A Phoenix Has Found it's Rightful Owner
Gellert's POV, July 6:
Tante Bathilda had been trying to hide how hurt she really was, but Gellert noticed. How she would put up Silencing Charms over her bedroom at night to hide her crying.
Gellert knew why she did it; Tante Bathilda and Gellert hadn't met in so many years. When Gellert was 13, Tante Bathilda had made a promise with his father not to meet Gellert until his seventeenth birthday. And now they were finally seeing each other again, but not like any of them had anticipated. Bathilda was heartbroken, but tried hard to direct her focus on Gellert.
"So," Bathilda smiled at him over the armchair, "I know more than well that Durmstrang wasn't the most optimal place for you, but you must have liked some people there? Any admirers perhaps? Girlfriends?" Gellert smiled, deciding to tell Bathilda about his homosexuality. If there was anyone on this planet he could trust someone with stuff like that, it was her.
"No girlfriends, no. I do not really have eyes for girls, Tante Bathilda..."
Bathilda looked up from the book she was reading, looking at Gellert with sympathy. Then it looked like she got an idea.
"You know... there is this one boy in this village that you might find interesting..."
"Not that snob, Dumbledore!" Gellert scoffed.
"He's no snob! The Dumbledores had money alright, until Percival got throwned into prison. And Albus was only ten at that time."
"I don't mean he's a snob in the way of money, but the way he acts; He's got water over his head from all prices and recognition he gets."
"He's nothing like that, Gellert dear. Can't you at least give him a try? I really think you'd like him."
Gellert, beeing his usual stubbornness, refused Bathilda's idea to introduce Gellert and Albus with each other over tea. Partly because Gellert wasn't really looking for a friendship here at Godric's Hollow, let alone a romantic relationship, but it also felt wrong now that Dumbledore was still grieving.
The following days, Bathilda would go back and forth from the Dumbledore's house. When Tante Bathilda was at home, they would talk about all they had missed out on each other's lives, and when she was away, Gellert would continue with his research on the Hallows. Every now and then, Gellert would spot the eldest Dumbledore through the window or across his garden. Annoyingly, Albus Dumbledore was very handsom: tall, lean, auburn-shoulder length hair, and beautiful face features.
***
Albus' POV, July 8:
Life at Godric's Hollow was horrible. To see Ariana again was nice, but he couldn't think of anything else that was positive right now. He hadn't exactly missed Aberforth seeing as they had seen each other all year at Hogwarts. Bathilda was okay, but he would much rather be anywhere else. Aberforth obviously noticed;
"Stop feeling bad for yourself, it's pathetic! You know mom worked her ass off every day for seven years -- I wouldn't be surprised if exhaustion was what she died for. But she never complained, no! She spent every day caring for Ariana rather than doing stuff for herself! Did you ever even see her going out, Albus? Having hobbies?"
"Don't use that language. And I have not complained either." Albus said, tired, while doing the dishes.
"But you've thought it! Admit it, you go around thinking about yourself, and what you might've been? Admit it!" Albus sighed.
"I am a little disturbed, yes."
"You're pathetic! that's what you are. And another thing, I'm not going back to Hogwarts. I don't trust you'll handle things right here."
Albus turned and looked at his brother hopelessly. He did not have the strength for this conversation.
"Aberforth, you are going back for your fifth year at Hogwarts." Albus tried with, calmly, "That is the year you will carry out your OWL's. If you do not attend those, you will be short on job opportunities."
"I won't pass them anyway!" Aberforth threw out his arms, "And I don't trustyou on making a good jobb with her!" Tears started showing in Aberforth's eyes, "We both know she likes me better. She's not stupid, you know; She understands you'd rather be with Elphias than attend her, and that I'd rather give up my education even if I now would have to spend the rest of my life attending her." A short silence followed.
"Aberforth. I admire you greatly, I hope you know that. I've always admired your way of putting others in front of yourself. Sometimes, even jealous, I suppose, because I could be rather selfish sometimes."
"Don'tmanipulate me Albus-"
"But I've made my decision." Albus continued, pretending not to hear Aberforth's remark, "I will stay here, with Ariana. I have cancelled my trip over the world, and though I think about what might have happened, it won't make me change my decision. When you're gone for Hogwarts, I will be here; grudgingly, maybe, but I will do all in my power to keep Ariana at her safety."
"Aren't you listening to me? I am not going back to that school!"
"Albus?" Ariana came down the stairs, her light blue nightdress on and blond hair hanging lose over her shoulders, "Could you paint the stars over my ceiling? Jupiter is supposed to shine extra bright today..."
"Of course, Ari."
When Albus stepped into Ariana's bedroom, his eyes fell upon Fawkes the Phoenix who let out a musical cry that made Albus feel a tad better after the fight.
Albus knew that the Dumbledore's family crest was a Phoenix, and that there had been many incidents following our family history where Phoenixes had find their ways into our ownerships. Albus had always grown up hoping a phoenix would find it's way to him. And then, right after Kendra's funeral, Fawkes had made it clear that he was Ariana's. They had kept him in her room, giving him everything he needed, and Ariana had named him Fawkes after Guy Fawkes the soldier, from The Tales of Beedle the Bard
After Albus had painted the ceiling, despite the pain in his arms, he braided Ariana's long hair before tucking her to sleep.
