GREY WINGS || A Hogwarts Story

Chapter Twenty

"Oh, hello Grey." The familiar deep voice sounded as a figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I wasn't aware anyone knew about this room," Grindelwald added.

Every muscle in Grey tensed as he tried not to look as guilty as he felt. 

"The door wasn't locked," He muttered tightly.

Grindelwald chuckled and stepped into the tower room.

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble."

But his words did nothing to comfort Grey. The traces of what he presumed was an anxiety-fueled headache began to creep up his skull. 

"I noticed you weren't at lunch. Richard seemed quite worried," The wizard recounted casually. 

Guilt stirred more fiercely in Grey as the tension headache intensified. 

"I'm sorry."

Grindelwald smiled.

"I don't think it's me you should be apologising to."

"I just wanted somewhere quiet, to process everything," He strained through the growing pain.

"That's understandable," Grindelwald observed, "Unlearning an opinion about a man such as Dumbledore is undoubtedly difficult."

Grey's mind flickered to his professor. When, without warning, his headache flared. Realisation dawned too late. Darkness claimed him.

Dumbledore's office is unchanged. The professor sits at his desk, holding the vial necklace aloft.

Across from him sits Newt Scamander.

"You understand what this means Albus?" Newt inquires softly.

Dumbledore surveys the trinket with an expression of deep sadness.

"He's my son."

Each word is laced with guilt. 

"It's not your fault, you didn't know," Newt tries to comfort the man.

"I am his father, I should have known, I should have-"

Dumbledore's voice breaks and so does the image.

Pine trees whip past him on all sides as the sound of dull hooves fills the forest.

The thestral are flying. As the image of the green light plays over and over in his mind. 

Grey's knees were aching as he was thrust from his vision. He must have fallen onto them when it overtook him. Gasping for breath, he vaguely registered Grindelwald knelt in front of him. Grey flinched as hands grasped his face, raising it to meet the mismatched eyes of his captor.

"What did you see Grey?" The man demanded.

But Grey just shook his head as nausea swirled in his stomach. He found himself missing the gentleness of Dumbledore's presence. 

Grindelwald sighed, releasing Grey's face. He watched the wizard's expression soften as he surveyed the boy's trembling form. Grey was to exhausted to protest when he carefully grasped the back of his head, pulling him towards his shoulder. Grindelwald's embrace was odd. It felt protective yet also imprisoning at the same time. 

"You'll be alright, you're safe," The man murmured deeply. 

And the low, calm tone of his voice did comfort Grey, much to his surprise. After a minute, both of them pulled away and Grindelwald guided him carefully to rest on the cold wall.