Chapter 7: A Wellbeing Visit

After living with Albus Dumbledore for almost two weeks, Kenna had gotten used to their routine. She'd had a routine before, but it was never one she could call fun. She liked living in the castle with the owls and the ghosts and her new father. She sometimes wondered if it was real. She wondered how long it would last and how long they would be kind to her before they became mean. She couldn't remember the last time she was happy. She wasn't sure about Dumbledore's eyes occasionally following her as she moved, or walked around the library, but they always crinkled at the edges in a smile when she looked up at him. She took that as a good sign. The highlight of that week was when she'd figured out how to smile her own smile- one without scrunching her nose and showing only her upper teeth rather than bashing them all together at once. Dumbledore smiled for the rest of the day alongside her.

It wasn't until they were sitting down for dinner that Kenna realized it could all disappear for real overnight.

"So, Milo, the woman who works for the Youth Education and Wellbeing department is going to come by tomorrow on a house visit. We'll walk down to the village to introduce both of you to my brother and to meet her. She just has some questions for you." Kenna watched Dumbledore curiously. "I was thinking we can go down early to some of the shops. Maybe leave the castle around ten?" She nodded her head to show she understood but her mind went back to the woman. She could remember every detail of the Youth Magic Department, including the crying and distress of other children. She could remember the woman's voice telling them that she'd be sent away and life would be bad until she was eleven. She couldn't imagine going from the castle all the way to a room she had to share like characters in the books she read. She would return to not knowing anyone when she was just beginning to feel comfortable at Hogwarts.

What does she want to know?

"Miss Milo? She wants to know how you are settling in, and to make sure this is a safe place for you."

It is safe. She responded insistently.

"You're right." Dumbledore ceded to her. She stared down at the table and refused to make eye contact, a seriousness falling on her face that was uncharacteristic of a 7-year-old.

Will she take me away if she doesn't think so?

"You won't be taken away. If she has any problems, we'll work them out first." He tried to assure her, but she was already building walls around herself in preparation for needing to leave. The ghosts of her past that hadn't been fully uncovered sat on her shoulders. She pushed away from her plate. Her appetite seeming to wane at the conversation topic. At the mere idea of not being able to stay for any reason.

But if they don't work out, they'll take me away?

"No one is taking you away Kenna Hope Dumbledore" The older man could feel the rising panic. He moved around the table to give her a hug and let her arms wrap around him in a vice grip. She buried her head into his robes and let out a shaky breath. He couldn't tell for sure if she believed him, but he knew they were well on their way to a more trusting relationship. He let her know that they would be alright and that he wasn't going anywhere. She hadn't had a stable or safe home, but he would make sure the castle would be what she needed.

That night was the first nightmare that Dumbledore was woken up from. He was sure that she'd had a few in the past, and she usually sat in the office with Fawkes until he woke up. Despite him telling her it was always okay to wake him up, she avoided his room and his space like the plague. However, that night Kenna cried out in her sleep. It was a muffled yell but it was enough to rouse him. The headmaster adjusted his sleep cap as he quickly moved into her room. The first thing he realized when he entered the doorway was that she had tangled and trapped herself in her own blankets. The next thing he noticed was that several things in her room were floating.

It was a unique display of magic, and nothing looked out of control. Her dresser was a few inches off the floor, and several of her stuffed animals weren't touching the small shelves they'd set up a few days ago.

As though there was an awareness line in the doorway, the moment he stepped in, her eyes shot open. Everything dropped back to the ground with a muted thump and she struggled to sit up, her sobs loud. Her hands moved to her mouth to cover it and quiet herself. She detangled herself in a flurry of movement and moved closer to the headboard, her entire body shaking. When Dumbledore took another step in to approach, she flinched.

He waited a few moments for her to calm down before making his way to the edge of her bead, just in reach enough to pat her hair down and wipe the sweat off her forehead. When she was more comfortable, she began to relax to his touch he pulled her onto his lap and held her close. Her body curled into him and she hid her face.

He asked, but Kenna refused to tell him the details of her nightmare. The trauma leftover from it still shook her body. Her grip didn't leave his coat, and it took some coaxing to get her to adjust her grip so he could hold her better. Checking the time on the clock across the room he noted that it was nearing two am. Her breath was slowly returning to normal, but when he made eye contact with her he could still see the fear.

