I don't own the characters or places!


The moment Albus left the tent together with the other champions, two people stormed towards him and he was caught in a tight embrace. "You made it!" Elphias exclaimed and Albus noticed that his voice was shaking slightly.

"That was brilliant!" Minerva added and when she pulled back, she was grinning widely. "I knew your disillusionment charms are strong, but that was…" She trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief. "If that animal had stayed where it was, the task would have been over before it really began. But you should be proud, you're the only one whose rabbit didn't nearly get eaten. Or roasted." At those words, she threw a pointed look at Gellert, who was still standing close to them. Mr. Tarov was next to him, but it didn't look like Gellert was listening to what his headmaster said. His eyes were on Albus and his friends, an unreadable expression on his face.

They didn't get a chance to talk about anything after Albus had finished his task. Mr. Pettigrew had come back, told them that everyone had succeeded and took the animals from them. If anyone else noticed how relieved the Ministry employee looked, they decided not to mention it. But Albus saw that his hands were shaking when he brought the rabbits back to safety. Now the three champions only had the small medallions which had been attached to the collars. Albus didn't open his immediately and shoved it into his pocket quickly. For today, he wanted to stop thinking about the Triwizard Tournament.

"We should celebrate." Elphias said now, beginning to walk back towards the castle. Albus and Minerva followed him more slowly. For a few moments, Albus' eyes met Gellert's, but then the Durmstrang student turned to his headmaster, a clear sign that they wouldn't talk now. Not that he minded. In fact, he preferred talking to the other man somewhere more private.

More people walked towards them and Albus was surprised to see his brother Aberforth among the crowd. "You survived." He said when he was within earshot. "That's good."

"I told you that I have it under control." Albus replied calmly.

"There are two more tasks." Aberforth muttered. "Make sure you survive those as well." And without waiting for a reply, he left again.

"I still think your brother is strange." Minerva said into the silence that followed.

"You get used to it with time." Elphias threw in. "He's always in a bad mood."

"He's just worried." Albus said softly. It was true. Aberforth was worried. Just not for him.

"Let's stop thinking about that." Minerva sounded determined. "There will be a party in the Gryffindor common room this evening and we should all forget about this tournament for a while and celebrate."

So they did just that.


The next morning at breakfast, an owl landed in front of Albus. It delivered a letter from Professor Fig, asking him to meet in his office in the afternoon. Albus was sure that Professor Fig wanted to talk about his performance during the first task and see the medallion. It contained a small piece of paper with a note. A riddle, to be exact. He knew that once it was solved, it would tell him more about the nature of the second task. Albus hadn't tried to decipher it yet. The next task would be in spring, so they still had a few months for that.

At some point during breakfast, he got the feeling of being watched. Of course many people were doing that after him having succeeded in the first task. But this wasn't just other Hogwarts students staring at him, impressed by what he'd done. No, this felt different.

He didn't have to look around for long to notice that Gellert was watching him from where he sat at the Slytherin table. When their eyes met, Gellert's lips twitched, but otherwise, his expression stayed calm. So Albus only gave him a curt nod and leaned over to where Elphias was reading in a book about magical history. He wanted to talk to Gellert soon, but knew that now wasn't the right moment. Not in front of everyone.

When they left the Great Hall twenty minutes later, all the Durmstrang students were already gone. They also attended classes, but it was always Mr. Tarov teaching them on their ship. They'd been offered rooms at Hogwarts and declined politely. It was obvious that they rather wanted to stay among themselves.

"The dancing lessons will start soon." Selena said once she'd joined them to make their way to Professor Hecat's classroom. She grinned at Elphias. "I hope you won't step on my feet too many times."

"Unlike others, I am able to move without causing an incident." At this, Elphias glanced at Albus.

He tried to look offended. "I can dance." He argued. "Minerva doesn't need to be afraid that I'll step on her feet."

"That remains to be seen." His best friend said, but his eyes gleamed mischievously. "I'm curious to see who will dance with the other champions. After all, you'll get the honour of the first dance."

At the thought of Gellert dancing with some girl from Hogwarts or Beauxbatons, a strange feeling appeared in Albus' stomach. Before he could think of it any further, though, he got distracted by a group of first years running through the corridors at full speed. One of them nearly collided with Elphias and at once, both Albus and Selena began to shout and follow them. That day, he didn't see Gellert again.


As expected, the note in the medallion wasn't easy to understand. Albus had spent nearly two hours with Professor Fig discussing the words, but they didn't get very far. The second task had something to do with water, they were sure of that, but otherwise they didn't have any clues yet. Professor Fig had promised him to keep thinking about the riddle and come back to him once he knew more. Somehow, Albus suspected that it would take them some time to figure it out.

He also told Minerva and Elphias about it, but they were just as clueless as Albus felt himself.

Deep down in the dark, I've been hiding,

Strange things happen around, there's no denying.

When I wake, you better keep running,

Otherwise, you need to be cunning.

No claws or fangs, but still lethal,

Only in water, you can be my equal.

Find the place where I feel most at home,

And get your price under the sacred throne.

Something about the words felt familiar, as if the answer already lay on the tip of his tongue. But no matter how much he kept guessing, Albus couldn't put it into words. Hopefully, time would help him figure out the answer.

Instead of brooding over the riddle all day, he tried to keep himself busy. Between classes, he kept studying with Elphias. He regularly attended the dancing lessons for the yule ball in the afternoons. He kept practicing his magical skills with Professor Fig and Professor Hecat. And Albus also focused on his own studies.

