The Parent Trap

A/n: Many thanks to those of you who took the time to review the last chapter, we greatly appreciate it.

Chapter Seven: Formerly known as Abigail but now goes by the name of Evie.

By Clayre

Aberforth Dumbledore stood in the front of Madam Malkin's waiting for Evie to appear. She was taking her time and he couldn't help but notice just how much she like her mother she appeared. It often amazed him that Evie was so like the mother she hadn't seen for ten years.

"Uncle Abe!" announced the girl he thought to be Evie as she walked towards him smiling.

"Hello sweet pea," he answered with a grin to match hers. "All done?"

"Yes," she answered.

Abigail looked at the man that stood in front of her and saw the similarities between him and her father. She was amazed to finally meet her uncle but saddened that she had keep who she was from him. She watched intently as he opened the door for her and smiled. She wondered if her father smiled like his brother. She noted that he had friendly and warm looking eyes. They were like her eyes though they didn't quite sparkle like hers.

"I have a treat for you," announced Aberforth looking rather proud of himself, "and your father will have to accept it because it's a gift."

Abigail looked at her uncle and waited for her surprise. She watched as her uncle rooted around in the inside of his robes and pulled out a small ginger and white kitten. Abigail wasn't sure why her father would object to having a cat. After all her mother was able to turn into a cat. Abigail and her mother actually had a couple of cats of their own called Cheshire and Mitzy. Aberforth had expected another reaction to the kitten than the one he was getting, Evie had been after a cat for years and he had thought she would be jumping around Diagon Alley with excitement.

"Evie?" he asked "don't you like him?"

"Oh yes," answered Abigail as she tried to get into Evie mode. "He is beautiful! Thank you so much Uncle Abe."

"Are you going to name him?" he asked

"Rameses!" answered Abigail as she reached out and scratched the kitten behind its' ear.

Aberforth nodded and looked at his niece. There was something different about her but he couldn't put his finger on it. He decided to put it down to her age and that now she was growing up into a fine young lady. He steered her in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. He thought it was time that they ate something. Aberforth led her towards a tiny, grubby looking pub. It was dark and shabby inside and Abigail stayed close to Aberforth. She had an uneasy feeling about this place.

She had never been in the Leaky Cauldron but she had heard about it from her mother. It had been not what she had expected. There were only four people in the pub, two sat in a darkened corner and their faces unrecognizable because of the darkness that surrounded them. The other two were sitting by the bar talking and playing cards. There was a low buzz of hushed chatter as Abigail followed her uncle towards the bar where a balding barman was cleaning glasses.

"Abe Dumbledore," greeted the barman with a wide grin. "Long time since we had the pleasure of your company and money at this fine establishment."

"Hello Tom," answered Aberforth. "I'm not over this way much anymore. The goats keep me busy."

"The usual then?" questioned Tom before his eyes flew upon the girl standing beside Aberforth. "Miss Dumbledore, it's been a while as well."

Abigail smiled softly and nodded. She didn't know what to say. She had never been in the pub before and she didn't want to blow her cover already so she remained silent. She looked around the shabby pub and heard her tummy begin to grumble. She was hungry and looked at Aberforth, who seemed to understand her and ordered something to eat for both of them. Aberforth pointed over to a table and Abigail made her way to sit down leaving him alone with Tom, the barman.

"Miss Dumbledore, seems awfully quiet!" said Tom as he poured Aberforth a firewhiskey and butter beer.

"It's an important day," explained Aberforth who was also wondering why she hadn't spoken a word since entering the pub. "She is buying all her Hogwarts things and it's rather overwhelming"

"Aye, I guess it would be," Tom replied as he handed over the glasses to Aberforth. "I'll bring your soup and bread over in a minute."

Aberforth walked over to the table where Abigail was sitting, looking through her collection of Hogwarts things. She seemed more reserved and quiet than usual and it began to worry him. He wondered if she hadn't had a very good time in Madam Malkin's. Maybe someone had said something to upset her. He would have to investigate. Her mother had been mentioned a few times that day so maybe she was thinking about her.

"Evie," he asked as he sat down "what's up pumpkin?"

"Nothing," she assured him. "Well I want to know about my mother."

Even though Aberforth had been expecting her to mention something like this, her bluntness had shocked him and he was struggling to find the words. He knew that her father should be having this conversation with his daughter. It was not the job of an uncle to tell his niece what happened. Aberforth wasn't actually sure himself what went on but he would tell Evie what he knew and then tell her to ask her father for the rest.

"Mother," she stumbled over her words "I mean Father doesn't like to talk about her. I ask him and he closes up. I need to know Uncle Abe. Today, they kept mentioning her and I want to know what happened. Where she went! Why she left!"

"Evie," answered Aberforth "I can't give you all the details because I am not sure of them myself."

"Tell me what you know!" she urged him.

Aberforth sat back against the backrest of the chair he was sitting in. He wasn't really sure where to begin and he had to be careful what he said about her sister, Abigail. It was hard trying to find the words. He didn't want to paint his brother out to the bad guy but it would seem that way.

"I believe they had an argument," he explained. "Your father had to go away to Germany for a few months and your mother did not want him to because you were only a few months old. And she rarely got to see him anyways because of his line of work."

Abigail wrinkled up her nose in concentration as she listened to her uncle. She tried to picture the scene in her mind as his words floated into her head. She noted that he hadn't mentioned anything about the twin sister and that hurt her slightly. It was like she didn't exist.

"Your mother gave him a choice and he chose to follow his head and not his heart," explained Aberforth. "When he returned from Germany your mother was gone and I was looking after you."

"Why did she leave me behind?" asked Abigail. It was hard trying to ask questions from Evie's perspective.

"I think you better ask your father Evie," replied Aberforth who was feeling rather uncomfortable with the new line of questioning. It wasn't really his place to be telling her this. "I have already told you more than I should have."

"So it's all my father's fault!" she said with a glint of defiance in her blue eyes.

"Well no," answered Aberforth "and since when have you started calling him father?"

"You're trying to change the subject," she accused her uncle. "It was his fault! He didn't love her enough."

"Your father adored your mother Evie! She was his everything and he was trying to make the world a safer place for her and you."

Abigail sighed. She wished she hadn't asked about it now because everything seemed so confusing and she had so many questions. She knew the answers lay with her father and her mother. She hoped that Evie would have better luck finding out what they needed to know from their mother.

Abigail had to admit that she was missing her mother already and wondered what Evie was doing now. She sat quietly as she slipped at her soup, avoiding all eye contact with her uncle who she knew was watching her intently. She was finding it hard to leave her usual Abigail self behind and be like Evie. They hadn't had long enough to get to know one another and if she wasn't careful she would give the whole game away. Abigail closed her eyes and thought back to the picture in the book of her father. She couldn't wait to see him and wrap her arms around him.

To be continued.