Chapter 8
AN: Hope you like this chapter. Let me know what you think.
Well over a day has passed since Mie and Regulus met up and amazingly, they managed to spend even longer than they were expecting together. As she was arriving back at the Dumbledore tower Mie caught a glimpse of the moon and from the second, she saw the moon she realised that it was going to be a full moon the next night, last night, Mie has most of her time worrying about how Remus is. From his future self, and what he said when they were reading the books Mie knows that his transformation these days are bad, and she can't help but feel horrified at the thought of her friend going through that.
It's a little before lunch and Mie is sitting in her sitting room reading a text book of Albus's, a textbook where he has added his own notes that she finds fascinating. As she reads Mie hears the door open and she looks to see Albus. Even though he is trying to hide it Mie can tell that he is concerned about something.
"Dad? What's wrong?" Mie asks worried, closing her book.
"Even though I am not supposed to be here Minerva came to see me," Albus says as he walks over to Mie. "She thought that we would want to know that Remus had a particularly bad night last night," Albus explains, explaining gently as he knows what Remus future self meant to Mie and that the current version of Remus has become a good friend.
"Is he okay? How bad is he hurt?" Mie asks worried.
"Minerva said that Poppy has managed to treat his injuries, but they were significant," Albus admits, pain in his voice as he doesn't like the idea of Remus being hurt.
"I have to see him," Mie says standing up.
"Not right now," Albus tells her.
"Dad! I have to!" Mie exclaims.
"Fifteen minutes," Albus tells Mie. "That is five minutes into lunch, most of the castle will be in the Great Hall," Albus explains.
"Which means it will be the best chance I have at not getting caught," Mie realises, and Albus nods. "Okay, I'll wait fifteen minutes," Mie says, and Albus nods.
True to her word Mie waited exactly fifteen minutes before she left the Dumbledore tower, through the headmaster's office. Feeling extremely vulnerable because she doesn't have the Marauder's Map or Harry's cloak, Mie makes her way through the castle, and not counting a couple of close calls with Ghosts Mie manages to get to the Hospital wing without a problem.
Getting to the hospital wing Mie looks in and after making sure Madam Pomfrey is in her office, she heads to the bed, which is thankfully not too far from the door, where Remus is.
"Remus," Mie says, getting to his side and putting her hand on his arm, and after a few seconds he opens his eyes and looks up at her.
"Mie," Remus says surprised. "You shouldn't be here," Remus tells Mie, though he looks glad.
"You're hurt, there's no way I could stay away," Mie says, pulling a chair over, as she takes his hand. "How are you feeling?" Mie asks worried.
"Pained, tired," Remus admits. "It hasn't been that bad in a while," Remus admits.
"I'm sorry, Remus, I'm so sorry," Mie says, searching her mind for way to help, and the only solution she has she isn't sure if it will be possible for her to create in this time.
"I'll be okay, Mie," Remus tells her. "I think I scared Sirius though," Remus admits, telling Mie because she and Sirius have grown to see each other as siblings.
"I'm not surprised, he would be terrified of losing you," Mie tells him, and Remus knows he is just as terrified of losing Sirius.
"All our friends know now, about Sirius and I," Remus admits as from what he understands Sirius wasn't shy in portraying how worried he was and why.
"Good," Mie responds, looking amused. "I know you won't like it, but you should take the time you need to rest," Mie reveals.
"Pretty sure Madam Pomfrey will make me," Remus admits.
"Of course," Mie responds, looking amused, and laughing slightly.
"Remus? Are you awake?" Madam Pomfrey's voice says, causing Mie and Remus to exchange worried looks.
"Go," Remus says as he knows it will lead to awkward questions if Mie is caught. "I'm okay," Remus assures Mie.
"Get better," Mie tells her friend, kissing Remus's check before hurrying out of the Hospital wing, managing to close the door behind her just as Madam Pomfrey comes out of her office.
Feeling relieved that she didn't get caught Mie turns and sees another person, thankfully, it is someone she knows very well.
"You're supposed to be at lunch," Mie tells Sirius, feeling relieved that out of everyone who could have caught her it's him.
"Remus is hurt there is no way I could just stay downstairs and eat lunch," Sirius admits.
"Yeah, I guess not," Mie realises. "I'm sorry, Siri," Mie admits, giving him a sympathetic look.
"Me too, but he's going to be okay, Madam Pomfrey is sure," Sirius says, like he is trying to convince himself.
"Yeah, he will be," Mie says, trying to reassure herself and Sirius and as she does Sirius realises something.
"You should go, the others are on their way up," Sirius explains.
"Not a problem they already know," Mie reminds him.
"Mie, I mean all the others," Sirius tells her as the story is Remus was hurt on the way back from visiting his mother even though those who don't officially know the truth at least suspect it and they want to see Remus for themselves make sure he's okay.
