A/N: This chapter contains some Deathly Hollows spoilers! I'd advise reading the book before this chapter…it won't really kill the ending for you but…well you know, you decide…

Chapter 15- Dumbledore's Army

Aimee awoke the next morning in puzzlement. She didn't remember walking to her room last night, nor did she remember falling asleep. It was a strange feeling. She didn't dwell on it; instead she got up and dressed, and walked across the hall to Kat's room. When she entered the room, she was taken by surprise. Inside she found an older plump woman changing Katrina's diaper. The woman turned around after hearing the door open and, upon spotting Aimee, smiled and said;

"Ah, I see you're awake." She was just finishing with the changing. Aimee saw her lift up a dirty diaper and toss into the waste basket aside the changing table. "My name is Evangeline Christie, but most just call me Genie."

"I'm Aimee." Genie smiled once again and, picking up Katrina, walked towards the large window.

"Such a lovely day isn't it Aimee?"

"I suppose." Aimee replied. She hadn't really looked at the weather outside. Although the sun beams that shone through the huge window in the room made it clear that it obviously was a very beautiful day.

"The rain storm yesterday let us all know that spring is here. Do you like the spring Miss. Aimee?" This woman was certainly asking some odd questions. Aimee was becoming uneasy at the fact that the woman was holding Kat. She looked as if she could spread out her arms and fly out of that window at any moment.

"Um…I believe that spring is a lovely time of the year." Aimee shifted uncomfortably.

"It's a time for rebirth." The woman continued. "It's only been two years since Harry Potter killed off the Dark Lord you know," Now she turned back to look at Aimee, who was still standing in the doorway. "And now, our world can live forever in peace. The spring reminds me of the hardship, and how we as witches and wizards overcame such an evil force. We cleaned up the dirt and debris and started anew."

Alright, now Aimee was definitely getting nervous. This woman was a little too airy.

I'll just carefully walk up and take Katrina out of her arms… she thought. She figured it was a good plan. She began to take a step but stopped upon hearing footsteps behind her.

"Aimee?"

"Hermione?"

"There you are! Come with me." Before she could say no, Hermione grabbed her arm and pulled her into one of the sitting rooms that Harry and shown to her yesterday. "Are you alright? How were you feeling when you woke up? Any dizziness?"

"Um…no?" Aimee replied, now debating whether or not Hermione was hanging around with that Genie.

"Are you sure? Did you feel anything? Any pain?"

"Pain? Why would I feel pain?" Hermione didn't answer. She put her hand on Aimee's forehead, checking for a fever.

"Hermione what is the matter?" Aimee asked pulling her hand off her forehead.

"You saw it." Hermione whispered.

"Saw what?"

"This…" Hermione lifted up her shirt sleeve to reveal a lightning bolt shaped tattoo on her forearm. Aimee instantly remembered the night before. Harry had the exact same mark on his forearm.

"I don't understand…" Aimee began. "What does that do? And why do you and Harry have it."

"It started back in school. Harry, Ron and I were all really good friends, and we started the DA in school. We were the founders."

"What was the DA?" Aimee asked.

"It stands for Dumbledore's Army. The Ministry of Magic was refusing to acknowledge the fact that Voldemort had returned, and our then Minister, Cornelius Fudge, had sent in a Ministry member to "keep order" in Hogwarts. It was our fifth year. Evil woman…" Hermione was beginning to trail off. Aimee was trying to think back to last night. What had happened to her? She remembered looking at Harry's arm…but she couldn't remember what happened after that.

"So we started up a group of people who wanted to protect themselves, and we called ourselves Dumbledore's Army." Hermione seemed to pick up where she drifted off. "We got caught by the Ministry representative and our progress stopped for a long time. Eventually, after Harry left school and everyone was in panic, he got more…followers. People began believing him and finally he was getting the support he needed and deserved. During the final battle Harry had collected just as many followers as Voldemort."

Aimee sat silently for a few moments. She knew nothing of what Hermione was speaking about…Voldemort…followers…final battle…

"I don't understand what you're saying Hermione. And I don't see the connection between your tattoo and what you're telling me…"

"It's his mark!" She said, perhaps a little too loudly than she should have. Aimee jumped a little off her seat and the sound of Hermione's raised voice. "The Dark Lord, or Voldemort, had what they called a dark mark…it was a way for him to contact his followers, or Death Eaters."

"Who is Voldemort?" Aimee asked in frustration. Hermione didn't answer. She had this dazed look in her eyes that made Aimee uncomfortable. It's like she woke up this morning in a strange new dimension or something. What was going on? Finally Hermione spoke, but not with an answer to Aimee's question, and her voice was very soft as she said;

"It's you. It's really you…"

"Hermione…you're scaring me…" Aimee slowly rose to her feet, as if not to disturb Hermione's glare, but it didn't help. Hermione rose with her.

