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Dumbledore　looked　directly　into　Harry's　eyes　again。
〃Grindelwald。　You　cannot　imagine　how　his　ideas　caught　me；　Harry；　inflamed　me。　Muggles　forced　into　subservience。　We　wizards　triumphant。　Grindelwald　and　I；　the　glorious　young　leaders　of　the　revolution。
〃Oh；　I　had　a　few　scruples。　I　assuaged　my　conscience　with　empty　words。　It　would　all　be　for　the　greater　good；　and　any　harm　done　would　be　repaid　a　hundredfold　in　benefits　for　wizards。　Did　I　know；　in　my　heart　of　hearts；　what　Gellert　Grindelwald　was？　I　think　I　did；　but　I　closed　my　eyes。　If　the　plans　we　were　making　came　to　fruition；　all　my　dreams　would　come　true。
〃And　at　the　heart　of　our　schemes；　the　Deathly　Hallows！　How　they　fascinated　him；　how　they　fascinated　both　of　us！　The　unbeatable　wand；　the　weapon　that　would　lead　us　to　power！　The　Resurrection　Stone　…　to　him；　though　I　pretended　not　to　know　it；　it　meant　an　army　of　Inferi！　To　me；　I　confess；　it　meant　the　return　of　my　parents；　and　the　lifting　of　all　responsibility　from　my　shoulders。
〃And　the　Cloak　。　。　。　somehow；　we　never　discussed　the　Cloak　much；　Harry。　Both　of　us　could　conceal　ourselves　well　enough　without　the　Cloak；　the　true　magic　of　which；　of　course；　is　that　it　can　be　used　to　protect　and　shield　others　as　well　as　its　owner。　I　thought　that；　if　we　ever　found　it；　it　might　be　useful　in　hiding　Ariana；　but　our　interest　in　the　Cloak　was　mainly　that　it　completed　the　trio；　for　the　legend　said　that　the　man　who　had　united　all　three　objects　would　then　be　truly　master　of　death；　which　we　took　to　mean　'invincible。'
〃Invincible　masters　of　death；　Grindelwald　and　Dumbledore！　Two　months　of　insanity；　of　cruel　dreams；　and　neglect　of　the　only　two　members　of　my　family　left　to　me。
〃And　then　。　。　。　you　know　what　happened。　Reality　returned　in　the　form　of　my　rough；　unlettered；　and　infinitely　more　admirable　brother。　I　did　not　want　to　hear　the　truths　he　shouted　at　me。　I　did　not　want　to　hear　that　I　could　not　set　forth　and　seek　Hallows　with　a　fragile　and　unstable　sister　in　tow。
〃The　argument　became　a　fight。　Grindelwald　lost　control。　That　which　I　had　always　sensed　in　him；　though　I　pretended　not　to；　now　sprang　into　terrible　being。　And　Ariana　。　。　。　after　all　my　mother's　care　and　caution　。　。　。　lay　dead　upon　the　floor。〃
Dumbledore　gave　a　little　gasp　and　began　to　cry　in　earnest。　Harry　reached　out　and　was　glad　to　find　that　he　could　touch　him：　He　gripped　his　arm　tightly　and　Dumbledore　gradually　regained　control。
〃Well；　Grindelwald　fled；　as　anyone　but　I　could　have　predicted。　He　vanished；　with　his　plans　for　seizing　power；　and　his　schemes　for　Muggle　torture；　and　his　dreams　of　the　Deathly　Hallows；　dreams　in　which　I　had　encouraged　him　and　helped　him。　He　ran；　while　I　was　left　to　bury　my　sister；　and　learn　to　live　with　my　guilt　and　my　terrible　grief；　the　price　of　my　shame。
〃Years　passed。　There　were　rumors　about　him。　They　said　he　had　procured　a　wand　of　immense　power。　I；　meanwhile；　was　offered　the　post　of　Minister　of　Magic；　not　once；　but　several　times。　Naturally；　I　refused。　I　had　learned　that　I　was　not　to　be　trusted　with　power。〃
〃But　you'd　have　been　better；　much　better；　than　Fudge　or　Scimgeour！〃　burst　out　Harry。
〃Would　I？〃　asked　Dumbledore　heavily。　〃I　am　not　so　sure。　I　had　proven；　as　a　very　young　man；　that　power　was　my　weakness　and　my　temptation。　It　is　a　curious　thing；　Harry；　but　perhaps　those　who　are　best　suited　to　power　are　those　who　have　never　sought　it。　Those　who；　like　you；　have　leadership　thrust　upon　them；　and　take　up　the　mantle　because　they　must；　and　find　to　their　own　surprise　that　they　wear　it　well。
