Hello there, if anyone still reads this here, I'm back! On another platform, there were so many requests for chapters from Gellert's POV, I just had to write those. Here's the first one of them.

I don't own the characters or places!

Gellert's last year at Durmstrang started quite uneventful. At least until the news that the Triwizard Tournament was going to take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry reached them. He'd been sitting at breakfast with his acquaintances then and just one thought came to his mind.

He was going to win this tournament, no matter the cost.

If someone had told him back then that he wouldn't be willing to pay said cost, after all, he would have only laughed.

"You can't really expect that your name will be chosen when you throw it into the Goblet of Fire." Dietrich muttered while they were on their ship on the journey to Great Britain. They said that Hogwarts was in Scotland, but the exact location was unknown to most people. Gellert was curious to see the place he'd heard so much about. His aunt Bathilda had been at Hogwarts and she'd loved the place. She was even writing a book about it, as far as he knew. When he thought about having to spend the summer after graduation with her, Gellert held back a scowl.

"No one can have that much luck." Steven, another one of Gellert's acquaintances – he refused to call them friends – agreed loudly. "Not even you, Gellert."

"It's obvious that it will be me who's going to be the champion for Durmstrang." Dietrich nodded, smiling widely. It took all of Gellert's willpower not to draw his wand and curse him. Or punch him in the face. Surely, his surprised expression would be hilarious. "And I'm going to win this thing."

"It doesn't matter who of you will be chosen." Mr. Tarov, Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute, entered their cabin, a dark look on his face. "We need to win. How that goal is reached is of no importance." He crossed his arms. "We're almost there, so put on your uniforms. We need to make a good impression." With good, he meant that they needed to scare the students from the other schools. A necessity Gellert had never really understood. Mr. Tarov wanted the other schools to fear them.

If he was honest with himself, Gellert would have preferred being respected over being feared.

When the ship finally broke through the surface of the water, Gellert and his fellow students stormed onto deck, eager to see the place where they'd spend the next months. The sun was shining, making the waves around their ship shimmer in all different shades of blue. The trees on the shore were still green, but here and there, the leaves were already changing their colours to yellow and orange. All around, there were hills and mountains.

It all paled in comparison to the castle in front of them. While Durmstrang Institute was big and old, Hogwarts looked even bigger and far more ancient. Thick stone walls, lots of windows and high towers. He'd never believed his aunt's stories about the beauty of the castle, but in this moment, Gellert couldn't deny that it was true. There was something fascinating about Hogwarts, something that drew him towards the place. He couldn't wait to see more of it.

"Keep in mind that we're here to win this thing." Mr. Tarov said loudly. "We're not on this journey to make friends. If it helps your goals, use the students of the other schools. But don't get attached to them." He let it sound like a warning. Gellert knew that it was one. The headmaster wanted to prove that they were better at all costs. "And now get in line, we'll row to the shore." No one dared to groan in frustration at this. Instead, they all did as their teacher said.

From the inside, the castle was even more impressive. While they waited in front of the Great Hall, ready to meet the students of the other schools for the first time, Gellert wondered what secrets this place was holding. Surely there were many hidden rooms or passageways. In a place this big, it couldn't be any other way. Most probably, he wouldn't get a chance to discover any secrets, but if there was a chance, he'd take it. He loved exploring places and gaining more knowledge.

Then the door to the Great Hall opened and he pushed all those thoughts aside. This wasn't the time to be fascinated by this place. He was here to win a tournament! That was his first and only priority. Durmstrang needed to win this year.

His aunt had told him about the enchanted ceiling, looking like the sky outside, and the candles which were always floating in the air. Now he took them in shortly, also noticing that the colours of the four houses could be seen on different banners. He didn't take his time to look, though. They needed to make an impression, meaning he had to look calm. Calculating. Like a true winner.

That was until a movement to his right caught his attention. The students there were wearing red and gold. Gryffindor. Known for their courage, according to his aunt Bathilda. What startled Gellert, though, was that he suddenly looked into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen. The young man was about Gellert's age and had short, auburn hair. What really attracted his attention was how clear his eyes looked. How sharp his gaze was. He knew instinctively that he was looking at someone with a great intellect.

Then the moment was over. It had only lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like Gellert's world was still spinning. His urge to win the tournament was suddenly accompanied by another feeling.

He needed to find out more about this young man as soon as possible.