Nearly a week had passed after the first task until he met Gellert again. It didn't look like it was planned. Albus was on his way to the library and when he walked around the corner, they nearly ran into each other.

For a few seconds, they just stared at each other in surprise. Albus was the first one to smile. "You were in the library?" He asked curiously, never having seen Gellert there before.

Gellert nodded shortly. "We don't have that many books on our ship and I thought I could see if there's something interesting here."

"Did you find something?"

A slight smile appeared on his lips. "Maybe." He said simply and frowned, looking around. There weren't many people in the hallway, but those who'd noticed the short exchange were staring at them. "Let's get out of here."

He didn't even question if Albus accompanied him. He just began to walk in the direction Albus came from without looking back. Since no one was waiting for him in the library – Elphias was in the common room, writing an essay that was due the next day – Albus followed Gellert out of the castle.

They walked in silence for some time. The weather outside was getting colder and it looked like it was going to rain soon. Albus didn't mind, though, since it meant that not many people were outside anymore. They could talk without being interrupted.

"What you did during the first task was impressive." Gellert said into the silence. "Disillusionment charms are difficult to learn and even more so to keep up."

"My control slipped." Albus reminded him quietly. "It wasn't that perfect." Actually, the champions hadn't been allowed to watch the others during the first task, but he'd already expected Gellert to break that rule.

"You froze the lake afterwards." The expression on Gellert's face was calculating. "Also not that easy."

"Are you just trying to examine how much of a risk I'll be to you winning this tournament?" He wanted to know and crossed his arms. Was this why Gellert talked to him at all? To get to know more about his skills? By now, he should know that Albus wouldn't give away more than absolutely necessary.

"Can't I just be surprised that you're indeed as good as everyone said?" Gellert sounded nearly offended. "Of course I want to win this tournament, but that doesn't mean that I'm only talking about this because I want to get to know your weaknesses."

"Minerva said your rabbit nearly got roasted." He changed the subject, not sure what to think of Gellert being truly interested in him. It's the same for you, so stop acting like this, a quiet voice inside his head said.

Gellert grimaced at that. "That was a mistake from my side. I tried to get the Chimaera away from it with a banishing charm, but it was too heavy and only got sent a few feet away. The flames nearly hit us both." He frowned, as if he was angry at himself. "I should have seen that coming."

"You made it anyway." He remarked. "And it was also quite impressive, from what I've heard." He smiled slightly while he remembered how Elphias had described both Victoire's and Gellert's performances.

"Stop believing everything your friends say." Gellert muttered and rolled his eyes. "Did you already read the note?"

"Far too many times." Albus shrugged. "I have the feeling that I should know what it means, but I can't pinpoint it."

"Seems like you're further along than me. I've been thinking about it endlessly, but nothing yet." He looked annoyed again and Albus realized that Gellert hated it when things didn't go as planned at the first try.

"We still have time to figure it out." The we fell from his lips easily. "I'm sure we can manage that."

Again, they walked in silence for some time. In the end, it was Albus who broke it. "Tell me about you researches. You said you'd tell me about them if we both survive."

Amusement appeared on Gellert's face. "Did I say that? From what I remember, I said that I'll tell you about it if we survive. But I didn't specify if I meant the first task or the tournament in general."

"You agreed to tell me after the first task." Albus threw in. "We made a deal, remember?"

Gellert chuckled, a deep and melodic sound that made Albus' heart skip a beat. "Fine. So tell me, Albus, what do you know about the Deathly Hallows?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Aren't those stories for children?"

"All the stories are true." Gellert said seriously. He noticed Albus' skeptical expression, though, and after a few moments, he began to laugh. "Alright, maybe not all of them. But some are based on real events."

"You mean the Tale of the Three Brothers."

Gellert's eyes gleamed. "So you've indeed heard of the Hallows before."

"I've stumbled over the name in a book a few years ago." Albus nodded. "But back then, I thought that it was only a story."

"I don't think so. In fact, I'm sure that they're real. Tell me, in which book did you see the name?" He looked genuinely curious now.

"It's not here at Hogwarts, if that's what you want to know." Albus ran a hand through his hair. "I've got it back at home, but I could take it with me the next time I'll go there. Maybe my brother could even bring it when he travels home for Christmas."

A thoughtful look replaced the curiosity on Gellert's face. "Back at home in Godric's Hollow?"

Albus sighed. "I knew you heard that conversation. Yes, my family lives there. While Aberforth and I are at Hogwarts, my mother and younger sister are at home."

"And your father…?" Gellert trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"If you heard those rumours as well, they're all true." He shrugged. "I know that people talk."

"I don't care about any rumours." Gellert threw in. "It doesn't matter what your father did. It shouldn't affect how others see you." He only hesitated for a short moment. "I also have family at Godric's Hollow. My aunt lives there."

Albus felt oddly touched by Gellert's words, but his last sentence caught his attention. "What's her name? Maybe we know her."

"Bathilda Bagshot." Came the immediate reply and Albus couldn't stop himself from laughing when he heard the name. "What's so funny?" Gellert asked, but he didn't look offended.

"She's our neighbour." Albus explained with a smile. "What a coincidence."

"Indeed." Gellert muttered with a smile. "I rarely hear from her, but she's asked if I want to visit her once I've finished school next year. Maybe we'll see each other then."

