Summer 1899 // Grindledore

Fool

When he was angry, Gellert's voice was like a winter's wind; fast and mercilessly cold.

Gellert had hastily been thrown into conversation—not at all a pleasant one— with a muggle man. Albus really can't remember how this petty argument came to blossom, but it had began and now here they are.

The mindless chatterer in the pub came to a halt when Gellert practically yelled, "And what do you know about superiority?" To which the muggle man replied, "superiority? I see you're familiar with Nietzsche— Superman theory it seems. dirty business that is."

"No, no, Nietzsche is a fool (Gellert fought back the urge to say "Muggle"). His theories are self-absorbed madness."

The muggle man flashed him a curious look. "Then what did you mean when you spoke of a  superior people?"

Albus pulled at his partner's arm and whispered, "let's leave. Please."

To Albus' surprise, Gellert yanked his arm away and looked down at the dirty floor, anger plastered across his face.

"Filthy Muggle." Gellert whispered.

The muggle man's face turned a shade of red. "And what the hell does that mean?"

"Gellert, let's go!"

"No! I want to see his blood boil, to see —"

Whatever was to come out of his mouth was cut short by the muggle man's fist meeting his pale cheek. Gellert stood as still as stone for a moment, basking in realization.

As soon as Albus saw Gellert break his immobility to reach for his wand, the auburn haired man grabbed his lover by the arm and disapperated. Everyone who had their eyes on the fight gasped at the two boys disappearance, others were too drunk to care.
———————

Back at his family home, Albus dabbed a wet cloth at Gellert bloody and bruised cheek. "you're a fool sometimes."

Gellert grinned. "Your fool."

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A/N
I imagine young Gellert being very reckless and believing wizards to be superior to muggles rather than muggles being their own people— "other" as he refers to them in CoG.