Grindeldore oneshots

11

Speak Now (Or Forever Hold Your Peace)

adrianmichael

Summary:

"Albus," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I stopped the war for you. Let me…” taking a deep breath, he continued, “Let me be the selfish one this time. Don’t marry him.”

Story

Albus watched the sunset with unspilled tears in his eyes, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He stood there, motionless, contemplating the challenges that lay ahead. His mind was filled with doubts and worries, but he knew he couldn't let them consume him. He needed to stay strong, to keep moving forward no matter what. 

He needs to do the right thing.  

This is the greater good, a small voice in his head whispered.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Albus felt a sense of calm wash over him. He took a deep breath, letting the cool breeze fill his lungs, and closed his eyes. For a moment, he forgot about everything else and just savoured the beauty of the moment.

Despite everything that had happened, Albus knew that he was blessed to be alive, to witness such beauty. He knew that no matter what tomorrow brought, he would always have this moment to hold onto, this memory to cherish. And with that thought in mind, he turned his head to the man next to him, who stared at the professor with his piercing eyes.

Anton simply smiled at Albus, knowing full well the burden weighing the man’s shoulder. At this point, there’s simply nothing he could do except to support the man he loves. And if it’s a familiar smile and a hug that Albus needs to make it out alive, who is the former Supreme Mugwump to deny that? 

“One day at a time, my dear Albus. In the meantime,” the man took a deep breath and got down on one knee, pulling a small box out of his pocket, “will you do me the honour of being my husband?”

Albus stood in front of Gellert, his wand loosely held in his right hand. “Please, Gel, don’t make me do this,” he pleaded. “If you ever…” If you ever loved me, the words left unsaid between them.

Albus' words hit Gellert like a ton of bricks. He knew that there was no going back from this decision. The unspoken words between them hung heavy in the air, and Gellert couldn't ignore them anymore. He looked into Albus' eyes and saw the pain and fear there. The weight of what they were about to do felt too heavy to bear.

Gellert weighed his choices, one final time. There’s definitely no going back this time. He knew his choices. He knew that giving up on their plans for the wizarding world would betray the very goal they made together, but what was he supposed to do, when the love of his life begs him to stand down?

As Gellert lowered his wand, he saw the relief in Albus's eyes, but his gaze fell upon something else; a ring on Albus's finger. It was a simple, yet elegant, engagement ring. Gellert's heart sank as he realized that Albus had already made a commitment to someone else. 

The two men stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their unspoken words still hanging heavy in the air. 

Gellert stepped back, his mind racing as he Apparated back to Nurmengard. He knew that he couldn't face Albus anymore, not after what had just happened. Locking himself in his quarters, Gellert felt his heart shatter into a million pieces as he realized that he had lost the love of his life. He slumped down in his quarters, tears streaming down his face, unable to control the overwhelming pain and anguish that he was feeling. The weight of his choices felt too heavy to bear, and for a moment, he even contemplated taking his own life to end the unbearable pain. 

He laughed at the irony. Oh, in the name of the Hallows. There he was, holding the most powerful wand in the world, yet crying over his lost love, and would gladly embrace death as a friend.

He couldn't believe that it had come to this. The two of them had been so close, so in sync, that he thought nothing could ever tear them apart. Gellert couldn't help but wonder what could have been if he had made a different choice.

Would he really be enough for Albus, if he takes a different path all those years ago? If — before Ariana — he forgoes their mission?

Gellert stood at the back of the church, quietly watching the worst moment of his life happen before his very eyes. Albus and Anton stood before the priest, ready to exchange their vows. He had come to the wedding as a sign of goodwill, hoping to put their bitter past behind them. But as the priest uttered the words "speak now or forever hold your peace," Gellert felt a deep sense of unease.

He couldn't help but recall the memories of their past. The years when they were fighting together, united with a shared vision of creating a better world. Gellert remembered the day when he and Albus had parted ways, their friendship broken by a catastrophic accident that could’ve been avoided. He remembered the pain and the hurt; the guilt and the regret. As he looked at the couple standing in front of him, Gellert couldn't help but feel a sense of longing and jealousy. 

As the priest waited for a response, Gellert took a deep breath and stepped forward. All eyes in the church turned to him, and he knew that this was the moment of truth. He was torn between his desire to speak his mind and his fear of disrupting Albus’ wedding. He knew that his words could cause a scene and ruin the happiness of the couple. However, the thought of Albus marrying someone else, someone like Anton , was too much for him to bear. Would Albus be truly happy with Anton?

"Albus," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I stopped the war for you. Let me…” taking a deep breath, he continued, “Let me be the selfish one this time. Don’t marry him.”

Gellert's head dropped. His shoulders slumped forward as he struggled to contain the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. His hand shook in anguish. He looked down, his gaze fixed on the ground as if trying to hide the emotions that he was feeling. Though he was trying to be strong, the pain was too much, and he knew he couldn't hold back the tears for much longer. The man's voice wavered as he pleaded, "Albus… please.”

His words echoed through the silent church, and all eyes turned to him. Gellert could feel the weight of their judgment, their disapproval, their scorn. There he was, a former dark wizard who once ruled Europe, once again defeated by love, and now pleading openly and baring his heart in front of everyone. 

As Albus looked at Gellert, he saw the pain in his eyes, a reflection of the love that he still held for him. Turning his head, he also saw the hurt and confusion in Anton's eyes, the anger and resentment that he felt towards Gellert. 

Gellert knew that he had made a mistake, that he had caused pain to the person he cared about. He took a step back, ready to leave the church and never look back. But then he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around to see Albus standing there, looking at him with a mix of sadness and compassion.

"Gellert," Albus said softly. "Let's talk."

End