A/N Thank you all for the reviews. Harry Potter is not mine this is a story from a fan.
(BSC 4 C23) C110 Family is all you need part two.
Bella looked strangely at the owl that landed before her, especially when she saw the name that was on the letter. She was holding it in her hand and read out loud.
To Bellatrix Black
From Aberforth Dumbledore.
None of them knew that Albus still had family outside of Hogwarts. it was a total surprise for all of them. On the moment that Bella wanted to open the letter, she felt a stinging hex slam into her hand.
"AUW" she screamed as she looked up at Susan who had her wand pointed at her just before she pointed it at the letter.
"Are you crazy" Susan hissed. "You can never open a letter like that. The envelope is safe because the owl delivered it to you. BUT" Susan screamed the last part as she saw Bella almost opening the letter for a second time. She gave Bella a dirty look and growled that she had to let it lay on the table. "Listen to me, Bella. If someone wants to hurt you they do it with the letter. It could be a Portkey or even a curse that is placed on the letter".
The eyes of Bella became big and she dropped the letter as if it had burned her. "Are you sure people do things like that" when she asked it she immediately looked at Harry. the one thing she was thinking about was that it had happened to him when he got a little gift two years ago. "What do we do now," she said as she looked Susan in the eye.
Harry had heard it all and was already calling his grandmother in his mind. He, however, never saw the looks Daphne and Bella gave him when he did.
It was again that both Bella and Daphne found it a delight they could hear Harry but a pity that they were not able to respond to him. So they just sat there waiting for what was to come.
It only took Minerva five minutes to be behind her grandson with Zanita at her side. When they both heard what had happened Zanita stepped around Minerva and waved her hand over the letter that was lying on the table. The letter did change multiple times from one colour to the other before it just went back to the letter it was when it arrived that morning.
Zanita was looking at the letter with a little frown. "There was nothing dangerous with the letter but there were a couple of charms placed upon it" she started. "One was a charm that only made it so you could read it. the other was a compulsion one that only made the letter so that only you were willing to read it. The big one was so that you would tell nobody about it when you had read it but it would also make you do something. I do not know what it is but I think that that will be in the letter".
As Zanita said what she said it made everyone look at the letter with a lot of questions in their minds. Zanita, however, just took the letter from the table and held it out for Bella to take. "It is all clear and save for you to read it. I do not know what is in it, but I would read it somewhere else and not in the great hall. I also want to ask you that when you do read it, that I can be there with you when you do".
Bella took the letter from the hand of Zanita and looked her in the eye when she heard the question. She nodded slowly as she again looked at the letter in her hand. "Well, I think we have to get the whole family here if I do open it. I do not know who this Aberforth Dumbledore is, but if he is the family of Albus then he could also be working with him".
"Aberforth Dumbledore is the brother of Albus," Minerva said as she gazed at Bella. "He is also the keeper of the hogshead a bar that is located in Hogsmeade. It is a bar where everyone is allowed to come, no matter if you are human, beast, honest or a dark wizard. But it is a bar everyone can call their home for an hour or so".
Minerva held her tongue for a moment and thought about it. "I do not know what Aberforth Dumbledore wants to know from you, but I do know that the bond between Albus and him isn't the best. It even became worse after the death of their sister. I do know that they are still speaking with each other but not as freely as they would normally do".
Everyone and even Zanita were listening with bathed breath s Minerva talked about the brother of Albus. It was halfway in the story that Daphne remembered when they had seen Abeforth for the first time. "I know who it is," she said. "It was the man that held us back the day we went in the hogshead the day we saw Albus, Lucius and Fudge going into that same place". In the moments that followed the friends started to realize that Daphne was right. they all knew the day it happened and they all started to remember the man that held some of them back as he warned them about Albus. So it wasn't long after that that they planned on another family meeting to read the letter and to plan about the things they were going to do next.
