hallowseeker:

While Albus may have made the jest — or at leas that’s what Gellert hoped it was — he also knew how to react correctly to keep Gellert pacified enough. 

His eyes slid from Albus’s for the first time to meet his aunt’s. What she was suggesting was far from fact. Gellert didn’t think he’d be capable of staying in this place for an entire lifetime, but by all means the invitation was there and he had no better offer. At least there would be a type base to always return to. 

“Of course,” he said, smile more polite than before. He knew it was the answer Bathilda wanted. He’d been some company to her lately, and judging by how lonely she was reported to be that was something she had needed. “Now that I’m out of school.” Expelled was accurate, but that was quite the burden to admit to someone he’d just met. He didn’t want Albus getting the wrong idea. With privacy and a retelling of what had happened however, Gellert was certain things would be quite smooth. 

“And you, Albus?” he asked, gaze searching for that stunning blue again. “How long do you plan on keeping your roots in this town?” 

Albus was delighted and was excited to hear that Gellert was out of school as it meant that they were at the same age.  “I…” He dropped his gaze, though, when he was being asked the question that he wasn’t keen to answer, or wasn’t ready to admit.

“I am of the same situation as you…” Albus couldn’t help but feel hopeless in his case even though he had submitted to the cruel reality.  “I’ve just finished my education and will be staying at home to look after my siblings until…perhaps till my younger brother graduates.”

Albus looked up again, forcing himself into a smile as he redirected the attention back to the other. “Are you going to look for a job here, then?”

hallowseeker:

The surprise on Gellert’s face was genuine. Sure, it was impressive that he managed to conclude such but there was a comment that caught him entirely off guard. 

“Her niece?” he asked. He laughed then, the sound taking a genuine ring to it. “Surely you don’t think I’m that feminine?” There’d been comments before on either the fall of his hair to his stance but always had it been in jest back at school. 

Still, two out of three was impressive enough, if not obvious. If he were not a relative, there’d be no reason for him to stay with Bathilda. Judging by his age, it was only logical that a summer is the length he’d stay — though now he had no school to return to. 

Gellert’s profile was delicate but he had the body build of a young man that one could never mistake him for a female.

“Not really. No.” Albus chuckled at the question; although he wasn’t sure if the other had realised that he was merely joking, he was glad that the tension had been diffused nonetheless.

Bathilda, while on the hand, was amused by Albus and laughed.  She had to wipe the tear of laughter off the corners of her eyes and calmed herself down before she spoke “Very well, my boy.  But Gellert has made this his permanent home, isn’t it? Gellert?”  She turned around to face her nephew as she inquired.

hallowseeker:

The guard up around the other didn’t surprise Gellert, but the fortitude of it did. It may be more work than he originally thought to get to the heart of this one, but the interest he was feeling was already leaning towards accepting Albus. 

“Gellert Grindelwald,” he replied. The smile was slightly smaller, though not unkind. A simple shake of hands came with words and expression. Gellert held onto to the touch, just a brief second too long before dropping his hand back to his side. 

Formalities are met, but in two simple words Gellert managed to issue a challenge. Nothing would be offered about himself so early nor so freely. Anything Albus wanted to know, he would need to either find out on his own or ask the right question. 

Albus slightly arched an eyebrow at the introduction.  One would usually go further than only telling the others their name upon their first meeting. It didn’t discourage Albus and naturally took up the challenge.

“If I am not mistaken, you must be Miss Bagshot’s relative, possibly her niece, staying with her for the summer?” Instead of asking the question directly, Albus ventured a tentative guess based on his understanding on his neighbour.

Bathilda, who was standing next to Albus looked thoroughly impressed.  Judging from her expression, Albus assumed that his hypothesis was correct.  He smiled at the boy who was slightly taller than him,  studying his reaction closely.

hallowseeker:

Gellert’s eyes snapped open when he heard the knock. There was a tension that accompanied it, though just why he didn’t understand. This meeting would be no different than all the others. There was no reason it would be. Just another person, though one that Gellert longed to ensnare. And shortly, he’d know if it was worth working for Albus Dumbledore. 

