Chapter 729 - Interview for Divination Post Ⅳ (2/2)
”So, you can finally admit the truth at long last, Albus,” Aberforth barked bitterly with visible old pain in his eyes. ”You should have let Gellert and me duel it out, I was doing just fine until you came along. Your job was to protect Ari that was what you were supposed to do!”
”I know,” Albus quietly replied, ”but it was also my duty to protect you, Aberforth. I didn't think about Gellert at that time, it was you that I was most concerned about.”
”You're lying,” Aberforth croaked in disbelief. ”If that's true, why didn't you stun nor stop, Gellert? WHY!”
”I couldn't,” Albus tiredly replied.
”What do you mean you couldn't, Albus?! Explain yourself! I want the truth, DAMMIT!” Aberforth roared at his older brother.
Albus let out a low bitter laugh full of irony. ”You once accused me of blind to everything but my own d.e.s.i.r.es, Aberforth,” Albus ruefully, rather bitterly said. ”In my blindness, no, my arrogance, Gellert and I created a blood pact, an oath that would never permit us to fight each other. It was presumably a fail-safe to ensure that no rift was ever to form between us in our grand endeavor to ignite a revolution.”
Aberforth stares at Albus utterly shocked as his mind races with conclusions. ”Is that why you permitted Newt Scamander to rush about the world against Gellert, whilst you waited in your ivory tower until it was nearly too late to act?”
”Yes, that is one of the many reasons, but the main principled one,” Albus openly admitted. Though he did not mention that a part of him had been unable to face Gellert without guilt and even bitter, but still present, faded feelings of love.
Feeling twinges of understanding and even forgiveness, Aberforth shoves those feelings away. He had every right to be angry! And after everything that came to pass to simply allow the past to fade away into nothing; NO, he couldn't! Could he?
”Then answer me this!” Aberforth urgently asked. ”Why didn't you let me kill, Gellert? Well, why didn't you, Albus? He killed, Ariana!”
”Did he?” Albus poignantly asked. ”I have relived that terrible day in my pensive a countless number of times, Aberforth, over and over time and time again. And yet no matter how many times I view that day's tragedy the final result is always the same. It could have just as easily been the two of us, who slew Ariana that day.”
Aberforth clamps his eyes shut holding tears back, while his hands his form into fists. Seeing his younger brother in anguish, Albus slowly rises to his feet and steps forth step by step until he reaches Aberforth. ”If there is anyone who deserves the wrath of your fists it is I,” Albus dimly said as long finger wrapped around themselves around Aberforth's fists, who roughly pulls himself away from Albus's touch.