TAINTED BLOOD!
the last heirloom.
A WEEK HAD GONE BY, AND ALEXANDRA HAD SPENT EACH DAY SKILLFULLY AVOIDING HER FRIENDS.
The witch's bed in her sleeping quarters remained untouched, for she'd taken to spend the nights wide awake in the hospital wing, refusing even a drop of potion that might have helped her fall prey to slumber. Controlling the bond might have been impossible, however, fighting the voice while awake was far easier than facing Gellert in her dreams.
Disgust, fear, and self-hatred had become her everyday companions, yet almost no one would have been able to discern the shift in the teen's behaviour.
Alexandra's stony expression, piercing empty eyes, and effortless composure did not alarm the few peers that had ever crossed her path since that fateful night; none of them had ever witnessed a different side of the witch. Alexandra Grindelwald had always been skilled in masking her genuine emotions, her smooth, monotone voice impeding even those more skilled from peering inside her heart and mind.
However, the Castle still housed a few witches and wizards who knew Alexandra better than most. While she considered them part of her chosen family, Alexandra could not allow herself to be near her friends. Not only would they have soon noticed that something had occurred, but the witch feared their reactions upon learning the truth. It was selfish, to isolate herself to shield her heart from the anguish she would have felt upon her friends' desertion. However, Alexandra wasn't only protecting herself by avoiding those she loved, but also shielding them.
"What they don't know can't hurt them." Alexandra found herself often thinking.
Dumbledore's reassuring promises felt hollow, for Alexandra's fear of becoming like Gellert burnt far too bright to be extinguished. All her life, the teen had felt different from her family members, and her recent discovery had proved her right. Tainted blood and magic ran through her veins, and she would have rather greeted death with open arms than putting her loved ones in harm's way – her harm's way. Alexandra felt nothing but disgust towards herself, anger directed at the man she was magically and blood bound to, and scared of what it all meant.
On December 31st, Alexandra had awoken to a pile of neatly-stacked presents at the end of her bed. Dumbledore had kindly listened to the teen's pleas to keep her friends from visiting and agreed on checking Aron and Blaise's mail to make sure neither of them alerted their parents of her odd behaviour. Forbidden to step foot within the confines of the hospital wing, there was only one explanation as to how her friends had managed to deliver their birthday presents to the witch; Dobby the free elf.
Guilt bubbled in the witch's stomach, appetite long gone as she stared at the heart-warming presents she'd received for her fifteenth birthday. It was clear that her loved ones hadn't given up on her, and this only sparked conflicting emotions within Alexandra.
A small magical camera, a photograph album, several hair accessories, a light knitted cobalt jumper with her light-bronze initial, a bag of Honeydukes butter toffees, 'Hippolytus' by Euripides, a stunning quill and large pot of ink had been safely tucked in a box beside her bedside table.
It was the last gift that Alexandra had unwrapped that truly stole all air from her lungs: a battered, yet oddly well-preserved, leather-bound journal. While it was on behalf of both Weasley twins, Alexandra knew who had chosen such an item, for only one of them knew what she'd have used it for.
Fred Weasley had often been on Alexandra's mind. Regardless of the current events, the witch had often found herself thinking about the moments the two had shared over the years. The sudden realisation of the feelings she harboured towards the red-head had shed light on emotions she'd never noticed beforehand. It troubled and scared her. Now more than ever, Fred Weasley could have never returned her feelings, for no one could love someone who was born a freak, a monster in the makings. The boy was better off with someone else, as much as it pained Alexandra to even picture him beside another witch. He was a flirt, a wizard who could have easily had any witch he'd set his eyes and heart on, someone with the ability to light up an entire room just with his contagious laughter.
Unwilling to spend the rest of the day cooped up in the hospital wing, Alexandra got dressed in the uniform they had to wear at all times during their guests' stay at Hogwarts. The odd pendant that refused to come off her neck rested against her winter robes, while her hair had been pushed back by a headband sporting her House's colours.
With one destination in mind ( and mindful of avoiding the areas often crowded by her peers ), the witch set off towards the outside grounds of the Castle.
Alexandra wished she could have simply bottled up her feelings towards Fred, basking in the obliviousness that had characterised most of her life. It would have sure lessened the pain, the awkwardness, and nerves that overtook her each time his beaming smile crossed her mind.
It was unlike her not to be fully aware of her surroundings, yet, the sound of heavy steps of an approaching figure managed to snap Alexandra back to reality.