*#*
On Friday night right after dinner, the friends left the great hall with Minerva and Zanita at their side. It was this night they would read the letter and start to plan what they could do about it all. Now because Zanita was going with them she left the head house elf with a clear instruction to keep an eye on Albus If he would do anything that wasn't related to his job as headmaster, the elf had the authority to stun him and to tell her immediately. She even went so far to tell all the portraits that they would do the same thing and the ones who didn't help her but were helping Albus would be placed in an abandoned classroom where they would be spelt in a way that they would never ever be able to go and visit the other portraits ever again. They had even placed a little painting in Potter castle so that every portrait from Hogwarts could come and see them if they needed to.
As the friends were waiting in the side room. Minerva was talking with Zanita and Arabella in the kitchen. one by one the family came by for the meeting, none of them knew about the letter or what had happened the day the friends had seen Abeforth for the first time so this would be a surprising night for all of them.
After some snacks and drinks that were placed on the table by Mini and Maxi with the words eat or else, Minerva took the lead and started to tell them about the letter Bella had received. Daphne told them about the day they had seen Fudge enter into the Hogshead where they had also seen Albus and Lucius.
Sirius was the first to respond when Daphne was done. "Abeforth, yeah I remember him from the order. He was a great dueler but he always kept a wary eye on Albus. We never understood why he had done it or why he was doing it but it just never added up. he always told us that Albus was great in the war with Grindelwald but that he had changed in the war with Voldemort. It always seemed like he just didn't trust him completely".
Susan then told them all that, that had been the thing he had told them when he kept some of them back. Albus was not to be trusted and we had to watch out when we were with him or around him. The seconds that followed were silent as Bella took the letter and opened it for the very first time.
*#*
To Bellatrix Black. she started.
You do not know me, or you do, but to tell you the truth I do not care. My name is Abefroth Dumbledore and yes, I'm the brother of Albus Dumbledore. Now I do not know how he got you back or why he did it but I do not trust it at all. Before I go on I do have to say that I'm confused. the first thing I thought about was why and it made me think of the boy who lived. He always had an unhealthy obsession with the boy. The part that confused me was the fact that you were hanging around the boy and you do seem close. So either you are playing a really good game or something went wrong. The thing why I know it was you was something you did to minister fudge. It was something you had done when you yourself had been in Hogwarts for the first time so twenty-five years ago.
It was after these words that Bella looked up and her gaze went blank. a small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth and she just smiled. It was after a minute that she said. "He is right, I did the exact same thing I did the last time. Only it was with Narcissa and Andromeda". She did see the looked of her friends but smiled and said. "I will tell you later but lets read the letter first".
Now it was on that day I started to think about why. At first, I wasn't really sure you were the person I thought you were but as I did some digging I knew I was right. Now before I go to the DLME I have to do one thing that makes me put the dot on the I, so to say. As I did my research I did see that among your group there was a girl, that Girl is Susan Bones, the niece of Amelia Bones the head of the DMLE. So if I'm right she is reading the letter with you at the time you are reading it. If not then you are reading it on your own and it will make you come to me and then I will go to the DMLE.
If you are reading it with Susan Bones, Then I can be sure that you are also reading it with Amelia at your side. This again tells me that you have found the compulsion charms I have placed on the letter and that she is the one who got rid of them all. It will also tell me that Augusta Longbottom is there because I have also seen her grandson with your group.
Now the first thing I wanted to do was tell miss Bones that Bellatrix had escaped from Azkaban. But because her niece is with you I think she knows about it. So this was my next option.
I want to ask you to come to me on the next visit you have in Hogsmead. There I want you to tell me what my Brother is up to. Now because I might come over as someone you can not trust, I want you to come with miss Bones, Lady Longbottom or any other adult. You can bring one adult and one only. It would be suspicious if you bring more than one to my bar.
Now the next part is a gamble on my part. I have to warn you about Minerva McGonagall. I do not know what my brother has done to her but ever since the death of her husband she has changed a lot. She has changed in a way that I do not longer trust to be trusted. It became even more obvious when she started to work full time in the castle.
