Two years later, a slim and tender baby crawled across the marble floors of the Great Manor. He smiled, he laughed. So cute was he, he had become the reason for the liveliness of the house. Percival looked at him, smiling, producing a deep dimple on his chins. Percival picked him up and took him inside a well decorated room. His mother was lying on the bed and in the cradle beside slept another young baby boy. Percival and Albus looked at the baby. Albus had a companion.
They had named him Aberforth. It was decided mutually between Kendra and Percival that all their children were to be named after the letter 'A' since it was the first letter in the English language. They wanted their children to be the first in whatever they do and so it was that both their children had their names starting with 'A'. Albus and Aberforth. In the years that followed, they were a wonderful pair; always complementing each other. While Albus was patient, skilful and talented, Aberforth was a more daring boy. Both of them used to go into the great woods which surrounded their great house.
The village where they lived was named Swockshire. It was a small village in the north of Britain, some seventy miles from the city of London. There was only a single road that ran through the village along which were crowded many Muggle houses. There were only a few paths that crossed the road that connected the north of Britain to the south. The entire village was surrounded by groves of trees that continued both west and east until it dwindled into forest lands. But in the midst of that huge grove lay the Dumbledore Manor which was in itself like a mini-castle. Hidden from the road and the Muggle village, it was accessed by a small road carved inward dividing the forest and bordering it with white fences. The gate was made of steel and it was charmed. The entire area around the manor was hidden from Muggles not only by the forest but also by charms. The Manor was unplottable on any map and protected against most sorts of Dark Magic.
The Dumbledore's were a prominent pure blood family among wizard kind. Percival's father, Wulfrick Dumbledore was the Head of the Auror Department and his grandfather, Brian Dumbledore, now dead since long ago, had held once the post of the Minister for Magic. Compared to them, Percival, though talented in his own way, had not inherited his ancestor's wisdom nor had he their talents. He worked for the Magical Law Enforcement Patrols. Kendra however outwitted him magically. She had worked as an Auror but she left her job as soon as she had reached the sixth month of her pregnancy. Wulfrick had always chided Percival but the birth of his grandson, Albus, had made him forget about Percival's lack of family talent. Wulfrick commanded respect from the wizard community as did his ancestors but his son did not. After Percival had proposed to Kendra, he lost all respect from the pure bloods although his half blood peers cheered him. The Dumbledore's like all other pure bloods wanted to keep away from the Muggles who they neither liked nor hated; but they disliked having any conversation at all. But when Percival defied the wishes of the Dumbledore's and married Kendra, Wulfrick was angry and distanced himself from the two. But love conquered him and when Kendra was pregnant with her first child, he forgot everything and let the problems between them aside. He cared for her like a doting father and when Albus was born, he adored him. Joy spread in the house but it was all short-lived. Wulfrick died a year after Albus was born, a year before Aberforth.
In the years that followed, Albus and Aberforth grew to be the best of brothers, the epitome of any brotherhood. They loved each other. Albus was a caring elder. As they both grew under the watchful care of their parents, they matured, more than any wizard could hope for. Albus made several things disappear. Magic was beyond his control. While Aberforth clapped his hands gaily when Albus caused the branches of a nearby tree to bend in a circle. Unknowingly of course. Albus was seven then and Aberforth five.
Percival and Kendra loved them both and took care not to distinguish between them. They had very little friends as such and only the two brothers kept company for each other as they both learned their letters. Albus was quicker than Aberforth. Albus would learn all of it once and in his memory would it stick in forever. Percival knew that Albus was a richly gifted wizard and once his talents were honed, he could be great. In short, he hoped that his fathers and ancestors would be proud of their half blood grandson than they would have been of him, being pure blood. In his heart, Percival was ashamed of himself. He had not secured a good post in the Ministry like other Dumbledores before. He was an average wizard, always goaded for lack of talent. His grandfather had, in his second year at Hogwarts and then his father after he had married Kendra.
Albus was more in resemblance to his father but talent wise; he was as formidable as his ancestors or so Percival hoped Albus would be. So, he had begun to hone him, making him read the history of magic all day. Aberforth would also join them sometimes but he was slower in the up taking. Percival knew Aberforth idolized his elder brother. Although two years being the difference between their ages, they never could be told apart. Their voices had a striking resemblance and even their features, although Aberforth was much fatter.
When Albus was six and Aberforth four, a daughter was born to Kendra and Percival. She was named Ariana. She was very beautiful and so charming, that both the boys took to their little sister. They adored her, Aberforth most of all. When Ariana was born, Aberforth often left Albus's company to play with Ariana. While Albus studied the heavy books, under the guidance of his father, Aberforth saw a change in his brother who had by then thirsted for more knowledge. Percival had thrust his ambitions into his elder son. Albus was now ten and Aberforth eight. Aberforth slowly distanced himself from Albus and became closer to Ariana. He loved Ariana like quite a doting brother, more so even than Albus. Albus sometimes visited Ariana but not as often as his younger brother. He did love his sister, played with Ariana whenever he could, but he had decided upon his himself to give wings to his father's wishes. He wanted to bring renown back to the Dumbledore family.
Kendra did see through this and rebuked Percival for causing a gap between Albus and Ariana. Percival did not see through her reasons which might have been better if he had listened to them. That was the first argument they ever had after Albus was born.
Ariana, however, felt more comfortable whenever Albus came to play with her. She was at her best then. Albus would show her the gnomes running in their garden and she would be delighted to see those. Aberforth would just stand watching them near the doors. He now never played with Albus. In his mind, he thought his father loved Albus most of all and seemed to think he was better than the other two. Although he loved his elder brother and respected him, he was opposed to his ways. Aberforth was the only one besides Kendra who saw through Albus.
Aberforth began to feel a little jealous of his elder brother not only because of his father's decision to teach Albus what he did not to him, but also because, Kendra showed more attention to Albus's needs. She did this to placate her husband with whom her relations were already waning. She did not want this to end, although she knew in her heart Percival would never leave her. She sensed a vain ambition taking place in Percival's heart. Percival was living through his son. She thought in her head, the name of Dumbledore comes both with a blessing and a curse. They had to live up to the name. Such was the pride of the pure bloods.
A year later, a letter arrived in the form a scrawny owl. It was from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Percival wore a gleeful look on his face as the owl delivered its letter and flew away through the round windows looking to the garden side.
"Albus!" he called, his voice mighty with pride.
Albus came running and so did Aberforth, bearing Ariana with him. Kendra soon followed, looking at Percival questioningly.
"Look! It is a letter from Hogwarts, my child."
Albus took the letter from his father's hands, looked at it and danced with glee. So happy was he.
His father smiled and Kendra laughed as Albus was dancing. For a moment, his childhood had returned. Aberforth also looked happy and Ariana was clapping although it is doubtful she understood what it was all about.
Aberforth kissed Ariana on her cheek and whispered to her, "Albus is going to Hogwarts."
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