Alastor Moody, a Professor Alexandra had yet to trust, for she knew in her gut that something was amiss with the wizard, had halted her advance towards the main doors. Weary and sceptical of the man, Alexandra silently waited for him to break the silence, her impassive face and empty eyes preventing him from reading the witch.
"Going somewhere, Miss Grindelwald?" Moody inquired.
Had it been any other day, Alexandra Grindelwald would have simply offered a curt reply to her professor, walking away before he'd have a chance to further his interrogation. However, recent events had left the white-haired witch dealing with numerous conflicting emotions, threatening her already precarious internal balance. All Alexandra longed for was solace, something she'd only ever found when surrounded by nature ( or, according to her most recent discoveries, around Fred Weasley ). Alastor Moody had inadvertently stopped the witch from reaching her safe haven, and Alexandra was far from appreciative.
"Did you just happen to be nearby, professor, or were you following me?" Alexandra challenged him, taking Moody by surprise. The wizard's mouth twitched, tongue slightly poking out as if it had its own mind. The white-haired witch's eyes followed the professor's movements as he brought a flask to his lips, downing some of its contents before pocketing it once more.
A gruff scoff left the professor's lips. "Careful now. Wouldn't want to lose your House any points, would you." The teen was cunning and smart; each time he'd posed a question, Alexandra would effortlessly sway the conversation, her piercing stare threatening to coax and unveil all his secrets. The emotionless smile that tugged at the witch's lips managed to send a shiver down the man's spine, the cowering feeling something he'd only ever felt in the presence of a handful of people.
"I am sure my House is used to that by now. However, you still haven't answered my question." Had it been someone else, Alexandra would have never dreamt of showing such blatant disrespect. However, Alastor Moody had shown a particular interest in the teen since he first met her during one of his lessons. His behaviour warranted the witch's refusal to ever entertain his questionings.
"I was simply worried. I haven't seen you around your friends in a while, not to mention your absence in the Great Hall. Has something happened?" Playing on one's emotions had always been a strength of his, often aiding him to hide his true intentions while he manipulated others into doing or believing whatever he said.
Pursing her lips, Alexandra tilted her head to the side. "Some people say that those who ask too many questions usually have an agenda. Wouldn't you agree, professor?" Her voice was low, altering between a normal tone and a whisper, yet the way she stretched the last words showed both conviction and strength.
Alexandra did not fear detention, nor did she care much for House points. What the white-haired witch sought was the truth, something Alastor Moody hid rather well. Why would someone with nothing but pure intentions act in such a manner? Alexandra's protective and loyal instincts towards her loved ones were what had led her to silently challenge the Defence Against the Dark Arts' professor.
An approaching figure prevented Moody from replying to the witch. Anger sparked within the wizard, his eyes now focused on the man dressed head to toe in black.
"Am I interrupting an important conversation?" Severus Snape drawled as he halted in his steps beside Alexandra, gaze focused on Moody. "I do hope there were no attempts to poison the mind of a student."
"Nothing out of the ordinary, professor," Alexandra replied evenly on their behalves, gaze unfaltering. "Professor Moody was just voicing his...concerns. If you'll excuse me..."
Snape merely offered a quick nod, not even bothering to look at Alexandra's retreating figure as she exited the doors.
"I believe the Headmaster had tasked you with keeping an eye on Potter," Snape noted. "Although I can't help but find your interest in Miss Grindelwald quite peculiar – almost, dare I say, obsessive."
Oh, how 'Moody' wished to make himself known. He'd never truly comprehended the trust some put in the wizard before him, for all he felt as he stared at the man was hatred. His task concerning Alexandra Grindelwald had yet to be set in motion, for the girl had proven herself to be far more perceptive and cunning than he'd ever anticipated.
Frustrated beyond belief, Moody took a step forward, his cane hitting the ground with enough force to emit a loud sound. "I'd tread lightly if I were you, Severus. I never forget someone's past."
"Nor do I take threats lightly." Snape quipped back, offering one last, quick nod before walking past the irritated Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and disappearing around the corner.
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In the days that had followed, Alexandra had fallen in a routine. Lessons would have soon resumed, and the teen had decided to make the most of freedom by spending as little time as possible within the Castle's walls. Both the white-haired witch's friends and teachers alike often wondered where she disappeared to, yet not all were as oblivious as the rest.
