He violently quashed those squirming feelings he'd come to know as remorse, with their accompanying pains. He had done what needed to be done in the alley; people like that only responded to fear and some ministry official telling them to move on would keep them away only until his back was turned.
Hermione had made her thoughts explicitly clear in the book shop, so he'd imperiused some second year into dropping off all her books, as well as some galleons to Mrs. Weasley, who had readily believed Hermione was still browsing and left them to their business. His fingers brushed the hallows necklace around his neck, the twin letting him know that Hermione was safely on the Hogwarts express. He shook himself, then returned to his book. He drummed his fingers against the desk, his gaze wandering again. Perhaps he should do a recap on resisting the imperius? That was particularly important these days, then again casting an unforgivable really was not a good first impression on his students. Hermione would like something advanced and useful; wandless magic! He hestitated, realising that the students would be nowhere near that level yet, so perhaps they could start with wordless and work up to a wandless summoning charm by the end of the year.
The first years wouldn't be able to do that yet though, perhaps he should cover shield charms, make sure everyone knew a good one of them on the first lesson, then progress to wordless for the older students. He chucked down his quill and strode from his new Hogwarts chambers.
Albus was seated at his desk and seemed unsurprised when Gellert stormed in.
'I thought you'd be coming here soon; the portraits have been complaining about your mood for days.' The other wizard commented.
'I want to get that other horcrux.' He demanded. Albus merely chuckled, which riled Gellert up even more. His magic was itching, his wand was itching.
'The students will be here in a couple of hours. I really must be here to greet them.' He said benignly. Gellert growled at him, grabbed his arm and dragged him out of his seat. Albus struggled briefly before recognising that Gellert's younger body gave him the inevitable advantage. 'I really must be back in time for the feast' he protested weakly as the dark wizard threw open the doors to the balcony. Whatever other protests he made were lost as Gellert threw them both off the balcony. They freefell for several seconds, then both wizards manipulated the air around them so that they drifted to a gentle landing in the courtyard.
'That's one way to get me out of my office, I suppose.' Albus grouched, never the less following Gellert down the path and away from the castle. They disapparated from the gates to the cave, arriving precariously perched on the rocky outcrop.
'You know, last time we duelled, I witnessed Voldemort fly without a broomstick.' Gellert commented, looking down at the water beneath him.
'Just turn yourself into a fish.' Albus dismissed, knowing that Gellert was wishing he didn't have to swim.
'How about you become a fish, I'll be a seal.' He sneered, transfiguring himself into an icy blond seal. Albus soon joined him and both seals slithered their way down the rocks to the waterline. With his thick skin, the water temperature wasn't so bad and the powerful fins of this body made the swim fast and almost enjoyable. He reached the cave well before Albus, who's transfiguration certainly hadn't made him any younger, and consequently had already found the blood magic seal on the entrance. By the time Albus had regained his feet, albeit with a sealskin robe instead of his silk summer one, Gellert had already pulled out his athame and drawn a slice across his hand. Blood dripped onto the stone – once, twice, three times, before Gellert healed his hand with a quick flick of his wand.
An archway burned silver in the wall, the rock within fading to blackness. The two wizards edged through, wands lit. They stood in a massive cavern on a thin ledge between the wall and a lake, something green glowed faintly in the distance, perhaps in the middle of the lake. Gellert raised his wand, casting a summoning charm.
Something leapt from the lake, dark and glistening it arched up into the air, before landing with a wet slap. Water sprayed into the air around it and wave washed through the room. The light from Albus' wand briefly illuminated the packed, pale bodies in the water.
'I believe you said blood magic and a lot of inferi?' Albus joked, referring to how Gellert had suggested he'd hide a horcrux.
'Don't be ridiculous, that was hardly blood magic on the entrance.' He sniffed. 'Besides, I certainly wouldn't have left it glowing.' He gestured vaguely to the light in the middle of the lake. 'Nor would I have left a boat.' He commented sourly as Albus pulled on an invisible chain.
'Ah Gellert, but you have recognised the might of other wizards. I suspect Voldemort believed only himself a great enough wizard to be able to use it.' Albus inspected the boat suspiciously, as though he too believed that Voldemort couldn't have seriously left it there as a means for safe passage.
'I suspect it is only big enough for one though, magically. Certainly not the both of us.' Gellert commented after completing his own inspection.
'Perhaps you should come back with Hermione, her power will be insignificant next to yours.'
'Hermione will not come with me.' Gellert snapped, irrationally angry at the headmaster for mentioning her.
'Ah, I see the cause of your mood. What did you do?' Albus was as infuriatingly calm as usual.
'What makes you think I did anything?' He muttered mutinously.
'Do you know, Gellert, why I wear these robes?' the light wizard asked, spreading his arms. Gellert looked at the seal skin.
'Because its damned cold and your silk ones wouldn't have lasted five minutes?' He answered insolently and Albus chuckled. 'Fine, because it makes you look like a doddering old fool?'
'Exactly! You are a master of propaganda my friend, but you miss the intricacies of human relationships. People only look for such exceptional magical strength in a leader during war, at almost any other time they find it intimidating.' Albus explained, as though speaking to a child.
'She is hardly afraid.' Gellert muttered, Hermione's voice calling him disgusting was still crystal clear in his memory.
'Not of you, my friend, but what you are capable of.'
'You speak from experience.'
'I do.' The two wizards stood either side of the little glowing boat, inferi drifting in the murky depths below them. Gellert's lips quirked as he realised there were far more appropriate locations to have this conversation.
'Will you return with Harry?' He asked, changing the subject.
'What do you think would be best?' Albus replied to him, giving him a significant look. He considered the options, allowing his sight to provide the consequences of each action.
'If I come with Hermione and Harry.' He finally answered, watching as Hermione caught Harry's hand just before it touched the water. 'There's some horrible potion in there.'
They hid the boat again, then Gellert resealed the cave behind them, sneering impressively as he rebuilt the blood ward.
They arrived back at Hogwarts just in time to catch the first of the carriages from the station.