Chapter 3
AN: Thank you for the support. I really hope you like these chapters. I know these first few chapters have been set up, but I promise that will change soon, these chapters are just necessary to get to that point.
For a few moments Mie, Albus, and Aberforth sit in silence as they comprehend what Albus's words mean.
"Albus, are you sure?" Mie asks, knowing how big of a deal that is, but also appreciating that he wants to honour the most important person to her.
"I'm sure," Albus confirms.
"Is it okay with you? Pretending to be your niece is one thing, using that name…" Mie starts to say, but Aberforth cuts her off.
"I think it's perfect," Aberforth admits, as in a lot of ways he feels like it might be the perfect way to honour Ariana. "And let me make one thing clear young lady, we won't be pretending anything, you will be my niece, not just because of the blood adoption," Aberforth says, his voice stern.
"Annemie, I know that when you think of family you think of pain and disappointment, and while you know better than almost anyone that I'm not perfect, I do want to be the best father I can be to you," Albus tells Mie who realises jut how right it feels to be called Annemie, it is almost like something that has been missing since that night at Malfoy Manor has been returned to her. "I did not make the suggestion of Blood Adoption because you needed a cover, I made it because It was what I want," Albus admits and once he does, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an object that Aberforth recognizes, a gold Phoenix pendant. The pendant is fairly large, on a simple chain and it has its white gold wings raised up, a large silver sapphire body, and a tail that consists of both small ruby and amber stones.
"That pendant has been passed down through the Dumbledore family for generations, always going to the oldest child of the generation, and our mother replaced the chain," Aberforth explains, a level of fondness in his voice as he looks at the object that he hasn't seen in a while as it has been in Albus's possession.
"It symbolises our family, our heritage, and who we are," Albus explains. "Other than Aberforth and I there is only one person who knows the significance," Albus says, and Mie is pretty sure she knows exactly who it is, and the look of fury and betrayal on Aberforth's face confirms her suspicion. "It's yours now," Albus says, handing Mie the pendant and feeling incredibly overwhelmed Mie takes the pendant, not exactly sure about what she is feeling.
"Thank you," Mie responds, knowing it means a lot for Albus to give her an object that gives her a connection to her new family, but that no one else will understand the significance off because it helps her to believe that Albus didn't just suggest blood adoption because she needed a new identity, but rather because he just wants them to be family.
For a little while Mie just stares at the incredible pendent, turning it over in her hands, comprehending its significance and as she does, she remembers something, and as the brothers can tell she is debating something neither push her to talk. "When I was growing up my grandfather had a book collection, it was full of classic books, book I loved, books that were the reason I learnt to read," Mie admits, looking up from the pendant to look at the brothers. "When he got sick, my father brought the books home, in a moment of accidental magic I kept making the books fly to me, I wanted them, they made me feel close to him," Mie explains, and both brothers tense as they can guess where this story is going, but Mie is purposely not going into detail. "I liked it, thought it was fun, they didn't agree," Mie admits, deciding that it is best not to go into more details as she knows it risks brining up painful memories for the brothers, but she needed to explain to make it clear how much what Albus has done means to her. "To make me stop they hide the books away, made it clear they would never be mine, even though Gramps wanted me to have them," Mie admits, pain in her voice, as even after she altered her parents' memories she never learnt where the books were, and she quickly tries to calm herself down. "So, you giving me this, when you didn't have to because no one knows what it means, means everything," Mie says, looking at Albus, who gives her a comforting smile.
"When are you doing the ritual?" Aberforth asks, moving away from what Mie is talking about because he knows if she continues, confirming what he suspects, then he is just going to get angry.
"Well, the ritual has to begin at the same time you were born," Albus says, looking at Mie for the answers.
"7:07pm," Mie answers.
"Tonight then," Albus says admit. "Minerva offered to perform the ritual, but if you…" Albus starts to tell his brother.
"I want to do the ritual," Aberforth says, cutting Albus off. "Let me do this, Albus," Aberforth tells his brother.
"I would like that," Albus says, as he feels like it would be perfect, he just didn't think Aberforth would suggest it.
"Me too," Mie answers, and the three of them proceed to talk about not only the ritual, but other things related to who Mie is going to become.
