* * *

THE SUMMER OF nineteen ninty-two was undoubtedly a remarkable one.

Inside the colossal walls of Nurmengard Castle, resided a young witch and her grandfather. They had spent the past few months doing undetected magic and telling stories, just as they did for the first eleven years of the girl's early life. It was puzzling how the concept of family could remain cardinal to even the wickedest of the world.

Gellert Grindelwald had finally learned all about his granddaughter's first year at Hogwarts, nearly losing it when he'd found out about how she was attacked in the forest. He'd even deliberated on whether or not to send her back after that, but eventually came to his senses.

Valerie Grindelwald had turned twelve on the twenty-fourth of August. She had received greetings through letters, from friends and even a few odd acquaintances. They would come and go, delivered by Harriet nearly every other morning. However, there was one letter that had yet to come, and it confounded her to no end.

Since the summer began, she hadn't heard a single thing from Harry Potter.

Valerie wondered if she'd weirded him out or scared him away with her last letter. A gut feeling was telling her that something else had happened, but maybe it was just her mind trying to ease her guilt.

But at the moment, she was far too busy to be thinking about that.

"Stupefy!"

The spell was deflected as Gellert Grindelwald cast an effortless Protego Charm. With a swift flick of his wrist, Valerie was sent falling backwards, her legs locking together as the result of a successful, yet irritable curse.

"I thought this necklace was supposed to protect me," she groaned frustratedly.

"From near-death situations, Valerie. Are you in a near-death situation?"

"Feels like it," she murmured, "How am I supposed to know what to do if you use non-verbal magic?"

"Use it yourself," her grandfather simply said, "Be more observant. Look for the warning signs. Sometimes, you can see a person's motives right in their very eyes."

Her curse was reversed, and Valerie quickly stood to her feet, "I still don't stand a chance against you."

"Well, then that says something, doesn't it? You can't even beat a withered old man," Gellert shook his head with a hoarse laugh.

Valerie sent him a joking glare, "Have you ever even a lost a duel, grandfather?"

Gellert Grindelwald paused for a moment, unreadable emotion flashing across his pale blue eyes, "Once."

"Once?" Valerie asked incredulously, "That's it? Well, whoever that was, I desperately want to ask them for tips."

"You do that," Gellert answered with a small smile.

Valerie then lowered her wand, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, "Grandfather, if you can still do all this magic, why don't you just... break out of this place?"

"Where would I go?" He answered nonchalantly, but sighed when he saw the serious look on his granddaughter's face.

"I won't lie and say I haven't thought about it. Mind you, the guards outside aren't exactly sharp-witted, and there are several other countries across the border where I could easily disappear to. But, what about you?"

"What about me?" Valerie queried.

"Obviously, I can't just leave you here," Gellert explained, "Would you really want to lead the rest of your life on the run? And before you say yes— I know how much you love it at Hogwarts, Valerie. I don't want to take that away from you."

Valerie was about to reply, when a chorus of amicable hoots faded in from the tower casement. Harriet perched by the window, all puffed up as she held three envelopes with her beak. Over the time Valerie had spent with the owl, she'd learned quite a few things about her.

For one, she never thought that an owl could be conceited.

Harriet would refuse to fly out unless her feathers were perfectly clean, and she had this aura about her that just reeked of the words I'm-pretty-and-I'm-better-than-you.

"Thanks, Harriet," Valerie stroked the owl on its nape, before taking the letters and shuffling through them.

"Or should I say, Hogwarts loves you?" her grandfather mused suggestively. He'd been nagging about why she received the letters, particularly distraught about Theodore, no matter how many times she'd explain he was simply a friend.

Valerie rolled her eyes with a smile nonetheless, "It's only Daphne and Theo."

Gellert hummed in response, "And the last?"

If the man hadn't pointed it out, she probably would have missed the last envelope, an unfamiliar family crest chiseled onto its seal. Valerie curiously held it up, "I don't know."

