This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Task: Defense Against the Dark Arts: Task One: Write about someone trying to concentrate on something difficult.
Word Count: 646
Title: No Greater Love
The Golden Snitch:
Nautical Ship Challenge: Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald - H.M.S. The Greater Good
Ollivanders: Wood: Acacia: Write about a wizard or witch who could be considered 'gifted'.
"Albus, hey, Albus," Gellert said, trying to get his attention.
"Gellert, stop it," he responded, not looking up. "I need to get this essay done."
"Oh, come on," he tried again.
"Will you stop lollygagging and pass me my sepia bag? It has extra quills." Albus asked.
Gellert sighed loudly but passed Albus's bag. "When you're done can we do something fun?" he said suggestively. This made Albus laugh.
"Okay, now be quiet," Albus said firmly, eventually though the raindrops outside had the two forgetting all about the charms assignment due.
The two snuggled up under a blanket, watching the rain wash away the dust of the dry season. The two were feeding each other pumpkin pasties as they lay there hearing nothing but their breathing and the sound of the rain falling against the window.
"For the greater good?" Albus asked me.
"Of course, do you disagree with me?" I asked him, daring him to say it. We were once best friends, lovers, and now he betrayed me. He would give me up to save himself. He said nothing. I wondered if he moved on if he replaced me, but I knew there would be nothing stronger than the bond that had once been between us. I had the blood pact to prove it. I would rise above the rest and rule the Wizarding world alone.
"You could go to prison," Albus said.
"I could also die, but you know, needs must," I shrugged.
"What is this about, Gellert, pride?" he continued.
"Liberation, Albus, that's what it's about. The Muggle culture is backwards and repressed, I only want the best," I insisted.
"What about Arianna? They let her die! That's one of the many things they will pay for!" Albus insisted.
"You used to understand that sacrifices needed to be made for the sake of progress," I told him. We were both overwhelmed with emotion. It was clear the passion has not dissipated, no matter what had come between us.
"You used to be there for me, you used to look out for me," Albus said softly.
"I see my breath in the cold of the air that I breathe, and I'm wondering where it all went wrong," I said before turning to leave. My silver tongue no longer held power over Albus, although we used to be on the same side.
His betrayal hurt like a knife in my side or a sword through the gut. I don't know when power became the driving force behind a man who once sought out equality. I blame myself for Arianna's death as well, I should never have let those Muggles find her. I know Gellert had always been closer to me than even Aberfoth was. Of course, we were more than brothers, we were bound together.
Years passed, and still, I was intent on breaking the blood oath I had undergone. Who was to know that the power would go to Gellert's head, and he would be convinced that he needed to make Muggle-Borns our slaves? Every time I sent a spy to stop him, I felt my own heart break.
A love like ours is eternal, no matter the choices we made that left us on different sides of a war, the truth was that the love would always be between us. A love I wish I could wipe from my memories like the rain washing away the dust. But no matter how far along life takes us, this man would always be my one true love.
"Albus?" I heard a voice from outside my office. I couldn't stop, I needed to find a way to break this bond, once and for all.
"I'm busy," I muttered to the closed door. The more time he had, the more mayhem he would cause, and I let it happen once, I could not let it happen again.