A/n: Thanks to all my readers and reviews. Especially you stsgirlie!
A/n: I hope this is more exciting than the last chapter. I think I'll have one or two more before this is over and I move to the next story: The Unexplainable Correna Dumbledore
Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable; I'm just playing with it.
Chapter 12: Disappearances and Pacts
It was a lazy summer afternoon. Twilight to be exact and eight year-old Correna Harmony Dumbledore was laying in the front porch swing reading a book. She had made the choice to stay home that day instead of going into the village with her siblings and parents. Though she was young, she was very mature and responsible so Albus and Minerva had no problem letting her stay home a few hours.
The wind was lightly blowing through her waist length curls as she watched the sun setting.
"I have to say Arya," Corri said to the tiger laying on the porch step, "today was the quietest most peaceful afternoon I've ever had."
The tiger growled in agreement. "You forget how much time you have when it's just you. Though I love my brothers and sister to death, I sometimes wish it was just me and mum and daddy again," she sighed looking at the tiger.
Arya got up from her spot and stretched out. She walked over to her master and bumped her head against the child's hand giving her a 'what are you thinking' look.
"You're right Arya," Corri laughed scratching the cat's head, "What am I thinking wishing that? It's a terrible thing to wish."
The child continued scratching the cat's ears till she fell asleep. This sleep, however, was very disturbed my dreams of crying, trees, and the sound of children crying.
Correna awoke with a start when she heard a car slamming on the breaks. She looked up to see her father's frantic face running toward her.
"Correna are John, Tabs, and Varick here?" Albus asked panting.
"No sir aren't they with you?" she asked confused.
"They were but we can't find them. I'm calling the others," he said running in the house. Minerva, Correna, and the other children ran in after him.
"…..And then we looked every where and couldn't find them. We came here hoping they had found their way back," Albus sighed. He had just finished recounting the story of why the three children were missing.
"Okay so we know they wandered off. We also know that there is about twenty miles between here and the village," Filius said pacing.
"Don't forget that we know they're together," Annie piped in.
"Right so our best option is to go off into groups. Half will go search the village again and half will go look in the eighteen mile stretch of woods between here and the town," Severus stated.
Everyone agreed and split off into groups. Poppy, BJ, Frank, Pamona, and Filius headed back into town. Severus, Xiomara, and Wilfred took two A.T.Vs into the east woods. Albus and Minerva took the four-wheeler to the south woods toward the waterfall. Victoria and Correna mounted the Dumbledores' fastest horses, Alamimo and Felta, and headed toward the west woods. Annie and Penelope volunteered to stay behind with the children.
"Vi how did this happen? They know they aren't supposed to wonder off without mummy or daddy," Corri said as they walked the horses through the woods.
"I'm sure there is a sensible explanation. Maybe they got distracted or something," Victoria suggested.
"Or maybe this is what comes from me wanting more time with mummy and daddy," she sighed.
"Oh Cor don't think like that. You have a right to want time alone with your parents. We all feel like that it's perfectly natural," Victoria said patting her cousins arm.
"Yeah but you get your mum and dad all to yourself," Corri pointed out.
"Since when? Everyone knows dad likes you better. Why do you think you are always in his office with me during his free time!?" Victoria exclaimed stopping the horses.
"I thought he was just babysitting," Corri shrugged, "you know because I like potions and stuff."
"Ha! Has anyone ever told you how delusional you are? You my dear cousin are either hated or loved, and so far I've yet to meet someone who was not absolutely enchanted by you," Victoria laughed.
"Does it bother you that Uncle Sev like me so much? If it does I'll quit going to the dungeons," Corri replied.
"No don't do that. I need someone to talk to," she laughed, "I just meant that there are other people that want to spend time with you. Your siblings for one."
"You're right," Correna replied, "And once we find them I'll never avoid them again. Well..unless I get a boyfriend." They both laughed and continued on.
"Albus what if we don't find them?" Minerva asked as they were driving through the forest.
"We'll find them Min. I'm sure we will," he said flashing his torch at every noise.
"Oh why did we have to go in that shop? We should have waited for another time," she sighed leaning her head on his back.
"Now don't think like that Minerva. They would have wander off either way; their children." He said patting her hand.
"But they're ours. What is someone besides us finds them?" she asked as a hundred different scenarios ran through her head.
"We'll find them don't worry," Albus said calmly, though he was thinking the same thing. The couple continued on calling out their lost ones names.
"Johnny where are we?" Varick asked putting his arms around Tabitha to keep her warm.
"For the thousandth time Var I don't know!" Johnny exclaimed falling next to a tree, "We've been in here for hours and it is dark. I have no clue where we are or even if we're in the right trees!"
"Then why did you say we should come in here? You were the one that got us lost in the first place," Varick huffed. "No I wasn't it was Tabs," Johnny said pointing to his sister.
"I sorry John," the girl sobbed, "I tougt I saw Corri kitty."
"Corri's at home!!" he screamed at the toddler causing her to break down into more tears.
"Jonathan are you stupid or something?" Varick hissed cuddling his sister, "She's two years-old and saw a black cat. Of course she'll think it's Correna since that's all she wants is mummy and Corri."
"Mummy was right there!!" John screamed, "Why couldn't she wait thirty more minutes?"
