Chapter 11
"Darling we have to talk about what happens now…" said Albus to his sister.
Four days had passed since she had woken up for the first time and thought clearly. It was time for her to get on the road to having a normal childhood. Or what was left of it.
"What?" she asked fearfully.
"Nothing bad." he promised her. "Its just me and Aberforth though you might like to start going to school." he said to her.
She had never thought of that. She almost remembered from her child hood when her brothers would go off and she was left behind. She'd cry…and cry and cry and now she had a chance to go. She hated it when they left her at home and they got to go. Was it really her turn now?
"I think it is going to the best thing for you." said Aberforth.
"But I don't want to be split up from you two." she said to them. They were all she knew. She did not want to lose them.
"You are not going to be." said Albus. "I am headmaster here so I am going to be here for you all the time and Aberforth is going to be just in the village so can come and see you all the time."
"Every day if needs be." he grinned. He felt he would go and sit with her in class if that was what was necessary.
She sat there nodding. Well if she wasn't going to be split up from them. And she did need, something she guessed. A routine some thing new. An education. She could learn to control herself.
"You'd go in to Harry's year so you would know some one." said Albus to her.
"But Albus if I go in to his years isn't every one going to be smarter than I am?" she asked.
"Well yes to begin with maybe but your bright I am sure if you put your mind to it you are going to be able to catch up."
"But Albus I can not even read!" she reminded him. Since she had been brought back to the world of logical thinking she had been doing a lot of it, it seemed. Maybe too much mused her brothers.
"We can get passed it." said Aberforth. He was hardly the most literate person. There was going to be a way he was sure.
"Can we? Can I?" she asked them. This was a question of living and both of the brothers knew it. They had to give her the courage that she felt was so far away.
"You my love are a Dumbledore." he said to her, reminding her of there heritage. There father had started off with nothing and yes he had hardly risen high but he had always put food on the table. There mother had had the aim to keep her children safe and protected and she had always done it when they had gone in to hiding. Albus had wanted to learn and to be a professor. And he had done it.
As for himself Aberforth wondered if he had ever really had much ambition. Maybe not. All he had been able to think about was she and when he was going to see her again. And yet here she was before him. So yes he had achieved his goal too.
"You can do this. I promise you. I believe in you." he promised.
She nodded. "It is just going to take a lot of hard work. We have four week to get going before school starts." Albus told her.
"So come on, are you going to rise to the challenge?" Aberforth questioned.
"Yes."
"Good girl Ariana. I know you can do this."
"I hope so."
Reading was the main thing on her mind. It was a short term goal but it was going to help her thought the year. Open door for her.
That weekend they found they had the castle by themselves, just the Ariana and Albus , with Sirius and Harry at the Quidditch world cup.
"What is Quidditch?" asked Ariana as they ate breakfast on Saturday morning.
"It is a sport." Albus replied.
"A good one?"
"The favorite of the wizarding world. Your going to find out about it next year." he said to her.
"Why not this year?" she asked.
"I can not tell you that yet. You're going to find out with the rest of the students."
"What is the point of having a headmaster for a big brother if he will not tell you secrets of the school?" she asked him.
Albus laughed at her cheeky grin. She was far happier now she had sound her mind, even if she was sill a little unsure about it all.
He was so glad she was back in his life. He had time and patience for her now. It wasn't going to be like it was when they had been young. He had made mistakes, but he wouldn't again.
"Come then shall we start your reading?" he asked settling in to his comfortable arm chair. The lessons were always conducted in his living quarters where they were sure of privacy. It wasn't so formal as the office. And along with the Hogshead and her dorm it was going to be her home now.
Ignoring the chair by his side, she positioned herself in to his lap, snuggled down, found the page where they had left off the day before.
"Off you go then." he said wrapping his arms loosely about her.
He still got the impression that they were never going to be close at times. But when she chose to sat on his lap rather than sit on the chair, his fears were brushed aside. He never wanted to usurp Aberforth in her affections but knowing they were closer than they had been was a good feeling.
The reading lessons them selves were a struggled. Ariana was prone to frustration when she could not read a word and that was not a good thing. She had no control over her magic still.
Often they were still short lessons and for a break the two would of for a walk about the lake. She worked hard, always went back to the word later that day if he did not tell her. It was just going to take some time to get her up to scratch. That was all.
When she was not in her lessons often she was at the Hogshead. Her brothers pub was not so much the attraction but the animals were, and of coursde him.
She loved to get in the pen with the goats and could if aloud spend all after noon there. When she went to school Aberforth knew she was going to miss her long lazy summer afternoons. He loved having her close. All in all he knew it was selfish, but he didn't want her to go to school. He wanted to safe guard her innocence and keep him with her.
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Sirius and Harry arrived back on Monday and went straight to Dumbledore to give there accounts to him of what had gone into at the Quidditch world cup.
He had been in his office with his sister when they had burst in.
"You ok Ari?" asked Sirius as he saw her.
"Yes." she said to him. "are you?"
"Fine. Sir have you got a minute?" he asked her brother.
"Of course. Ariana why don't you try in your mind to start reading this to yourself. I'll join you in about half an hour." he said pointing too the room that lead on to his living room. He had to talk to Harry and find out just what had gone on.
"Ok," she said as she went through and sat down on his chair.
But she didn't read. She was listening in to what they were assaying. Things she knew nothing about. Death eaters….camps…a dark mark…Voldemort.