Author's Note: I'm really excited about this chapter because it marks Tom's meeting with the Great Gellert Grindelwald. I really wanted to nail it and make it an incredible exchange because it's two amazingly powerful wizards in history meeting for the very first (and last) time. I think it's such an important historic moment and I really wanted to get it right so please let me know what you thought of it!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all rights and characters belong to J.K Rowling. I am simply having fun with my imagination. Thanks

"...You promise?" said Nagini, childishly. "It'll just be you and me? You promise?"

Tom leaned closer to her.

"I swear."

"Good," said Nagini, who finally seemed to be satisfied.

"Good," said Tom. "Now that we have that settled, tell me, Nagini. Tell me about Grindelwald's fortress..."

CHAPTER 45: THE ELDER WAND

After Christmas, Tom spent every awaked minute searching for Grindelwald's fortress. The last time that something had been so important to him was just two years before, when he'd been dead set on finding that prophecy again. Now, he was too determined to give up. He had to get his hands on that wand.

By early spring, the Death Eaters placed a taboo on the name Voldemort so that if anyone anywhere uttered it aloud, their location would be exposed to them at once. Tom thought it was a brilliant plan and awarded his Death Eaters with a little dinner party at Malfoy Manor…just like old times. Everyone, including Draco who came home for the Easter holidays, was there for the celebrations. That is, everyone excluding Severus and the Carrows, who were hard at work keeping Hogwarts in line.

If there were currently any mudbloods out there, they were deep in hiding. All witches and wizards were under curfew so that the Death Eaters could patrol the streets of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. The ministry itself had increased its protection so that if any person with muggle blood should enter, the alarms would go off at once. Gringotts bank had also increased its security significantly.

On March 3rd, when he was already overwhelmed with exhaustion in looking for Grindelwald, Tom finally found his way to the Fortress of Nurmengard, where it was rumoured that Grindelwald was held in captivity. Rotating his wand between his long-fingered hands, Tom freely waltzed into the fortress and looked around. It was an extremely old fortification and he doubted that any life still existed there. Feeling slightly nervous that he'd traveled all this way for nothing, Tom proceeded to climb the stairs, keeping his eyes wide alert. It was only after twenty minutes of searching the residence that he finally found a dungeon-like room protected by some heavy enchantments. Mustering all his magical strength, he broke through the magical barriers and let himself into the room. And there he was.

Sitting in the corner, grey-haired and wrinkled, eyes clouded completely, was the once great Gellert Grindelwald. He eyed Tom for a brief minute before his lips curled into a smile that revealed ugly yellow and silver teeth.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," he said, brightly. "We meet at last."

"So we do," said Tom, who looked him up and down.

"Sit, sit," said Grindelwald. "Won't you join me, Tom?"

"I'm afraid, I'm on a bit of a tight schedule, Grindelwald," said Tom.

"Oh please, call me Gellert," said Grindelwald, happily.

Tom stared at him with disgust as Grindelwald proceeded to tell a story about how he'd always preferred to be called by his first name and had quarrelled with the Durmstrang teachers far too many times because of it. Tom could hardly believe that someone who had once been so powerful, so great, and so invincible, had succumbed to this nothingness. Tom stared at him with pity, confusion, anger, and pure disgust. And then, his heart seemed to stop. Had he, Lord Voldemort, looked like this only 3 years ago? Wormtail had never placed him in front of a mirror so he'd never truly seen his reflection. He knew he'd been ugly and far less worthy of a lord's appearance, but had it been this bad?

"What?" said Grindelwald, who finally noticed the look on Tom's face. "Is there something in my hair?"

Grindelwald ran his bony fingers through his head of grey hair and then let out an awful laugh. Tom sneered.

"I have come here, as I'm sure you know, for a very specific reason, Gellert Grindelwald," began Tom, but he stopped just as quickly because Grindelwald raised his head suddenly and eyed the ceiling.

"Do you hear that?" he said, nervously. "I hear birds. Do you hear that, Tommy?"

Tom stared. He was in complete and utter shock. This was what had become of a once amazing wizard?! Then again, after being locked up for so long, one would have to have no choice but go mental, wouldn't they? But Tom had to admit, he'd expected far more from the so-called Great Gellert Grindelwald.

"Do you know who I am, Gellert Grindelwald?" he asked, seriously.

Grindelwald laughed again and then screwed up his face to complete and total seriousness. He looked up at Tom and bore his own silvery eyes into Tom's red ones.

"Yes," he said, very slowly. "Yes, I know who you are."

"I know you know my real name," said Tom, "But do you know who I am today?"

"Absolutely," said Grindelwald. "You're Voldemort."

Tom frowned.

"Does the name mean nothing to you?"

"Nope!" said Grindelwald, and just like that, he burst out laughing at his little joke.

