Chapter 69

Harry, Elaina, and Charlus arrived in an area completely alien to the time-traveler. As Harry's eyes tried to take in the buildings and people around them, Charlus hissed out, "Follow me."

They were in a crowded apparition point, and Charlus was moving forward with purpose as they blended in with the mass of people. As Harry's eyes scanned the area he realized they must be in the wizarding district of Austria. It resembled Diagon Alley more than Montmartre with its old-timey shops and cobblestone streets, but this area seemed larger and definitely more crowded at the time.

Charlus was moving quickly through the crowd, but Harry felt like the world was spinning as he grabbed Elaina's wrist and practically dragged the girl to keep up. Grindelwald had escaped. ICW Hit-Wizards had attacked them. Elaina nearly leveled the top tower of the prison. Was that how Grindelwald escaped?

Harry hardly had time to process the questions as quickly as they were forming as he forced himself to navigate through the crowd to keep up with Charlus. It wasn't long before his father dived into an alleyway with his shell-shocked charges right on his heels. Charlus seemed to survey the alleyway to see if they had been followed, before entering through a large steel door that looked like it went into a freezer. Harry and Elaina would both normally raise more than an eyebrow at this, but they were both still on auto-pilot after what had occurred in Nurmengard.

The large steel door led to a staircase that descended down into a low-lit room that Harry quickly realized was a pub. The pub looked like something right out of Knockturn Alley, and all manner of creatures, witches, wizards, and hags alike were in attendance. Harry suddenly felt quite naked without his wand in the presence of what felt like the Austrian Crime Underworld. Wondering exactly where Charlus had taken them he walked straight up to a woman sitting at a table by herself. The woman had light red hair, and he whispered closely into her ear. It took Harry an entire three seconds to realize it must've been Dorea in disguise as she pulled out her wand and sent a ball of light into the wall that Harry recognized as her Patronus. Approaching the woman, she offered him a strained smile as she stood to her feet and embraced him. Harry suddenly felt much safer at his mother's side. Not just because the woman was armed, but because it was just a feeling that he associated with Dorea Potter.

When they separated, Dorea immediately went to Elaina, while Harry turned to Charlus who had a thunderous expression, "What do we do?"

"We wait for Dumbledore." Charlus said firmly.

"Shouldn't we go get backup wands? We are sitting ducks if they come for us." Harry said quietly to the man.

"Hopefully that will be unnecessary. We will know soon. We should take a seat and blend in. It is our best chance." Charlus retorted.

When Harry took a seat at the table he saw Dorea say some comforting words to Elaina before quickly changing her appearance to the same look that she adopted when they first met. The red hair was resembling Dorea's and Harry knew his mother had taken one right out of his own playbook. Dorea then handed her wand to her husband who made a few slight changes to his appearance, and then prompted Harry to do the same. As soon as they were settled Dorea leaned in, "What happened?"

Charlus shook his head, "We were attacked by the Hit-Wizards. They figured out who Elaina was. We miscalculated. I didn't think there was any way they would identify her, but they did. Our person of interest confirmed her identity to all of them too."

Dorea looked grave at his words and sought no further answers for the time being. They waited fifteen minutes, but it felt more like hours when an older man with a short brown beard arrived and took a seat at their table. The presence the man carried made it clear who had joined them. Charlus snorted at the appearance, "This is a callback."

"I had to make sure you recognized me. I thought you all may be a bit jumpy after what happened." Dumbledore said calmly, but his eyes betrayed his concern.

"Did you get the wands?" Charlus asked

Dumbledore nodded and pulled a familiar black box out of robes, and as he opened it, three wands were on display. Charlus was the first to reach into the box and grab a wand that Harry recognized instantly, and he let out a breath as he reached in and felt the familiar power of his own partner course through his body. A small semblance of safety seemed to wash over the group as Elaina took control of her own wand.

The next question Charlus asked was a lot less tactful, "What the fuck happened back there?"

The old man sighed, and despite the attempt at a younger appearance he looked his age, "I don't know. To discover the identity of Miss Essex the way they did was a worst-case scenario I could not have even imagined. The Austrians hate Gellert more than any, and I am unsure where their minds went when they discovered her heritage, but judging by the way they were prepared to attack all of us it must not have been good."

