restrict itself to using runes. There are many wards that use normal incantations and wand movements to set up, and usually use a wizards own power. It goes without saying that these end up being weaker than their rune counterparts, are not as permanent, and can't cover as much area. The exception to this is Hogwarts.

Hogwarts itself is so full of ambient magic that it is pretty much its own wardstone, but there are no physical stones. The students themselves recharge the castle inadvertently every year by simply using magic.

For a place the size of the Sirius's castle, and not as old as Hogwarts, an elaborate wardstone scheme is used. The castle uses 4 large matrix stones, and an even larger central prime stone. There are 16 spellstones along with the 16 powerstones that go with them. These are all about the size of a bowling ball- compared to the size that Harry was using for his room which are the size of small apples.

Harry and Daphne got to preparing the stones, non-magically of course. Best results are achieved when you keep all external magic outside the system, it wouldn't to do have hiccups from interference. This only makes a difference to the stone before the runes are drawn. After the runes are set then all you have to be worried about is direct damage to the stones. Destroying wardstones is the only way to permanently destroy them. Curse breaking involves either using brute force to drain the power of the powerstones, or the highly trained skill of maneuvering through the wards and creating your own loopholes through the system and creating countermeasures.

After the stones were prepared, they got to writing the simple runes. Usually the runes would be the most complicated part, but each stone in this system wouldn't need more than two. Still, it was best to be safe so they pulled out their rune textbooks and translation guides.

When Daphne pulled out her wand to charge the stone Harry made a suggestion. "I think we should change the color of your wand. It look's identical to Dumbledore's. That would draw a lot of suspicion."

"Yeah, you're right. Do you know a spell to do it?"

"Hmmm. I would try something simple at first. Here." He pointed his wand at Daphne's. "Viridis."

There was no change. "Guess you can't really tamper with the supposed Deathstick that easily." Daphne responded. "I'll see if I can do it. Viridis!"

Sure enough, the wand changed to a dark green color. "Maybe there is something to this after all?" Daphne said in response to the color change.

"Maybe. Let's charge these stones." Harry held his wand to the first stone. "Peninculus!"

He held his wand to the stone for about 5 minutes. At first nothing noticeable happened, but slowly the stone started to glow until at 5 minutes it was like a light bulb. It was pulsing and humming with magic.

Harry had to take a small break to let his magic recharge a bit. So Daphne took the next one.

"Peninculus!" She incanted as she held her wand to the stone. The stone quickly charged up until the light was overpowering. A strong humming sound could be heard, and the magic was almost tangible.

All of a sudden the stone burst apart in a loud explosion, sending waves of crystal and magic all over the room. Harry took the brunt of it and smashed into the wall as shards of crystal cut him open and imbedded themselves in his skin.

"Ah, cock." Was all Harry said before his world went dark.

a/n The Grindlewald scene was kind of awkward to write. I wanted to explain the hallows without reciting canon word for word. Trust me when I say that it was a very awkward experience for Daphne and Harry also. Grindlewald is a very imposing man and can cause that to happen... Almost the exact opposite of Dumbledore in the way he does it too. Anyways, it didn't come out as good as I wanted it so I will probably end up rewriting it when I get bored.

'Peninculus' translates roughly to sponge or absorb. Or at least that's what I'm telling you. Online translators are a fickle thing.

And feel free to ask questions in your reviews. I tend to reply to a lot of the ones that I feel are worth a reply.