A/N: I've always felt that this story was one of the many in the HP universe that wasn't quite complete, that had left some blank spaces. This fanfic is my attempt to fill them. As such, I'm deviating slightly from my norm and trying to keep to canon. I've checked the wiki and Pottermore and the books while writing and I think I've done a decent job. There is a bit of slash, both Dumbledore/Grindelwald and Dumbledore/Doge, but while nothing in canon says that there was ever any romance between Dumbledore and Doge, there was also nothing in canon that says there wasn't, so it didn't feel like I was breaking canon to include it. The story is already complete, so I will not leave anyone hanging. It is about 30,000 words total, divided into 12 chapters with a very brief epilogue. I appreciate any feedback, positive or negative (I'm also good about responding if you're signed in, especially if you have questions), and I do sincerely apologize if I've seriously deviated from canon in any way. I hope this will be as fun for you to read as it's been for me to write.

Chapter 1

The two teenage wizards pored over the map in front of them. The taller of the two took notes on some parchment with his favorite quill while the other jabbered on, tapping the map with his wand so it focused on different cities, causing it to display the name and list highlights of the area.

"I really think we should leave Europe 'til last, Al. I mean, obviously there's tons of history here and I really want to see Spain and Italy especially, but I fear we'd rush through it if we did Europe first. We can see Europe any old time—I want to see the world! How different can French wizards be from us, really? But the Chinese Empire, Arabia, India! Not to mention Africa. I was thinking we might start with Egypt, then we can kind of…go around. Do you want to go directly to Asia after that, or should we go through Russia first? It's summer, so I bet it'd be really hot in the southern countries…"

"South America, too," the other one cut in. "Perhaps we should leave that to last, before Europe. It should at least be autumn by then. Although that might mean it's winter before we get to Scandinavia, but we'll figure it out as we go along. That's half the fun of it, Elf. Not knowing where you're going 'til you get there. All we need to figure out tonight is where to start, where we're going tomorrow. I'm quite anxious to go to Greece, I think we should start there. After we've gone through Greece, we can go down to Tripoli and then go round Africa, finishing up in Egypt. How's that sound?"

"All right, then," Elphias said cheerfully. He tapped the map with his wand again, and this time it rolled into a tight scroll before soaring across the room and landing in the open bag leaning against the bedpost.

Albus watched its progress. He gave his own wand a small flourish, and his parchment and quill followed the map, taking a slight turn so they landed in his own bag, which was next to Elphias's. "Perhaps we should turn in," he suggested, glancing at the clock on the stone wall. "It's not that late, but we want an early start tomorrow, don't we?"

Elphias grinned. "I can't remember when I've been this excited. When I got my Hogwarts letter, perhaps, but then my bout of dragon pox ruined the experience of actually going. I just knew all the other children would ignore me or make fun of me. Which, of course, they all did. Except you, Albus," he reminded his friend, his eyes growing warm as they settled on him.

Albus smiled back. "I remember," he said. "And you were the only one who didn't care about what my father did to those Muggles—you knew that wasn't a reflection on me. You were willing to be my friend anyway."

"I didn't have a choice, did I?" Elphias laughed. "You were the only one willing to come within 10 feet of me. I'm glad it was you though," he said sincerely, his hand floating across the table to briefly squeeze a couple of Albus's fingers. "You know," he added, "it isn't really…that late." His gray-blue eyes sparkled at his friend's for a quick moment before he got up and crossed the room.

The door was open to the corridor, and voices from the bar several stories below drifted up the stairs to their room. Elphias closed the door softly, and the voices were silent at once. In a single moment, the boys had gone from patrons in a highly crowded inn to two young people who were quite alone. Elphias's eyes didn't leave Albus's as he deliberately turned the key in the lock before removing it.

Albus rose from his seat, feeling his young heart begin to pound in his chest. He'd been expecting this, known it was coming. This wasn't the first time the two teenagers had been alone together, with a bed before them and a night that could stretch on forever.

Elphias returned to the table and stepped up to Albus, putting one hand on his waist and lifting the other so his fingers ran through the red-brown hair. His eyes stared into Albus's eyes as the taller boy wrapped his arms around Elphias's waist.

The kiss was initiated by Elphias, though Albus returned it. Kissing Elf was familiar, comforting. A reminder that among the scores of wizards that respected and admired him (despite his young age), there was one who truly loved him.

The kiss deepened, and Elphias's grip tightened in Albus's hair. Albus ran his hands up and down the back of Elphias's robes. Elphias's hand had crept around Albus's waist to his back underneath his robes, only the thin fabric of his shirt separating skin from skin. Albus allowed this. He enjoyed the tingle that went up his spine with the pressure of Elphias's fingernails. However, when the shorter boy started to untuck the tail of Albus's shirt from his trousers, Albus broke the kiss and stepped back.

"What's the matter?" Elphias asked, slightly breathless from the intensity of kissing.

"Not tonight, Elf," Albus said.

"What?" Elphias said, looking momentarily disillusioned. Then he stepped close again, replacing his hands on his friend's waist. "Albus," he crooned, kissing his face and then his mouth again. "Why not?" he breathed in his ear. "What could be a better way to start our trip together?"

"I want to wait," Albus said, not meeting Elphias's eyes. "I want it to be special."

"You've been saying that for two years," Elphias said, wrapping his arms around Albus and forcing them closer. "Tonight is special."

"It doesn't feel right," Albus disagreed. "Maybe…while we're on the trip…it will happen when it's supposed to happen, Elf. When the moment is right, we'll know."

