Chapter 2
AN: Thank you so much for all the support. It means a lot to me. I hope you like this chapter.
"I'm saying that I want to blood adopt you," Albus informs Mie, in a gentle voice, a kind voice.
"Blood adoptions illegal," Mie responds, that being the first thing she can think to say, though she knows that that changes in October of 1978 because so many people were dying in the war.
"Seriously? That's the first thing you say?" Sirius asks shocked.
"Shut up, Siri," Mie tells Sirius annoyed. "Albus, are you sure?" Mie asks, feeling completely shocked, and doing her best to try and get her thoughts back in order.
"I'm sure, I've given this a lot of thought," Albus admits. "I told you that that if you stayed in this time that I'd help you, that I would like to teach you how to live with the pain of what you've been through, and I meant that," Albus explains to Mie, clearly meaning what he is saying, but also not wanting to go into too much detail about what they talked about as he isn't sure that Hermione would want everyone to know.
"Let's talk in the other room," Mie requests, as she feels like this conversation Anne be best to have in private, Albus nods, and the others watch them go with shocked looks on their faces.
After leaving the man reading room they head to Mie's bedroom.
"Albus if you're making this offer out of obligation then…." Mie starts to say as they walk into the room and close the door behind them.
"I'm not," Albus tells Mie, cutting her off. "I'm making this offer because it's what I want," Albus admits. "I know what you've been through in your life, and I know you're an adult now, but I also want to be the family you should have always known," Albus tells Mie.
"Blood doesn't make family, love does," Mie tells Albus, without missing a beat as if there is one thing, she knows it's that.
"I know," Albus responds and as Mie looks into his piercing blue eyes, it's almost like the x-ray effect Harry always described is happening in reverse, and an understanding passes between them.
"Okay," Mie says with a nod, not managing more than that due to her overwhelming feelings. "But how are we going to explain you suddenly having an eighteen-year-old daughter?" Mie asks, as she cannot think of an explanation, though that is not surprising considering everything.
"Two dear friends of mine died yesterday," Albus reveals.
"I'm sorry," Mie says, honestly having no idea what else to say or why Albus is telling her this; though he is sure that he has a point, he always does.
"The man who died, his name was Franklin. He and his brother Elias carried a genetic mutation that was passed down through their family. Because of the mutation some of the males in the family can become pregnant and are unable to impregnate anyone," Albus explains. "It's known in our world, as Is the fact that I have been friends with Franklin and Elias since 1959, and that that I was close to Elias before his sudden death," Albus explains and Mie notices him look away, like he is ashamed, but there is also a brief flash of plain. "In January of 1959 I was…. Feeling a lot of shame, even more than I currently feel," Albus admits, and while Mie wants to comfort him, she can tell that this is something he has to explain. "I met Elias, and in so many ways he reminded me of the Gellert I knew," Albus admits, and Mie comes to a realization.
"You and Elias were together," Mie realizes, there being no judgement in her voice rather curiosity as she was pretty sure that Albus only ever had a romantic relationship with Grindelwald.
"Briefly," Albus admits. "And I am ashamed to say that we each saw the relationship very differently, and I knew, from the beginning I think, that I couldn't be with Elias in the way he deserved, feel for him what he felt for me, because of my feelings towards Grindelwald," Albus admits.
"You still love him," Mie realizes and Albus nods.
"After a little over a month I came to my senses, and I realized it wasn't fair, Elias felt otherwise, I never saw him again," Albus admits, pain in his voice. "He died in December of the same year," Albus admits.
"I'm so sorry," Mie tells him. "Did you go to his funeral?" Mie asks, forgetting all about her other questions as she feels like she needs to know that.
"I did," Albus confirms. "And I defended Franklin, and Elias's honor in a way, form a group of people who decided to use the funeral to make their feelings about the brothers' genetic mutation clear," Albus explains, anger boiling behind his crystal blue eyes.
"That's so wrong," Mie says angrily.