Tom decided that he'd had enough. He'd had so much respect for this wizard as he sat in the Malfoys' living room, reading up on him. But now, all that was gone. He raised his wand and pointed it directly at Grindelwald's chest. At the sight of it, Grindelwald burst into even harder laughter than before. Tom glared at him.

"Do you fear death, Gellert Grindelwald?" he asked.

"Nope," said Grindelwald. "In fact, I welcome death! Kill me, Voldemort. Go on, do it! But my death will not bring you what you seek, for you see, there is so much you do not understand…so much you do not know…"

"Humour me," said Tom, and he closed the dungeon door and sat with his back to it, across from Grindelwald, his wand still pointed firmly at him.

"You want to hear a story?!" said Grindelwald, with as much excitement as any child.

"I have come a long way," said Tom, "For a very specific reason which I can tell you already know. So just give it to me straight."

"Alright," said Grindelwald. "You have my word, Tommy, I'll tell you everything I can." He crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and took a long and deep breath. Then, he opened his eyes and found Tom sitting in front of him again. "There is nothing that you can say or do that will make me tell you where it is."

Tom glared at him and just like that, Grindelwald burst into laughter once again.

"I'm sorry," he said, after he'd calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry; it's just too bloody ridiculous!"

"What is?" said Tom, who was not amused whatsoever.

"How low you will stoop to get that bloody thing," said Grindelwald, who by now already had tears in his eyes. "You don't get it, do you, Tom? This is where it ends. You have reached the end of the line and there is no other side. You're finished. Done. Poof!"

"But you are SO WRONG!" cried Tom, and he jumped to his feet and pointed his wand at Grindelwald again. "You are completely wrong because, as I'm sure you know by now, when I want something done, I get it done. I am a very stubborn and determined wizard. I do not give up on things. If I had, I would not have gotten this far in my career."

"Right, right," said Grindelwald, who was nodding along now. "The uh…Dark Lord, they call you, is that right?"

"Yes," hissed Tom. "I have gone further than you ever have. Do you know, I killed Dumbledore."

"Right," said Grindelwald, who looked slightly curious now. "Poor Albus, you know, he was my best friend. He really was. I was sorry to hear that he died."

"You think this is just a joke, Grindelwald?" said Tom, snapping his fingers in front of Grindelwald's face.

"Nope," said Grindelwald. "I take you very, very seriously, Tommy."

"I have conquered immortality, Gellert," hissed Tom. "Do you know what that means for me?"

"What?" said Grindelwald, who was very amused now.

"It means that I have a never-ending life ahead of me, with which I can achieve and accomplish so much."

"Ah," said Grindelwald. "Well, good luck with that."

"I do not need luck; I need information," declared Tom. "And since you are unwilling to give that to me, perhaps a dose of pain ought to do it."

"Go ahead," said Grindelwald, happily.

Frowning slightly, Tom pointed his wand and watched the smile fade from Grindelwald's face as the pain of the Cruciatus curse befell him. His eyelids forced themselves shut and he brought his hands to his stomach and kneeled over to the floor, bending so low that his forehead actually touched it. After a couple of more seconds, Tom withdrew the curse and Grindelwald let out a deep breath.

"Ready to talk now?" said Tom, simply, and he knelt down beside Grindelwald and stared at him.

Grindelwald grunted and let out a few more deep breaths. He raised his body then and sat back up against the wall like before, closing his eyes.

"Go on, tell me where it is," said Tom. "Tell me who possesses it."

Grindelwald breathed in and out and in and out again and again. Finally, after a couple of more long minutes (during which Tom tried his best to be patient), Grindelwald opened his eyes again and found Tom's. He looked up at him simply for a few seconds and then let out a smile and another giggle.

Tom smiled as well.

"You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope!"

In a fit of anger, Tom kicked him hard in the face and sprung to his feet. He paced for a couple of seconds around the small cellar and then turned back to Grindelwald and pointed his wand at him.

"Perhaps another dose of pain, then? That ought to loosen your tongue."

Grindelwald laughed again.

"You still don't get it, do you, Tommy?"

Tom stared.

"You can do whatever you want to me and I still will never ever tell you where it is so just go ahead and do your worst. I do not care for death anymore. I welcome death! In fact, you'd be doing me a favour, mate!"

"Yeah?" said Tom. "We'll see."

He pointed his wand again at Grindelwald, with every bit of determination in his bones to kill him right there and then. Grindelwald however, smiled sweetly up at Tom. Tom decided he'd had enough. The man wasn't going to cave so there was no use for him anymore. And all Tom wanted was to wipe that stupid smile off of his face. And the next minute, he did.

Tom paced up and down the cliff, cursing aloud and setting various jets of light from his wand. They hit different spots of grass and caused this to explode. Nagini was back at home so she wasn't there to scold Tom for nearly killing her. He paced and paced, his mind swirling with a mixture of anger and a bucketful of memories. It was all rotating in his mind over and over again. He was getting dizzy. His head was pounding. He let himself fall to the grass and breathed.