"Right," Mie says with a nod. "Thanks for the heads up I'll see you tomorrow," Mie tells him.
"See you tomorrow," Sirius responds, with a grin as he knows that's when they agreed that Mie would 'arrive' at Hogwarts, and Mie starts to walk away. "Mie," Sirius says, causing Mie to turn back around. "How's my brother doing?" Sirius asks concerned knowing that while he hasn't been able to talk to Regulus that Mie likely has.
"Okay, lonely, but okay," Mie admits, frowning slightly.
"I really wish I could talk to him," Sirius admits, frowning slightly, as he knows they can't do anything that would put Regulus in danger.
"I mean you do have a map that tells you where everyone in Hogwarts is," Mie points out. "Might be handy in this situation," Mie tells him.
"Yeah, guess so," Sirius responds, and as he does, they both hear the sound of footsteps.
"Bye," Mie says before hurrying off heading back upstairs and managing to do so without being caught.
A day after she snuck away to see Remus, on a grey Wednesday afternoon, Mie is standing in the room that in a short time she has grown to see as hers staring out of the window, looking over at the grounds and feeling apprehensive about what is going to happen over the next few hours. As she stares out the window Mie hears a knock on the door.
"Come in," Mie answers and Albus walks in. "Is it time to go?" Mie asks as she turns to look at her father, who is dressed in robes of dark purple.
"Almost," Albus answers. "It will just be the Order there today, no one we know to be a Death Eater in the future," Albus tells Mie as they talked and made sure of that.
"Good, the Death Eaters will know once the whole school knows," Mie comments. "Will we come back here before dinner?" Mie asks curious.
"We should have enough time to," Albus tells Mie, who nods knowing she will get changed then. "Annemie, depending on what house you're sorted into your head of house will talk to you either tonight or tomorrow about your classes," Albus explains to his daughter.
"I figured," Mie admits. "I was actually thinking earlier about what classes would be best for what we have to do," Mie admits, and Albus shakes his head at her. "What?" Mie asks confused, noticing the action.
"Annemie, there are so many things you are doing for the good of everyone, because it's what others need you to do, but this, your classes, getting your NEWTS, that's for you," Albus tells her, taking a step forward. "It's giving you one, some might say small, thing that was taken from you," Albus explains, very much wishing he could do more. "Don't choose your classes because they're classes that you think will make our mission either, pick the ones you want to do," Albus tells her. "Do this for yourself," Albus tells her as after everything Mie has done, and everything she is going to do, he feels like she deserves at least that.
"Okay, I will," Mie says with a nod. "We should go," Mie comments.
"We should," Albus confirms and the two of them head out of Mie's room and out of their tower.
After leaving their tower Mie and Albus head out of the castle and to the Hogshead where the Order Meeting is going to occur as it is one of the few places where they can guarantee security.
"You really think it's a good idea for me to be sitting at the table when the others get here?" Mie asks her dad, wanting to make sure that he is sure.
"They'll know about you soon enough, I see no reason in keeping you hidden," Albus reveals.
"Good point," Mie admits, looking around the room.
"Annemie are you alright?" Albus asks concerned, as he notices her searching for something which is something she does when she needs to be distracted.
"I know the fate of everyone who is about to walk into this room," Mie reminds Albus. "If I didn't meet them in the future then I know the stories of what they did, what happened to them, this is different than being in the room; I can't reveal what I know," Mie admits, feeling that that is going to be a struggle.
"You can't," Albus confirms. "But we can do everything in our power to make sure that they don't share the fate of the versions of themselves you know about," Albus tells Mie.
"We have to," Mie responds before walking over and sitting down in the seat that is directly to the right of the head of the table where Albus will sit.
Once Mie sits down Albus takes his seat too, and for about five minutes Mie and Albus sit in comfortable silence until the door opens, and Moody walks in, giving each of them a look and a nod as he sits down.
Once Moody sits down twelve other people, including Hagrid, who Mie desperately wants to run to and hug, arrive. While Mie is internally reminding herself that she can't hug Hagrid without him asking awkward questions, Albus stands up and points his wand at the door, casting more than a few charms to make sure the room is completely secure.
"Thank you for coming," Albus says, addressing everyone as he sits back down.
"Has something happened?" A voice asks, and for a second Mie almost feels like her heart stopped as it is so much like his nephews.
"Yes Fabian, it has," Albus confirms, speaking to Fabian Prewitt who is sitting next to her twin brother, both of whom Mie realises remind her so much of Fred and George. "As you have all realised, we have someone else with us this afternoon," Albus explains, and he sees the curious looks on several people's faces. "I would like you all to meet Annemie Dumbledore, my daughter," Albus introduces.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all, I've heard great things," Mie greats, looking around at the room full of people she knows to be heroes.
