Disclaimer: I don't own anything pertaining to Harry Potter, but I do own some immense pride in my football team. Go Scoopers!

Chapter 7

Untitled

Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom sported identical looks of amazement. Their mouths hung open and their eyes were unbelieving. Wolf however was grinning; he looked from the stunned boys to the solemn wizard next to him and back again. Looking back at Albus Dumbledore, Wolf's bright blue eyes started to twinkle and he burst out in laughter.

"This is some joke, Brian. Your best yet, I'd believe." The bartender slapped his knee in mirth. Albus however was not pleased and shot him a stern look.

"This isn't a joke, Abe." Albus said sternly.

"Yeah, for all we know we're going to blow up next week and all you can do is laugh." Harry said sarcastically, Albus sighed and turned to the green-eyed boy.

"Now, Harry, my boy, you aren't going to blow up." Albus said reassuringly. Harry rolled his eyes in sarcasm yet again, but next to him Neville wasn't even paying attention. Instead his eyes were focused in curiosity at the man he called Wolf.

"Got somethin' on your mind boy?" Wolf leered, leaning forward to stare Neville in the eye. Neville looked down shyly at his hands.

"Err… Yeah. Professor Dumbledore called you Abe. Is that your name? Your real name, I mean." Neville asked hurriedly. Harry looked up in interest. Wolf shot Albus a glare that Albus returned full force with smiling, twinkling eyes. Wolf sighed and turned to face the boys.

"Aye. That's my name." He said, his blue eyes looking dejected. Harry gave him a sympathetic look. There really was no competing with Dumbledore's signature twinkle. It had bested even the best of men. Harry glanced at Dumbledore's triumphant blue eyes than back at Wolf's dejected blue eyes. There was something oddly similar between the two wizards before him. True, Dumbledore looked ages older than Wolf, but that could be because of the beard and the glasses, Harry thought. But they had sort of the same nose, and the wizened look in their eyes was the same. Their eyes looked like they had seen the world. Harry looked closer at the eyes, they were almost the exact same shade of blue. Harry gasped. The eyes! They had the same eyes. Everyone turned to look at Harry who was staring at Wolf in disbelief with a calculated gaze.

"You're Aberforth Dumbledore aren't you?" Harry asked, never taking his eyes off the man. The reactions were immediate. Wolf scowled, Dumbledore beamed in something akin to pride and Neville glanced frantically from one brother to the other.

"Stop smiling Brian, or your face will get stuck that way." Wolf growled, but Albus chuckled in reply.

"I told you that they'd figure it out." Wolf scowled again and Albus smiled.

"So you are… are brothers?" Neville asked in disbelief.

"Yes." The headmaster said.

"Unfortunately." Aberforth muttered.

"I knew you looked familiar." Neville said. "Don't you want people to know that you're related to Professor Dumbledore?" Neville asked, and the old bartender sighed.

"I'd like to forget the past."

"They should at least know why, Abe." Albus said gently.

"I never said I wasn't going to tell them." Wolf snarled. "Like I told you before Neville- we grew up with our grandparents. All my life I was told how much of an honor it was to be a Dumbledore. From the time I could talk, I was burdened with the expectations of being a Dumbledore. I hated it. I had always believed that my father fought because he was a Dumbledore, and that he had died because he was a Dumbledore, and expected to give his life for the light."

"I wanted to escape my life. At Hogwarts I especially decided that I didn't want to be Aberforth Dumbledore, the son of a Great War hero anymore. Instead I wanted to be someone else, anyone else. A nameless nobody, that didn't have expectations, a person that could form his own reputation." Harry nodded along, he could relate. "After my grandparents died, I had a talk with an old man, and he gave me some good advice. He said 'Your past is what makes you who you are, but it doesn't define you.' I realized that he was right, I couldn't escape my past, but it didn't define me. Just because I had expectations it didn't mean that I couldn't forge my own path. A few years later, I played a roll in the war with Grindewald, a rather large roll actually. People looked to me as a leader after the war, but I wanted nothing more than to disappear. It was time to start my own path. So I disappeared. I left without turning back. Albus spread some rumors, and after a time, people forgot. That's when I truly became Wolf."

"So you just ran away from your name?" Harry asked coldly, yet curiously at the same time. "From your family?" Wolf sighed.