Not many dared to enter the Forbidden Forest alone, for creatures of all kind prowled its grounds, hiding behind the tall trees that littered the expanse and made it almost impossible to see the sky above and find your way back. Ever since she'd first set foot into the Castle, the forest had been off-limits to students, yet this had never stopped Alexandra from seeking refuge within its confines.
Nature had always been a natural balsam for Alexandra Grindelwald's troubled soul, her nerves relaxing the moment the witch found herself surrounded by nothing but Earth's gift to humankind. Nature was pure; it never second-guessed nor questioned its existence – it was simple, yet complicated all at once.
A part of the witch irrationally thought she was tainting the snowy grounds by just walking on them, her presence alone leaving a stain on her pure surroundings. However, all those thoughts had been cast aside when Alexandra found herself in the depths of her safe haven.
The chaos brewing within the white-haired witch's soul matched the balanced one nature was known for. Usually, a sense of peace would have engulfed Alexandra by now, yet, the strong thunderstorm of emotions that plagued her seemed to have no intention of leaving her be. Guilt, anger, and sadness ate at the girl's heart, causing her to feel utterly lost, and even nature itself seemed to be powerless against such strong emotions. She was like the captain of a ship caught into waters far too troubled to navigate, waves hitting the structure with so much force that it threatened to collapse at any given moment.
Alexandra wanted to scream, yet her cry remained stuck in her throat, the silence surrounding her once more as she clenched her fists in frustration.
The sound of a broken twig caused Alexandra to stiffen and hide her emotions behind her infamous stony expression. Slowly, the teen turned to face whoever had snuck up on her, hand resting on the wand she'd carried at all times.
Shock and guilt flooded her system when her eyes met Aron's, the latter looking both troubled and annoyed. The wizard had been amongst those she'd been dutifully avoiding, hoping that the forced distance would ensure his safety from the ticking-time-bomb she'd only recently found out to be.
"Enough is enough," Aron said, closing in on his visibly troubled twin. "I've given you time and space to come to terms with what you've discovered, but I won't allow you to wallow any further."
"You shouldn't be here." Alexandra shook her head, raising her open palm while taking a few steps back to put more distance between Aron and herself. "It's not –"
"Safe?" Aron cut her off; a peal of mirthless laughter left his lips as he scoffed. "Remind me again, who's the seer here?"
Aron Grindelwald had always loathed conflict, especially when it came to Alexandra. The witch couldn't even recall the last time the two of them had fought. However, as he stood before her, Alexandra was baffled upon failing to detect any hint of hesitance in the boy's voice as he scolded her.
"I've seen a lot more that you could ever imagine, and while I can't tell you about the future, I can assure you that you're no threat to me...to any of us – mom, dad, and every adult in our lives included."
It was Alexandra's time to scoff, addressing her twin in a rather dismissive manner. "Visions are subjective, you of all people should know that." She countered. "I am bound to our grandfather, Aron. Gellert's identical DNA and magic runs through my veins! Care to tell me again that my blood isn't tainted?"
Aron groaned as he ran a hand across his face. "Bloody hell, you can be so infuriating when you want to." Closing the distance between them, the boy clasped his twin's shoulders with his hands. "Now you listen to me, Alexandra." His tone was stern, eyes boring into her skull as if he could see straight into her soul. "You are not Gellert. You will never be like Gellert. The blood and magic that binds you to him doesn't affect your soul, just like it doesn't ( and will never ) affect your morals. What you're feeling right now – all this uncontrollable anger – is an effect of the bloody bond. Do you think I wasn't terrified when I first found out about it? Visions are subjective only if you don't open yourself up to them. Once I did that, I saw the same protective, stubborn, cunning, loyal, and creative twin I grew up with, only with less self-hatred." He ranted.
Having swatted Aron's hands away, Alexandra retreated to a nearby tree, collapsing onto the snow that covered the ground, back leaning against the hard bark. "Why?" She choked out, eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Why me? Why do I have to be the one bound to a crazy wizard who almost tore down our own world?"
"That, I don't know," Aron admitted, lowering himself onto the ground before his sister. "What I do know is that refusing to accept all of this is slowly tearing you apart, and I won't stand idly by as you destroy yourself. You might be annoying at times, but you're my twin, the person I've always looked up to."
"Might want to change that, then," Alexandra mumbled, toying with the necklace that rested on her covered chest.
"Never." Aron smiled warmly, his eyes soon falling on the pendant Alexandra was holding. "Have you seen the inscription?"
