Aegis
One, careless moment. That is all Gellert Grindelwald needs to succeed.
His body was sprawled on the bed, one hand supporting his head, which was resting on the feathery pillow. One leg was resting on the other's knee. He absent-mindedly dangled the floating foot, for his mind was far from this room.
Gellert sighed: it was taking far too long...
How does he sleep? he unexpectedly asked, a successful attempt to exorcise the boredom and impatience. Gellert quickly uncrossed his legs and let them fall in a more natural position. Like this?
He entwined his hands and rested them on his stomach. Or... this? Or perhaps he's someone who rests on his sides. It will definitely be the right side, Gellert added, chuckling silently.
The hands moved to settle beside each thigh and he gazed at the brown ceiling. What's he thinking about, when he's lying here?
His eyes narrowed, his vision diminished to a small, dirtied spot. Does he brood?...Nah. He quickly discarded that.
Does he think? Well, of course: his mind was thinking in every minute of every hour. It would not surprise him if he had lost some precious sleep, by thinking, cracking puzzles and inventing exciting and fascinating thoughts. After all, Gellert himself did this, too. All the time... well, almost all the time.
But, does he also think about me? Gellert smirked: a very possible thing. He was sure that shadowed glint could be seen again in his partly shaded eyes.
The owner of this bed would use this for more than the easy, designed purpose. One glance around him told him enough: books were scattered everywhere. The very first glance seemed to say that this room was chaotic, but a closer examination showed that everything was carefully organised. No book was resting on an illogical spot. His desk, too, looked too neat.
Gellert lazily turned his head to the large wardrobe: behind the wooden doors, he was sure to find all the attires systematically arranged. If it was organised by colour, though, it would create absolute chaos.
A classic example of a neat freak. Even with his eyes opened, Gellert could clearly see his disapproving eyes, whenever he observed how Gellert treated his own things... or from others. He had received more than enough lectures from him, not only when he 'did not show proper respect and care to his things', but also when he showed this same behaviour with a stranger, for example. The chiding seemed to be less severe in the second case, though...
Gellert chuckled: when he would come back and take one glance at his... not so organised and clean bed, Gellert would have to listen to his criticising words again.
Oh, well... were was I? So, he slept here... but only sleeping? He moved one hand to his stomach, and slowly lowered it, stopping at the relaxed bulk.
A deep chuckle showed itself, mingled with a sigh. He shook his head while muttering, "poor Albus..."
The door creaked open. Finally!
Deliberately letting his hand stray on the found place, Gellert merrily asked, "bad stomach?" A laugh was visible in these two words.
He expected a soft chuckle, followed by mocking words and nimble steps, but only silence bounced against him.
Gellert quickly glanced at the door and was surprised to not see the tall and lean form, but a small, feminine body staring back at him.
His upper body was raised and his left hand turned away from himself. Now... this is quite a surprise...
"Where's Albus?" the girl suddenly asked. Her voice was very soft, as if afraid to talk louder. "I can't find him."
"He is–"he wanted to say 'shitting until he can't properly sit any more', but somehow, Gellert couldn't bring himself to use such vulgar words in front of this person. Instead, he planted his feet on the ground and stared at this new, unfamiliar presence.
Gellert had glimpsed her more than several times now, but every time when he desired to come closer to her, Albus' voice lured his attention away from her, or a hand, resting on his body to steer him away from her direction. Every time he asked for more information, and every time he was only given short, and somewhat brusque answers. Sometimes, he would even ignore the questions, or introduce a new, typically a more interesting topic – for Albus, that was. Gellert wanted nothing more than to know more about her than her given name and age.
Now that he thought about this: Albus seemed to be lenient and calm. His little brother turned into an overprotective Hungarian Horntail, frantically protecting his offspring. One time, Gellert noticed her sitting on a patch of grass and was dreamingly staring at a baby goat. He had immediately grabbed his chance and had almost run to her. She had not even greeted back, when Gellert felt the steaming breath of fire on his back. A moment later, he could only see the standing form shielding the sitting girl, hear harsh and loud words. One hand was clearly gripping his wand.
