...

Dumbledore walked into the caretaker's office with mild trepidation. When he'd first decided to visit the orphanage, he'd been somewhat wary of what to expect based on what he'd heard from Rodrick about it.

He hadn't expected to see a relatively normal atmosphere.

The children had all the vices of what to expect out of a child- Though somewhat tempered by their surroundings, most of the kids he'd seen so far looked relatively cheerful and happy as they kicked around a small ball.

His appearance, barring a few that stared at him with apprehension, had only resulted in them momentarily gawking at him before they focused back on their games.

Still, his trepidation only came into play the moment the caretaker took one look at him, and immediately led him to her office without saying a word.

The trepidation had come from the fact she'd recognized him on sight, despite the fact he'd never been here before, nor had he met her either. Which suggested she knew him by reputation. Which worryingly suggested she was a squib.

A squib, that had taken care of Rodrick Grindelwald. A boy who without a doubt likely had magic cascading off of him, whether intentional or not.

Which brought about the more worrisome question, if the woman had known about such magic usage, why hadn't the headmaster ever heard about any incidents? Not a single hint of it in all those years. 'Was the woman keeping him hidden?' That thought could've meant she'd recognized him for who he really was...

It didn't take very long before the woman turned her full attention towards him as he entered.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked. Wary eyes stared at him.

"Yes, My name is-" He felt the need to introduce himself, even if the woman clearly seemed to know of him in some capa-

"I know who you are." The woman spoke over the headmaster, in an icy tone. She looked to stop for a few moments, no doubt considering something before she let out a sigh.

Dumbledore idly took in the office. It was a bleak-looking place, he noted the amount of dust-covered muggle technology before his attention was brought to the woman ahead of him.

"You're here about Rodrick," She didn't ask. It was a simple statement.

"Yes, I am," He answered easily. "It is my duty as a headmaster-"

The woman quickly interrupted him, a strange glint in her eyes. "Tea?" She questioned.

Dumbledore, pausing for a moment, shook his head.

"What are you here for?"

Dumbledore frowned, "As I was saying-" He paused once again for a moment. "Where is Rodrick? I don't believe he's in the orphanage at the moment," He remarked pointedly.

The woman stopped preparing tea for herself as she turned back to stare at the headmaster. "He's out," was all she said.

"Out?" His frown held. "...Do you have an idea-"

"No."

Dumbledore couldn't help the silence that filled him at the quick dismissal. "Are you not his caretaker-"

"He's not the only one I keep an eye on- I certainly can't ignore everyone else to keep track of him," she shrugged, once again interrupting him.

Dumbledore didn't believe her words for a second... The way her eyes looked... Sheer indifference radiated out of her. "Be that as it may, surely the boy must've-"

"He didn't. He simply went out on his own,"

"...He does this often?"

The woman shrugged.

"Probably."

"..." For a moment, the old man made to say something rather unprofessional at the sheer uncouth way the woman seemed to treat those in her charge. "Children-"

"He's no child." The woman remarked, hints of scorn in her voice. The words sent chills resounding through him as his worry for the boy simply rose. "You and I both know what he is."

"Do we?" He questioned instinctively. "All I see is a child," He let the silence fill the air for a moment before he realized he'd never had the chance to ask for the woman's name. "I do believe you have me at a disadvantage Miss?"

For some odd reason, a small almost unnoticeable smile seemed to fill the woman's face as she stared at him.

"I may not possess the same magical gift that you do, headmaster-" The frown returned to his face. "-But even I know that child has an uncanny talent when it comes to your arts."

"So you are a squib then," He questioned passively, earning an uncaring nod from the aged woman. "Surely your knowledge of the matter at hand, ought to tell you that leaving him-"

The woman scoffed at him, not even letting him finish.

"Do I look like a fool to you?" The woman questioned. "It's a miracle this place is still standing- And certainly not something I wish to effect." The woman remarked with a sneer. "I've done all I could to keep those children safe,"

He simply stared at her in return, the woman's gaze not budging the slightest bit even with the sheer disapproval lining his own face.

"You see him for a monster, don't you?" The man questioned heavily. "Everything he said..." He shook his head. "You caused it."

"I don't know what you mean," The woman sniffed. "I simply kept him away from those he might harm."

"Can you tell me how Rodrick had come under your care?" Dumbledore asked immediately after his expression was hidden. How long the woman had been treating him in such a way, went unsaid.

"Eleven? Or was it twelve years ago?"The woman remarked tired, staring intently at the intricate table. "He was dropped off by his mother,"

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "His mother?" he couldn't help himself. His mother had personally brought him here? Why?

The woman nodded warily.

"She was a hard woman to say no to. Deathly so." The caretaker added on. "All things considered,"

"Such as?" His mind ran around in circles as he processed the words- Had Gellert's blood survived through a daughter instead of the son he'd expected? The second name of choice had certainly painted it that way, though he supposed through whatever form of contact the boy held with him, Gellert could've simply kept that part of the family hidden.

