The First Change

After paragraph one, Albus will refer to the time-traveller, and Al to the eleven year old.

"Al! Breakfast time, Kiddo!"

Eleven-year-old Albus Dumbledore woke up with a jerk and nearly started crying again.

'Albus' simply got up and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, muttering reassurances the whole time: "It's OK. Mum's fine, Ari's fine. Dad'll be burning the bacon if you don't take it from him soon." Albus started laughing. "I'd forgotten how he used to do that. Sweet Merlin, kid, you have no idea how good it is to hear her voice again."

"True." 'Albus' replied. "I hope I never find out."

"Agreed" muttered Albus.

"Coming, Mum!" the young wizard called.

He wandered into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and almost froze. Ari was sitting at the table, drawing and chewing on bacon alternatively. His father was reading the post. Abe had beaten Albus to the cooking duties and was grinning at his brother over the frypan. Al felt his chest constrict. This was the day it had all gone wrong. He would need to try to find an excuse to be close to home or to keep Ari close to him at all times, but he couldn't remember what he was meant to be doing that day or how to talk his way out of it.

"Al, after breakfast, can you go down to the shops for me, please? I need a few things," Kendra Dumbledore requested.

"Sure, Mum." Al replied.

Albus muttered, "Not a good idea. We need to be able to protect Ari."

Al simply looked up from his bacon. "Can Ari and Abe come too, please? I feel like having them around right now; I won't be able to soon."

Percival Dumbledore looked up in surprise. "What on earth are you talking about, son? We'll always be around," he said, before suddenly nodding. "Oh, of course. Hogwarts. Never mind, boy-o. There's always the holidays!"

Kendra merely smiled. "Would you take them, Al? They'll love going down with you. Would you mind taking care of them today? I have several errands and things, and I really don't want to hurt their feelings by saying they can't come, but I would get everything done faster without their distractions."

"Of course, Mum. We're not on a time-schedule; we can take as long as we want. Is it OK if we visit the pet shop and the sweet shop on the way home?"

Kendra laughed. At least one of her children always made this request. She always granted it. And if she could, she gave them a little extra cash to get a small treat for themselves, and for the family.

"Of course, Al. You know you can look in there any time. Pick something up from the sweetshop for me, would you? Just a surprise or something."

Al laughed. "I was planning to, Mum. So, you guys won't worry about us if we spend the day in the village?"

"No, son. Why would we? You're responsible, and Abe and Anna know the safety precautions," Percival replied, smiling. It wasn't that it was unexpected for his eldest son to want to include his siblings in an outing, not now. It was just the boy's eagerness, almost desperation to keep them close right now. He wondered where it had come from. Little did he know he would find out very soon, and that it wasn't as innocent as he thought it was.

After breakfast Al grabbed the shopping basket and waited for Ari and Abe to get the things they needed for the outing. "Come on, guys, let's go hit the town!"

Abe was bouncing with excitement. Ari looked proud to be included in an activity with the big boys. She was skipping along, laughing in sheer pleasure, when she unexpectedly sprouted flowers out of her right hand.

A small group of Muggle onlookers were staring at her in awe. "How did you do that?" one of the boys asked.

"I don't know." Ariana replied, looking worried.

"Do it again!" demanded one of the others.

Ari started shaking. "I don't know how! I can't!" she replied.

The third of the boys looked at her contemptuously. "Oh? You can't do it again? Then I think it's time we show you what happens to people who make weird things happen unexpectedly. I think it's time we showed you what happens to freaks!"

Al was furious. "Leave her ALONE, you mean bullies!" he roared, moving in front of Ariana and Aberforth, shielding them protectively.

"So, are you willing to take the girl's punishment for her, boy?" sneered the third Muggle.

"Yes," Al replied coldly, staring the boys in the eyes, almost daring them to do something about it. "So the deal is, once you are done with me, you'll leave my sister and brother alone, permanently?"

"Agreed," the third boy said.

The first two were staring incredulously at Al. "Don't be stupid, boy. Don't subject yourself to this. She's the freak, not you," one of the first two boys begged.

