I am seven years old.
And today—
I am introduced to a kingdom.
The great hall of Nurmengard is… alive.
Not in the way it was when I first arrived—quiet, controlled, carefully reshaped.
No.
Today, it hums.
Voices echo across the high stone walls, low and reverent, filled with curiosity… and something else.
Expectation.
I stand beside my aunt.
Vinda Rosier
She rests a hand lightly on my shoulder, her posture composed, her gaze sharp as she observes the gathered crowd below.
"They've all been waiting to meet you," she says quietly.
"I assumed as much."
Her lips curve slightly.
"Of course you did."
Across the hall—
They gather.
Acolytes.
Followers.
Loyalists.
Men and women of varying ages, all bound by a single thread—
Belief.
And at the center of that belief—
Gellert Grindelwald
He stands at the head of the hall, no longer a prisoner, no longer diminished.
No.
He looks exactly as he should.
Powerful.
Charismatic.
Unshakable.
He raises a hand.
The hall falls silent instantly.
Efficient.
Grindelwald says, "You have all served faithfully."
His voice carries effortlessly—clear, controlled, commanding without needing force.
"And today," he continues, "I present to you something… far more important than any victory we have achieved."
There is a shift in the room.
Subtle.
But undeniable.
Anticipation.
Grindelwald gestures toward me.
"All of this—" he says, sweeping his hand slightly, "—requires a future."
I step forward.
Every eye turns to me.
They are measuring.
Judging.
Curious.
Good.
"Elaine Grindelwald," Grindelwald says.
A pause.
"My daughter."
Silence.
Then—
A ripple.
Not shock.
Not disbelief.
Acceptance.
Interesting.
"They will follow her one day," Grindelwald says calmly. "As they follow me."
There it is.
Expectation becomes certainty.
I step down from the raised platform.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
I can feel their eyes on me.
Their magic.
Their thoughts.
I let them look.
A man steps forward first—older, his posture respectful but not weak.
"My Lady," he says with a slight bow, offering a small, carefully wrapped package. "A token of loyalty."
I take it.
"Thank you," I reply.
He seems… relieved.
Strange.
One by one, they approach.
Gifts.
Offerings.
A stack of books bound in dark leather.
"I thought these might interest you," a woman says. "Advanced spell theory. Some of it is… difficult."
"I will manage," I reply.
Her expression flickers with something like amusement.
Another offers handwritten notes.
"My own research," he says. "It is… incomplete. But perhaps you will find use for it."
I nod slightly.
"I will improve it."
He blinks.
Then laughs quietly.
"I believe you will."
Then—
Something unexpected.
A small box.
Brightly colored.
I open it.
Candy.
Sweets.
I pause.
"…Thank you."
The young woman who gave it to me smiles nervously.
"You're still a child," she says.
I consider that.
Technically…
She is correct.
I take one.
It is… sweet.
Not unpleasant.
I continue walking.
More gifts.
More offerings.
Spell books.
Notes.
Small enchanted objects.
Each one carefully chosen.
Each one a reflection of their loyalty.
Or their attempt to earn favor.
Both are acceptable.
Eventually, I return to the front of the hall.
Grindelwald watches me.
Evaluating.
"Well?" Grindelwald says.
"They are useful," I reply simply.
A few quiet chuckles ripple through the room.
Grindelwald smiles faintly.
"You handled that well."
"Of course."
Another pause.
Then—
Grindelwald says, "You understand what this means."
"Yes," I reply.
"This is not just introduction," I continue. "It is positioning."
His eyes sharpen.
"Explain."
I glance briefly at the gathered acolytes before returning my gaze to him.
"They are not just meeting me," I say. "They are being conditioned to accept me."
Silence.
Then—
A slow smile spreads across his face.
"Exactly."
Vinda lets out a quiet breath beside me.
"…Merlin," she mutters under her breath.
I ignore that.
Because something else is far more interesting.
This is not just a gathering.
It is a foundation.
And foundations…
Can be built upon.
I look out across the hall once more.
They are watching me differently now.
Not just as a child.
But as something more.
Good.
They are learning.
And so am I.
Because magic is not the only power in this world.
Influence.
Perception.
Expectation.
These are forces just as potent.
And I intend to master all of them.