Dumbledore's Diary
July 16th 1899 Ariana is dead and Gellert is gone. Why, oh, why could I not have died instead.
July 17th Elphias arrived. An international magic carpet ride from Greece it must have cost a bloody fortune. He told me that Aberforth is also in ministry custody but the Aurors have not been able to locate Gellert. The Ministry will allow Aberforth and I to attend Ariana's funeral tomorrow. Aunt Honoria is making the arrangements but refuses to attend.
July 18th
We buried Ariana today. Aberforth blames me for her death and truthfully I blame myself. The funeral was small Professor Bagshot and Elphias were the only other mourners besides Aberforth and I. Professor Bagshot blames herself for introducing me to Gellert, she told me Gellert fled, back to Bavaria I assume. After the funeral the Aurors let us go back to the cottage to have a moment alone. It was a shambles broken furniture and spell marks across the wall. Mother's china cabinet shattered. When Aberforth saw Ariana's doll with it's porcelain head broken he dropped to his knees and began to sob. I should have left him alone but I tried to comfort him. This just enraged him as he blames me for Ariana's death. The Auror's heard the commotion and they came in to find him pummeling me. When they stunned him I heard one of the Auror's say "these Dumbledore's no good the lot of them."
July 19th
Elphias contacted Hogwarts to see if some of the professors would come and speak on my behalf. Professor Merrythought came and to my shock so did Headmaster Black. While Professor Merrythought praised me as a brilliant student, Professor Black got up and sneered. "Why are we wasting the Wizengamut's valuable time about the accidental death of a squib. Assign him the usual fine and if he cannot pay it in 30 days have him indentured to a Master he has the making of a decent wizard for a half-blood." When the Judges asked about Aberforth, he said. "I doubt the boy had anything to do with it. He never attended Hogwarts probably a squib like his sister. If not then the mother ruined the boy, a mudblood witch could never teach him enough to pass his O.W.L.s and the boy will not attend Hogwarts without his O.W.L.s at this age, not as long as I am headmaster." The Wizengamut ruled that I must pay a 50 galleon fine and that Aberforth must pass his O. by September 1st or his wand will be snapped. I loathe Headmaster Black even though his words are probably the only reason I am not in Azkhaban.
July 24th
When I awoke this morning, Aberforth was gone. I have lost both of my siblings now. He took my savings and the portraits of Ariana and our parents with him. Fire whisky is my only companion now.
August 8th
Professor Bagshot introduced me to Professor Emeric Switch who has agreed to take me on as an apprentice for Transfiguration. I am familiar with Professor Switch he wrote our Newt Level Text book after all, honestly I thought the man dead and at 215 he was only convinced to do this as a courtesy to Professor Bagshot. A direct quote from him about the whole affair was, "I am too old and set in my ways for a fatwit . I heard you've had some trouble but let me be honest I don't give a tinker's damn. If you want to serve me you must be serious about it. I'll not have you glumping about my house thinking yourself ill done. I'll not have a gabster or a drunkard or someone with the blue devils about. If you get about any havey-cavey business, well I'll be shot of you right quick. I'll teach you the art that I've dedicated my life to but if you cause me grief you can keep your father company in Azkaban." Seven years that's all I can think. Will this be enough to pay for my sins?