Al sneered in reply. "I don't care what you think; I am going to take whatever you bullies are going to do to me, and then you are going to leave us alone, permanently," he said coldly, addressing the three Muggles. He then turned to Abe and Ari. Without thinking, Albus created a Privacy Sphere around the three of them with a wave on his hand. "Go, both of you, and chat with Mrs Prewett. She'll probably offer you morning tea. Take it. Stay with Mrs P until I come to get you, OK?"

"Don't, Al! It's not worth it! Don't let them do it to you!" Ari sobbed.

"Yes, it is, baby." Al replied, gently. "I have control over my magic. I've been accepted to Hogwarts. Letting them do whatever they want to me won't harm me. But do you remember the case Dad read to us, a few days ago? Do you remember about the boy who's in St Mungo's because Muggles tried to beat the magic out of him? He lost control of his magic. He can't voluntarily use it any more, but it bursts out of him when he becomes emotional. It nearly killed his father one day. St Mungo's healers are working as hard as they can to help him gain control of his magic, to heal the emotional scars. They're close to it, too."

Al sighed, before continuing: "But sometimes they can't succeed so well. Some people have even ended up killing themselves or members of their family because they can't control their magic."

Ari just nodded. "I remember," she whispered, before looking back at her brother. "So, you're afraid the same thing might happen to me, if you don't make them do it to you instead."

"The same thing DID happen to you!" Albus wailed, before freezing, horrified.

"Nice," muttered Al, "now we're in trouble. They're not supposed to know yet."

Albus nodded. "I know. I'm sorry; it just slipped out. Ah, well, as Severus would say: no use crying over spilt potion."

Al slowly turned to face his siblings. "Guys, I need you to promise me that until I tell our parents about what I just said, you will tell no one. You have no idea how much trouble we could be in with the Ministry. To cut a long story short, I'm from the future. I'm 149, my name is Albus Dumbledore, I'm headmaster of Hogwarts- among other titles- and I just got cursed by one of my employees. We knew that his other boss wanted me dead. Severus couldn't do it, I knew that. He used a curse which has almost the same colour as the killing curse, but is a time-travel curse instead."

He started crying. "Ari, baby, what I described happened to you. In my first timeline, those Muggles attacked you. None of us were able to get there in time to protect you. That was the first disaster. Dad attacked the Muggles who had hurt you, and ended up in Azkaban. He died in Azkaban. That was disaster number two. Due to the trauma, you never voluntarily used magic again. It just retreated inside you and became uncontrollable. That was disaster number three." Albus took a deep breath. He didn't want to tell them everything, but it was just tumbling out of his mouth. "Then the other disasters happened. You flew into a rage one day, when Abe and I were at Hogwarts, and your uncontrollable magic killed Mum. That was disaster number four."

He sighed, sadly. Now was confession time. Now was time to speak of what he considered one of the worst disasters. "I was a gifted student, and I was always too busy studying and making new discoveries and seeking power and glory to pay much attention to your welfare. One day I met a foreign boy who was as gifted as I was, who I believed shared my ambitions and plans, and whom I encouraged in his. We both had plans for world domination; I, because wizards had a power that Muggles did not, and those with power have the responsibility to guide and protect those without power. Bertie for his own sick pleasure and possibly to rid the world of Muggles and Muggle-borns."

Ariana and Abe made noises of anger. "Mum's Muggle-born!" Abe exclaimed.

"I know," Albus replied, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I only learned later of the true nature of Bertie's plans. By then it was too late to stop him. I had contributed to the rise of one of the worst Dark Lords of the next century, had encouraged his rise, to the detriment and neglect of the most precious people in my life, my family. That was disaster number five."

Abe was openly crying. Ari was staring in shock.

Albus took a deep breath. It was time to announce the last disaster. "A few years later, my best friend and I had a huge duel, after Abe tried to force me to listen to some home truths about our ambitions and plans for power. Bertie used the cruciatus on Abe. You entered the battle, trying to protect me and Abe. No one knows whose curse killed you. You were fourteen at the time, and…" Albus couldn't finish.

Ariana, however, did. "And you've carried all of that guilt around ever since, haven't you?"