"I'd like that." Albus said without hesitation. He'd already made plans with Elphias to see the world after graduation, but surely, they could stop by at Godric's Hollow from time to time.

"So now tell me what you read in that book." Gellert's demanding tone made Albus chuckle once more.

"Not much, if I'm honest." And then they began a discussion about the Deathly Hallows, the thing Gellert was studying in his free time. He was determined to find them, Albus realized after a short while. He had to admit that it sounded like an interesting and challenging search.

When they finally returned to the castle, it was already dark outside.


Christmas was getting closer and a new activity was included in Albus' routine. Regular conversations with Gellert Grindelwald. They'd mostly meet outside or sometimes on the Astronomy tower. Then they'd talk, sometimes for hours, on other days only a few minutes. It surprised Albus that he genuinely liked the other man. Yes, Gellert could be scary at times and from the outside, he always looked dangerous and calculating. But once Albus got to know him better, he realized that it was a mechanism of self defense, just like he also only opened up to his closest friends. The more time they spent together on their own, the more often Gellert let his mask fall and relaxed.

Conversations with him were always interesting. There weren't many people who could keep up with Albus intellectually. Gellert was one of them. In many ways, they complemented each other. Albus told Gellert about his studies and he asked questions about aspects he would have never given much thought to. And Albus had ideas about how to find the Hallows which Gellert would have never considered.

They also talked about other things than their studies. Gellert wanted to see the world, just like Albus did. They both detested magical sports, thinking of it as a waste of time. They loved all kinds of books. Gellert preferred more serious lecture like politics, while Albus enjoyed to read novels of all kinds. Gellert was even interested in Magical Theory, which surprised Albus. Not many people enjoyed that subject. It wasn't taught at Durmstrang and it soon became obvious that Gellert would like to meet Professor Fig one day.

During the time they spent together, Albus slowly realized that he liked Gellert's company. He was completely different than their first meetings had made him believe. They could talk about everything and it never got boring. Of course there were some things Albus still kept to himself, like Ariana's condition back at Godric's Hollow. But he suspected that Gellert also kept his secrets and that was fine. They didn't need to tell each other everything. But maybe a small part of Albus hoped that one day, he'd be able to confide in Gellert concerning all aspects of his life.

He knew that it was stupid. Even if they wanted to meet at Godric's Hollow after graduation, there was no guarantee that it would happen. He didn't even know what Gellert wanted from life, except for searching the Deathly Hallows. Albus shouldn't get too attached to him. Maybe he'd never see Gellert again once they'd left Hogwarts after the Triwizard Tournament. There was also still the possibility that he was using Albus for his own purposes, even if he refused to believe that. Surely they wouldn't talk about such things like Quidditch or books then.

He really hoped that they'd stay friends after the tournament. If they could even call themselves that. Albus knew that he considered Gellert a friend, but he wasn't sure if the other man thought the same. They'd never talked about that before.

And then there was the quiet voice inside Albus' mind which reminded him that he wanted Gellert to be more than just a friend. It was a dangerous thought and Albus tried to push it to the back of his mind as good as possible. Nevertheless, it always appeared again. Mostly when he was with Gellert, but sometimes Albus found himself lying in bed at night, thinking of it as well.

He knew that feelings would make everything more complicated than it already was. He didn't even know if Gellert was interested in men. From what he knew, he could have someone back at home and just remain quiet about it. They'd never talked about that topic. Albus thought that it was for the better. Falling for Gellert Grindelwald was bad enough. But what would happen if he knew about it?

Days passed and Albus kept going with his routine. Classes, practicing with Professor Hecat, trying to solve the riddle with Professor Fig, doing all his duties as Head Boy, talking to Gellert, spending time with Elphias, learning how to dance with Minerva.

Sooner than expected, the yule ball was only two days away. Most students had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays because of it. Aberforth was one of those who had left, but Albus didn't mind. It was good that his brother was with their mother and Ariana. They should have some company at this time of the year. He'd asked Aberforth to bring the book from his room when he returned and to his surprise, his brother didn't argue about it and simply promised him to do it. It was rare to talk to Aberforth without an argument. Most probably, he was this calm because he could get away from school for a few days.

"I've heard that Gellert Grindelwald will dance with Rosalind Carrow." Minerva said during dinner. "They say that he just walked towards her, asked her and once she nodded, he was already gone again."

"Sounds just like him." Elphias muttered and glanced to said girl at the Slytherin table. Albus followed his gaze. Rosalind was in her sixth year and quite a beauty. Long, black hair, pale skin and piercing grey eyes. Unfortunately, she was also vain, self-obsessed and hated everyone who wasn't from a pure-blood family. He had to admit that she and Gellert would be a stunning pair at the yule ball.

Minerva snorted. "I wouldn't have accepted. He didn't even talk to her!"

"Maybe he just needed a partner for the first dance and heard that she was still searching for someone as well." Albus threw in, his eyes now looking for Gellert. He was also sitting at the Slytherin table, but far away from Rosalind.

"I hope they'll step on each other's toes." She replied simply. "They deserve each other."

Albus wanted to argue and say that Gellert wasn't so bad, but he kept his mouth shut. He didn't tell his friends about his regular conversations with him yet. He wasn't sure how he should do that, knowing that they'd probably never understand why he liked Gellert.

Suddenly, Gellert looked up from his food, nearly as if he'd felt Albus' eyes on him. His face didn't give anything away, but for half a second, his lips twitched.