〃I　was　safer　at　Hogwarts。　I　think　I　was　a　good　teacher　…〃
〃You　were　the　best　a150a150〃
〃a150a150　you　are　very　kind；　Harry。　But　while　I　busied　myself　with　the　training　of　young　wizards；　Grindelwald　was　raising　an　army。　They　say　he　feared　me；　and　perhaps　he　did；　but　less；　I　think；　than　I　feared　him。
〃Oh；　not　death；〃　said　Dumbledore；　in　answer　to　Harry's　questioning　look。　〃Not　what　he　could　do　to　me　magically。　I　knew　that　we　were　evenly　matched；　perhaps　that　I　was　a　shade　more　skillful。　It　was　the　truth　I　feared。　You　see；　I　never　knew　which　of　us；　in　that　last；　horrific　fight；　had　actually　cast　the　curse　that　killed　my　sister。　You　may　call　me　cowardly：　You　would　be　right；　Harry。　I　dreaded　beyond　all　things　the　knowledge　that　it　had　been　I　who　brought　about　her　death；　not　merely　through　my　arrogance　and　stupidity；　but　that　I　actually　struck　the　blow　that　snuffed　out　her　life。
〃I　think　he　knew　it；　I　think　he　knew　what　frightened　me。　I　delayed　meeting　him　until　finally；　it　would　have　been　too　shameful　to　resist　any　longer。　People　were　dying　and　he　seemed　unstoppable；　and　I　had　to　do　what　I　could。
〃Well；　you　know　what　happened　next。　I　won　the　duel。　I　won　the　wand。〃
Another　silence。　Harry　did　not　ask　whether　Dumbledore　had　ever　found　out　who　struck　Ariana　dead。　He　did　not　want　to　know；　and　even　less　did　he　want　Dumbledore　to　have　to　tell　him。　At　last　he　knew　what　Dumbledore　would　have　seen　when　he　looked　in　the　mirror　of　Erised；　and　why　Dumbledore　had　been　so　understanding　of　the　fascination　it　had　exercised　over　Harry。
They　sat　in　silence　for　a　long　time；　and　the　whipmerings　of　the　creature　behind　them　barely　disturbed　Harry　anymore。
At　last　he　said；　〃Grindelwald　tried　to　stop　Voldemort　going　after　the　wand。　He　lied；　you　know；　pretended　he　had　never　had　it。〃
Dumbledore　nodded；　looking　down　at　his　lap；　tears　still　glittering　on　the　crooked　nose。
〃They　say　he　showed　remorse　in　later　years；　alone　in　his　cell　at　Nurmengard。　I　hope　that　is　true。　I　would　like　to　think　that　he　did　feel　the　horror　and　shame　of　what　he　had　done。　Perhaps　that　lie　to　Voldemort　was　his　attempt　to　make　amends　。　。　。　to　prevent　Voldemort　from　taking　the　Hallow　。　。　。〃
〃。　。　。or　maybe　from　breaking　into　your　tomb？〃　suggested　Harry；　and　Dumbledore　dabbed　his　eyes。
After　another　short　pause　Harry　said；　〃You　tried　to　use　the　Resurrection　Stone。〃
Dumbledore　nodded。
〃When　I　discovered　it；　after　all　those　years；　buried　in　the　abandoned　home　of　the　Gaunts　a150a150　the　Hallow　I　had　craved　most　of　all；　though　in　my　youth　I　had　wanted　it　for　very　different　reasons　a150a150　I　lost　my　head；　Harry。　I　quite　forgot　that　I　was　not　a　Horcrux；　that　the　ring　was　sure　to　carry　a　curse。　I　picked　it　up；　and　I　put　it　on；　and　for　a　second　I　imagined　that　I　was　about　to　see　Ariana；　and　my　mother；　and　my　father；　and　to　tell　them　how　very；　very　sorry；　I　was。　。　。　。
〃I　was　such　a　fool；　Harry。　After　all　those　years　I　had　learned　nothing。　I　was　unworthy　to　unite　the　Deathly　Hallows；　I　had　proved　it　time　and　again；　and　here　was　final　proof。〃
〃Why？〃　said　Harry。　〃It　was　natural！　You　wanted　to　see　them　again。　What's　wrong　with　that？〃
〃Maybe　a　man　in　a　million　could　unite　the　Hallows；　Harry。　I　was　fit　only　to　possess　the　meanest　of　them；　the　least　extraordinary。　I　was　fit　to　own　the　Elder　Wand；
