Chapter 11: Eavesdropping and Identity Revealed
By: Clayre
Abigail awoke with a start as an owl flew into her bedroom and landed on her bed. The owl dropped the letter into her lap and quickly flew out of the room. Eros opened his eyes and gave her ruffled look. It was his job to deliver post to her but someone hadn't bothered asking him and he was hurt. It was only in the cold light of day that he noticed something different about Evie Dumbledore. He tipped his head and hooted softly, never breaking eye contact with her. Abigail felt slightly uneasy. He was looking at her with an inquisitive gaze. She knew that he knew she was not Evie but she also knew that her secret was safe with the owl. She smiled and stretched out her hand. Eros bumped his head against her hand and hooted softly before hopping onto her lap. Abigail smiled and picked up the letter that had arrived a few minutes ago and saw that the letter was from Evie.
A knock on the door interrupted her. Abigail quickly stuffed the note under her pillow. Albus Dumbledore opened the door and walked in. He had a bag of sherbet lemons in his hand and was quietly sucking on one. Abigail's eyes lit up when she saw what he was carrying. She now knew where her love for the muggle sweet came from.
"Morning sweetpea," he said greeting her with a kiss on the forehead. "Sleep well?"
"Yes thanks Papa," she replied as she eyed the bag of sweets. Her mother would never let her have sweets before breakfast at home "Can I have one?"
Albus looked at his daughter with surprise. She was pointing to the bag of sherbet lemons. Albus had never known his daughter to ask for one of his sweets. In fact, he knew that she hated them just like her mother had.
"You want a sherbet lemon?" he asked her. He wanted to be sure he had understood her correctly.
"Papa, they are my favorite sweet in the world," she replied thinking nothing of it "so of course I want one."
Albus looked at his daughter and then at his bag of sweets before returning his gaze to Abigail. He was undoubtedly confused now. His daughter had just said she loved sherbet lemons. He handed her the bag and watched as she eagerly popped one into her mouth and closed her eyes, savouring the taste. He watched as she rooted around in the bag once more and pulled out three more sweets and put them on her bedside table.
"You have changed," he said as he looked at her.
"What?" she asked as her eyes flew open in panic. "Why do you say that?"
"Well you seem more grown up," he answered "and it seems you have finally discovered the ninth wonder of the world, the sherbet lemon, at last."
Abigail looked at her father and then at the sherbet lemons on the bedside table. She suddenly realized that Evie must dislike their father's favorite sweet. Abigail scolded herself under her breath. She should have waited to see if her father had offered her the bag of sweets.
"As you grow older," she suddenly said, hoping that the answer would cover her tracks "your taste becomes heightened and you like to try new things!"
"Wise beyond your years," he said with a grin. "Well I am over the moon that you like my sweets. I shall order double the amount now. Oh, your uncle is coming over again today. He wants to spend some more time with you before you attend Hogwarts as a student and forget all about him."
"Oh I could never forget about Uncle Abe," she answered. "He is unforgettable!"
"He seems to think he is," answered Albus with a grin. "He is however, overly dramatic!"
Abigail laughed along with her father. It felt so right to be back in his presence at last. She finally felt whole and all she wanted to do now was be a proper family with her mother, her father and her sister. Albus kissed his daughter on the forehead again before telling her that he would see her at lunchtime. He had some work to do but he would soon be all hers as Armando Dippet was returning that afternoon. Abigail's eyes twinkled madly as she heard him say the words. She would get to spend some proper time with him and that would give her the chance to question him more about her mother.
Her bedroom door opened again and in walked Aberforth. Abigail couldn't get over how much the two brothers looked alike. She did think that her father was the slightly more handsome one but then she was biased. Aberforth sat on the other side of her bed and reached over and pressed her nose softly. Abigail giggled and as she squirmed, the pillow moved and Aberforth was able to get a clear view of the letter addressed to Abigail
Dumbledore.
Abigail looked at him and followed his eye line to where the letter was hiding. She looked at him and bit her lip. She waited for him to say something but nothing came. Her father made his excuses and left the uncle and niece together.
"Abby?" questioned Aberforth softly, his bottom lip wavering slightly as he searched his nieces face for answers.
Abigail couldn't believe she had been discovered already. She had let herself down as well as her sister. Aberforth would make her tell him what was going on and then he would march her down to see her father. He would make her tell all and then she would be sent home back to her mother. Abigail loved her mother dearly and wanted to see her but she wanted to spend a little more time with her father.
"I knew it," he gasped as a bright smile took over his confused face. "Our little Abigail. Oh Merlin, is it really you?"
"Yes," she replied looking away "please don't tell anyone just yet!"
