Love Lost is Love Gained

Chapter 3- Dumbledore Explains it All

"Hey Art! Time to wake up!" She heard Paris shouting through her door. She groaned and rolled over, trying to convince herself that when she opened her eyes she would be at home in Scotland. But when she did all she saw was the bottom of an empty book case. She stood up and walked downstairs; in the kitchen her parents and Paris were eating lunch. The site of food made her stomach turn; she turned around and walked back out of the kitchen.

Harry hadn't left his room all day. Dumbledore was keeping something from him, he knew it. He heard the flap on his door open and in popped a bowl of soup. He didn't touch it; why was Dumbledore keeping him in the dark again? Hadn't he realized that Harry needed to be informed? He yelled and punched his mattress, there was a cracking sound. He checked under his blanket to find only a now broken quill, he was worried that it might have been his wand.

"Oh, are you coming to dinner with us tonight?" Harry heard Dudley's voice float up the stairs.

"Sorry, but no, I don't really feel that well. I really need to talk to Harry now."

"Oh, he's upstairs. First door on the right."

"Thank you."

Harry heard someone begin to climb the stairs, he thought it was Artemis, but wasn't sure because he voice sounded muffled. There was a soft knock on the door.

"It's open," Harry said, and in walked Artemis.

'She looks nervous,' he thought, as she walked through the door. She stared at the floor, clearly at a loss for something to say.

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday," she said to the floor. "I don't know what that was."

"It's alright, I've had worse."

"Really now?" She asked looking up at him.

"Yeah, I don't really want to talk about any of them now, but I have. And it's not your fault what happened; I don't know what it was either. For all I know I could have stepped on a loose wire or something." He stood up and walked toward her; she was still staring at the floor.

"Hey," he said, "have you ever heard of Sirius Black?"

"The murderer?" she asked.

"Umm...yeah, anyway, no offense or anything but you kind of look like him."

"Oh," she said and looked back at the floor."

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"Oh, yeah, well it's alright."

"I'd better go, bye."

"Bye," Harry mumbled as she walked out of the room. She left, and suddenly he felt alone and stupid. 'I'm an idiot, why did I tell her she looked like Sirius? To her knowledge he's a murderer. The way to a girl's heart is not by telling her she looks like a thirty- something year old mass murderer. Author's Note: Any guys in the audience, that is so true. NEVER tell a girl she looks like a thirty, forty year old mass murderer who spent 12 years in prison. How could I have been so stupid?' he thought.

'Well, that was worthless,' Artemis thought, 'I need desperate help with social skills.'

Artemis spent the rest of the afternoon on Author's Note: I'm addicted to that site, does anyone know who the webmaster/ administrator of that site is? I think Entertainment Weekly said it might be Kyan Douglas from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I don't know, just curious. At about six o'clock her dad came to her door and asked if she wanted to go to dinner. She replied that she didn't feel well, and thought she should better stay home. Her parents and the Dursley's along with Paris and Dudley set off in the Dursley's car. When they were gone Artemis decided to turn up Queen Author's Note: I love Queen, they're one of the best bands in my opinion. 'I see a little silhouette of a man. Scaramouch, Scaramouch. Will you do the fandango? Thunder bolt and lightning very, very, frightening me. Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Figaro magnifico. I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me. He's just a poor boy from a poor family. Spare him his life from this monstrosity.' And so on... and blast "Bohemian Rhapsody". Around a quarter after nine the doorbell rang. Artemis answered the door while singing part of "Another One Bites the Dust".

Outside the door was the strangest looking man Artemis had ever seen. He had long silver hair, with an equally long matching beard. He had half moon glasses, and was dressed in robes of deep violet.

"Artemis Black?" he asked.

"No, Artemis Byrnes," she corrected.

"I see I have a lot to explain," he said gently.

"If you don't mind me asking, but who the hell are you?"

"I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Witchcraft? Halloween isn't for another four months, sorry sir."

"You're a witch Artemis," these words didn't seem to have the affect on her that he was hoping for.

"Yeah," she said. "I get that a lot."

"No, you are really a witch," he sounded a little taken aback

"Yeah, I'm going to need some proof," she could not believe what she was hearing. Author's Note: I just figured out I can get whatever I want if I tell my brother I'll give him a cupcake. I.E. Get me a glass of water and I'll give you a cupcake.

