It was barely 8 am, and I could hear the phone ringing in the hall. I thought it was Sarah, asking what time I would be out today.
"Sa..." I was cut off.
"Hello?" It was George. He had said that he was going to call to make sure I was feeling better, I didn't realise he meant this early in the morning however.
"Hi, I didn't know you would be calling so early." I was glad, it would be nice to get through to Surrey and back early.
"Oh, sorry. Were you asleep?"
"Not really, but I was having a nice dream." I could hardly remember it.
"Was I in it?" He asked cheekily.
"Sure," Fawkes came flying through an open window carrying a small animal he was clearly hoping to have for breakfast, "that's disgusting."
"Was it that bad?"
"No, bloody Fawkes just brought something dead into the house." I tried to shoo him away, he was greeting me with enthusiasm.
"Are you feeling better then, from last night I mean?" He asked more seriously.
"Yeah. Thanks for walking me home, you really didn't have to."
"Was it something my sister said that upset you?"
"No," I lied, "I was just tired I guess." I could hear talking in the background, I assumed it was Ginny wanting to know the answer to his question. Or had it been her question.
"What are you doing today?" This was his question.
"I told my cousin I would visit, they live out in Surrey." I wished I could say that I had nothing to do.
"You staying there all day?"
"Not if I get out there early. You could come with me, I hate driving alone." I heard him chuckling to himself.
"Then why don't you floo, or apparate?"
"Because I can't apparate," I paused, not really ashamed but embarrassed none the less, "and Sarah hates the floo, she's a muggle."
"You really want me to come with you?" He sounded serious again.
"Yes."
"Alright. What time are you going?"
"About two hours. Ten? I can pick you up on the way." Fawkes flew back to me, his breakfast now devoured, wanting attention.
"Sure. I'll see you then," I could hear voices again, "I had better go, my brother is beginning to steam at the ears." I said goodbye and hung up. Fawkes was now nipping at my pajama bottoms, eager for my appraisal.
Kids almost ran into me as I walked into the joke shop, I wondered if it was always this busy in the school holidays. I taught at the wizard elementary school, Marmadukes, so I looked around for any of my students. I didn't see any, which was just as well, I didn't need to be presented with joke sweets on returning to school the next week.
"Hi." Fred tapped me on the shoulder from behind, he was carrying several of the more dangerous looking products and putting them back onto the shelves next to me.
"Looks busy." I replied.
"It's always this busy the last week of the holidays. They use them on the teachers."
"Don't say that, I'm a teacher." I tried my best at looking offended, but couldn't manage it, so smiled instead.
"You didn't tell us you were a teacher. Where do you teach?" We walked towards the counter, where Ginny was busy trying to close the register. "I teach at Marmadukes, I don't see any of my kids here though." Fred had taken over closing the register, Ginny smiled widely at me.
"You going out with my brother?" She asked.
"Ginny!" George grabbed her from behind and she squealed, "ready to go?" He asked me.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to leave?" I looked around.
"We'll be fine." Fred replied, finally getting the register closed with a flick of his wand.
We had been driving for about 20 minutes, chatting idly, when he asked the question I had been waiting for. Hoping he would never ask.
"Why can't you apparate?" He looked at me, and I was glad that I was driving and did not have to look back at him.
"I'm not licensed, I haven't sat the test yet."
"How come? I thought you had to when you were 17?" I could vaguely see the confused look on his face out of the corner of my eye, I still did not look at him.
"You're supposed to, but I was," I tried to think of a word to use, "unavailable when I was 17."
"You didn't go to Hogwarts. Where were you?" I had thought I would be asked this question, but had not thought of how to answer it. Now I looked at him, for less than a second, I was finding it hard to lie. Maybe I wanted him to know, but I was still afraid of how he would react.
"I was trapped in a place I would much rather forget. After that I went into hiding." I looked at him, he smiled and I felt I could tell him. Everything. But not yet.
"How long were you in hiding?" He reached out and touched my arm in comfort. It tingled, even after he returned his hand to his lap.
"Four years, till I was 22. My father found me and convinced me to move into the house that my grandmother left me when she died. It took a long time."
"I remember that, Dumbledore was missing for about three months. It was when he first became Minister for Magic, after he left Hogwarts."
"You remember well."
"My father was his temporary replacement, he barely came home the whole time."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Just wait till I tell mum that my new girlfriend is the reason why dad stayed at work for three months solid." I glanced over at him, but said nothing. He stared out his window, watching the passing scenery.
My cousin, Gabe, looked George up and down suspiciously.
"He know?" He asked.
