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English
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Part 6 of The Deep Root
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Published:
2024-08-03
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1,531
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1/1
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A Root As Deep As These Long Nights Of Winter

Summary:

Dark Arts High Master Gellert Grindelwald takes his sons home and introduces them to his War Council.

Notes:

A little bridge before we go back to politics and war because Tom & Onyx deserve to belong.

Enjoy🖤

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

At the edge of the sky there was a magnificent white patch, a turning page, catching the sun. The rest was ivory grey, with a subtle hint of pink, just enough to announce the coming sunset.

Tom and Onyx’ eyes, however, were focused on the hills they were heading to.

They were admiring what lay beyond them. A colossal castle partially shielded by the mountains. 

Dark Arts High Master Gellert Grindelwald didn’t blame them. Nurmengard was his greatest creation and a source of pride and joy. It was home.

Visitors were not common to his home unless they were soldiers who swore their allegiance to his cause or Wixen he intended to torture beyond what their feeble bodies and minds could take.

The beautiful woman and the two young wizards walking hesitantly by her side were family. His family. A family he never thought he would acquire considering the circumstances. He’d been so focused on the future, what would happen, the control he would have over his destiny, it had made him forget about himself and his needs.

Not that he were one to refuse a gift bestowed upon him by Mother Magic.

Like every Dark Lord, he had a gift for strategy, an ability he applied liberally on the battlefield, but very little anywhere else. The reason had been simple. Life, beyond that of war and fighting for his brethren’s freedom, had provided only undesirable choices and encounters—mainly crossing paths with a master manipulator called Albus Dumbledore, and so he had avoided making one.

And yet, being a leader provided him an incentive to make improvements not just in his followers’ lives, but also in that of all Wixen. It gave him a purpose until Haven Peverell barged into his life unannounced and made him rearrange his priorities.

All of a sudden, he forged new, unanticipated alliances, met a bunch of amazing wizards and witches and a gained a family of his own with a Soulmate and two outstanding sons.

“We’re not welcome inside,” Tom said quietly. His brows furrowed when Gellert waved his hand and the gates swung upon.

He shouldn’t be surprised really. Of course, the Heir of Salazar Slytherin was an Aura Sentient as well.

“That’s because the castle doesn’t recognize you yet,” Gellert explained. The solemnity of his answer caused Tom and Onyx to momentarily pause and recess the castle.

“You are talking about your home as if it’s a living thing,” Onyx hesitated.

“Nurmengard is our home,” Haven pressed a soothing palm against Onyx’ back. Gellert felt her magic reach out to alleviate his anxiety. “And magical strongholds are sentient. In a way, they have a mind of their own. They bond with their owners and protect them. I’ll teach you more about wards and Ancient Runes as we move on with your education.”

Onyx blinked in surprise, and he sensed the Obscurus’ eagerness to learn more about magic. Obscurials were inquisitive by nature. They generally exhibited a thirst for knowledge and power. With the right guidance, his son would make a great wizard.

Tom and Onyx stared in wonderment as he retrieved his wand and started chanting in the Forgotten Language. Bright Runes in Old Futhark glowed all around the gate. Gellert conjured a dagger, cut the fleshy part of his palm, and smeared three drops of his blood on the Ward Stone.

He asked Onyx to step forward first. He looked surprisingly serene as he offered him his hand without a word. He had seen and experienced all at the hands of the horrible Muggle who was supposed to protect him. Onyx Grindelwald had seen hell with the Barebones and experienced its many forms—loss, pain, horror and torture.

Bloodthirst coursed through Geller's veins and justified outrage boiled within him, threatening to erupt as he remembered how easy they made her end. The filth should’ve suffered an eternity for what she did to the young, innocent soul standing all trusting beside him.

As if reading his thoughts, Onyx cleared his throat. “I understand why you need to cut my flesh, and I don’t mind.” The sharpest sense of sadness invaded Gellert when obsidian bled into the warm brown of his eyes. “The past is behind me, Father. You and my family mean everything to me, and nothing else matters as long as we are together.”

Gellert gripped his hand gently and made sure to make the cut small and painless. Onyx nodded, and he smeared his blood over the Hagalaz Rune. It absorbed the blood greedily then glowed.

“This is the Hagalaz Rune,” Haven explained. “Three sets of eight Futhark Runes are called Aettir meaning family. I am the Tiwaz Rune; the Mother Rune. Gellert is the Fehu Rune. You and Tom are the Hagalaz.”

It still amused him that she claimed the Mother Rune even though no wards could stop her from getting into a stronghold. Their first meeting was a testament to that.

“You need to teach us Ancient Runes, soon, Haven.” There was an excited glint in Tom’s eyes.

“You have to master the basics, first,” she ruffled his silky hair. “There’s no rush. You will be ready by the time your Durmstrang letter arrives.”