So the next Hogsmeade weekend I want you to come to me before noon. If you come with Albus I will go to the DMLE. If you do not come I will go to the DMLE. I know thing no one knows. It is because of those things I want to be sure. I'm not doing this for me but for Harry Potter. He is very important, even more then he himself thinks he is.
Abeforth
*#*
Bella stopped with reading and gazed up at the ceiling. Again she had to smile as she thought about the memory she got while reading the letter. Her gaze went from the ceiling to her friends.
Harry sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "Why the smile," he asked.
Bella smiled again, "Well in the letter he told about another time I did something to Fudge. At first, I didn't know and suddenly the memory came back to me. I was thirteen years old and it was my first visit to Hogsmeade just like we had. Well on my first visit Narcissa and Andromeda took me to see the town. Andromeda had done it with Narcissa and now they were doing it with me. It was also in that first visit that I did the same thing with Fudge as I did the last time.
But first, let me tell you why. When I first started at Hogwarts Fudge was walking after Narcissa like a little puppy. It started all innocent but the longer we were at Hogwarts the worse it got. He started to touch her. first on the arm and later on her ass. Again it all started with a pat but the longer it was the more it became and he was starting to grab her firmly and even in the middle of the great hall. In my second year, he started to grab her boobs and claiming she was his. kind of like Draco is doing with Daphne.
"Be it as it may. if he only points at her at a wrong part I will kill him on the spot. And I'm only talking about pointing if he touches her in any way it will surely be the last thing he ever does" Harry growled.
Bella patted him on the arm and smiled as Daphne kissed his cheek. "Your sweet Harry" Bella said and went on. "When he started to touch her in class we were fat up. Now on that day, we had asked him to come for a date with Narcissa. The fool believed us and started to tell everybody he got a date. We let him come to the hogshead, that was much cleaner then it is now. and in there we humiliated him so that he wet his pants. When he wanted to go back we followed him and pointed at him as we screamed that he had wet himself.
It was from that day on that he never said anything about or to Narcissa ever again. we even went so far to tell everybody in Hogwarts that he wet himself the moment she wanted to kiss him".
Harry was rolling on the ground while he was holding his arms to the side. he was laughing so hard. The only thing he could see was the face of fudge the last time Bella had done it and knew that his face must have been the same at that time.
Suddenly from out of nowhere the face of Bella became serious as she said "I think I have to go, I do not know why but I really think I have to go. Abeforth Dumbledore did all he could to give me a choice. Sure he could have sent a letter without any spell, charm or curs. But he had to do it because he doesn't know if I was on the good or bad side. He also went out of his way to make it so that they were easy to get rid of them. Something Zanita did with a wave of her hand. But it does tell us that he is really having trouble with something he knows. I think that is also why he asked for Amelia because if he wanted me alone he could have done it in another way. That was something he didn't so he is seeking help for something he knows".
Everyone was listening to the rembling from Bella. the silent told them that Bella could be right. Abeforth did know something or he didn't go to these lengths to get them to come to him. They also knew that Bella had to be the one to go to him because he wanted to make sure that she had nothing to do with Albus for whatever reason it could be. The only two that were against it were Harry and Daphne.
As the biggering started everyone was going from going to staying. from talking to see what would happen. that all stopped when Harry said the first thing while the others were biggering. "I don't want Bella to go. I do not know what Abeforth wants to do but just like he doesn't trust Bella, I do not trust him. What if he is working with Albus and this is all a trap. what if the moment Bella goes there he grabs her and takes her away. For all, we know it could be a trap for Amelia because she is the biggest threat from all of us. She is the head of the DLME, She is the one that can stop him with the law, not us but her. The only thing we can do is stand in his way and make sure that if he wants to do something, he has to come around us, he has to go for the long way. Now if you all want to go ahead with it, I will only trust him when he gives an oath to not do anything".