Dumbledore took out his wand and with a flick turned one of the rose bushes in front of her house into a large fountain that was shooting Hawaiian Punch into the air. A minute later he changed it back.

"Hang on a second, I'll be right back," she walked into the house. Dumbledore walked down the drive and onto the sidewalk examining the different houses.

"What was that?" said Harry, peering out his window at Artemis's house. Authors Note: Doesn't Harry sound like a stalker? "No? Dumbledore?! What is he doing here?" He ran out of his room and into the street.

"Dumbledore?" he yelled when he was halfway across the street.

"Ah, Harry," said Dumbledore, "I had not been expecting you."

"What are you doing here?"

"I have business with Arabella Figg. But I'm afraid I cannot find her house. Would you be as kind as to point me in the direction of her house?"

"Uhh....yeah...she lives on Wisteria Walk. That way," he pointed to the left.

"Well, thank you Harry," and he Disapperated.

Harry walked back home, still confused why Dumbledore was here, and angry with himself that he had not asked about Artemis.

Once Harry was inside the house Dumbledore Apparated back to Artemis's porch, just as she was about to walk out.

"Sorry, I guess. Now, please explain on what grounds you believe me to be a witch."

"Well, let's start at the very beginning, shall we? You were born on November 16, 1987 as Artemis Livita Black. This may sound complicated, but please hear me out before you question. You're the daughter of Sirius Black, a wizard, and Aiedail Ĭlitiaien, an Elf.

"When you were seven months old your mother was killed by a group of Dark Wizard supporters called 'Death Eaters', she was killed because she refused to join the ranks of Voldemort, and also refused to give any information on your fathers whereabouts. A few weeks before she died she and your father cast a charm on you that made any Pure-Blood wizard unable to see or find you. You were with your mother when she was killed, the Death Eaters were unable to find you, but someone else did. They brought you to an orphanage and two weeks later you were adopted by the Byrnes's. Are you following me?"

Artemis nodded, unable to tear her gaze away from him.

"You've lived with the Byrnes's for fifteen years, and they have accepted you as their daughter. Yesterday when Harry touched your arm, the charm that was placed on you was broken, enabling me to find you."

"Okay," said Artemis, "Quick recap: Dad- mass murderer; Mom- Elf; Me: Witch. Do I have the main idea?"

Dumbledore nodded and continued,"Now, about your father. He wasn't really a mass murderer, he was framed for that crime; but had been on the run from the Ministry of Magic for over two years. But sadly, about a month ago, he met his demise.

"So, I'm truly an orphan now?"

Dumbledore nodded and Artemis continued, "I'm not sure if I completely believe this. I would think you work for Paris, but he's not intelligent enough to come up with a story this elaborate."

"Did you ever wonder why there are no pictures of you until you were eight months old?"

"Well, my Dad said that he didn't know how to work his camera..." she trailed off, realizing that he might be telling the truth. The only thing she had in common with her family was black hair. Come to think of it, she has blue eyes, and her mother, father, and Paris all have brown.

Dumbledore smiled and withdrew a tattered old piece of paper, and what looked like a photo from inside his robes. "Here," he said gently handing the paper to her. "Read it."

She took the piece of paper, was it? It was too thick to be paper. The yellowing and frayed piece of paper had writing on it in thin curly green ink, it read:

St. Mungo's Hospital

Name of child: Artemis Livita Black

Date of Birth: November 16, 1987

Daughter of:

Father: Sirius Orion Black

Mother: Aiedail Luthien Black (Maiden: Ilitiaien)

Time of Birth: 2:22 A.M

God Parents: Lily and James Potter

Blood Type: O

Weight: 8 lbs.

Height: 22 inches.

Hair color: Black

Eye color: Blue

She couldn't believe what she was reading, but it seemed so...real. Paris wouldn't go to these lengths, no one would. How could he have this, how could he know so much about her? She broke down and fell to her knees crying.

"Now, now Artemis, all will be okay."