"She's two you dummy! All she knows is she wanted her Mama Cor. She saw a black cat and thought that's who it was. Remember when we were on that camping trip? Remember how Corri helped you?" Varick asked seething at his brother.
"But that was….I was…." "You were her age and all you wanted was safety. Correna gave it to you," Varick smartly replied. He and Tabitha sat down next to Jonathan.
"You're right," John sighed putting an arm around his sister, "I'm so sorry Tabitha. I'm sorry I yelled at you. Forgive me?"
"Otay," Tabitha sniffed hugging her brother, "I sorry we lost. Forgive me?" "Always Tabs," John laughed.
"So now what do we do?" Varick asked looking at his brother.
"I don't know," Jonathan sighed shaking his head, "If only Cor was here. She'd no exactly what to do."
"She also wouldn't be in this problem in the first place. She would have been glued to mummy's hand," Varick pointed out.
"That's true. So what do we do?" Jonathan asked slightly shivering.
"I don't know," Varick whimpered, "there is no way will get out of here." "I know. I'm so sorry I told us to go in here," John said. And just like that the three children burst into tears calling for their big sister and mother and father.
"Cor maybe we should head back. We've looked for almost two hours and haven't found a thing. Maybe someone else as already found them," Victoria yawned.
"Yeah maybe we should," Corri sighed turning her horse back toward the house. But as she did a small cry reached her ears.
"Wait did you hear that?" she asked stopping. "Hear what?" Victoria asked but was shushed by Correna putting her hand over Victoria's mouth.
"There it is again," Corri said straining her ears. It was then she heard voices crying, "Corri help us. Mummy where are you?"
"That's them Vi! I heard them! Come on," Correna exclaimed turning her horse around and trotting towards the voices.
Confused Victoria followed her cousin. "Cor I don't hear anything," Victoria whispered before she was silenced again.
"IT's plain as day. They're crying," Corri said irritably. Correna and Victoria continued to follow the unheard crying for half an hour before Victoria could finally hear it. The girls jumped off their horses and ran for the noise calling, "John! Varick! Tabs! Are you kids here!?"
"Did you guys hear that?" Varick asked wiping his eyes. Again there were the voices calling.
"I think it's VC!" John exclaimed, "We're over here!" "John!? Keep calling bud!" Corri called flashing her torch.
"We're here Corri!" Varick called. The lost children here twigs snapping and soon saw the light of the torches as their sister and cousin came into view.
"Oh thank Merlin," Corri cried running to her siblings. She pulled them into a tight hug.
"What were you thinking running off like that?" she scolded looking them over for bruises and cuts.
"Tabitha chased after a black cat. She thought it was you and we followed her. When we finally caught her we had lost mummy and daddy so we figured we go into the woods and find the house," Johnny hurriedly explained.
"Next time don't follow a strange cat understand Tabs?" Corri asked picking up the toddler. "No follow bad kitties," Tabitha obediently repeated.
"Good, now let's get you home. You can take a bath and I'll fix you something to eat," she smiled leading them back to the horses.
"Penny quit looking outside. They're not coming faster if you keep watching," Annie replied coming out of Sam's room. The girls had fed the children and put them to bed.
"I know I'm just worried," Annie sighed continuing to stare out of the window.
"We all are. So let's get some hot chocolate," Penelope softly replied.
"All right," Annie said pulling from the window as she saw a large shadow coming out of the woods.
"Wait what's that?" Annie asked squinting to see what was coming out of the woods, "It's them! Correna and Victoria found them!"
She and Penelope ran outside to greet the returning cousins.
"Oh thank god you found them," Penelope exclaimed helping Victoria and Varick off the horse.
"Yeah we did," Corri said dismounting, "can you take them inside and get them washed and in their pajamas please? I need to get word to the others." The girls agreed and watched as their cousin ran in the house.
"Albus did you hear that?" Minerva asked as they came out of the woods.
"What the crying?" he asked seeing her nod, "Yeah I heard it. I thought I was just going senile."
"What if it's the babies? What is they're hurt?" she asked fearing the worst.
Just as Albus was going to answer, Fawkes appeared in a burst of flames. Albus took the note and immediately recognized his daughter's handwriting.
Babies are found. Have everyone come home.
"It's okay Min, Correna found them," Albus said.
Minerva let out a breath she did not know she had been holding. "Oh Albus floor it so we can go home," she said excitedly relieved.
Albus waved his wand and sent two patronuses off to the others. He then pushed the gas and raced back home.
"See I knew I wasn't hearing things," Correna replied after she had told of how the girls had found the children and Albus and Minerva had said they had heard the crying too.
"Okay but how come you heard it? I mean you're their sister not their mum or dad," Victoria pointed out.
"I don't know. Maybe I just have a connection to them or something," Correna shrugged.
"Well what ever happened all that matters is that the little ones are safe and in bed," said Filius.
"Which is where the rest of you should go as well," Poppy added shooing the kids upstairs.
"All right, night everyone," the kids replied going to bed.
"Oh Albus I'm so glad Correna found them," Minerva sighed snuggling into Albus' arms. She was sitting on his lap in the armchair by the fire.
"As am I my dear, as am I," he said burying his face in her hair.
A/n:
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