Prologue
September 10, 1945
Nurmengard
The sun had just began to set on the German countryside, and the wind blew ominously as if nature itself knew something momentous was about to happen. Gellert Grindelwald stood at the gate of his fortress, waiting, and feeling for perhaps the first time in his life, nervous. He heard a loud crack behind him and knew that his once brother and now enemy had arrived.
"Gellert!" was the only word that Albus Dumbledore spoke as he approached the man, he thought he had known and once loved.
Grindelwald turned and faced Dumbledore. The pair stared at each other, neither breaking the silence and tension that seeped into the air. It was Albus who broke the silence first. "You know why I am here my friend. Gellert, it is not too late! Please, do not force me to fight you."
Gellert chuckled softly as he looked at his friend. "I'm afraid it is too late Albus. The things I have done for my cause. I have always worked for the Greater Good and will continue to as long as I live."
"Then you know what I must do," whispered Albus.
Gellert nodded slowly and with a grand motion pulled out the Elder Wand. There was no further point in talking. "For the Greater Good!" he cried.
The two took their stances and the duel began. Immediately, the ground grew hot and cracked at the power of the two wizards. The sun hid itself as the clouds around it turned dark. The two fought for what seemed like an eternity to both. But alas one had to fall and that day fate had chosen Gellert Grindelwald to fall. He fell to the ground, his wand flying into the outstretched hand of Albus Dumbledore. The Elder Wand shot sparks into the air, rejoicing in its new master. Albus looked down on his former friend feeling both victory and a tinge of regret.
Dumbledore approached his fallen brother and knelt next to his bleeding face. "I am sorry for what I must do," he whispered into Gellert's ear. Gellert found himself bound and raised magically from the ground.
"You will remain here in Nurmengard for the rest of your days. Hopefully, you will then feel remorse for your actions," said Dumbledore sadly. "I am sure the ICW will agree that this is a fitting punishment."
"Just kill me, Albus!" said Grindelwald, blood flowing from his mouth with every breath. "I welcome Death with open arms just like the third brother!"
"I could never be the one to end your life," said Dumbledore softly. With that statement, Dumbledore began to weave wards of immense power that would restrain the mighty Grindelwald. Gellert could only watch helplessly as his former brother turned his mighty fortress into a prison for him. After several minutes Dumbledore finished, satisfied with his handiwork for now. He turned to his friend, healed his wounds, and levitated him into the fortress. They traveled in silence as they headed towards the dungeons. Dumbledore opened the cell with a flick of his wand, gently placing Gellert in his cell. The two held a glance, then Dumbledore turned around and avoiding the mismatched eyes of his friend, closed the barred door and summoned a house-elf by the name of Wheezy. He gave Wheezy instructions to ensure that Gellert stayed in his cell but was to be given essentials and perhaps the occasional book.
Then without looking back left Nurmengard.
1980
Gellert Grindelwald sat in his cell, writing a book, a memoir of sorts, that he hoped would one day be read by the public. It had been 35 years since Albus had imprisoned him in this cell and writing kept his mind sharp. During that time, as promised, Albus convinced the ICW to give him a life sentence in solitary confinement within Nurmengard. The ICW agreed to this and in addition also sent several squads of guards to keep him contained.
Fortunately for him, he managed to talk the house-elf into being a companion of sorts. The elf was much more amicable to him after he feigned remorse for his actions. One thing led to another, and soon he went from a dinky cell to a magically expanded one in which he was able to study magic. Still a cell of course, but a more comfortable one undoubtedly. He had just put the finishing touches on the latest chapter of his book when a loud pop alerted him to the presence of one Albus Dumbledore.
"Gellert you're looking well! I see you have added another shelf of books since I last came!" said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.
Grindelwald merely shook his head and laughed. As much as he despised Dumbledore for placing him in this place, he was still the only human he had contact with and of course, his only source of information.
"Why are you here Albus? Have politics and teaching finally bored you enough so that you would come to see an old friend?", asked Grindelwald.
Albus stopped smiling and the twinkle in his eye dimmed a little. "Alas my old friend, I have come to see if you could be of assistance once more."
To Dumbledore, it was a great relief to see his old friend recuperating well. It was just like old times coming back here. Perhaps, one day, his sins could be forgiven by the world. After all his knowledge of Dark magic had assisted him more than once against Tom, perhaps some sort of amnesty could be sought.
Grindelwald sat back in his chair, giving nothing away. He was surprised then, when Albus began to speak about a prophecy and a chosen one.
"Albus you of all people know that my branch of Divination puts little stock in fickle things such as prophecies," laughed Gellert. "This prophecy of yours is no doubt fake and a hoax."
Dumbledore shook his head. "This is no hoax my friend, and I truly believe it will change the fate of the wizarding world."
The conversation died there and Dumbledore spoke on the matter no further. The two then made small talk until Dumbledore bid farewell and went on his way.
Gellert took off his pleasant façade and thought about what Albus had just told him. If there was indeed a "chosen one", perhaps he could be useful to him. Suddenly he clenched his forehead as he felt a massive pain building up in his head. He fell out of his chair as he began writhing in agony. His mismatched eyes began to glow, and suddenly reality melted away as he fell into a trance.
After several minutes, he slowly got to his feet and dusted himself off. It had been a long time since he had received a vision, the last one foretelling his defeat. A sinister smile began to stretch across his face as he began storing the memory carefully in his mind through his Occlumency. The timing of the vision could not be more perfect.
He had been beginning to fall apart mentally, as he felt that he had no real incentive to escape. Thevisits of Dumbledore brought him nothing but pain and served as a reminder of his failure. He chuckled softly to himself. In a few years, it would have been very possible that he would have "turned a new leaf". But this, this changed everything. The vision he saw had been short but filled with many interesting. Much of it was a mystery now, but one thing he knew for certain. There was a boy named Harry Potter, and he would be the kingmaker.
He collected himself and sat up on his bed. He would have to escape from Nurmengard. He knew the wards of Nurmengard were formidable, as he had made them personally for his enemies. However, he also knew those same wards better than anyone. All he had to do was break down the wards and kill anything in his way. He figured he would be out in the next year, and when he was out, the world would bow to his feet.
A long-missing glint returned to his eye, and he began his preparations.