"This stinks of corruption." Charlus grumbled, "They hardly regarded you as Supreme Mugwump and were prepared to ruin their careers basically from the get-go."

"I do not believe that was their intention to start." Dumbledore said with a frown, "I believe it started as a dig at you, Charlus. From there the game just continued to evolve. The wards there felt different as well. Something was playing with their emotions, making everyone unbalanced."

Harry glanced at Elaina who froze. Harry didn't need to be a legilimens to know that Elaina was thinking along the same lines he was. Could she have caused the shift in the wards?

Elaina visibly swallowed before saying, "I might have had something to do with that…unintentionally."

She added this last part as an afterthought, but Charlus and Dumbledore both looked at her in surprise, "Can you elaborate, Miss Essex?"

Nodding, the girl sighed, "When we arrived, I noticed how everyone reacted to the wards, but when I crossed into them they weren't uncomfortable, they were welcoming. Like I was returning home to my own wards."

Dumbledore frowned at this, and stared at Elaina for a long moment. After it passed he shook his head, "I fear we made a grave miscalculation, and with Gellert back at large…"

"He can't have many followers left." Harry said hopefully.

"Many is not zero Mr. Potter." Dumbledore countered.

"Any group that is fanatical enough to still follow him will be dangerous. The public should be warned." Charlus said with finality.

The old man sighed, nodding his head, "The ICW will have to be informed first. I believe this will likely be my last day as Supreme Mugwump. As long as they don't take me off the chocolate frog I think I will live."

Dumbledore rose to his feet and Charlus stopped him by grabbing his arm, "You were his friend, Headmaster. What do you think he will do? Do we prepare for a war on two fronts?"

Considering the question, Dumbledore frowned, "I do not believe that is necessary. Gellert has been incarcerated for over thirty years. He is under no delusion that he could face myself in a duel. Knowing that we are currently traveling together will decide his next move. It is my belief he will spend the remainder of his days in hiding, and with his talent, it is unlikely we ever find him, unless he wants to be found. As for now, I suggest fleeing the country. It won't be long before local law enforcement begins looking for our group. You will be safest back home in Britain."

With a flick of his wrist, a goblet on the table began to shake, and Dumbledore nodded, "That will take you to King's Cross. The Wizengamot may summon us in due course, I would expect hostilities to commence in that arena quite soon."

Charlus nodded, and Dumbledore looked at his former students sadly, but his eyes settled on Elaina, "Don't be discouraged, the fault is not your own for what happened. Perhaps we can speak more on what was discussed at a later date. Perhaps my old friend gave you a clue as to where he would go."

Elaina stiffly nodded her head, and Harry knew her thoughts were on the home in South Hungary that Grindelwald had described to them. If there was any place he might go, it was there. Harry however said nothing as the Headmaster departed leaving a somber group to take their portkey back to Britain.

.o.

Sitting in the family room of Potter Manor, Harry and Elaina were unusually quiet. What they had learned from Grindelwald, followed by his subsequent escape clearly played heavily on their minds. When Charlus came in with a bottle of firewhiskey Harry knew a tough conversation would follow.

When Dora entered behind them with a tray of glasses and the two went about serving the family in silence, Harry knew they meant business. The young couple hadn't even told their friends they were home yet as they attempted to digest everything they had learned. When Charlus and Dorea finally sat down the Patriarch of the family broke the silence, "Gellert Grindelwald is on the loose. 32 years ago our army was victorious over his forces, and now their leader has gained his freedom."

Elaina suddenly found the carpet very interesting and Charlus cleared his voice, "I don't blame you, Elaina. I don't blame anyone in our family, or even Dumbledore. Those ICW thugs were after us from the moment we arrived. This was not entirely our fault. That being said, Grindelwald is an enemy, and a master manipulator. What can you tell us about what he said?"

Harry looked to Elaina to talk about what she felt comfortable with, and she picked up the glass on the table and downed it in one go. When she sat the glass down she whispered, "My grandmother was Vinda Rosier."

Charlus leaned back as if struck. Harry's eyes however were on Dorea who seemed unsurprised by the revelation. Dorea spoke directly to the young teen girl, "I suspected it was a possibility from the moment I learned he was your grandfather. She was as fanatical as it came, and good breeding would say you came from two powerful magical bloodlines. It only makes sense that it is Rosier and Grindelwald, two lines that have likely had no cross-mingling in centuries. This gave them the best chance at powerful magical offspring."

