The burden of the past
Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald stood on the threshold of Dumbledore's home, their gazes locked in a silent understanding. The decision had been made; they would work together to confront the growing threat of Lord Voldemort. But as they stepped into the house, a sense of unease settled over Albus. He couldn't shake the conflicting emotions that surged within him—a blend of hope, fear, worry and the undeniable remnants of love.
The walls of the once-familiar house seemed to close in around them as they walked through the hallways. Albus felt acutely aware of Gellert's presence beside him, the weight of their shared history hanging between them like an invisible barrier. They had been on opposite sides for so long, and the wounds inflicted upon their relationship still bled.
Gellert glanced around, his eyes tracing the familiar surroundings. "It's been a long time since I've been in this house," he remarked softly, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
Albus nodded, his gaze fixated on the floor. "Yes, indeed," he replied, his voice betraying a hint of melancholy. "So much has changed."
Gellert's eyes flickered with curiosity. "And yet, some things remain the same," he mused, his voice laced with a mixture of longing and regret.
Albus's heart skipped a beat, the weight of what Gellert's words could've meant settling heavily upon him. They had both changed, yet the connection between them remained. It was a bittersweet reminder of what they once had and what had been lost, possibly with no way of getting it back.
Days turned into weeks, and the house became a strange amalgamation of secrecy and tension. Gellert resided there, their alliance demanding his presence, yet Albus couldn't help but feel the constant pull of their past. The ghosts of their shared memories lingered in every room, whispering of a love that had both illuminated their lives and torn them apart.
Awkwardness filled the spaces between them, as they attempted to navigate their new dynamic. Each interaction was tinged with a delicate balance of restraint and yearning. Albus struggled to keep his emotions in check, to separate the man Gellert had become from the boy in memories that haunted him.
One evening, as they sat in the study poring over old tomes, the tension finally spilled over. Albus placed his quill down, his voice hesitant yet resolute. "Gellert, we must address the past. We cannot ignore what once existed between us."
Gellert met his gaze, his eyes reflecting a mixture of pain and longing. "No, we cannot," he whispered, his voice heavy with regret. "But how do we move forward, Albus? How do we reconcile the choices we made?"
Albus's heart ached, the weight of their shared mistakes pressing upon him. "I don't have the answers, Gellert," he admitted, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "But we must find a way to forge ahead, for the sake of the greater good."
Gellert's shoulders slumped, and he cast his eyes downward. "The greater good," he scoffed, bitterness seeping into his voice. "A concept we both held dear, yet it tore us apart."
Albus reached out, his hand trembling as he placed it gently on Gellert's. "We were young and foolish," he said, his voice filled with remorse. "But we must find strength in the present. We have a chance to make amends, to ensure that our past mistakes do not define us."
Gellert's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions—pain, regret, and a glimmer of hope. "Can we truly move past it all, Albus?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Can we, can *I* ever find redemption?"
Albus's grip tightened, his thumb tracing soothing circles on Gellert's hand without him even noticing it until Gellert looked at him weirdly. Albus quickly took his hand back. "You must try," he said to cut the awkwardness, his voice filled with determination. "You owe it to yourself and to all those you have hurt."
Days turned into weeks, and with each passing moment, Albus and Gellert tentatively forged a new path. They delved into the arduous task of locating Voldemort's horcruxes, their shared purpose binding them closer together. As they worked side by side, their trust began to slowly rebuild, brick by brick.
Yet, the specter of their past love loomed ever-present, teasing them with what could have been.
Albus caught himself looking at Gellert softly many times, he caught his chest feeling warm and a smile appearing on his face when Gellert was sitting in the kitchen one morning, sipping his coffee in just a robe, barely awake with his hair in a mess. He quickly left and avoided Gellert since then.
Gellert, on the other hand, struggled with the regret he felt whenever he looked at Albus. The past mistakes kept him awake at night, made him wonder what would've happened if he put his love for Albus above 'Greater Good' and his sick need to 'reshape the world'.
They danced on the precipice of their emotions, their hearts yearning for the connection they once shared. But the weight of responsibility and the fear of repeating past mistakes held them back.