Albus Dumbledore growled as he glowered at the burnt hairs in the bowl. Ruin! That was the best way to describe his recent problems. For a whole year, Dumbledore had struggled so much to keep up with the many duties he had in his cauldron, the Wizengamot, the ICW, being Headmaster of Hogwarts and going through the day-to-day tasks when all he wanted was to continue to find Harry Potter.
Harry Potter.
The Boy Who Lived.
Dumbledore had always considered the title to be too romantic, too dramatic, really, but if it helped create a legend, something for so many to live up to until he himself delivered the fatal blow after building the boy up, especially when he got to Hogwarts and he could begin in earnest, then it would work out for him.
But right now, the boy was his biggest headache. It had been two years since Dumbledore had learnt Harry had vanished from Number 4 Privet Drive, but because he had been delayed in reaching the scene, much of the trail had gotten cold. When he had arrived and gotten through the Blood Wards -one of the positive joys of the Blood Wards was since he was the one who cast the spells, he could pass them without being affected by the spells - Dumbledore had quickly raped the Dursley's minds, partly to teach the muggles who they were subservient too, and to discover answers.
The old wizard was indifferent to the abuse Potter had gone through; after all, he had known and anticipated the muggles would abuse the boy, perhaps even push him towards the brink of death, but while Dumbledore did want the boy to die, he wanted it done on his terms. He wanted the boy to marry Ginny Weasley and give him the access he wanted and needed to access the Potter family libraries and get hold of that ancient magical knowledge. It was, as they said, his bread and butter. But more importantly, he wanted to use the boy as bait in his plans and make sure Voldemort returned as he hoped and planned before the final battle, where he had orchestrated and prepared for the boy to die, willingly sacrificing himself. The resultant explosion would weaken Voldemort on so many levels, physical, mental, and magical…and then Dumbledore would kill Voldemort himself and then his utopia would be realised, at last.
Dumbledore had plotted and planned for his rule over the magical world for decades now. His plans went back to when he and Gellert Grindelwald first met, and they came up with the plan to trick the magical world into thinking they were enemies, and that Grindelwald was a Dark Lord wannabe the whole time. In those years, they would both work on manipulating and guiding the magical world differently; Gellert would cause unrest, create division and bring the magical world close to a state of war, aided by the growing and similar events in the muggle world.
Their plan was so simple.
They would both go their own way and use some of the more…obscure methods of magical communication to keep in touch, methods long since forgotten and largely forgotten. Grindelwald would be seen as a menace, only to be revealed as innocent; they would frame another powerful dark wizard for Grindelwald's plans
Muggles were predictable beasts, really; ever since their so-called Great War, or The War to End All Wars, Germany had been regrowing and regathering its strength. They were getting ready for war once more, and he and Gellert both counted on the upcoming war to prove to the magical world at large muggles were just too savage, and needed to be kept under control. He and Gellert had spent years cultivating the muggleborns, bringing many on their side. It had been easy for Gellert, really; many muggleborns had grown up in abusive conditions and suffered so much, and they wanted to make sure they got their revenge, by any means necessary and saw the power of Grindelwald was the best way to go about it without realising they were nothing more than cogs in a totally different machine.
For Dumbledore, it was just as easy. He had gotten a job as a teacher in Hogwarts. What better place than a school to cultivate new minds? Using his talents, it had been far from hard for him to find the abused muggleborns, and bring them on his side. They now worked for him, as spies and agents. He continued to use them, especially in the Order of the Phoenix, although they were not a part of his inner circle.
After using that buffoon who was likeable, Newt Scamander as an agent, Dumbledore continued with his plots and plans. As the years passed, Dumbledore started to see while he and Grindelwald were compatible, their plan to use him as a scapegoat only to reveal another Dark Wizard, had stolen his identity…would not work. Dumbledore knew he was a treacherous man, and it was something he had no problem exploiting. When the time came, he stabbed Grindelwald in the back…but Gellert did as well. It turned out Gellert had not only expected treachery, he had welcomed it because he would be treacherous himself.
Dumbledore was hit by a curse that crushed his chest, but thankfully he was able to transfer his soul into a clone body. Thanks to Gellert, they had uncovered the power of true immortality, and he had stolen the secrets for his own ends. If hew hadn't done that, then he would have died. Gellert had not revealed the truth since he had known how pointless it would be since few would believe him.
Dumbledore had continued with his plans. For a time, he had hoped Voldemort would be a benefit, and in some way he was; the boy was shortsighted and desired only power, and refused to see the future beyond his own nose tip, and his followers were no better. But he was of use; by killing Voldemort, Dumbledore could gain further power. But Voldemort was too dangerous, too malevolent. Dumbledore could not kill him before he learnt of the prophecy.
Now, in truth, Dumbledore didn't know and didn't care what the power the Dark Lord knew not was, he only wanted to use the brat to serve a purpose and weaken Voldemort, and then he would act.
And then things had gone wrong.
Harry Potter was now missing. From what he had seen in the Dursley's terrible excuses for minds, he saw for himself that the boy vanished. Dumbledore had been taking the boy to Poppy - with his legilimency-induced commands, he could make the Hogwarts nurse do what he wanted and he could wipe her short-term memories - and then bring him back.
Now he was gone.
Dumbledore had been collecting samples of blood, hair and skin from the boy in case something like this happened. But no matter what he tried, he couldn't find the boy. Every single thing he tried, even using his enslaved phoenix failed.