Beta(s)/Alpha(s): digthewriter
Written For: remixers_lounge for MiraMira
Remix of: Persuasion
Pairing(s): Albus/Gellert
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,200
Summary: Gellert knows Albus is afraid of something, but he isn't sure exactly what. He knows that if they are to survive their quest for the Deathly Hallows they'll need to use some Unforgivables, so he steals a book to teach Albus and him how to use them.

'Do you really think we'll be able to find them?' Albus asked in a voice just above a whisper. They were in Albus's bedroom and though his mother and sister were asleep, Gellert was pretty sure Albus's brother was still awake in the next room.

Gellert shrugged off Albus's insecurity. 'What's there to stop us?' He went for his bag for he'd brought a book to work through with Albus. 'I nicked this from Borgin and Burkes.' He looked up to see Albus smirk at that. They'd made a game of who could steal the best items as they never liked the Shopkeeper at Borgin's. He knew Albus would be pleased he pulled something from under his nose. 'I thought it might be useful for our journey.'

They wouldn't be leaving for a while. They still had school, as much as it held them back more than helped them,and Albus had his family. They weren't ready to leave yet, anyway. When they were, nothing would hold Gellert back. Not school, not family. Though Gellert knew he could do it all without Albus, he didn't want to try. He wanted Albus with him. The Hallows were their hunt, and they'd be their claim to fame.

Albus hesitated when Gellert held out The Unforgivable Dark Arts by Francis Vaughn for him to take. When Albus's fingers brushed the edge, Gellert let the book go. Albus grabbed it quick to keep it from falling to the ground. Gellert smiled. He knew Albus wouldn't let the book fall. Books were sacred.

He knew Albus well.

There were really only three Unforgivables in England.

The book covered much more than them. If they did find the Hallows, they'd be targets. They needed to know how to defend themselves. The journey to find them wouldn't be easy either, and though Albus wanted to find them Gellert wasn't sure he's ready for the reality of what they'll face on the way there. The book was more for Albus than Gellert. He was the one that needed to prepare for what they were going to eventually be forced to do.

As Albus traced the lettering on book's cover he said, 'I don't know.' Albus looked up and their eyes met. 'Gellert . . .' Albus was a Gryffindor, he wasn't afraid of danger, but Gellert could see that he feared something. 'They're calledUnforgivables for a reason.'

This was what Gellert knew Albus had to get past.

Death in a children's story didn't hurt.

No matter what evil happened, Albus could remind himself it was just a story. The deaths weren't real to him. Even when they talked about the Hallows being real, Albus didn't connect that it meant all the deaths in the story were real as well. Albus wasn't afraid of his own death, and at first, Gellert thought that was the reason he brushed the deaths aside.

But it was obvious to Gellert that Albus hadn't even thought about them killing to get the Hallows. Specifically, the Elder Wand. It moved from owner to owner upon their death. There was no other way. To reach their goal someone had to die.

Gellert chuckled at his friend's train of thought. 'Called by whom?' Spells weren't dark on their own. It was how they were used that made them dark. Take the Unforgivables. They could be used for good purpose. When being attacked with the intent to kill, even Avada Kedavra was forgivable by the court. It was the most important one for them. Many will try to kill them once they have the Hallows. Albus was a fool to think that the Aurors never usedCrucio to get information out of criminals. And some men's minds were better off controlled by someone else.

'Men who feared their power in the wrong hands.'

Albus began to shake and bit his lip as Gellert's hands moved towards his over the book. He loved that nervous look about him. It made him want to kiss away his doubts. Gellert's thumbs traced over the back of Albus's hands.

'Not our hands, my friend.' Gellert moved around behind Albus, so they could open the book together. Albus began to protest again, but Gellert cut him off. 'To reshape the world, we must learn all the tools at our disposal.'

He inhaled Albus's scent, Gellert's lips so close to his neck, as Albus nodded and said, 'Show me.'

When Albus opened the book, their hands collided underneath it and they almost dropped it. Gellert marvelled at how intoxicating a simple touch could be. They righted the book. One of Albus's hands supported its spine, the other held the edge. Gellert put his left hand right next to Albus's under the book, and his other over Albus's on the edge. When Albus turned the pages, Gellert's fingertips brushed against him.

It was the closest, physically, they'd ever let themselves be.

Gellert had slept over at Albus's countless times, and they'd always shared a bed; even that wasn't as close. There had always been space between them. As they skimmed the pages, drinking in the pictures and the text titles, their position became more and more awkward. Even if his legs went numb, he wanted to stay there with his arms around Albus in almost an embrace.

'What are you doing?' Albus breathed out.

His thoughts must have taken over, because Gellert's left arm was wrapped around Albus's waist.

'I didn't say stop—just: what?'

There were silhouettes being tortured on the page in front of them as Gellert kissed Albus's neck. 'You go first,' Gellert said as he pointed to the casting instructions in the book.

'What?' Albus asked confused while staring down at the curse in the book. It was Imperio.

Gellert felt Albus swallow slowly. 'I want you to cast it on me first.'

'And then what?'

'Have me do whatever you want me to do,' Gellert said softly with a slight shrug.

Albus blushed and turned his face farther away from Gellert. No, this wouldn't be that bad at all. He could give control to Albus. It wouldn't hurt at all to give control of himself to Albus.

'I told you even Unforgivables are only dark when misused; they're only bad in the wrong hands.'

Closing his eyes, Albus nodded. He stepped away from Gellert to set the book down, face open on his desk. Gellert sat on the bed while he waited for Albus to turn back around. When Albus did turn, his eyes widened slightly as Gellert pushed himself farther on the bed and up against Albus's lone pillow.

'In case I fall,' Gellert said.

Albus turned back to the book again and Gellert watched as he memorised the movements, practiced them in the air toward the wall and whispered the spell. After a few minutes, he came to stand at the foot of the bed and directed the spell at Gellert.

It didn't take until Albus's fourth try, and it probably wouldn't have taken then either had Gellert not been so eager for Albus to take control of him. His control was shaky and Gellert could feel how easily he could fight against it, if he tried.

They'd work on that later.

Gellert kept still as he waited for Albus's command.

Slowly Albus came over to the bed, and even slower he climbed onto Gellert's lap. Gellert kept still. Waiting. He wanted to reach out and pull Albus to him, but that would mean breaking through the spell. He waited. Albus couldn't look at him, but finally he said:

'Kiss me.'