"I'm an expert at running away. It's not something I regret though. I didn't want to be pressured into being the fearless leader or hero again. And I didn't know how to forge my own path with that destiny hanging over me." Harry nodded; it was another one of those things that he could just relate to. A small silence fell upon the group.

"So why don't you call Professor Dumbledore by his name?" Neville asked and Wolf chuckled, lightening the mood.

"Oh, but I do call him by his name."

"I thought his name was Albus?" Harry asked, confused. Albus chuckled.

"Oh but it is." Abe said, his eyes starting to twinkle.

"My full name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." The headmaster supplied.

"He was named after our grandfather. It was too confusing to have two Albuses in the house. Percy didn't seem to fit him, and heaven forbid, that Grandmother call him something akin to a werewolf, so everyone called him Brian." Aberforth said, smiling at the memories.

"Oh…" Neville said in understanding. "How'd you come up with your name?"

"With Wolf?" Abe asked and Neville nodded. "It's from my middle name. My full name is Aberforth Amadeus Wolfgang Erik Dumbledore. An old friend of mine came up with it… a very old friend."

"How old?" Harry asked curiously.

"Now Harry, it's not exactly polite to ask someone's age." A voice came from the door. "Where are your manners?" Everyone turned to look at the man in the doorway. Harry grinned, Wolf chuckled, Albus groaned, and Neville just looked bewildered.

"Nick!"

"Flame!"

"Nicolas." Harry, Wolf, and Albus cried out simultaneously, although Neville still looked confused. Harry caught Neville's bewildered look and took pity on him.

"Hey, Nev. That's Nicolas Flamel." Harry whispered and Neville nodded. A second later, Neville leaned over to whisper to Harry.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Who's Nicolas Flamel?"

"D'you remember the Sorcerer's Stone?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he's the guy that made it." Harry explained and Neville nodded again.

"Oh…" Neville said in understanding. Another second passed and Neville leaned over to whisper to Harry again.

"Hey Harry?"

"Yeah Neville?"

"Didn't Nicolas Flamel die?" Harry looked at Nicolas, and frowned.

"Does he look dead, Neville?"

"Well no… but didn't he need the Stone to keep living?" Neville asked as Harry pondered the question.

"Well obviously not." Harry replied, still whispering.

"Harry?"

"Yes Neville?"

"Isn't he really old, like 600 and some?"

"Yeah… I think so."

"Then how come he looks younger than Professor Dumbledore?" Harry was about to answer, but two choking sounds caught his attention. Harry and Neville looked over to see Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel choking on what looked suspiciously like lemon drops. Aberforth was laughing again, his eyes twinkling in mirth.

"I al-" Wolf started, but was cut off by Flame, who held up a hand to stop him.

"Don't say it Wolf."

"The truth hurts." Abe said grinning.

"Obviously." Nick said and turned to Neville. "I don't believe we've met. I am, of course, Nicolas Flamel as Harry so aptly mentioned."

"I'm ..err… Neville Longbottom."

"Longbottom you say? Why I once knew a Longbottom, it was such a long time ago. But I've never met a man so courageous and loyal at the same time. He was a true friend. I can see him in you."

"What?" Neville asked, taken aback. "I'm not all that brave, you must be thinking of some other family." Nick laughed gently.

"No, I'm sure I'm not. You have the eyes son, the same eyes. Nolan Longbottom had eyes that others only dreamed about. Heck, I even dreamed about them at one time. My wife says that eyes are windows to the soul. If they truly are, then Nolan had the purest soul that I've ever seen. Yet, here I am looking into eyes that once again remind me of hope, courage, and innocence. Never lose that Neville, be proud of yourself, and your heritage. I've never once seen a Longbottom back down from something they've believed in." Nick said, smiling at Neville.

"Uh… yes sir." Neville said a little dazed, but Harry smiled. It was a little odd how Nicolas Flamel always knew the right thing to say. But Harry supposed, that after six hundred and some years of talking to people that you generally figured out what to say.

"So Nicolas…" Albus said. "Why-"

"Am I here?" Nick finished for him. "It was a simple matter of deduction. Plus, young Minerva was most helpful." Harry and Neville exchanged a glance… Since when was Professor McGonagall young? "But as fascinating as my sleuthing is," Nick continued. "I am rather interested in why I appear so much younger than yourself, Albus." The three older occupants of the room turned to face Harry and Neville.