"Could you stop looking at him?" Elphias said suddenly. "It's scary that you always keep staring at each other, Albus."

Reluctantly, he turned away and focused on his best friend. "Do we?" He asked and quirked an eyebrow. "I didn't notice."

Luckily, the conversation was interrupted when Professor Fig walked towards the Gryffindor table, a small scroll in his hand. "We need to talk soon." He said when he handed it to Albus. "Let's meet after Christmas."

He nodded. "Of course, Professor."

Professor Fig smiled. "And have fun at the yule ball, Albus. Professor Weasley told me that you've turned out to be a very good dancer." Then he winked at Minerva and was gone.

"I'll never understand why you like him so much." Elphias said, looking after Professor Fig. "He's strange."

"You just need to get to know him better." He explained. "Then you'll quickly realize that he's one of the best teachers we have."

"Why are they even talking about your dancing skills, Albus?" Minerva asked, frowning at him. "If they have too high expectations of us –"

"We'll be brilliant." Albus interrupted her quickly. "Stop worrying, Minerva."

"Just don't step on my toes." She muttered.

"Never." He let it sound like a promise.


It was strange. While he stood in the Entrance Hall about ten minutes before the champions would have the first dance, Albus felt more nervous than right before he had to leave the tent for the first task. It's just dancing, he kept telling himself. However, his heart wouldn't stop beating furiously in his chest. He was just glad that his hands weren't sweating. That would have been uncomfortable.

"Stop moving around so nervously!" Minerva scolded him quietly. "You've done far more dangerous things than going out there to dance."

"I know." He muttered back and breathed in deeply. "I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"We've done this dozens of times before. Except for the audience, it'll be the same." She tried to calm him and placed a hand on his arm. She was right. This wasn't like going into a stadium to fight a Chimaera. It was just dancing. And they really were good at this.

In her long, dark red dress, Minerva looked stunning. There was a golden pattern on her arms and skirt that resembled flowers and every time she moved, it shimmered softly. Her hair, which she normally always tied up, framed her face in soft curls. He'd never seen her with her hair down and somehow, she looked like a completely different person. Unlike other women, Minerva had decided not to paint her lips red, but it didn't make her look less beautiful. When they'd met outside the Gryffindor common room, he couldn't help staring at her for a short moment before complimenting her on her appearance. She'd smiled and simply replied that he also didn't look so bad in his simple black dress robes.

Next to Albus and Minerva, Victoire and her dancing partner were also waiting in front of the Great Hall. Victoire looked like a queen in a golden dress. Together with her blond hair and brown skin, it made her the center of attention. When Albus had noticed that she was wearing a golden tiara on her head, he couldn't help himself and smiled. Her dancing partner, Julian Augsbury from Ravenclaw, looked dull in comparison to her. Brown hair, brown eyes, dark blue dress robes.

The only pair still missing were Gellert and Rosalind. They arrived only minutes before they had to open the ball with the first dance. "Let's get over with it." Albus heard Gellert say moments before they rounded a corner. "Just don't step on my feet."

"What if I do?" Rosalind snapped, clearly unhappy with her choice of a dancing partner.

Gellert didn't reply and his attention focused on Albus instead. He also took a moment to simply look at the other man. Like all the other Durmstrang students, Gellert was wearing what looked like a dress uniform. Black trousers and a red jacket, cut in an almost military style. While all the other students from Durmstrang also wore a red cloak around their shoulders, however, Gellert had settled only for the uniform.

For a short moment, Albus' eyes wandered to Rosalind next to him. Dark green dress with silver seams, silver necklace with a green stone around her neck. Her hair was braided and she wore it like a coronet around her head. Their eyes met and her lips turned into a sneer. When Gellert noticed that, he frowned, but didn't say anything.

There wouldn't have been a chance anyway. The door to the Great Hall opened and Professor Weasley stepped outside. She was wearing simple dress robes in the Gryffindor colours. "You're all there, that's good. Please get in line for the first dance. Ms. Auclair and Mr. Augsbury first, then we have Ms. Carrow and Mr. Grindelwald. Minerva, you and Albus go last." Albus noticed that she had called them by their first names, but he decided not to comment on it. Most probably, Professor Weasley wanted to make some point about them being the representatives of Hogwarts on this dance floor.

"Remember, we can do this." Minerva whispered into his ear before the doors opened again and they began to move.

It was true, they were good at this. After the first steps, Albus felt his body take over and from that moment, all his nervousness was gone. They moved on the dance floor effortlessly and soon, other couples joined them. He didn't even notice that the first dance had gone by so fast. He and Minerva kept dancing and Albus had to admit that it was fun, moving around to the music.

After the fifth dance, they decided that it was time for a break. They saw Elphias and Selena sitting at a table close to the dance floor, both sipping on something to drink. Selena's eyes were shining and she kept watching Elphias from time to time.

"You were amazing!" Elphias exclaimed once they sat down next to them. "It's also impressive that you've lasted this long without a break. Did you notice that Grindelwald and his partner left after the first dance?"

"They did?" Albus asked in surprise and scanned their surroundings. It was true, there were many couples on the dance floor, but he couldn't spot Gellert and Rosalind among them.

"Most probably, they already had enough of each other." Selena threw in. "Rosalind is dancing with some other guy from Slytherin now. I'm sure she only agreed to have that first dance with Grindelwald to get the attention." It was true, now that she mentioned it, Albus saw her with another one of Slytherin's sixth years. But where was Gellert?