Elaina's hands clenched tightly, and she stared at the ground clearly afraid to meet the eyes of the woman she had come to admire. Harry's heart broke for the girl knowing that Grindelwald was right, no member of the Rosier family would ever welcome her into their family. The fact that she was really a Pureblood too must have stung the girl deeply.

Dorea spoke softly, "Elaina."

The sound of her name made her look up suddenly, almost as if she were frightened by the sound of it, "You are nothing like that woman." Dorea claimed, "I can not think of anyone who is further from Vinda Rosier than you are. You are both talented witches, and you are both loyal to the causes you believe in. The similarities start and end there. This revelation does not make me think any differently of you."

The teen girl had a look of relief and gratitude on her face, while Dorea just reached out and took her hand, squeezed it reassuringly, and released it. Elaina continued, "The Grindelwald family estate is in southern Hungary. He told me it would take someone of our blood to get in. It was there that some of my family's magic could be found, and possibly more answers to my abilities."

"Given what we know about Grindelwald's blood wards," Charlus began, "We should be lucky that you didn't kill every Hit-Wizard within range when you took control of them. Creating a center blast like that was about the best-case scenario in what a magical backlash could have been from taking control like that…regardless of that we now have an idea of where he may go."

"The first thing Grindelwald would have done," Dorea began, "is get a wand. Assuming he has done so it would be suicidal to attack him at any family home or manor. His abilities with wards are unprecedented and could rip us to shreds the moment we arrive."

Frowning at his wife's observation, Charlus reluctantly nodded before asking, "What else can you tell us?"

"I think I know what happened to Elaina in my time." Harry said softly.

Elaina looked at Harry curiously and nodded her head, "I wondered if you put that thought together as well."

The two adults waited for a moment before Harry said, "Grindelwald said that most of her life he could never see her future until recently. Until recently, she was killed in Hogsmeade in all his visions of her future."

"Now he says my future is fluid and constantly changing." Elaina said with a small smile coming to her lips for the first time since they left Nurmengard.

"He didn't exactly fill me with confidence." Harry grumbled, and Elaina immediately placed a hand on his own.

"Without you, I would already be dead." Elaina said in a soft voice, squeezing the top of his hand with her own, "It's hard to imagine what life would've been like had you not stepped into it, but I will be forever grateful you did. I know things are hard right now, and more than anything, it's all terrifying. My grandfather, the most powerful conqueror of the last century is on the loose, and a mad man who has delved further in Dark Magic than any before him wants to kill us all."

"You are really making me feel better here." Charlus muttered, while Dorea smacked him on the arm, making a small grin form on Harry's face.

"Regardless of those two things," Elaina continued, "I am going to treat my life, our life, with your family, and our friends as a gift. It seems neither of us were originally meant to experience life like this, so let's make the best of it…I know who I am now, and now I will prove to the world that I am better than my ancestors."

"All of Europe could soon know Grindelwald has an heir." Harry said with a sigh as he looked into his girlfriend's eyes.

Grinning, the girl's eyes shined as she scooted closer to him, putting an arm over his shoulder, "How does it feel to be dating a celebrity?"

That was enough to make Harry laugh, while Dorea and Charlus shook their heads. Charlus sighed, "Harry is right, word will get around that a descendant of Grindelwald is out there, but your names are not anywhere near the Austrian Ministry. They have no idea who you were, or how to find you. By the time they do, or by the time someone recognizes you, because of the dueling circuit, or your own magical feats, you will be so formidable that it would be suicide to cross you."

"You are also a member of this family, and under our protection. Our names are not so long forgotten that people will think twice before they cross you." Dora added.

"I can already see the headlines," Harry grinned, "Potters raise enemies' descendant to be their protege. Magnanimity or Malevolence?"

Charlus looked to his wife and groaned, "We should've stayed in hiding."

This made the whole family share a laugh and despite the severity of the situation, Harry felt better than before. The odds they faced seemed insurmountable, but they would face them together. No matter what.

.o.

