Riddle And Grindelwald

26. The Worst News

Genevieve and Tom spent the entire train ride back to London, holding hands, trying to make the most of their last few hours together.
Everyone around them laughed and smiled, as they were looking forward to going home.
But Tom and Genevieve looked like they were headed to the slaughter house.
They were dreading going back to their other lives and being parted from each other.
Genevieve was going to be alone in her Uncle's manor for 6 weeks, and Tom was going to be stuck at his Muggle orphanage.

When the train arrived at Platform 9 and 3/4, Genevieve collected her trunk from the baggage compartment and said goodbye to Tom.
As whe watched him walk away, she felt a lump in her throat, as she hated that he had to leave without her.
Once he had left the station, she began searching the platform for Francis.
She couldn't see him amongst the crowds, but there was one figure she recognised immediately.
Genevieve pushed past all the reuniting families, and stopped in front of a man wearing what she thought was a rather terrible disguise for someone who was a wanted man.
"You shouldn't be here" said Genevieve.
Gellert smiled, "Nice to see you too".

"What if someone sees you?" Questioned Genevieve.
"Few people in England know exactly what I look like. Besides, no one expects the great Gellert Grindelwald to show up on Platform 9 and 3/4. And all these people are too wrapped up in their own lives, to pay any attention to me" answered Gellert, as he adjusted the top hat he had on.
"Fair enough. What are you doing here though. Where's Francis?" Asked Genevieve.
"Well, it occurred to me that I haven't exactly been the nicest to you, even though you are the only family member I have left. So I decided to rectify that by picking you up from school, like normal parental figures do".

"It's 16 years too late to start acting like you care about me. And if you did want to get to know me better, you could have just been there to greet me back home. Since normally you can't even be bothered to do that. I didn't need you to take this unnecessary risk, when Francis could easily have escourted me to the Portkey as normal" admitted Genevieve.
"Are you not happy to see me? Did you not like me suprising you?" Frowned Gellert.
"Sure, it was a nice surprise. But I know you too well. And I know that you wouldn't have come all this way without an ulterior motive. So, let me guess, you held a rally here earlier today?"
"You clearly don't know me as well as you think. For you should know that I don't hold rallies here in England".

"Alright then, if you weren't holding a rally, what is the real reason you came here tonight?" Demanded Genevieve.
"You don't believe that I just wanted to pick you up from school, out of the goodness of my heart?" Asked Gellert.
"No, I don't" answered Genevieve.
Gellert sighed, "Fine... Francis couldn't come here today, so I decided to take his place".
"I still don't believe you. You have hundreds of followers at your employ, many of which I have met before. You could have gotten any one of them to pick me up. So, why did you feel the need to meet me in person? And what is Francis doing that is more important than me?" Quizzed Genevieve.

"I sent Francis on a mission last week, with a group of my followers, and they haven't come back yet" revealed Gellert.
"Why? Was this misson a long one, or something?" Questioned Genevieve.
"No, it wasn't supposed to be... The mission was a failure, my team was ambushed by aurors" informed Gellert.
"So, they've all been captured?"
"I'm afraid not... All those that I sent on the mission, were killed, including Francis. That's why I came here. I wanted to tell you in person, because I knew how close you and him were".

Genevieve felt as if her heart had stopped beating and her brain had stopped functioning.
She couldn't process what her uncle had told her.
Francis just couldn't be dead, she refused to believe it.
"No. You're lying" snapped Genevieve, when she became able to form a response.
"Why would I lie?" Asked Gellert.
"I don't know. To make me like you more than him, or something sick like that. But Francis isn't dead, he can't be" replied Genevieve.

"I'm sorry Gen, but it's the truth" insisted Gellert.
"No! I don't believe it" sobbed Genevieve, as tears began streaming down her face.
"I know you're upset, but you need to control yourself. We can't draw any attention to me while we are in public" warned Gellert.
Genevieve sniffed loudly, "If you were so concerned with being seen, then you shouldn't have come. You should have just handed the job of telling me the bad news, off to one of your other servants".

"I do care about you, and it kills me to see you so upset. I didn't want to tell you the truth in a letter nor did I want someone else to tell you. I wanted to be the one to break the news to you, because as your guardian, I felt it was my responsibility" admitted Gellert.
"Francis was more of a guardian to me, than you ever were" spat Genevieve.
She placed her hand against her chest, as her heart was beginning to ache with grief.
"You're right. I let Francis be your carer for he had more free time than me. But with him gone, I will step up, I promise. I'm not going to pass you onto another one of my followers. I will look after you myself" announced Gellert.

"It's a bit late for that. I turn 17 in October, and once I'm an adult I won't need you any more" reminded Genevieve.
"Even adults need their family" replied Gellert.
"You don't... Did he- did Francis suffer before he died?" Genevieve asked quietly.
"He was involved in a fight against the aurors, but I do not think he was hurt, as he was killed by the Killing Curse. His funeral is tomorrow, I wanted to wait until you came home, before holding it, for I knew you would want to say goodbye"
"Thank you"
"You're welcome. Now come on, let's get out of here and go home".