"It's really good to meet you," Hagrid says and Mie smiles at there being so much that she wishes she could say to him.
"Albus, you never said," Elphias says, sounding shocked, and a hint of betrayal on his face as he felt like he knew Albus so well and yet he didn't know this.
"Very few people are aware of Annemie, thought that will be changing later today," Albus admits. "I did not know Annemie existed until three months aft she was born," Albus reveals, and that just causes so many people around the room to have questions. "And from the moment I learnt about her all I wanted was for Annemie to be safe," Albus explains, and everyone understands that.
"Up until a few days ago I lived with my aunt and Uncle in the Muggle word," Mie explains. "I saw Dad and Uncle Ab a lot, but other than them the lessons my Uncle Franklin would teach me they've been my only connection to the magical world," Mie explains, and as she does Elphias's eyes widen as he puts the pieces together.
"Elias," Elphias says, looking at Albus.
"Yes," Albus says with a nod. "I assume you understand now," Albus says to his oldest friend.
"I do," Elphias confirms, looking at Mie in amazement.
"Well, I don't," Mundungus says, looking between the pair, looking incredibly confused, while Mie notices that Aberforth is watching him closely as he lifted Mundungus's ban to allow him into the pub for the meeting, but made it clear to his brother that it was a onetime thing.
"I don't have a mother, I've never had a mother," Mie reveals, there being no lie in what she is saying as that's how she's felt. "I had two fathers," Mie reveals, and several people around the room look shocked at that. "Elias, my other father, died in an accident when I was three months old," Mie explains. "From what my aunt and uncle have told me he didn't intend to ever tell Dad about me, but after he died, they felt Dad deserved to know about me, and I deserved to know my Dad," Mie explains.
"In those first few months Annemie's aunt, uncle and I had a lot of discussions, and one thing we agreed on was that it would be best only a few people knew the truth," Albus explains. "Not out of shame, but because we all wanted Annemie to be as safe and protected as possible," Albus explains.
"That's why I never attended Hogwarts, why until a few days ago my aunt, uncles, and Minerva were the only people who know about me," Mie explains.
"What changed?" Benjy Fenwick asks as it is clear that something has changed, and everyone notices Albus gives Mie a worried look.
"My aunt and uncle were killed by Death Eaters," Mie explains. "I was in the village and when I got home, I found them," Mie reveals, putting pain in her voice as she thinks about all the people she's lost.
"I don't believe the Death Eaters knew the connection…" Albus starts to say.
"They wouldn't have," Moody says. "If they did, they wouldn't stop until they killed you too," Moody tells Mie.
"Which is exactly why I asked Dad to be at this meeting today when he told you about me," Mie says looking around the room. "I'm not going to sit on the sidelines while Voldemort and his Death Eaters hurt and kill people, I won't," Mie say, and everyone hears the determination in her voice.
"Annemie…." Albus starts to say.
"Don't start Dad," Mie says rolling her eyes, and several people around the room look amused. "Voldemort is destroying both the world I grew up in and the world I've been hearing out for my whole life, killing people just because of who they are, and because of things they can't change, I'm not going to do nothing while people are suffering," Mie informs Albus.
"Wow, I can see the resemblance," Dedalus says amused.
"Aren't you like fifteen?" Caradoc Dearborn asks, looking amazed.
"Eighteen, I admittedly I haven't finished my NEWTS yet, but honestly does age matter when doing the right thing?" Mie asks.
"I've never thought it did," Gideon comments, looking amused.
"How are you going to complete your NEWTs?" Sturgis asks, though he has a suspicion.
"Tonight, Annemie will be sorted, and she will complete her Newts with the current seventh years," Albus explains.
"As soon as you tell the students Death Eaters and You know Who are going to go know," Sturgis points out.
"I know," Albus confirm in a grave tone of voice. "I fear what will happen when everyone learns of Annemie's existent," Albus admits.
"Which you told me, and I told me that I'm not going to stay hidden anymore," Mie tells Albus. "I know what I'm going to face by revealing who I am, and I'm prepared for that," Mie says, glancing at her father. "Even if it makes you worried," Mie adds, looking at her father.
"You really are a Dumbledore," Elphias says, and Mie smiles as she knows that coming from Elphias that that is a compliment.
A couple of hours later the order Meeting, where Mie's identity wasn't the only thing discussed, has finished and Mie and Albus are back in their tower. Having just finished getting several things ready Mie, who is dressed in Hogwarts robes, is walking into the living area where Albus is waiting.
"I left the things I want to take to the dorm on the bed," Mie tells her father. "Should I take it downstairs with me?" Mie asks her father.
"No, I'll have the one of the elves take your belongings to the dorm you're sorted into," Albus tells Mie.