The day after they returned to Potter Manor it was business as usual. The family had experienced their rest days, and it was time to continue preparation for the war. Training that morning had been more aggressive than usual, and despite the bumps and bruises, the group ended their routine in high spirits.

Harry and Elaina had discussed that they could no longer put off informing the family about Andromeda and as they all walked back in from their training Harry spilled the beans to Charlus and Dorea.

When he first approached the conversation he stated that he just needed to talk to them about something serious, and they both seemed surprisingly nervous by his announcement. He could tell their minds went somewhere when he nervously began explaining that they had been sitting on a secret for a while, and both were clearly relieved when he told them it was about Andromeda. He could imagine what they were thinking beforehand, but after telling them the truth, Charlus looked no better, while Dorea looked apoplectic.

"That idiot girl! She is going to get her little boyfriend killed. Arcturus will have the boy murdered in his sleep, if he is lucky." The woman said, sounding slightly nervous.

"I have little doubt that is what he will attempt to do." Charlus said with a frown.

"Their daughter was a friend of mine." Harry explained, "Arcturus was not very active in the family at the time, and allowed Cygnus to cast her out, but Andromeda and Ted got married, and Nymphadora was a credit to them both. She was a metamorphmagus, and became a powerful Auror."

"It's been a long time since someone with that particular skill has been born in my family." Dorea grumbled, "I think it will mean little to Arcturus in the grand scheme of things. I don't see any way the girl doesn't get cast out, regardless of what I may say."

Shaking his head Charlus seemed to agree, "This is her grave that she dug, Harry. You could try to speak with Arcturus, but if you interfere I would expect to get your head bitten off, and at worse cursed."

"He will not curse my son." Dorea said firmly, "I will go with you and Andi to tell my brother. I am not sure what good it will do, but I have always been able to keep him from cursing people with his wand, his words on the other hand…nothing can save you from that."

Charlus chuckled at this, while Harry felt a pang in his stomach. Maybe he should have warned Andi about her daughter. He just didn't want to risk his friend not being born, that wouldn't have been fair Tonks. Sighing, the boy thanked his mother and went to freshen up before going to see his friend.

.o.

After showering and changing clothes Harry sat down at the desk in his room and flipped through the Black Grimoire that his godfather had lent to him at Christmas. It was something he had read cover to cover on multiple occasions now, but still he reminded himself that until he knew every curse in the book there would always be more to learn.

A knock on his door drew his attention away from the book of Black family magic, and flicked his wrist, opening the door, and greeting his visitor. Elaina was wearing a long black dress that made her presentable to greet the Lord of the Black clan. Harry eyed the girl up and down in appreciation and stood up to greet her, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Hello, beautiful."

Giggling, the girl placed a hand on his chest and in a fake posh voice said, "Hello to you handsome, I suppose I am a few minutes late to catch you in between clothes."

Blushing slightly, he ignored the girl's flirtation and placed a gentle kiss on her neck as her arms went around his neck, in a more serious voice she whispered, "Are you worried?"

"For Andi, and for my family. I don't want a riff to come between all of us, on how this is handled." Harry explained.

"Things are different this time around, Harry. Everyone knows the risks and what is coming. They won't divide themselves now. It may be a loud disagreement, but I think your family is much more ready to handle this than they did the first time. We need all the help we can get, and we will be there to make sure they remember that." Elaina encouraged with a soft kiss on the cheek as the two separated.

"I hope you're right." Harry said, taking the girl's hand and leading her out of his room.

.o.

Arriving at Number 12 Grimmauld Place was a different experience than it had been in the past. Echoes of the battle surrounded Harry as he walked the streets of Islington and the grief he felt watching his parents nearly lose Arcturus, and watching Harfang die had been palpable. Visiting here was unpleasant to say the least.

Charlus and Dorea led the way arm in arm, while Elaina and Harry took up the rear matching their formation. As Dorea led them into the house and into the drawing room where Arcturus, Melania, Druella and Andi were already waiting, Harry immediately sensed the tension in the room. Judging by the suspicious faces they received, Harry knew Arcturus and Druella knew nothing so far.

Arcturus was already looking impatient and twitchy at the arrival of his guest, and Harry greeted the man with a forced smile, "Godfather."

The Black Patriarch offered the teen a nod and looked to Elaina next, "I understand there is probably a story involving what happened on the continent?"

