Taking Charge

A Harry Potter Fanfiction

by Drauchenfyre

Chapter 12: A Gathering of Family

January 29, 1992

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Headmaster's Office

Albus Dumbledore looked at the surviving members of his family- Abe's family, actually, as they were his descendants, not Albus's. He had finally gathered Samuel's children and grandchildren from overseas, and called a family meeting.

In the center, giving Albus the evil eye and a Snape-worthy scowl, was Albus's younger brother Aberforth Dumbledore. To Abe's left sat Samuel's son, CPO Nalshay 'Nall' Glyphs, USN (Retired). Beside him was his wife, Russian expat Natasha Glyphs, former DMA (Department of Magical Affairs) field agent. Next were their two sons, Simon a fourth year and Albert, a first year, both at Samuel's alma mater of Salem. On Abe's right sat Samuel's surviving daughter, Elena Delacour, and her husband Pierre, both faculty members at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France- Pierre teaching History, Elena teaching Herbology. Next to them were their two children, Rafael a third year and Colette a first year, both at Beauxbatons.

Albus paused, considering Elena and her lost twin. Adina Glyphs had just gotten engaged to Raymond Potter, James's older brother, when the Diagon Alley attack happened in 1979. The young couple, as well as Samuel's wife Leona, had all been killed at Madame Malkin's while selecting the dress robes that the wizards in the wedding party would be wearing. That day had nearly broken Samuel. Instead, he had resigned his post a Hogwarts and disappeared for six months, during which all six Death Eaters involved in the attack had turned up dead, their Dark Marks cut up with large X's.

Albus never asked Samuel about it. He figured he was better off not confirming what he knew in his heart had happened. He had simply welcomed Samuel back to his old post, as his replacement was all too willing to step aside for the world-renowned expert.

Ironically, it was Samuel's unconfirmed actions during that period that led to part of what Albus had called them here for. Clearing his throat, Albus began, "I assume you are all wondering why I called you here."

Abe interrupted testily, "Cut the theatrics and get to the point, Albus." He followed this with an "OOF!" from the solid elbow Nall placed in his gut.

"Gramps, would it kill you to act civil for five minutes while in the same room as Uncle Al?" Nall rolled his eyes at his great-grandfather.

"It might," growled the old man, before receiving a slap to the back of the head, this time from Elena. Both of Samuel's children loved their great-grandfather dearly, but he had an established pattern of unreasonable behavior with Albus. Great-Aunt Ariana's death was tragic, yes, but over a century was a ridiculously long time to hold a grudge.

"Moving on," Nall continued, "I assume this has something to do with the Blood Inheritance test you had me take at Gringotts?"

"That was actually my idea," came a voice from one of the portrait frames. The extended Glyphs-Dumbledore family looked up to see a familiar uniformed face smiling at them.

"Grampa!" Colette shrieked happily.

"Hey Sweetie," the portrait-figure of Samuel Glyphs replied to his beloved granddaughter.

"Dad?" Nall questioned, a bit surprised that his father had made a Soul-Stone before his death.

"I wanted you to take the test to check for any unknown inheritances in your, and my, bloodlines. Good thing, too."

"It seems," Albus began, "that in 1979, the senior claimant line of an important British Heirdom died out, when Oglethorpe Avery, Death Eater and last of his line, turned up dead three months after the Diagon Alley Massacre with a large X cut through his Dark Mark."

Neither Nall nor Albus missed the exaggerated look of innocence on Samuel's face at this statement.

"Though they did not know it, the Averys were the Heirs of Rowena Ravenclaw. Upon Oglethorpe's death, his line was extinct and the next senior cadet line became the Heirs. This line branched off in the 16th century, and came into my generation through Karina Selwyn, oldest daughter of Lord Argos Selwyn and Margaret Flanders."

Aberforth started at that statement. Karina had been the mother of Abe's only child, Adele, though Abe and Karina had never married. She'd disappeared a few months after Adele's birth, and was never heard from again. Abe always suspected, but could not prove, that Karina's family had killed their 'disgraceful' unwed mother of a daughter. It was then he sent his daughter to be raised in America by his dear friends, Jack and Ridley Silverlake.