"Come on, let's dance some more." Selena had obviously not noticed him searching for Gellert. She grabbed Elphias hand and together, they vanished in the crowd.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" Minerva asked once they were alone. "You're looking for him, aren't you? Grindelwald."

"It just surprised me that he left after the first dance." He argued, but she didn't look convinced.

"You've been talking to him these past weeks. Don't pretend it's not true, I saw you together." She hesitated. "Do you like him?"

Knowing that lying would be of no use, Albus nodded. "He's not as bad as everyone thinks."

"Please be careful, Albus." There was concern in her eyes.

"I will."

After emptying their glasses of pumpkin juice, they decided to have another dance. This time, however, Albus' focus was split between concentrating on Minerva and looking for Gellert in the crowd. If Minerva noticed it, she decided not to make any comments. After three more dances, Minerva suddenly stopped. "Someone's watching you. Maybe you should go and have a chat with him." Before Albus could even react, she'd disappeared in the crowd, leaving him alone on the dance floor.

When he turned around to look who had caught her attention, he wasn't surprised to see Gellert leaning against a wall at the far end of the Great Hall, an unreadable expression on his face. Albus didn't hesitate and walked over to where he was standing.

"Did your partner just abandon you in the middle of the dance floor?" Gellert asked, smiling slightly. However, it didn't reach his eyes.

"She decided that I should better be somewhere else." He replied simply. They stood there for some time, both watching the crowd and lost in their own thoughts.

In the end, it was Gellert who spoke first. "You look good tonight. I've never understood this ridiculous fashion of dress robes, but they suit you." Slowly, he tore his gaze away from the crowd and his eyes focused on Albus. "You and your partner did outshine everyone else tonight."

Albus chuckled. "I highly doubt that. Did you see Victoire in that dress? And she moved like she was born to dance." In fact, most students from Beauxbatons did.

Gellert shook his head. "She might be beautiful, but you clearly stood in the center of attention."

Somehow, that thought made him feel uncomfortable. Albus ran a hand through his hair. "Most probably, they were just surprised that I could dance."

Gellert raised his eyebrows, clearly noticing his uneasiness. "You step into a stadium to fight a Chimaera without so much as breaking a sweat, but dancing makes you feel uncomfortable?"

He shrugged. "I'm not that good when it comes to social events." He decided that it was time to turn the conversation away from himself. "What about you? I've heard that you only danced once."

"It was expected of us to have the first dance. Not to do that all night long." Gellert replied simply. "As you surely might have noticed, my dancing partner wasn't the most pleasant company."

"Why did you ask her, then?" Albus wanted to know. "Surely, you could have found someone else." I bet there would have been lots of girls willing to dance with you, he added silently.

This made Gellert chuckle. "The challenge was rather to find someone who doesn't run away from me." When Albus stared at him in surprise, he got serious. "Albus, you know about my reputation. When we first met, you thought that I'm a horrible person yourself. Why should anyone want to get close to me? From what they know, I could just raise my wand and curse them without a reason. Rosalind was a perfect partner because she's just as bad as I am. She wanted to get the attention of everyone else, I was able to give that to her. After the first dance, she went back to that boyfriend of hers and I could leave."

"I would dance with you." Albus said before his brain could even register that he'd formed the words. As soon as they were out, he cursed inwardly.

The look on Gellert's face was a mix of surprise and disbelief. "You would…?"

It was this expression that made Albus decide to be honest. "In a heartbeat. Well, maybe not with everyone else around." The Great Hall was still full of people. "It might look odd, considering our positions. And we're both men, so –"

"No one's ever wanted to dance with me." The words were spoken quietly and for a few moments, Gellert looked nearly vulnerable. But then the moment was over and a smile appeared on his lips. "Would you like to dance?"

"You mean right now?" Albus repeated in confusion. He'd expected many things. Maybe that Gellert would laugh at him. Be disgusted. Or that he'd simply turn away. But this? This time, his heart was racing for a completely different reason than the idea of dancing.

"Right now." Gellert nodded. "The music's so loud, you can't just hear it in here. And I bet you know lots of hidden places close by where no one would see us."

He did and that's why they found themselves in a small, seldomly used storage room close to the Great Hall a few minutes later. Gellert had been right, the music could also be heard there. Not as loud, but it wasn't a bad thing. It gave them more privacy, something he valued when it came to Gellert Grindelwald.

"Did I mention that your uniform suits you as well?" Albus asked once the door closed behind them and they were alone.

Gellert chuckled. "I hate that thing, but thank you."

"Why would you hate it?" He wanted to know. He was aware that he asked many questions tonight, but Gellert didn't seem to mind.

"Because wearing it means that I have to take part in some social event, as you called it. And I think those are stupid." His honesty could still surprise Albus.

"I don't think they're stupid." He argued quietly. "It's all connected. Politics, those events, what's going on in the world… Sometimes, it's necessary to dance and make conversation for a while."

"Yet you also don't enjoy it." It wasn't a question. "Tell me, Albus, did you like dancing with that girlfriend of yours?"

The question made him stare at Gellert. Then he laughed. "Minerva isn't my girlfriend." He explained with a shake of his head. "One of my best friends, yes. But nothing more." Did he just imagine it, or was that relief on Gellert's face? "I might dare to say that I'll never have a female partner in my life." He knew that he was moving on dangerous ground now, admitting something like that. Especially in front of Gellert Grindelwald, who could still use that information against him one day.

