A ridiculously late response to a challenge from Bad Mum via The Sober Universe.
Tell me what really happened with Aberforth Dumbledore and the goats. Extra points for appearances by Bathilda Bagshot or Gellert Grindelwald.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the charecters, settings or of overarching events present here
Aberforth Dumbledore was not usually a particularly vindictive person, but right now he was upset that he had been stopped from doing his brother serious lasting damage. It would have made him feel a lot better if he had. An ounce more pressure behind his punch, and Albus' nose could have poked a hole in his brain, and made him a lot less respected and smart. Maybe he could have understood Ariana then.
Ariana.
Aberforth sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth. Don't think about her, don't let yourself feel, just be angry…
He kicked at a stone and a goat bleated in the distance.
And when he started to think about things that made him angry…
Gellert Grindelwald, the bastard.
Albus was just as stupid and to blame as Grindelwald, but things would never have come to a head in the way that they did if it wasn't for that arrogant blond from the continent.
And the goat was coming closer, he could hear its hooves clicking on the gravel path.
Albus hanging off Grindelwald's every word made him sick, and if he ever heard someone talk about the greater good again, he would be likely to commit homicide. Most likely fratricide.
It really was very cliché for him to be having his little mental tantrum in the church garden, right in front of the cemetery.
Ariana was going to be buried again, this time in the dirt instead of in a dusty old house. She had always hated being kept inside. If it was up to him, she would be set afloat in the ocean, with an open casket, free and free.
But it wasn't up to him.
And if he had suggested it, Albus probably just would have lectured him on water pollution.
Goats smelled horrible, he realized, as the little mammal climbed nimbly up the slope to the left and came into view.
It was smaller than most goats, not even passing his knee, and he would consider it downright fat.
It probably got snacks off all the people at the funeral who were there just because they were invited, not because they actually knew and appreciated the person being remembered.
Ariana's funeral was full of those types of people. All except for him.
He was really annoying himself, with how whiny he was being.
There were more footsteps now, coming from the other direction.
He wanted to be alone, the stupid goat was already too much intrusion.
He picked up a stone from down near his feet and hurled it in the direction of whoever was coming.
There were a few hurried footsteps as whoever it was moved.
"Honestly Aberforth!"
It was Albus. Lovely.
And Miss Bagshot was with him. Grindelwald's very-young-to-be-his-great-aunt-great-aunt.
"We're going home. Please join us."
Aberforth stared at his brother. How dare he even suggest that he do something. Albus' decisions had only led the family from bad to worse!
Miss Bagshot was wobbling in her high-heeled shoes. So all this gravel was good for something.
The goat bleated again then ran at Albus, and butted at his legs.
Aberforth felt a tugging at the corner of his mouth. Maybe goats were good for something.
Albus kicked out at the goat a little bit, trying to get it to go away.
The goat let a few droppings fall onto his brother's shoe.
Aberforth grinned outright.
Oh he would go home alright.
That goat would come with him.
Hope that was satisfactory, though I'm sure it wasn't worth the year-plus wait...
Please Review!