No... their behaviours were not considered normal. So there must be some kind of... secret, a mysterious thing he was not supposed to know. Gellert knew of the many rumours: there was a Squib hiding in this house, or a mentally deranged child, or – and this had brought him uncontrolled fits of loud laugher – some suspected that the owners of this house tried to change her gender, and were doing anything to hide the fact that she was a woman, a girl. But rumours were only formed by fear, ignorance and the need to shine proudly amongst the listeners. Blatant lies could contain more information than some blatant nonsense he had picked up in random, but close places to this particular house.
Here, completely unexpectedly, she had appeared. Entirely without protection. Where is the savage Minotaur?
She took one small step, so she was physically in the room, and glanced around, her eyes moving to every corner, even peering behind the other side of the door.
"Is he gone?" she asked again. Gellert only resumed his staring at her, the eyebrows raised.
The fear was visible now. It was swirling faster than the panic in her voice. But he sensed something else, something hidden: disguised energy... obscured magic. Might this be the secret I am searching for?
It was pulsing stronger now. She did not exert herself to dampen this. After all, it remained a question whether she did know what she was radiating. Keeping this in acceptable quantities was very difficult, almost impossible for this small, fragile body and inexperienced mind.
This tingling, but exciting sensation was not unfamiliar: her eldest brother produced the exact same feeling. But his was carefully cloaked, always in meticulous control and well-hidden behind his words and impaling stare. He only showed this true potential when an award could be won – or when he talked and discussed with Gellert, and temporary forgot to keep a constant tab on himself.
Yet, his body and mind reacted differently to this. An intense desire grew to experience this more deeply, to explore it, to feel the core, the most intense part for both him... and her.
Here eyes watered, now she was certain Albus wasn't in this room, her breathing rapidly quickening.
"He is gone?" she inquired yet again, the words shaking from apparent emotions.
"No, he is taking a break, at the moment," Gellert quickly answered, not liking the clearly visible anxiety and panic in her demeanour.
"But where is he?"
"Lavatory."
Her lips shaped into an O, but she did calm herself, probably realising why she couldn't find Albus.
"What do you need him for?" Gellert asked, tightly clutching on this lucky chance to advance without disturbance.
"Hm? Oh... nothing," she distractedly answered. She was peering at the window, her hands awkwardly grasping each other.
"Why don't you join me on this wonderful, fluffy bed?"
"No, thank you," she softly, but politely replied. She stopped at the bright spot and stared outside.
Gellert frowned his face. She was... different, very different from that ruthless barbarian. She reminded him of Albus and that confused him: many times when he saw this young girl, he was with her. He could not remember a point where Albus was in her vicinity, away from Gellert, and alone with her. That made him suspect that he – what's his name... ah, Aberforth – had a close bond with her and that Albus was an unimportant stranger to them. He already knew that Aberforth and Albus constantly disagreed with each other. For how could one not say and do the complete opposite from this... dim-witted and senseless person? But this girl...
Am I wrong?
"I am sure that the view outside is absolutely splendid, but won't you do me a big favour and turn around?"
She was... ignoring Gellert. A peculiar thing to experience, and not something Gellert desired to feel again.
"Ariana, why don't you–" Gellert halted when he saw her frowned expression staring straight towards his face. Her eyes were glinting strangely.
"I don't know you."
So?
"So don't call me that... please," she quietly added the last word with a too soft exhale of air.
She completely turned her body away from the light and walked away. To the door. The exit.
"Wait!" Gellert cried, quickly standing up and already taking a step towards the opened, rectangular wood, prepared to take... greater measures to prevent her leave. But it seemed that words were enough, for she froze and stared back in surprise.
Gellert inhaled a deep breath and showed a smile, knowing that this would enhance his face.
"Why don't we... wait here? You don't have to talk if you don't want to," Gellert quickly added, when her clear, blue eyes rested on the opening.
"You can even ignore me, if that is what you wish for." Gellert invisibly cringed from his own words, and strangely hoped that that was not her wish.
Her expression changed into a thoughtful one and she awarded him a quick glance.
"Just... wait?" she hesitantly summarised.
"Just wait," Gellert repeated.
She gazed one more time through the opening, before slowly walking towards Gellert. Her face was lowered: she missed the broadening of Gellert's smile and the triumphant glimmer in his eyes.
He retraced his steps and slowly lowered his bottoms on the bed. His face had not desisted their careful stare at this... captivating anomaly. Her right fingers were twirling again around the left ones.