Tom’s eyes flicked toward him and he smirked. “A mother knows best.”

A faint blush darkened Tom’s ivory cheeks, making his eyes glow. They were the brightest eyes he had ever seen, but their brilliance held no warmth. Only pain reflected, hurt and a type of hollowness one had to recognize in one’s self to see in others.

What happened to him in Wool’s Orphanage was unmentionable. It had changed the very core of who he was. As a result, he found it very hard to trust. But even though he was yet to call them Father and Mother like they had asked him to, Gellert and Haven could see the change in him.

No matter how his first instinct was to refuse their attention and hide behind sneers and malevolent stares, he instinctively yielded whenever they showed their protectiveness and how much they cared.

He would come around. Eventually.

Haven took his hand into hers as they led their sons towards the Great Hall where all important meetings took place.

Onyx kept his back straight and his head held high as he walked side by side with Tom.

A sharp hush fell over the hall, like the expectant quiet following a loud crack of thunder when he let his magic assess and greet every one of his followers.

The score of witches and wizards gathered around the Great Hall of Nurmengard stood stone still, awaiting his word. In their fierce, masked beneath a stony façade he saw their loyalty and eagerness to do his bidding.

They were the men and women who believed in his cause first. Who believed in him and stood by him when many labelled him as a power-hungry lunatic.

Dominik Gruber; his former pupil and actual right hand found his voice first. “Welcome back to Nurmengard, Master. I hope you had a pleasant journey.”

‘’It was a most fruitful one,’’ Gellert said dryly, amused by Dominik’s attempt to keep his eyes away from the two young wizards standing next to Haven.

He lifted a brow when Hanna Rátz, the leader of his War Council, cleared her throat. “Nurmengard greets you, Master Grindelwald, Lady Peverell,” she bowed. “I believe you encountered more than potential allies in this trip.” She added bluntly.

Dominik gave her a glowering look, but she just shrugged with an unrepentant smile. “I’m merely voicing what everyone of you is thinking. We sense the power in the two wizards and the bond between you. Your magic considers them yours. They are yours.”

Gellert took his seat at the head of the round table and leaned back, and Haven claimed her place, opposite to him. The icy wind whistled outside Nurmengard, announcing the coming winter. His pale eyes slid over every single one of his followers as he waved his hand carelessly conjuring two smaller chairs by his side.

“Take your seats, Ladies and Gentlemen,” he offered coolly.

They exchanged glances at his slightly veiled order and did as asked.

“Hanna is right,” he steepled his fingers in front of him in a deceptively relaxed manner. “Haven and I are proud to present you our sons: Onyx and Tom.” Instinctively, his hand went to Onyx’ shoulder, sensing his uneasiness. It would take some time for him to get used to crowds. “I shall take any slight against them personally, so make sure not to meet my wrath.” His smile was colder than the wind howling outside as he raked them with a cold look. “You will protect them with your lives and see to their education. I will require your expertise.” His eyes darkened considerably until cold navy took over every bit of light blue. His face was once again void of emotion

Every man and woman sitting at the table stood and bowed placing their hands over their hearts, swearing their unyielding loyalty to his family.

Haven grinned, her eyes twinkling wickedly as her gaze slid over him appreciatively, before she mouthed. “This is just the beginning.”

 

Notes:

Somehow, Gellert found his outer robes in a puddle at his feet. He stood at Haven’s mercy as she ran her hands over his shoulders and kissed a trail from his lips to his jaw. He buried his lips against her neck and bit lightly, making her hiss playfully.

‘’What have I done to deserve this warm welcome?” he whispered. “Tell me, for I must do it daily.”

She lifted her head and her wild hair came tumbling down in a wealth of ebony curls. He buried his face in her tresses and just inhaled the essence of her.

Haven reached up over her head and buried her hand in his hair. For a reason he couldn’t fathom, the coldness of her magic was more than welcome. “You acted like a father today.” She took his lips with her own.

He sucked his breath in sharply between his teeth as she suckled the flesh of his neck. ‘’You are my family. You and Tom and Onyx. You shouldn’t thank me for protecting you.”

He knew how much she yearned for a family, and he couldn’t wait for her to grow round with a child that shared their blood and magic.

Something flickered in her eyes, but he caught it anyway. “Tell me,” he gazed down at her.

She peered up into his piercing ice-blue eyes and for a moment he thought he detected a glint of hesitation. “You know that I have a family in this timeline,” she shook her head. “But I can wait to meet them after…”

“Anything that concerns you matters,” he took her face between his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Haven smirked. “The British Wizengamot voting session will take place in a week. Maybe we should remind Dumbledore of your existence?”

Gellert rolled his eyes. “So, you want to take the political route? Do you want to turn me soft, woman?”

She laughed. “Let’s meet my family.”

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