Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. The story line of The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, belongs to Mitch Albom.
A/N: Italics equal flashbacks. Remember?
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
Chapter Four- This is Dumbledore's Memory
A ten-and-a-half-year-old sits in a black leather chair in the corner of the Dumbledore library. He is absorbed in a novel by one of his favorite authors. As he is about to turn the page, a loud thud erupts from the closet across the room from him.
Albus jumps up from his chair as the thuds continue. His book falls onto the floor, causing him to lose his place. Albus begins to get angry about this, but his anger is diminished by another loud thud from the closet.
Albus hastily puts his book back on the chair before approaching the closet. What is in there? Terrified, Albus takes the four steps towards the closet and reaches his hand out to touch the doorknob.
Before his hand makes contact with the cold metal handle, another thud blasts from the closet, causing Albus to jump back, as if he had been electrocuted. Regaining his strength, Albus steps back towards the 'living' closet, and outstretches his hand, this time making contact with the knob.
He turns the knob slowly, not wanting to notify whatever was inside about what was going on. Albus doesn't here another thud, so he pulls the door open all the way.
Suddenly, Elise steps out of the closet. Her eyes are unfocused, and her fists are clenched. Her shawl is dragging behind her, collecting all of the dust from the closet floor.
Elise takes a step forward, not meeting Albus's eye. Suddenly she begins to speak in her trance like voice. She repeats the exact words that she said the night of the dinner party.
"BEWARE–OF THE–HANDSOME–DARK-HAIRED MAN. HE WILL–ATTEMPT–TO STEAL–THE SWORD–OF YOUR–MOST FAMOUS–ANCESTOR. HE MUST–NOT–SUCCEED."
Albus lets out a yelp of fright. He takes a couple of steps backward, and Elise advances on him. Albus takes so many steps backwards, that he trips over the leather chair and ends up in a seated position.
Elise begins to repeat her words in the same trance-like voice as before. "BEWARE–OF THE–HANDSOME–DARK-HAIRED MAN. HE WILL–ATTEMPT–TO STEAL–THE SWORD–OF YOUR–MOST FAMOUS–ANCESTOR. HE MUST–NOT–SUCCEED."
Albus lets out another shriek, this time louder than the first. Tears start to form in his eyes as he cowers against the arm of the chair. At that moment his mother runs in and sees Elise towering over her trembling son.
"Elise?" Albus's mother says uncertainty. Then she realizes what is going on. Her wand is drawn in a flash, and she shouts, "Riddikulus!"
There is a loud CRACK and Elise disappears. Albus's mother rushes over and slams the closet door before heading towards her fearful son.
"Oh Albus, I'm sorry." his mother says, squishing into the chair with him and pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry."
Albus continues to tremble, but leans on his mother's shoulder. He was safe now. Nothing bad was going to happen. Albus has calmed down enough to speak to his mother.
"What was that?" Albus says, peering uncomfortably at the closet door.
"That," his mother says, stroking his hair lovingly, "was a boggart. They turn into your worst fear." She pauses. "Why are you afraid of Elise?"
Albus's mother was not in the room when Albus's boggart was repeating Elise's words. She had not heard what was said that night at dinner either. If only she was, then it would all make sense, and Albus would not have to relive the horrible details.
"I think she is a seer," Albus finally manages to say, not really knowing what a seer is.
Albus's mother closes her eyes and nods her head. "Did she say anything in particular to you?"
Albus nods and tells his mother exactly what happened that one night. His mother looks worried when he is finished.
"I want you to do me a favor Albus," his mother begins. "I want you to forget all about this nonsense. It won't do you any good worrying all the time."
Albus nods his head slowly, almost relieved that he was asked to forget Elise's words. It would have been much harder to get the motivation to forget them all by himself.
Albus's pushes the thoughts of Elise and the dark-haired man out of his head. Perhaps it is because of his mother that he has a later lack of tolerance for seers (such as Trelawney).
Albus scoops up his book and heads towards his room. He passes is younger brother, Aberforth's, room. Aberforth had been at a friend's house the night Elise came over for dinner, so he knew nothing about what Albus had experienced.
"What's wrong?" Aberforth asks as Albus passes by his brother's room with a look of confusion and fear on his face.
Albus backs up and heads into his brother's room to tell him everything. He had kept it a secret for so long that it felt really good to tell two people in one day. After Albus finishes telling Aberforth what happened, he heads back to his own room and follows his mother's suggestion. He forgets about that whole night involving Elise Erolds. If only he hadn't...
A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review!