"Come... sit here for a moment," Gellert delicately said. "Albus will not return sooner, even when you continue this fretting."
She stopped moving her hands, a small blush adorning her cheeks. Her intense stare glanced at the fixated eyes. Her attention Gellert had, now he only needed to lure her towards him.
"I will assure you: I will not say a single word to you – if you don't want to, that is. And I will not do anything inappropriate, if that is worrying you."
That stare... it reminded Gellert of Albus, how he would sometimes give him a sharp and fierce look when he was fascinated of something Gellert had said or shown to him... or in a rare moment where he was extremely puzzled by something.
He scooting to the left to give her more space to choose from, silently inviting her to come closer. Soon, a ridiculously large smile was on his lips, and the far end of the bed dipped with a light weight.
Good. Now he only needed to tighten this grip, and completely ensnare her before she wriggled away, or her aegis was spotted by watchful eyes. Now, fortunately, both pairs were closed.
He moved his body until his back touched the heavy wood. He lowered his eyes just enough to not bluntly ogle her, but still high enough to see what she was doing.
So, Gellert waited. He almost praised himself that he had successfully ignored the longing to fire a continuous flow of questions, or approaching and probably violating her comfort zone.
His mind resumed what it would do if he needed to be patient: distraction.
Seriously... where is Albus? He abruptly commented. Has he had an... accident? Or maybe his tummy is really abusing his stomach and mouth...
Well... what was unfortunate for someone, may be fortunate for the other. He wriggled his body to position it more comfortably, chuckling darkly, knowing that the area behind him would be slightly dirtied.
Her blunt stare was beginning to annoy him, though. He never liked to be quiet, to be truly quiet for so long, but he mentally kicked himself thrice and showed a welcoming smile.
Finally... movements! She slowly rotated her body to face Gellert's, and buried her ankles beneath her thighs. Her hands plopped on her thighs, and her spine was perfectly straight.
"Gellert?"
"Yes?" he quickly answered, ignoring the piercing enthusiasm.
"No... I mean, are you Gellert... Grindelwald?"
"Yes," he repeated, swallowing a chuckle: the articulation of his name was slightly different from the correct pronunciation – many non-native speaking persons had problems with this language.
"You are Albus' friend, right?"
"Yes, I am–" a friend, he wanted to say, but decided to change the first word. "I am his friend."
Only now could he see that her shoes were... not entirely clean: the sheets were soaking the darkness until it had no more room for more.
Oh, Albus' return will be very interesting to witness.
"I am Ariana."
She was not extending her hand. She wasn't moving at all, but that didn't mean Gellert should follow her. Quickly grabbing this opportunity, he almost crawled forward and moved an arm towards her, holding his hand vertically. Her quizzical expression returned and she glanced alternately between his fingers and eyes.
"This is what... some people do when they meet someone."
"Do what?"
"Here, let my show you."
Gellert carefully moved his left hand to her right one, halting just before he could feel skin.
"May I?"
"Don't worry, I won't do anything bizarre, remember?" he reminded her, when she remained passive.
He repeated his inquire, and this time, she slowly nodded once. Not wasting more time, he carefully grasped her thin, pulsing wrist and guided the trembling fingers towards his own outstretched ones.
"Wait–" Ariana started, when she saw what Gellert was attempting to do, but he was solely focused to feel this highly sensible place and firmly embraced her hand.
This hand had no lingering trace of magic. In fact, there was no sign of her signature – she had no wand. Yet, he could feel that this body had an intense amount of magic swirling inside the small container. There was no doubt now: this girl had great potential, perhaps even a greater amount of untamed magic than Gellert... than Albus.
But this brought a pressing question: why was she not given a wand? A wand was one of the simplest, yet very effective way to properly guide the flow to the desired direction and discipline the wild and erratic flow. It was a pure waste to neglect this rare, powerful jewel, and all magic could be controlled, if one only knew how to tame it.
Gellert's eyes darkened a few shades, while his grip tightened again. He ignored her cry of pain and her attempts to shake his clutch away. He rummaged in his deep, hidden pocket and brought out his own, spotless wand. It was one of the few things he kept very clean: only those who had enough calibre, or had entirely enticed him, were worthy enough to take a peek of it. She was on of the very few who had the rare, fortunate chance to even touch it.
To use it.
