Alastor Moody's office
Moody shook his head, grimacing as he tried to get rid of the dizziness.
He couldn't remember who he had just been meeting.
He remembered everything they discussed, including his giving permission for the spy to remove all memories of who they were from him.
But he couldn't remember who it was. Only that they were wearing long, flowing robes that disguised the shape of their body, that their face had been concealed by a mass of black energy, and that their voice had been magically changed.
Grumbling to himself, cursing the memory of the man who invented memory charms, he hobbled over to his trunk.
He inserted the key, opened it, shut it. Turned the key again.
In the third compartment, he pulled out a piece of parchment.
The writing on it was in a yellowish green ink, underlined with black.
It said " You agreed to have all your memories of the operative's identity removed"
He tapped the paper with his wand.
A word appeared, written in a lilac color.
" Felicity"
He nodded, scowling, and burnt the paper.
' So it's legitimate. A few months until they can get in. Merlin, at least we'll have something going for us. Albus isn't going to be happy though'
His scowl deepened. Albus could be as unhappy as he liked, it made no difference to him.
What mattered to him was that they won the upcoming war. That was all.
Greengrass Manor
They sat together, talking. A little bit of father and daughter time before she would return to Hogwarts. It was their tradition.
Astoria was not invited. This was just for Daphne and her father.
She wondered if her mother knew about it. Knew the way she had been taught, since childhood. What she had been made into.
Part of her doubted it.
Part of her thought it most likely.
"I'm so proud of you, Daphne. You did so, so well. Not a flinch, not a twitch. And you liked it, didn't you?"
"I did. The training worked"
He nodded, looking earnest.
"I know it was hard on you when you were younger. Merlin, I remember the way you fought about little Morgana, but it's worth it, isn't it?"
She looked into his large, eager eyes.
' He kind of looks like a puppy. Begging for a treat'
But she did have to admit, that "Yeah. It was all worth it"
He clasped her hand. She didn't flinch.
"I'll be honest. I worried. When you were younger. That the training would make it hard for you to have friends. Hard for you to fall in love. But it seems like I was wrong" He waggled his eyebrows.
She had to laugh. "Harry and I are very happy. I don't know about love, but we like each other very much"
"That's very good. You saw how He looks at Harry"
She nodded. She thought, in fact, she had a better idea of how the Dark Lord viewed Harry than her father did.
"That makes him a good person to be close to"
"I'm not with him for that, dad. He makes me happy, and-"
"I know, I know. Just something to bear in mind. You can rise very high in His service. Higher than I ever could. That's all I want for you. And for you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you"
' And don't I know that?'
"Since you were a little girl, I knew you could do it. Your sister- I love her, but she doesn't have what you do. She can't be ruthless as you can. You just needed to learn how to do it. You needed to"
' Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?'
"But I think that's a lesson you've learned. Isn't it?"
She smiled. "It is"
' Maybe one day you'll see how well I've learned it'
He smiled at her. They began to talk about more inconsequential things, sipping their hot cocoas.
Just a father and daughter, spending some bonding time before she went back to school.
' Maybe I'll show you what your lessons did to me' she thought and suppressed a mad giggle.
Lord Voldemort's Manor
"I don't understand, my lord"
He sighed. Bella may have recovered from Azkaban in terms of her abilities, but her mind was not what it once had been.
"Yes, Bellatrix. We have a way into Dumbledore's office. But as much as I revile the man, he is a most puissant wizard. He must be weakened, for an attack upon him to be successful. And if it is not successful, it will do nothing more than reveal Harry's true loyalties"
"But why can't we just pretend to have kidnapped him and stolen the Portkey?"
"Too much is unknown. We would not be able to predict what exactly Dumbledore is doing at the time, or whether he is alone or not. He may not even be in his office at the time. He may have alarms to inform him when the Portkey is used, in the moments before it arrives. We do not know enough. No, Bella. This is my final word on the matter. Be silent"
She looked down, abashed to have drawn his ire.
"Before the final task, you shall give us a repeat performance"
"My lord?"
"Allow yourself to be seen again. Make it clear you wish to get to Hogwarts. Force them to bring as much security to Hogwarts from other locations"
"I will, my lord"
"You are dismissed"
She rose, brushing the dust off of her knees, and walked reluctantly out of his presence.
He rested his chin upon his fist and thought.
' So Dumbledore knows about the connection between Harry and I. Is there any way he could know the nature of it?'
' He could. I was foolish, speaking to Slughorn about Horcruxes. Particularly since I found a better source of information. He could very well know. Is there any way he could know where my Horcruxes are hidden?'
' If he managed to trace my lineage, he could know about the Gaunts. He could find the old shack. If the Matron told him about those children, he may have the information necessary to find the cave. Perhaps I should leave them for him? As a trap?'
He shook his head.
' No. Leaving them would trap him, but he could avoid the curses. He could destroy them. What, then?'