Apprenticeship Contract for Albus Dumbledore and Professor Emeric Switch
On this the Ninth day of August in the Year 1899 of the Common Reckoning, I, Albus Percival Dumbledore, having been certified by the Wizard Examining Authority as a Capable Wizard in Transfiguration and being of Age of Majority do Bind myself as Apprentice to Professor Emeric Switch for Seven Years during which time I will faithfully serve my master in all lawful ways. I will Keep the Secrets of His Art until he releases me, his death, or I take an apprentice of my own. I will take no vows and enter no contracts without the consent of my Master. I will abide in my Masters home and will not absent myself from it without his permission I will treat his goods with respect neither loaning them, selling them, or removing them from his residence without. I will not marry or entertain suitors so that I can give full attention to my training, I will be liable for any damages that result from my negligence or malfeasance. During the time of my apprenticeship I agree all work I do is at my Masters direction and as such all work is the property of my Master and I will receive no further compensation for it besides the agreed weekly allotment and my end of contract settlement. I Professor Emeric Swift, certified Master of Transfiguration by my peers in the Wizengamot, do accept Albus Percival Dumbledore as my Apprentice in the Noble Art of Transfiguration and that I will train him in my art and deal with him justly. I will ask no requirement of him that is unlawful or morally suspect. I will provide him with a home, meals, two sets of robes a year, one winter and one summer, one set of boots and other tools of the art as he progresses, Waiving the normal apprenticeship fees, I will pay his fine of 50 galleons to the Wizengamot as an advance from his wages. I will give him 8 sickles and 11 knuts a month for four years and two months and after I will give him one galleon, 8 sickles and 11 knuts for the remaining 2 years and 10 months, Upon satisfactory completion of his apprenticeship, he will receive 20 galleons, three sets of robes (one summer, one winter, and one dress), one set of boots and one wizard hat. I will also gift him with various tools of the art including his Grimoire that he shall compile during his training and a letter of recommendation to the Wizengamot that he be accepted into the Fellowship of Mage Artisans as a Journeyman in Good Standing. If during his apprenticeship he suffers mishap that results in the permanent loss of his sight, his hearing, his wits, or full or partial loss of limbs (excludes toes and fingers except he is unable to handle his wand) his Apprenticeship will end with him receiving the full amount of the contract. If mishap results in the loss of his Magic he will receive double the contract amount and I will board him for a year so that he might be trained for some other form of service. Due to my advanced age I have arranged for another Master to take over his Apprenticeship in the event of my death. I may quit the contract if I determine the apprentice to be slothful, insolent, or unresponsive to correction. May magic guide and bless us both in our endeavors.
Apprentice Albus Dumbledore
Master of the Art Pro Emeric Switch
Witness Griselda Marchbanks Witness Elphias Doge
Recorded and Sealed by Cadmus Gamp Undersecretary to Faris Spavin British Minister for Magic
August 8th
Elphias came over he helped me pack and ward the house. I sold the goats to a neighbor. Elphias and I sorted Ariana's and Mother's clothes. Because I was too embarrassed to take them to any of the shops in Diagon Alley, Elphias braved the muggles at the local rag and bone shop. The muggles were quite sympathetic about my mother and sister. I had already finished father's firewhiskey so we made do with mother's gillywater.
August 9th
Elphias came with me to the ministry. My school robes were short and stained so I wore a set of my father's robes because I wanted to save myself some galleons. They were serviceable and I remembered them from a happier time in my life. Yellow and black for Hufflepuff House I remember when my mother made them. Professor Switch took one look at them and said. "You look like a bumblebee," As he promptly transfigured them black, he did this in front of the official as I made my vow to be a Proper apprentice. When it was over instead of taking the floo he told me "My estate is over on Fowey Moor floo connections are unreliable out that way." Cornwall, the moors of Cornwall, with no floo connections well that must make visitors infrequent, I know that many older wizards don't like the floo and refuse to pay for ministry approved portkeys, still. When we left the ministry, a carriage was on the curb charmed so that the muggles wouldn't notice it. The smell of muggle London hit me, excrement, human and animal, almost made me gag and the smoke and soot how do muggles live in this filth. My master cast some spell on my boots so that the muck that filled the street would not get tracked into the carriage. My oath prevents me from doing magic without my master's permission except to defend myself or my master. I could not bring myself to ask permission to cast a bubblehead charm. So when we entered this musty smelling carriage I determined to tough it out. When I asked who was driving? He told me the thestrals knew the way. Thestrals the first time I saw them I know I will always remember this day, I knew about them of course I have a Newt in Magical Creatures after all but to see them. Death made visible.
I write this while I watch my master sleep, how he is comfortable enough to sleep in this carriage is a mystery? It pitches this way and that suddenly when the thestrals fly higher to avoid buildings I will say that it is awe inspiring sight to watch London from above. When we were finally over the smoke, I would catch glimpses through the haze, you could see the muggles going about their business. How can they live like this so on top of each other so pressed together, so dirty?
August 10th
I will say I was pleasantly surprised with my master's home I have a bedroom of my own with an attached sitting room on the third floor of the house and the library is most impressive. My master has given me permission for several spells mostly cleaning and he has me studying his texts on theory before he begins his practical instruction I do feel confident that I already know the subject but he insists. In the main house there is only the master and I. Oh and Verty, master's house elf, she is very protective of Professor Switch. There is a caretaker's cottage with a young squib couple who care for the grounds.
