Chapter 4
"Who was she though Dumbledore, that girl who caught Peter? I owe her my freedom." Said Sirius. To say that Albus was proud of his sister was an understatement. She had changed people's lives for the better already since she had 'come back'. So much for the better.
"She is someone I knew a long time ago. I am sure now that you are a free man, you will met her again this summer but for now, she is some one needs a lot of peace." Said the Headmaster, not wanting to give too information away.
"She seemed very scared and agitated," He nodded, remembering the state he had found her in. And his hands had burnt when he had touched her.
"She was. She often was when I knew her…" he sighed. Things were going to be better this time.
-
The idea of reintroducing magic in to Ariana's life in a positive way grew on Aberforth the more he considered it. He really did think it was going to be the best thing for her. But not yet. They had to readjust to having her back.
Whatever was going to happen was also going to have to wait till the other students had gone for the summer. Then the Dumbledore's could get back on track, properly. For now though, as the students sat in class, Aberforth sat with his sister by the lake, getting some fresh air. She was still carrying the toy he had given her, all those years back like a life line but was sitting next to him, resting her head on his arm contently, her tiny fingers clutching a bit of his shirt, as if trying to make sure he could never leave her.
"Aba?" she asked.
"Yes dearest?"
"Why do you and Al look so like papa now? Do I look like mama?" she asked and he understood the true meaning of her question.
Why was it he had grown old and so had their brother, if so was she old as well?
"Because there had been – well I think we can talk to Albus about it later." He said to her. "No, you don't like mama. And the reason we look so like papa – we're a bit older than you know. Older than we were before!"
"But –" she said to him. "Did some thing happen? When the horrible boy was at home? I didn't like him…Can we go back?" she asked innocently.
"Yes…he did something." He nodded, knowing she was talking about there brothers old best friend. But so had the two brothers and the guilt he felt still hurt him. Even if he had her back. There was no way he should have let it happen. "No…sorry Ari I don't think we can. Me and Albus have new homes now." He told her. "Different homes." He added, so it was made clear to her.
"Well can I come and live with you then?" She said to him.
"If that is what you want." He nodded.
"It is."
"Good." He smiled, making her giggle. He was glad she wanted him close by still, but then he had always been her favourite brother and person in the world, she had said when she had been really young. That wasn't so any more though. In August she was going to be fifteen even if she only looked around the age of ten. He didn't believe it.
"Do you think it is all going to be ok now?" he asked.
"What's 'all' Ariana?" he asked.
"Am I going to do bad things?"
"You have never done bad things." He said to her seriously. He firmly believed that. And even if she had it was through no fault of her own. She had to understand that…if only she could.
"Listen Ari, me and Al are here now. Gallert is gone, he is never coming back. It really is just the three of us from now on."
-
Ariana was surprisingly good over dinner that night. She and Aberforth dined at Hogwarts and they had a splendid meal. Ariana ate a moderate portion of dinner and he didn't even have to nag her to finish it. They ate in Albus's quarters, so as not to rouse suspicion in the Great Hall, but it worked in vice versa too. Albus had to eat with the staff and so the three were split for their evening meals, but the headmaster would have far rather be with his siblings in those early days. He desperately wanted to bond with Ariana again.
By the time that Albus had got back to his quarters, he found his brother covering his sister's tired body with a blanket where she had fallen asleep on the sofa. She looked like an angel to him. So innocent…
"Fire whiskey brother mine?" he asked after Aberforth and he were done with small talk.
"Don't mind if I do." He responded not moving from where he sat on the sofa by Ari's side. It was as if he was terrified some one was going to take her from him once again if he left her for a second.
"How has she been today?"
"Amazing." He muttered. "Really on form. I don't think she understands what's gone on or why we look like we do but she is not scared I don't think," he told his elder brother.
"Good. She doesn't have to be. There is nothing to be scared of." He said inwardly kicking himself for all the things he had done in the past.
"Not any more."
The brothers smiled at one another. Things were going to be ok some how.
"I have been talking to a few friends and making enquires of how she may get better." Said Albus.
"You have, so soon?" he asked.
"Well, yes if we are going to get her ready to go to class in September we needed to move fast."
"What class is she going to be joining when she starts? We could pass her off as a first year. She could start at the beginning." He suggested.
"Maybe but I think it is going to be best for her if she joins people her own age in fourth year. Obviously she is not going to be able to understand every thing so maybe we should just let her take five subjects and let the rest of her time be for studying them."
"You've worked it all out haven't you?"
"Not at all Aberforth." He said honestly. What had gone on over the past few days, it was well out of his comfort zones and he had no idea why it had happened.
"Well I don't know. Is sending her here even for the best?"
"That I do know. Yes. She needs to be with people who can make her realise her magic is a good thing."
"She needs people she trusts about her."
"I'll be here." He said to him. "You're in Hogsmeade. She has people she trusts near."
"I know, but – you're right."
-
Harry and Sirius walked round the grounds talking. Sirius had very good news for his god son.
"I have been offered the post of flying teacher here at Hogwarts so I am going to be here all next year for you." He told him.
"That's brilliant." He responded.
"I know I can't wait." He said to him. When he had left Hogwarts he had been so eager to get out, to live. He didn't know why he was so glad to be back. Well yes he did. He was free and he had his god son close. "Now plans for the holidays. You have to go back to your aunt and uncles for at least a week." He said to him.
"What? Why?" he asked.
Sirius thought about the charm that had been placed upon Harry by Lily when she had died for him. Dumbledore had explained it and there was no way to get round it.
"Do as I say, not as I do Harry, please just trust me on this one." he asked him. "After that though, we are going to come back here, and have the run of the castle for most of the summer." He told him and that seemed to cheer Harry up but not much. "The Dumbledore's are going to be here, but that's it."
"Alright then…" He shrugged, not wanting to rock the boat, but he wanted to know why he had to go back when Sirius had said they were going to be a family now.
So why couldn't he just stay on here and not bother going back? What didn't he know?
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