Chapter 60
By the end of lunch, Gellert Grindelwald was already making himself useful. While everyone else caught up on one another's news as they ate and even talked some about Skeeter's latest dreadful load of garbage, Blaise Zabini and Gellert Grindelwald constantly had their heads together in quietly murmured conversation. When Kereston mentioned that they were talking about making protective amulets for everyone that unraveled magic in a meter radius around the wearer, but that Gellert would need to remain at Hogwarts to work on them with Blaise, Severus agreed.
Kereston also spoke up concerning another amulet that she'd like Blaise and Gellert to make. It would be another that everyone in their group had because it allowed them all to meet in a specific place if one person activated it. If someone was in danger and that person activated it, everyone in their group would be drawn together to a secret meeting place to regroup and deal with the situation. If Voldemort captured anyone, for example, they could use it to escape as well as to bring everyone together in a safe place. Of course they'd have to decide upon said safe place, but one thing at a time.
Severus was impressed with Kereston's ingenuity and it provided another reason to allow Grindelwald to remain at Hogwarts. Granted, Severus was more interested in the magical dispersal amulet but the other was also an appealing concept. It was one Grindelwald should have no trouble making a lot of fast, especially with Zabini's help. Severus watched the blonde wizard speculatively. Grindelwald's physical bearing was more timid than he'd expected, but then again one had to consider what fifty years of defeat could do to how one carried oneself. Though he hadn't interrupted the intense conversation between Gellert and Blaise, Severus had thoroughly checked Grindelwald's mind as had Nightshade.
Man and owl came up with the same conclusion. Grindelwald was in no condition to start another wizarding war or even to want to escape Hogwarts and go off on his own. He took reassurance in the like mind he saw in Blaise and would remain close to Zabini. He'd found a friend and wanted to remain in his company. He was shell-shocked from being locked away for fifty years, uncertain and rather a shadow of his former self. Severus couldn't decide how he felt about that, but if the man could still be useful, he'd take it. He'd definitely keep a close eye on Grindelwald to see how he continued to adjust to his freedom.
He knew Albus wouldn't be pleased but right now, his mood couldn't be a deciding factor. Severus's hadn't been when Albus asked him to kill him after all, the Potions Master thought snidely. The magical unraveling pendant was what the Zabini elf had worn to get Grindelwald around all the loads of wards placed on Nurmengard, so Severus wanted one. It could very well stop something like a killing curse if it unraveled it before it hit a person. The concept made him feel a great deal safer.
When Mag and her parents each had one he'd breathe easier. His Mum as well. Zabini and Grindelwald planned to make enough for everyone to have one, so allowing the former war criminal to remain here seemed a reasonable trade. Though Blaise had made the first amulet alone, he admitted that it took him several weeks. He believed that together he and Grindelwald could combine their skills and make them far faster. Severus was wise enough to know that dealing with Grindelwald was a risk, but at this point, one worth taking. Grindelwald wasn't trying to rule Muggles right now, after all. He was trying to make protections to keep them safe. He was apparently willing to work with them, else Wolfgang wouldn't have brought him along. When everyone finished eating, Wolfgang turned his attention to the Zabini's Dementor concern.
He explained the basic concept of a spell he was working on that he called a dispersion spell. It was still something he was tweaking, but it worked to disperse dark energy with more pure essence energy. The energy of joy, or one's happy feelings which he believed to be the true essence of oneself. This was involved in the formulation of a patronus as well, but Wolfgang's spell was a bit more pleasingly violent, attacking and dispersion the Dementor in question. He also believed such a method could work on Lethifolds and other similar dark creatures.
Wolfgang promised to demonstrate what he'd come up with thus far to everyone tomorrow night, and invited anyone who could, to help him to complete its final touches, because again, it was a work in progress. He explained that he'd opted to wait until tomorrow night to give Mr. Grindelwald a day to recover from the rigors of prison. Severus glimpsed a brief flash of pride and challenge in Grindelwald's blue eyes that made him wonder if the man would object to Adler's considerate gesture, but Grindelwald remained silent. Severus found himself experiencing a rare excitement over the prospect of collaborating with other powerful dark wizards on such a useful spell. Each would include something until the spell was nearly like a potion, and that concept spoke to him.