"Open it up then," Gellert urged, causing Valerie to stare at him amusedly. He was acting like some schoolgirl listening to the hottest batch of gossip.

She quickly unfolded the piece of parchment, beginning to read through the unacquainted handwriting.

Dear Valerie,

I hope you've had a pleasant summer so far. Considering the fact that you live in a far flung area, I know transportation must be difficult, and it's about time we got our school supplies as well. My parents are inviting you to our manor, tomorrow, for breakfast to be followed with a trip to Diagon Alley. Our carriage will arrive at eight o'clock.

I'll be awaiting your owl.

Sincerely,
Draco Lucius Malfoy

To say that Valerie was shocked would be an understatement. She was in a disturbed state of utter stupor as she blinked at the inked words, "It's from... Malfoy?"

At her grandfather's look of indifference, she turned to refresh his memory, "He's the ignorant prat who thinks bullying is a personality trait."

Gellert nodded in understanding, "What did he say?"

"He says his parents are inviting me over for breakfast tomorrow, can you believe it?" Valerie replied, checking every corner of the paper for the words, 'ha! got you.' It had to be a joke.

"I see," her grandfather spoke, "What time are you leaving?"

Valerie looked at him like he was mad, "I'm not going."

"Why not?" Gellert asked as Valerie gawked at him in disbelief.

"I just told you, he's a horrible person," she threw her arms up in exasperation.

"Free food and presumably free school supplies. It sounds like quite the afternoon to me," he told her, "Unless of course, you want to apparate with good old Ozzy again?"

Oscar was the name of the guard who had escorted her from King's Cross back to Nurmengard. The mere thought of having to endure another second of what felt like an upscaled rollercoaster made her stomach churn.

Valerie sunk her shoulders at the dilemma, but decided on what she believed to best. Raising a derisive fist in the air, she sighed, "For my overall health, and the free food."

*  *  *

Visiting hours were over, and Valerie had been sent back to her bedroom. She sat casually by her desk as she read through the rest of the letters.

Dear Valerie,

        Okay, this isn't exactly urgent, but there's this terrific ice cream parlour at Diagon Alley, and we should totally grab a scoop sometime. Tell me when you're in town!

With love,
Daphne Lenora Greengrass

Valerie smiled as she quickly jotted down her reply, stating that she would be in London the next day and already couldn't wait. Daphne had been writing her since the start of summer, and it was nice to have at least one girl from her dormitory acknowledge her existence.

Besides, Theodore was getting a bit annoying, really. She was kidding. Sort of.

Dear Valerie,

How's your summer been? My siblings are so excited to meet you, Anastasia especially. Says she'll get a long with you just fine since you live in a castle or something. Honestly, please just adopt her. Take her away. All I could hear for the past two months was her and her friends' squeaky little voices.

P.S. Before you go and laugh at my middle name again, I was named after my great-great-grandfather. He was a renowned writer. Who were you named after, huh?

Your favourite person,
Theodore Cantankerus Nott

The boy would send her snippets of his life every other day, speaking of ridiculously random subjects. Her reply was auspicious.

Dear Theodore,

My summer hasn't changed since you owled me yesterday, thanks. Tell Anastasia I'd love to meet her. She sounds like a bloody remarkable person if she manages to get on your nerves that quickly.

On another note, are you going to the Malfoys' tomorrow? Is there some kind of occasion? His parents are inviting me over. It's spooky.

P.S. I don't know who I was named after, I'll have to ask. But, I still most definitely laughed at yours.

Stay deluded,
Valerie Ariana Grindelwald

She sent Harriet to send her replies back, knowing she would take a while to answer the last. Staring at the words of the bizarre invitation, she silently hoped they would just disappear. No word from Harry, but breakfast with Draco? The world had gone mad.

Nearly half an hour had passed before she realised the letter in front of her posed a genuine situation. She reached out for a piece of parchment, only to be left empty-handed. She had run out. Picking up her quill, she quickly scribbled down an 'okay' on its left bottom corner.

It was one way to start her second year.