The answer came to him in a flash of inspiration.
' Move one into the Chamber. It remained locked for hundreds of years, and only a parselmouth can open it. Yes. I will have Harry place the locket there. It would be most fitting. I will keep the ring'
There was an attraction to using them as a trap though.
' Replicas? And have Severus pass over enough information for Dumbledore to be able to find them? Yes. That could work. The diadem is safe, surely. No-one has plumbed the secrets of the castle like I have. Perhaps I shall have Harry check, just to be certain'
' Am I coming to rely on the boy? He must rely on me, not the other way. I will place trust in him. Let him come to love me, more than he already does'
' What will Dumbledore's first moved be? He will recreate his Order, seek allies on the continent. What else?'
' He will attempt to sway the giants to him. Who can I send to parlay with them? Macnair? Mulciber? I must reach them first'
There was so much to do, and so little time.
In a paltry few months, the wizarding world would receive a great shock.
He had to be prepared before then.
Maximum Security, Nurmengard Prison
He didn't rise from his bed. He lay there, his emaciated frame sinking into the tiny, thin mattress. He looked up at his guest and laughed hysterically.
"Fifty years! Fifty years! And the first visit is when I tell you of my communication with another! Is that jealousy, Albus?"
Albus looked down, his entire body giving off power. Giving off the energy that had been so attractive, once upon a time.
"What did Voldemort ask you, Gellert?"
"Fifty years and all you want is to discuss old times? Tell me, Albus, did you enjoy seeing your words as you entered? Not that anyone knows who coined that beautiful term"
"What did he ask you?"
"And how has my wand been treating you?" Gellert continued, totally ignoring the question. "It is wonderful, is it not?"
"What did he ask you?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"For the same reason, you wrote to me in the first place"
"And was it that, O Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore?"
Albus flinched slightly.
"Mighty Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump. Headmaster of Hogwarts. Tell me, in your infinite wisdom. Why did I write to you?"
"You wish redemption"
Gellert snorted.
"Do I? Or am I simply trying to distract you? Perhaps Voldemort asked me to waylay you while he ruins your country"
"I would never have considered you as one to take orders"
"You knew me a lifetime ago"
"Yes. And the Gellert I knew would have broken out of here. Unless he felt, dare I say, remorse?"
Gellert smiled, baring his broken, brown teeth.
"And so, you come to me. To find information for you to fight yet another threat to the wizarding world's status quo"
Albus inclined his head slightly and said nothing.
"Fifty years, Albus. Fifty years, living in this cell. You need my help. Well. I need yours"
"No"
"Then good luck. The information I have could have been invaluable to you. He will remain undefeated without it"
"This was a mistake," Albus said and turned to leave.
"Is that what you tell yourself?"
Albus stopped.
"Whenever you think of me. Is that what you tell yourself? That it was a mistake?"
"Yes. A mistake borne of foolish, youthful fantasies"
"You won't win this without me"
"What makes you think," Albus asked idly, "that I could trust you to help me win this?"
"You would not have needed to ask that question, once"
"But as you so gleefully remarked, it has been fifty years since last we spoke"
' Trust'
"Horcruxes" Geller whispered. "He asked me about Horcruxes"
Albus understood. He could see it immediately, from the way he seemed to shrink in upon himself.
"What-"
"I need you to show me some trust first. Why should I give away everything I have?"
Those blue eyes pierced him. He exulted.
"Come now, Albus. I know the Dark Arts better than any, save perhaps this upstart. Your followers will need to be taught. Who better than I?"
"Someone who does not carry millions of corpses upon their conscience"
"In other words, someone with no practical experience of what use of the Dark Arts does to a person"
"Precisely. We must win this war. We do not have to sacrifice our humanity to do so. Thank you for the information, Gellert"
Albus began walking out of the door.
"You were right"
Again, he stopped. He half-turned, facing someone who was once a friend. Who was once far more than a friend.
"All I wanted, was to improve the world. I was wrong. You saw it before I did"
Albus just stood there, watching. Waiting.
' Curse his eyes!'
"And I have had fifty long years to think on my mistakes. But I still want to improve the world. Let me help, Albus. Let me not waste my abilities, rotting away here"
Albus still didn't speak.
"Must you make me beg? You liked that, once. Do you still? I will if I must. My pride is gone, Albus. Please"
Albus sighed.
"You will swear the Unbreakable Vow?"
"Anything. Get me out of here, and we will destroy your Dark Lord"
"Very well" Albus sighed again, his eyes still blazing through his spectacles. "After all, sometimes one must make a deal with the devil, must he not?"
"If I am the devil, Albus, then what are you?"
"Ah. Always you ask unanswerable questions"
They clasped their hands, and Albus began to speak, Gellert repeating the words after him.
' And perhaps, once this Voldemort is dead, my victims will grant me peace'