Al just nodded. Albus was crying too hard to say or do anything, and the eleven-year-old was feeling strangely alone and helpless. "Go, both of you. I'm sorry to have burdened you with that information, but after what I blurted out it was unavoidable. Please tell no one, until I can tell our parents."

Both children nodded, fervently, before hugging Al, then running away in the direction of their neighbour's home.

Al turned to face the Muggle boys. "Well? Come on; do your worst," he sneered coldly, before realising that only one of the boys was still there.

However, the one who was still there was staring at Al with more contempt than Al believed possible. "So, not only are you a freak, just like the girl, you're a WORSE freak! A liar! And a Looney! Well, here's what happens to people like you!" The boy swung the stick, hard.

It connected with the younger boy's torso, causing him to double over, wheezing in pain. But Al was up again seconds later, panting. Blow after blow the older boy delivered, not seeming to care about the damage his victim was sustaining, determined to 'knock the magic out of him'. At one point, Albus was nearly tempted to use a Disarming charm or a Stunner on the boy. Al clamped down hard on the desire.

"Just let him do it; it won't be that bad," he muttered, before standing again, facing the other boy with determination written all over his face. He was going to survive this; he knew it. Going to Hogwarts, I'm going to Hogwarts, there's no mean, crazy Muggles at Hogwarts, the little boy chanted the mantra over and over.

Just as Al was sure he was going to collapse under the attack, an angry voice yelled, "Hey! Leave my son alone!"

Albus almost called out, "Don't dad, it's not worth it. I'm fine," before realising that the angry voice belonged to Kendra.

"Albus Percival, where are your brother and sister?" she asked, looking worried.

"They're at Mrs Prewett's, mum. At least I hope they are. When the boys started to attack Ari, I made a deal with them to make them leave her alone. I told Ari and Abe to go to Mrs P; they'll be safe there," Al whispered. "Ari accidentally made flowers sprout out of her fingers, probably due to the excitement of being included with me and Abe. The Muggles demanded that she do it again, and when she couldn't, they wanted to beat the 'freakishness' out of her."
Kendra Dumbledore looked horrified. "So you sacrificed yourself to keep her safe? I read that article too, you know, the boy wasn't much younger than you are. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

Al sighed. "The boy was ten, mum, and he hadn't got his Hogwarts letter yet. They can't beat the magic out of me; the Hogwarts letter proves that I have magic, and that it's stable. I'll be OK; they're just bruises, and they'll be gone in a week." Al seemed so absolutely confident. "I'll show you when we get home, OK? Everything's going to be fine. Just don't tell Dad."

"Why not, young man?" Kendra sounded surprised.

"Because, Mum, if he loses his temper, he'll end up in Azkaban," Al replied.

"Oooookay. It sounds like you have a lot of explaining to do, Albus. Just tell me this: are you being possessed by a demon, or something we should worry about?"

Al blanched. He never understood why his mum always seemed to know everything. Albus winced, and slammed his Occlumency shields into place as hard as he could, before withdrawing them gently, and pushing something out of his mind, before replacing them firmly.

"I always thought you could read minds!" he joked.

Kendra laughed. "It's not quite as simple as that, son. I'm pleased you found resources on how to block it, although I'm not sure I'm happy you're using them against me."

Al sighed. "I have to, mummy. I'm not being possessed by a demon, or by something you should worry about, in regards to my safety. But I can't tell you anything else until we get home safely. And I must ask you not to ask the others about it; they've promised not to tell anyone until I tell you and dad everything. Please mum, just trust me."

Kendra nodded. "Alright, Al. I haven't known you to keep secrets unless it was really important. But I need you to tell us everything, soon. We can't help you otherwise."

Al smiled. "Ok, Mum. Can we go and get Abe and Ari?"

"Of course. I'm taking you three home; your father can pick up some milk and bread on his way home from work, and the rest of the shopping can wait until tomorrow, and we'll all go together," Kendra promised.

"Thanks mum." Al sighed. "Can we get home soon, please, mum? I don't know how long my legs are going to keep me upright. There's a humdinger of a bruise on my left calf, and I think that Muggle may have managed to fracture a bone."

Kendra nodded. "Hang on, Al, I'm side-along-ing you. Abe and Ari can walk."

Al nodded.