Alright! Here we are! Chapter Seven!

Thank you to all that reviewed.

As I woke up, I saw that it was dark….. But I didn't see much else. Black. Everywhere, around me, inside me, outside me, everywhere. I felt around me, and felt a bed sheet. I aimed my hand to where my bedside table should've been, and felt it there. The carving along the side was familiar, the twists and turns of the carving was familiar. It was a carving of a rose, that I knew. My hand reached up the table, and felt a thin, metal thing. I felt farther down the metal thing, and felt glass on them. My glasses. I put them on, and pulled myself slowly and wearily out of bed.

My bare feet padded down the steps leading to the downstairs of my house, into my kitchen, where the fire was lit, and my mother sat over a cup of tea, looking like she was either hung over or hadn't slept in days.

I smiled nervously. It wasn't that I didn't remember what had happened…. I just hoped to Merlin that she had.

"How much longer until dawn?" I asked meekly in the doorway.

My mother looked up quickly. "Albus!" my mother cried, flustered. She scuttled over and hugged my head. Tight.

"MUM! GERROFF ME! I'M OK!"

My mother let go. "Don't you dare give me that Albus Dumbledore, you were twitching!"

"Oh! I was twitching! Someone call the doctor! Mum, I've been in worse than that before." I winced. That was a bad start to my argument.

"YOU WHAT!"

"I told you, I've been in worse before! It was just another vision, nothing more!" I winced again. I hadn't told her about those either, she would've thought I was mental.

"VISIONS!" My mother looked ready to bust a vein. Then she said something, so underhanded, so evil, something that could've screwed up my life forever, and something I never forgave her for.

"You're not going to Hogwarts."

I stood there in complete shock, gaping wide eyed at my mother. She had a look of fury on her face, me a face of sickening shock….. Perhaps I can explain.

You know how when you are climbing a staircase in the dark, the middle of the night, and you think there's one more step than there is, and then you get to the top, you figure out that there's not another step, and there's a sickening swoop in your stomach?

That's basically how I felt right that second. Except a thousand times worse…. As if I were falling off a cliff or something.

I suddenly was furious. HOW DARE SHE! "What do you mean, I'm not going?" I asked coldly.

She stared at me. "You obviously need help, and cannot go to Hogwarts without hurting yourself."

"WHAT!"

"Albus, I am not going to lose you like I lost your father!"

"Well, tough cookies, I'm going! Besides, it's not like Grindewald stalks the school!"

"ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE!" My mother cried. "YOU ARE NOT GOING AND THAT IS FINAL!"

I whirled around and stomped upstairs.

My brother met me at the top of the stairs. "You do know, it's August 1st."

"Oh, thank you for rubbing it into my face." I snapped at him.

Aberforth shrugged. "Alright, I was going to help you escape, but you don't seem to need it."

I stood there in shock. "What did you say?"

"Oh, you're listening now? Ah, good." Aberforth examined his fingernail, leaning against the wall. "Now, as I was saying, I'm willing to keep Mum occupied, while you sneak off to Hogwarts. She doesn't have the broom since you broke it, she can't go pick up a carpet, and if she Apparates outside school grounds, you will know and you can hide. Once you get through first year without any broken limbs, I'm sure that she'll let you stay!" Aberforth grinned, and looked at me. I felt shocked and loved my brother so much at the moment.

"You mean, you'll risk it for me?"

"What are brothers for? Besides, I've gotten into a lot worse." Aberforth grinned evilly. "Just don't go all mushy on me."

I didn't care, I hugged him anyway.

"I thought I said don't get mushy?"

"Sorry." I let go.

"Alright. See you next summer then. Get your things. I'll distract Mum." He put on a fake fearful face. "Oh Mummy Mummy Mummy! I had this oh so horrible dream!"

I laughed. "She'll think you want something from her."

Aberforth grinned. "And she'll be correct. I want her attention so that my brother can run off to an enchanted castle! Wish me luck!"

I laughed. "You got it." And I ran upstairs.

I got a shabby trunk out of the attic, packed it with magic, making sure to take the painting with me, along with all the books and robes, and the wand, and levitated it down the ladder. Then I jumped down lightly beside it, grabbed the handle, and ran quietly down the stairs.

"Mum! Mum, I can't sleep." came my brother's voice from the kitchen.

I grinned. Alright, if I hadn't loved my brother before, I certainly did now. I opened the door quietly, and escaped into the night.

Alright. It was not the smartest thing I have done in my life, I admit it. But you know, I was desperate!

I shivered as I walked along the streets of my little town, and looked around. I suddenly realised…. Where was I supposed to go? How was I supposed to get to Hogwarts anyway? How did one get to Hogwarts?

I didn't have long to wait.

As I walked along, I jumped as a man appeared in front of me in a puff of smoke and ash.

He was the oddest man I had ever seen! His hair frizzed back behind him, and he looked rather….. Odd, as he had these odd spectacles that made his eyes magnify, and they had little lenses off to the side. His robes were black and shabby, not to mention patched and charred. I had never had robes in that condition,. My mother was a very cleanly woman. His hat tipped askew, and he seemed completely nuts!

Come to think of it, I now think he kind of reminded me of Albert Einstein….. Hmm……

He looked at me. "Ah, Mr. Dumbledore! At last!"

I looked at him oddly. "Sir?"

"Ah, forgive me. My name is Professor Starling. I'm to be your Potions master, at Hogwarts." He looked around him at the smoke, which had started to turn purple. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"What is it?" I asked politely. I was rather curious though, but this man confused me.

"Ah, you'll figure out sometime. I have no time to explain right now! Now, you're off to Hogwarts, correct?"

I grinned. "Yes sir."

"Well…. It's about three o'clock by moon time, and you're rather early…. But you can get a free tour I suppose."

I smiled. "Could I sir?"

"Absolutely!"

I grinned excitedly….. Then finally realized something.

"How do I get there?"

Professor Starling threw some dust into my face, and I sneezed. The world flashed in a kalideoscope of colours, and I felt myself whirling backwards into the darkness, the Professor beside me.

"Isn't it a rush Dumbledore!" he yelled over the wind whistling in my ears as I sped backwards through thin air.

"Oh yes, rather spiffing! Really neat, risking your neck flying to unknown coordinates in the Earth!"

"Nonsense! The farthest we'll go from our destination is Tokyo!"

That man always was barking mad.

I was slammed against the ground in the outdoors, my eyes closed, so I yelled out on impact. Then I opened them.

Professor Starling stood up. "Welcome, Albus Dumbledore, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

And there ye are!

Katrina