"It was," Albus confirms, remembering what happened. "After the funeral Franklin and his wife, a lovely Muggle woman by the name of Anne, left the magical word, they moved to Eccleshall in Stafford and brought a bookshop," Albus reveals. "I visited often, Franklin and Anne insisted, but they didn't have any other connections to our world; that is, until the Death Eaters came for them yesterday," Albus reveals, clearly pained.
"I'm so sorry Albus," Mie says, as the pieces fall into place for her. "You want to say that Elias got pregnant with me, that I'm your daughter but I was raised by Franklin and Anne," Mie realizes.
"I do, if that's okay with you," Albus explains.
"What about why I never went to Hogwarts?" Mie asks, being sure that that would be most people's first question.
"Franklin home schooled you. After the way he and Elias were treated he didn't want that for you, nor did he want the spotlight that would come with being my daughter," Albus says, having already thought about that. "I believe that if this were to have actually happened Elias wouldn't have told me, but he would have honored me somehow, maybe through your name, and I wouldn't have learnt about you until he died," Albus explains, knowing that it Anne be the only thing that makes sense.
"But now Franklin and Anne have died I'll be coming to Hogwarts, finishing my last year here, I'll graduate…" Mie realizes, trailing off, as she can see the picture forming and realizing that it makes sense.
"I believe that's what you wanted to do in your former time," Albus tells Mie.
"It is," Mie confirms, tears coming to her eyes, looking touched that, even with everything going on, Albus is finding a way for one of the things she wants most to happen means so much to her. "Albus, if we do this, I'm not going to allow your guilt to make you being an absence father apart of our story," Mie says, sounding determined. "We say you visited all the time, that we are close, that you wanted me to have the best life I could and that's why Franklin and Anne raised me," Mie explains and Albus nods, after seeing the nod Mie walks over and hugs him.
While Mie and Albus are talking about Albus's offer and what it would mean the others are sitting in the reading area, the shock that they are feeling being perfectly clear.
"Was anyone expecting that?" Alice asks curious, breaking the tense silence they have been sitting in, looking at Regulus.
"I knew Hermione and Dumbledore had been growing closer, but no, I didn't expect that," Regulus admits, though he does know it would mean a lot to Hermione.
"It makes sense, but how are we going to explain it?" James asks, looking confused.
"I'm sure Albus thought about that before suggesting it," Minerva says and as she does the door to the other room opens and Mie and Albus walk out.
"So, what's the verdict?" Sirius asks, not being able to think of another way to phrase it, and he gets several annoyed looks in response.
"Albus is going to blood adopt me, I'll become his daughter in every way," Mie reveals.
"Mie, are you sure?" Lily asks, wanting to make sure that her friend has thought this through. "It's going to be incredibly dangerous," Lily points out.
"I've spent the last year being the second most wanted person in the world, I can be that again," Mie admits with a shrug, honestly, she feels like that's not a big deal considering everything she is going to be doing. "I want this, and so does Albus," Mie reveals, and Albus nods.
"Then I'm really happy for you, Mie," Amelia says, smiling. "You too Albus,"
"As am I," Minerva says. "I would be honored if you allowed me to perform the ritual," Minerva says, looking at Albus.
"Minerva, I would be the one who would be honored," Albus admits, giving his old friend a grateful look, and as he does there is one thing that Mie knows she needs to do.
"I do have one condition," Mie says, and everyone looks at her, Albus feeling surprised that Mie didn't mention it earlier. "We tell Aberforth everything," Mie tells Albus, meaning everything in the truest sense of the word. "Before the ritual, before anymore planning, we tell him everything," Mie says as she knows that it is far.
"That is a very reasonable condition," Albus admits. "James, if you are willing, I believe we Anne need to borrow your cloak again," Albus explains as he knows that he and Mie cannot be seen together going to the Hogshead, at least not yet.
"Of course," James says, having no problem with that. "I'll be right back," James says, heading out of his room and going to the other room.