"Hermione…" It was a deep strict voice that called her name. It seemed to pierce through the deathly silence that filled the room. "Ron's looking for you. Your planner's waiting for you two at the Burrow." Hermione still didn't say anything. She looked towards Harry, of whose face Aimee couldn't see because she was too nervous to turn around. There was silence once more, and Hermione slowly exited the room. Harry followed her, leaving Aimee alone in that deadly silence.

It didn't take long for Harry to rejoin her in the sitting room. He must have just walked Hermione out. He entered the room casually, looking around before he set his gaze on Aimee, who had seated herself back down on the cushioned chair. He sat himself across from her on the sofa.

His face looked strained, as if he hadn't slept all night. There was a slight stubble on his chin and his hair was more messy than usual.

"How are you feeling this morning?" His voice was unnaturally calm, or more to say, calmer than Hermione's had been.

"I've said this more than once," She said getting aggravated. "I'm fine!"

"I'm glad to hear it." He replied calmly

"What's going on?" Harry shifted in his seat.

"I've travelled to Oxford." He said simply.

"You've what?"

"This Madam Alexandrine, the one you were talking about. She's gone."

"What?" Aimee's blood was pulsing through her body. She was upset and frustrated.

"I ran into a charming man named Jeoffroi…" Harry grinned. "He seemed to love you very much."

"Your sarcasm is the last thing I need right now." His grin vanished.

"He told me that she left shortly after you left, he doesn't know where she went."

"Well that's just great." She said sadly. Harry didn't speak again for a while; he seemed to be just staring at her, as if she was behind some sort of viewing glass. She avoided as much eye contact as she could, but every time she looked up at him his eyes searched hers. At last he spoke

"You're a Dumbledore." He said matter-of-factly. Aimee sat in frustration at his words.

"And what is that? A title?" She asked through her teeth. Harry simply cocked his head to the side in thought. He supposed it could have been a title and nodded his head to show that yes, it could be. Her mocking face turned into a confused scowl.

"What is a Dumbledore!" It wasn't a question but a demand.

"He was a great man." He said vaguely.

"I'm a man?"

"No, of course not!" Aimee was beginning to snap.

"Stop being vague! What's wrong with you…and Hermione, and WHAT is on your arm, and why would it have caused me pain to look at!"

"It wasn't because you looked at it!" Harry stated defensively. "You touched it."

"What's the difference!"

"Well for one it told me who you were!" Harry said now raising his own voice.

"Can you just be plain with me? I-don't-understand!" She said frustration taking over, and without realizing, tears were pooling up in the corners of her eyes.

"Forgive me. I'm just…" He couldn't finish what he was saying because Aimee had plopped her tearful head on his lap and slow sobs began coming from her slumped body.

"Why is—everyone…so…s-so w-weird today?" She said her voice now muffled into his lap. He took a hand and placed it on the top of her head, and gently stroked her soft auburn hair.

"Aimee…" He sighed "Where do I even start?"

"Start with me! Who was Dumbledore?"

"He was the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when I began school. I'd heard a lot about him before I actually became acquainted with him. Many people called him Great. He was the one the Dark Lord feared…"

"I don't know him either…" Aimee said softly. Harry sighed deeply. Slowly he told her about Lord Voldemort, and his own connection with him; the prophecy and the Horocruxes, and how he Harry, was one.

"I know you may never fully understand that bit," Harry stated "to make it clear, when he came after my parents and me, he, of course, killed both my mum and dad, but when he went to kill me, something backfired and caused part of his sole to enter into me. That connected us…do you understand?"

"A part of his was in you?" Aimee clarified.

"Yes. That's it." He said softly, remembering the anxiety and anticipation of death and how he had welcomed it. "Albus Dumbledore was the only wizard I could trust to help me. He was powerful, and obviously, the Dark Lord feared him. But he was just building me; setting me up for death."

"He deceived you?"

"No…well, yes…but for good measure…I mean…"

"Harry?" A loud deep voice once again pierced through the large house and into the small sitting room in which he and Aimee still sat. Harry was reluctant, but rose and told Aimee to stay put until he got back.

Aimee obeyed. She sat for a long time, seemed to be forever. The anxiety of finally knowing who she was…if she had family…this Albus Dumbledore…what if she could meet him? The door creak brought her from her daze. Harry took his seat once again, but Aimee, feeling awkward kept her head off his lap this time.