Druella and Andi looked curious as to what was being discussed, but Elaina just grimaced, "An interesting story for sure, Lord Black."

Arcturus looked grave at her words, and merely nodded before clapping his hands, standing to his feet, and going straight to a table with a bottle of firewhiskey in a decanter, poured himself a glass, and another for Charlus which was passed to him without further greeting, before the man sat back down, and said, "Okay now what is the fuss about. Am I to assume something has happened, and everyone here is involved?"

Andi fidgeted with her hands, "Not exactly."

"Well out with it then, girl!" Arcturus said his voice rising before the conversation already began.

Andromeda closed her eyes and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

Melania and Druella both looked horrified by the revelation while Arcturus blinked several times as if he had been slapped by something ridiculous. Then the man's eyebrows creased, "Beyond this being socially unacceptable, I was unaware you were in a relationship with any boy. If what you say is true, why is this boy not groveling at my feet right now? Begging for my forgiveness."

The tone in the man's voice was dangerously sharp, and Andi looked to Dorea for help, but the woman just gave her an unimpressed look that said, This is not where I step in.

Andi looked miserable as she said, "I was afraid you would kill him."

"The thought is certainly on my mind." Arcturus growled out as he stood back to his feet and began pacing near the decanter, his first glass already drained, "Who is the boy?"

"His name is…Ted." Andi said in a whisper.

"Ted? Ted who? I don't remember any boy named Ted in our world." Arcturus said with a rising fury.

"Ted Tonks. He was a seventh-year Hufflepuff at school." Andromeda said softly, tears already falling down her face.

"Tonks?" Arcturus said as he slowly moved towards his granddaughter and Harry stiffened fearing the man would strike her, "Do you mean to tell me that you went and got yourself knocked up by some Mudblood?"

"Arcturus." Harry said warningly.

The man didn't even look towards Harry though as Lord seemed to tower over Andi, "It was an accident, grandfather, I'm sorry."

The man hurled his glass at the wall causing Andi to yelp and the others in the room to flinch as the man roared, "Generations of Black scions and not one has ever been bold enough to jump in the bed with a filthy mudblood. Now I find out not only did you jump in bed with him out of wedlock you became impregnated by the bastard as well. I should kill the fucking bastard."

"Arcturus!" Harry said more forwardly, this time stepping forward protectively towards Andi, pulling her behind him.

Arcturus raised a finger towards Harry yelling out, "Stay out of it, Potter!"

Grinding his teeth together, Harry said as calmly as he could manage, "I understand you are angry, but that does not excuse the language you are using, a derogatory term that people use to insult my mother."

Arcturus didn't back down at all, pointing past Harry now at the openly sobbing Andromeda, "That girl broke hundreds of years of sacred Black traditions!"

"And she regrets it," Harry reasoned, "but she is going to bring forth a member of this family that you can be proud of. A powerful Auror, and a metamorphmagus. She was a good woman, and a better friend. Trust me, I could have stopped this, but I knew what it would cost this family. I'm not saying don't be angry, I am just saying give your granddaughter a chance."

Arcturus growled out, "We will be the laughingstock of the Wizengamot."

"Who cares!" Harry exclaimed, "It was you who taught me that they are all just a bunch of sheep anyways. Come on Arcturus, don't make the same mistakes your family made in my time."

This seemed to bring the man down slightly as he took a step back from Harry still breathing hard as if he had run a race. No one else in the room spoke for a minute as Arcturus considered his next move. Taking a breath he shook his head, "I will need time, and I will need someone to bring this boy to me. He does not get to escape my wrath."

"Ted is going to be a good father, Arcturus. You shouldn't kill him." Harry said firmly.

Arcturus' nostrils flared as he puffed up to say something, but Dorea cut in, "Arcturus. Harry is right."

The man whirled on his sister who looked sad by the scene before her, "We need our family together. If you kill that boy, we will have lost another one. First Cygnus, then Orion and Bellatrix. We are already having to send Regulus and Cissy to the continent. We can't lose anyone else. Punish the boy, make him beg for it, but don't kill him. Not right away. Give him a chance to earn his right to live."