Daphne was sitting next to Bella and was nodding all the way.
Bella was gazing at the table but had to smile a little. something was still telling her she had to do it. but the fight Harry and Daphne gave for her gave her a good feeling.
"I understand what you are saying Harry," Amelia said. "I also think she has to go but like you I want to make sure so I will not go without being prepared for any kind trouble. So I was thinking, when I go with Bella to talk with Abeforth, I want to have someone with me at the bar. Maybe even more if I can find a way without him knowing it. The only trouble I have is, that if he is working with Albus he will know about any one of us. If not he will still know who we are because he knows all the adults that are sitting around the table".
There was another silent that was only broken by a whisper from Bella to Daphne and Harry, however, this whisper was not heard by the others. "This is the first time, I remembered something by something someone had seen and told me. even if it was only through a letter. I think that the door that leads to the memories of Bella is more open than it had been".
Daphne and Bella were looking at her and could only nod.
After a deep sigh, Bella went on with a little hesitation in her voice. "Maybe we have to go and visit my older self. We know that she can go in my mind and maybe she can open the door all the way or a little more. she can even do something about it if I'm lucky".
Harry nodded and gazed around the room to see who could go with them as Daphne took Bella in a hug to whisper "we will do it soon".
It was Harry that broke the hug as he whispered. "We will do it in the Christmas holiday".
Both of the girls nodded and Daphne said. "Well, I think we should ask Tonks. as an Auror, she can help us with that".
Harry smiled but shook his head. "You are right but I think we have to take Grandmother Mini. she is dying to see her again because she had connected in a way with her when I was in the hospital, in Azkaban and even when she herself was held back in her mind".
It was something they had to think about and even ask the two. they still could ask them but they had to agree to go or not. Now the one thing they hadn't thought about was that with everything Harry asked or said, he was also thinking about it and those thoughts were all heard by Minerva. It was Bella who saw the eyes of Minerva and shook her head as she gazed at the table top. When Daphne saw the reaction of Bella she too looked at Minerva. It was not long after that that she lowered her head and poked Harry in the ribs with her elbow. as she hissed, "Don't think so much".
"What," Harry said as he too looked at his grandmother. The moment that Minerva zipped up her lips with an imaginary zipper, they all knew what she meant and nodded their agreement.
When Minerva looked back she snapped her fingers. "I know it, Zanita," she told everyone. But the only thing she saw were looks of disbelief. "Zanita can do it," she said again. "She has never been to Hogsmeade and has been asking me to take her. the only place she has been here and for a little ride in a car. No one outside of Hogwarts knows her. They did hear about her but never saw her and the brother of Albus can only know her if he is talking with Albus. because the Abeforth I know doesn't read the Daily Prophet. and he doesn't have a wireless. Meaning that if Zanita walks into his bar and he knows her, he is not to be trusted. So to keep her save we will have Tonks going with her as an older lady who could be her aunty, who is showing her the place".
The hours that followed were all filled with a lot of planning and organising for the things that were coming It was at the end of the meeting that Harry asked all of them to listen up. "I have one more thing I have to tell you all. It is something I asked someone to do for me and that one is Narcissa Malfoy. She had been following the Daily Prophet and the France paper. In it, there has been some kind of battle between miss Nolwenn LaBrun and our own Rita Skeeter. She told me that this Miss LaBrun could be a good ally for us. Now you all know how I feel about other people coming in, and especially the ones I do not know that well. I'm also not the only one who will decide about it. No, that is something we all have to do together. Now before we are going to decide it, I have asked Narcissa to go and dig a little bit into her pass. She has told me that We will be pleased and that she wants a meeting to tell us all about it. She is also dying to tell us about the battle that is going on between the to of them.
They all decided that they would think about that when Isabella asked the one question both Harry and Neville didn't want any of them to ask. "Neville, Harry who is going to be your dates for the Yule Ball".
