"Do you believe they will use dragons?"

"They used dragons in the last tournament, I doubt they will repeat themselves so quickly."

"Using dragons could be a tradition. Just like stealing the champion's loved ones. That happens every single tournament."

"… does it now?"

"Yes" Gellert confirmed, turning his face away from the book he was reading and looking at Albus curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing" Albus responded quickly, closing his book and nodding forward. "Look, we are almost by the lake. Should we find a tree around here to sit under?"

"Sure thing" Gellert agreed, looking around until he found an old, big oak tree on the side. "That one. Come on" he took Albus' hand and pulled him towards the tree, and pulling him down as he sat. Albus sat quickly after, fixing his robes and placing the book over his legs.

"Who do you think they will get for you?" Albus asked, softly, looking over at Gellert and making the boy tilt his head. "I don't remember you mentioning any close friend… or anything alike…"

"I don't have close friends. Or a partner. So I doubt they would even find someone to use in the task" Gellert chuckled, shrugging and opening his book again. "They will have to go creative to find me someone that I care about, that can be part of the task. Because if you weren't a champion, they would probably take you."

"You…" Albus felt his cheeks burning, and he looked down, shyly. "You would consider me to be what you like the most? Enough to be chosen over your Durmstrang friends?"

"Albus, they don't get me" he sighed, looking at the redhead and frowning. "They try to, some simply pretend, but I know they don't understand me. I know we have only known each other for a little more than a week, but I've never connected with anyone so intensely before. I would even dare to say we might as well be-"

"Soulmates" Albus whispered, and when Gellert stopped talking, his entire face burnt with embarrassment and he looked at the younger wizard, nervous. "I-I mean, it is a muggle thing that they say…"

"I have never heard about it" Gellert said, tilting his head and leaning against the tree. "What makes you say we are like soulmates? What does it mean?"

"You… don't know?" Albus asked, and he shook his head. "Oh… well, it is how you call someone you have been connected through your soul to. Muggles usually use it for romantic proposes, to say that their partners are theirs forever and ever, no matter what happens. But it could also be used as friendships or even as family relationships. It is basically when two or more people understand and complete each other perfectly…" he explained, his voice quiet and soft, as he tried not to make it too complicated.

When he looked at Gellert, he seemed extremely interested and extremely amused.

"Albus, I think you are right. We are soulmates" he nodded, and smiled, making Albus smile back although he was still as red as his hair. "You know, I like that expression. I will use it from now on. You, Albus Dumbledore, are my soulmate."

Albus smiled, and felt a twist to his stomach that felt extremely warm and fuzzy.

"Gellert?"

Albus is standing in an empty, dark corridor. It looks as though he is still in Hogwarts, but he isn't sure. Everything is dark, he can't see anything in front of him, and his wand is nowhere to be seen. He is walking with no sense of direction, feeling the walls with his hands.

"I'm here Albus!" he hears someone say, and looks around, finding a small source of light by the end of the corridor. Using it as guidance, he runs towards it, recognizing the voice that calls.

"Gellert!" he says, contently, and then gasps as he trips, going face first onto the ground and groaning in pain as he lifts his head again. His glasses are gone, and now the corridor is lit up, but the lights are too dim for him to recognize anything.

"Albus!" he hears someone desperately calling, and looks back, seeing a blur standing a few meters away. He can't see it very well, all he knows is that they have red hair and they are waving their arms desperately. Then, they stop and the person screams as they are lifted up by what seem to be thick vines. "Albus!"

He stands up, legs shaking, and lifts his hands as the person is dragged away. His heart is beating fast, and he feels like crying. He knows that whoever was being dragged was important to him. He falls to his knees, crying, and shakes his head desperately.

"Albus?"

The voice is softer now.

He looks back, wiping his tears, and relief runs over him. He sees the white pearled hair and stands up, running towards the blur as quickly as he can. As he wraps his arms around them, a door seems to close behind him, and suddenly he is inside a nice, cosy room, with a warm light coming from the fireplace. He looks up from the embrace and sees Gellert smiling at him, as he slowly caresses his long strands of hair.

"Gellert… I… I need to say something" Albus whispers, but Gellert shushes him, pushing his hair behind his ear and wrapping an arm around his waist.

"I know exactly what you are about to say, dear Albus" he whispers, and cups his cheeks, making Albus relax against his hold. "I know what you want…"

"Then why-" he tried, but Gellert shushes him again.

"Quiet, love" he says, sliding his thumb over Albus' bottom lip, making him go pliant against his embrace. "Shush. You know the answer to the question you will ask, so don't ask it. Just let yourself… feel it."

Albus' lips part as Gellert pulls the bottom one lightly with his thumb, and leans down, slowly, brushing their noses together and letting his soft, mint smelling breath brush against Albus' awaiting mouth.

When he grows tired of the wait, Albus moves forward, towards Gellert, to capture his lips in a kiss, but something tightens around his throat. Frowning, he keeps trying, the feeling making his throat even tighter, as if someone is squeezing it. Gellert, however, simply chuckles and moves away from Albus, almost making him fall out of balance. When he tries to follow, he notices he can't. He tries to move his arms, but they are glued to his back.

"Gellert?" he asks, his voice trembling, but the younger wizard moves away, pulling a curtain that hides a mirror behind it. That's when Albus sees himself. He has a collar around his throat, and cuffs linked to chains to his feet. He immediately feels his heart beating quicker, and looks around, desperate.

That's when he sees Jeanne by the side, arms crossed as she stares at him.

"I told you to be careful" she says, tilting her head, and he pulls onto the chains. "You can't get yourself free. It's too late."

"Help me!" he begs, and then his mouth closes without his consent. He groans with it closed, trying to open it, but Jeanne just shakes her head.

"Only you can help yourself, Albus. I'm sorry" she says, and disappears, together with everything else. He is back at the darkness, but now he can feel the chains, the collar and the spell shutting his mouth. He looks around, he tries to pull the chains, but he stops immediately when a hand slides over his back, underneath his robes. He shivers and looks forward, seeing Gellert appearing in front of him again.

"I can set you free… Only I can set you free" he whispers, moving closer and capturing Albus' lips in a kiss.

Albus instantly melts, forgetting about the collar, the chains, the despair. He keeps his harms down, he keeps his legs firm in place, he stops tugging on the collar, and answers to the kiss desperately.

"I can set you free" Gellert whispers, pulling away from the kiss and dragging his nails down Albus' back. "I can set you free…"

"I can set you free…"

Albus opened his eyes, feeling his heart racing as he looked up at the ceiling of his dormitory, breathing quick and uneven for a few seconds. Then, he closes his eyes and makes himself calm down, feeling his stomach turning and twisting, making him feel sick.

After he calms himself down, he opens his eyes again and lifts his hand slowly to his lips, touching them and letting out a quiet, shaky sigh.

Only after that he checks for his neck, finding nothing.