His name was Albus Dumbledore, that wasn't hard to find out. He was one of Hogwarts' most brilliant students and had a troubled past. His father was in Azkaban for having attacked some Muggles. No one knew the reasons for this and the Dumbledores – Albus and his younger brother Aberforth, who was known to be an outsider, far too angry and by far not as smart as his brother – never talked about it. But there weren't many people who remembered that fact about their past anyway. Albus' brilliance overshadowed it all.

On their first morning at Hogwarts, Mr. Tarov told Gellert to accompany him to a meeting with Professor Dippet, who was Hogwarts' headmaster. Madame Bremont, headmistress of Beauxbatons, was also there together with a student. Victoire Auclair. Blond hair, bronze skin, dark eyes. A classic beauty. Victoire eyed Gellert suspiciously and he stared at her darkly. He'd never enjoyed the company of girls and this one wasn't an exception.

"It's so good to have you here! So good!" Professor Dippet exclaimed in excitement. "I hope you had a pleasant journey. I've heard there was a storm crossing the south a few days ago. It didn't trouble you?" He kept exchanging pleasantries with the two other headmasters for some time and Gellert listened with one ear, pretending to be interested in the conversation. In his mind, however, he was trying to figure out why Madame Bremont had brought Victoire. She seemed smart, yes. And determined. But next to that, he couldn't find anything interesting about her.

After some time, someone else joined their small group. She was introduced as Selena Clearwater, Head Girl from Ravenclaw. When the attention of everyone focused on her, she shifted uncomfortably on her feet, but there was a smile on her lips. "I'm sure our Head Boy will also join us soon." Professor Dippet kept talking about him and it took Gellert a moment to realize that the young man he was praising endlessly was Albus Dumbledore. So not just smart, beautiful and with a complicated past, but also popular. Gellert wasn't sure what to think of the young man who'd caught his attention in a matter of seconds the previous evening.

He kept trying to solve this riddle while the others kept talking, but he couldn't find a solution. He hated intelligent people who never had to raise a finger to get what they wanted. Albus Dumbledore seemed to be just that. So why was Gellert so fascinated by him anyway? His attention shifted when suddenly, Professor Dippet called out to someone. "Mr. Dumbledore, over here!"

Albus Dumbledore was wearing black robes, just like every other student at Hogwarts. His scarf had the Gryffindor colours and he was carrying a bag, surely filled with books and other things he needed for classes. His hair looked slightly disheveled, as if he'd run his hands through it many times. It wasn't completely straight but a little wavy. And it looked very soft, a thought Gellert banned from his mind immediately. When those beautiful blue eyes took in the group in whose direction he was heading, Gellert thought that they started to look more distant than seconds ago.

"May I introduce Albus Dumbledore?" Professor Dippet said, voice filled with pride. "He's our Head Boy, together with dear Ms. Clearwater over here. A very intelligent young man, I need to mention." Gellert fought the urge to roll his eyes at this. He'd mentioned it how many times by now? Twenty?

"Headmaster Dippet is clearly exaggerating." Albus interrupted him politely and with a calm smile. His voice sounded deep and smooth. Gellert knew that he could listen to the sound for hours. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Welcome at Hogwarts."

Dippet laughed. "You're too modest, Albus!" He turned to the others with a grin. "He's won so many prizes so far, his last discovery were the uses of –"

"I'm sure there will be enough time to talk about my researches in the future, Professor." Albus threw in quickly, looking embarrassed. It seemed like he was used to the headmasters endless praises. "I'm sure we all want to be on time for breakfast. We don't want to miss our first lesson. Selena and I have Defense Against the Dark Arts this morning."

Selena nodded eagerly at this. An exaggerating gesture, but their headmaster didn't seem to notice. "I'm sure Professor Hecat would be disappointed if we're not there punctually. After all, it's our last year with her." Her smile was innocent when she turned to Gellert and the others. "I'm sure we can show you around later today, if you're interested in a tour."

"That's exactly why I called you here!" Professor Dippet exclaimed loudly. "Since you're Head Girl and Head Boy, I'm sure you can help our guests if the need arises."

"Of course, Professor." Albus said with a bow of his head. His expression didn't give away what he was thinking at all. Gellert felt the sudden urge to break through that calm facade. "That won't be a problem."

"There are many things to discover at Hogwarts." Selena agreed. "Maybe we can meet this afternoon."

While Gellert just watched them silently, Victoire smiled. "That would be great, thank you." Just like her appearance, her voice was flawless. Even her French accent was hard to hear. He only noticed it because he knew of her origin.

