Disclaimer: As always nothing but the original characters and situations belong to me. Everything else belongs to someone else.

Lyrics from Mirror by Justin Timberlake

Show Me

The First Time

Aren't you something to admire, 'cause your shine is something like a mirror
And I can't help but notice, you reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone and the glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I'm always parallel on the other side

Blinking hard and fast seventeen-year-old Albus Dumbledore ran down the hallway with no particular destination in mind. All he cared about was that his feet take him as far away from Peter Brown as possible. And that no one saw him, since he'd die of the shame and embarrassment if anyone were to see him with teary eyes and no semblance of composure. Merlin, he'd been so stupid. Such a fool. No...there were no words, Albus abruptly decided. Nary a one that could truly and most accurately express just how wrong he'd been to ever hope, much less believe that the beautiful boy he'd so admired for six wasted years would ever look at him. Want him. Awkward, skinny, pale as a ghost Albus Dumbledore. Smart only when it came to books and spells and destined never to know anything besides them. Never to see the world no matter what Doge and he had planned. He'd never know love or...or even the touch of another man's lips on his own. That's how repulsive and wrong he was. Because even if the impossible were possible, and he could find a man who would, for reasons that currently escaped him, even just desire him...this was a world that would never allow that to be. Not in the open. Not for all the world to know as his friends had. As he most desperately wanted.

Oh how Albus wanted to be wanted.

Stopping to rest a hand on the cold stone of the wall, he was out of breath already, curse it, Albus looked behind him to make sure that he was still alone at the very least. He was fairly sure that Peter had been far too engrossed in kissing that Hufflepuff girl to even notice Albus stumbling upon them, but the idea that even a ghost was bearing witness to his humiliation was too much to-

Hold on. What was that door doing there?

As a seventh year student, former prefect, AND now Head Boy Albus had spent considerable time wandering these hallways, learning every inch of it. At this point he knew what was where save for the stairs which were always moving. And there had definitely, in all those years, never been a door there.

Pushing his glasses up his nose with his free hand, Albus considered it for a minute or so of caution before pushing away from the wall and slowly approaching the mysterious door that had popped up in the week or so since he'd last been this way. Drawing his wand just to be on the safe side, one could never be sure in the Magical World, Albus reached out and turned the knob of the door with the other.

It turned without protest. Not locked.

Truly intrigued now Albus stuck his head in just enough to confirm that there was no one inside and then stepped in to take a further look at the mysterious room.

A room that was empty, save for a mirror.

A mirror who, once he got slightly closer to it, Albus recognized from a book on famous Hogwarts artefacts.

"The Mirror of Erised."

There were plenty of ornate, decorative mirrors in the school of course, but the inscription on the frame gave it away. Studying the words Albus shook his head over the fact that many, if not most people who attempt to read it would surmise that it was a dead language of some sort. Minds too small and linear to see that in truth, the inscription was in English. It was only written backward and with odd spacing to further distract and confuse. But if read correctly the truth, and the mirror's purpose, was revealed.

"I show not your face but your heart's desire."

What would he see, were he to move closer?

Would he see himself as Minister of Magic? With some handsome youth gazing at him lovingly, perhaps, uncaring that anyone might see. Rich and famous and known the world over for his intelligence, abilities, and character.

Or would he be so vain and small minded that he'd see himself no longer cursed with horrible, veiny white skin, ugly red hair, and a body that remained scrawny and without definition no matter how he might wish it otherwise. Which were all things he knew intellectually he could change through magic easily enough, but he would always know it was a lie. As so much of his life and who he presented himself as to the world so often felt like a lie.

And no good could come of looking into that mirror, Albus told himself as he stayed just out of its line of 'vision'. Because it showed you what you wanted, not what you could have. Some of his desires were possible, yes, but in his heart of hearts Albus knew that what he wanted most could never be. His family was irrevocably broken. And he would never have someone that was his and his alone to make a new one with.

He'd been hurt and disappointed enough tonight.

Decision made Albus whirled around on his heels, his long red braid flying out behind him as he determinedly marched back to the door and let himself out again, closing the door firmly behind him. Would have locked it behind him if there'd been a key to do so with. As it was Albus made a mental note to tell the Headmaster that the mirror really shouldn't be on display where some unknowing student could come across it.

It could drive a person mad after all. Seeing and wanting what they could never hope to have.

)

The Second Time

'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go
Just put your hand on the glass, I'm here trying to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

When Gellert's aunt had announced that she had a wonderful surprise for them Albus really hadn't known what to expect. Madam Bathilda Bagshot was a very kind woman, and interesting enough to talk to, but she had proven herself to be woefully ignorant when it came to what interested men their age, much less of their considerable intelligence. Case in point, a few weeks ago she'd bought Gellert a journal with a flower pattern inside. His friend had impressed him to no end with how calmly and 'delightfully' he'd accepted the gift despite the fact that most boys would have refused it and hurt their aunt's feelings. But not Gellert.

Though Albus was pretty sure that he didn't want to know what Gellert had done with it afterwards.