"Okay?" she said through her tears. "What do you mean ok? Nothing in this life is real. I don't know what to do, someone comes here and t-t-tells me that I-I-I don't, I'm not my family's c-c-child. How c-c-can this be okay? I-I-I just found o-o-out that my life h-h-has no meaning. A-a-and you sit there and say i-i-it's all going to be okay? It's not okay!" she began to yell, "It's not okay! And the worse part is...I r-r-realize that it's true. I k-k-know that I'm not the Byrnes's child," she began to talk softer, "I think I've know it for a long time. I just didn't w-w-want to realize it..."

"Artemis, it's alright. We'll explain it to your parents, though they already know. And if you'd like you can be enrolled in Hogwarts, in the world you belong, and you have belonged for a long time." He handed her the second paper he was holding, she was right it was a photograph. But it wasn't any kind of photograph she'd ever seen (and that says something because she's an amateur photographer) the pictures were moving. It didn't seem possible, but there they were. Inside the picture was the most beautiful women Artemis had ever seen. She had long wavy blond hair with violet eyes. She had high cheek bones, and a very delicate looking face. All together she looked delicate, she was very thin and very tall, she looked like some kind of model. If Artemis had to describe her to anyone who hadn't seen the picture there would be no word for it. Yet, Artemis had seen this girl before, but with minor changes...she saw her when she looked in the mirror (or any highly polished surface). 'That has to be my mother,' she thought. Next to her in the picture was a man. He was also very good looking, he had long black hair, 'My hair,' she thought. And deep blue eyes ('And my eyes?'). This was her father; he and her mother didn't seem to go together. "An extremely odd couple,' she thought. He looked very rebellious, and somewhat wild; and she was fragile and graceful.

The father, Sirius, was cradling a small bundle. It was squirming and writhing from what seemed like anticipation. Sirius pulled back the pink blanket that was covering its face to reveal a small child, it looked hardly older that 6 months. She had very dark hair, and deep blue eyes. The same eyes and hair as the man holding her. Author's Note: I think Sirius sounds hot. Hahaha, come on. You think he does to. Her mum sound pretty too. Of course I think they do, I made them. 

She tore her watering eyes away from the photo and looked up at Dumbledore, who had taken to sitting on the garden wall, and eating a bag of Mike and Ike's. He looked back and smiled. "Are these my parents?" she asked.

"Yes, the late Sirius and Aiedail Black."

"I look just like them."

He nodded, "You should be thankful that you were blessed with their looks."

She smiled, "How long were they together?"

"Since Sirius was 16, and Aiedail was 1,637."

"What?! How old was my mother?"

"One thousand six hundred and thirty seven."

"That's not possible. No one lives for that long."

"Ah, you have a lot to understand about the other world." She moved and sat a few feet over from him on the wall. She wasn't aware that the moon had sunk even deeper into the night, or that the color of the sky had changed slightly.

"What do you mean?" How could her mother have been over one thousand?

"Well," he said," You see, your mother was an Elf, as I had said earlier. Pure Elves are blessed with immortality. Something that we wizard have access to as well, but are a long way from perfecting. Your mother was no ordinary Elf. Out of curiosity, what do you know of Elves?"

"Only the things I've read in Tolkien's works."

"Ah, Tolkien, a true understander of the Elven world if there ever was one."

"You knew Tolkien?"

"No, but I too have read his works, and he has the Elven world nearly down to pat."

"So, his works give a basic understanding of that world?" She could not believe this, it was truly amazing.

"Yes, the only differences are where the Elven worlds are. You see, the Elven world of Evelon is located through a type of portal that only Elves can see. They're called the Silver Gates of Evelon, and when an Elf believes that he or she had fulfilled their time on Earth they are able to return to Evelon, the place there were born. From my understanding time does not endure in Evelon. So no one ages, no one dies."

"I can't believe this...it's so strange. There's a whole other world, that only a few can see. Dumbledore?" he looked at her, "I believe what you say, I just want justification from my family. And if I get such evidence, I'll go to Hogwarts."

"Splendid! Of course, you'll have to be trained up a bit. But, since you're Half Elf, that shouldn't be a problem..."

He kept talking, but Artemis began zoning out. 'A witch and an Elf? And I'm going to a school for wizards...I can't believe this. It's like a dream..."

"Ah! And that should be your family?"

"Huh?" she looked up and watched the headlights of a car pull up the drive. She glanced over at Dumbledore, but he was no where to be seen.