After well over an hour of Mie, Albus, and Aberforth talking about Mie and her new identity Albus and Mie have returned to the castle and are walking back into the Room of Requirement.
"How'd Ab take the news?" Sirius asks curious, as Mie removes the invisibility cloak.
"He was shocked, of course, but he is fully on board," Mie admits.
"Sounds about right," Amelia admits, knowing what Aberforth can be like even though he hides it, as Mie was over to James.
"Here," Mie says, offering James the clock.
"Why don't you keep it until we go back to classes, I feel like you're going to need it more than me," James offers, as he knows that it will help her a lot more than him at the moment.
"Thanks James," Hermione says, putting the cloak into her bag, and then walks over to Regulus. "Hey," Hermione greats.
"Hey," Regulus responds. "Do you want to talk?" Regulus asks curious.
"Sure," Mie answers as she doesn't exactly want to talk, but she knows it would be a good idea, so they two of them head to her room, at the same time food appears.
"Hermione, are you sure?" Regulus asks curious, as they both sit down on the bed, crossing their legs as they sit down across from each other.
"I'm sure," Mie answers. "Albus, Aberforth and I talked, we talked a lot," Mie admits. "And this feels right in a way nothing has since Malfoy Manor," Mie admits, and because they have talked so much Regulus truly understands what that means.
"Do you think that maybe when you left the future you weren't running away so much as you were running toward something and just didn't realise it?" Regulus asks Mie curious.
"Maybe," Mie admits, and as he can tell that she is pained Regulus reaches over and takes her hand squeezing it in comfort, wanting to do what he can for her.
"Were you serious about wanting to try to create a way for others to change your time too?" Regulus asks, as he suspects he knows but wants to hear it from Hermione.
"Yeah, I was," Mie confirms. "I feel like, we've already created one new timeline, if we can create a second where Harry doesn't have to go through everything he went through, where he can get a chance to be with Sirius, where Sirius can remember his time with Remus, then that is exactly what I want to do," Mie admits
"I get it, and you know talking to future Sirius would be nice," Regulus admits as there is so much, he would like to say to the version of his brother they read about.
"I think he'd appreciate that," Mie admits, and the two of them drift into a comforting silence.
For a few minutes Mie and Regulus sit in comfortable silence, neither needing to say anything as while they have only spent a short amount of time together in the grand scheme of things, they have become incredibly close, understand each other in a way not many others ever have.
"So, Mie Dumbledore, huh?" Regulus asks.
"Annemie Ariana Kendra Harriett Dumbledore," Mie corrects.
"Fitting," Regulus says smiling, understanding what that would mean to both Mie and Albus. "So, I guess I should start to call you Mie then," Regulus realises, thinking that it is going to be strange as he is one of two people who have continued to call her Hermione while the others called her Mie, having only called her Mie when he needed to help her see that she was in 1978 and not in the middle of a fierce battle.
"It is who I am," Mie admits. "I think when Ally first gave me that name it gave me back a piece of myself," Mie admits. "I'll never forget Hermione Granger, she's always going to be apart of me, but… I can't be the person I was before the war, before…. Before everything that happened over the last year," Mie admits, tears coming to her eyes, and she reaches up and whips her eyes, doing so rather quickly. "To move forward, I need to accept that. I can't keep trying to get back to who I was, she's gone, I couldn't be her if I tired, and I think going by the names that were given to me by people who truly care about me, is a good first step," Mie admits, as not wanting pressure on her future younger self is only part of the reason why she doesn't want to be Hermione Granger in this time.
"I may have read about the version of you that you used to be, but she's a stranger to me," Regulus admits. "The only version of you I know is the version sitting before me, and she's pretty incredible," Regulus admit. "So, if you say that Mie, or Annemie, is who you are, then that's who you are because no one gets to decide that other than you; Annemie Ariana Kendra Harriett Dumbledore," Regulus confirms, smiling at her, and Mie smiles too as it sounds so right hearing Regulus say her new name. "I know how much pain you're in, how much you're struggling, so if changing your name helps, even in a little way, then I want that for you," Regulus admits.
"I appreciate that," Mie says, and it is clear that what Regulus said means everything to her, and so she moves closer to Regulus and once she is close enough Regulus puts his arms around her and kisses her cheek.
