Love is greater than our cause

Chapter 54: It has to be me

Albus POV:

After I was informed of Grindelwald's current movement I sent an owl to Newt and to Travers; just in case they hadn't heard. I asked them to meet me here at Hogwarts so we could discuss the whole thing and what we're going to do. I was waiting in the great hall as Dippet had allowed us to use it for such an important occasion. The candles weren't lit as it was only around noon so the sun was gleaming through the diamond patterned windows and shining into the wooden tables that stood on the limestone floor. Although old, it was still a beautiful place.

I could hear multiple footsteps so pulled myself from my daze to pay attention to the people entering the hall. There was Newt, Tina, Nagini and Jacob, the muggle who I am pretty sure is not permitted to be inside castle walls.

'Good afternoon Newt,' I said as calmly as I could, trying not to let the weight on my shoulders force me to collapse.

'Professor,' he nodded, making short eye contact before shifting them around awkwardly.

I flicked my eyes to Jacob who seemed rather confused as he was scratching his head and squinting at the room as if he couldn't see it. Which he can't. 'Newt, I'm not sure he's permitted to be on school grounds...you know Travers will be here don't you? He might be obliviated,'

Newt nodded, 'Yes, I understand that except I've gotten permission,'

I frowned, 'How?...from who?'

'I got him permission,' Tina explained, 'Not illegally of course, I had to run it by the president but she's allowed it since he might be the only person that can bring Queenie back. Besides, it's hardly their main concern that he knows anything because if we and stop Grindelwald everyone will know everything,'

I nodded, 'Alright-'

The door was suddenly burst open, hitting the wall as Travers dramatically stormed down towards us all with Theseus and other workers following behind him. I could tell from the look on his face and the rest of his body language that he was mad and that I was going to get the lash of it.

'What are they doing here?' He turned his nose up at the others before waiting for my answer.

I sighed, 'I trust Newt and they're involved in it too, their friends were taken-'

'Brainwashed,' Travers spat making me feel immediately very insecure, was I brainwashed?

I cleared my throat, 'Yes...so I think they have a right to be here,'

Travers still looked at them as if they were dirty but said nothing is more.

Theseus put his hands in his pockets, 'What's your plan?'

I sat down on the table and thought for a moment before saying, 'You will do nothing, I will fight him alone,'

Newt started to argue, 'Dumbledore-'

'You don't understand,' I started, 'This...this is something I have to do,'

'With all due respect Mr Dumbledore, fighting him alone would be suicidal!' Tina intervened.

'I have to do this alone,' I insisted, 'I know Grindelwald and I know he expects me to fight him alone...that's what he wants. He's not going to use his own army in combat, he doesn't need it,'

'Why you?' Jacob shrugged, 'Aren't you just a teacher?'

Newt turned to Jacob, 'And one of the most powerful wizards of all time,'

Jacob's eyes widened, looking at me with some sort of new found appreciation, 'Wow,'

'I agree with Miss Goldstein, why would you face him completely alone?' Theseus asked.

I took a deep breath, 'I can't speak about it,'

'Then how are we supposed to trust you?' Nagini questioned.

Newt tried to reason with her, 'Nagini-'

'No!' She cut him off, 'I refuse to obey without a good reason to.'

With a heavy heart, I began to open up a little more about the situation, 'He and I have a complicated past-'

Travers scoffed, 'Complicated? Nothing is complicated about the fact you used to be one of them and one of Grindelwalds most trusted allies, that's all,'

I raised my voice, 'That's what you think,'

'Then tell us what happened, ' Theseus agreed.

I rubbed my face with my hands, 'Fine, the bottom line is we were.....friends. We fell out and both of us know we have to face the other alone, the rest is irrelevant,'

Thankfully, they all seemed satisfied with my response.

'Right,' Travers nodded to himself, 'As soon as we hear where he is, we will go and it will happen,'

Something about those words made everything suddenly very real for me as I instantly felt rather faint as if everything was draining from me.

'Dumbledore?' Newt's faint blur of a voice blended into the white noise that was somehow blasting through my head. I found myself gripped the table for support even though I was sat on it so it wasn't as if I was going to fall over.

I took a deep breath as my strength slowly returned, Newt by my side, a hand on my shoulder whilst his friends peered cautiously at me.

Travers on the other hand looked angry, 'Brilliant,' he fretted, 'This is what we have as wizard kind' last hope? An old man who can't even stand up for five second-'

Although I was weak, I was no less powerful when it came to magic as I silently made his whole body levitate and shoot towards me until he stopped a few centimetres away, I stared into his cold eyes and replied, 'May I remind you, you asked me to do this but even if you hadn't I still would be doing it because this is my mistake to fix and weak or not I will not let what we did destroy the wizarding world. If you really think you can do a better job then I dare you to duel me right now and win,'

He stayed silent as I removed my magic that was hovering his feet above the ground so he was free to move.

'What do we do now?' Newt asked worriedly.

I sighed heavily, 'Now we wait,'

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Gellert POV:

I placed the second news article of The Daily Prophet we had made this week on the table and addressed my followers, 'Brothers, sisters, friends. I'm pleased to present you vith the reaction of the British ministry, their move pushing the fight. Before ve go to finish this revolution and rule over the muggles, I vould like to say this. I know it has a been a long vait...a terrible, long vait that ve have all had to endure. But now, my friends, ve can finally succeed. Now, ve can finally win this long battle. Now, I can finally defeat the great Albus Dumbledore,'

There was a loud cheer as everyone looked relieved and to be honest, I was too. Maybe not for the reasons I should have been. Yes, I get to finally have my way, yes, I get to finish this fight but the most thing that I'm looking forward to? The thing I've been waiting 46 years to do? See him. I refuse to acknowledge it most of the time but right now...when it's actually happening.....it's all I can think about. I'm going to see him again.

Just to prepare you hearts, it's the next chapter and it's filled ok and by that I mean it's long af so snuggle down and relax into it. Hope you enjoy ❤️