*#*
Two weeks after the meaning it was the Saturday that everyone was going to Hogsmeade for the second time. Today would be the day of all the girls from Hogwarts to get the dress they would be wearing on the ball. Harry and Neville were going to spend the morning alone because the girls had told them to do it.
In one way they didn't mind to not be going with them because of the idea of watching the girls trying on dress after dress for someone else. then again to watch the girls get into one dress after the other was also something that they didn't want to miss".
As they were pondering over the thought about the dresses they were also thinking about the date they would have. "Harry, what would you say if Bella and Daphne made you go with Pansy".
"Please, Neville doesn't say it" Harry almost screamed as he laid his hand on the wall and pretended to become sick. "I would rather face Fluffy then to dance with Pansy" As Harry started to shake.
Neville who saw the way Harry was pretending started to roll over the floor from laughter. After a while, he felt Harry patting him with his foot. "Stop it, Harry," he told him between his laughter.
"Neville" Harry hissed.
Neville looked up and swallowed hard. He sat up and was looking right into the eyes of a very strict Minerva. "Sorry, sorry" he mumbled.
Minerva only looked at him before she started to giggle.
"YEP, you still got it" sounded the voice of Augusta from behind them.
Both Neville and Harry turned on the spot and saw all the others standing there. it was not much later that they felt the hands of Minerva on their shoulders as she said. "It is time to go".
Harry didn't say a thing but just nodded. He knew that if his grandmother would come for him, then it was almost time for Bella to have her meeting with Abeforth. So if she was in the bar, he would make sure that he was very close. As he looked behind him to all the others he knew that he wasn't the only one who had that Idea. He knew who would go ant that they would do everything they could to help Bella if necessary. He was also glad the others would be there and that he knew what they would be doing. It was something his grandmother and Amelia had told them the night before.
*#*
Potter castle at ten in the morning.
Arabella was walking back and forth in front of the painting of Lily and James. Lily had just come back from her visit to the Longbottom and was looking at Arabella with a lot of worry in her eyes.
"How are Frank and Alice" Arabella immediately asked, just to get her mind on something else.
The gaze from Lily became a little sad but she instantly knew what Arabella was doing. So with a sad but knowing smile, she went along with it. "Frank and Alice are as fine as I can get them. Both of them are talking but it is nothing more than jibberish. The one thing I kneed is the magic word. but I just can't remember. It is one of the Memories my real me didn't give me before she died. With Harry it was my mother, just her name was all we needed to get him that little will to get back. With Alice and Frank, I need that one word. If I have that one word just that one word for one of them, then they could find their own way back outside and if I have one of them then they could help the other. But as it is now I can only keep them talking. and as long as they are talking, even if it is Jibberish then they are talking and I know that they are still in there" Lily told her.
The fire in the floo turned green and the first one that stepped out was Isabella. Without words, she took Arabella into a hug and told her that everything would be alright.
The moment Arabella let go of Isabella she could not believe her eyes. right behind Isabella stood the whole family. the whole family except the kids. Isabella took her by the arm. "We are all here to go to Hogsmeade with you. First, we will go to Hogwarts to pick up Harry and Neville. We will take them to Hogsmeade together. we can not go to the meeting with Bella and Amelia, but we damn well will be close by if something doesn't go our way". Isabella told her.
As they all sat down Amelia stood. "We all know the big plan but I will now tell you some of the details. Minerva and I did it last night to the kids and Now I will tell it all to you. Zanita will go to the hogshead with Tonks as her aunt. She will take a place at the side so they could keep an eye on us. They will also be there thirty minutes before we do so to not look suspicious. they will go to Hogsmeade by the tunnel that will end up in the candy store of Honeydukes.
