bination of tried…and…tested reporting techniques enabled me to extract enough nuggets of hard fact to string together the whole scandalous story。
Like the rest of the Wizarding world； Bathilda puts Kendra's premature death down to a backfiring charm； a story repeated by Albus and Aberforth in later years。 Bathilda also parrots the family line on Ariana； calling her 〃frail〃 and 〃delicate。〃 On one subject； however； Bathilda is well worth the effort I put into procuring Veritaserum； for she； and she alone； knows the full story of the best…kept secret of Albus Dumbledore's life。 Now revealed for the first time； it calls into question everything that his admirers believed of Dumbledore： his supposed hatred of the Dark Arts； his opposition into the oppression of Muggles； even his devotion to his own family。
The very same summer that Dumbledore went home to Godric's Hollow； now an orphan and head of the family； Bathilda Bagshot agreed to accept into her home her great…nephew； Gellert Grindelwald。
The name of Grindelwald is justly famous： In a list of Most Dangerous Dark Wizards of All Time； he would miss out on the top spot only because You…
Know…Who arrived； a generation later； to steal his crown。 As Grindelwald never extended his campaign of terror to Britain； however； the details of his rise to power are not widely known here。
Educated at Durmstrang； a school famous even then for its unfortunate tolerance of the Dark Arts； Grindelwald showed himself quite as precociously brilliant as Dumbledore。 Rather than channel his abilities into the attainment of awards and prizes； however； Gellert Grindelwald devoted himself no other pursuits。 At sixteen years old； even Durmstrang felt it could no longer turn a blind eye to the twisted experiments of Gellert Grindelwald； and he was expelled。
Hitherto； all that has been known of Grindelwald's next movements is that he 〃traveled around for some months。〃 It can now be revealed that Grindelwald chose to visit his great…aunt in Godric's Hollow； and that there； intensely shocking though it will be for many to hear it； he struck up a close friendship with none other than Albus Dumbledore。
〃He seemed a charming boy to me；〃 babbles Bathilda； 〃whatever he became later。 Naturally I introduced him to poor Albus； who was missing the pany of lads his own age。 The boys took to each other at once。〃
They certainly did。 Bathilda shows me a letter； kept by her that Albus Dumbledore sent Gellert Grindelwald in the dead of night。
〃Yes； even after they'd spent all day in discussion a150a150 both such brilliant young boys； they got on like a cauldron on fire a150a150 I'd sometimes hear an owl tapping at Gellert's bedroom window； delivering a letter from Albus！ An idea would have struck him and he had to let Gellert know immediately！〃
And what ideas they were。 Profoundly shocking though Albus Dumbledore's fans will find it； here are the thoughts of their seventeen…year…old hero； as relayed to his new best friend。 （A copy of the original letter may be seen on page 463。）
iGellert a150a150
Your point about Wizard dominance being FOR THE MUGGLES' OWN GOOD a150a150 this； I think； is the crucial point。 Yes； we have been given power and yes； that power gives us the right to rule； but it also gives us responsibilities over the ruled。 We must stress this point； it will be the foundation stone upon which we build。 Where we are opposed； as we surely will be； this must be the basis of all our counterarguments。 We seize control FOR THE GREATER GOOD。 And from this it follows that where we meet resistance； we must use only the force that is necessary and no more。 （This was your mistake at Durmstrang！ But I do not plain； because if you had not been expelled； we would never have met。）
Albusi
Astonished and appalled though his many admirers will be； this letter constitutes the Statute of Secrecy and establishing Wizard rule over Muggles。 What a blow for those who have always portrayed Dumbledore as the Muggle…borns' greatest champion！ How hollow those speeches promoting Muggle rights
seem in the light of this damning new evidence！ How despicable does Albus Dumbledore appear； busy plotting his rise to power when he should have been mourning his mother and caring for his sister！
No doubt those determined to keep Dumbledore on his crumbling pedestal will bleat that he did not； after all； put his plans into action； that he must have suffered a change of heart； that he came to his senses。 However； the truth seems altogether more shocking。
Barely two months into their great new friendship； Dumbledore and Grindelwald parted； never to see each other again until they met for their legendary duel （for more； see chapter 22）。 What caused this abrupt rupture？ iHadi Dumbledore e to his senses？ Had he told Grindelwald he wanted no more part in his plans？ Alas； no。
〃It was poor little Ariana dying； I think； that did it；〃 says Bathilda。 〃It came as an awful shock。 Gellert was there in the house when it happened； and he came back to my house all of a dither； told me he wanted to go home the next day。 Terribly distressed； you know。 So I arranged a Portkey and that was the last I saw of him。
〃Albus was beside himself at Ariana's death。 It was so dreadful for those two brothers。 They had lost everybody except for each other。 No wonder tempers ran a little high。 Aberforth blamed Albus； you know； as people will under these dreadful circumstances。 But Aberforth always talked a little madly； poor boy。 All the same； breaking Albus's nose at the funeral was not decent。 It would have destroyed Kendra to see her sons fighting like that； across her daughter's body。 A shame Gellert could not have stayed for the funeral。 。 。 。 He would have been a fort to Albus； at least。 。 。 。
This dreadful coffin…side brawl； known only to those few who attended Ariana Dumbledore's funeral； raises several questions。 Why exactly did Aberforth Dumbledore blame Albus for his sister's death？ Was it； as 〃Batty〃 pretends； a mere effusion of grief？ Or could there have been some more concrete reason for his fury？ Grindelwald； expelled from Durmstrang for the near…fatal attacks upon fellow students； fled the country hours after the girl's death； and Albus （out of shame or fear？） never saw him again； not until forced to do so by the pleas of the Wizarding world。
Neither Dumbledore nor Grindelwald ever seems to have referred to this brief boyhood friendship in later life。 However； there can be no doubt that Dumbledore delayed； for some five years of turmoil； fatalities； and disappearances； his attack upon Gellert Grindelwald。 Was it lingering affection for the man or fear of exposure as his once best friend that caused Dumbledore to hesitate？ Was it only reluctantly that Dumbledore set out to capture the man he was once so delighted he had met？
And how did the mysterious Ariana die？ Was she the inadvertent victim of some Dark rite？ Did she stumble across something she ought not to have done； as the two young men sat practicing for their attempt at glory and domination？ Is it possible that Ariana Dumbledore was the first person to die 〃for the greater good〃？
The chapter ended here and Harry looked up。 Hermione had reached the bottom of the page before him。 Sh