"It's the beard." Harry said quickly.

"Yeah. The beard." Neville was swift to agree. "Why the beard, Harry?" Neville whispered. Harry shrugged.

"I dunno." Harry whispered back, and then turned back to the adults. "I guess having more white hair like that makes you look older, sir." Harry said to Albus. Nick grinned triumphantly. "But don't worry, it makes you look much more distinguished." Nick drooped a little and threw a fake glare at Harry, but Albus twinkled.

"So why are you really here, Flame?" Aberforth asked.

"Curiosity, really. Minerva mentioned something about the Swarshoff Block. So naturally I got the rest of the story out of her and I deduced that this was where young Mr. Potter would be." Nick explained.

"You were looking for me?" Harry asked.

"Well I said I'd see you around. Nice t-shirt by the way. I just can't get enough of the Raging Warlocks." Harry gaped at him.

"My Gran likes them too." Neville added.

"What is it with old people and this band?" Harry muttered darkly. Albus chuckled.

"It merely implies that you have good taste, my boy. Now, I believe we wandered from our original conversation. Did you or Mr. Longbottom have any more questions on the matter?" Harry and Neville exchanged a look.

"Err… Not really." Harry said and Albus nodded.

"Not really?" Nick asked. "Someone died because of this potion and you don't have any questions?" Nick asked outraged. Neville went pale and his eyes went wide.

"Somebody died?" Neville squeaked.

"Yes… he went and got himself blown up."

"Blown up?" Harry asked. "But I wasn't serious about that!"

"Did you even tell them about Jilipoly Guffrey?" Nick asked Albus, who twiddled his thumbs looking up at the ceiling.

"Albus!" Nick chided his former partner.

"I didn't see the point of worrying them." Albus said as Nick shook his head.

"Well for future reference, if there's even the slightest chance of getting blown up, I'd like to know!" Harry said.

"You aren't going to die." Wolf said.

"Tell that to Trelawnry." Harry muttered.

"But someone had died before?" Neville asked, ignoring Harry's outburst. Albus nodded.

"Unfortunately yes." Nick said grimly. Neville's head collapsed in his hands.

"Oh we're doomed." He mumbled. Harry looked at the floor silently agreeing.

"You are not doomed." Wolf said, glaring at the two.

"Yeah, easy for you to say." Harry retorted. "You aren't the one who's about to become a statistic." Harry said sarcastically.

"Look, Harry, Neville. The only reason Jilipoly Guffrey died was because he was a bloody idiot. He didn't bother to get used to his power before he tried a more complicated spell. He lost control and then his magic just took over." Nick explained. Neville and Harry nodded, but both sported a look that plainly said they didn't feel better about the whole thing.

"So what will happen when the block comes off?" Harry asked.

"I thought you didn't have any questions." Nick teased and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well thing change after you find out that somebody died."

"Harry, you aren't going to die." Albus said reassuringly. "Now, we can't be completely sure of how much you both will change, as the only documented case of this, unfortunately did not last long enough to be documented. But you can both expect a dramatic increase in your available magical power. Your appearances might change physically as well. The block represses any magical growing, so you missed out on all your magical growth spurts. However, I believe they will happen in a short amount of time, leaving you both much taller. It is also possible that any magical gifts you posses were hidden under the block. They will start to appear after the block is removed.

"What do you mean about Magical Power? Can you run out, or is it always there?" Harry asked.

"Magical Power is how much magical energy your body possesses. The more you have, the easier it is to release from your body. I would guess that you both have some difficulty now in mastering spells?" Dumbledore asked and both boys nodded. "That's because you don't have as much available magical energy to use as most wizards your age. Therefore, it takes more concentration and effort to release your magic."

"Err…Professor?" Neville asked quietly.

"Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"

"You, uh, mentioned something about magical gifts?"

"Right. I assume you'll want to know more?" Albus asked, and Neville nodded.

"Magical gifts are things like empathy, metamorphagi, Parseltongue, natural healing… Almost anything you can think of."

"Like telekinesis?"