"Alright, You can sleep in my bed tonight," Dumbledore told her. She didn't respond aside from her grip on his robes. "You will be completely and utterly safe."

Without protests, Kenna leaned into him. He could feel the probing of her mind on his, trying to double-check his intentions. He let her in to show her his room was a safe place for her to be. Gently, he picked the young girl up, sheet and all and moved her into his own room, getting underneath his sheets as he held her close to him. She snuggled even closer, worried about him leaving her.

Slowly, he watched as she drifted to sleep and the stress on her face fell into a more peaceful expression. He ran his old wrinkled fingers over her forehead and let his own eyes close.

When they awoke the next morning Kenna was still a nervous wreck. She bustled around the office and each room and hardly left more than ten feet between her and Dumbledore. He even walked out of the shower to find her sitting just outside his bedroom door, waiting for him like a forgotten puppy. Her stress was already wearing her down, and while the few hours of sleep they got after her nightmare was better, it still hadn't been restorative enough. Dumbledore knew today would be a long day where he would need to keep her close, he sent out a letter with Fawkes rather than walking up to the owlery. There was no point in tiring her out when they already had the long walk to Hogsmeade to worry about. After breakfast, he put his daughter in one of her newer dresses and watched her as she fiddled with the lace embroidery at the end of the skirt. They sat together on her bed and he braided her hair back and out of her face. She practiced her hellos and nice to meet yous as well as the sounds in her own name.

Kenna's speech was getting better, but she couldn't do it for too long just yet. He had his fingers crossed that she might be able to introduce herself to the social worker. Her eyes flickered between different parts of the room and she held Fawkes like a baby for the better part of half an hour while Dumbledore did a few chores. She helped him clean her bedroom and propped up all her stuffed animals on her bed, telling each one of them individually to behave. The childish behavior made him smile a little, but it was dampened by the knowledge she was terrified to be taken away for any reason whatsoever.

At mid-morning, they made their way down and out the castle doors quietly. The sun hadn't fully reached above some of the trees, so a light dew was still on the grass off the path. Kenna preferred to stay in the warm sunlight. She walked beside him and held his hand tightly while her eyes followed the forest to their right. Dumbledore couldn't see what she was looking at, but it held her attention and was keeping her mind of their meeting for later that day. Halfway to the town, she paused and he fell to a stop. The edge of the forest wasn't far. Her hand slipped out of his own and she took a few steps closer to the shade the trees gave, her white shoes dampened when they touched the grass off the path.

Dumbledore looked closer at the tree-line to see a deer poking its head around the trees. It looked as curious about her as she was about it. When she got within five feet both her and the deer went eerily still. Dumbledore watched as she lifted her arm inch by inch. When her palm was fully out she stopped. Her other arm was clutched around the stuffed rabbit she had chosen to accompany them for the day. Rather than retreating, the creature took a few steps forward to sniff at her hand, before moving even closer to nibble at her hair, which shone even lighter with the morning sun bouncing off it. Kenna remained still while it nudged at her, and when it snorted she brought her hand down to its fur to give it a few pats. The young girl pet the doe's side before looking past it and further into the trees, where three fauns jumped out. Dumbledore dared not scare them away. One bumped into Kenna's back and pushed her forward accidentally. It was then he heard her first bout of laughter, a light giggle as she patted the littlest one herself. If there was such a thing as a good sign, Dumbledore felt this would be it.

She looked up and across the field at Dumbledore, who had stopped moving, and she waved him over.

Sure that they would run away no matter what he did, he approached slowly. While the largest deer kept an eye on him, none of them scared, despite his larger size. Instead, the little ones approached him as well. He watched his new daughter grin up at him. The animal's affinity for her was something he couldn't let go unnoticed as he thought about testing to see what other creatures were naturally attracted to her. Were these deer the ones that she was watching while they walked through the forest? He hadn't heard anything in his own mind, but did she call out to them in any way?

"You've made some new friends" he whispered, crouching down beside her pat at one of the fauns.

