Harry looked from Aidan to Ron to Aidan again. What did Dumbledore want? Ron had a bemused expression on his face and Aidan didn't seem to have a clue either, so the three made their way from the North Tower to the fifth floor corridor where the statue of Boris the Bewildered stood.
Dumbledore was already there, accompanied by Hermione, whose classroom was a lot closer to the statue than the Divination room. Hermione had the same blank expression on her face as the boys. "Thank you for meeting me here. As three of you don't know where my office is I thought it would be appropriate to meet at a familiar spot. Follow me."
Dumbledore led the way through several corridors. The four students held back, talking in low whispers so Dumbledore couldn't hear. "What, do you think we've gotten into trouble already?" Hermione asked.
"I doubt it. Maybe we're all being made prefects!" Ron said hopefully.
"Don't be silly, Ron, they tell those people before term starts."
"It was just a thought."
"Yeah, well, it wasn't a very good one was it?" Ron huffed and gave her the death glare. He then leaned to Harry and whispered even lower.
"I still have to talk to you about something, when we get back to the common room."
Before long they reached the statue of a winged gargoyle and Dumbledore said the password. "Sugar Quills." The statue sprang aside and the four students followed Dumbledore through the gap in the walls and stepped onto a spiral stone staircase which was enchanted to move slowly upward. The staircase took them to them up to a handsome oak door. "Aidan, would you please come inside with me? You three stay out here, I will call you in momentarily."
Aidan followed Dumbledore in. He was finally getting a clue as to what this was about. It was about his wish. He stepped into a very beautiful, circular room. The walls were lined with portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were awake and waiting attentively for the meeting to start. Aidan immediately noticed Sam and Jennifer who were sitting at chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. "Mum! Dad!" he cried, running over to them and enveloping each in a hug.
"Hey, Aidan, how are you doing?" Sam asked.
"Honey, we need to talk to you about something very important," Jennifer said.
"Indeed," Dumbledore interjected. "Now let us proceed. We must get these children back to their lessons. Aidan, do you remember the conversation we had at the Welcome Feast?"
"Yes, Professor," he answered.
"Well, we need to get a few of those details sorted out before we can go any longer. Lies are not a good thing, you know."
"Yes, I know that, Professor."
"Let's start from the beginning. Aidan you made a wish at eleven-fifteen on July the thirty-first to become a wizard and be part of this school. The Starkeeper was on a very close watch that night for wishes, as there was a meteor shower. After you made the wish, she informed. She told me the condition you were in a home and after I cleared it with the Ministry of Magic and Sam and Jennifer, I immediately ordered for you to be sent to live with them.
"The catch is that you are in a dream, though this is the most real dream you will ever be in."
"You mean, you're going to send me back after this year?"
"That choice is up to you, Aidan. We have slowed down the time in the Muggle world without appearing to do so. Twelve hours will pass there in one school year here. Your Muggle body is still lying fast asleep in the Muggle world.
"When the news came to me, I learned that you wished to be a part of this world and to know Mr. Harry Potter. This news came as a bit odd to me as we keep our world very secret. The only Muggles Mr. Potter knows are his relatives, the Dursleys. So I wrote to Harry that night as well. Now, obviously, Harry has told his friends about his strange letter, and it was only a matter of time before they figured it was you."
"And what about my mum and dad—I mean Sam and Jennifer? Were we all acting?" Aidan asked.
"Yes, Aidan, I guess that's true. We wanted you to feel welcome, like you had always belonged to us," Jennifer said with a tear in her eye.
"What I would like to know, was how you knew about Harry," Dumbledore said.
"Well, sir, it is sort of a long story."
"We have as much time as you need, Aidan."
"Well, when I was ten, a series of books was started by J. K. Rowling, a British Muggle author. The first book of the series was called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. In the States they called it the Sorcerer's Stone. It was an international phenomenon, they were the ultimate children's fantasy books. I started reading them at my school because I didn't have many friends and my family sucked—sorry professor."
"It's quite alright, please continue."
"I could really relate to the characters in the book. Harry didn't have a family that loved him, Ron didn't have much money, and Hermione was a bookworm. I could escape into the book.
"Rowling wrote three more books since then, each one about the year Harry was in. The second was called Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the third was called Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the fourth was called Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I read and reread the books constantly so I could get away from my life.
"One night I couldn't take it anymore and took advantage of the meteor shower. I wished on the biggest falling star I could find and went to sleep, willing myself to believe it was real. When I woke up, I was in Essex, with Sam and Jennifer."
Sam and Jennifer had their mouths open, staring at Aidan in disbelief. Dumbledore seemed unperturbed. "I see," he said, his eyes twinkling (as always). "Is that everything?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Well, these books shouldn't be a problem as long as most Muggles believe it to be fantasy. I guess there's no time like the present to ask you if you would like to stay."