Arcturus looked from Dorea to Harry several times. Both seemed to be imploring him to listen. Then he glanced at the shattered Andromeda, and the winds seemed to fly out of his sails, "You will leave this house. Bring the boy to me tomorrow. I will not harm him…not today…not tomorrow, but if he fails you in any way. I will have his entire family wiped off the face of the Earth. You have greatly disappointed me Andromeda. Now get out of my sight. I need to speak with my godson about other matters."

Harry and Dorea shot the man disapproving looks, while Elaina and Charlus tried to remain as neutral as possible. As Andi prepared to run towards the door, Elaina embraced the girl, whispered a few words, and released her. Andi looked from Elaina to Harry before wiping at her eyes, then back to her family, who still looked angry, before whisking out of the room as fast as her legs would carry her.

When she made it out of the room Arcturus turned to Harry, "You are certain the girl's daughter will be worth it? What of the father?"

"Ted is a quintessential Hufflepuff." Harry explained, "They made it on their own last time, without any help from the Black family. Cygnus cast her from the family, and they still did it. With a little bit of help and guidance I can only imagine the type of witch they could raise. I would be happy to show you memories of my friend, so you can see this is a fight worth hanging around for."

Arcturus sighed before turning to Druella, "Contact Gilmore, and have him pull a file on this Ted Tonks. I plan to intimidate the boy tomorrow, and find out what kind of wizard he is."

Druella nodded, wiping at her eyes. No tears fell and the woman was completely silent. Harry imagined it was hard being in his presence after he had killed her oldest daughter. She didn't glare or give him any nasty stares however, she merely accepted Arcturus' command and departed.

When it was just Harry's family, Arcturus, and his wife, the Lord of the house turned to Elaina, "Judging by your reaction earlier I take it your visit with the old bastard didn't go well?"

Elaina swallowed, shaking her head. Charlus began speaking, but Elaina cut him off, "It's okay, Charlus, I can tell him…please. It was my fault,"

Charlus looked like he would protest, but Dorea placed a hand on his arm and shook her head while Elaina made eye contact with Lord Black, "My grandfather escaped Nurmengard."

Arcturus appeared shocked by her words and staggered back into his chair, "He-he-he, escaped? I don't understand? You said it was your fault? How could this-"

"The Hit-Wizards attacked us." Charlus began, and this time Elaina didn't stop the man from explaining how their day in Austria had gone. Charlus spared no detail for his old friend, and by the end of it Arcturus looked like he had aged two decades.

"First my granddaughter gets pregnant by a muggleborn. Now the man that killed my brother and father is back on the loose…we must go after him." Arcturus said solemnly.

"We would be going extremely short-handed, Arcturus." Charlus said softly, "Besides we have enough problems here that we can't just leave to hunt the man down. Elaina has a lead, and we will follow up on it, but we have to worry about the war in our own backyard first."

The large man frowned deeply at his best friend's words, but ultimately sagged into his chair in defeat, "Christ, if old age doesn't catch up to me, all these younger bastards will."

Arcturus turned his eyes to Elaina with a deep look of contemplation on his face, "I have grown to trust you, young lady. Do you have this in hand? Are you prepared to do what is necessary to ensure he never becomes a threat to our families again?"

Elaina visibly swallowed hard at the man's question before releasing a breath, "I will do whatever is necessary to protect our families."

Arcturus looked satisfied by the answer, but still grunted in a displeased manner, "If he crosses onto our shores we will take him together, Charlus."

Charlus nodded firmly, "We might finally get the chance to rewrite those old war stories. There won't be any prisons this time."

"Damn right." The man gruffed out.

Harry watched Elaina shuffling in anticipation, or anxiety. He wasn't able to determine an exact emotion, but he could definitely tell there was a lot more on the girl's mind than met the eye. He listened as Arcturus and Charlus discussed the political ramifications of what could occur next, and that included the knowledge of Elaina being the descendant of Grindelwald. By the time the group left Number 12 that night, Harry knew the Lord of the Black clan had much more to worry about than his pregnant grand-daughter. With Voldemort and Grindelwald on the move, and plans to take the fight to the enemy coming very soon, things were going to become dangerous. Harry could only hope his family was up to the challenge.

(A/N) Some things in history are meant to be. The time may be slightly different, but the results the same. Grindelwald is on the loose and Elaina is satisfied with what she learned…for now.

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