For the Greater Good || Tom Riddle ||

P A R T II- Prologue: The Beginning

Part II - 1899: GODRIC'S HOLLOW

"You can't be serious, Albus? What are me and Ariana gonna do? You know very well she won't... she won't be sta-"

"Be quiet, Aberforth. I can't deal with you right now. I'm packing."

Aberforth Dumbledore stood in the wooden threshold of their small home, watching his older brother wave his wand around and stuff clothes and other inventions into his knapsack. The boy's temper began to rise as his older brother did not turn around to face him, the sound of trinkets clinking and clanking wearing on his nerves.

After several moments of being ignored, Aberforth's anger got the best of him. "Then when can you deal with it! Mum is dead and Pa..." he trailed off. "You're all we've got, Albus. You can't leave. Ariana needs you. Don't stay for me, stay for her. She's" he paused, his throat feeling dry, "she's getting worse, you know. She's having trouble... controlling... it."

Albus stared at the ground, his tongue tightening as he searched for words. "I'll only be gone for a short while... " he began as he moved toward the front door. "You'll be surprised, the Statute will fall incredibly fast and the Muggles will be compliant." He opened the front door and Aberforth followed. "You know why? Because it's structurally weak and Muggles naturally want to be ruled. Gellert had a vision-"

"Enough with 'Gellert had a vision'! I'm bloody tired of it!" Aberforth bellowed. Albus turned around and served him a silencing look, but it had no effect. The two boys now silently stood in the garden of the Dumbledore home staring intensely at each other. All was quiet before the younger Dumbledore decided to speak.

"That's all you ever talk about anymore." Aberforth's eyes burned with tears. "Everything out of your mouth is 'Gellert this' and 'Gellert that.'"

"What about me?" a smooth voice called from several meters away.

A young man with golden blond hair and a merry, wild face stood leaning against a stone pillar of the Dumbledore family's fence. Albus immediately went rigid, a barely noticeable blush spreading across his face.

"N-Nothing, Gellert," Albus stuttered. "Where's Eilowyn? I thought she would be with you." His voice was questioning, prodding in a sense. It was as if he hoped that the curly haired Potter girl wasn't coming along on their journey.

"She's not coming until I send for her. I think it's best for her health."

The blond haired boy smiled slyly as he straightened himself to stand without the support of the fence. His mismatched colored eyes glinted with a strange light.

Albus sighed in relief, but it went unnoticed by the other two. "Well what time will we be due to apparate? I'm ready to leave this place."

Albus moved forward to join Gellert's side, however, Aberforth was tired of being in the background.

The younger boy had grown bolder in the passing moments, his fists clenched at his sides. He suddenly exploded in a raging attack that had been suppressed for far too long, brought on by the sight of his older brother standing so comfortably at the side of that evil sack of shit he despised. He had read all about his little 'experiments' at the school up north. The guy was deranged.

"My brother isn't going with you either, you git!" Aberforth spat as he moved forward, his wand at the ready. Gellert merely glared at him while Albus looked mortified at his brother's outburst.

"He's not going with you! Go and find your stupid little artifacts by yourself! You don't need him. Our sister needs him! She can't live without him... " His gaze hardened as did the grip on his wand. His knuckles turned white. "So sod off!"