What lies within?

Chapter 21: Bars

Surprise chapter drop? You bet haha. I know I've been very inactive but hopefully this story can be done soon, the ending is in sight anyways. Thank you to everyone who has stuck around- appreciate every engagement and support I receive so thank you all again ❤️

Gellert POV:

It was awkward. Dinner the next evening was excruciating as the mix of characters that were now inhabiting the place I once called my home were extremely juxtaposed and it was hard to navigate conversations at the best of times but now it was just trivial no matter what you said. Albus was quite as a mouse, I'm extroverted and conversational. Aberforth was reserved and judgemental, Gretel is well spoken and polite then there was my aunt who was a combination of all of these depending on her mood. It was too much and as if things couldn't get any worse, Ethel the maid hadn't turned up to work today so apparently my aunt and Gretel decided it was aunt and niece baking bonding time.

Lovely.

'Vhat is this?' I asked, poking the brown sludge with my spoon.

'A secret recipe,' Gretel replied, digging in without hesitation which prompted Aberforth to trust that it couldn't be that bad.

My aunt had already eaten a mouthful and nudged my shoulder, 'Gellert, at least give it a try,'

I wasn't about to make my aunt even more furious at me. She hadn't spoken directly to me the past two days because she was too infatuated with her new daughter figure so I decided it was more beneficial to follow her instructions as I scooped a timid amount onto my spoon and tentatively put it into my mouth.

'Oh,' I recoiled, suddenly getting a memory I didn't wish to recall, 'I see-'

'Does it taste like Father's?' Gretel asked a little too cheerily for my liking, 'He taught me how to make it a few years ago and I've been practicing,'

I wiped my mouth with my cloth napkin and clenched it in my fist. He never taught me how to make this, 'Actually, this vas my mother's recipe I'll have you know.'

'Oh,' Gretel replied, clearly trying to rectify the small talk to make this a socially acceptable scenario, 'Your mother must have been a very good chef. What does she do?'

I didn't reply to this as I didn't even know the answer and instead ignored her as if she were just a pest in the corner of the room which for me she genuinely was, 'Do you like it?'

I was directing this at Aberforth considering he was now no longer my least favourite person in the household which was shocking considering he threatened to murder Albus only days ago, 'It's.....food,'

Gretel seemed clearly embarrassed and I was finding it hard to conceal my absolute joy in knowing her attempt to worm herself into the hierarchy here was failing miserably, 'Albus? Is it true what they say?'

Albus flinched as he glanced at Gretel who was looking hopefully at him, 'I-I,' he stared down at his full plate and swallowed, 'I'm just not h-hungry right now, s-sorry,'

My aunt, I'm attempts to protect her darling niece's precious ego rushed to her defence, 'I think it's absolutely lovely Gretel. I remember my brother's cooking well and this was one of his Christmas classics wasn't it Gellert?'

I bit my lip, hating that she was manipulating me into talking about my parents when she knows how much I despise them, 'Yes, in fact Gretel, do you vant to hear about a Christmas classic of the Grindelwald household?'

'Really?' Gretel perked up, exciting I was finally engaging with her.

'Yeah! Me and my family used to eat this dish together at Christmas and do you know vhat vould happen after?'