He liked everyone here enough to enjoy working with them which was rare. In his mind, Bulstrode was excluded from that, of course, but he seriously doubted she'd have anything to contribute anyway. Before everyone took their leave, Kereston asked Mag to see to getting the silver pendants Blaise and Gellert would need to place the enchantments into. As lunch was over, she went to attend to that at once while Severus showed Blaise's parents to a room in the staff wing where they could stay for the time being. Blaise and Gellert would remain in the Slytherin boy's dorm where Blaise would stay next year. Once the Zabini's were settled, Severus girded his loins as it were and took on the unpleasant task of breaking it to Albus that he'd decided to allow Grindelwald to remain at Hogwarts under the Zabini's supervision. He'd gladly have gone jewelry shopping and let Mag deal with Albus, but alas each had their specialties.
/He's gonna shit kittens,/ Nightshade said gleefully as they approached the Room of Requirement.
/Shut up,/ Severus thought darkly. /The last thing we need right now are kittens./
As soon as Albus let him in, Severus broke the news to get it over with.
"Grindelwald is staying here with the Zabinis. He and Blaise are working together to make amulets for us that unravel magic within approximately a meter radius. I made a judgment call assuming you'd think having one of those was a brilliant idea." Albus merely stared. Severus wished he'd shout and get it over with or start in on how dangerous it was to allow someone like Gellert Grindelwald to remain at Hogwarts, but Albus only stared.
"I've looked into his mind. He isn't thinking about doing anything along the lines of a wizarding world take over. Prison has taken its toll, and he is overwhelmed, frightened, and uncertain. I understand how difficult that is to believe, but it's what I saw, and I am good enough to know he wasn't faking it," Severus told Albus. Albus continued to stare silently and Severus gave a sigh of open frustration.
"There are no students staying here for him to influence!"
"It doesn't matter, Severus. It doesn't matter what I think, because I am no longer in charge of this school. Do what you want. You will anyway."
"Gods," Severus exploded. "You're being a prat!"
"Did I tell you that I didn't defeat him earlier because we made a blood pact never to kill one another? Because we were such close friends," Albus said dryly, glancing back down at the book that still held sway on the table in front of him. "I tend to ask those I love the most to promise to never kill me, apparently...for some reason..."
"That's why you're being a prat? Because of something about you and Grindelwald that isn't even true," Severus demanded and Albus sighed and shook his head.
"Of course not, Severus. It's just another nail in the coffin that is my perpetual bad mood."
"Oh then you'll be extra pleased to know that Skeeter put out a short version of the book as an article...you know, for those who aren't ones for reading entire books. She didn't want them to miss out. Sabra Zabini told us at lunch when Mag and I mentioned your upset over the book. Of course no one present believed a word," Severus said, hoping that would at least lighten Albus's mood a bit. It didn't. "I'm going to read in the restricted section," Severus said, deciding to leave Albus alone with his book of lies and his foul mood for the moment.
"Is there a book there that you haven't already read," Albus asked, expression curious and amused."I'm about to find out," Severus said, and hurried from the room of requirement.
/I think the twizzlers must have constipated him, so no shitting kittens,/ Nightshade said regretfully, and this time Severus snickered. /What did you think of Grindelwald,/ he asked the owl.
/Are we really going to the library,/ Nightshade asked.
/Yes./
/Boring. I'll be bored. I thought Grindelwald was too...freaked out. Like he was afraid of everything or overwhelmed by everything or both. It was weird, he felt like there were a lot of people in the room. His mind was getting on my nerves./
Severus considered while proceeding toward the library. /I suppose being in solitary confinement for so long could do that. When no one is around for half a century even a handful of people could seem like a lot./ With a mild shiver it occurred to him that if things had gone differently, he could be in Azkaban right now...In prison for killing Albus, and alone just as Grindelwald had been but with Dementors. Wait were there anymore Dementors at the prison or did the dark lord have all of them? He'd prefer to stay far away from Azkaban and never to find out. Some things he certainly didn't mind not knowing.
/At least his energy didn't bother me,/ Nightshade said. /Grindelwald's that is. I mean compared to Voldesnake he feels like fuckin' purity itself!/
For some reason, Severus found that quite funny. ****
(Author's note) If you'd like to learn more about the Albus Grindelwald situation and other intrigues that happened in Potter's seventh year, check out Blaise and Gellert's story, In The Dark, also uploaded by us here. It involves many characters including Severus and Nightshade...And just because we love you, we'll share that Grindelwald is the one to explain why Nightshade is so smart. The story does have slash, but you can always skip it if that's not your bag. Severus recommends skipping it for sure. HAHA. The story does have far more plot than slash, and many characters that you've come to know and love or hate or both so check it out!)