"I don't want to talk about this." I replied, walking past him and into the house. George stayed talking to Gabe for a few minutes and then followed.
"He's protective." George said, interrupting my greetings to Sarah.
"Yeah," she replied, "he can be sweet sometimes."
"George this is my cousin, Sarah. Outside in the yard is her two boys, Adam and Vincent, and you met Oliver yesterday." They shook hands and said their hellos. Oliver had noticed I had arrived by then, and was calling from up on the second floor stairs.
"Auntie. Did you bring me presents?" He came quickly down the stairs, shuffling on his backside, and I picked him up into a hug.
"Oliver you know better than that." Sarah scolded.
We did not stay long, about three hours. Eventually Gabe came inside and warmed up considerably to George, they were both troublemakers. Gabe was protective of me because he worried that I would run again, but I had come to like living the way I had been since my father brought me back. It had been hard to begin with, adjusting to normal living again.
"How have your holiday's been?" Sarah asked, as we sat down in their living room. The two older boys started a game of muggle chess and George watched in fascination. Oliver had curled up on my knee and had been fast asleep for nearly an hour.
"Good. I miss the kids, even though they are little devils sometimes." Sarah chuckled.
"Is this why you opted to take Oliver yesterday?"
"What are they playing?" George interrupted.
"They're playing chess." I replied, he looked round at me with his brow furrowed.
"They're moving the pieces by hand."
"That's muggle chess," Gabe told him, "gotta do everything by hand."
"Why don't you two play wizard chess? I got you a set last Christmas." I said and Gabe nodded, getting up to find it. He stopped as he got to the doorway, turned, and asked Sarah where she had 'put it away'. I laughed as Sarah sighed and got up to show him.
"They're an interesting couple." George said to me when they were both out of the room.
"Yeah, they keep splitting up and then getting back together. I hope they can work it out, for Oliver's sake." I looked at his sleeping form, and pushed his blonde hair from his face.
"He looks like you."
"Everyone says so, I don't see it though."
"Well, he does."
"who does what?" Sarah asked as her and Gabe came back into the room, Gabe was carrying the chess set I had bought him. It looked like it had never been played, it probably hadn't. Sarah did not allow her two boys to play wizard games, sometimes I let them.
"Oliver looks like aunt Al, doesn't he mum?" Adam asked, looking up from the game.
"Yes," she sat back down next to me and Gabe began setting up the chess pieces, "she doesn't believe it though."
George and Gabe played four games of wizard chess, in which they broke even, and the boys gave up their game and were intently watching theirs instead. When we left an hour later I tucked Oliver into his bed and he slowly opened his eyes, closed them again and waved his small hand.
"Goodnight Olli." I kissed his forehead and he rolled over on to his side, pulling off the blankets I had just tucked around him. As I tucked him back in he muttered something in his sleep, I didn't hear. He repeated it louder as I left, that time I heard it.
"She sees you." I stopped only for a moment and turned to look back at him, he slept on and I decided to dismiss the thought that had crept into my head. She was dead, my mother was dead. She couldn't see me.
As I led George back out to the car I felt his hand on my arm, I turned back and he kissed me. It was not long, but I could still feel it ten minutes later as we drove back down the motorway to London.
It began to rain heavily as we drove, so we decided to stop at his parents house. We got saturated simply getting from the car to the front door, and Mrs Weasley greeted us as we walked in.
"Come in dear. Come in and sit by the fire. You must be cold." Mrs Weasley fussed and took my wet cloak.
"No, I'm fine. I'm never cold." Unless, I thought, but that was a long time ago. And they say now that he's dead, not like the last time, but truly gone.
"Nonsense, sit here next to the fire," she looked at George who was still standing in the doorway to the living room, "and you go and get her a nice cup of tea. Go on." George disappeared into the kitchen. I watched the flames, but felt no heat emanate from them. George soon came back into the room with a warm cup of tea, I took it and sipped it slowly.
"Harry is visiting later George, he'll be staying for a while." Mrs Weasley said, now taking his wet cloak and putting it next to mine.
"Is he? Why's that then?" George looked mildly interested and seemed embarrassed about being fussed over.
"Wants to give his congratulations in person, for Ron and Hermione."
"Are they coming out too?" I asked.
"Yes dear. I didn't know I would have this many for dinner, but I think we'll manage." I looked back into the fire.
"We weren't going to stay mum, just came to say hello."
"Of course you're going to stay." She said and George was stunned into submission. I could see who ruled this household.
"Alright mum." He replied, sitting down across from me.
"Well, you two stay here and get warm. I've got some things to do in the kitchen." She rushed off without a reply. I stared silently at George, not knowing what to say.