Snippets of conversation reached his ears. He followed it, though hardly paid much attention to anything besides the male voice that drifted through to the living room. There was almost something… soothing about it. There was definitely that calming lilt to it, but there was also another tinge… something that stimulated the part of Gellert that always lusted to know more. About what, he wasn’t yet sure. 

Silence reigned for a couple seconds and Gellert’s eyes lifted from the design of the rug to the pair of people standing in the entrance. That first glance was directed straight towards Albus, his gaze meeting the other’s. In a while, Gellert would allow himself to see this man physically, but right now all he wanted to know was written in those eyes. 

He uncrossed his legs and pushed himself up. It only took five long strides to reach Albus and when he did, Gellert offered a hand. 

“Albus Dumbledore, isn’t it?” he asked, letting that natural smile flow over his face. This man — though Gellert knew he hardly reached the title — would not be able to see through the slight crack in his expression. This smile seemed normal, as if offered to an old friend while in reality it held little of that warmth. This was all formality. But Gellert’s interest was already piqued. 

“I’ve heard your name throughout the town. All good, of course. You seem quite the golden boy.” Words were all polite, perhaps bordering on fond. Right now Gellert’s aim was to charm, and see where Albus’s principles really lay. 

 The confident strides in addition to the smile that was worn on the good looking boy’s face had the effect of casting an amiable aura around him.  

Albus returned the smile as he took the offered hand with the hand that wasn’t holding the borrowed book. “Thank you. And you are…?” The boy might be able to fool many people with his manner but certainly not Albus.  He noticed the lack of warmth in the other’s eyes as he looked directly into them.  Albus immediately realised that these were all formalities that he also wouldn’t show his true emotions until the other had revealed his.  

The stranger however hadn’t fail to capture Albus’ curiosity.  The eyes that were looking into his seemed to be hiding something deep.  They were the kind of eyes that were similar to his and he wondered if it was a chance to know someone who was around his age and was like to be considered as his equal in a long time.

hallowseeker:

Apparently, spending the occasional tea with Albus had been a fairly common occurrence. Common enough that Bathilda didn’t pull out that pot with the gold inlays on the handle, just the simple light blue number she used to pour her own tea throughout the day. It was casual it seemed, and he understood the implication. If things felt natural and far less like a formal meeting, conversation would be stimulated and perhaps there’d be that chance that Gellert and Albus would fall into this casual friendship. 

Gellert wasn’t entirely convinced. It was nice, of course, to be able to sit near the fire and simply relax during an event like this, but there was a faux feel to it. Things shouldn’t be planned to be natural. Pieces only fell into place when one least expected it. 

A quick glance towards the clock — really, he was beginning to grow restless — and Gellert let out a soft sigh. It wouldn’t be long, or at least he hoped it wouldn’t be. The past ten minutes had been spent in the chair offset near the small card table against the wall, positioned in a way that he’d be able to see out the front window towards the walkway that lead up to the door. 

Whatever he thought about the created atmosphere — or maybe Bathilda really was this casual with the Dumbledores, strange as it seemed — Gellert’s disposition set into it seamlessly. One leg careless draped over the other, fingers drumming along the arm of the chair. 

Soon, he reminded himself. He shut his eyes and leaned his head against the high back of the chair. A knock would come from that door soon, and this little meeting would start and then he’d be the judge of whether or not Albus Dumbledore was as brilliant as he sounded. 

Unknown of the arrangement that Bathilda had planned for him, Albus knocked at the door as usual.  He didn’t have to wait long till the oak front door was flung open in front of him, revealing a little, middle-aged woman. 

“Good afternoon, Miss Bagshot. Thank you for the invitation.” Albus greeted and smiled down at the woman who’s height only reaching his chest. 

