Chapter 37

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Albus Dumbledore had learned early on that magic was complicated. The whole idea of magic defied logic and reason. Many before him had pondered the questions of why and how as well, though they ultimately gave up when their search became futile.

Dumbledore was once more pondering that question as he listened to the seventh-year student in front of him with rapt attention. He was sure that if anyone else besides him were sitting in his place, they would have called either Saint Mungos or the Department of Mysteries. 

So, it was a good thing it wasn't anyone else.

Dreams, he thought as the boy finished his summary and looked up. Dumbledore had refrained from interrupting the boy, who was fidgeting slightly because of the nervousness. Understandable given the absurdity of what he had just heard.

Had Gellert been nervous too? 

He pushed that question out of his mind as he focused on the young man sitting in front of him again. Dumbledore adjusted his glasses as he leaned forward a bit.

"So, you saw the future in these dreams?" he questioned, and the boy nodded.

"Yes, professor, the future and the past, though it was in fragments," the boy replied hesitantly. Dumbledore nodded, now understanding how the boy had gotten the information about his sister.

"I must say that it is quite fascinating. Truly fascinating. As far as I know, this is the first time I have ever heard of a case like this. Though, I have a question of my own," he began slowly as he looked Edward in the eye again.

"Why now? Why did you decide to intervene now? You stayed quiet about it for all this time, yet you decided to intervene. Why?" he questioned the boy. Hoping that the boy's answer would give him a further clue.

Edward chewed his lips and leaned back in his chair, and closed his only eye as silence reigned in between them. 

"Initially, it was all just a mush. All of it only began making sense when I stepped into these Halls, and it was a huge surprise. A part of me had wanted to come to you and just tell it all to you. Another part of me wanted to never speak of it to anyone and just skid past everything," began the kid, and the sentiment was understandable. 

A bit selfish, perhaps, but understandable. Then the kid opened his sole unbandaged eye and looked him straight in the eyes as he continued.

"There was another reason, however," and Dumbledore had a suspicion of what that reason was, and the boy's next words confirmed his suspicion.

"I just couldn't trust you. So, I remained quiet," finished the boy, and Dumbledore nodded as he spoke up.

"Because of what you had seen?"

The boy nodded, though his main question remained unanswered.

"Then why now? Why send me that message? Why intervene now?" he asked once more. Edward hesitated for a second before he finally spoke up in a quiet voice.

"Because they are kids. And they would slaughter each other because of one madman because this whole war was pointless. Pointless, and it would have broken them all," Edward finished with a shaking voice, and Dumbledore let the kid think it through. 

"So, I decided to intervene. I decided to change things, small things, small and important, that would spare them,"

"Yet it changed everything!" he cut in, and his Headboy nodded. Albus knew he himself would need much time to process everything he had just heard today. There were so many questions. 

Had the boy's mere presence made the changes, or rather his active participation only? Had the minuscule changes by the boy's presence rippled into something bigger? 

Yet these questions could all be pondered at a later time.

"You said that in your dreams, Voldemort had revived himself during the last task, yet he chose the second task this time. Is there any specific reason you can think of?" he decided to ask the more pertinent question. The boy sighed as he finally began.

"In my dreams, the Tri-Wizard Tournament had four participants," the boy began, and Dumbledore raised a brow as he gave the kid a smile, and the Headboy nodded with a faint smile as well.

"Yes, it was quite contradictory. But the fourth participant was Harry himself. Coruch Jr. would modify the Cup and place it in the maze's center. Harry and Cedric would touch it simultaneously, and both would be transported to the Graveyard where Voldemort would use Harry's blood to revive himself with a ritual," and Dumbledore frowned a bit as he heard that.

"But Harry isn't seventeen yet. Or was there no age limit in your dreams? And I believe by Cedric you mean Cedric Diggory, your classmate from Hufflepuff," he questioned, and the boy nodded.

"There was an age limit. But Crouch Jr. was able to place Harry's name in somehow. And Cedric was the Hogwarts champion," and the boy gulped at that before he continued.

"Voldemort killed Cedric when he landed in that graveyard, and the only reason Harry was even able to make it out of there was because of the connection of their wands," and Dumbledore was surprised by Edward knowing that piece of information. However, there was another thing far more important.

"He killed Mr. Diggory," he confirmed and Edward nodded.

"Yes," and he saw Edward reach into his pocket and place a piece of paper on his desk. Dumbledore picked it up and opened it to find the details of a ritual.

"This is the ritual he used. I wasn't able to find anything about it, but you might be able to find something," and he nodded as he folded it back and placed it in one of his drawers.

"Thank you for this. I will look into it," he began, and this was new information that could prove beneficial in taking down Voldemort. However, it was time to get to the main topic of the discussion.

"Now, I believe we must tackle the biggest issue," he began again, and the boy nodded.