"While we're gone it might be a good idea to start Occlumency," Mie says, looking between Regulus, Sirius, and Alice. "From what I understand it may take a while," Mie admits.
"If done right it will," Alice admits.
"That's the only way we're going to do it," Regulus says, an edge to his voice, as James walks back in.
"Here Mie," James says, handing the cloak over.
"Thanks James," Mie says, putting the cloak over herself. "Lead the way Albus," Mie says.
"Creepy," Amelia says, speaking for everyone who hasn't experienced someone talking from underneath the cloak, as Albus and everyone assumes Mie, leave the room.
After leaving the room of requirements Albus and Mie make their way through the Castle, where the students are either hurrying to get a last bit of breakfast eaten or heading to class. As Mie has had plenty of experience when moving under the cloak, she and Albus are able to get through the castle without a problem, and not long after they walked onto the grounds Mie and Albus are walking into the Hogshead, though Albus is the only person visible.
Having heard the door open Aberforth looks up from where he is stocking merchandise and while he is surprised to see his brother.
"Isn't it a bit early for you to have a drink?" Aberforth asks his brother, without even saying hello, his tone of voice accusatory.
"I'm not hear for a drink," Albus informs his brother.
"Well, I know you're not here to talk to me, so what are you doing here Albus?" Aberforth asks.
"That's actually exactly why I'm here," Albus admits, and for a brief second a look of shock passes over Aberforth's face. "Can we talk upstairs?" Albus asks his brother.
"I've never known you to take no for an answer, so why not," Aberforth responds and the two of them head upstairs, honestly curious about what his brother has to say.
Once upstairs Albus, Aberforth and Mie head straight to the same room that Mie sat in with Harry, Ron, and Aberforth in a time which feels so recently for her but which in reality is so far away. Once the three of them have entered the room, and Albus has made sure that he's allowed enough time for Mie to enter the room, Albus closes the door, and he casts several silent spells at the door.
"What's that for?" Aberforth asks his brother, his curiosity increasing.
"I don't want the three of us overheard," Albus responds, and before his brother can ask what he is talking about Mie removes the cloak.
"I don't know you," Aberforth comments, and Mie looks amused.
"Yeah, I guess you don't," Mie asks, wondering if she is ever going to get used to meeting people that she knows but who don't know her, but she knows that she has to stop displaying the effect it has on her. "But I know you," Mie responds.
"Aberforth, this is Hermione… Mie," Albus corrects. "She's from the future," Albus explains.
"Well okay then," Aberforth responds, and both Albus and Mie are amused by his reaction as it is clear that he doesn't know how to think.
"Mie's been in this time for almost two weeks, sharing knowledge myself and some others," Albus explains.
"So that's what you've been doing," Aberforth realizes. "Slughorn's been in here a couple of times trying to figure out what you've been, I think he wanted to know if he can use the information for his own good," Aberforth explains.
"Wow, he was always the same," Mie says amused, honestly not at all surprised by that.
"I told him that the last thing you'd do is tell me what is going on," Aberforth comments.
"That's exactly what we're here to do," Albus informs his brother, and he gets a little bit of satisfaction from seeing the shock on Aberforth's face, as he sits down and Hermione Sits down as well.
After standing in shock for a few moments Aberforth sits down across from his brother, looking interested about what he is going to learn, and together both Mie and Albus explain everything to Aberforth.
While Mie and Albus are catching Aberforth up on what has happened, both in the time Mie is from and while they were reading, the others, with the exception of Regulus, Alice, and Sirius are sitting around the room while the three of them are standing Infront of them.
"Like we said when we were reading the way Dick Future Sev taught it is not how Occlumency should be taught," Regulus says, an edge to his voice.
"You made that clear," Lily says, in gentle voice as she remembers how Regulus reacted to those lessons and she remembers how concerned about him she was.
"It's harmful to teach like that," Sirius reveals. "You need to understand what shield is right for you before you can even try to learn how to guard against outside intrusion," Sirius explains.