“Oh, it’s good to see you, Albus!” Bathilda gave the boy a welcoming hug before she took Albus by the arm, leading him into the house, shutting the door close behind them.

Albus fidgeted a little as he allowed himself to be led.  He had rarely seen his neighbour being that excited.  Albus felt that he had to do something to sooth the uneasy feeling he was experiencing, or at least to gain some control over the situation; so the youth reached for the borrowed book that was tucked under his arm, pulling it out, intending to return it to its owner.

“Miss Bagshot? The book was very informative, th-“ 

Bathilda didn’t seem to be listening, though. She cut off Albus in the middle of the sentence and whispered in a hushed voice.

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” 

Albus’ eyes widened slightly in question, wondering who it could be as the woman gestured him into the living room.

“I hope the two of you will get along.”

As Albus entered the living room along with Bathilda, he saw a blond teenager who looked more or less the same age as him sitting non-chalently, or rather graciously, in a comfortable arm chair.

hallowseeker:

Godric’s Hollow was quite the drab place. At face value, there was hardly a thing interesting in the village. The weather was moderate, the people even more so. There were few conversations he had indulged in and even those had mostly occurred because he needed to map out his surroundings. A few had happened more in part to give him the reputation of charming — something that was both enticing and allusive. 

As soon as he managed to slip away on his own, it was always to the graveyard he retreated. There, the grave of Ignotus Peverell rested along with his main clue to the Hallows. It was a riddle left behind, one that he was destined to crack.

It was to that grave he longed to go now, but Bathilda was keeping him restrained. Typically, he would have just walked out the door regardless. That grave was more important than any pleasantries she wished for him to exchange with the old bats she invited over for tea. But perhaps the person she had called on today could be worth something. 

For the past few days, Gellert had found himself running into dead ends. The grave had given him everything it could, yet he found himself still yearning for answers. While his pride wouldn’t allow him to think of it as asking for help, he knew there were certain resources he could use to his advantage. One happened to go by the name of Albus Dumbledore — Merlin knew Bathilda thought he was brilliant enough. There’d been endless chatter about this Dumbledore bloke, and Gellert’s interest had been piqued. Young enough his ideals may fall in line with Gellert’s own, and a well developed reputation that Albus would carry for him as a type of cover. It was a golden boy he was after, one that seemed to do nothing but good. 

Brilliance really, that Bathilda had invited Albus over today for tea. 

It had been at least a month since their mother’s death.  With their father being sent to Azkaban after the revenge for their sister, all the weight of the family suddenly fell on Albus’ shoulder that he had no choice but to terminate all his post-graduation plans and looked after his younger siblings.

Albus’ life had become a monotonous routine.  Unable to neglect his only family that was left, Albus was unable to go out for long where most of his time was spent indoor.  He was also disconnected from his friends, from the outside world.  The only person that Albus had been seeing was their neighbour, Bathilda Bagshot, who seemed to be quite concerned about his family and his well-being after tragedy.

The kind lady would invite him over for a cup of tea from time to time and since it was only a few houses away, Albus had always failed to find any excuse to decline the invitation.

Upon visiting Bathilda, Albus discovered the vast collection of books that his neighbour possessed.  Knowing that the youth might be interested in them, Bathilda allowed him to borrow some for leisure reading and Albus was more than happy to accept the generous offer.  He’d borrow at least one on his visit and return it the next time he’d been invited over.

Albus received an owl from his neighbour two weeks after his last visit in the morning.  The note was slightly longer than usual; there was an extra line after the invitation, saying that there was someone that she’d love her meet.  Albus looked down at the piece of parchment in puzzlement, wondering who it could be yet he didn’t make his enquiry in his answer and merely thanked the invitation.

It was three in the afternoon when Albus had finished all the housework and left for his neighbour with the book he intended to return in his hand.