"The dorm? Are you uncertain about which it will be?" Mie asks curious, as she is.
"I have my suspicions, but as we both know the Hat can be unpredictable," Albus reminds Mie.
"True," Mie admits. "In my heart I know where I want to be sorted, but I also know that might not be the reality," Mie admits. "Guess, we'll see," Mie comments.
"We will," Albus confirms, as he notices Mie look around. "Are you alright, Annemie?" Albus asks.
"I haven't worn these robes in over a year," Mie admits, but it is clear that it is not the only thing that is bothering her.
"It must be strange," Albus confirms. "But that's not all that is bothering you," Albus realises, knowing Mie.
"No, it's not," Mie admits, and signs. "I'm nervous," Mie admits. "I'm going to be around so many people whose futures I know, so many people who I've met or heard stories about, it's going to be hard to differentiate between who they are now and who I know they become," Mie admits.
"You've managed with all of us who read with the books," Albus reminds Mie.
"Because I had a couple of weeks to get used to it," Mie admits. "I'm not saying that I won't be able to handle it, I'm just saying that it's an adjustment," Mie reveals.
"That's completely understandable," Albus admits. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," Albus tells her.
"You? Of all people, are telling me that?" Mie asks, and Albus looks amused as he realises that she has a point.
"We should go downstairs," Albus says as he knows that they have a little bit of time before most of the students will be arriving in the hall.
"Yeah, we should," Mie confirms.
"Annemie, your room is still your room, you are always welcome here," Albus tells Mie.
"Thanks Dad," Mie responds, and the two of them head out of the Dumbledore tower together.
A few minutes after they left their tower Mie and Albus arrive at the Great Hall and as they walk into the hall Mie freezes, which Albus notices right away and so he turns to look at her and he sees Mie closing her eyes tightly; and he realises exactly what she is doing.
"Annemie?" Albus asks concerned, taking a step towards her, wanting to do whatever he can to help and realising that he should have seen this coming.
"I need a second," Mie says squeezing her eyes as she tries to get rid of the images that have come to her mind, her memories of the great hall being full of bodies.
"Annemie, the hall is empty, there are no bodies, it's not broken," Albus tells Mie, and she opens her eyes, and gives a small nod. Seeing the nod Albus reaches out and takes Mie's hand, giving it a squeeze, and together the two of them walk up to the head table, hand in hand.
"I've never been up here," Mie admits, looking around.
"Good, you've already having new experiences," Albus says, letting go of Mie's hand as he uses his wand to conjure a chair which is behind his chair. "Minerva will bring the hat," Albus tells Mie.
"I figured," Mie admits. "Classes should be finishing about now," Mie realises as she walks over to the chair that Albus conjoined and sits down.
"They should," Albus confirms. "How do you feel?" Albus asks, turning to look at his daughter.
"Is it cheesy to say nervous?" Mie asks.
"Not at all," Albus assures her, as the teacher and students start to arrive.
Over the next ten minutes the hall slowly starts to fall, and as everyone arrives it is clear that everyone notices Mie and the hat, and while the teachers, and the students who read the books, know exactly who she is no one else does. Once he is relatively sure that most the students, if not all, are in the hall Albus stands up and as soon as he does the hall becomes silent, and all attention is on him.
"Good evening," Albus greats. "I don't intend to take up too much of your dinner time, but I do have an announcement," Albus reveals. "Tonight, a new student joins us, after sorting she will join our seventh years for the rest of the year," Albus explains. "She has had a difficult time recently and I trust that you will all make, my daughter, Annemie Dumbledore, welcome," Albus says, and mutters of shock can be heard throughout the room as it is clear that no one who didn't know the truth was expecting that.
Hearing her name Mie stands up, and she can feel all eyes on her, and it is clear to her that most of the room are searching her face for the similarities she shares with her father.
"Annemie, the hat will now sort you if you follow Professor McGonagall," Albus says.
"Yes Dad," Mie says, and once again everyone seems shocked, as she follows Minerva around the table and around to the stall where the Hat is.
As both Mie and Minerva get to the stall Minerva picks up the hat, Mie sits down, and once she is sitting Minerva puts the hat on her head.
"Well, well, well you're not supposed to be here," The hat tells Mie.
"No, you're wrong, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be," Mie thinks as she knows the hat will hear her.
"I see," The hat responds, and if Mie didn't know better, she would say it sounds amused. "But which house do you belong in?"
"You're the expert," Mie responds, once again thinking so the hat will hear.
"I am, and you're interesting," The hat responds. "You have a brilliant mind, one of the best I've ever seen, your bravery is undisputed, your loyalty brought you here, and you have ambition, but where to fit you," The Hat says, sounding like he is pondering what to do. "I know, better be….."