The woman leveled a stare at him for a moment before another smile graced her wizened face. "Oh, I am sure you already know, it's certainly why you're here isn't it?"

He blinked at the words- He was certain she was referring to Rodrick's grandfather, or perhaps simply his mother, and yet- He quickly felt confusion take over.

She was clearly afraid of whoever had dropped the poor boy off, and given she'd continued hiding his presence here then... She must've still feared such a person. Surely she wouldn't be so glib about revealing who he really was-

"I suppose even old dogs can learn new tricks," The woman snorted. "It's reassuring to know you can learn from your mistakes. Though you're a tad slow on the uptake,"

"I am certainly not as sharp as I used to b-" He made to remark, only for the woman to interrupt him with another alarming statement.

"I remember you, you know?"

Dumbledore blinked before furrowing his brow, wondering where he could've seen the woman before...

"I don't recall," he remarked uneasily. He saw another one of the woman's strange smiles light over her face.

"Of course not. It was such a long time ago."

Dumbledore turned his full attention to the woman, an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"I would be grateful if you could remind me," He remarked.

The smile disappeared, and the woman seemed to shiver before she raised her head. "Wool's orphanage," A single beat passed. "Took the name for my own self actually. Didn't name the place the same though. Figured it'd be safer that way." She finished a shrug.

The words sent the room into a cold silence.

Dumbledore couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Hm, didn't think there was a squib there... Did ya?" She questioned as her head shook slowly, a small smirk lining her face.

"You were an orphan there?"

The question sent a flash of anger through the woman's face. "Sure... I was practically one as a squib,"

Dumbledore could only stare ahead, numb.

"I remember him as well you know," she sighed. "I remember Tom Riddle,"

Dumbledore said nothing, his mind intent on listening.

"Scary, scary boy... No one else saw it though, never took me seriously." she stopped for a second, "Then years later... You know the story, now everyone believes what I said,"

"You knew he was Voldemort?" Dumbledore couldn't help the question.

"I used to live near Hogsmeade," She spoke with a frown. "When the attacks happened, I recognized it. There was no way not to, only he could have that malevolence, that darkness. I left shortly after that,"

Dumbledore nodded, he was about to say something else before the woman snapped her eyes to his.

"I feel like you deserve the warning,"

"What warning is that?" He couldn't help the question.

"Tom Riddle scared me as a child..." The emotionless tone seemed to echo around the room. "Rodrick however..."

Dumbledore's eyes slowly narrowed in bemusement as he took in the haunted face.

"Oh, he never did anything. The model child in a way, he always listened. But it was those eyes... If you paid enough attention you could see it. Even sense it,"

"What are you referring to?" Dumbledore merely asked.

The woman was staring at the desk for a moment before shaking her head. "Tom Riddle was capable of many things, but self-control was never his strong suit." A single beat passed. "Rodrick's however... Oh, that boy's existence terrifies me. Makes me fear for the poor children here, every night wondering if I'd wake up to a waiting corpse." Another beat passed as the woman's eyebrows narrowed.

"I took him in because I feared for what he might do to me if I refused that woman's request- He'd certainly shown his lack of care for his own blood regarding her, there was no telling what he'd do to a stranger."

The words sent a damning feeling throughout the room, as the cold threatened to freeze over everything, his emotions the first of them. His mind ran miles an hour as he stared at the woman, mild shock gracing his face.

"I am..." He made to say before the words died in his throat. "Why didn't you approac-"

"He's in prison isn't he?" The woman gave a derisive snort, "As if they'd believe a squib about his so-called reach- And for all I knew, I may not have even lasted long enough to be taken seriously." Another beat passed, as the woman's face turned into a grim smile. "I am not sure if you've noticed, but there's hardly anyone worth trusting in the magical world."

The words washed over him, a pang of guilt filling him as he, despite not wanting to, found himself agreeing with the woman's situation. Even he'd have been hard-pressed to believe her if he'd even had the time for it- There were so many deaths during those years, and Rodrick had been born before Voldemort had been... Stopped, temporary as it seemed. Still, that didn't justify the fact the woman was treating a child as if he were responsible.

"...I have met the boy, he is no-" Dumbledore eventually started before he watched the woman shake her head.

"Tom Riddle always had his flip switched... That darkness was always around him... That boy, however... It's buried in... He never did anything, he had that calmness around him, that self-control... But I knew Riddle, and the similarities are almost frightening but the fact that he could control that darkness... Where Riddle never could... That alone is absolutely terrifying to imagine... And if he were to ever flip and lose that calm..." She left the words unsaid before looking back up. "I am afraid that's all I have to say on the matter Headmaster," She remarked, as she stood up. "So, unless you wish to adopt one of the children here, I am afraid that's all the time I have to spare." A beat passed.

"You are more than welcome to make an appointment to meet the boy if you wish- You may have better odds of finding him here waiting that way."

Besides the... Rather overwhelming nature of what he'd expected to be a rather simply meeting, the only thought that ran through his head as it ended was the fact he was long overdue for a visit to his former friend.

...

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