"Who what it?" She asked.

"Kingsley. He brought news." Harry held up a small vial that was filled with a bright silvery liquid in it.

"What is that?"

"It's the memory of a very old centaur." Harry grinned at the little bottle he now twirled in his hands. "Follow me."

Aimee rose and followed Harry out and down the hallway to the bedroom at the very end. He motioned his hands and the double oak doors opened and closed behind them. She followed him to the west wall of his bedroom. Looking around she noticed very dark crimson colors that filled her eyes. Harry tapped twice on the wall with his wand and slowly the wall began to open from a crack. A narrow spiral staircase appeared through the opening, and Harry motioned for Aimee to enter. She did, and slowly ascended the narrow stairs. She reached the bottom and saw a large open room. It was completely empty except for a large basin that seemed to be shedding an eerie silvery glow that was placed at the back wall.

"Forgive the cobwebs." Harry said. Together they walked over to the basin. Above it was two shelves lined with similar vials such as the one in Harry's hand.

"Are these all memories too?" She said, cocking her head slightly. Without looking up Harry replied that yes, those were indeed memories.

"But of other people." He continued. "Those are not any of my own. These…" He pointed towards the swirls of sliver in the basin "Are mine." Aimee looked down. It was memorizing. While Aimee was engrossed in the glow, Harry stole a glance at a large vial at the end of the second shelf. He knew what memories lay inside it. The very memories of a tormented heart, and a lonely soul…that of Severus Snape…

"We'll have to empty this however, here…hold this while I put my memories into an empty vial." He placed the centaur's memories gently in Aimee's hand, and grabbed a rather large empty vial.

One by one Harry placed his memories into the vial. After what seemed like the twenty-fifth memory, Aimee spoke;

"You sure have a lot of memories you don't want in your head…" It was a statement. More of an observation really. Harry didn't retaliate. When he finished he placed the vial carefully atop the first shelf. He took the memory from Aimee and placed it in the basin. Aimee could see scenery form in the silver swirls, something she didn't see when all Harry's were cramped in together.

"Shall we?" He asked holding out his hand.

"Shall we what?" Aimee clasped Harry's offered hand.

"Lower your head in…like this."

She did. Upon doing so Aimee felt a pull and literally was sucked into the depths of the basin. She didn't open her eyes until she felt ground beneath her feet. When she opened them, she saw that they were standing in a large wooded clearing.

"Where are we?" She asked in a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the scenery.

"Well we are inside the centaur's memory," Harry began "It looks so much like…no…it couldn't be…"

There was a soft thumping that could be heard at a distance. The stones and twigs at their feet were shaking with the rhythm of the ground.

"Watch it!" Harry shouted, pulling Aimee aside and out of the way of the racing pack of centaurs heading straight for their path. "You never want to be in the way of one of those…"

"Will they hurt us?" Aimee asked nervously.

"Not us, we're invisible to them. You see, we are in a memory, it's like the centaur is telling us what happened, except more precise details." Just as he spoke, a group of smaller centaurs came galloping along.

"Let's go Atticus! You're slowing us down!" The leader of the group yelled back. The rest of the followers all yelled back words of agreement. Aimee was astonished at how deep their voices were for such smaller animals than the beasts that had run by a minute earlier. "You little weakling! Why don't you just give up and get away! You're not fit to be a member of this pack!" The leader shouted, aggravated by the others who were edging him on.

The thin taunted centaur lowered his head in disgrace.

"How can they do that?" Aimee asked angrily.

"That's how they live." Harry replied.

"How can you sit a watch this?"

"I've seen worse." Harry said, remembering the memory of Snape he saw his fifth year, during his Occumency lessons. He had never wanted to admit to Snape's reasons of dislike for his father. And yet after realizing the torment and sorrow he had been forced to carry throughout his life…

"You're a disgrace to centaurs everywhere! Don't bother trying to keep up, we're not waiting for you!" And with that, the head centaur spat and the ground and charged away; the others followed.

The lone centaur stood still for a long time. Until he heard rustling upon the path.

"He must be our centaur, let's follow him." Harry said, taking Aimee hand and leading her to the centaurs hiding place. They saw a young woman carrying a bundle in her arms. Harry, Aimee and the centaur followed the woman down the long path until they reached another clearing, only this one Harry recognized. He gasped.

"Oh my G-" He quickly silenced himself, realizing that something was rising from the water.

"Is that…a mermaid?" Aimee was astonished. There, right before her, was a mermaid. Two of them! A man and a woman. The woman that had carried the bundle here spoke;

"This is the child that needs your protection." The mermaid open her mouth, but all that Aimee heard was an ear shattering screech.