August 24th
Today was the day my practical instruction started. I asked Professor Switch to explain how we can use an augmenti charm for water but are unable to conjour food. He called me a thickheaded lackwit and silenced me. Then explained to me as if I was a small child that the augmenti charm did not conjour, it summoned water and only water so it left all impurities behind. Water he explained is everywhere, the air, the ground, every blade of grass has water. He left me silenced for the rest of the day and made me read over Beginning Transformation and told me he wanted it memorized, that he would be expecting me to be able to quote it chapter and verse.
September 1st
I cannot believe a year ago I was so excited. I was starting my last year of Hogwarts while I was passed over for head boy, Headmaster Black had a bias towards Slytherins, I was Gryffindor prefect and I knew I would do well on my N.E.W.T.'s. Elphias and I had our plans for our tour of Europe. Mother was alive and so was Arianna. I miss them so. I find my mind going back to the good times when father was with us and mother smiled. My master calls and I must go.
September 12th
Today my master worked on potions that assist in transformation. I confessed that I was only familiar with the polyjuice potion. It is a fascinating field though.
September 18th
My master has visitors coming tomorrow and I am instructed that my opinions are neither necessary nor wanted, and that if I want to learn something I should keep my mouth shut and my ears open.
September 19th
My Masters guests are Sirius Black and his new bride Hesper Gamp. I knew them both at Hogwarts. I remember the girls in the dorms gossiping about the betrothal negotiations. The Gamp's are not wealthy but are a respected house. Sirius was not a bad sort at Hogwarts and while Hesper was rather bookish it was understandable as she was a Ravenclaw. She brought Professor Switch her grandfather journals and correspondence. Midas Gamp is considered the Father of Modern Transfiguration.
October 2nd
We had a visit from the Ministry today they came to do an annual check on the squibs. They were quite put out that Professor Switch was not on the Floo Network.
October 3rd
The squibs are in a most foul humor today. Astrid is down with the megrims and her husband Roland outright snarled at me when I asked after her. I only enquired after her because she was kind to me I was in no way inappropriate.
October 5th
Astrid is still ill and when I went over to offer her a potion. That lout slammed the door on me saying they had had enough of wizards and potions. It was all I could do not to hex the man. I will be bringing his behavior to the attention of the master. He should not speak to his betters so.
October 7th
My hands are shaking so that I can barely hold a quill. My master is insane. I told Professor Switch about how that squib spoke to me and his face turned so red with anger I feared for the squibs life. My ignorance at my personal danger astounds me now. My master began to berate and hex me and in his tirade I finally understood this squib was the master's grandson. My master said since I had the manners of a goat I should spend some time as one. I spent the entire day and night in the goat pen. When Astrid came out to feed the goats she realized something was amiss and sent Roland to get Professor Switch. He had forgotten all about me.
October 14th
I regret my ignorance. Roland apologized to me because he knew that I had only tried to help his wife. He explained that the ministry forced all squibs that did not go muggle to take potions that caused sterility and that the potions were harder on women than men. Also his wife, as most women did, wanted children. I asked him why they didn't go muggle. He told me that going muggle meant that he and his wife's memories of the magical world would have to be entirely erased to comply with the secrecy act and with that many obliviations it frequently left them lackwits or insane. He explained that as a squib he was very restricted they were forbidden to really interact with muggles and they had tracking spells on them that enforced that frequently having the effect of having the squibs housebound, they could not own or inherit property, they could only marry other squibs, they must have a wizard custodian or they became wards of the ministry. Most wards of the ministry are given no choice but to go muggle some few are given jobs in the ministry, custodians for Azkhaban, St Mungos, or Hogwarts generally. My grandfather moved us out here because the area is so remote that the ministry does not know what areas have muggles so we may go back and forth to the village occasionally and it is off the floo system so that surprise ministry inspections are difficult. It seems quite heartless actually. Roland has a keen mind and many books in his home. To deprive him of an education is an utter waste.
October 15th
Roland asked me to go with him and Astrid to the village tomorrow and Professor Switch has agreed I am excited but I will admit to some trepidation about being around muggles.
