Grindelwald's Burden (Books 1-7)

47. The Riddle house

We start book 4 having hit over 150k in reads and 10k in votes! Thank you everyone and I hope you are enjoying the story so far. From this book forward the stakes are going to get higher as our character will be tested in several ways. 

"Now, are you sure you have packed everything you need?" Y/n's Grandmother asked him. "You are spending the rest of your summer with the Weasley's after all and won't have a chance to return if you have forgotten anything."

"I am quite certain Grandmother." Y/n told her as he stood with his trunk and Noctis in her cage to his side. Over the summer he had hit something of a small growth spurt and he stood taller than he had several weeks ago. Y/n wondered if this was a result of his efforts in following Sirius's instructions on how to become an Animagus.

The instructions were extremely complex. For an entire month he had to keep a Mandrake leaf in his mouth without removing it at all, then he had to find a small crystal phial that receives the pure rays of the moon and put his saliva-filled leaf inside and add one of his own hairs. Next he spent seven days having to add a silver teaspoon of dew from a place that neither sunlight nor human feet have touched. Finally he had added some Death's-head Hawk Moth something that he had persuaded his Grandmother to acquire stating it was a summer Homework. Once the mixture was complete he was to put it in a quiet, dark place and leave it alone until the next electrical storm. Y/n chose a small box that he could keep buried under his clothes in his trunk at all times.

Every sunrise and sundown Y/n had to point his wand over his chest and then speak the following incantation. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus." A week ago while he was doing this he was certain he sensed what felt like a second heartbeat. Now he was just patiently waiting for a lightning storm to appear.

"You have forgotten something indeed." Y/n's Grandmother said now as she got his attention again.

"I have?" Y/n asked confused.

She took out her wand now and seemed to summon a small box. "This is for you, to wear around Christmas time. I want it to be a surprise." She told Y/n

"I will not be here for Christmas?" Y/n asked her.

"No. You, Atticus and most of the students will be staying at Hogwarts this year." She said cryptically. "Now take this."

"Thank you Grandmother." Y/n said gratefully as he took the box now. 

"At least you have some manners unlike your brother Atticus." His Grandmother said with a sad smile before she sighed. "Where did I go wrong with that boy...He's always been difficult, but these last few years he's become worse. Perhaps it was a mistake for me to allow him to stay with the Malfoys. I always had my doubts but it was the first time Atticus had been so insistent on spending time with anyone else. I wish you would both get along like you used to. You boys were so happy as children..."

"Grandmother..." Y/n said looking at her saddened face. "I have tried very hard for years to get along with Atticus, but he has done nothing but throw insults towards me and gone out of his way to try and spoil any accomplishment I make. Despite this, he is still my brother and I try to see good in him. But when he insults my friends...I cannot forgive him for that."

Y/n's grandmother rested her hand on Y/n's cheek now. "I know that you try Y/n and I cannot ask you for any more than that. It is Atticus who is throwing away your bond, not you. You make me very proud Y/n. You were such a quiet boy growing up, I was always worried our tainted family history would hang like a shadow over you...But you've grown out of your shell to make fine friends, Joined your house Quidditch team and from what I hear you just recently helped save an innocent man's life."