BABY BLUE AND VIOLET LIGHT

A/N: This isn't a proper crossover, I don't think. To those who've never read Tolkien, Nerya will introduce herself and tell you all you need to know. Tolkien, I'm really sorry for fitting your lore to my story's needs instead of the other way around.

So, Harry Potter-wise, this takes place in 1896, when Albus is still at school. His mother and sister are still alive, and Gellert will take his time appearing. Tolkien-wise, this takes place around 6000 years after LotR and I've turned the Undying Lands into a "real place", instead of the lovely metaphor I think Tolkien intended for it to be.

It is the story of two lonely, arrogant, self-centred youths, the wonders they lived through and the trouble that waits for them down the road. Will they manage to overcome their selfishness, and love each other selflessly? What does loving selflessly mean, in the end?

This story will be soppy and a bit ridiculous.

Chapter 1: The Girl With Violet Eyes

''Albus!''

Albus Dumbledore turned on his heels, searching for the source of the sound. The hallway was crammed with people; students were rushing to classes and Peeves was diving in and out of the crowd, a knitting needle in each hand, shouting 'let's make some waves in this sea!' Therefore it was very difficult to spot Elphias Doge - Albus recognised the voice.

Dumbledore stayed put, waiting for Elphias to come to him and thanking Merlin that Professor Cadbury arrived in Peeves' crime scene. Albus didn't want the humiliation of trying -and of course failing- to stop the poltergeist again. It was a rare occasion and Albus wished it to remain so, to appear in public as inadequate in any way.

''Black wants to see you'' said Elphias, when he managed to approach.

''Right now? What about transfigurations?''

''He said it's urgent and I should excuse you.''

''Alright, thank you Elphias.''

He started for the 7th floor. The crowds thinned as the lessons started, quickly leaving him alone as he walked the corridors. When he turned on the corridor where the headmaster's office was, he saw a girl exiting the gargoyle. Tall and lean, Albus noticed, with raven black hair, richly reaching the small of her back. The girl turned her head towards him, her eyes stayed on him for less than a second before she turned her head the other way. Nevertheless, she stayed right outside the gargoyle and didn't show any intention of leaving.

Albus continued his observations as he walked on. She looked to be near his age, was wearing simple black robes, like Hogwarts students, but those hair was far too noticeable not to be remembered. And Albus remembered people, especially from his year up.

The girl looked towards every direction except his, in that way polite people have when they don't want to stare. That gave Albus a chance to study her without her noticing. She was a light presence, blending in because she didn't make much… 'shall we call it 'noise' ?' but also standing out in an unassuming way, like she couldn't help it. Albus' lips twitched slightly in the thought that struck him next. It was like she was floating. Not really touching the floor.

It was a cloudy afternoon, the corridor had little light and yet he could see the girl clearly. It was like her skin, creamy white, engulfed the darkness of her apparel and hair.

'Light and dark again', Albus mused. 'How beautifully human when they co-exist in one presence and how blindingly divine it would be to witness them separately.' Albus's eyes trailed away, thinking how this little game of his was second nature to him now. He had managed to turn his studyings into something of a reflex; upon sight of an individual he started immediately to take them in, trying to see through them; trying to find subtle connections between appearances and abstract notions, letting his imagination roam, feeling clever, creative, attentive. Feeling free of reality, judgement and people who don't understand.

He was very close to the gargoyle now, barely five paces from the girl, and it struck him that she was facing him now, smiling to herself with her eyes lowered. Before he could muse a reason behind this facial expression, she looked up to him and spoke, tilting her head slightly.

''Are you by any chance Albus Dumbledore?''

Clear and ringing voice, light again, Albus thought.

''Yes, yes I am,'' replied he with an expression he believed to be of polite wonder.

The girl raised a white lean hand to him holding a roll of parchment, and said ''The Headmaster said to give you this. He said it should explain everything.''

Albus's brows had shot up. Not because Black had chosen to explain this via note, but because of the girl's eyes. They were such a strange hue of blue, that they seemed almost violet. 'Definitely not from around here then'. But she looked like a student so, Durmstrang possibly, but her accent – 'reality calling Albus, read the bloody note!'.

Mr Dumbledore

The girl who I hope has given you this note is an exchange student. I charge you with the duty to show her around and answer her questions. She will stay with the 5th year Gryffindors so make sure she meets the necessary people.

Ensure she is well treated and welcomed

The Headmaster

Phineas Nigellus Black

Albus barely kept himself from snorting. It was a good thing that the girl – still nameless, by the way – was spared from further of the Headmaster's airy terseness, which was often tipping around incivility and always lacking warmth. At least Black could, from his position of power, relieve himself of the duties that seemed to him too dreary to deal with, like welcoming an exchange student.

''I see.'' Albus looked up with a polite smile. ''Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss…?''

The girl smirked. 'Nerya. Nerya Markov. But Nerya is fine.''

Albus nodded with a polite smile, the question of her expression puzzling him still. They started walking together. ''So I suppose you come to us from… Durmstrang?'' Albus surmised.

Her smirk deepened. ''Erm… Not exactly. I come from the general area, but I was home-schooled.''

A few moments of nodding, a side-glance from both and tight-lipped polite smiles later, Albus decided to take the risk.

''I know it's too early on our acquaintance, Nerya, but may I ask you something rather… personal?'' Albus had suddenly stopped, a look of mock uneasiness in his face.

''Will I be terribly shocked?'' Nerya stopped too, put a hand in her chest and drew back a bit as if to shield herself. Thank Merlin, the girl is quick, Albus thought, looking her in the eye, his eyes twinkling playfully.

''As your host, I serve at your pleasure.'' He said, bowing his head playfully and resumed walking.