Her terrified eyes widened even more when they saw this long, thin thing. A strange, almost strangled cry was released from her throat and her struggle intensified in force.
"Stop moving," Gellert demanded, simultaneously erecting a series of charms to prevent... a leak.
As expected, she immediately froze, shocked to hear this unfamiliar, dark stain in Gellert's voice.
"Please," he quietly, almost gently added and moved his body and wand closer towards her. Mere inches away until he could test and witness whether this basic idea would work. His eyes widened as a yearning and stimulated sensation snaked around him. His breathing quickened, hormones surging through his body, exciting sights swarming in his head.
Almost... one more thrust...
A very energetic, almost beast-like scream reached his ears, but the piercing noise did not made him flinch. No, it aroused him even more, justifying his reasons to continue what he was about to do. And even if the illogical thought appeared to stop, he was sure that he couldn't even halt himself, now. He had passed the point where he could smile broadly, flood her with carefully chosen words and turn around, as if nothing had happened.
One, small inch, now.
The breathing through his mouth was shallow: he had no time to breath properly. He glanced up one more time and saw that one, small tear was falling from the closed skin.
"Open your eyes," Gellert quickly commanded, his fingers almost tearing away the skin on her bruised skin. She obeyed, so quickly... so different from her bodily reactions. Two innocent... naked eyes stared back, every hidden emotion exposed to him.
Dear Merlin... she is... perfect. Absolutely perfect. What in Seven Hells' name was Albus thinking? Why was he hiding this precious gem from the outer world? Whywas he not using every aid he could find? And why, why did Albus not tell Gellert about her, about this?
Gellert laughed, a repulsive and terrifying sound to hear, especially for Ariana. It seemed his plan had not entirely succeeded, it seemed that Albus was still hiding things from him – the most important things.
No matter. Time and even more effort would completely convince him. This little... experiment, no one would know of it, except Gellert... and perhaps her.
Without releasing her eyes, he pushed his wand in her numb hand.
An explosion. That was the closest word Gellert could find: a tornado of sensations, of power, of magic surged through his body, mingled with absolute bliss and joy to see that it was working! As predicted, it was trying in all its potency to break free from him, to crush him, to kill him, but the wand was still his, and his alone, it would remain. It had no chance to win.
It was swift: it had disappeared just as quickly as it had embraced him. It was only now that he became aware of a sudden silence, only punctured by uncontrolled gasps for air. He opened his eyes – when did he close them? – and stared at the slumped body, awkwardly resting on the bed. Her eyes were closed, but a deep frown stained her delicate face and more traces of tears could be seen on her cheeks, her chin.
Gellert smirked: if he was feeling light-headed and a bit weak, the only way this... girl – no, young woman – could handle the overwhelming sensations, was to lose consciousness.
He shook a strayed lock of blond hair away from his sticky forehead and quickly evaporated the wards. Refusing to accept a moment more to rest and analyse this whole... ordeal, he swiftly stood up and carefully positioned her body in a more... natural manner.
Gellert had just straightened her legs when he heard soft steps coming closer. He inspected the body and almost nodded, but saw the unhealthy redness on her wrist. There was no time to heal it... so he promptly conjured a small piece of thin wool and wrapped it around the stain.
He straightened his back, just in time to hear him entering the room. But he immediately stopped. Gellert swallowed, his heartbeat still ticking too quickly, a small tear of sweat rolling down on his warm, but not coloured face.
"Get your knee off of my bed, this instant," Albus commanded coldly.
"Why?" Gellert turned around and sat down on the softness, his smile a little too strained to show.
"You are staining the sheets." Albus nodded towards his tainted pants.
"It's not that–"
"What have you been doing?" Albus' voice purposefully interrupted him. His blue eyes narrowed.
"You are sweating," he flatly commented, nodding towards the dampened locks of hair.
Gellert patted his hair and, indeed, noticed the slight wetness stitching on his fingers.
"Have been overexerting my body, I think," Gellert nonchalantly replied. It wasn't entirely lied.
He curved the arch of his lips more sharply and let Albus carefully scrutinise his eyes for as long as he needed. His blue eyes trailed from him to his sister.
"Stand, now," he ordered. His voice still had that sinister air, but his unmoved eyes seemed to have soothed.
Hm... I am wrong, yet again.