"Yes, exactly, although that is really quite rare." The headmaster explained. Neville gulped. "There are too many gifts to give you a complete list. It is my belief that you both possess some sort or type og magical gift. They will undoubtedly show themselves after the block is broken. But like you magic, they must be trained in order to meet their full potential." Albus explained. Nick and Wolf yawned in the background.

"C…Could they have already started showing themselves?" Neville asked. Dumbledore paused for a second before answering.

"It is a possibility. The block is rapidly deteriorating If a certain gift is particularly prominent then it might bypass the block altogether as it wears down." Neville nodded in acceptance. "Why? Is there something you'd like to discuss with me, Neville?"

"Nn…No sir." Neville said. Albus, Nick and Wolf shared a look, but a small silence fell on the group.

"Do you have any more questions, Mr. Longbottom?" Professor Dumbledore asked, but Neville shook his head. "What about you Harry?" Harry paused for a second.

"Err… Where I am going to stay for the summer?" Albus looked thoughtful.

"Well, Harry, I suppose that is up to you. You have several options, of course. Each has some desirable and undesirable traits. Hogwarts and Headquarters are open to you and I'm sure you'd have a place at the Burrow."

"Those are my options?" Harry asked, slightly frowning.

"Well… There is one other option."

"What is it?"

"Your Grandmother owned a townhouse just off Diagon Alley. Your parents lived there up until you were born. It's been under the Fidelius Charm for quite some time, so it is quite safe. However, I don't believe you should live there alone." Harry's eyes lit up at the mention of the place. Albus silently groaned. IT would be hard to talk him out of this.

"Hey Neville…" Harry asked slyly.

"Yeah?"

"I don't suppose you'd like to come live in Diagon Alley with me, would you?" Harry grinned and Neville grinned back. Albus tried to refrain from groaning, but Wolf and Nick were already laughing.

"He's got you beat, Brian."

"Yes, beat by a fifteen-year-old at your own game. Pity, I saw such potential in you." Nick chided Albus, while giving Harry and Neville a sly wink.

"While I can't stop Mr. Potter from his chosen decision," Albus said as Harry grinned widely. "I do need to speak to your grandmother about the living arrangements." Neville's eyes grew wide, but with a nudge they went down again.

"Gran won't mind Professor. She was just saying something about how I should get out of the house more." Neville said quickly.

"Be that as it may, I still need to speak with her about the arrangements, for you are still underage and under her care." Albus said and Neville's face fell.

"She's….uh…"

"Out of town." Harry whispered.

"Out of town." Neville said almost too loudly. "She's on…"

"Vacation." Harry hissed again.

"Vacation…err…Yeah, vacation, in the Philippines. Yeah the Philippines. She won't be back for weeks, and she left me in charge while she was gone. I could try sending her an owl, but I'm not sure if it would reach her." Neville said, with Harry nodding along. Albus sighed.

"Well as long as you owl your other relatives about your whereabouts and tell them to contact me if they have any questions, then I suppose it will be acceptable. However, I will still need to speak toy your grandmother at her earliest convenience. You will, of course, have her owl me upon her return, will you not?" Albus said wearily, with Neville nodding along excitedly.

"Yeah, make sure you do, Neville. Because Merlin help us if Nora Longbottom gets worked into a panic." Wolf said, rolling his eyes. Neville however went slightly pale, his eyes a little bit wider than normal, a fact that only Nicolas Flamel picked up on.

"So… When do we leave?" Harry asked, smiling brightly, Neville grinned as well.

"May I remind you that every house under the Fidelius Charm has a secret keeper, Mr. Potter?" Nicolas said cheerily.

"So?" Harry asked blankly.

"What Flame is trying to say is that unless one of us is the secret keeper, then our plans will have to wait." Wolf said irritably.

"Oh." Harry said, then turned to the headmaster. "Are you the secret keeper?" Albus chuckled.

"Oh no, my boy. I fear I am not." Albus said.

"Then who is?" Neville asked, curiously. Albus smiled at Nicolas and Wolf.

"Tell me, Abe, Nicolas, do you remember Jocelyn Cahill?" Albus asked, Wolf scoffed and Nick laughed aloud.

"Remember? How could anyone forget?" Aberforth mumbled.

"Certainly Albus, I must agree with Aberforth, it would be near upon impossible to forget Jocelyn Cahill." Nick said a glazed look in his eye.

"Quite a handful that girl was." Wolf said.

