Chapter 26: The Tragedy of Ariana Dumbledore
Note: I do not own Harry Potter. I do own all my ocs (Lord Titus Malfoy, Lady Dari'an Malfoy, Scion Antonius Selwyn, Gavin Knowles, Nicholas Hamilton, Eunice Brown, Isaac Redman, Madam Blanche and Michael Grandstein) and this plotline.
Warning: Ariana's age has been changed to 17 when she died. She did not die from the duel. It did weaken her enough to give birth prematurely which caused her death.
Cast
Ariana Dumbledore: Maisie Williams
Gellert hears the shocking news that Creedence is Ariana's son, the boy Albus told him was born stillborn. He tells Hermione the sad tale of a gifted witch set upon by muggle boys in her youth, who became troubled. A sweet witch he came to think of as his own sister, the pregnancy they hid from her brothers and her terrible death.
Gellert's POV
It hadn't been that long after brainstorming on how to get Creedence away from that harpy that Gellert got the floo call that changed everything. He was celebrating with his Jem over it when his fireplace blazed to life. "Lord Grindlewald, I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" came out the cultured voice of Lord Titus Malfoy. Intrguied, Hermione answered for him.
"Not at all my lord! What can we do for you?" she asked. "I keep no secrets from her Lord Malfoy. Speak freely." Gellert spoke. " My lady wife and I were summoned to Hogwarts to discuss my ward's behavior as of late. As the opportunity presented itself, I took the liberty to find what I could on the boy. And what I found was very intriguing indeed!" the tone was serious.
Gellert took two breaths. "Go on…" he encouraged. "Does the name Ariana Dumbledore mean anything to you?" Lord Malfoy asked. Gellert felt like someone just punched him in the gut. Hermione let out a loud gasp. " I knew her, why do you ask this?" his hands began to shake. "I found adoption papers in a secret compartment in the Headmaster's desk. Creedence Barebone was born Aurelius Dumbledore. It lists Ariana Dumbledore as mother and father unknown." he replied.
Gellert's mind went blank. It couldn't be! Albus told him the child was born stillborn! He said they had both died! He could still hear her voice "Promise me Gellert! As soon as he is born. Albus already has such a burden on him, please take my child!" It took all his will power to control his voice and reply. "You have done very well. We shall speak on business in the growing villages near my home soon. Do you have copies of the adoption papers?" he asked.
"Being sent to your office as we speak." Lord Malfoy stated. He knew for a fact the old snake probably made more than one copy. He wasn't a servant or one of his soldiers. He would deal with that later. "Thank you Lord Malfoy and have a good morning. He stated. "And you a good night young Lord." Lord Malfoy answered. His hands were still shaking, reeling from shock!
"I don't understand! Ariana Dumbledore died at age 14! Albus told Harry and I that!" his Jem exclaimed. Gellert turned to her, his eyes haunted. "He lied. I imagine he lied a lot about that day and what happened to his sister. What fiction did he weave for you?" he asked. He made his way back to her, picking her up and wrapping himself around her. "You may not want to hear some of it Gell." she said softly, running her fingers through his hair.
"Just tell me." he said. "The story we got came from Dumbledore and Bathtilda Bagshot." she started. He let out a low growl. Albus just couldn't leave her alone, could he?! "We were told that you were kicked out of Durmstang because of the dark experiments you were conducting there." Gellert winced. It was true, in his youth he had been seduced by the Dark Arts. They made him feel invincible,the high they created difficult to escape.
It had been Ariana that had taught him better. "In the summer of 1899 Albus was alone and bitter. He quit school so Aberforth could continue and he could watch his sister whom he said had unstable magic due to an attack she suffered by three muggle boys at six years old. That it was her who killed their mother by accident. That summer you two met. He became enamoured with you. You were beautiful and full of passion." she stated.
"Enamoured?" he asked. Not sure he wanted to hear the answer. "He was in love with you, Gell." she stated. Her whiskey colored eyes bored into his azure ones. "Gods! But I didn't, I wasn't, I'm not…" he got out. She gave him an amused look. "I know you are not. Read all your notes, journals, and viewed your memories, remember?" she stated kissing the tip if his nose. " Now as I was saying, you two would plan for hours on how to break the Statute and take over the wizarding world, and hunt for the Hallows." she continued.
A chill ran down his spine. Truth was he had not given up the pursuit of the Hallows. He had a feeling she already knew that. "You two were thick as thieves. Then, one night, Aberforth came home for school break and overheard you. You three began to argue. Aberforth said what you two planned left Ariana behind. You had argued that without the statute Ariana wouldn't have to hide. This set off Aberforth and you began to duel him." she continued.
Gellert nodded. That much was true. " Eventually you Crucioed Aberforth upsetting Ariana and Albus. Albus tried to help but Ariana's got out of control. Eventually one of you hit her with a spell and she died at age 14." she finished. Gellert sighed. " Most of that is true. But a lot was left out it seems." he stated. His Jem encouraged him to go on. "Albus was not the only friend I made that summer. I also was very close to Ariana as well." he started.
"Where Albus was closed off, she was open. Where he and I were bitter, she was full of forgiveness. She was intelligent in her own right. Insightful and kind. It was she who pointed out that the Dark Arts do not make masters, but slaves. It was she who started my love and research of the Deeper Magic. Albus never knew that. My talking of it scared him enough!
She was in everyway beautiful, a balm to my tormented soul. She was my sister too!" Tears began to form in his eyes. He knew if anyone would understand it was her. It was how she felt about Harry Potter. " She was 16 then, and I was not the only one who noticed how beautiful she was. We would sneak out sometimes, into the village, so she could be around others." he stated, deep in memories.
"She had just turned 17 when she told me she was pregnant. She refused to tell me who the father was. She begged me to help her hide it from Albus! He would not have been able to handle it. Sworn to secrecy, I used charms and glamour on her to hide her growing belly. I bought all the potions she needed. She was 9 months along when Aberforth came home." Hermione gasped.
"She begged of me to raise the child as my own. That Albus could never know different. So we made it official. All the papers were signed. Not long after came the duel. It all happened like you were told but Ariana did not die instantly. She went into labor in that floor!" Gellert squeezed his eyes shut. He could still hear her screams, his shouts. Trying to get to her. He being immobilized as Albus walked away with her.
"He told me she was dead, that they both were and it was all my fault!" he began to cry while she soothed him. Her voice was pure ice. " He sent the child far away to an orphanage and signed off on that mad woman's adoption of him! Bastard!" she exclaimed. "Not for long, my Jem! We are getting him out and getting him emancipated and I'll make sure all his little spies are dealt with!"