Kanda vs Dumbledore
Lenalee was rather surprised when she woke up to white walls instead of the deep blue she had grown used to. Soft puffs came from her side and she turned to see the small ball of grey fur which showed that Mugen had joined her. As she slowly took in her surroundings of the Hospital wing, she also noticed Allen and Tim asleep on chairs beside the bed. At the movement, Allen stirred and looked over at the girl.
"Ah, Lena you're awake. How'd you feel?" he asked.
"I'm...fine. What happened?" she couldn't recall what would have led to medical attention.
"Um, Snape said it was some sort of trance. You kinda hit your head when you came out of it." Allen tried to explain as he leant over to shake the younger boy awake, disturbing Mugen in the process.
"Wha- oh Lena, you're okay!" Timothy grinned sleepily and Lenalee couldn't help but giggle at the boy's dopey expression. Allen stood and ruffled Lenalee's hair, making the woman smile.
"I should let Kanda and Alma know that you're okay. I think they're still talking with Dumbledore."
As the man got ready to leave, Timothy grabbed his cloak,
"Wait! I've wanted an excuse to do this for ages. Can I send them a message?"
Allen and Lenalee shared perplexed expressions before Allen shrugged and Lenalee smiled,
"Sure. What is it?" she asked. Timothy just grinned and whispered,
"Expecto Patronum"
Jaws dropped as Tim continued to instruct the summoned brown bear on the message for their siblings upstairs and they watched with shock as the translucent animal bounded out of the room.
"I didn't know they could do that!" Lenalee squealed, fascinated.
"Neither did I" Allen rubbed the back of his neck as the teen grinned up at them, happy to one up his older brother and sister.
"Yes, yes. Well done Timothy" Allen responded to the smug expression as Pomfrey headed over to the bed, waving her wand to check everything was in order.
"Well you're a full bill of health Miss Lee. You are free to go. I believe the headmaster expects you to join him in his office. The password is peppermint"
With instructions given, the trio returned Mugen to their quarters before heading up towards Dumbledore's office, Allen and Tim filling Lenalee in on the previous evening.
"It's not the first time this has happened. Though they weren't this vicious before" Lenalee admitted in the headmaster's office. Kanda looked over at Allen before looking away. So the boy had nearly turned to dust. He hadn't been there at the time, but Lavi's recounts of the girl's screams from her nightmare had been harrowing enough.
"What were they before?" Allen asked innocently and gripped Lena's arm as her eyes welled up, remembering his screams as his innocence was ripped and forecebly replaced echoing with her own as she was woken by a terrified Lavi and Miranda.
"Asian branch" was all she whispered and Allen pulled the woman into a tight hug, muttering into her ear,
"I'm sorry you had to see that," and the girl sniffled into his shoulder. Timothy and Alma embraced her back for extra comfort. Kanda glanced at Snape who had just arrived with a surprisingly stable Trelawney.
"Thank you Severus. May I speak with Miss Lee alone for a moment?" the woman's clear voice carried across the room and the three brothers gave her a final squeeze before letting her go. As she passed, Kanda pulled her into a quick one-armed hug,
"It'll be alright. We'll figure it out together" he murmured and Lenalee gave him a teary smile before taking Trelawney's waiting hands and following the divination professor out of the office.
"So I guess you-know-who really is going to return then" Allen broke the silence. He watched as Dumbledore threw Snape an exasperated glare which the man returned with a scowl of defiance.
"Well since that cat's out of the bag, I guess I should fill you in" the old man sighed. Kanda butted in, his annoyance clear,
"No need. We figured it out ourselves. Snape explained the rest." The samurai stood in front of the Headmaster's desk as the room watched him as you would a wild animal.
"Let me tell you now. I do not take kindly to you dragging my family back into a war after we barely survived our own. And I will not watch another boy be exploited by adults to kill an evil that he should be protected from. I will do what it takes to keep Potter out of it and you won't stop me" Kanda snarled before turning and striding out of the office, slamming the door behind him. Alma sighed,
"I'll go make sure he doesn't break anything. But he's serious Headmaster. He's become very protective over the years. Don't push him" and with that, the calmer man headed out to find his brother and make sure that he didn't scare any first years to death. Alma could swear that the man had been taking lessons from Snape. Or had Snape been taking lessons from Kanda?
Allen, Timothy, Snape and Dumbledore watched as the door softly closed. Snape looked over at Walker - the prophesied saviour from a different war. The man's scar was more prominent than Potter's but came with similar weight. Adults had decided that this kid would play too large a part in a war that they had no right being in.
"That could have gone worse I suppose. How much did you tell them Severus?" Dumbledore turned to the potions master but Timothy butted in.
"Does it matter?"
"Tim don't -" Allen tried to warn the younger,
"No. They should have told us in the beginning instead of giving us false hope. They're no better than the higher ups" Timothy snarled.
"Timothy" Allen's voice was stern and the teen finally looked away from the headmaster but Allen raised his eyes to Dumbledore,
"Though I do not approve of his tone, I do agree with Kanda's words. We have seen Hell on Earth professor. We have finally become free from the fighting and we're still plagued by lingering darkness. Timothy, Lenalee and I have been fighting since were were children. Alma was brought back from the dead - twice. Kanda had to-." Allen paused, shaking the haunted look from his eyes before continuing,
"I understand that you think that we would be good allies for this order of yours, but we intend to stop any fighting before it begins. I want Tim to have at least half a childhood. Snape only gave us the details. Kanda had already figured out your intentions. You forget, we're used to backstabbers. We fought for them. Also, I suggest that you tell Harry and his friends before Kanda does." Allen nodded at Snape before he left the room, Timothy following close behind.
Dumbledore sagged in his chair. Snape watched his mentor with a mixture of concern and acceptance. Kanda had been the one to approach him - the man could smell an omittance from a mile away. These weren't sparkling angels; these were battle-worn soldiers with a childhood forged from blood and dirt.
"I had hoped" Dumbledore started, "I had hoped we would have more time. That Harry would have more time before being told about this Hell that is forging around him"
Snape didn't envy the headmaster's position - trying to balance innocence and preparation couldn't be easy. But Potter was too intuitive for his own good - all this hiding would make the boy believe he had to go it alone. And he would. Snape would have to do something and fast to prevent such a catastrophe.
"Albus. We may need to rethink my role. I have been speaking with Kanda and we have come to the conclusion that it would be best if we break the news to the boy together"
Dumbledore looked at Snape in surprise.
"What is it that you will be telling him Severus?"
Snape met Albus's unwavering stare with confidence,
"Everything." and he stood. Albus watched the man carefully,
"You have become close to Kanda then Severus?"
Snape stayed silent, unsure of how to answer. Albus chuckled,
"I'm not intending to trick you my boy. I'm not surprised, you two are very alike. And, though I hate to admit it, he is right. It is best that the boy has all the information to hand before anything occurs. I presume from the outburst that young Mr Kanda has become attached to Harry also?"
"It seems to be the case. I think he reminds him of Walker."
"That is understandable. Very well. Tell Kanda that you can discuss things with Harry together"
Snape nodded and moved to leave the office, when Dumbledore's voice paused him again,
"And let him know - let him know that it was not my intention to use him. If things were more in our favour, I would have been happy for the apprentices to truly have a normal life here at Hogwarts"
"I'll let him know Albus" and the professor closed the door behind him,
"Thank you Severus" Dumbledore's voice echoed around the now empty office.