"My death will not bring you what you seek."

The echoes were ringing in his ears now.

"Tell me, Grindelwald, tell me who possesses it."

"Grindelwald met Dumbledore in Godric's Hollow, my lord."

"…dived so far into the Dark Arts, encouraging his withdrawal from the long-time friendship with Albus Dumbledore…"

"Dumbledore is best known for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in the legendary 1945 duel."

"There is so much you do not know, Tommy boy."

"Curiosity is not a sin, Tom, but you should exercise caution."

Tom's heart must have stopped for a good thirty seconds because he began to sweat. He jumped to his feet and wasted no time in disapparating from the clifftop. Somewhere in the confusion of the apparition however, he switched to flying and continued to swear aloud as he made his way over to the place so full of memories. He flew over the hilltops, the cliffs, the trees, and the lake until he reached the shore. He landed on his feet with a light thud and looked around the dawn of the morning.

The White Tomb was situated just on the shore of the lake by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A sick smile crossed Tom's face as he rotated his own wand in his fingers and began to slowly approach the tomb. He let out a cold laugh before he waved his wand, causing the tomb to crack open. He flicked his wand again and removed the white sheets covering the deceased body of Albus Dumbledore. Tom eyed him for a long time. He lay there, useless and helpless as ever…just the way Tom had always viewed him. And then his eyes flicked to something resting in Dumbledore's hands.

There it was. The historic, magnificent, glorious Elder Wand, hidden in the hands of a dead man. Tom leaned forwards and eyed Dumbledore's face carefully.

"Hello again, Dumbledore," he said, letting out a vicious laugh.

He then reached over with his own white fingers and gently pulled the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's grip. His smile broadened and he leaned out of the tomb and took a few steps back from it, all the while eyeing the beautiful object in his hands. It was glorious. It was magnificent. And at long last, after months' worth of search, it was his!

Tom spent the next month and a half travelling. He travelled far and wide, and experimented with the Death Stick that he had finally (at long last!) gotten his hands on. It was a miracle worker…absolutely…amazing…magic. So beautiful that Tom had already completely forgotten about his other wand. He did not care in the slightest about it. All he cared about was that when he finally faced Harry Potter once again, he would be no match for the great and powerful Lord Voldemort.

On the first of May, Tom decided to return to Malfoy Manor and see his Death Eaters again. He was prepared to give them the good news. He reached Malfoy Manor just as the sun had fully risen. He casually walked through the front gates and let himself in through the front doors. He climbed the steps and made his way over to the sitting room. His happiness however ended abruptly as he reached the opened door and saw that the long dining table had been removed from the center of the room, and his main Death Eaters (as well as a few goblins and Gringotts workers) stood together, each looking as frightened as the next. The Malfoys and Bellatrix were standing in the other corner of the room, also looking quite frightened. Tom's smile faded.

"What is this?" he asked the Malfoys, gesturing at the crowd of Gringotts Bank workers.

"M-m-my lord," said Lucius.

But Tom was not feeling patient that morning. He performed Legiliments on Lucius to speed up the process of finding out what had happened. And what he saw inside his mind disturbed Tom a great deal.

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger had been captured in the woods by some snatchers the same night Tom had gone to Gellert Grindelwald's fortress. The three had been brought back to Malfoy Manor where Bellatrix had interrogated and tortured them. However, by some miracle, they escaped once again, before the Malfoys could even call Tom to the scene.

Lucius' memories drifted now to the present. Tom glimpsed the inside of Gringotts bank, and then a headline in a newspaper about a break-in at one of the vaults. The guarding dragon had been set free and the Death Eaters had brought that day's workers to Malfoy Manor.

Tom withdrew from Lucius' mind and, in a violent rage of fury, waved the Elder Wand in the air. The Malfoys instinctively fell to the ground and shielded themselves as the string of curses erupted from Tom's mind and flew in all directions, shattering windows and chandeliers. Crystals were flying everywhere. There were shrieks of pain as Tom let out a few Crucio's. By the time he was finished, each and every one of those Gringotts workers was lying on the ground, dead. Tom took a few deep breaths and stepped backwards. His eyes found Bellatrix'.

There was a mixture of fear, frustration, grief, and sorrow in her eyes. She looked back at Tom as though she was looking at her maker. Perhaps, she thought she was about to. But Tom was too lost for words or actions. He was too confused. Lucius' mind had clearly shown Tom that Harry Potter and his friends had broken into a very specific vault at Gringotts and stolen something…and the fact that this vault belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange was not a good sign for dear Bella…or Tom, for that matter.

Please review with your thoughts on the exchange between Tom and Grindelwald. I'm really curious as to what you thought!

Also, I'd like to thank Hunter for reading and for all your reviews. I read each one and I'm glad you like the story. Thank you!