Harry felt uncomfortable all over, with the moon shining brightly in the dark night and the cold wind blowing against his face. He couldn't even move his facial muscles. The young and malnourished body of his couldn't endure the harshness of flying high in the night on a magical motorcycle.
He had ridden this kind of motorcycle and even brooms, which were even more uncomfortable, as easily as eating and breathing. After all, he was a seeker. With his trained body, wind, rain, or thunder, he can brace them easily. But his younger body was having trouble keeping himself warm.
He very carefully pulled out a jacket from his backpack. This kind of transportation was a bit much for younger Harry. He couldn't even fathom how he had endured this ride when he was young. Maybe I was desperate to leave that family behind? Although he later mended his relationship with Dursleys, it didn't erase their abuse of him.
"Yeh, cold, Harry? Sorry 'bout that, mate. Didn' think this through proper," said Hagrid, apologetically. The simple half-giant had never understood the meaning of harsh weather. He didn't bring anything to keep warm except for his coat, which was too heavy for a child to bear.
"It's alright, Hagrid," Harry smiled back at Hagrid. He could only blame the traditionalist mindset of the wizards. Wizards rarely change, and they have immense contempt for new things, even if they secretly like them. It may be caused by the existence of magic, in which pioneers mostly faced death in a gruesome way, or their longer lifespan. Wizards disdained muggles for solid reasons, although it is not a good point. It would be a true magical occurrence if there was a slight change in the wizarding world. Enchanting the motorcycle to have an air dome to protect the rider from wind was not even that difficult to achieve. "Has anything interesting happened recently in the wizarding world?"
"Don' worry, Harry. Yeh'll get teh know it soon, 'nuff. Yeh, excited already?" answered Hagrid in a jovial voice.
Hearing Hagrid's answer, Harry smiled. That was so Hagrid-like. If it's not for the magical creatures, Hagrid didn't have much interest in anything. He wondered how Ginny, Ron, and Hermione would behave. Will they be the same as in his memories?
"Oh, but there's one thing yeh might need ter know." Hagrid's voice was grave. Hagrid remembered the headmaster's face, which had aged considerably these days. When Dumbledore requested Hagrid to fetch Harry, he looked like he was having a fever. Although his eyes twinkled, his back straight, and his movement fluid, those close to him can clearly see his struggle. "Grindelwald escaped recently. Yeh might not know 'im, but jus' remember, Grindelwald was a bad 'n powerful person."
Grindelwald was put into custody in Nurmengard. He had escaped from there. Naturally, the seeming irrational act of ICW might raise many doubts and questions among the public. Why didn't they just execute him? Why imprisoned him in Nurmengard, where he might have left some secrets to escape? The reason was Albus Dumbledore, the greatest white wizard throughout history. Considering the title given to him, it is clear as day how much influence Dumbledore wield. His prestige was so big that the British Minister had to be careful around him. And he had used that political influence only once for his own desire. To not kill Grindelwald.
Grindelwald lived not because of his strength. Although Acolyte contributed a bit, it wasn't just because of the sheer number of his followers. Dumbledore wavered. He trusted that his old friend would let go of his ambition and stayed there till he died. This was the manifestation of the greatest mercy and regret of Dumbledore. And now, Albus Dumbledore had to bear the consequences of his leniency. Even his prestige couldn't prevent this. From the moment Grindelwald escaped, every death caused by Grindelwald will weigh heavily on him. That was why he was so worn down.
Harry was silent the whole time they were traveling. Hagrid assumed that he was silent due to the cold wind. However, Harry was being quiet due to a completely different reason. He wasn't so keen on history while attending Hogwarts. He didn't attempt to look back at history while he was the Head of Auror. Not even while waging wars. In his view, it was justifiable since he was busy living his life. Where would he find time to look back at the past when it can't affect his life in any other way? He knew that man through one of the many Hermione's lectures.
Gellert Grindelwald, one of the greatest wizards throughout history. Comparable to Albus Dumbledore in strength. A great leader who had nearly a thousand followers. Died at the hands of Voldemort. He had always been an unerasable figure in history. Looking at his achievements in his youth, his twilight years seemed underwhelming. But he escaped from Nurmengard on his own accord. What could have caused this? It didn't seem like the cause was his regression. If even Hagrid knew, that meant it had been a few days or weeks. He suddenly felt like not going back to the wizarding world.
They landed at a sneaky spot in the desolate valley, evading the muggles' eyes. They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, which was located between a bookshop and a record store on Charing Cross Road. The shabby hub was enchanted with muggle-repelling charm. With magic, wizards had constructed a bizarre scene in the middle of London where a disturbingly ugly and dirty establishment was located in a clean and bustling district, with the muggles passing through as if everything were normal.
After that, everything went like he had remembered. He was greeted warmly and enthusiastically as if he had saved a nation, although the statement wasn't wrong for these wizards. His mother helped him even after her death. Her son became a Savior. There was no need to worry about his well-being. That must be what she had thought just before using the spell 'Love'.
And he encountered Voldemort + Quirrell. He had to operate Occlumency at full power to suppress his urge to kill that parasite right there and then. He had a pale complexion with an overly dramatic act of fear and anxiety. This guy was so bad at acting. How could he not have seen this kind of deception at that time? After a small talk with Quirrellmort, which he had barely restrained, they were supposed to continue to Leaky Cauldron.
