Chapter 47
AN: Thank you all for the support. I really hope you like this chapter, I'm particularly proud of it.
After leaving Gellert and Mie Albus heads down to his office where he sits at his desk and calmly waits. While he knows that this meeting is not going to be pleasant, he doesn't let that show as he knows that it will only lead to the ministry to being even more unpleasant.
"He just left Dumbledore," one of the portraits informs Albus.
"Thank you," Albus responds, and he continues to wait.
For almost ten minutes after the portraits told Albus that the Minster has left Albus waits until he finally hears a knock on his door which tells him that Crouch has not told the minister about Gellert.
"Enter," Albus responds, and the minster walk into his office.
"Dumbledore," Mutchum greats.
"Minster," Albus responds, gesturing for the seat across from him for the minster to sit down. "Would you like a cup of tea?" Albus asks in an overly pleasant tone of voice, but the Minster does not realise that it is overly pleasant.
"No, I won't be staying long," The Minster responds, and Albus is very glad to hear that, though he suspects that even if it is going to be a painful . "I wanted to inform you that next year I will be selecting the person who will be teaching defence against the dark arts," Mitchum responds, and Albus smiles pleasantly as he saw that coming, in fact, he suspected that it would be the first move the Ministry made.
"I'm sorry Harold, but that is not something that is within your authority," Albus responds, as while the Minster was able to do that in the timeline Mie is from, he has looked and there is nothing currently that would allow the minster to do it in this one.
"I am minster for magic," Harold responds, and Albus notices that he is fighting to keep calm but he is clearly becoming angrier and upset.
"You are, but hiring decisions at Hogwarts are not within your purview," Albus tells the minster. "And, I have already secured a Defence of the Dark Arts teacher for next year," Albus tells Harold, as while that is not strictly true, he does have a few ideas, none of which he plans to share with the minster any time soon.
"I can override that decision," Harold tells Albus, clearly having an elevated opinion of his power when it comes to Hogwarts.
"No, you cannot," Albus tells him. "I am the headmaster, all decisions regarding Hogwarts are mine to make," Albus reminds the minster. "If you have issues with that you can contact the Governors," Albus says, knowing that in this timeline all the Governors very much like him and as far as he knows there are currently no Death Eaters among them.
"You don't want me as your enemy, Dumbledore," Mitchum informs Albus.
"My only enemy is Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters," Albus tells Mithcum. "As long as you continue to fight him, even if the infective ways you do, we are on the same side," Albus tells Mitchum, who looks completely shocked and is clearly insulted by Albus.
Ever since Mie left them Amelia and Remus have been studying in Mie's library alcove. As they no longer needed them, they have removed the privacy spells that were cast. As the two Gryffindors study they hear footsteps and look around to see Lily, Edgar, and Frank, all of whom are holding their bags, walking towards them.
"I figured you'd be here," Lily says as she walks towards them. "Where's Mie?" Lily asks curious as she assumed that she would be with them, especially considering it is her study spot.
"She had to go talk to her dad," Amelia explains. "Not sure why," Amelia admits as Frank uses a nonverbal spell to move a table closer and the three of them sit down.
"Is she okay?" Frank asks curious.
"Not sure," Remus admits, giving Frank a look, which says they can't go into details in front of Edgar and from the look on Frank's face it is clear that he realised what Remus was trying to tell him without words.
"What subject are we doing?" Edgar as curious.
"We're about to start a potions quiz, just finished some basic charms revision," Amelia explains.
"Okay, sounds like we got here at a perfect time," Frank says and the five of them begin to study together, and before long they are joined by Severus and Alora.
While her friends are studying and Albus is still meeting with the minster Mie is in her family quarters with Gellert and while Gellert is sitting at the table Mie is pacing back and forth.
"Okay, okay," Mie says, as she paces. "Voldemort got so powerful because of his followers, it's the same reason you were able to get so powerful," Mie says to Gellert, and because he knows she is trying to work something out he isn't insulted. "How did you get so many followers?" Mie asks, as she stops pacing and looks at Gellert, realising that it is very useful to have the insight of a dark lord who has risen to power as it can help her understand and predict what is to come.
"I stood for something," Gellert says. "And good or bad people could relate to what I said I was going to give them," Gellert explains. "No one wants to hide who they are, no one wants to feel alone or hurt because of who they are," Gellert tells Mie. "We all want to feel strong, to feel powerful," Gellert tells Mie, who has to admit he might be right.
"I've had my moments," Mie admits as there have been a lot of times where she has felt alone and has not wanted to be. "So, you made them promises?" Mie asks, trying to understand.