They are so soft! She patted them again for a moment, before shooing them off with both of her hands. They immediately listened to her and sauntered back into the forest and out of sight. The two Dumbledores stared after them for a few moments before the elder looked down at the path that they needed to walk to Hogsmeade.

"We should keep walking, but you'll see them again I'm sure." She nodded her head and took his hand a little more relaxed.

When they reached the town it was nearing 11. Their meeting wasn't for another hour so he let Kenna lead the way. They visited the jokes shop, which she enjoyed nearly everything – although he found she was not a fan of any toy that had items jump out at her. She'd immediately dropped the box when a clown bounced out of it and refused to pick it up with her hands. Using wordless and wandless magic it floated back to its place on the shelf.

Kenna also thoroughly enjoyed looking at the back of the boxes and reading what the joke was supposed to be used for. She asked him if pranking happened often when people were friends, and the answer the older man couldn't really provide. He had explained though that you had to be careful with who you made jokes with. Dumbledore got an inkling of foreboding when it came to her Hogwarts years. After, they went to Honeydukes where she was able to choose a few snacks for the day, chocolate was her favorite, but they also bought his favorite- lemon drops- and a few new flavors of snacks to try a different day.

As the clock approached noon, they slowly made their way to Hogshead.

Approaching the doors of the slightly run-down bar, Kenna took in everything she could see with a close eye. Her hand reached up to grip onto Dumbledores and the other curled a little tighter around the bunny. The sign read closed, but Dumbledore turned the knob to find it open. The bell rang as they walked in, and his younger brother came out from behind the counter, the social worker was already sitting at one of the tables with her notebook out and a folder open. She looked over at the two when they entered and gave them a small smile.

"How are you both today?" she asked.

Dumbledore looked down at the young one, who's lips stayed pursed and who moved a little closer to him. "We're doing well, thank you." He motioned Kenna around the table a bit more and to his brother to introduce her. "This is my brother, Albenfourth."

Kenna watched the man with an even closer eye. He was much taller than her father and also thicker.

"Hello, my name is Kenna. Nice to meet you."

Normally, when they practiced her speaking they did it slowly, sounding out each sound. But in front of Alberfourth her words smashed together and came out quickly, and then she half-buried herself in Albus's robes and her face turned light pink, knowing that it didn't sound the way she wanted it to sound. She looked up at her father with large eyes and he just gave her a smile.

"Nice to meet you too." Alberfourth nodded, leaning down and offering a hand. It was like a water buffalo approaching a small bird. He knew that he was a daunting person to meet, and almost made himself smaller for introductions. Albus could see the look on his brother's face as he too became enthralled with his new niece. Nothing would make up for their sister or cure the wounds that had festered for decades, but Kenna was an innocent bystander that they'd agreed would not be affected by either of the brother's sorrow or anger.

Kenna looked at the hand for a few moments before putting her small one in his. He gave her to shakes and then let go, returning to his full height and walking back around the bar to get drinks ready. With a hand on her back Albus lead her over to the table that Milo was sitting at, pulling the young one onto his lap to help comfort her. She watched the woman carefully and pulled her rabbit closer.

"I see that she's found her voice?" Milo decided to address Dumbledore first. The girl's eyes bore into her in an unnerving way.

"She practices every morning, but her throat gets tired." Dumbledore ran his hand down her braid, pulling it to the front of her body. "She's very bright, and we've been reading together as well."

Milo found that would be a good place to start. She leaned forward. "Do you like to read?" She asked. The little girl nodded her head. The stare didn't stop. Milo looked up to Dumbledore. "Do you like living in the castle?" Again, the little one nodded. Milo looked down at her notebook. "Did you take her to the hospital after we met?" Dumbledore nodded his head.

"We've got some health concerns that we are working on, proper diet and slowly working into getting more exercise, you could contact Poppy for more information. We'll be getting regular check-ups."

The woman noted this, "Has she been introduced to your other emergency contact?"

"Oh yes." He looked down at Kenna, who stared up at him. "You know Minerva, right?" She nodded her head and sent him a picture of the woman in question. He smiled. "That's her." The moment she realized he was proud of her, she gave him a bashful smile back. Only a few seconds later she remembered where they were and her face fell back into a shy frown. She looked at the woman again.

