Riddle's Plea

Gellert Grindelwald*

*Sassy Vienna saves lives

(Vienna. February 19th, 1944)

    It felt like days had passed since Ugly #1 had chained me up in a dark, damp and dirty cell in a "secret location." That "secret location" obviously being the "newly" acquired Nurmengard. There were echoes of screams and spells all around me, as Grindelwald's followers tortured prisoners and persuaded others to join their cause. The smell of rot and various bodily fluids filled my lungs, making me want to upchuck and I thanked the Gods I had never had the chance to eat today, otherwise I would of done just that. The longer I waited the more tired I became, my body sore from the fighting earlier on in the day and the general stress of being chained to a wall. At least one of the Uglies had managed to heal my wounded shoulder and made sure I wouldn't bleed out before meeting 'His Royal Highness'.  I let out a scoff that turned into a flinch when the motion caused my shoulder to ache heavily. The rattling of keys distracted me from the pain and I watched as Ugly #1 swung open my cell door and stepped inside. "He's ready for you." I rolled my eyes and stood slowly from my sitting position on the floor, careful to not jostle my arm any more than I should. "That's good to hear. Hey, looks like you fixed your nose!" He growled at my comment but continued to unchain me from the wall and push me towards the open cell door where Ugly #2 was waiting. 

    I followed behind him silently as he began walking through various hallways and up various stairwells. The further we went up the more and more I could breath easier without the stenches of torture filling my lungs and I almost let out a sigh of relief when we reached the final landing, high up in the prison. Immediately the smell of a feast filled my nose and my mouth began to water, voices filled my ears, all laughing and talking jovially. I was finally led into a giant room, filled to the brim of men and women eating supper. The tapestries that hung from the walls and ceiling all had the symbol of the Deathly Hallows upon them, and I couldn't help but take a gulp of nervousness. There were lines of wooden tables and chairs lining the hall and a master table sitting in front of a picturesque window. I quickly realized that the whole set up reminded me of the Great Hall at Hogwarts, except sitting in the Golden Chair at the Head Table wasn't Headmaster Dippet, but the current bane of my existence Gellert Grindelwald. "Ah! Our special guest arrives!" The hall grows quiet with his words and all eyes fall upon me. Gellert stands from his seat and opens his arms out. "Welcome to my humble abode! Are you enjoying your stay?" There were a few snickers from around the room but I allowed my eyes to only stay on the man in front of me. "If you consider being chained to a wall enjoying...then I guess I have." He tilts his head back just a fraction and lets out a deep chuckle before beginning to maneuver his way around the table to face me. 

    I take these moments to assess the man and come to the conclusion that he was, in fact, quite handsome, despite being old. His hair was nearly as white as mine, whilst one eye was an electric blue and the other was a normal brown. To an unknowing brain he would appear to be a charismatic man, with very good powers of persuasion and spell-work. Fortunate for me, I knew better than that and mentally prepared myself for what was to come. Gellert Grindelwald was a bad man, but he was definitely no Lord Voldemort. By the time I'm done with my assessing he's standing directly in front of me, his eyes scanning me wearily and coming to rest on my own. "From what I understand...Vienna, the story told is that you supposedly escaped from me while I was supposedly in America last Spring."  I squinted my eyes at him, quickly going over the different options in my brain before realizing I didn't really have any options to begin with. "We both know that's not true Gellert." The beginnings of a smirk forms on his lips and the tension seems to grow quickly throughout the room. "Care to explain lovely Vienna?" His head tilts to the side, the Elder Wand twirling effortlessly in his right hand and his multicolored eyes curious and dangerous. "You'll have to forgive me Gellert...." His eyebrow raises in question as I gesture around the room, "But I don't think it wise to explain my situation in front of all of your...friends." He studies me for a moment before his demanding voice fills the Hall. "Leave us!"