At the time, a small boy pushed through the dispersing crowd and approached them. The boy had light blue eyes and black messy hair. Through the messy bangs, he faintly saw a marking. Is that a ritual remnant? What kind of crazy parents did a ritual on their own children? Ritual remnants were discovered and studied thoroughly during the war. At that time, every ounce of strength meant survival for them; forbidden rituals were done without hesitation.
However, most of the time, some kind of symbol or irregularity was left behind by the ritual. Those were named ritual remnants. Voldemort lost a nose due to a ritual. He too did some of the less risky rituals. Even those successful rituals couldn't guarantee success all the time. This kind of knowledge wasn't around yet at this point in time due to strict restrictions on rituals by various ministries. But people still knew that rituals were dangerous. So, what kind of lunatic did this to the poor child?
The child looked at Hagrid and then him alternately. "So, he is Harry Potter, I presumed. Nice to meet you. I am Aurelius, Aurelius Voyantil." The boy around his age extended his hand without reservation or shyness. He acted and spoke like a young adult. Looking at his movement and behavior, which exuded elegance, he must be a pure-blood.
Harry also extended his hand and shook it. "Yes, I am Harry Potter. Nice to meet you, Aurelius."
"Yeh lot are introducin' yerselves already." Hagrid turned to Harry and explained. "Rius 'n I regularly discuss the magical creatures' psychology 'n behaviors. This time, in addition to fetchin' yeh, I also intended ter give Rius some o' the records containin' data over the creatures in the Forbidden Forest. An' Rius, Harry'll be visitin' Diagon Alley fer the first time." After Hagrid explained the situation, he started searching for something from his numerous pockets.
"Hello. By the way, the Rius he mentioned is me. Friends call me like that. You can call me Rius, too." The kid seemed quite friendly, or maybe just more mature. "So, are you a first-year? If you want, I can help you buy things, although I'm a first-year too."
"No, I'm not quite sure with it myself yet," Harry smiled politely. He was amused by the display of maturity from the boy. And suddenly he noticed the newspaper the boy was holding. Daily Prophet.
Daily Prophet Local: "No Sighting of Grindelwald since Breakout at Nurmengard?"
"Oh, here it is. Notes on flesh-eatin' slugs," Hagrid handed Aurelius a thin notebook. It seemed to contain about ten to twenty pages. "Hope this helps."
"Of course it does. Thanks, Hagrid. I think I am nearing a breakthrough." Aurelius replied, smiling in delight. "Then excuse me. I gotta go. Thanks for the book again. And see you next time, Harry." As abruptly as he came, he rushed out of sight in a few seconds.
"See yeh next time, Rius!" Hagrid waved at the boy with a big grin before turning to Harry. "C'mon, Harry, let's get movin'. We've got a lot ter buy fer school." He gestured toward a corner of the hub where the entrance to Diagon Alley was hidden.
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Daily Prophet Local: "No Sightings of Grindelwald Since Breakout at Nurmengard—Is He Biding His Time?"
By Rita Skeeter, Local Correspondent
Several days have passed since Gellert Grindelwald, the dark wizard known for numerous heinous acts, escaped from Nurmengard. Yet, there have been no confirmed sightings of him since his dramatic escape. His unknown whereabouts have left the wizarding world anxious, with many pondering over Grindelwald's potential next actions.
ICW Department of Aurors' thorough search efforts, Grindelwald appears to have disappeared without leaving any clues behind. Aurors are diligently following every lead, but to no avail. The absence of solid leads has caused widespread worry and conjecture within the wizarding circles.
"Grindelwald is a master at hiding and trickery," stated a former Auror who preferred anonymity. "The silence might indicate that he's regrouping, strategizing his next move, or worse—perhaps he's already executing a plan."
The ongoing quiet has intensified fears that Grindelwald is covertly amassing his strength and allies for another attack. Some theorize he could be employing potent concealment spells, or he might be sheltering in one of the numerous dark strongholds that still house loyalists from his past reign of terror.
Without tangible evidence, rumors are rampant. There's speculation that Grindelwald may be pursuing ancient and prohibited magic to enhance his formidable abilities. Others worry he's planning a significant assault to mark his resurgence in the most horrifying manner imaginable.
The absence of sightings has also cast doubt on the ICW's capability to respond effectively. Critics claim that Grindelwald's escape, coupled with the ongoing failure to find him, reveals vulnerabilities in the ICW's security and intelligence apparatus. There's even speculation about the presence of sympathizers within the ICW, a chilling notion considering what's at stake.
Meanwhile, life in wizarding communities worldwide continues, overshadowed by the uncertainty and fear of what Grindelwald's silence could bring. Stay tuned to the Daily Prophet Local for the latest updates on this developing story.
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Author Note: Nothing important. I included the motorcycle part wrongly. When I thought back to movies, there was no scene of them traveling. So, I assumed that a motorcycle was used. After snooping around for a bit, I make a mistake. But me being me, I decided to let it go and label it as AU. Convenient and effective. Make some review please. Let me experience the ecstasy of being in the chart even if it's the bottom.