"Looks like we're staying for dinner." He said and looked away out into the yard. I heard a pop from outside on the doorstep and a small knock on the door before it was opened.
"Ron and Hermione are here." Mrs Weasley said as she rushed past and out into the entrance hall to no doubt fuss over them as well. They came into the living room after saying their hellos to Mrs Weasley, who then rushed back into the kitchen, both seemed surprised to see me.
"And we meet again Miss Dumbledore," Ron said sitting down on the arm of my chair, "what are you doing here this fine afternoon?" George stood and offered Hermione his chair by the fire, which she accepted.
"I'm just going to check on the store." He said, kissing me briefly on the cheek and apparating with a pop. Ron and Hermione both looked at me with their eyebrows raised.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"What?" I looked from Hermione to Ron with an innocent smile.
"Are you, you know," Ron briefly threw a questioning look at Hermione, "together?"
"Oh that?"
"Yes, that." Hermione replied, irritated.
"Yeah, I guess we are."
"That was fast, it took Ron like 6 years." Hermione smiled at the memory.
"Hey, I resent that." Ron stood up affronted, but we both just laughed at him and he sat back down. There was another popping sound from the doorstep.
"That must be Harry." Hermione said.
"I should go." I said, quickly standing. I was not sure I wanted to meet the man who defeated Voldemort.
"No," Ron put his hand on my arm as he too stood, "we want you to meet Harry."
"Yes, we want the bridesmaid and the best man to meet preferably before the wedding." Hermione smiled warmly at me, and it registered what she had said.
"What?"
"We'll talk about it later." She said, ushering me and Ron towards where Mrs Weasley was welcoming Harry into the house.
"Hi Harry." Hermione greeted him with a light kiss on the cheek and a rib shattering hug.
"Congratulations," Harry said, coughing slightly, "I knew it would eventually happen." He shook Ron's hand vigorously. Harry's eyes scanned the room and rested on me, Hermione cleared her throat loudly to make the introduction.
"This is Dumbledore's daughter, Allysa."
"You mean Albus Dumbledore?" He asked confused.
"Yes." I replied. I reached out my hand to shake his, and immediately wished that I hadn't. As soon as our hands touched I felt the cold move rapidly through my body. We both let go abruptly and Harry's hand flew to his forehead. To the lightning bolt scar above his right eye.
"Sa..." I was cut off.
"Hello?" It was George. He had said that he was going to call to make sure I was feeling better, I didn't realise he meant this early in the morning however.
"Hi, I didn't know you would be calling so early." I was glad, it would be nice to get through to Surrey and back early.
"Oh, sorry. Were you asleep?"
"Not really, but I was having a nice dream." I could hardly remember it.
"Was I in it?" He asked cheekily.
"Sure," Fawkes came flying through an open window carrying a small animal he was clearly hoping to have for breakfast, "that's disgusting."
"Was it that bad?"
"No, bloody Fawkes just brought something dead into the house." I tried to shoo him away, he was greeting me with enthusiasm.
"Are you feeling better then, from last night I mean?" He asked more seriously.
"Yeah. Thanks for walking me home, you really didn't have to."
"Was it something my sister said that upset you?"
"No," I lied, "I was just tired I guess." I could hear talking in the background, I assumed it was Ginny wanting to know the answer to his question. Or had it been her question.
"What are you doing today?" This was his question.
"I told my cousin I would visit, they live out in Surrey." I wished I could say that I had nothing to do.
"You staying there all day?"
"Not if I get out there early. You could come with me, I hate driving alone." I heard him chuckling to himself.
"Then why don't you floo, or apparate?"
"Because I can't apparate," I paused, not really ashamed but embarrassed none the less, "and Sarah hates the floo, she's a muggle."
"You really want me to come with you?" He sounded serious again.
"Yes."
"Alright. What time are you going?"
"About two hours. Ten? I can pick you up on the way." Fawkes flew back to me, his breakfast now devoured, wanting attention.
"Sure. I'll see you then," I could hear voices again, "I had better go, my brother is beginning to steam at the ears." I said goodbye and hung up. Fawkes was now nipping at my pajama bottoms, eager for my appraisal.
Kids almost ran into me as I walked into the joke shop, I wondered if it was always this busy in the school holidays. I taught at the wizard elementary school, Marmadukes, so I looked around for any of my students. I didn't see any, which was just as well, I didn't need to be presented with joke sweets on returning to school the next week.
"Hi." Fred tapped me on the shoulder from behind, he was carrying several of the more dangerous looking products and putting them back onto the shelves next to me.