"What was that!?"

"It's how they talk."

They saw the woman lay the bundle in the scaly hands of the merman, and watched as it was lowered into the dark, murky water.

The woman turned and saw the centaur. Harry got a clear shot of her face. Oh my God.

"Don't ever speak of this." The woman said calmly to the centaur, who was cowering a ways back. "Come back 50 years to this date and make sure that child gets into the hands of safety." She turned back up towards the path.

"Quick!" Harry grabbed Aimee, who was still watching the water. "Before the memory ends…I just need to see…" He stopped. Aimee looked up and saw a large castle sitting in the distance.

That's all Harry needed to know.

In a split second Aimee was jolted out of the memory and back into the large room.

"I can't believe it." Harry began. "All that time…you were hidden under the Black Lake…"

"How did I live under there…?" Her voice was lost.

"I don't know! But it's amazing!" Harry rambled on, talking of new discoveries and things in which Aimee was not interested in. All she wanted to know is where she cam from, and who she was.

"Harry?" He stopped jumping around to listen. "Was Albus Dumbledore, was he my father?"

"I don't know."

"But you said…"

"I said you were a Dumbledore. He had a brother and sister at the time."

"Oh." She sighed.

"But I'm pretty sure we can cross his sister out." Harry stated, putting the memory back in the vial and his own back into the basin.

"Why is that?"

"She was…very ill. She never left the house, let alone get pregnant." Harry turned back around to face her. "Don't worry. I have a lead." He took her by the hand and lead her back upstairs into his room. She sat in a chair by the window. The sun was low in the sky.

"Katrina…" She suddenly remembered.

"Is with Genie." That sparked something…

"About her!" Aimee began, but was quickly cut off by Harry who continued;

"She is fine. A tad airy, but fine. I trust her." This seemed to suffice, for Aimee sat quietly for a while before speaking once again.

"You never finished telling me how you found out I was a Dumbledore."

Harry had forgotten that. He was busy thinking about that woman…

"What gave it away?"

"You fainted. You touched the mark."

"What exactly is that…?"

"I told you of Voldemort earlier. His mark was of a skull and snake. It's what he used to call his followers. It's how they knew he was alive."

"And that's what you've got…"

"It the mark of light. My mark is the mark of light."

"I see, that's why it's a lightning bolt." She half smiled as she said it.

"It wasn't my idea."

"So how did that make me faint?"

"I can cause pain to anyone who has this mark. It's dark magic, even though it stands for good."

"But I didn't feel any pain." Aimee replied.

"But you caused me pain." Harry continued "When you touched it…I'm sorry…I just jinxed you by mistake…and it knocked you out…but the pain was so immense I just thought on instinct…" He was breathing heavily.

"It's alright. I'm fine." Aimee said touching his hand. He pulled away from her.

"But it's not okay. I could have killed you." He put his hand to his forehead and felt the scar that had once connected him to Voldemort. The mark of dark magic…what made him a horocrux…

"Only powerful witch or wizard can overcome such dark magic. You managed to penetrate through me. Something that Voldemort feared, and he feared the only man that could do that to him. Well he feared me too, but he feared Dumbledore because he could penetrate through him, and see him as the weak man he was. Dumbledore always saw him as Tom Riddle…"

"But did he cause him pain because of a touch?"

"That's not the point…that's what Voldemort feared…himself…weakness…"

"You fear pain?" Harry didn't answer. He was slumped against a wardrobe some five feet away from Aimee. The setting sun made shadows on the walls, in which half of Harry's face was in.

"You don't understand. The pain that I've seen…not just physical. My friends…" He cut off. Aimee didn't need to hear anymore to understand. Harry had carried pain with him throughout life. In school, war, friends, family, love…

"I can tell you haven't slept." She rose and walked towards him. "You should sleep. I'll make sure Kat's down and settled."

"I have to write a letter…" He said feebly.

"Then promise to sleep?" He didn't answer, just nodded, and Aimee left his room.

After long moments he slowly rose and sat down at his desk. He wrote quickly and quietly. Once finished he went to the window and called to his bird.

"Deliver this to the Headmistress of Hogwarts." He said once the owl arrived. He tied the letter to it's feet and it flew off.

He thought back to the woman in the memory. It was Professor McGonagall.

A/N: so this is a long one. 10 pages on Microsoft word people…anywho…hope you enjoyed it. I tried not to talk about stuff we already know about, like Voldemort and Harry business….and sorry if Herm seemed a little "Bellatrix" I sort of got that vibe after I re-read it….let's just say she was nervous…don't worry she's not going to whip out knives and kill house-elves ;)