Chapter 730 - Interview for Divination Post Ⅴ (1/2)
After a moment, Aberforth opens moist-filled blue eyes as he gazes into similar colored eyes of his older brother, Albus. ”A part of me may never forgive you for the tragedy that occurred that horrible day, Albus,” Aberforth croaked. ”But I am tired of hating you, and I know that you are not solely responsible nor to blame for the tragedy that took place that day.”
Aberforth's voice broke with age-old pain clouding his blue eyes. He furrows his brows and lets out a self-deprecating bitter laugh. ”No, the sole blame lies with me. I should have never confronted Gellert in the first place.”
”What do you mean, Aberforth?” Albus sincerely asked as they had never spoken so openly as brothers since the death of Ariana, not even at her funeral. Perchance, especially then.
Aberforth weakly attempts to sneer a stubborn expression appears on his face. ”You mean it, Albus? You are not attempting to merely placate your guilt and me?”
”No, Aberforth, I am sincere when asking just what the reason behind the duel that day was,” Albus curiously queried with a solemn expression. ”We never speak about the tragic event that took place that day and nor have we ever spoken so openly with each other since-,” his voice broke, before whispering, ”-Ari's death.”
Aberforth searches his older brother's face, before becoming convinced of the sincerity that he saw in Albus's gaze. Turning his head away to gaze at the portrait of Ariana, he gruffly folds his arms over his c.h.e.s.t. ”I thought it strange, how rather sudden and out of character the arrival of Gellert in Godric's Hollow to stay with his great-aunt, Professor Bagshot. The villagers gossiped-.”
”Aberforth, the villagers always gossiped,” Albus disapprovingly murmured looking far too similar to Aberforth at that moment.
Aberforth arched his brow at Albus and flatly said, ”Are you going to let me finish without any interruptions, Albus?”
Albus shrugs sheepishly and gestures to Aberforth to continue. Giving Albus another sharp look, Aberforth resumes his tale. ”The Grindelwald's had never openly visited Professor Bagshot in the past and there were closer relatives to the Grindelwald's on the old continent. After hearing the rumors, I also found it strange that the Gellert would be sent to stay with his great-aunt than closer family relatives. I wouldn't have paid the rumors about Gellert any further attention despite how much I disliked him at our first meeting. His face was far too arrogant and c.o.c.ky needing to be brought down a notch.”
Albus chocked at hearing Aberforth's description of Gellert. ”Is that why you threw goat dung at the back of his head during your first encounter?”
Aberforth darkly grimaced. ”If I had known his intentions, I would have flung much more than goat dung at him that day.”
Albus wisely decides to remain silent and allows Aberforth to continue the rest of his tale. ”As I was saying, despite my initial dislike for Gellert, I would have ignored him within reason. What disturbed me was the fact that he paid far too much attention to Ariana. I didn't like how his eyes would often come to rest on her.”
”What do you mean, Aberforth?” Albus said in alarm.
”Gellert was interested in Ariana,” Aberforth flatly replied.
”Gellert was interested in Ariana?” Albus repeated in shock and disbelief.
Aberforth wrinkled his long nose and made a face at Albus's words. ”You were always far too blind to see what was always in front of your long-crooked nose, Albus. And no, I don't mean in a romantic sense, but rather Gellert studied Ari as if she were a fascinating specimen that he had never encountered before and wanted to dissect her to learn more.”