"Looks busy." I replied.
"It's always this busy the last week of the holidays. They use them on the teachers."
"Don't say that, I'm a teacher." I tried my best at looking offended, but couldn't manage it, so smiled instead.
"You didn't tell us you were a teacher. Where do you teach?" We walked towards the counter, where Ginny was busy trying to close the register. "I teach at Marmadukes, I don't see any of my kids here though." Fred had taken over closing the register, Ginny smiled widely at me.
"You going out with my brother?" She asked.
"Ginny!" George grabbed her from behind and she squealed, "ready to go?" He asked me.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to leave?" I looked around.
"We'll be fine." Fred replied, finally getting the register closed with a flick of his wand.
We had been driving for about 20 minutes, chatting idly, when he asked the question I had been waiting for. Hoping he would never ask.
"Why can't you apparate?" He looked at me, and I was glad that I was driving and did not have to look back at him.
"I'm not licensed, I haven't sat the test yet."
"How come? I thought you had to when you were 17?" I could vaguely see the confused look on his face out of the corner of my eye, I still did not look at him.
"You're supposed to, but I was," I tried to think of a word to use, "unavailable when I was 17."
"You didn't go to Hogwarts. Where were you?" I had thought I would be asked this question, but had not thought of how to answer it. Now I looked at him, for less than a second, I was finding it hard to lie. Maybe I wanted him to know, but I was still afraid of how he would react.
"I was trapped in a place I would much rather forget. After that I went into hiding." I looked at him, he smiled and I felt I could tell him. Everything. But not yet.
"How long were you in hiding?" He reached out and touched my arm in comfort. It tingled, even after he returned his hand to his lap.
"Four years, till I was 22. My father found me and convinced me to move into the house that my grandmother left me when she died. It took a long time."
"I remember that, Dumbledore was missing for about three months. It was when he first became Minister for Magic, after he left Hogwarts."
"You remember well."
"My father was his temporary replacement, he barely came home the whole time."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Just wait till I tell mum that my new girlfriend is the reason why dad stayed at work for three months solid." I glanced over at him, but said nothing. He stared out his window, watching the passing scenery.
My cousin, Gabe, looked George up and down suspiciously.
"He know?" He asked.
"I don't want to talk about this." I replied, walking past him and into the house. George stayed talking to Gabe for a few minutes and then followed.
"He's protective." George said, interrupting my greetings to Sarah.
"Yeah," she replied, "he can be sweet sometimes."
"George this is my cousin, Sarah. Outside in the yard is her two boys, Adam and Vincent, and you met Oliver yesterday." They shook hands and said their hellos. Oliver had noticed I had arrived by then, and was calling from up on the second floor stairs.
"Auntie. Did you bring me presents?" He came quickly down the stairs, shuffling on his backside, and I picked him up into a hug.
"Oliver you know better than that." Sarah scolded.
We did not stay long, about three hours. Eventually Gabe came inside and warmed up considerably to George, they were both troublemakers. Gabe was protective of me because he worried that I would run again, but I had come to like living the way I had been since my father brought me back. It had been hard to begin with, adjusting to normal living again.
"How have your holiday's been?" Sarah asked, as we sat down in their living room. The two older boys started a game of muggle chess and George watched in fascination. Oliver had curled up on my knee and had been fast asleep for nearly an hour.
"Good. I miss the kids, even though they are little devils sometimes." Sarah chuckled.
"Is this why you opted to take Oliver yesterday?"
"What are they playing?" George interrupted.
"They're playing chess." I replied, he looked round at me with his brow furrowed.
"They're moving the pieces by hand."
"That's muggle chess," Gabe told him, "gotta do everything by hand."
"Why don't you two play wizard chess? I got you a set last Christmas." I said and Gabe nodded, getting up to find it. He stopped as he got to the doorway, turned, and asked Sarah where she had 'put it away'. I laughed as Sarah sighed and got up to show him.
"They're an interesting couple." George said to me when they were both out of the room.
"Yeah, they keep splitting up and then getting back together. I hope they can work it out, for Oliver's sake." I looked at his sleeping form, and pushed his blonde hair from his face.
"He looks like you."
"Everyone says so, I don't see it though."
"Well, he does."
"who does what?" Sarah asked as her and Gabe came back into the room, Gabe was carrying the chess set I had bought him. It looked like it had never been played, it probably hadn't. Sarah did not allow her two boys to play wizard games, sometimes I let them.
"Oliver looks like aunt Al, doesn't he mum?" Adam asked, looking up from the game.
"Yes," she sat back down next to me and Gabe began setting up the chess pieces, "she doesn't believe it though."