and　not　boast　of　it；　and　not　to　kill　with　it。　I　was　permitted　to　tame　and　use　it；　because　I　took　it；　not　for　gain；　but　to　save　others　from　it。
〃But　the　Cloak；　I　took　out　of　vain　curiousity；　and　so　it　could　never　have　worked　for　me　as　it　works　for　you；　its　true　owners。　The　stone　I　would　have　used　in　an　attempt　to　drag　back　those　who　are　at　peace；　rather　than　enable　my　self…sacrafice；　as　you　did。　You　are　the　worthy　possessor　of　the　Hallows。〃
Dumbledore　patted　Harry's　hand；　and　Harry　looked　up　at　the　old　man　and　smiled；　he　could　not　help　himself。　How　coul　dhe　remain　angry　with　Dumbledore　now？
〃Why　did　you　have　to　make　it　so　difficult？〃
Dumbledore's　smile　was　tremulous。
〃I　am　afraid　I　counted　on　Miss　Granger　to　slow　you　up；　Harry。　I　was　afraid　that　your　hot　head　might　dominate　your　good　heart。　I　was　scared　that；　if　presented　outright　with　the　facts　about　those　tempting　objects；　you　might　seize　the　Hallows　as　I　did；　at　the　wrong　time；　for　the　wrong　reasons。　If　you　laid　hands　on　them；　I　wanted　you　to　possess　them　safely。　You　are　the　true　master　of　death；　because　the　true　master　does　not　seek　to　run　away　from　Death。　He　accepts　that　he　must　die；　and　understands　that　there　are　far；　far　worse　things　in　the　living　world　than　dying。〃
〃And　Voldemort　never　knew　about　the　Hallows？〃
〃I　do　not　think　so；　because　he　did　not　recognize　the　Resurrection　Stone　he　turned　into　a　Horcrux。　But　even　if　he　had　known　about　them；　Harry。　I　doubt　that　he　woul　dhave　been　interested　in　any　except　the　first。　He　would　not　think　that　he　needed　the　Cloak；　and　as　for　the　stone；　whom　would　he　want　to　bring　back　from　the　dead？　He　fears　the　dead。　He　does　not　love。〃
〃But　you　expected　him　to　go　after　the　wand？〃
〃I　have　been　sure　that　he　would　try；　ever　since　your　wand　beat　Voldemort's　in　the　graveyard　of　Little　Hangleton。　At　first；　he　was　afraid　that　you　had　conquered　him　by　superior　skill。　Once　he　had　kidnapped　Ollivander；　however；　he　discovered　the　existence　of　the　twin　cores。　He　thought　that　explained　everything。　Yet　the　borrowed　wand　did　no　better　against　yours！　So　Voldemort；　instead　of　asking　himself　what　quality　it　was　in　you　that　had　made　your　wand　so　strong；　what　gift　you　possessed　that　he　did　not；　naturally　set　out　to　find　the　one　wand　that；　they　said；　would　beat　any　other。　For　him；　the　Elder　Wand　has　become　an　obsession　to　rival　his　obsession　with　you。　He　believes　that　the　Elder　Wand　removes　his　last　weakness　and　makes　him　truly　invincible。　Poor　Severus　。　。　。〃
〃If　you　planned　your　death　with　Snape；　you　meant　him　to　end　up　with　the　Elder　Wand；　didn't　you？〃
〃I　admit　that　was　my　intention；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃but　it　did　not　work　as　I　intended；　did　it？〃
〃No；〃　said　Harry。　〃That　bit　didn't　work　out。〃
The　creature　behind　them　jerked　and　moaned；　and　Harry　and　Dumbledore　sate　without　talking　for　the　longest　time　yet。　The　realization　of　what　would　happen　next　settled　gradually　over　Harry　in　the　long　minutes；　like　softly　falling　snow。
〃I've　got　to　go　back；　haven't　I？〃
〃That　is　up　to　you。〃
〃I've　got　a　choice？〃
〃Oh　yes；〃　Dumbledore　smiled　at　him。　〃We　are　in　King's　Cross　you　say？　I　think　that　if　you　decided　not　to　go　back；　you　would　be　able　to　。　。　。　let's　say　。　。　。　board　a　train。〃
〃And　where　would　it　take　me？〃
〃On；〃　said　Dumbledore　simply。
Silence　again。
〃Voldemort's　got　the　Elder　Wand。〃
〃True。　Voldemort　has　the　Elder　Wand。〃
〃But　you　want　me　to　go　back？〃
〃I　think；〃　said　Dumbledore；　〃that　if　you　choose　to　return；　there　is　a　chance　that　he　may　be　finished　for　good。　I　ca