The girl's violet eyes sparkled as she chuckled a bit, and then waited for his question.

''I see you clearly amused by something and I must admit my curiosity as to what. You see,'' he turned his face to look her in the eye, ''I want to be a gracious host, therefore understanding what you enjoy is of high importance to me.'' Albus smirked.

''Uhm.. Well…'' Nerya looked at him sideways and then her eyes flickered to the ceiling, amused smirk playing in her mouth. ''I should probably just say that Headmaster Black has a very interesting persona.''

A moment's silence as they walked on, and then Albus said, smiling archly now, ''Oh that was masterfully put, if I may say so, Miss Markov…'' they joined eyes for a second and then chuckled.

With Hogwarts stuff and general stuff the conversation flowed easily, Albus giving her the general layout of the castle and Nerya making witty remarks.

It was obvious from the excitement that quickly dominated the air around them that both of them seldom had for company someone who could follow the other's string of thought so easily. It was also obvious that they both enjoyed it immensely.

When they reached the Great Hall, Albus introduced Nerya to the girls with which she would be sharing the dormitory and left them to get to know each other. He joined Elphias a bit further down the table, and wondered from afar at Nerya's ease in her new social surroundings. At first she hadn't seemed the social type. But she was a chameleon, like him. She could handle the crowds even if they didn't speak her language. He mused as to how she had come to master such a skill.

It took some time – not much, but some- for Elphias to attract Albus' attention enough to talk.

''Mate, I've got to say, it's the first time I've seen you pay such attention to a girl.'' Albus turned wholly to face him, the expression in his face was one Elphias could not read. He continued, making sure the mood was light, ''anything you care to share with me?''

''Like what…?'' Albus said, like he sort of suspected where this was going, but found it impossible to believe it.

And then Elphias understood that unreadable look. It was the look that he had seen Albus have when he was trying to fully grasp a new concept or spell. Seemingly blank, but if you looked more carefully you could see puzzlement, concentration and a million thoughts per second. Something new was dawning on him. Elphias got a bit scared. One must never tickle a sleeping dragon, nor one just waking up. And Albus was a dragon in terms of knowledge and brainpower. Ancient, wise and magically almost unbeatable, he had always seemed to Elphias.

''Nothing, never mind.'' Elphias turned to his plate, but a second later he looked sideways to the red-headed again and said, a bit nervously. ''If you wanted to share something though, anything, you know I am here for you.''

Albus took a moment looking at Elphias as he always did, a look that made the dark-haired boy feel uneasy, but not exactly in a bad way; it was as if Albus was studying him, but with fondness and a bit of wonder too. It was like he saw right through him, but accepted and liked very much what he saw. Right from the first time it was directed towards him, on their first year, Elphias was unnerved by it, but through the years he managed to understand it was because of its rare kindness and understanding.

''Yes, I do know that. Thank you.'' Albus responded and his eyes were warm.

So they turned to dinner and conversation, Elphias told him what he missed in transfigurations. Albus seemed to be back to the here and now. For now.

Later, in his bed with his curtains closed, Albus played the conversation with Elphias in his head. When had he become so obvious? Albus was friendly with everyone, was a good sport, a diligent student, caring and polite, he hoped. What he had never been in the past was obvious. Elphias knew him so long, that's true, but still.

Albus was always studying people, but how come Elphias noticed it and reacted in this way this time? Had his eye and mind stayed on Nerya longer or more intensely than it did in all the other occasions of his studying?

'Well, she is a very strange creature', Albus reasoned, almost defensively, to himself. 'Stranger than what I usually see. She is a very interesting subject to study.' He shrugged.

'Today, you didn't only enjoy studying Nerya, though.' Another voice in Albus's head argued.

Albus swallowed and took a deep breath. 'No,' he continued defensively, 'I enjoyed talking with her too, that's true. But,' Albus went on the offensive, 'if you remember, my dear head, Nerya proved herself to be a most diverting conversationalist. And taking into account the fact that our Gracious Headmaster saw fit to unburden himself on me, she is now officially under my care, and I was relieved to see that our time together wouldn't be as boring as it might have been.'

Albus waited for a retort, but his head either didn't have anything else to say or it chose not to argue with him.

But he was still uneasy with the fact that Elphias noticed. Was Albus so hungry for some proper communication with another human being, the sort he only ever had with himself, but sort of had today with Nerya, that his outer protective social wall was weakened? Or was the wall weak in the first place and Nerya's presence had shone light to those faulty parts?

'Ah… her light. It is so deliciously bright,' he mused. 'Of course it would uncover everything dirty and neglected'. It had already reached out to that shy girl in his year, made her talk more than Albus had ever seen her talk. Lucky Mary Cra-

Wait.

Albus sat up in the bed, abruptly, eyes wide. He had dismissed it earlier, in the Great Hall with Elphias, but… could this be…?

'No. Of course not', he snorted dismissively to himself.

He had never had that kind of thing for girls, not even when he was younger. 'No way', he almost snorted out loud. He barely had that sort of interest anyway, but even that little was directed towards boys, he was pretty sure of that.

Dear Merlin, fuck. Was this normal? Who was this Nerya, anyway?

A/N: This work was my first fanfiction. All 21 written chapters are posted on Ao3 under the same title and username. I will be posting them here gradually, but I must say I'm having trouble writing more... I made the mistake of not sketching out the plot, improvising as I went. Now I am stuck, which is why I'd appreciate ANY kind of feedback you're willing to throw my way, good and bad, cruel and tender.

I'm also looking for a beta reader for this. I'm not demanding, time-wise. PM me if you're interested.

Reviews are most welcome! Thank you for reading!