"Then we'll see you later." Albus nodded and glanced at his headmaster, but he remained silent. "Will you join us for breakfast?" This was directed at Gellert and Victoire. His voice was still so perfectly calm and didn't give away what he was thinking at all.

The two girls took the lead, chatting happily. It was obvious that they enjoyed each other's company, even if they'd only met less than an hour ago. Gellert kept walking in silence, fully aware of Albus' presence right next to him. He glanced at him, wondering if he still looked so calm and collected. He did. "The headmaster seems to think very highly of you." He said in the end. "He couldn't stop praising you even before your arrival."

"He likes to exaggerate." Albus shook his head, voice filled with disapproval. "You'll get used to that with time."

"He seemed pretty convinced about everything he said. Quite a scholar, aren't you?" Gellert couldn't keep the mocking tone from his voice, angry that Albus seemed to take all those praises so lightly. As if they were nothing.

Albus looked at him, blue eyes cold and unimpressed. "I think we can agree that the way I spend my time is none of your concern." He looked around in the Great Hall, his lips twitching when he saw someone he knew. "If you excuse me now? I'm quite busy. Studying, you see." And without waiting for a reply, he headed towards the Gryffindor table. Gellert kept watching as he sat down next to another boy from his house. It was obvious how well they knew each other, as they bowed their heads and started to talk quietly.

He felt anger flaring in his chest then and tried to ignore them while he walked over to where the Durmstrang students were sitting. They'd found places at the Slytherin table. It had taken Gellert about five minutes to resent all the students from that house. All those talks about blood purity and how their house would win the tournament. He'd fought the urge to curse any of them during their first dinner at Hogwarts.

While he tried to eat his breakfast, he kept wondering why Albus Dumbledore had such an effect on him. He was fascinating, but it also angered Gellert. Especially the way he'd just dismissed him.

Only late at night and after another disastrous conversation with the other student did Gellert realized that he wasn't angry. The feeling when he saw Albus with his friend was jealousy.

Two days later, Gellert threw his name into the Goblet of Fire. He did it in the afternoon, together with a few of his acquaintances from Durmstrang. Of course they all wanted to participate, so the procedure was accompanied by many mistrustful glances. Other students were also in the Great Hall to watch them, mostly from Beauxbatons, but he also spotted some from Hogwarts. A certain young man with auburn hair and blue eyes, however, couldn't be seen. Gellert tried not to feel disappointed at that.

He wasn't even sure why he was so interested in Albus Dumbledore. There was this… pull towards him he couldn't explain. He'd never felt like this about anyone else.

That's also why he found himself at the lake the day before the three champions would be announced. Actually, Gellert just wanted some time for himself because the others from Durmstrang were slowly getting on his nerves. But then he'd spotted Albus sitting under a tree, reading a book and he couldn't resist going there.

Gellert tried to fight his sudden nervousness when he sat down next to him in the grass. "It's beautiful here. Amazing view."

Albus didn't look up from the book he was reading and Gellert wondered if he'd already seen him coming. "I think from your ship, the sight is even more impressive. After all, you have a perfect view on the castle."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Who said that I want to look at your big, old castle? It's just the same as Durmstrang, only with more towers."

"And surrounded by mountains and lakes." Albus sounded thoughtful. "Not that much of a difference there as well."

"We don't have that much sun over there. That's a pleasant change for once." At Durmstrang, the weather was always cold and cloudy. Or it rained. Which wasn't much better. That's also why Gellert enjoyed all those opportunities to go outside here at Hogwarts.

Now Albus looked up from his book and his expression could only be described as skeptical. "Don't tell me that you like to be outside and enjoy the weather." He said, sounding incredulous. "Shouldn't you rather spend your time inside, working on all the skills you're always talking about so proudly?" Inwardly, Gellert sighed while he mentioned this. His fellow students couldn't stop talking about everything they could do, so of course Gellert included himself in that conversation, only to show them that he was still better than all of them combined. What surprised him, however, was that Albus knew of this.

"And shouldn't you be in that library of yours, studying?" He asked back with raised eyebrows.

Albus held up his book, looking annoyed. "I am studying."

"Doesn't look like your usual stuff for classes, though." Gellert leaned forward to read the title, curious to see what it was. He'd never admit it, but he wanted to know more about Albus Dumbledore. "Advanced Interactions Between Magic and Alchemy. Sounds complicated."

