Albus Dumbledore yawned widely, from boredom rather than exhaustion. He was lying flat on his back in his room, looking out of the window. In the house next door, he could see a blonde figure sprawled across a small sofa, twirling his wand between slender fingers. He turned to see Albus and smiled. Albus grinned back at his best friend. He seized a piece of parchment off his desk and scrawled a quick message onto it. He then folded it up into the shape of a phoenix and opened his window, throwing the paper out and flicking his wand at it. Gellert leant out of his own window, caught the note, and unfolded it.

I'm bored he read. He smiled and caught up a quill and some parchment of his own, and a second later, a small raven shaped piece of parchment had soared into Albus' outstretched hands. He opened it and read

Thought you were doing your homework??

Merlin, I finished that ages ago. And now I'm BORED!!!

Gellert seized Albus' reply, and grinned as he read it. He winked through the glass at the auburn haired boy, and then began to open the window further. He stepped out onto the window sill, and motioned for Albus to open his window as well. Albus leaned out, staring at Gellert.

"What are you doing?" he yelled. Gellert merely smiled. He stood on the window sill like a ballerina poised to pirouette, and leapt into the air. For one terrible moment, Albus was sure he was falling, but then his friend's hands were clutching Albus' window sill and Albus was hauling him up, into his room, his blue eyes blazing.

"What did you do that for, you fool??" he asked angrily "You scared me half to death!"

Gellert smiled, sauntering over to Albus' bed and lying down on it.

"Just a trick I learnt." he said. Albus glowered at him.

"Well warn me next time, okay? I thought you were going to end up flattened in my garden." he grumbled. Gellert laughed.

"I'm not stupid enough to try and leap ten metres through the air from the top of my house without the aid of magic. I would have just knocked on your door."

The boy yawned, stretching and blinking up at his friend.

"Besides," he added "I would have thought that since I am here to stop your boredom, you would be more grateful."

He tried to pout and smirk at the same time, something that only he could pull off. Albus sighed, rolling his eyes and hiding a smile.

"I'll forgive you just this once," he said, running his hand through his long auburn hair.

"I should hope so," the blonde retorted, pulling a book off Albus' bookshelf and flicking through it. He flashed a smile at Albus, his pearly teeth gleaming.

"So, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian, what shall we do to quell this boredom?" he asked. Albus looked thoughtful, taking the book off Gellert and closing it, slotting it back onto the shelf.

"We could do some more research on the uses of dragon's blood." Albus suggested. Gellert looked disinterested, plucking at Albus' sheet. Albus shrugged.

"You suggest something then."

Gellert opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, there was a rap on the door and Albus' younger brother poked his head around the door.

"I thought I heard voices," Aberforth said accusingly "You're meant to be doing your homework."

"He's done it," Gellert said with a scowl "And we have matters to discuss, so scram, Goat Boy."

Aberforth scowled, his face darkening. Albus shot him a small apologetic look, but Aberforth had already left, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Won't you be glad when you can leave this place behind?" Gellert said "Spread your wings…"

Albus nodded, but he knew it wouldn't happen. He had to help his mother with Ariana and help provide for the family when he grew up.

"We could go adventuring together!" Gellert suggested "Travel the world, learn new things."

Albus nodded again.

"I have to go in a few days." Gellert said sadly, "I might come back though."

Albus looked at him in surprise.

"Go? Where?"

"Back home," Gellert said shortly "There are some things that need to be sorted out. But I will come back."

"You better," Albus laughed, his face serious. Gellert was his best friend and partner in crime. Life without him was unthinkable.

"Well, you'll still have Dogbreath Doge," Gellert said. Albus smiled.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Gel."

Gellert laughed.

"I don't need to be jealous. You like me more than you like him. I can tell."

"I don't have favourites," Albus smiled. That wasn't altogether true. Well, it was much more interesting being around Gellert at least. Doge just followed him around like a dog. That was where Gellert had come up with his nickname.

"You liar." Gellert smirked "You'd make a lousy teacher. I bet you'd have one favourite kid and ignore all the others."

"Luckily I don't plan on becoming a teacher." Albus said smoothly, sitting beside Gellert. His best friend smiled.

"Professor Dumbledore. Has a nice ring to it."

"Don't be ludicrous." Albus laughed. Gellert grinned

"You never know what could happen."