From the way Gellert visibly relaxed and his eyes darkened, though, Albus doubted that he'd use that information for anything more than a personal matter. "Let's dance." Was all he said and then he held out his hands.

It was surprisingly easy, dancing with another man. Albus needed a few moments to get used to the steps again, but soon, they were moving around effortlessly. "What if I step on your feet?" He asked quietly, remembering the dark look on Gellert's face when Rosalind had asked that question earlier.

"Would sound like a call for practice." Gellert whispered, his face only inches from Albus'. "But I highly doubt that you'll do that. We're moving together perfectly." As if to prove a point, he picked up the pace and Albus followed instinctively.

"That's true." He agreed with a smile. "You're a good dancer."

"You weren't the only ones who had to practice in the past weeks." Gellert looked amused. "Though we lacked in female company, which is why we all danced with imaginary partners."

"Well, your partner has been very skillful, then."

"I had someone in mind while practicing." Gellert muttered, not taking his eyes off Albus for a second. "Seems like the effort paid off."

This made him raise his eyebrows. "But who…?"

"You're asking awfully many questions tonight." He didn't sound annoyed. "Maybe I'll tell you one day."

Albus scoffed. "You'll just let me wonder about it?"

"Exactly." Gellert smiled. "Who knows, maybe your patience will be worth it in the end?"

Before Albus could ask what that meant, the music in the Great Hall changed to something faster and more demanding. In the end, Albus decided that he would just ask again later. For now, he'd enjoy the feeling of Gellert's hand in his and the way their bodies moved together. They were so close, he could feel Gellert's furiously beating heart. It resembled his own, which wouldn't stop racing.

They danced for what felt like hours and only stopped when the music in the Great Hall fell silent. Then Gellert bowed to him and vanished into the night.


"So I've been thinking about that riddle again." Professor Fig said slowly and looked into the distance. Spring was getting closer and the second task of the tournament was only two weeks away. Albus hadn't managed to solve the riddle yet, but so was Gellert. They also doubted that Victoire had found a solution, considering how often she could be seen in the library together with other students from Beauxbatons.

"Did you find something new, Professor?" Albus asked and turned to him. They were outside, walking towards the owlery together. Professor Fig needed to send a letter to his wife, Miriam, and had asked Albus to accompany him.

"I think it's trying to lure us on a false track." The teacher for Magical Theory muttered. "Only in water, you can be my equal. That sounds like you'd have to solve the task in the water."

Albus nodded in agreement. "It seems to be the only obvious thing about the riddle."

"But what if it isn't?" Professor Fig asked. "What if it's just a small part in the bigger picture?"

"You mean the second task could have no connection to the Black Lake?"

He nodded. "We have more water around here. Think of the swamp areas in the north. Or all the rivers in the mountains. Maybe it could even mean an old cave of sorts, you often find water there." Professor Fig sighed. "It could be anything."

"Maybe we should rather focus on the creature the riddle is about, then. When I wake, you better keep running." Albus recited. "It sounds dangerous."

"Maybe even more so than the Chimaera." Professor Fig agreed. By now, they'd reached the owlery and a small, brown owl came flying towards them. It settled on Professor Fig's shoulder and he began to attach the letter to its leg. "We should both do some more research on this and talk again in a few days. I can also ask Professor Howin. She has lots of knowledge about all kinds of beasts."

"That would be amazing, thank you, Professor." Albus said with a smile.

Professor Fig didn't return the gesture. He looked concerned. "Thank me once we've solved this riddle and the second task is over."


After the yule ball, Albus and Gellert had met even more regularly. They'd never spoken about their dance again, but something had shifted between them anyway. However, no matter how hard Albus tried, he couldn't put a finger on what exactly it was. It felt more familiar between them, as if they'd decided to finally trust each other. And the physical pull towards the other man, which had been there from the moment they first met, seemed to be stronger than ever.

But nothing happened between them. They kept seeing each other and talked about everything and nothing at all. Sometimes, they also sat in the library, doing some research. Or they spent hours sitting somewhere else, reading the book Aberforth had brought Albus back from Godric's Hollow.

He wasn't even sure what he wanted from Gellert. Albus thought that he was very handsome and he genuinely liked him. He wanted to be close to Gellert and sometimes, he even wondered how it would feel to press their lips together. But Gellert hadn't even confirmed that he also liked men instead of women. While Albus had confessed his preferences, Gellert had only asked him to dance. It was obvious that being that close to Albus hadn't been uncomfortable to him – Albus still remembered how his eyes had darkened once he'd said that he'd never have a female partner in his life – but did that automatically mean Gellert also liked men?

The more he thought about it, the more confusing everything got. So Albus tried to keep those thoughts out of his mind as good as possible.

On a day about a week before the second task would take place, they were outside, walking along the shore of the lake. Spring was finally there and for March, it was already very warm. "Professor Fig thinks the second task might not be connected to the lake at all." Albus said and told Gellert about the conversation in short words. He knew that it was wrong to do it. After all, Gellert was still his opponent in the Triwizard Tournament. But he also couldn't just not tell him about it. He wanted him to survive, after all.

"Focusing on the creatures…" Gellert muttered thoughtfully. "But what could they be? No claws or fangs, that doesn't sound like a beast, if it's not that creature living in the lake. And this sacred throne, which is mentioned…" He shook his head. "Sounds like they're guarding something."