"Aidan, since you've gotten here, did you ever wonder why there was no date next the word 'Adoption Date' on the family tree?" Sam asked.
"Yes, I did, but I forgot to bring it up. I guess I was supposed to know I was adopted so I didn't ask. Why isn't it there?"
"Because we haven't adopted you yet!" exclaimed Jennifer. "That is, if you want us to."
"Of course I want you to! The past month has been the best of my life! You acted like true parents, you were the best thing that ever happened to me. Of course I want to stay!" Aidan cried happily. Tears were now coursing down Jennifer's cheeks. Sam had a grin that reached from ear to ear.
"We could finalise the adoption today if you would like," Dumbledore said. "I've been keeping these papers in my office." He then pulled out a small stack of papers. "All you have to do is sign here," he said, indicating to three lines at the bottom of the page. Jennifer took the quill first and signed the top line. Sam then signed the second line. Aidan had never been so happy, all he had to do was sign a piece of paper and he would be Sam and Jennifer's forever. "Aidan, I must tell you, once you have signed this paper, your Muggle life will be no more. It will have never happened."
"That's okay, Professor. No one will have missed me anyway." Aidan then took the quill and signed the third line with flourish. He was a wizard to stay.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were waiting outside, talking. "I reckon I know what this is about," Harry said in a hushed voice. "He's a Muggle and Dumbledore wants to explain everything."
"Or find out if he's a spy!" Ron said.
"Ron!" Hermione said, hitting him gently on the arm. "Come off it already. He is not a spy!"
"He wants to sort everything out, I know it, and we aren't going to tell anyone about him once Dumbledore talks to us. No one's going to know," Harry reasoned.
"I still want to know how he found out about you, Harry," Hermione said anxiously.
"So do I, but he's not too bad. He's a great wizard for just becoming one."
Ron gave a huff. "I don't like him. There's just something about him…"
"Oh, Ron, you just don't like him because he did the Ferro Verrto spell better than you. You don't like new people."
"So what if I don't." The giant oak door then opened and Dumbledore stood there.
"We are ready for you now." The three stood up and advanced inside the office. Dumbledore indicated to three chairs beside three other occupied ones.
Aidan was sitting in between two adults. He was smiling widely like Christmas had come early. "Hi, guys. These are my parents," he said indicating to the man and woman sitting next to him.
"As you three undoubtedly already know," Dumbledore started. "Aidan was a Muggle until August first, when we granted his wish to become a wizard. He didn't like his life. His parents were unfit and his schoolmates cruel. Now I bet you are wondering how he knew about you, Harry."
"Yes, sir, I am," Harry answered.
"It is apparent that you are not only famous in the wizarding world, but in the Muggle world as well," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Harry stared for a minute. Then he blinked and struggled to get his words out. "How… How can that be, Professor? I… haven't done anything—I mean, I don't understand."
"Well, Harry. It seems to be that you have your own book series, written by a Muggle named Jackay Rowling."
"Excuse me, Professor," Aidan interrupted. "I don't mean to be rude, but her initials are J.K. Her first name is Joanne."
"Thank you for correcting me, Aidan."
"How can I have my own book series? What have I done in the Muggle world?" Harry asked, bemused.
"Actually, Harry it's about what you have done here that she's writing about," Aidan answered. "I don't know how she knows about it. I thought it was a fantasy, myself. As long as most Muggles who aren't related to wizards believe it to be a fantasy, you aren't in any trouble and our world will remain a secret."
"Our world!" scoffed Ron. "How dare you! You're a Muggle!"
"Ron!" Hermione, Harry and Dumbledore yelled at the same time.
"Sorry, I just got a bit carried away there."
"By the way, Ron," Aidan continued. "I'm not a Muggle anymore. In fact, according to the papers on Professor Dumbledore's desk, I never was."
"I don't understand," said Hermione.
"I was adopted by Sam and Jen—I mean, my mum and dad." Sam and Jennifer smiled proudly. They hugged Aidan closer.
"Cool," said Harry.
"You four are not to breathe a word of this to the rest of the school, we don't want them to turn against Aidan for his biological background."
There was a collective "Yes, Professor."
"Now, I believe you four are due for lunch. I will inform Professor Snape that you have been in to see me."
Harry couldn't help but think "Thank God! We missed Potions."
As the four left the office, the all agreed that they would never split up. They had witnessed the all-time most awesome thing in wizarding history.
~*~*~*~*~*~
a/n:: I know, the ending is pretty bad but you have to admit, this chapter is the best yet, right? Right? More to come… What? You thought just because Aidan was finally adopted the story was over? You wish!