George and Gabe played four games of wizard chess, in which they broke even, and the boys gave up their game and were intently watching theirs instead. When we left an hour later I tucked Oliver into his bed and he slowly opened his eyes, closed them again and waved his small hand.
"Goodnight Olli." I kissed his forehead and he rolled over on to his side, pulling off the blankets I had just tucked around him. As I tucked him back in he muttered something in his sleep, I didn't hear. He repeated it louder as I left, that time I heard it.
"She sees you." I stopped only for a moment and turned to look back at him, he slept on and I decided to dismiss the thought that had crept into my head. She was dead, my mother was dead. She couldn't see me.
As I led George back out to the car I felt his hand on my arm, I turned back and he kissed me. It was not long, but I could still feel it ten minutes later as we drove back down the motorway to London.
It began to rain heavily as we drove, so we decided to stop at his parents house. We got saturated simply getting from the car to the front door, and Mrs Weasley greeted us as we walked in.
"Come in dear. Come in and sit by the fire. You must be cold." Mrs Weasley fussed and took my wet cloak.
"No, I'm fine. I'm never cold." Unless, I thought, but that was a long time ago. And they say now that he's dead, not like the last time, but truly gone.
"Nonsense, sit here next to the fire," she looked at George who was still standing in the doorway to the living room, "and you go and get her a nice cup of tea. Go on." George disappeared into the kitchen. I watched the flames, but felt no heat emanate from them. George soon came back into the room with a warm cup of tea, I took it and sipped it slowly.
"Harry is visiting later George, he'll be staying for a while." Mrs Weasley said, now taking his wet cloak and putting it next to mine.
"Is he? Why's that then?" George looked mildly interested and seemed embarrassed about being fussed over.
"Wants to give his congratulations in person, for Ron and Hermione."
"Are they coming out too?" I asked.
"Yes dear. I didn't know I would have this many for dinner, but I think we'll manage." I looked back into the fire.
"We weren't going to stay mum, just came to say hello."
"Of course you're going to stay." She said and George was stunned into submission. I could see who ruled this household.
"Alright mum." He replied, sitting down across from me.
"Well, you two stay here and get warm. I've got some things to do in the kitchen." She rushed off without a reply. I stared silently at George, not knowing what to say.
"Looks like we're staying for dinner." He said and looked away out into the yard. I heard a pop from outside on the doorstep and a small knock on the door before it was opened.
"Ron and Hermione are here." Mrs Weasley said as she rushed past and out into the entrance hall to no doubt fuss over them as well. They came into the living room after saying their hellos to Mrs Weasley, who then rushed back into the kitchen, both seemed surprised to see me.
"And we meet again Miss Dumbledore," Ron said sitting down on the arm of my chair, "what are you doing here this fine afternoon?" George stood and offered Hermione his chair by the fire, which she accepted.
"I'm just going to check on the store." He said, kissing me briefly on the cheek and apparating with a pop. Ron and Hermione both looked at me with their eyebrows raised.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"What?" I looked from Hermione to Ron with an innocent smile.
"Are you, you know," Ron briefly threw a questioning look at Hermione, "together?"
"Oh that?"
"Yes, that." Hermione replied, irritated.
"Yeah, I guess we are."
"That was fast, it took Ron like 6 years." Hermione smiled at the memory.
"Hey, I resent that." Ron stood up affronted, but we both just laughed at him and he sat back down. There was another popping sound from the doorstep.
"That must be Harry." Hermione said.
"I should go." I said, quickly standing. I was not sure I wanted to meet the man who defeated Voldemort.
"No," Ron put his hand on my arm as he too stood, "we want you to meet Harry."
"Yes, we want the bridesmaid and the best man to meet preferably before the wedding." Hermione smiled warmly at me, and it registered what she had said.
"What?"
"We'll talk about it later." She said, ushering me and Ron towards where Mrs Weasley was welcoming Harry into the house.
"Hi Harry." Hermione greeted him with a light kiss on the cheek and a rib shattering hug.
"Congratulations," Harry said, coughing slightly, "I knew it would eventually happen." He shook Ron's hand vigorously. Harry's eyes scanned the room and rested on me, Hermione cleared her throat loudly to make the introduction.
"This is Dumbledore's daughter, Allysa."
"You mean Albus Dumbledore?" He asked confused.
"Yes." I replied. I reached out my hand to shake his, and immediately wished that I hadn't. As soon as our hands touched I felt the cold move rapidly through my body. We both let go abruptly and Harry's hand flew to his forehead. To the lightning bolt scar above his right eye.