It had been kind of her to invite him as well, even if she insisted on keeping the point of the Ministry visit a surprise from them. Like they were children, Gellert had muttered under his breath. But at least this would give Gellert an opportunity to see the Ministry, which was something he had expressed some interest in doing. Albus could have cared less about seeing it or the surprise, but was happy to go because...because of Gellert. He'd do pretty much anything for him. To have an excuse to be with him. He was a fool, and it was a struggle every minute of the day to hide the depths of his feelings for Gellert, but it was worth it just to be able to call the other boy his friend. His closest friend. The only person Albus had ever met with intelligence to equal his own. And this beautiful, brilliant, charming and perfect boy had chosen him to call friend in return. To be his partner in revolutionizing the Wizarding World and saving it from its ignorance. Remove the blinder and show them-

"Ta da!"

Blinking into awareness, and reminded that he wasn't alone and shouldn't be getting lost in his own head again, Albus focused on Madam Bagshot and what she was gesturing at now that she'd opened the door that had stood between them and whatever her big surprise was.

"The Mirror of Erised."

The older woman stared at him in shocked surprise. "How on earth did you know that, Albus?"

"I...I saw it once at Hogwarts."

"Oh." For a moment she looked a tad put out, but brightened as she beamed a smile in Gellert's direction. "My very good friend Alby Gillyford told me all about it. A visiting historian asked to see it, it seems, and it was brought here to the Ministry for convenience. I asked if I could bring you boys with me to see it, since I know how interested you both are in rare, magical artefacts."

"This is the mirror that shows you your deepest desire, correct? What you want most in your life?"

Surprised to hear a hint of interest in Gellert's voice, Albus looked at him while his friend's aunt babbled away about the mirror and its history as they walked into the room to get a closer look.

Given that history was the love of her life she knew quite a lot, and lectured them for about ten minutes of the subject before her friend, Gillyford, stuck his head in and apologized for interrupting her. He just needed to borrow her for a few minutes for something. A disagreement between colleagues that he was sure she could settle.

"Of course, of course. Now you boys check out the mirror, see what there is to see." She gave them a ridiculous wink and grin. "After all, what we think we want and desire most is not always the case. Just don't stare too long. I'll be back before you know it."

Albus watched her leave, the door carefully closed behind her. Then he turned back to see Gellert approaching the mirror with a thoughtful look on his face.

Curious, Albus came forward too while keeping carefully out of the mirror's range. Not that that would affect what either of them saw in the mirror's depths. One only saw one's own desires. It was small comfort to know that if Gellert insisted on Albus trying the mirror, the unknowing love of his life wouldn't know that it was Gellert he would see with him there.

For a couple of minutes Gellert just stared into the mirror, not saying a word or acknowledging him in any way. Then a sound, almost like a growl, left Gellert's lips as he stared at the pane of glass and glared. He seemed...furious over what he saw there.

"Gellert?"

"This is not what I desire most. This is...this is." Gellert's head whipped around to look at him searchingly before turning back to glare at what to Albus looked like the other man's reflection. "You aren't close enough or at the right angle." Gellert continued, speaking in German now. So low Albus had to strain to hear and understand him. "How...it's defective. It must have been broken in transport or something. This is not...where is my victory? My revolution? Why would it show me..."

If it was true that Gellert didn't see his revolution and his plans coming to fruition than the mirror had to have been damaged. There was nothing Gellert wanted more than to save the world from itself. Though why would his own position matter unless-

"Albus. Stand here. Tell me what you see."

Stomach bursting with butterflies, as much from dread of discovery as from lust at the way Gellert had growled the commanding words, Albus nodded automatically, unable not to obey as he obediently came over to stand before the mirror while Gellert moved aside.

Taking a deep breath Albus straightened his shoulders and braced for what the mirror would possibly reveal, whether it be true or false. Either way he was prepared to lie with all the skill and cunning he possessed if it worked.

For a moment or two Albus saw simply his reflection staring back at him. Then Gellert appeared at his side, their two figures joining hands like it was the most natural thing for them to do. Then they were turning to face each other, the look on Mirror Gellert's face...

It was his most desperate and secret wish for Gellert to look at him like that. With love, naked and there for all to see as Gellert looked at him. And only him. He truest and deepest desire, Albus acknowledged as his heart ached with the pain of it. With wanting this to be true while knowing that it was not nor would ever be.

And then to add insult to injury Albus watched as his reflection and the other Gellert both magically lost their shirts, wrapping each other up in an embrace while their lips met and clung to each other's in an intimate kiss that set his cheeks aflame. And that was before their hands started moving possessively over each other's bare torsos.

Gellert's demand to know what he saw shocked Albus enough that he would have most likely fallen backward and onto his rear if Gellert's hand hadn't shot out to grab and support him.

"Well? What did you see? It's broken, isn't it?"

"Perhaps? It's hard to say. What I saw was something I desired...but not what I desire most." God, he was too rattled to lie. Albus wanted to smack himself upside the head. Here he was, the finest and most accomplished student to ever graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and that was the best response his brain had come up with? Ugh.

Seeing Gellert open his mouth to comment, Albus thought fast and blurted out the only 'counter curse' he could think of.

"What did you see?"

Albus had never seen Gellert blush, but there was definite color in his friend's cheeks now.

"Nevermind that. It was wrong. That's the point."

And so saying Gellert turned and marched towards the door, Albus watching him go for a stunned moment before running after him, confused and...curious.

Just what had Gellert seen in the Mirror of Erised?