***
Albus' POV, July 10:
Albus rose from his mother's tombstone, wiped a single tear from his eye, and started walking back towards his house. The sky was bright blue and the breezy wind along with the quiet made Albus feel at ease; Better, at least, than when he was home, getting accosted by his own little brother.
A little ahead, Albus started makeing out the shape of a tall, young man. He didn't take much mind of the man until he was close enough to make a polite smile and a nod. He noticed that the boy was very handsome: around his age, golden wavy hair that reached down half his neck, perfect yaw line, beautiful face shape, lips like anything Albus had seen before, and lazy mismatched eyes. But Albus knew better than to stare, and felt like he had made a good job in hiding his attraction. However, when the boy was about four feet away from him, something made him stop in his tracks; he felt magic erupting from the boy, and more than he usually felt around wizards. He stared at the boy; There where only four wizarding families in this Muggle village: The Dumbledores, Ms. Bagshot, the Potters, and the Ivorys, and he was certain this slightly-taller-than-him boy wasn't in any of those families.
The handsome boy chuckled softly, "I am Gellert Grindelwald." the boy said, extending his arm.
"Ah, that makes sense." Albus knew Ms. Bagshot had a nephew called Gellert Grindelwald, "Albus Dumbledore. We have corresponde-" Albus broke of the second his hand met with Grindelwald's. He could feel magic burning him like electricity, but more than he had ever felt. Gellert Grindelwald was most likely a very powerful wizard.
When Albus looked up, it somehow felt like Grindelwald had looked up from his hand at the same time, wearing the same expression Albus probably had: lips slightly apart, and eyes wide. It wasn't often that Albus wasn't able to mask his emotions, especially to a stranger, and quickly let go of Grindelwald's hand that he had been holding way longer than suitable, the same time as Grindelwald.
"I've got to say, even if I've heard of your talents from articles and Tante Bathilda, I'm surprised by your obvious power." Albus felt himself blush, and suddenly pulled a hair strand out of his face.
"Yes -- I can not think of anyone I've met with higher powers either..." Albus took a deep breath, for he suddenly realized he hadn't inhaled in quite a while, "'Tante'. That's German, right?" Grindelwald smiled slyly, probably because the lack of German pronunciation and nodded, "So you're here for a visit?"
"Indeed. But I'm also hoping to get some research done here." Albus frowned.
"Not magical researches then, I suppose?"
"Oh yes, I am!" Grindelwald was smiling, "My first exploring will be done here, in the cemetery." Grindelwald said casually. Albus turned his head towards the only tombstone he himself found exploring-worthy: Ignotus Peverell's grave, for Albus had also observed it. But almost all the other graves were for Muggles. So unless Grindelwald was also trying to hunt Hallows, Albus was having it terribly difficult to imagine what Grindelwald was after.
"I am curious..." Albus asked.
"Oh, I doubt you'll recognize the subject I'm researching on."
"Oh really?"
"Not unless you have an interest in children's stories?"
And that was it. Albus' mouth was practically hanging open, eyes staring.
"That's... funny." Albus finally said after many seconds, "You won't find anything though."
"Sorry?"
"Traces of magic, marks, anything, at Ignotus Peverell's grave. I've looked."
Grindelwald was better at hiding his surprise than he was, yet it was still very visible; both of them had dreams of becoming the Master of Death. A dream, both of them had thought themselves alone in having.
"Would you perhaps want to... discuss theories?" Grindelwald proposed, "We could go somewhere more deserted."
It was a sudden proposal, and not normal for someone you'd just met -- Yet, Albus found himself agreeing.
"I havn't heard a lot about you from your aunt, but you're attending Durmstrang, am I right?"
"I did, until they decided to kick me out."
Albus stared, and then, very unlike himself, felt himself beginning to smile wide.
"Well done!" Albus exclaimed.
"Excuse me?" Gellert looked half shocked, half amused. Gellert had definitely not predicted Albus to react in that way, and nor had Albus.
"You managed to do the impossible. What ever could you have done for the extreme Durmstrang to think you're to extreme for them?"
"Are you intimidated?" Grindelwald asked, cocking his head, and Albus cursed himself for blushing.
"No..." he said quietly, "More interested than anything -- if you don't mind me asking?"
"Well the final straw was me hexing the mark of the Hallows into a stone wall, which they still haven't been able to erase. But let's just say they weren't big fans of me from the beginning." Albus laughed. They where now out of the cemetery, so Albus didn't think it too inappropriate. They were now taking a path into the woods.
"I can't believe you did that." Albus said, "And I suppose you've turned 17? Unless you're born on Summer's break?"
"17, yes, since November."
"Ooh, you're born in November? How very dark and mysterious of you."
"What?" Gellert laughed, "You're not really the boring snob I thought you'd be." Albus laughed.
"You thought that? Can hardly blame you."
"And how old are you?"
"18 in two months."
"You can just say 17, you know."
"Why? You don't like the prospect of me being older than you?" Grindelwald looked at Albus incredibly amused.
"I'm taller than you." Albus laughed. This wasn't the usual first-basis-conversation Albus was long since bored of after all british conversations about weather and garnments.