October 16th
The cart ride to the village was illuminating. It took 2 hours to get to the village and I will be honest at first the slow pace chaffed my nerves quite a bit. Roland scolded me for my agitation. Soon though I was appreciating the beautiful countryside, the moors on one side and the coast on the other, Astrid began pointing out local landmarks and farms in the distance you could see the smoke from a train. "Padstow's got a station now." She said as she adjusted her kerchief in the wind. We stopped to luncheon on the coast, cold meats and cheese with pumpkin scones. Roland had talked Master Switch into giving me muggle pocket money. I was not familiar with the coins and I don't believe Master Switch was either because Roland and Astrid both informed me to only bring 3 shillings with a couple of other coins they called florins and sixpence. Astrid then changed one of the silver shillings for 12 pennies the looked quite like knuts to me. They tried to explain the values of all the coins but I became quite lost. Astid kindly offered to make my purchases and to make sure I wasn't cheated. The village was a fishing village and you could hear the gulls squabbling over the scraps. Thankfully the village shop was up wind of the boats. I had never been in a muggle shop and was honestly amazed at the variety of items. I found stack of used books and publications and Roland helped me pick though them they all looked so fascinating one was on the Chrystal Palace the photographs were amazing to think that muggles built this and I who had been in London many times to catch the Hogwarts Express had never seen it. I also picked up the most delightful candies. Professor Switch does not care much for sweets so we frequently for go afters and I quite miss Mother's puddings. I wandered a bit around the village while Astrid and Roland finished shopping. I was even invited to try my hand at bowling on the village green. The day was over way too quickly but I am eager to return.
October 24th
A bit of a storm has come up today and has made Master Switch cross. Verty says it makes the Master's joints ache so she made him a tea which I honestly don't know if it helps with the pain but it makes him quite sleepy so he napped in his chair most of the afternoon while I organized his notes.
October 27th
It is Aberforth's Birthday today he turns 16 today I know not where he lays his head to sleep or even if my last sibling still lives. The one thing I do know living or dead he still despises me.
November 1th
Professor Switch said he had no more use for me or my melancholy and to go work with Roland. So I am to help the squibs until my humors are restored.
November 5th
Today was the most fun. I accompanied Astrid and Roland to the village for their annual bonfire. Astrid and Roland had to explain the whole thing to me so I would not be completely out of place. There was fireworks and wonderful ale. We sang and we danced. Oh if all the young lads, no ladies, were little white rabbits and I was a hare I'd teach them bad habits. The room is moving did the master turn my bed into a boat. I must check. (refers to pub song Roll Your Leg Over)
November 6th
I will never drink again.
December 1st
I am accompanying my Master to a funeral in Hogsmede today. Obadiah Fleamont he taught at Hogwarts with Professor Switch. I have sent an owl to Ephias hopefully he can meet me there.
Dec 3rd
Elphias had family obligations and couldn't make it but I did run into Tiberous Ogden and Circe Prewitt. It was difficult being in Hogsmead again while several of my friends from the lower years offered sympathy and concern their pity was hard to take. I envied them eager to be off and explore the world talking about the families they were going to spend holidays with. My master was quite cross about my maudlin countenance.
Dec 8th
Master is wroth with Verty because she has decorated the manor quite festively. Verty just gave the master more tea.
Dec 21st
Winter Solstice is here the longest night of the year we had a proper solstice dinner and Master lit the yule. Verty made a punch and a plum pudding. Roland and Astrid came up and Professor Switch told several stories about past holidays with Roland's father Amos and Grandfather Corbin, Professor Switch's son. We talked about the coming new year and how this would be the third turn of a century that Professor Switch had seen. It was a nice evening.
Dec 25th
Christmas Day, my mother made me a scarf last year and I remember being disappointed it was not the quill set I had my eye on. That red and gold knit scarf that she had placed warming charms on that I foolishly lost at Hogwarts if only I could hold it now. Astrid and Roland were quite kind they gave me these wonderful lemon candies and Astrid made me socks. I will never be so careless with my things or the people in my life again. I sent an owl with a card to my brother but I have received no reply.
Dec 31st
Professor Switch is sleeping so I have joined Roland and Astrid in the village.