Gellert grudgingly rolled away, leaving more patches of dirt on the dark red sheet, and earning him a deep glare of disapproval. Casually turning his head, he examined the damage he had inflicted.
He rotated his face back towards Albus, waiting for another comment, but he had already moved towards the bed, scrutinising the occupying presence on it.
"What's this?" he asked, crouching down so one hand could carefully grasp the wrist better under his watchful eyes.
Damn! He had forgotten to change the colour to match her dress. And he did not expect him to ignore the dirtied state of her body. After all, only a select few could escape from this damn perceptiveness. He swiftly, but subtly gripped his wand and forced all his attention on the skin behind the wool.
Without warning, but after a long moment of inspection, he gently peeled it away.
Gellert gasped, silently, but exhaled a deep breath of relieve: it was as pale as it used to be.
Albus held the softness up between his fingers and pinned him with a deep, questioning stare.
"A goat, perhaps?" Gellert joked, shrugging his shoulders and dropping his wand in the hidden spot.
Albus ignored the subtle, hidden comment and stared down again. This time, an arm settled on the large, stained cushion to support his body, to glance more accurately at her face. He frowned, when he saw Ariana's frown, but peered at Gellert and mouthed, "sleeping?"
Gellert swiftly nodded. Albus nodded and glanced down, the corners of his lips moving up during one small moment. Red locks of hair were obscuring Albus' eyes, but he could easily guess how they were looking: a profound softness, perhaps even a very subtle, but swift twinkle.
He straightened his spine and almost silently walked towards the door, motioning Gellert to follow him. Gellert sensed an interrogation and reluctantly steered his legs away from her.
After his long fingers had tenderly closed the door, he asked, "why was she here?"
"Whatever–"
"Was she looking for me?"
"Why would–"
"Aberforth is not here. Well?" Albus impatiently included the last word, when hearing no answer from Gellert.
He could lie of course, but there was a limit: the effectiveness lessened with each added lie.
"Yes."
"And?"
"I don't know. She didn't mention anything more."
Blue, piercing eyes impaled him. It was more than a few days he had last showed this, directed to him, and today he had witnessed this several times: Albus would only do this when he was... slightly suspicious. Gellert only stared back, parading a small smile, knowing already what Albus would do in four...three... two... one...
He carefully nodded, glanced at the door and continued, "was she very tired?"
"I think so."
"She... rarely comes here, Gellert... let alone allowing herself to rest in there, to completely lower her guard," he whispered, the words vibrating from poorly disguised emotions.
"How?" Albus asked, his voice stained with an intense desire to know.
"She just..." Gellert snapped his fingers in front of his face. "And sleeps, just like that."
Albus seemed to be genuinely hurt by this information: Gellert, someone who, until recently, was a complete stranger to her, had succeeded what he – someone who had known her for fourteen, long years – could not. Poor Albus, he thought, but not sincerely meaning the first word.
"Jealous, Albus?" Gellert playfully commented, knowing this would annoy him further, and thus, increasing the chance to be given allowance to leave.
"Absolutely not!"
"'Course not..." Gellert added another bucket of stinging needles in front of Albus' bare feet.
Albus turned his body fully to the closed door and rested a hand on the doorknob, fully ignoring him.
"There is nothing pressing that needs to be attended, now?" he asked, but his tone suggested that it was a fact.
He shouldn't poke this very fortunate day for yet another luck, so Gellert nodded. There were some... minor things, but these could wait until tomorrow. Besides, his mind was already swimming towards thoughts he had repressed for minutes now.
Gellert gazed lazily how Albus slowly opened the door, slipped past the small opening and silently closed the entrance.
The guard had returned – no, guards, he corrected, when hearing footsteps in the far distance. Unfortunately, they could not even complete one, single task. It surprised Gellert immensely. It was such an easy task, yet they had both failed.
And a worse thing: it happened right under their barely blinking eyes, from a person Albus would never suspect. That was enough... evidence Gellert needed to remain innocent, to be protected from the fierce one. Although, Albus' protection was not needed for that. Even his wand was not needed, Gellert suspected.
He had also decided not to obliterate her. After all, what fun would there remain if there was no challenge, if there was no danger? If he couldn't imagine any more what he had felt, in full range, if he couldn't gaze at those forever scarred, blue eyes?
Also, he didn't want to vanish the progress on his... research on this fascinating creature.