"This line extended through Karina's only daughter Adele Dumbledore, and then to her son Samuel Glyphs, and finally to Samuel's oldest child-" here Albus looked pointedly at Nall.

Nall raised an eyebrow, in unconscious imitation of one of his father's facial gestures. "Are you saying I'M the Heir of Ravenclaw?"

"And have been since the death of your father in November."

"Which was YOUR fault, Albus!"

"Oh, put a sock in it, Gramps!" Samuel snapped at his grandfather. Honestly, the man could hold a grudge forever. "You want to know the gruesome truth? I've reviewed both your memory and Albus's of that incident. It was an Arresto Cardio from Gellert Grindelwald's wand which ended Ariana's life. Granted, before she fell, a ricocheting Stunner from Albus's wand hit her as well, but GELLERT GRINDELWALD killed your precious sister, NOT Uncle Al. Get over yourself already!"

Abe, never having been yelled at by his grandson before, collapsed back into his chair, staring agape at the Marine's portrait figure.

"As for me- I knew the risks. I'M the one who went forward with the Re-Warding of Hogwarts while still recovering from an exorcism. I could have easily- and safely pushed the ritual back to the Holiday break, but didn't. I'm dead because *I* made a poor judgement call, not Uncle Al! Now, stop blaming him for everything and move on already!"

Abe's face fell forward into his hands, and loud sobs wracked his spindly frame. Elena and Natasha both reached over to comfort the broken old man.

Samuel rubbed the back of his head, and said ruefully, "I wish I hadn't had to do that."

"It needed to be said, Dad," Nall replied. "He's been holding on to this hate and anger for so long... you're the only one who could get through to him."

It took a while for Abe to cry himself out, but after some hot chocolate all around, everyone was seated again, with Colette now standing behind Abe, rubbing his shoulder in a comforting manner. Over the next hour, Albus detailed what he and the faculty had accomplished in righting the mistakes of his possession of (and by) the Elder Wand, since Samuel had destroyed the foul thing.

"So, what do you think we should do, Uncle Al?"

"As I understand it, Nall, you and Natasha are currently unemployed, having just retired from the Navy and the government? I was hoping to convince the two of you to relocate, at least temporarily, to Britain to help us deal with these problems. Individuals with your skills and training would be helpful in dealing with the Death Eater problem and making certain that Voldemort does not restart his campaign of terror. Hogwarts would, of course, welcome any of the children as transfer students, should they choose."

A quick conversation between Samuel's grandchildren saw Simon and Albert deciding to finish out the year at Salem. If their parents were still in Britain in September, they would transfer then. Rafael and Colette, however, would accept the offer to transfer. Colette, an aspiring Potions Mistress, practically drooled at the idea of learning from the legendary Nicholas Flamel. Rafael, an aspiring prankster, just wanted to be somewhere his parents weren't teaching. It was very difficult to get away with anything when you were under the authority of people who knew you too well.

The matter settled and agreed upon by their parents, Albus walked over to the Sorting Hat and said, "Adrian, I believe you know what I need you to do."

Adrian, the Sorting Hat, replied, "Of course, Albus. Always a pleasure to Sort bright young minds."

Adrian was plonked down on Rafael's head first. After a mental argument between boy and hat for over two minutes, Adrian called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Removing the Hat from his head, Rafael gently placed it on his sister's head, knowing how touchy she was about her hair. Adrian had barely come to rest on the child's head when he cried out, "RAVENCLAW!"

Pierre Delacour spoke up, "Why did this silly chapeau take so long to sort Rafael, but so quickly sort Colette?"

Rafael smirked and replied, "It wanted to sort me into Slytherin. As if any self-respecting cunning and devious person would allow this hat to announce to the world they are cunning and devious. Now Gryffindors- they have a reputation for charging in without thought. Nobody expects a Gryffindor to be cunning."

"Almost word-for-word the same argument you gave me, Albus," Adrian stated, "when I sorted you into Gryffindor all those years ago."

The entire extended Glyphs-Dumbledore family (including Samuel) stared at their eldest member as he chuckled to himself.

CHAPTER END

A/N: Original Spell: Arresto Cardio: Honestly, do I really have to translate this one?