Acolytes Ⅳ

Keeping his face blank despite the news, Reginald further pried into the subject. "Which was what exactly, MacDuff? Do not tell me that Gellert was inclined to such perversions with mere boys that would be low even for his perverse sexual inclinations."

The two other Acolytes make faces at Reginald's words, but even they would have to admit that would be a stain across the reputation of Gellert Grindelwald. Could such a perversion truly be hidden? Why yes when one has the wealth and means to do so.

Seeing the three faces staring impatiently at him, MacDuff smirked, and said, "Patience, old friends," before continuing with his tale. "The muggle boy was not the first boy that had been brought to Gellert. At first, I thought that it was some sort of perverted or sexual driven fetish, but in each case, Gellert met with a muggle child for only a few minutes, before having them killed. This continued for several months before there were more children left to be brought before him. When I subtly inquired, Gellert replied with, 'It was for the greater good, but it is, in fact, impossible for the muggle lines to be redeemed." And paused, before adding, "That was the last of them, there will be no more."

There is another pause of silence as Krafft in disbelief whispers, "Than Gellert was trying to purify the muggle lines?"

"It is possible," MacDuff acknowledged with a shrug of his shoulders. "I cannot claim to know Gellert's thought process, but what I do know is that there were no more children brought in after that."

"And what exactly was Gellert's true purpose?" Reginald grumbled with a mixed feeling of relief.

MacDuff snickers, "After Geller's imprisonment in 1926, I was sent to retrieve some journals and destroy them. And I did destroy them all, however, I missed a single scrap of paper. What I found was this simple journal entry, 'Muggle Subject: #2, Successful, the fetus survived the magical infusion. Male child born in 1910, London. Age: 4, determined to be a squib. Conclusion: destroy the subject. Result: child unaccounted for and is believed to have perished during the muggle war in an attack on London in May of 1915."

Reginald's heart stiffens for one exact painful moment, but he still manages to maintain his composure in the face of such news. The muggle child known as Toby Snape was born in the year of 1910 in London, England. During the first muggle great war, the child had been orphaned and sent to an orphanage in the countryside. And later at the tender age of sixteen, Toby Snape was wed and a mere year later, Tobias Snape was born.

As much as he did not wish to admit it, but the timeline fits perfectly. Toby Snape was somehow the child of Gellert Grindelwald. And the words of MacDuff only served to further prove just as to how Grindelwald's bloodline had appeared in the twins. It was all because of Gellert's foul experimentation for the greater good, of course.

"Why the sudden curiosity?" MacDuff sharply asked piercing through Reginald's inner thoughts.

"There was a child that I saw many years back that greatly resembled Gellert," Reginald replied with a mixture of truth and lies. "I was so very astonished that the image stayed with me all these years until now. But as you have just stated, MacDuff, all of the children were killed and as such it must simply be pure coincidence and nothing else."

MacDuff nods his head, before saying, "Well, I am glad that I could be of help, Prince."

Reginald nods, before rising to his feet as if to turn away, before MacDuff says, "Though I am told that those grandchildren of yours are quite clever."

Reginald does not flinch nor react as he replies without turning around. "We are Prince's, and my grandchildren have inherited three founder lines and Merlin's own blood. If they were not gifted after having received all those bloodlines, I would truly be disappointed."

Reginald strides across the wooden pub floor, when MacDuff adds, "Though you never did tell us, Prince, how did you know that we were alive, and much less found us?"

The three seated wizards in the pub subtly reach for their wands as Reginald remains standing still and makes no motion of reaching for his wand. Slowly turning around to face the acolytes, his face is as impassive as ever. "The methods or means I used are irrelevant, but suffice to say, I paid very well for information, and that the informer will never speak of this to anyone. You have my word."

MacDuff tilts his head at Reginald in acceptance of the response while Grimmson leans back in his seat and relaxes, and Krafft fiercely glares at the retreating back of Regaindl Prince. The three acolytes watch Reginald depart silently into the night and vanish with a faint pop. Once Reginald has left the premise, Krafft gashes his teeth and roars, "Can you believe the audacity of that man! Summoning us like we're some sort of underling!"

Grimmson snorts and says, "The Prince has always been powerful even Gellert was wary of him to an extent that he did not protest when Prince left us. And who knows what else they know for the Prince's are the descendants of Percussor's after all, and perhaps, if pushed Prince would even have been capable of challenging Gellert. And make no mistake unlike Dumbledore's soft ways, the old Prince would have certainly tried to take Gellert's head."

"That is certainly true," MacDuff murmured in agreement recalling the raids, which they participated in and just how easily Prince slew his way Auror attacks and killed any bystander that stood in his path be it magical, muggle, innocent or not. "Though Prince did make a fine point, we should ensure that none of our own become entranced away by promises of grandeur from this false lord."

"Agreed," the other two wizards said in unison.

"And what of Gellert?" Grimmson asked. "Any news?"

"Nurmengard Castle remains impregnatable as ever," Krafft answered in resignation. "It would seem that we will not live to see Gellert ever free in our lifetime."

MacDuff purses his lips and says, "That is not necessarily true. What if we use this false lord and seek his aid?"

"Even if we accept his terms and conditions," Grimmson rumbled, "there is no guarantee that the false lord can deliver the promised good nor much less not betray us."

"That is certainly true," MacDuff mumbled. "However, it is something that we should keep in perspective."

"We shall see," Krafft finally answered not at all convinced by MacDuff's argument. The three of them toss muggle bills onto the table, before striding out. The Acolytes were still alive, and they would find a way to liberate Gellert Grindelwald even if it were to be the very last thing they ever did.