About an hour later Mie and Regulus are back in the main room and the two of them, Sirius, Remus, Lily, James, Frank, Alice, Moody, Minerva, Albus, Severus, and Amelia are all sitting back in their usual seats.
"So, we've figured our your identity," Sirius says, looking at Mie. "What now?"
"Now, we figure need to figure out our timetable," Mie admits. "We've got to move carefully," Mie admits. "We don't want Voldemort realising what we are doing too soon," Mie admits, as while she assumes he will figure out eventually she wants that date to be as far into the future as soon as possible, and as she listens to Mie's words Amelia get's an idea.
"Mie, do you know what we have that you never had?" Amelia asks, and Mie gives her an interested look. "Time," Amelia answers, like it should be obvious. "Why don't we use that so we can do this right? So, we make sure that when we stop Voldemort we're stopping him for good, and not just for thirteen years," Amelia says. "We don't have to rush. We can destroy the diadem, plan how to go after the ring, Diary, and Cup, make sure we come up with a way to get the locket without Regulus dying," Amelia says, knowing that they are not going to let that happen. "But we can also use what we've read, your knowledge, and Regulus's position, to figure out ways to get Death Eaters out of positions of powers and prevent battles, pain and death; but we can do it in a calculated way, a way that won't draw too much attention to use until we're ready," Amelia explains.
"Make ripples and not waves, so we're in control more," Remus realises, understanding what Amelia is saying.
"It might be our only hope to make sure the knowledge we have is still correct," Lily realises as while she knows that they have to change a lot of things if they can do it in a way where the knowledge, they have is still valuable that would be best.
"Okay, sounds like a plan," Mie says, standing up, and once more wishes for the white board and stands up. "But let's plan the details," Mie admits. "We'll start with what we want to achieve between now and going back to classes," Mie says, diving the board into four. "What we want to achieve between going back to the classes and summer, what we want to do over summer, and what will do after that slash when the perfect option presents itself," Mie admits. "To start, the Diadem, that we deal with before going back to classes," Mie says, her tone of voice being one that says this is something that they are not going to discuss.
"Agreed," Alice says, and everyone else nods, so Mie writes it in the square.
"The ring? I think either summer or before that," Severus suggests.
"I think before is better than summer," Lily admits. "We need to plan, that goes without saying, but we know where it currently is, we can't say the same for the other Horcrux's, we should destroy it when we've figured out a way to do it safely," Lily explains.
"I agree," Minerva says.
"We might need the time to plan though," Sirius points out, knowing that there are people around the room who will be tempted to use the stone so they may not think clearly.
"We do," Mie admits. "Which is why we all have to agree, in this moment, that none of us will go after the ring alone, that we will leave it in the shack until we go after it together," Mie says, looking around the room and she sees that everyone except for Albus has not in agreement with her. "Albus? I know you want the stone, but we've got to do this the right way," Mie reminds him, doing so in the gentlest way possible.
"I know," Albus admits, though it is painful for him.
"Do you promise you won't go after the ring alone?" Mie asks, and for a few moments Albus hesitates.
"I promise," Albus says and after watching him carefully for a few moments, trying to determine if she can believe him, Mie nods.
"Okay, that's the ring, what's next?" Mie asks, getting the subject off the ring.
"There's an attack coming," Regulus reminds the others.
"February first, right?" Moody asks and Regulus nods.
"Okay, let's figure what we're going to do about that, how to prevent people from being hurt and killed while making sure we don't give away that Reg's a spy," Mie says, knowing that is going to be a delicate balance, and the group proceed to discuss that.
Once the group have figured out a plan for the attack, they move on to discussing the other things they know they must figure out and spend the rest of the afternoon, and into the early evening, debating how they are going to deal with everything they need to deal with while also accepting that their plans may have to change.
Hours after Mie got Albus to agree not to go after the ring alone the group are still sitting around the room of requirements. However, a few things are different, the whiteboard is full of plans, and the entire group are eating the diner that was supplied to them.
"You really think you can get Lucius to tell you where the diary is?" Frank asks Regulus, looking at him.
"Under the right circumstances Luci will tell me whatever I want," Regulus admits, knowing he just has to play his cards right. "It just might take some time," Regulus admits, as he knows he can't do it in a way that will be suspicious.
"We've got that, at least for now," Sirius says to his brother.