Alexandra scrunched her brows, shaking her head as she went to examine the pendant she'd gotten used to wearing. She'd only ever found it odd. The lavaliere was shaped in a triangle that held a circle struck in the middle by a perpendicular line, but, oddly enough, she'd never cared much to examine it.
"Ad maius bonum." The white-haired witch whispered, her thumb running over the small, dainty incision on the inside of the triangle. "For the greater good." The realisation struck her like a bolt of lightning, eyes now focusing on a smiling Aron.
"Our family's motto." He nodded. "They've been twisted in the past, but I choose to believe we can change their meaning if we want to. This necklace belonged to him, you know? It belonged to Gellert. And, before you ask me, I can't help you take it off – it will never come off."
"How can you be so calm about all of this?" Alexandra asked in disbelief, allowing the pendant to fall back onto her chest.
"Everything happens for a reason." Aron shrugged. "We can choose to fight our fate, or embrace it and turn it into something good."
"Always so optimistic, it's unnerving."
"Speak for yourself, you're too realistic for your own good. That, coupled with your self-hatred, is certainly not healthy."
"I don't hate –" Alexandra faltered, Aron's challenging gaze causing her to roll her eyes. "Well, I have good reasons not to like who I am; I am a freak."
"No, you aren't." Aron shook his head. "But I've had enough of arguing with you...for now, at least." He added, his smile soon causing Alexandra's lip to tug upwards.
However, the white-haired witch's smile soon faltered, sadness and guilt overcoming her once more. "They'll hate me. The moment they find out about this bond, everyone we love will turn their back on me and put as much distance as humanly possible between us."
"Do you really have that little faith in your friends and our family?" Aron tilted his head, holding Alexandra's hands in his own. "They won't hate you. They'll probably be worried about your health, and about what you're doing to yourself every time you fight his voice. They'll want to know more about this bond and be there for you as you figure things out, but they could never hate you."
"I don't want to see him. I don't want to be alone with him." She admitted, eyes downcast.
"You don't have to be alone. I can come with you."
"I am not gonna allow you to go through this." Alexandra refuted. "I am not gonna put my twin in danger, allow him to be in a room with a crazed wizard."
Aron exhaled softly. "Baby steps, then. We'll start by telling a few of your friends, those you trust the most to keep this a secret. Consider this my birthday present from you."
A new wave of guilt weighted down on the witch's chest; how could she have forgotten? They were twins, both born on the same day and only a few minutes apart. Caught in the whirlwind of emotions and nagging thoughts that followed her latest discoveries, Alexandra had utterly lost track of time. This was the first year she hadn't celebrated with Aron ( or wished him a happy birthday, for the matter ), and to say that this made her feel like the worst sister that had ever existed would be an understatement.
"I am so sorry, Aron," Alexandra uttered once she'd embraced him, face buried in the crook of his neck. She couldn't deny her twin's request, not when she'd carelessly forgotten about their birthday, not when the witch had pushed him away regardless of what she'd once promised him. "I'll do it, but not today. Dumbledore has asked me to run things by him and to allow him to be present whenever I decided to confide in someone."
The boy's kindness was unparalleled, for, even if it had stung that Alexandra had forgotten their birthday, he refused to make her feel worse by admitting it. Eventually, Aron nodded, relishing Alexandra's embrace, which had always had a calming effect on him ever since they were toddlers.
Unbeknown to them, the teens had gained a small audience. A group of beasts had witnessed the twins' interactions, taking notice of Alexandra's protective nature. Dark times were fast approaching, and most beasts had reached a general consensus; no matter the outcome, they would have helped and fought beside the Grindelwald animens.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
yoda: the self-hatred is strong with this one
yes, i know that the grindelwald's family never had a motto, but seeing as 'for the greater good' is often associated with gellert, i decided to change things.
for the hundreth time, this story is alex' story. i won't follow everything harry does, because alex is her own person with her own issues to deal with and adventures to go on.
seriously, this is a fanfiction, mates.
this story has reached 12.1K reads, and i am utterly speechless. i never expected someone would actually read it, if i am being honest.
also – i am beyond happy to announce that 'tainted blood' has WON its first award! coming first in the 'pantheon awards 2020' means the world to a small and avarage writer like me.
don't be strangers or silent readers! leave your comments, opinions, votes; it all actually helps me loads with my inspiration.
till next time!