Elphias sighed and let go of Albus, recognizing defeat. Albus kissed him once more, almost as an apology, before walking away and pulling his nightshirt out of his bag.

They shared the double bed in the room, and Albus let Elphias cuddle up to him, holding his hand over his chest. Elphias fell asleep quickly, murmuring now and again as he dreamed, but Albus lay awake. Not out of excitement for the upcoming trip he'd been looking forward to for years, but out of anxiety about his relationship with the wizard beside him. He supposed, technically, Elphias was his boyfriend. They'd been fifteen when they'd first kissed, and over two years had elapsed since then, though they'd never taken it much further. In spite of this, Albus still thought of Elf as his best friend in his head, and he couldn't bring himself to make love with him. It wasn't that he wasn't attracted to him, it was just…well…Albus wasn't entirely sure what it was. He couldn't even explain it to himself, let alone to Elphias, and he didn't know how much longer he could delay him before Elphias gave up entirely and decided maybe they oughtn't see each other anymore. It had always seemed so natural that they take the Grand Tour together, but Albus hadn't allowed himself to consider the implications of what would likely be months spent entirely in Elphias's company, alone, in tents or secluded rooms of inns. Perhaps he should just give in and let Elphias have what he wanted. He would probably enjoy it, even if it wasn't as much as Elf would, and it might make their trip more fun. Would he rather spend the whole time arguing about when they were going to shag or just do it? Maybe…maybe tomorrow night, the first official night of their trip, he would give in. There really wasn't any reason not to…except…even after all this time, Albus wasn't really sure he was in love. In fact, he highly doubted he was. His affection for his friend was greater than for anyone, with the possible exception of his sister Ariana, and he genuinely enjoyed the time they spent together, but there was always the nagging feeling. If all the poetry, songs, and stories of being in love weren't just exaggerations, then Albus knew in his heart that this wasn't it. And though there were plenty of wizards to whom that wouldn't matter, to Albus…the first time at least…it did.

—

Albus must have fallen asleep at some point, because he woke to Elphias's shout. "Al! Get up! It's today!"

Albus smiled as he rose, his worries from last night gone. What difference did it make if he was in love with Elphias or not, if they were intimate or not? After years of waiting, they were finally going to start their trip around the world. All the things they were going to see, the witches and wizards they were going to meet, it was finally happening.

The young men quickly dressed, made sure everything was packed, and headed downstairs. It was early; the Leaky Cauldron had barely started serving breakfast, but there were several other witches and wizards drinking tea and nibbling toast. A group of witches around the boys' age were arguing in Portuguese a few tables away, and Albus wondered if they were taking the Grand Tour as well.

As they waited for their food, Elphias had retrieved the map and begun to chatter about it again, pointing out highlights in Greece that they absolutely had to see and musing about whether they'd have time to visit Rhodes and Crete or whether they'd have to choose one or the other.

"Albus?" Elphias said, tapping his shoulder just as their eggs arrived. "Isn't that your owl? I think it is, he's coming over here."

Albus looked up, and sure enough, an eagle owl he recognized as belonging to his family soared across the room and landed on the table. "Thanks, Sol," he said, taking the envelope from its beak and stroking its feathers. "I wonder what they want…maybe just wishing me luck on the journey…"

Sol took the bit of toast Elphias offered him as Albus read the letter, which was from his brother Aberforth. He had to read it three times before it made sense to him. His brother's already messy writing was even worse than usual, as though this had been written very hurriedly—but illegibility wasn't what was causing him such confusion.

Albus,

There's been an accident. You've got to come home right away. It's mother. Ariana…it was an accident. She was having one of her fits. I wasn't home. By the time I got there, it was too late. I don't know exactly what happened, and Ariana couldn't tell me. Mother's gone, Albus.

"Albus?" Elphias said when Albus went over a minute without speaking. His eyes did not leave the parchment, though he'd stopped reading it. His eyes kept focusing on the words "accident," "too late," and "Mother's gone," without comprehending them.

Elphias put a hand on Albus's wrist. "Albus, what's wrong?" he asked gently. "What happened?"

Feeling as though someone else was in charge of his words, Albus whispered, "It's my mother. She's…" It was incredible how strings of incantations from long-forgotten languages flowed easily on his tongue even when he was under pressure, yet he struggled to pronounce this single syllable. "Elphias, my mother...Aberforth says she's...she's dead."

"What?" The voice held the same stunned disbelief that Albus was feeling, and he handed the letter to his friend to see for himself.

"Albus," Elphias said in a hushed voice after he finished reading. "I…I'm so sorry."

"I've got to go home straight away," Albus spoke suddenly, standing up without even being aware of it. The room seemed like a blur, the rest of the tables and patrons miles away.

"Of course," Elphias said. "I'll come with you. Forget the trip, maybe another time—"

"No," Albus said, with more force than he'd intended. "No," he repeated, more gently. "You go, Elphias. Don't worry about me. You've been looking forward to this trip for years."

"I've been looking forward to going on this trip with you," Elphias said, taking Albus's hand again. "It won't be the same without you. I can wait."

"But you shouldn't. You should go. This is my family, my burden. I have to do this." He forced a smile, though smiling was the last thing in the world he felt like doing. "Go, Elf. Write me about all your adventures. Maybe…in a few years, when Ab's done with school, we can go on a trip together. Remember your favorite places, and we'll visit them. But for now…." He rose, and Elphias did the same. "I can't leave Aberforth and Ariana alone like this. I have to go." He dropped a few sickles on the table for his untouched breakfast, gave Elphias a quick kiss on the cheek, and Disapparated without another word.