"It isn't." Albus argued and shook his head. His blue eyes were shining in the sunlight. "Not if you understand the basics. And it isn't for school. It's for my personal studies."

"The ones your headmaster was so proud of." He couldn't keep the unhappy tone from his voice. In all his life, no one had ever praised Gellert for being good at anything.

Albus shrugged. "I don't care what Headmaster Dippet thinks. I'm studying because I like it. There are so many things we still don't understand."

The way he said it made Gellert's lips twitch. He knew that feeling too well. "You want to figure them all out."

He smiled slightly. "I can at least try. And don't say it's a waste of time. I've heard that you're also doing researches in your free time."

"Which are completely different from the things you do." Gellert muttered, considering if he could tell Albus more about himself. But friends were a weakness, he'd learned that a long time ago. And most probably, he'd never see Albus again after the tournament anyway. It also frustrated him that he wanted to talk to him. "Mind your own business, Dumbledore."

Albus quirked an eyebrow. "You get to ask questions and once I mention something you do, you basically tell me to shut up. That's not very nice."

"Nice." Gellert echoed. "Who says that I want to be nice? I'm not here to make friends. We all aren't. We're only here for the Triwizard Tournament."

When Albus' expression suddenly changed, Gellert nearly regretted his words. "You should go back to your classmates then. Prepare for said tournament. Who knows, maybe your name will be called out?" He closed his book and stood up. "If that happens, I wish you good luck. They say only someone with much skill can win this thing."

"Or survive it." Gellert muttered, making no attempt to stand up as well. "They say that you're good with magic as well. But I've never seen you use your wand before. Tell me, Albus, are all the things the people say only rumors? Are you so keen on studying because it's all you can do?"

Albus smiled. "You have no idea what I'm capable of." Without another word, he turned around and left. Gellert kept sitting there for a long time, wondering why he always felt so confused around Albus Dumbledore.

The evening the champions for the Triwizard Tournament were chosen, Gellert felt oddly nervous. He wasn't sure why because actually, he was looking forward to this moment. Well, only if his name was chosen, of course. He didn't trust anyone else from Durmstrang to win the tournament for their school. But that didn't explain why he wasn't feeling well.

He looked around in the Great Hall while Professor Dippet held a long speech about the importance of the Triwizard Tournament and that it wasn't just about winning, but also forming friendships. It had been mentioned before a few times and Gellert resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was sure that by now, everyone had received the message.

For the tenth time that evening, his eyes found Albus at the Gryffindor table. He wasn't looking in Gellert's direction – he rarely did – and seemed to be listening to his headmaster's speech attentively. From time to time, he moved or exchanged short words with his friend next to him. In contrast to Albus' calm face, he actually looked nervous. It alarmed Gellert more than it should.

He couldn't think of it any longer when first Victoire's name was chosen and then his own. He felt a grim satisfaction when he walked to the front of the Great Hall and his eyes wandered over the crowd. His acquaintances didn't look happy and he knew that he'd have to listen to a long speech from Mr. Tarov about the importance of winning later.

His feeling of triumph was gone the moment the champion for Hogwarts was announced.

"Now to Hogwarts." Professor Dippet said loudly and when he looked at the paper in his hand, Gellert thought that the headmaster paled. His voice was quiet when he read out the name. "Albus Dumbledore."

Gellert's first reaction to it was disbelief. Then shock. More disbelief followed. Albus had thrown his name into the Goblet of Fire?! Yes, he'd heard from others that he was a skilled wizard and very ambitious, but from everything Gellert knew about him so far, he wasn't one to take part in a wizarding competition. So why would he do this?

It would explain the worried glances from his friend, he realized then. While Albus had just looked a little restless, the other boy – was it Elphias? – had looked terrified. He'd known about it all. And it was obvious that he didn't like it.

But Albus also didn't look very happy, Gellert realized as he watched him walk through the Great Hall. His face was as calm as always, but his eyes betrayed him. He didn't expect to be chosen for the Triwizard Tournament. Maybe he didn't even want it.

So why did he throw his name into the Goblet of Fire at all?

That question bothered Gellert the entire evening, even after he'd overheard a conversation between Albus and his brother, which revealed an interesting fact Gellert would have to consider later.

Albus Dumbledore was from Godric's Hollow, the same village his aunt Bathilda lived in. He also had a sister, who wasn't at Hogwarts. And his brother seemed to hate Albus for some reason.

His determination to solve the riddle that was Albus Dumbledore was stronger than ever before after that night.