"I'll Dumbledore promise you," he declared as he placed his hand over his heart "Abigail, you're beautiful! Oh I am speechless! I always think about you and now you're here. How in the name of Merlin?"
Abigail smiled and began to retell the story of how she and Evie had bumped into one another at Madam Malkin's. She explained that they wanted to swap lives so they could find out about the parents they didn't know and why their mother and father broken up. Abigail was over the moon that she was able to speak with someone about this. She didn't feel quite so alone now. Aberforth had promised to keep her secret and even offered to help out when she needed help. He gave her a crash course in how to behave like Evie and told her that under no accounts must she like brussel sprouts. He explained that Evie wouldn't eat anything off her plate if brussel sprouts had been on her plate. Abigail laughed and told her uncle that she hated them as well so there was no chance in her eating a bowl full of them.
"How is Minerva?" asked Aberforth in hushed tones.
"Mumma is okay," she answered with a smile on her face. "She is the best and I am sure Evie is having a wonderful time."
"Oh it's been so long, too long," he said as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "You have no idea how much you were missed!"
"Uncle Abe," she questioned, "I don't understand why we were parted."
"Your mother took you," explained Aberforth as he tried to recollect past memories. "To be honest I think she thought your father would go after her and bring you both back home. She needed to know how he felt but my brother, though powerful and intelligent, lacks common sense at times. He didn't go after her. He thought it was wise to let her come back when she wanted to. As time went by, it became harder."
"Why take me and not Evie?" asked Abigail.
"Well I don't think she intended to be gone for so long," answered Aberforth who was trying to grasp at straws. He wasn't sure why Minerva had only taken one twin with her when she had run away. "I tried to convince my brother to go after her but he was adamant that she would return by the next day. From what I remember, you had been poorly and your Mum had taken you to see the medi-witch. Your father was looking after Evie and he got word that he was needed. I looked after Evie while your Dad prepared and that is all I know."
"Did he love her?" she asked.
"Loved her more than anything," answered Aberforth "but I don't think he knew how to juggle his responsibilities to the wizarding world and his family. He was torn and he did neglect his family, especially his wife, but he didn't mean to."
Abigail nodded her head and smiled softly at her uncle. Things seemed a little clearer now but she hoped Evie had managed to get some information out of their mother. Aberforth and Abigail spent the morning together. They walked around the lake and played hide and seek around the school. Aberforth cheated though as he was able to use magic and if he had trouble finding her, he would pull out his wand and command Accio Abigail.
Later on that morning Abigail received word that Armando Dippet was back in charge of Hogwarts and her father was all hers until the next time he was needed. She hoped he wasn't needed for a long time. She was making her way to her father's office for lunch when she overheard some of the female members of staff talking about her and her father. She hid around the corner and listened. She had always liked to know what was being said. She was inquisitive, though her mother called her nosey at times.
"It's sad a man like that has to be alone!" said Professor Meredith Archer. Abigail had come across her that morning and Aberforth had mentioned her name in passing.
"He has been alone for many years," replied a dark haired witch that Abigail had never seen before.
"He has been single all the years I have been her and that's nine years," commented another witch with dark brown eyes. "Such a waste of a man."
The three female professors giggled in a very unlikely professor type way. Abigail thought them to be rather silly and thought they acted like silly schoolgirls. Although they were annoying her, she wanted to know more about their conversation.
"He has a daughter," said Archer. "She is lovely and a credit to him but I hear that he isn't over his wife. Did she die?"
"I think she ran off with someone," said the dark eyed witch.
"Was she mad?" gasped the dark haired witch. "Why would anyone want to run out on a man like him?"
"I guess it tells us that even a man like Albus Dumbledore isn't all he seems to be," Archer replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
Abigail was rooted to the spot. How dared they speak about her mother and father like that. They had no right to presume and make judgements without knowing the facts. Abigail was seething with anger but she knew she couldn't do anything about it without blowing her cover or saying something that she might regret tomorrow.
"Well I think that he needs a woman in his life," declared the brown eyes witch with a smile so bright that it could blind everyone within a five-mile radius. "So, I have decided to ask him out for a meal on Friday. It will do him some good and I am sure I will have a wonderful time."
"I doubt he will even consider it Nicholette," said Meredith Archer. "He lives in the past and that is not healthy."
"Well I intend to bring him into the present and the future!" replied Nicholette with a wide smile. "Just watch and see!"
Abigail quickly turned on her heel and sped towards her bedroom. She had to alert her sister to the recent developments. What if their father said yes? There would be no chance of getting their parents back together. Abigail completely forgot about her lunch date with her father as she immersed herself into writing a letter to Evie.
To be continued