"My shield is fire, Sirius's shield is a creature, Reg's shield is love," Alice says. "Each of them work for us, work for who we are, you've got to figure out what works for you," Alice says, looking at everyone as she speaks.
"Close your eyes," Regulus says to everyone "There are a few ways for you to discover what your shield is, you can think of what gives you calm, what drives you, what makes you want to fight, or what you think of when you think of protection," Regulus explains.
"None of us can you what will work best for your shield, that is something you have to discover for yourself," Sirius explains.
"Search within yourself, you'll realize what will work for you," Alice says as the room drift into a comforting silence.
A while after Mie and Albus walked into the Hogshead they have explained the basics of what has occurred to Aberforth. While they both know they can't go into exact details because it would be too long both Mie and Albus explain enough so that it makes sense to him.
"So, you know everything?" Aberforth asks Mie.
"I do, and the others do as well," Mie explains, and Aberforth gets up, walks over, grabs a bottle of whiskey and walks back to the table where he sits back down.
"Sirius, Remus, Lily, James, Alice, Amelia, Frank, it makes sense including them, it makes sense why you didn't include Peter," Aberforth admits, after he takes a swing of whiskey. "Hell, I even get why you included Regulus, I always thought that kid had more going on below," Aberforth admits. "But what I don't understand is why you included Snape," Aberforth says, looking at Mie.
"Harry asked me to," Mie admits. "He wanted Snape to have a chance to be different to see how much pain he can cause, and choose to do differently," Mie admits. "I respected that," Mie explains.
"Of course you did," Aberforth says, as Albus smiles proudly, something which Aberforth notices. "You've been through a hell of a lot," Aberforth realizes, knowing that he wasn't told everything painful that happened as that was clear from both Albus and Mie's reactions. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen," Mie answers.
"You're not even born yet," Aberforth realize, looking at the young girl in amazement as he realizes that she has been though so much in such a short time, in so many ways she reminds him of Ariana, and to avoid thinking about that fact he takes another swig of the whiskey.
"No, I'm not," Mie admits. "Including you only thirteen people know I exist, but if I'm going to do what I have to do it can't stay like that," Mie admits. "And I can't be who I was,"
"Well then, who are you going to be?" Aberforth asks, as he suspects that whatever answer his brother or Mie give will explain exactly why they are telling him everything.
"Your niece, if that's something you can accept," Albus says, looking at his brother.
For a few moments it looks like Aberforth is debating his answer, but the truth is he didn't need to give it a single second of thought, he knows the answer, knows what the right thing to do is, knows what he wants to do.
"Uncle Ab okay, not Aberforth," Aberforth tells Mie.
"Okay," Mie says, with a nod, while she is a little surprised by the fact that he answered so quickly Albus isn't, he knows that his brother likes to look after people, especially those who can be too proud to let others help.
"So, what's our story?" Aberforth asks, assuming Albus who creates secrets and lies as easily as breathing, would have figured it out
Hearing his brother's question Albus explains the cover story he came up with, and as he explains Mie adds in the things that are important to her.
"That's a pretty good story," Aberforth admits. "We'll need to put things in place to back it up incase someone digs," Aberforth says, as that is something they learnt from their mother, and Albus nods as he has thought about that. "What are we going to call you?"
"Alice gave me the nickname Mie, it feels right, feels like who I am now," Mie admits, as she realized she liked it when Alice first called her by that name, and as everyone joined in she liked it more, and it begun to feel righter when Regulus and Albus called her by that name to ground her in reality.
"Dumbledore names start with A," Aberforth reminds them and as he looks at Albus an understanding passes between them.
"Annemie," Mie suggests, looking at Albus, as it's the perfect combination. "It explains the nickname and upholds tradition, honors others," Mie explains. "What do you think?" Mie asks, looking between the Dumbledore brothers.
"I think it's perfect," Aberforth confirms.
"As do I," Albus says. "Annemie Ariana Kendra Harriett Dumbledore," Albus says, looking straight at Mie as the weight of his words envelops the room.