Her attention and questions were directed to the two of them, but Kenna's voice remained noiseless. "What have you been doing these past few days?"

"We've built up a routine." He looked at Kenna for conformation. She nodded. "We usually try to go on walks around the castle, and we like to visit the owlery. We also sometimes walk down to the lake or go to the library and read." The woman's quill started moving, mimicking his words in the correct boxes. "In the evenings we do puzzles or play cards or a board game. Then usually bath time and after that bedtime."

The woman smiled at Kenna who watched as Albenfourth set down to cups of juice. The headmaster paused to thank him.

"Has she opened up any?"

Dumbledore nodded his head. "I think that she's a little nervous about being taken away. We're starting to understand one another a little more every day. Today we discovered she's really comfortable around all animals though." He handed her the smaller cup and let her take a sip of it, judging her reaction to the sweet drink. She didn't have a reaction, which told him that she wasn't a huge fan, but she still sipped it.

Dumbledore took a drink of his own and realized it was sea buckthorn juice. Not his favorite either.

"Animals?" She motioned to the rabbit half falling out of Kenna's arms as she drank her juice. "Do you have many stuffed animals?"

The girl nodded. Dumbledore figured that the Social worker would see Fawks later on when she came up to the castle. Speaking of- "Would you like to walk with us up to the castle?"

The woman checked her watch and looked at Kenna one more time. The young girl's eyes narrowed slightly and Milo could feel the pressure to pass on the opportunity. It was subtle, but she was sure the girl was reading her mind. Looking down at her notebook and the things she had written she shook her head. "I think I can save us all the time when I say I'm sure she's in capable hands. I will come up around the end of November for one more check while school is in term." The girl relaxed and Milo could feel the pressure come off her head.

"Is that so? Are you sure? We cleaned."

The woman laughed. "I'm sure someone is happy I'm finished for the day." She looked down at Kenna who didn't show her a single emotion outside of a blank stare. The only emotion that showed up was when she looked up at Dumbledore. She didn't want the woman to come up to the castle. Nothing needed to be checked because it was a good and safe place. Kenna worried for a second that the ghosts would scare the woman. Or the house-elves. There were too many variables and while the woman seemed to be nice and like Dumbledore, the young girl knew better than anyone that intentions could change.

The adults chatted for a little bit longer and Kenna watched them. Her juice was finished and she set it on the table. The sooner they left the sooner she could see if the deer in the forest were still there. She wanted to play with them and finish her book and eat the sweets that Dumbledore bought for her in Honeydukes. Hogsmeade had been quiet that morning, with not too many people moving about, but the young girl preferred the quiet of the castle away from all the people she didn't know and that could take her away. She fidgeted with her dress and tuned out the conversation a little. She told her Rabbit about how lucky it was not to deal with mean people and how it never had to worry because she was a friend.

When Milo did stand up, she shook hands with both the Dumbledores and made her way out of the building. Albus smiled up at his brother and watched the child in his lap's eyes track the woman out the door and as she walked by the windows. She followed her with her eyes until she was truly gone, and then she relaxed ever so slightly. "She's a quiet thing." The younger Dumbledore mentioned, taking a drink of what was definitely not juice.

"She is, though she didn't get too much sleep last night." Kenna looked up at him, knowing she was the topic of their conversation. "I think she likes living up at the castle." For the first time since arriving at Hoghead, she gave a big smile. Albenfourth could immediately see the reason his elder brother had been enraptured by the girl. Her hair was a few shades darker than the one they both still mourned, but the similarities in her face and expressions were uncanny. Her smile brightened the room without her being cautious of it. "Are you ready to go home?"

The little one nodded her head again. She slid off his lap and the chair and landed gently on the floor. She looked smaller than a 7-year-old probably should, but when whatever threat she had seen in the Youth Magic woman was gone there was more confidence in how she stood. Albus shook his brother's hand and offered to pay for the drinks, only a little surprised when the other man shook his head and collected the mugs. "Just bring her around when you come down. I'm sure I have a few children's books upstairs she might enjoy next time."

He couldn't help but break his normally serious expression when her eyes shot up to his with a spark of excitement.