Chapter 3
A.D.G.
Albus had left the muggles house and portkeyed to London before Miss Csonka had got back, only leaving a note apologizing and thanking her and a few Czechoslovak korunas, for her troubles, behind.
He hoped that the ministry would only take notice of the illegal portkey once he had returned to his universe. Being chased around by aurors while trying to navigate through this was not something Albus needed, although he felt a little remorse for causing his other self such trouble.
From what he's seen so far, it didn't seem like the other was confronted with the ministry often, living a quiet life as a teacher.
How did he get to this point?
The wizard couldn't imagine himself as a teacher. Sure, he spends his days enlightening the world about the unfairness of their circumstances much like a teacher explaining simple concepts to students, but creating strategies and speeches out of nothing was very different from reciting textbooks. But then again, he was probably very different from this Albus. It's our experiences that shape us, after all.
His theory that something has landed him in another world had only validated itself when he'd conjured a mirror back at the hut.
And the change of clothes wasn't the only difference in appearance to his world.
He appeared a little more sun kissed, with more golden freckles splattered along his face and neck. Albus would love to spend more time outside, like this version apparently did, but most of his days were spent writing letters, outlining speeches or discussing different solutions for the perpetual problems their cause was faced with with Gellert. Even most of the events him and his love would attend were inside or by night. There wasn't much time to get a tan in-between.
The circles under this Albus' eyes had stood out a little bit more, his beard was a tad longer –though this could just as well come from the recent travels of the other–and his hair was cut short in what Albus presumed to be the latest muggle fashion. He doesn't want to stand out, his clothes show that too.
But what probably struck Albus the most was the crooked nose, it had looked like it had been broken quite a while ago and not been taken care of, even though he surely possessed the skills for such a feat since he was seven years old. It was on purpose then, there must be some deeper meaning Albus will hopefully figure out once he reached his destination.
It can't be far now, he thought as he walked into what seemed like a dead end.
The border let him pass seamlessly, and the redhead was soon faced with the building containing the biggest newspaper archive he knew. Albus had been afraid that it might not exist in this world, but it looked just the same on the outside.
As he stepped in, Albus was almost immediately greeted by the owner. An old man with a gray beard that almost reached his feet and eyes that were alight with the wisdom of decades of newspaper articles.
" Ah Albus, welcome! The collection of 'Transfiguration Today' articles is not quite finished yet. I'm missing some publications from 1867...", the man trailed off and scratched his beard in though.
It seems like some things don't change. Like the fact that Albus knew Mister Raynott since he was just a student, researching for some publications he wanted to make.
"Good day, Mister Raynott. No worries, I'm actually here for another research project." One that he should probably keep a secret for now.
The redhead fully stepped in, leaving his coat on a hanger by the door, he would be here a while.
Albus had stopped visiting the Mister Raynott of his world regularly after Gellert expanded the Nurmengard archives to also hold old newspapers. "So you don't have to portkey every time. " His love said and kissed him on the head. It had been a nice gesture, especially considering that portkeys always made Albus a little dizzy and that Mister Raynott deeply disliked the floo network as a means of travel –"There are more thefts in places connected to the network, I read it in the Prophet!" –, still he sometimes missed the crowded shelves and the smell of old paper and melted wax that clung to this place.
"Of course, you know where to find me if you need anything. I'll try to find these bloody articles in the meantime." The old man stomped away, disappearing behind some shelves. He'd always hated missing an article. Yes, some things don't change, but others certainly did, and he was going to find out where exactly this world drifted off.
The wizard got to work. He left his suitcase by a big wooden desk in one of the corners and went looking for all articles mentioning his family or Gellert from 1891 –the year of his fathers' imprisonment– to now.
What became very clear from the start was that, while Albus lived a more quiet life, only occasionally winning a contest or writing an article –the twelve uses of dragon blood were very fascinating, in his world they had yet to be discovered – Gellert had still taken up revolutionizing the world.
Though, his methods were quite different sometimes. His more violent methods at the beginning and then the sudden switch to politics weren't the best tactic. He should have tried the more peaceful route since the beginning. Contrary to Gellerts beliefs, being a politician could get them far, as Albus had proven to him time and time again over the years… but then again, not in this universe.
The good thing was that they apparently did meet in this universe, the redhead had already started to worry that they might have never found each other here, but this was disproven as he read an article from 1925 with the headline "For the Greater Good?" Which also had some fractions from one of Gellerts speeches in which Albus clearly recognized his own youthful writing.
The Bhutan scandal did worry him a bit, as there were mentions of a short duel between them.
Did they not swear the oath in this universe?
Was that the only thing that kept them together all these years?
Sure, they had made the pact as a safety measure, but he'd have never thought that they would grow apart like this without it.
But perhaps he was wrong and there were some other factors playing into their separation, there must be, and Albus would find them. If not here, then somewhere else, with the help of someone else…
The wizard conjured some paper and a quill. He'd have to write a letter.
As he began, heard some clanging behind him and quickly turned the paper around.
"Are you writing a biography?" Albus heard the old man say as he pushed some of the newspapers aside to make space for a tablet with some tea and lemon biscuits. Only now did the younger notice his empty stomach, he hadn't eaten all day.
"Something like that." He took one of the biscuits, "Thank you."
"Pah" Mister Raynott waved his hand, "Just clean up before you leave. Everything back where you got it, understood?" The man had put on a warning tone and was wagging his finger at Albus as if he was still a child.
"Of course, just as it was." Albus answered with a smile.
Albus wanted to resume writing after the old man left, but his thoughts travelled elsewhere as he thought about what he might do after he was finished.
He'd visit his brother, tell him he finished his travels early and get his scarf, perhaps ask him about the current location of his owl–Albus would use a school owl if his didn't turn up–. He wouldn't stay long, the other surely wouldn't like it. But he could give Albus some information the newspapers didn't possess and if he was honest with himself, he really wanted to see him.
Seeing Aberforth was perhaps the only good thing that could come out of this situation. Albus hadn't met his brother since that fateful summer. He doesn't even know his current location in his world, not for lack of trying though–Gellert had often criticized his attempts "Why does it matter so much to you?", "That oaf is not worth your attention." They fought a lot about Aberforth, which only made Gellerts hatred for his brother grow, "Even as a shadow he's bringing us apart!" –, Aberforth just seems to have no interest in contact with him. Though he supposed he could understand, they had left him there after all. Tortured and with a dead sister. If he would only let Albus explain everything–
He couldn't get stuck in sentiment now. He had a letter to write.
It was to Gellert.
Of course Albus thought about going to Nurmengard directly and explaining everything to this version, but then again, he doesn't know this Gellert. The redhead has no way of telling how the other would react to a sudden visit, and after reading about Bhutan, he's worried the other would see it as Albus challenging him. So a letter shall suffice for first contact.
He kept it short, only explaining that he deeply regrets how they parted in Bhutan and that he would like to meet him on neutral ground to discuss something as soon as possible. The redhead didn't dare sign the letter with is name –in case it got intercepted– and signed with the deathly hollows symbol instead, trusting that Gellert would recognize his handwriting.
After the letter was finished, he shoved it into his pocket and got to work, he had some newspapers to put back.