"Horcruxes," replied Edward, and Dumbledore nodded. Edward sighed as he leaned forward a bit, and somehow Dumbledore felt a bit of dread about what he was about to hear.

Hours later, as he sat in his office alone once more, he was proven right as he looked at the picture of a young couple holding a child in their arms with moist eyes. He lamented the fate of the young green-eyed child as he thought about the words he had heard earlier.

Harry Potter was a Horcrux.

0000

FLEUR DELACOUR

The Tri-Wizard tournament had come to an unremarkable stop. They had decided to cancel it, and now they were set to return to their schools soon. Many had already left, with their parents coming and taking them out of Britain, though officially, Beauxbatons was set to leave later that day.

Her father had also wanted to bring her back, yet she had persisted and managed to make him allow her to stay the extra half a day. Though neither the worry over the impending war nor the journey late at night were on her mind as she sat beside Edward on a hospital bed in St. Mungos.

"All right, I will take off the bandages now, Mr. Edward. It might be a little painful, and if you want me to stop at any moment, you can say so," spoke the young Healer, and Edward nodded, and she did not miss the slight clenching of fists as the young healer began to take off the bandages slowly. She squeezed his hand in hers to reassure him of her presence. 

He gave her a weak smile, and if she hadn't known him for as long as she did, she would have believed it to be genuine. Though, she had begun identifying his fake smiles and bravado now. He was nervous just like a week earlier when she had woken up by his side.

"Just a little bit more," said the young healer once more as Edward grimaced. The healer finally had the complete bandage off, yet she still hadn't seen his face. She felt him squeeze her hand as the healer gave Edward a mirror.

"The burn was massive though I must say it has healed up nicely. The scar will contract and lessen over time though I am afraid it will be permanent," informed the young healer, and Edward had yet to look in the mirror.

"There are certain glamor charms and prosthetics that we can use. However, we will have to wait a couple of weeks before discussing those. I will be just outside. You can call me when you are ready," said the healer sympathetically before he left the room, leaving her alone with Edward in the room.

She saw him hesitate a bit as he held that mirror. She brought up her hand as she cupped his face gently, trying to avoid the scars, and slowly turned it towards herself.

The scars were still flushed red as the skin had been burnt off. They covered one side of his face, from the side of the nose to the edge of his jaw. Her eyes teared up as she passed her hand over them, as she internally berated herself once more for her actions that night.

Edward raised his hand as he wiped away her tears before speaking slowly.

"I thought chicks dug scars," he joked, and she stifled a laugh as she saw through his attempt to lighten the mood. She swatted his arm lightly. 

"Ouch, so I don't look as hideous as Harvey Dent, I suppose?" and she frowned as she failed to get the reference.

"Harvey, who?" she questioned, and he waved away her question.

"Nothing!" he said as he finally brought up the mirror to glance at his face, and she noticed him grimace as he saw his scarred face.

"Well, at least I have one good side remaining," he joked again, and she pushed down the mirror as she leaned forward and touched their foreheads.

"I am sorry for this. If only that night I had…." But he stopped her as he brought his finger to her lips.

"If it kept you safe and healthy, I would have Voldemort burn the other half as well," he said sincerely, and she did not have any words to relay what she felt, so she did what felt most natural and crashed her lips onto his. Their bodies melted into one another as they both forgot where they were, only to be broken out of their trance by the sound of the door opening.

Her head snapped towards the half-open door with the flushed face of the young healer staring at them.

"Ohh, I am sorry!" and with that, he backed away and closed the door behind him, leaving them alone once more. She smiled as she looked at Edward once more and wrapped her arms around his face before they were joined at their lips once more.

0000

GELLERT GRINDELWALD

In the confines of the prison of Nurmengard, Gellert Grindelwald frowned as he glanced at the newspaper from Britain. 

"It seems Voldemort is back, huh? Interesting," he muttered as he skimmed through the paper again and sighed as he read further. Finally, he put down the paper and stared at the ceiling with a forlorn look.

"Could this be the war I saw?" he whispered as he levitated the paper to the stack at the side. And just as he was about to get up, he frowned as his senses felt an incoming magical signature. A familiar magical signature.

He heard the door to his prison getting unlocked and walked into the familiar face of his old friend once more. And Gellert smiled as he stared at his old friend again. Though, he did not miss the complicated expression on Albus's face.

"Twice in a year. You must really miss me, Albus," he spoke slowly as he stared at those blue orbs. Yet the smile Albus gave him was strained as his friend walked into the room and took a seat.

"So, what brought you here, Albus?" he prodded once more when no response came to his earlier question. Yet during all this time, Albus had been staring straight at him without uttering a single word. Though he did speak up, his words sent shivers down his spine.

"What do you know of dreams, Gellert?"

And that question took aback Gellert and an extremely old memory was stirred in his mind.

'What do you know of dreams, Albus?'

0000

Now the story is taking shape. Gellert and Edward finally have a connection; this time, Gellert is here to stay. 

Thoughts people?

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