"So, that's the Diadem, Ring, and Diary figured out," Mie says, looking at the whiteboard, which is now completely covered, and honestly due to the sheer volume of writing it won't make sense to anyone else even if they did get to read it. "The locket is going to be almost impossible to destroy before it's placed, but Reg is going to keep an eye out for it, and we'll use the summer to figure out how to go after the cup," Mie realises, looking at the board, as the cup is the one that will take the most intrinsic planning purely because of where it is. "So, unless he creates more, which admittedly he probably will, we've got starting points," Mie says, looking at not just everything they have figured out but their plans for a lot of other things including when they will go back to classes, and how Severus, Lily, James and Sirius can make up in front of the entire school.
As she looks at the board Mie knows that there is one thing that is not on the board and that is because she has to talk to James about Peter and feels like it would be best to have that conversation in private.
"That we do," Albus confirms. "It's almost seven, I should go collect Aberforth," Albus sys, looking at Mie.
"Yeah," Mie says, feeling a little nervous, about the ritual.
"You really suggested Ab wait in the entrance hall?" Sirius asks surprised. "That's going to draw a whole lot of attention," Sirius admits and as he does the pieces fall into place for Remus.
"Which is exactly the point," Remus realises, and Albus just smirks slightly as he heads out of the room.
"So, soon you'll be a Dumbledore, are your ready?" Severus asks Mie curious.
"Yeah, I am," Mie admits.
"As soon as the information is public a lot of people are going to come after you; you need to be prepared for that," Moody informs Mie.
"I know, Moody, I'm ready," Mie responds, doing her best to hide her amusement, as the group drift into silence.
Over the next few minutes, the students finish their dinner and continue to talk about nothing overly important until the door opens and Albus and Aberforth walk in.
"How long do we have until the ritual has to start?" Minerva asks, looking at Mie.
"Three minutes," Mie answers after checking the time.
"Just enough time to get everything set up," Amelia explains, and that's exactly what they do.
Over the next few minutes, the participants in the room get everything set up until, at exactly the right page, Mie and Albus are standing in the middle of the room, a step apart, with Aberforth standing between them. Checking her watch Mie nods at Aberforth and he knows it's time to begin.
"Do you Affirm that you are willingly standing before me to make a blood connection where there is one of love?" Aberforth asks his brother, offering him an iron dagger.
"I affirm," Albus says, taking the dagger from his brother and using it to cut his palm, once he does so he passes it back to his brother.
"And do you affirm that you are willingly standing before me to make a blood connection where there was one of love?" Aberforth asks Mie, once he has the dagger back.
"I affirm," Mie says as she takes the knife and does the same as Albus. Once Mie has cut her hand, she gives the dagger back to Aberforth who place the dagger on the ground between Albus and Mie and pull his wand.
"Join hands, mix the blood that you will now share," Aberforth says, and once he does Mie and Albus take hands and the two palms that are bleeding touch as they clasp their hands together. After Mie and Albus clasp their hands together Aberforth makes it so the tip of his wand is touching the top of their interlocked hands. "State who you are, and who you feel that you are in your heart," Aberforth says, looking at his brother, and knowing that if the ritual is going to go wrong then this is the moment where it will.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, father of Annemie Ariana Kendra Harriett Dumbledore," Albus says, and with the exception of Regulus, the only person who knows, everyone is surprised by what Mie's name will be, but they all understand exactly what it means.
"Albus has revealed who he is in his heart," Aberforth says, looking at Mie. "Who are you? And who do you feel you are in your heart?" Aberforth ask, looking at Mie.
"Annemie Ariana Kendra Harriett Dumbledore, daughter of Albus Percival Wulfric Brain Dumbledore," Mie states, and once she does a red light shoots out of Aberforth's wand and starts to circle around the hands, and raises up both their arms.
"Albus, Annemie, you have both opened your hearts and revealed what lies within, from this moment you will be linked by blood, no matter how far you go you will never truly be apart as you'll always carry a piece of each other within," Aberforth says as the red light continues to cover Mie and Albus. "Annemie, Albus, what binds you from now is not only the blood you now share, but the love that brought you together. Father and daughter, family, forever," Aberforth says.
"Forever," Mie and Albus both say and once they speak the trio are enveloped in red light and as the light begins to fade away it is clear that aspects of Mie's appearance has changed.