Albus Dumbledore is a man who is not often taken by surprise. He is collected and hides his worries well behind his twinkling blue eyes.
But as he stared down at the bundle in his arms he couldn't help but to let his surprise show.
Just hours before he had received a rather urgent owl from his brother. That in itself told him something was terribly wrong. As he read the letter, an uneasiness started to boil in his stomach.
When he arrived at the rather run down inn, the first thing he took notice of was the light spots of blood that lead to the doorway.
That uneasiness grew as he stepped into the dark building. He followed the sound of heavy breathing into a small room lit with candles.
There, laying on the worn mattress that had seen better days, was Celeste Ivonne.
Albus had known that when his brother had mentioned in his letter that a former student of his was in need of his aid, that if would be Celeste.
During her teenage years Celeste had become a ward of Aberforth's.
Celeste was a beautiful child, who Albus suspected had Veela blood in her.
Her parents died at a young age. Leaving her in an orphanage for her first ten years of life.
Unfortunately her life there was not savory. She had been dealt a bad hand and Albus had sought to turn the tables, so to speak.
He had set her up a residence in Hogsmeade. Leaving her in the care of Aberforth. Aberforth had been stoic, not acknowledging the young girl that had been left in his care. But to the surprise of those around him, he grew to love the small blonde girl like a daughter.
Albus had watched them grow closer from afar. He was glad his brother and the poor girl found family in each other. But as Celeste grew, she started to associate with the wrong sort.
By her fifth year at Hogwarts she was infatuated with the Riddle boy. But what surprised Albus was that Tom returned these feeling. The boy who was never meant to feel love, found it in this powerful Ravenclaw girl. If they were not destined, Albus would not have believed it to be true.
Only three know of the prophecy that foretold their love. And Albus and his brother are two of the three.
The pairs graduation had been the last time Albus or Aberforth had seen her.
Until now. More than two decades later.
She looked as though time did not effect her much. She was timeless and just as beautiful as the day she left. Her silver blonde hair was stuck to her face in sweat and her silver eyes were hidden behind skewered lids.
She was panting and her face was tight with pain. Her obviously pregnant belly was heaving up and down with the force of her breathing. Blood was coating the inside of her legs, indicating that something was wrong with the baby.
When Albus noticed this he rushed to her side. Aberforth, who had been holding her hand, turned to look at him with pained eyes.
"Albus, please.", he begged.
Albus didn't need his pleas. He would help her. But he wasn't confident he could save her.
Healing magic on someone as pregnant as Celeste was limited and Celeste was weak from blood loss.
She knew she was dying. She knew that her time had come to an end. The only thing that gave her peace was knowing her daughter would live.
"Please, you have to save her. She's dying. He'll kill her when he finds out. He'll kill our daughter. Please.", she pleaded.
He looked into her eyes and saw her mind was made. She would die tonight. But her child would live.
With a solemn nod he looked to Aberforth who had tears in his eyes that refused to fall. Aberforth squeezed her hand one last time and left the room. Unable to watch.
The next hour was silent other than Celeste's screams. There was no way possible to birth the baby by natural means.
He had no choice, but to preform a caesarean section. He looked to her as it was her choice. She nodded her head with a pained smile.
After a few minutes the room was filled with a worrying noise. It wasn't the noise they were expecting. They had expected the sound of a baby's wail, but what they received was nothing. Everything was silent. The screams of the new mother were now silent. Aberforth, who had just entered the room, was silent. The crickets that usually took residence in the trees behind the shabby inn, were silent. The trees that rustled in the winter wind, were now silent.
The baby that had just been born, was silent.
But then the baby gave a small, pitiful cough and began to cry.
It was as though the universe around them gave a sigh of relief and sound existed again.
Celeste smiled a weak smile and reached out for her daughter. The daughter she would only meet once besides in death.
And here they are. Albus staring at the small bundle of life he had aided bringing into the world, in surprise.
His eyes twinkled sadly when he handed the baby girl to her mother.
Celeste's life had not been a good one. She had suffered, been beaten down, been defiled, and deceived. But she had also found love. It was a love that no one one understood. Not even her. But the love was real and she had let it blind her from who she was. She was an Ivonne. She was meant to protect those who could not protect themselves. When she let him kill those people. She lost who she was.
But when she was told she was with child she knew. She knew Tom would be threatened. He had good reason to be. He may be the love of her life, but the child she had never even met felt as though it was apart of herself. Someone she would protect with her life and love with her entire being. Someone to protect from others who wish to harm her. Even if it was the child's father.
When she had a vision of an airy women deliver a prophecy that involved her daughter in the downfall of her husband, she knew it was time to disappear.
He will not harm our child, she thought as she looked down at the now silent baby.
She could tell already that the girl will be powerful. She has the blood of Slytherin and Ivonne running through her veins.
She had seen visions of her little girl growing to be a beautiful witch. With elegance and strength beyond her years.
She would be noble and honorable. A true Ivonne.
"Aceline Iven Ivonne. My little archer. Be kind and don't ever loose who you are.", she said to her precious baby. Letting a single tear fall.
She suddenly grabbed Albus's hand. He could feel something cold being pressed into his palm.
When she took her hand away he could see a necklace. One made of silver and in the shape of an arrow.
"You have to keep her safe. Please, whatever it takes. Keep my little girl safe.", she whispered as her eyes fluttered shut. Her arms that were squeezing the baby close went limp and the baby on her chest began to wail.
Albus did what he thought was best.
He took Aceline to a muggle orphanage with a letter stating her first name and bound her magic.
The only way for her to be safe is if she disappeared from the wizarding world.
Many people would want to harm her if her heritage became known.
The day Celeste Ivonne died was also the day her daughter was taken away from the wizarding world with the intent of her never returning.