"Who is Jocelyn Cahill?" Harry asked curiously.

"Then you must remember her group of friends as well?" Albus questioned, ignoring Harry altogether.

"Oh yes. There were three of them, was there not?" Nicolas asked Wolf, who nodded.

"Yes… Evelyn Prewitt, Adelaide Morrigan, and one more…Minerva! Minerva Stanton" Aberforth said.

"Who is Jocelyn Cahill?" Harry asked again, this time a little louder.

"And surely you must remember-" Albus started again, once again ignoring Harry.

"Who the bloody hell is Jocelyn Cahill?" Harry practically yelled, making all three adults and Neville turn to stare at him.

"A little anxious are we?" Wolf said, giving Harry a teasing look. Harry just scowled back.

"Jocelyn Cahill was your grandmother, Harry." Nicolas said.

"Oh." Harry said, feeling quite like an idiot.

"It's quite alright, my boy. You've probably never had the opportunity to learn very much about your grandparents." Albus said kindly. "You must ask Hagrid about it sometime, he probably has some rather interesting stories about them." Albus suggested and Harry nodded.

"What were you going to ask us, Albus?" Nicolas asked.

"I believe that young Misters Potter and Longbottom would benefit much more from a story, than my asking you questions." Albus said, as Harry nodded. Neville shrugged but nodded anyways. "Well, Harry, I had just recently started teaching when I had the opportunity to meet four young girls. The four became nearly inseparable during their school years and even closer during the years to come. Adelaide Morrigan became Adelaide Prewitt after Hogwarts. She was the first woman to ever become an Unspeakable, a fact that ultimately caused her death in the first war with Voldemort. Evelyn Prewitt is better known as Evelyn Jones. You may recognize her as the founder of the Holyhead Harpies, a team that her daughters still run and play on today; however, she too died in the first war. And there was your grandmother. Jocelyn Cahill married Andy Potter. She was both one of the kindest and most stubborn people you'd ever meet. Your grandparents were big targets during the war with Voldemort, and were killed by Voldemort himself in a raid." Dumbledore explained, rather somber.

"So you're saying that one of my grandmother's friends is the secret keeper?" Harry asked, and Dumbledore nodded.

"That can't be right. You just said that they all died." Neville pointed out.

"Not everyone." Nicolas smiled.

"Who?" Both boys asked.

"Minerva Stanton." Wolf said, giving a wry smile. "Tricky Albus, I never would have thought of her."

"Not many would." Albus said, his eyes twinkling.

"Who is Minerva Stanton?" Harry asked.

"I believe you know her…quite well in fact. I believe both of you know her quite well." Nicolas said, smiling, his eyes also starting to twinkle.

"I don't know anybody that's named that." Harry said. "Do you Neville?"

"No." Neville said shaking his head.

"That's because you know her by another name." Aberforth said, his eyes twinkling brightly.

"What name?" Harry asked, trying not to notice the three pairs of twinkling eyes on the other side of the room.

"Minerva McGonagall."

Author's Note: I 3 Reviews! Kudos to everybody that reviewed! That was a bit obvious though, wasn't it? Hopefully this chapter cleared up any lingering questions, or brought up some new ones? Sorry about the wait, but it's probably always going to be like this. I am very sporadic when I write, as most of my inspiration occurs at inopportune moments. (Like three in the morning) So don't expect the next chapter for at least 2 weeks or more. But rest assured that I have an outline, so it will happen. One more thing… it recently came to my attention that Neville's grandmother's name is Augusta, so I could go back and fix that or I could just leave it… I think I will leave it for now though.

-Sarak

I really couldn't think of a title for this chapter… So if you have any suggestions… Well, they'd be appreciated.

WE WON! Yeah, it's been two days, and it still hasn't sunk in. In case you haven't heard about the Scoopers (I'm guessing that pretty much everybody hasn't), I'll give you some background. Almost nine years ago, the Sturgis Scoopers faced off against the Stevens Raiders in a state playoff game. Sadly the Scoopers lost, and what followed was the second longest losing streak in the nation. The Scoopers lost 79 games in a row from 1997- 2006. (The record is 81 games) But that all ended on September 1, 2006! We fricken beat the Stevens Raiders 22-20! I still can't talk after screaming that much!