At first, we were afraid that someone would find out and tell on them. The next thing, however, came as a big surprise to us. That thing is that the wife of the owner is a werewolf. She has heard the stories of Harry being friends with the Goblins. It was the one thing that was giving her hope for a better future. A future of no more hiding for what you are. And when she heard of our little group she contacted me and told us that she knew of Remus and also our group but most of all the secret tunnel that ended in their store, she then allowed us to use it anytime we want. So she will help Zanita and Tonks get into Hogsmeade without anyone seeing it.
While Zanita and Tonks will get a drink. Neville and Harry will be waiting on the outside of the bar on a bench. They will do it on the moment that I and Bella walk in.
Arabella Nodded and could feel her worry dropping with every second that passed. And was paying, even more, attention to Amelia as she went on.
"That is what we and the others will do in and by the bar. Daphne, Susan, and Hermione Will be at Honeydukes. They will be there with Astoria and Ginny. From inside the store, they will have a clear view of the bar. Now if there is any sign of Danger they will do the following. Astoria and Ginny will be sent to the castle to warn Minerva and Poppy. We do not know if we need them but just like the world cup, we have to be prepared. Daphne, Hermione and Susan will come and help us, because we all know with the training they are having they are able. And the second thing is that we all know what they can do if they put their minds to it. I trust them more than any of my Aurors. ( Again this training will be explained in part five and six of the story. Because then it is the time they will need it the most.) Especially when we have Albus facing us. And now the big question mark. Abeforth Dumbledore is the brother of Albus. Is he on our side or is he on the side of his brother. And because he is the brother of Albus, we are expecting hem to be just as strong or even stronger".
Arabella had slumped down in a chair. When everybody was there she felt the worry fall from her shoulders. But then there were the words from Amelia. and the more she heard the more the worry started to come back to her. She had never thought about the fact that Albus could be there the moment Bella was there. And if Bella was in danger then Harry would be by her side in a heartbeat. The moment Amelia told her that she trusted the friends more then her Aurors made it all the more frightening. Then again if she had to pick someone to be by the side of her Bella, then Harry would be the one she would pick above anyone else.
The snapping of fingers made Arabella look up. "Arabella, I'm not trying to worry you," Amelia said. "But it is a possibility that could go down. So we will be there to keep it all from happening. While the friends are keeping an eye on the bar. The others will be walking around Hogsmeade. They will be looking for anyone that could be there to help Albus, and the moment Bella and I are inside they will be keeping their rounds as small as possible".
*#*
(well, we now know how Harry and Neville went to Hogsmeade. we also know how the Adults were going to Hogsmeade. let see how the girls did it.)
It was just after breakfast that morning when Daphne took Bella by the hand while she said goodbye to Harry, where she was immediately followed by Bella. as they were doing it they could hear Neville telling Hermione that she had to watch out because you never know.
Still, it was ten minutes later that six girls were walking out of Hogwarts and through the gate. When they walked into Hogsmeade they saw Zanita walking down the road next to an older woman. It was something that made all six of them smile because they all knew that the woman was none other than Tonks.
As they were looking around at all the stores that were around them. Most of them were screaming at them to come in, but then again they knew that they first had to do something else. this was the day that most of the girls would be getting their dresses for the ball and they wanted to be the first in the sore just so they could be ahead of the stampede that would be following them a little later that day.
After a lot of giggling and many dresses that were thrown to the side. the girls were just in time to get Bella to Amelia so they could have their meeting. the only thing that was left was to pick up the dresses later that day.
While five of them were walking down the road and straight to Honneydukes, Bella gave a kiss to Daphne and walked across the road where Amelia would be waiting for her. She saw her standing in front of the bar. Are the others already inside" Bella asked in a whisper.
Amelia nodded and pointed to a spot where Harry and Neville were sitting. The smile Harry gave Bella was all she needed to feel a lot better. Bella looked back and nodded before she walked into the bar.
At the same time in Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore left his office and was making his way down to the entrance.
A/N The six were Bella, Daphne, Susan, Hermione. Astoria and Ginny.
This was it again for this week, see you all in two weeks. Gr Winmau