Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just borrowed them from JKR. No harm intended.
(Thanks to my bro and beta!)
Albus Dumbledore never thought of himself as a coward. He was aware of his own skills and knowledge; therefore he was usually confident enough when facing difficult situations. Right now, however, he couldn't suppress a shudder. The task lying in front of him wouldn't be an easy one, he thought, looking at the creaking sign of the Hog's Head, just some yards ahead.
He was not afraid of Aberforth, his younger brother, but he had not been able to be at ease at his presence for a very very long time, not since their sister's death. Truth be told, he went to see him quite frequently, but it would be just to have a drink and talk a bit, out of habit more than anything else. That was not really difficult. However, talking about important matters with his brother, about past and future, that was something Albus would rather avoid.
He had no choice, though. There were more important things and some small sacrifices were to be done for the greater good. He smiled grimly to himself in front of the irony of his very thoughts.
He did not head to the front door of the pub; at that late hour it would be surely closed. Instead he entered a dark alley and knocked on a small side door. A couple of minutes later, his brother opened the door.
"Good evening, Aberforth, I hope I did not wake you up?"
"Nope, you didn't," his brother grunted. "But I'm guessing you showing up past midnight can't be very good. Come in."
Aberforth showed Albus into a sitting room with a small fireplace. A single portrait hung over the mantelpiece, Albus looked at it briefly and then took a sit. His brother did the same and both looked at each other for a moment.
"So?" Aberforth said simply.
"There is something we need to discuss."
"I guessed as much. I was expecting you to call any time soon. It's about him, right?"
"He is back."
"So I heard," said Aberforth.
"I am reforming the Order of the Phoenix."
Aberforth snorted loudly. "Of course you are."
Albus arched his eyebrows. He wanted to ask his brother the real meaning behind his remark, but thought better of it.
"I am here to ask you to join us," he said.
His younger brother looked at him for a long moment.
"Again"
"Yes, again"
"It didn't work that well the last time, if you remember," said Aberforth almost sneering.
"I do remember, thank you."
"And if it wasn't for the Potter boy, You-Know-Who would have probably killed us all."
"That might be, of course, correct. But I would like you to think about what we accomplished then. The Order did many things-"
"I'm not saying we didn't," Aberforth interrupted, "What I say is the mortality rate was way too high. What's going to be different now, Albus? Or are you just going to send a bunch of innocent people to be slaughter for its so-called ideals? Or rather for yours?"
"What I think has little to do with this. The people willing to join the Order do so because they think it is the right thing to do. They want to fight against Voldemort and they are willing to die on the attempt."
"Fools," said Aberforth. Albus was not sure if he was being really serious or was just especially grumpy.
"You are asking me what is different now," the older brother said calmly. "Knowledge, Aberforth, knowledge. I happen to be better informed this time and so is the Order. We are beginning to fight even before the battle has started, we are taking measures and-"
"What is it that you know now and didn't know the last time?"
"I don't think that is something we have to discuss right now."
"Of course you don't," replied Aberforth. "You're always keeping that last piece for yourself, aren't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, you know what I mean. Secrets, Albus, there are always secrets around you. Full disclosure is something you've never been able to manage."
Albus remained silent. He did not know how to reply to that, for there was some truth in Aberforth words. After a moment he spoke again.
"I would like you to join us."
"To do what, exactly?"
"To keep an eye on things"
"To keep an eye on things," repeated Aberforth. "Just that?"
"For the moment," Albus answered calmly. "What I would like to know is if, eventually, I could count on you for a more active participation."
Aberforth scratched his beardy chin thoughtfully.
"What is it that you want me to do, Albus?" he was glancing at him with piercing blue eyes that looked much like his own.
Albus thought about his brother question for a moment. To be truthful, he was not sure. He knew, of course, that his relationship with his brother wasn't the same he had with the members of the Order, for once because Aberforth would not accept his authority without knowing the reasons and details.
Even though, it was really important for Albus to feel that he could count on him.
"I don't know," he said finally, feeling that he had never been this honest with Aberforth before.
His brother arched one eyebrow and looked at him intently.
"So?"
Albus remained silent for a very long moment. He was looking through the window but he could feel his brother's gaze fixed on him.
"I just want to know, Aberforth, that I can count on you."
"I can't promise you that."
Albus looked back at his brother. He felt as if he had received a strong blow on the face.
"What I can assure, though," Aberforth continued, "is that I am going to do what is right. I am going to be truthful to myself and to what I believe. That I will do for sure."
It was Albus' turn to look at him intently. Aberforth glanced back, his hands gripping the arms on his chair and a determined expression in his eyes.
"If that is what you want," Albus said coolly.
"It is not what I want. It's never been what I want, Albus, in case you haven't noticed." Aberforth snapped. "It's just the way things work for me."
"I see."
Albus stood up.
"It is time for me to go."
"Yeah, it is," said Aberforth. He was looking at the portrait hanging over the mantelpiece. Albus looked at it again, but then he turned around to leave.
"Good night, Aberforth."
"G'night, Albus."
Albus Dumbledore stepped into the deserted alley and started walking back to Hogwarts. He would never had say that the burden of his memories would be an easy one to carry. However the weight of it on occasions like this seemed to crash him like the most powerful force in the world.
He sighed and did not realised his way towards the castle until he reached the great iron gates. There were many things to do and it was pointless to dwell on that kind of past. So he tapped the entrance with his wand, and entered.