Gellert kept talking for some time, voicing different ideas. When his theory that it might not be a magical beast began to form, Albus suddenly stopped walking.

"And maybe they can – Albus?" Gellert also stopped and turned around, looking at him with a frown. "What's wrong?"

"It's not a beast." He muttered, shaking his head. "We were so blind."

"That's what I've been talking about for the past twenty minutes." Gellert looked curious, but also a little confused.

"Water. Hiding in the dark. Strange things happening. Needing to be smart. I know what is meant." He grinned suddenly before the full force of their next opponents hit him. Then, the smile vanished quickly and was replaced by concern.

"That expression does nothing to calm me." Gellert stepped closer to him. By now, they were far away from the castle, so the risk that anyone would see them was relatively low. "Tell me, Albus."

"Professor Fig was right about the swamp areas in the north." He said quietly. "Swamp nymphs. They're living there, that's why people avoid that area. They hide in dark caves close to the water, from which they get their power. On the first look, they seem to be harmless, but their magic is strong and they like to sharpen pieces of wood, the perfect weapons. So no claws or fangs."

Gellert cursed. "They always tell us to keep running, should we ever meet them."

"There are books about them in the library." Albus said. "I know that fire is one of their weaknesses, but surely they can protect themselves against it."

"Then let's start researching." Gellert agreed hastily and together, they hurried towards the castle, already discussing possible strategies. In this moment, it didn't feel like they were opponents at all.

They'd nearly reached the castle when Gellert suddenly slowed down, looking around through narrowed eyes. It took Albus a moment to realize that they were being watched.

"You two look troubled. So I assume you figured it out?" Minerva stepped around a tree, her eyes wandering from Albus to Gellert and back.

"You…" Gellert began and took half a step towards her, but Albus placed a hand on his arm. The contact only lasted for a few seconds, but it made Gellert stop anyway.

"It's fine. She already knows that you're not as bad as everyone thinks." He turned to Minerva. "Yes, we figured it out and we're on our way to the library. We might need your help."

She nodded simply. "Alright, so reading more books it is. Should I also get Elphias or do you think the three of us will be enough?"

"I think four pairs of eyes see more than three." Albus said without looking at Gellert. "And I also need to inform Professor Fig."

Minerva nodded. "We'll meet in the library in twenty minutes." She glanced at Gellert. "Maybe you should write Professor Fig instead of calling him to the library as well."

"Sounds like a good idea." Albus agreed and then, Minerva turned around and left.

"I understand why you like her." Gellert said slowly. "But was it really necessary to tell her about us?"

"She figured it out on her own." He shrugged. "There was nothing I could do about it."

Gellert sighed. "Let's just hope she keeps it to herself."

Albus wasn't sure how long they could keep their friendship – he'd decided that they were friends – to themselves anymore. After all, they were seen walking around together plenty of times now. If they were just two normal students, it might not have attracted any attention. But they were also the champions for their schools and that made them opponents.

However, he kept quiet while they continued to walk to the library. Maybe he was just being paranoid and no one would ever mention how close he and Gellert had become.


They were right about their thoughts on the second task. It would take place north of Hogwarts and they had to steal a golden ring from swamp nymphs. They loved to collect shiny things, which would make it difficult to get the object from them. They were also incredibly dangerous, meaning they had to be careful in the way they approached this task. Fire was one of their few weaknesses, but all the water in the swamp would make it easy for the nymphs to avoid being burned. And they were also dangerous with the sharp wooden pieces they'd like to use as a weapon, if their magic wasn't of any use.

Albus had a strategy he'd formed with Professor Fig, but the nature of the task still made him feel a little uneasy. To his surprise, though, he wasn't that concerned for his own safety, but for Gellert's. Something which was ridiculous, considering that Gellert could take care of himself very well.

This time, they didn't get a chance to talk before the task started. They'd built stands for the viewers of the tournament and behind those stood a tent, just like last time. Unlike last time, Albus was accompanied by Professor Fig. And he refused to leave until it was Albus' turn to go out there. Meaning he'd wait until the end, because again, the champion of Hogwarts would go last.

Victoire succeeded, though she got a few burns – it turned out that the nymphs could deflect fire – and scratches. The most serious thing was a black eye from being hit with a stone one of the nymphs had thrown at her, but it could be easily healed in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts.

Gellert got through the task nearly unharmed. A few bruises and scratches. Ruined clothes from having to jump into the water since the nymphs had set his cloak on fire. He'd managed to get the ring much faster than Victoire.

Then it was Albus' turn and things didn't go as planned at all. It seemed as if the nymphs learned from their mistakes and when he tried to use a spell conjuring fire, they simply summoned a giant wave, making all further efforts useless. Though fire was the most effective element against swamp nymphs, it wasn't the only magic which could harm them. Unfortunately, it was difficult to hit those small creatures with stunning spells and he soon gave up on that. Albus tried to use everything he knew instead, trying to free his way to where the ring was hidden with different spells. It would make his movements more unpredictable, but also required more focus.

His tactic seemed to work at first and he managed to get closer to the small cave. The ground was uneven, full of stones, small lakes and tree branches. He could only move slowly. That he was by far outnumbered didn't make the situation any better. He'd nearly reached the hiding place when suddenly, there was a sharp pain in his side and Albus gasped, breaking the spell he'd just cast. A long piece of wood had pierced his skin and blood was running down his side. A nymph had managed to get through his defenses and attack him physically.

