Until I Found You

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Albus tried to spend the next day like any other. He got up, ate his breakfast alone, as Kendra had already eaten to look after Ariana. He didn't know where Aberforth was, he generally kept out of the family quite a lot. Afterwards, Albus sat down in his room and started reading books. He made notes and sank completely into his book.

But suddenly a picture of the boy last night appeared in the book. This took him completely out of his thoughts. He looked at the picture more closely and saw that it was not him after all. It was just another man, who also had blond hair and blue eyes.

Albus tried to dive back into his work, but he couldn't get him out of his mind. He would like to see him again, but what were there any chances he would see him again? Probably not if he was stuck in here. He would have to go outside, should he ask Elphias? But no, he had the feeling that he wanted to be alone with him. He was not exactly sure why he wanted to see him again, and what should he tell Elphias? No, he would go alone tonight.

At first he had planned to sit down at his desk and continue studying, but that seemed impossible. His thoughts kept drifting to tonight and to the boy. He kept looking at the clock. He didn't know when the boy would be there, or if he would be there at all. But somehow he had a feeling and that, Albus knew, he could often rely on. He didn't know why, but his intuition was right ninety percent of the time.

At just before half past four, Albus could not sit any longer and started to change his clothes. He wanted to look smart, but not too overdressed. He didn't want to look like he was assuming anything or something like that. When he was satisfied with his outfit, he went into the bathroom and fixed his hair.

With a final check of his appearance he walked out of the bathroom, to his annoyance he ran straight into his brother. "Is little Albus going on a date?" He teased, "No," Albus replied glumly. Aberforth just smiled and went to his room.

He didn't feel like having to explain to his mother where he was going so he slipped out. He could have apparated, as he had passed the exam last year and was now 17 years old, and therefore of age, but Albus was used to getting along in a 'Muggle' way and had not yet got used to his new freedoms.

He strolled to the backyard where he had gone with Elphias last night and looked around. He hoped Elphias didn't see him, nor was he in the pub. He hadn't thought of an excuse yet and just hoped he wasn't there.

He tapped the car and the bonnet popped open, revealing the stairs. Albus walked them down and the same house-elf as the day before relieved him of his jacket.

Albus ordered himself something to drink and sat down in the far corner. To his disappointment, the boy wasn't there, but that wasn't to mean anything yet. Albus sipped his drink. What was he actually going to say to the boy? What if he suddenly turned up with friends and didn't want to talk to him at all? Maybe he couldn't remember him at all.

Deep in his thoughts, Albus didn't notice how the pub was filling up more and more. Nor did he notice a certain young man enter the pub and walked purposefully towards him. "Is this place free? Because the whole place is crowded"

Albus looked up. He looked straight into the blue eyes he had missed so much. Only after a few seconds did he realise what he had said and just nodded. "Thank you" he said and sat down opposite him. They were silent for a while.

"You're not the most talkative I suppose" the boy countered, Albus looked slightly confused "Uhh..." "It's alright, I didn't mean that as an attack" he smiled at him. "I'm Gellert" he introduced himself. "Albus" the latter nodded at him.

"Nice name, what are you doing here Albus? Yesterday you were here with your friends, where are they?" Albus hadn't expected that, he had expected Elphias to ask him that, but what could he tell Gellert? After all, he couldn't very well tell him the real reason. "Erm, he's busy today and I wanted to take some free time" Albus replied "Free time from what? What are you doing?" Embarrassed, he averted his gaze. "I'm studying and reading books".

Suddenly, Albus felt a cold hand grab his chin. Gellert straightened his head so that they were looking directly into each other's eyes. "Nothing to be ashamed of, Albus. I read a lot myself, that's where the real strength lies, in education isn't it?"

Albus was very confused for a moment. He hadn't met anyone yet who shared the same attitude towards it as he did. "Thank you, you're right...which wizarding school do you attend? Haven't seen ya at Hogwarts before." "Durmstrang, though I was expelled a year ago," Gellert confessed, even though no regret could be heard in his voice. "By Merlin's beard, how does one get kicked out of Durmstrang?" Albus asked in amazement. "Well, let's put it this way, they didn't think my way of gaining knowledge was very suitable," Gellert replied with a smile.

Albus tried to make a rhyme out of it, but he couldn't, as that smile quite upset him in a good way. "So a Hogwarts student are you? Have you finished school yet?" "Yes this year" Gellert didn't reply to that, he turned to one of the waiter house elves and ordered something that Albus didn't knew.

"We should lighten the mood a bit, don't you think?" Gellert asked him, placing an alcoholic drink in front of him. " Here, to a new friendship I hope, it's rare to meet intelligent people" Gellert said and clinked glasses with Albus.

The liquid ran down his throat and burned unpleasantly. Albus had never drunk stronger alcohol, but he wasn't about to back down now. Before he knew it, the second glass was in front of him and they drank one glass after another.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Gellert excused himself and walked away. Albus felt his head getting heavy. He didn't mind a little break from drinking, so it came in handy. His head spun and began to throb. A spell against alcohol would be good right now, he thought.

"Aguamenti" he said and pointed his wand at his glass. It filled with water, but it disappeared immediately. "We can't let you get drunk like this and leave no money." Said a house elf. Albus looked at him. "My poor fellow, never drank so much alcohol before have you? Here you have a water" he snapped his fingers and a glass of water appeared in front of him "Thank you" said Albus and drank it down in one go. He felt his head clear up and stop spinning.