For the first time in his life, Albus Dumbledore stopped thinking. Without meaning to and for the most fleeting of instants, but he did so nonetheless. His ideas dissolved. He was so pleased with the world order that he felt horrified by the possibility of it being disrupted.
There were no proportions, no dimensions. His senses were so focused on the touch of Gellert's lips that he could barely keep breathing.
"Come with me, mate."
He fought with all his strength to keep his eyes from opening.
"For the greater good or what you may, but come."
He blinked.
"And go where, exactly?" Albus and Gellert pushed away from each other. Aberforth had walked into the kitchen.
"Go nowhere. We were – "
"I'm tired of this. I won't fight you anymore. I want him out of the house."
Gellert scoffed.
"I've seen the way he looks at you, Albus. It's wrong. There's evil in his eyes."
"I've – "
"Make him leave!"
"I'm going nowhere, goat lad."
Aberforth drew his wand. Albus' eyes opened impossibly wide.
"And just when I thought he couldn't get more dimwitted…" said Gellert with disdain.
"You can't move her. She's finally getting better. She needs stability." He shook with fury.
"This will end. It will end now."
"Don't be daft, shepherd."
Aberforth raised his wand threateningly.
Gellert imitated him. "This is pointless, lad. Get out of your brother's way.
"What he does is for your sister's benefit, for the good of all the wizarding kind.
"Even someone as impaired as you should make an effort to understand."
"Lower your wand."
Gellert had never heard such calm in a human voice. It thundered within him, yet felt extraordinarily peaceful. Albus was pointing his wand at him.
"Lower your wand, Gellert."
He sighed and closed his eyes. "The time has come for you to make up your mind, Albus." He paused.
"I love you."
"Shut up shut up shut up, you disgusting, foul – " Aberforth fell to the floor. He contorted in unfeasible directions and bellowed maniacally.
"Expelliarmus!" Albus' disarming spell knocked his friend off balance. The screaming stopped.
Gellert flicked his wand with violence, throwing Aberforth against the wall.
"Don't hurt them. Don't hurt them, please."
The voice had lost its serenity, to the point of appearing inhuman. It was so incongruous with the person it came from that Gellert hesitated and turned to Albus. Sudden devastation engulfed him, but his friend did not return his stare. His wand was raised in his direction, but he was looking at his younger sister, who stood trembling in a corner of the room.
"Expelliarmus." Gellert fell on his face. He sat up and shot a jet of light at Aberforth.
They moved in Ariana's direction.
Spells exploded in midair and smashed into the walls as, for the second time in his life, Albus Dumbledore stopped thinking. He advanced in the duel's direction – the tremor of his body threatening to dislodge his legs – and stood between his brother and his best friend.
Green light invaded the room.
There was an abrupt, absolute silence.
He made to heave his chest, but his ribcage forbad his lungs to expand.
He felt minuscule.
Tears ran down his face.
He fell on his knees and fought with all his strength not to close his eyes.
Someone pushed him, and he hit the floor like rubble.