"In a way," Gellert admits. "I offered them understanding, used what they feared and twisted that, it was easy to make it seem like blood purity was the answer, that if magical beings were in power no one would feel like they had to hide, no one would feel alone or weak; that no one would be hurt because of who they are or who they love," Gellert explain, feeling a little concerned about how Mie is going to react, but realising that this is a decision they have to have. "For a long time, I didn't realise it but where I started and where I ended up were completely different places. What I stood for, while the same at its core, had been twisted, I had become twisted. My motivations were no longer pure," Gellert explains, as he ended up doing the very things he was trying to prevent against.
"And you feel remorse for that," Mie says, it being a statement and not a question as that is something she has come to realise.
"I do," Gellert confirms.
"See, that's the problem, Voldemort doesn't feel remorse," Mie says as she continues to pace. "In the timeline I'm from Voldemort was given a chance to show remorse, and he didn't," Mie tells Gellert, thinking she may need to borrow her dad's previse to re-look at a couple of things. "Destroying all his Horcrux's, defeating Voldemort, I know how to do that. Even if he creates more, I understand him enough to figure out what his new ones would be, but that is only part of the problem," Mie explains and Gellert is trying to catch on to her line of though.
"You want to take away his power, and his followers are his power," Gellert realises as he knows that he was able to get into some of the positions he got into was because he had the support, so it makes sense that the same is true for Voldemort.
"It's easier said than done, his followers are devoted," Mie tells Gellert. "They worship him and would do anything he asks. It's what makes followers like Bellatrix so dangerous," Mie tells Gellert, who notices her shiver and stutter as she says Bellatrix's name.
"Everyone has their weakness," Gellert says.
"What was yours?" Mie asks, before she can stop herself.
"Albus," Gellert says without hesitation. "Annemie, you understand Voldemort, I can tell that scares you, but it's also one of your biggest strengths," Gellert explains as he walks over to her. "One of the many reasons Albus was able to defeat me is because he understood me, honestly more than I understood myself at times, so he knows my weaknesses," Gellert tells Mie. "You know Voldemort's and because of that you understand why his followers follow him, why they are so devoted," Gellert tells Mie. "What would break that devotion?" Gellert asks.
"I don't know," Mie admits.
"I think you do, you just need to think," Gellert says, and Mie gives him an annoyed look, but as she does the answer comes to her.
"I think I have an idea," Mie admits, though she knows that actually using it will be a different matter altogether. "Thanks, Gellert," Mie tells him as she isn't sure she would have come to that alone.
"I'm here to help," Gellert tells Mie.
"You came to help Dad, I know that," Mie tells him.
"I did," Gellert confirms. "But now I want to do more," Gellert reveals as he knows enough from Mie and Albus to know that he wants to help them prevent what they know is coming, even if he doesn't have all the details.
"I'm really glad to hear that," Mie responds, and as she does the door opens and Albus walks in. "Dad, how did the meeting go?" Mie asks curious, and Albus looks between Mie and Gellert, realising thanks to their body language that they have been having an intense conversation, but he doesn't know what that conversation was, and he suspects that neither are going to explain.
"Unfortunately, how I was expecting it to," Albus admits. "The Minster wants to interfere at Hogwarts," Albus tells Mie and Gellert.
"We saw that coming," Gellert admits.
"We can't let it," Mie tells her father and Gellert, sounding panicked. "Hogwarts is a safe haven, but it's so much more than that. The ministry is corrupt, and vulnerable to falling to Voldemort, if that happens Voldemort could find a way to take control of Hogwarts and we need to prevent that at all costs," Mie says, looking between Albus and Gellert.
"We will," Gellert responds.
"Okay, let's discuss what we can do to prevent Hogwarts falling into the ministry hands," Mie says.
"I have already put some things into motion," Albus explains and the three of them start to explain what they know so far.
After spending a while with Regulus Sirius and Alice are walking back into the great hall where James, Dorcus, and Marlene are sitting together and both Mary and Emmaline are a little way away from them reading.
"I recognize that look, what are we planning?" Sirius asks as he climbs over the couch and sits down with Marlene and James while Alice walks over and sits sideways on one of the armchairs.
"Something to lighten the stress Lily, Remus, Mie, Amy, and the others are under," Marlene explains. "Exams are a week away, we need to help them lighten up," Marlene explains.
"They deserve some fun, they shouldn't be so stressed," James says.
"Sounds great, I'm in," Sirius says.
"Same," Alice confirms. "What are you thinking?" Alice asks curious.
"That's the problem, we having some issues thinking of something good enough," Dorcus explains.
"Well, if we put our minds together, I'm sure we can think of something," Sirius says.
"You are such idiots," Mary's voice says from where she is reading with Emmaline.
"Do you have something to say Macdonald?" James asks curious.
"I think I just said it," Mary responds. "But seriously I know this is coming from a good place, that you want to help, but doing something to interrupt their study time is the worse thing you can do," Mary explains.
"They are so stressed," Marlene points out.
