A/N: More, as promised. Please review!

Chapter 19.

Elena stared at the swirling gold liquid in the china bowl, scarcely able to comprehend what she had just been told.

"You - you're - "

"Your great uncle. Yes." Dumbledore confirmed gently. "I was your grandfather's brother. This spell we have just performs proves we share a blood relation."

"But - " Elena dragged her gaze away from the bowl to meet the old Headmaster's eyes in confusion. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"

Dumbledore nodded. "A fair question," he acknowledged readily, "And the answer is that I wanted to be sure that you were who I suspected you were before I involved you unnecessarily in a very complex and dangerous affair. That, and…" he smiled very slightly, "I think I wanted to avoid the disappointment we would both inevitably have suffered if I had announced my suspicions and then been proven wrong."

Elena stared at the old man, shock and disbelief blanching her face. "Then… I'm not alone. I have family left. You are my family. I can't … I can't believe it." Her extraordinary eyes filled with tears which she struggled to blink away. Dumbledore's blue eyes looked a little brighter than usual too.

"But - does this mean you know - what happened to my parents? My brother and sister? Who those men were? Why … why they want to kill me too?"

Dumbledore nodded, gravely this time. "Yes. Without being certain of who you were, I could offer no explanation with certainty, but now I can tell you. You may want to sit down."

Elena shook her head, her face white and set. "I'll be fine. Just tell me."

"Very well. The men who came to your door that night were what we call Death Eaters. Dark wizards, followers of Lord Voldemort."

"Who?"

"You-Know-Who."

Elena was confused. "No, I don't," she insisted.

Dumbledore half-smiled. "I'm sorry. I forget sometimes that you have grown up away from the wizarding world, and are unfamiliar with our many idiosyncrasies. You-Know-Who is an alias given to the darkest wizard of them all, a power-hungry and significantly insane megalomaniac. Voldemort."

"If Voldemort is his name, then why bother with 'You-Know-Who'?"

"People are afraid to speak his name aloud."

"But not you, obviously."

"No. He is evil, but fear of evil only increases its power. Fear is a powerful weapon. I am told that Voldemort fears me, and I'd rather not reciprocate the weakness."

"Why should he fear you, above all others?"

Dumbledore's shoulders rose in a slight shrug. "Any combination of reasons, I suppose. I was a teacher at Hogwarts when he attended here, and I think I probably made an impression as a figure of authority then. But perhaps more significance is my inheritance."

He fixed his clear blue eyes meaningfully on Elena's face. "Our inheritance," he amended.

Elena returned his stare with helpless bemusement. "When you say 'inheritance'…" she began, but Dumbledore interrupted, anticipating her questions and answering with unsmiling seriousness.

"My own grandparents - your great-great grandparents - were an extraordinarily talented couple when it came to magical ability. Working together, they created a secret spell to ensure that all their gifts were passed down to their children, and indeed, all their descendants. This is what I refer to when I speak of an 'inheritance'. Their descendants are known as Dumbledore's Heirs, and they are all, without exception, powerful White witches and wizards. And as such, a threat to all and any Dark enchanters."

Elena nodded slowly, her eyes wide as she began to understand. "Then that is why my parents wanted nothing to do with the wizarding world. My father was an Heir of Dumbledore. Him, his children - me and Dawne - we were all targets for Dark magic. No wonder he wouldn't let us come to Hogwarts. No wonder he was so unnaturally fearful of being discovered by other people like us. He wanted … he wanted to protect us."

"I don't doubt it," said Dumbledore quietly. "And he did his best. No one could have done more."

Elena shook her head, trying to make some sense of what she was learning.

"And that's … that's why they want to kill me. I'm the end of the Dumbledore line. Except for you, but … "

Elena blushed a little, but Dumbledore inclined his head graciously. "But I am unlikely to father any heirs any time soon," he supplied easily. "The threat to your safety, however, is still very real. And a matter of great concern to me. Which is why I hope you'll consider this suggestion."

He took a deep breath, and Elena's apprehension increased sharply.

"Continue to rely on Remus Lupin as your personal guardian. Attend his classes. Let him attend yours. Go no where without him. You are still so vulnerable when it comes to defending yourself against Dark Arts. He's the only one I would trust your safety to."

Of all the things he could have said, this was the last thing Elena had expected. For a few seconds she was speechless, wondering how on earth she was going to respond to such a request.

"I think," she said at last, choosing her words carefully, "You should put the suggestion to him before you concern yourself with my opinion. The whole body guard thing was only ever meant to be temporary. I think you'll find that what I feel on the subject won't signify at all - Remus will never agree to it."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows slightly raised. "Actually, Remus has already agreed to it."

Elena did a double take. "He what?"

"He agreed to be your guardian."

She shook her head. "He can't have. He can scarcely stand to be in the same room as me."

"He cares for your safety."

"He hates me."

"Elena." His tone was chiding.

"Oh, fine, he doesn't hate me. But whatever he feels, it's not exactly a friendly emotion, is it."

"No, not exactly. And that, I suspect, is the whole problem."

And though Elena begged him to explain, he would not elaborate on his cryptic comment.