If he was lucky, nothing vital was hit. If not, he had to act fast now. Which was why he came back to using spells with fire. Not just any spells, but in his desperation he summoned a whirlwind of fire, burning everything in his surroundings. It was hard to maintain, but a few seconds of distraction were enough. Albus used the moment to run towards the cave and jump, his hand closing around the ring tightly.

After that, it was over really fast. Apparently, someone had noticed that he got hurt and while the crowd still cheered all around, Professor Fig was suddenly there, guiding him back to the tent. "That was an impressive spell." He whispered while they walked over the uneven ground. "Very difficult to cast, especially when you're injured."

"I'm fine." Albus muttered, but his voice sounded weak. He was still clutching the ring with one hand.

"You're bleeding on my shoes, so I'd beg to differ." Professor Fig couldn't completely hide his concern.

There were voices inside the tent and when they entered, people began to shout his name happily. "Albus, you did it!" Minerva exclaimed, already on her way to him.

Elphias was only one step behind her. "Minerva, he's hurt."

"Albus, are you alright?" That was Professor Dippet's voice.

The last thing Albus saw before he lost consciousness was Gellert's pale face, staring at him through wide eyes.


When he woke up again, he had to blink against the light. He was lying in a soft bed and his surroundings looked familiar. It took him a moment to realize that he was in the Hospital Wing. In a chair next to his bed sat Elphias. He was asleep and the position he was in looked quite uncomfortable. Albus wondered how long he'd already been here, considering that the sun was shining outside.

"You're awake, that's good." Another voice said and he turned to see Minerva sitting on the bed next to his. "How are you feeling?"

He considered it for a moment and moved a little. "I'm fine."

"Strange, since you also insisted on that when Professor Fig nearly had to carry you into that tent." Minerva sounded annoyed and he knew that it was out of worry. She hated it when someone close to her got injured.

"Mistake from my part." He cleared his throat and she handed him a glass of water. On his other side, Elphias began to stir and after he'd rubbed his eyes, he smiled.

"Albus, you're awake!"

"Took him long enough." Minerva muttered.

"Don't be so hard on him, he got stabbed by a sharp piece of wood!" Elphias scolded her mildly. "We didn't even realize that you were injured until you entered that tent."

"Professor Fig knew." Albus said and tried to sit up slowly. It worked without problems. When he touched his side carefully, he didn't feel any pain.

"Yes, he's been watching you like a hawk during that task." Elphias looked uncomfortable. "They say it'll leave a scar."

"I don't mind. I'm just glad to be here at all." Albus frowned. "How long have I been here?"

"Only one night. It's about ten in the morning, so you didn't miss that much. After Professor Fig brought you to the castle, Dippet announced that you'd all succeeded in the second task. You were the slowest to get the ring, but no one expected those nymphs to learn from their mistakes. Smart bastards, those creatures." Elphias explained. "It was strange, Grindelwald nearly lost it when he saw you injured. He didn't do so much as say something, but every time someone even tried to talk to him, he snapped at them. And once Dippet's speech was over, he vanished."

Albus exchanged a look with Minerva and she gave him a curt nod. The message was obvious. Tell him or I will.

"Maybe not that strange." So he told Elphias about how he'd started to form a friendship with Gellert over the last months. When he was finished, his best friend only shook his head.

"I knew something was up when you began to do research on those swamp nymphs together. But why didn't you tell me? I would have kept your secret." He looked hurt, which made Albus feel even more guilty.

He sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking, to be honest. Only that no one could possibly want me to get too close to someone like Gellert."

"That's true." Elphias admitted. "But if you trust him, it's fine. Well, not really fine, but I can accept that, if it makes any sense. I trust your judgement."

Albus smiled. "Thank you, Elphias."

The conversation was interrupted when a nurse arrived, wanting to have one more look at Albus' injury before he was allowed to leave. It was completely healed – he could be lucky that the wood hadn't been poisoned – and he could go with his friends. "But try to be more careful next time." The nurse said, with 'next time' surely meaning the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament.

"I'll try." Albus promised, got dressed in the clean clothes Elphias had brought him and then, they left together.

As soon as the door of the Hospital Wing closed behind them, both Minerva and Elphias stopped, making Albus nearly run into them. A look over Elphias' shoulder revealed Gellert, leaning against a wall close to the door. He had his arms crossed and looked completely relaxed. By now, Albus knew him well enough to see through that facade. He was paler than usual and where he'd clenched his fists, his knuckles were white.

When his eyes fell on Albus, he pushed away from the wall and took a step forward, as if he wanted to go to him. Then his eyes wandered to Elphias and Minerva, which made him hesitate.

Minerva only sighed. "If you hurt him, I'll kill you." She said to Gellert and continued to walk towards the stairs.

"She'll kill you after I've caused you lots of pain." Elphias added – hard words for him because he couldn't even hurt a fly – and followed her.

Albus and Gellert stared at each other. Only when the door to the Hospital Wing opened once more did they move, walking away hastily and ignoring the confused look on the nurse's face. As soon as they'd reached a small, abandoned corridor, Albus turned to Gellert once more. "It was nothing, just a –"

"If you say that it was just a scratch, I'll kill you myself." Gellert hissed. "You nearly died out there, Albus. You could be dead by now!"

Before Albus could open his mouth and say that he was sorry, Gellert had grabbed his shirt, pushed him against the next wall and kissed him.