"With good reason," Emmaline responds. "Amy, Mie, Lils, Remus, Edgar, even Frank, Sev and Alora want to do well. They are terrified of failure. Lils, Remus and Sev want to prove themselves, Frank, Amy, Edgar and Alora want to do their absolute best, and won't accept otherwise, and Mie wants to show everyone that she is more than just Albus Dumbledore's daughter, that she is skilled in her own right," Emmaline explains, and those who know where Mie comes through know that that is only part of the reason why she wants to do so well. "If you do something to risk them not being able to study, which could risk achieving what they want to achieve, they will never forgive you," Emmaline explains as while she wants to do well as well, she isn't quite as stressed as the others.
"Then what do you think we should do? They are clearly not okay," James says, it being clear that he wants to help his girlfriend.
"You be there for them, you give them support, and things they need. You don't try to plan something that will ruin their ability to study," Mary tells them, and it becomes more than clear that their friends are considering hers and Emmaline's words, considering whether they are going to do as suggested.
After spending hours talking about the ministry and the other things they are trying to prevent against, though Mie doesn't share her idea about how they can get Voldemort's followers to stop following him, Mie, Albus and Gellert are walking towards the Hogshead where they are going to have dinner with Aberforth.
"This is a bad idea," Gellert tells Albus and Mie.
"It will be fine," Mie tells him.
"Aberforth knows that we are coming," Albus informs Gellert.
"And he is okay with that?" Gellert asks, as he very much doubts that, and because the three of them get to the door that leads into the Hogshead Albus doesn't answer as they walk in.
As Mie, Gellert and Albus walk into the pup they find that it is mostly empty and just like he often is Aberforth is behind the bar.
"Good evening," Albus greats, and Aberforth just gives his brother a simple nod in response.
"Hi Uncle Ab," Mie says, walking over and giving him a hug, doing so for two reasons, the first being she hasn't seen her uncle in days and the second being to try to get rid of some of the tension that is extremely clear in the air.
"Hi Mie," Aberforth says, returning the hug and kissing the top of Mie's head. "I've got you set up in the back room," Aberforth explains, looking at his brother.
"You'll be joining us of course," Albus says, trying to make an effort and Aberforth looks between Mie who clearly wants him to join and Gellert who clearly doesn't.
"Sure, why not," Aberforth says, practically daring Gellert to come up with a reason why he shouldn't join. "I'll bring the food right out," Aberforth says and Albus nods.
After seeing Albus's nod Aberforth heads into the kitchen while Mie, Albus and Gellert head into the back room where there is a single table for four set up, it being clear that even if he wasn't expecting to join them Aberforth was prepared to.
For a couple of minutes Mie, Albus and Gellert wait until Aberforth walks into the room carrying a try off food.
"How's business been Uncle Ab?" Mie asks, trying to make conversation to make it so things aren't so tense between them.
"The same, people are scared, but they still want food and drink," Aberforth says as he starts to serve the food. "How are you feeling?" Aberforth asks his niece.
"Okay," Mie confirms. "I still feel weak sometimes, but I'm doing okay," Mie explains.
"Good," Aberforth says as he sits down. "You've got exams coming up, don't ya?"
"Yeah, one more week and then they start," Mie explains to her uncle who nods, as they start to eat.
"This is very delicious," Albus tells his brother, trying to make conversation and he just nods.
For the next few minutes Albus, Aberforth, Mie and Gellert all eat in very awkward silence, more than once Mie goes to say something, but she can't think of what to say so she doesn't try.
"ALBUS? Are you here?" Hagrid's voice calls from the outside.
"YES!" Albus calls back. "I'll be right back," Albus says, getting up and leaving the room, leaving Mie, Gellert and Aberforth alone.
After Albus leaves Mie can feel the tension rise even higher and she finds herself hoping that Albus returns very soon.
"Is the food up to your standards Grindelwald?" Aberforth asks, clearly challenging him to say something bad.
"Uncle Ab," Mie says in a warning tone of voice, feeling that no good is going to come of that.
"it is," Gellert says with a pleasant smile. "But you have always been a good cook," Gellert says, clearly trying to make an effort. "I remember all the summer nights you would insist on cooking dinner, and Ar…" Gellert starts to say, but before he can even get the name out Aberforth has stood up and pulled his wand, and she second he does Gellert does the same, having reflexes far superior than one would expect for someone his age, resulting in them both standing to the side of the table, pointing their wands at each other.
"Do say her name," Aberforth grows, pointing his wand at Gellert, who is pointing his own wand back at Aberforth.
"Okay, everyone, calm down," Mie says, getting up. "Uncle Ab, Gellert was complimenting you, Gellert, Uncle Ab doesn't like talking about the past, especially not Aunt Ariana," Mie explains as she walks over and puts herself in between the two and that is the exact sight that Albus walks in on Gellert and Aberforth pointing their wands at each other with Mie standing between them, and as he sees the sight Albus gets the most awful of flashbacks.