The Greater Good [GrindelwaldxDumbledore]

~Chapter Nine~ The Heat of Summer

Gellert felt Albus' grip around his waist tighten, the heat between their bodies growing. He swallowed hard and closed his legs against the mare's sides. A slow breath escaping him as she took a few tentative steps forward, "It's okay," he whispered to her.

"Do you have anywhere you planned to go?"

"Not really, I don't know what's around here." Gellert felt his cheeks redden with embarrassment, "If there's somewhere you want to go just think about it and Cara will take us there, Thestrals have a great sense of direction."

"Marvelous." Albus grinned and leant closer to Gellert as the mare picked up speed, her giant wings stretching out to catch enough air for the take-off. His breath caught in his throat as he slipped sideways, almost enough to break his hold on Gellert. 

The mare, conscious of her unsteady load banked right to rebalance the novice rider and let out a snort.

"Thank you," Gellert crooned and stroked her withers. He pulled Albus even closer, foregoing his hold on Cara's mane so he could secure his friend. "Have you never ridden a horse?" He said into the wind, hoping Albus might catch the words.

"Perhaps once, but it's been a long time since."

Gellert could feel Albus laughing, and was helpless to stop himself from joining in. It seemed like a lifetime ago since he had ridden for fun, no ulterior motive, no secret mission to be sneaking around for.  "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Below them, the fields made a vast patchwork of greens, golden yellows and browns. At their edges, the vast expanse of the moors stretched out, with its purple heather and yellow gorse. The further they travelled more trees began to appear, starting with the odd one or two on the moor to a collection of sparse copses until eventually, they were flying above one dense forest. The treetops brushed the thestral's hooves creating an unsettling noise.  They both had to protect their heads as they dived below the canopy, through groping branches to the soft spongy forest floor. 

Albus was the first to dismount, keen to stop Cara's bouncy movement from bruising his tender body parts any further. "You do this for fun?" Albus removed the disillusionment charm from them both. 

"It comes with practice, the first few times are always painful. I can remember when my grandfather taught me to ride properly, I couldn't sit comfortably for three days." Gellert looked around the clearing for some sign of anything that might indicate why Albus had chosen that particular spot.

"I guess I'm going to have to come up with a believable excuse for my brother then."

"Just tell him you went out riding with me, it's not too far from the truth is it?"

Albus squirmed at the question and refused to answer. Instead, he pushed some of the overgrown branches out of the way of an old cobbled pathway. He gestured for Gellert to follow him into the increasing darkness. 

Gellert considered it for a moment, a stranger was luring him into a dark wood how did he know this wasn't an act of revenge for what he did to Aleksa? As if answering his query, Cara nudged him in the back with her bony head, forcing him to step forward. "Where are we?"

"Just a bit further I'm afraid, it's a bit overgrown, but that stops most people from seeing it."

"Seeing what?"

Albus rolled his eyes and pulled Gellert into the trees, he quickened to a jog, then a sprint, following the crumbling path. They whipped around a large oak tree and Albus stopped dead.

Gellert wasn't prepared for the sudden halt and almost went head first down an old well. It was only Albus's strong grip that prevented him from falling to unknown depths. Fear turned to anger and he was about to yell at Albus when he realised he was stood before an old stone cottage. Curiosity numbed all other emotions. He took a few steps closer to the doorway, the wood from which lay rotting across the threshold.