Chapter 28
AN: I really hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think.
A little while has passed since Mie begged Albus to open his eyes, and while he hasn't opened his eyes he has remained stable, which according to Poppy is very good news.
"Mie," Lily says, walking over and putting her hand on her shoulder. "We're going to go to dinner, do you want us to bring you back something?" Lily asks, even though she suspects she knows the answer, all of the teens having debated whether or not they'd leave.
"No thank you," Mie says, without looking away from her father.
"Okay, what about you, Ab?" Lily asks curious.
"I'm fine too, but thank you," Aberforth says, appreciating what she is doing, but he is pretty sure that even if he tried he couldn't eat right now.
"Okay, we'll be back soon," Alice assures them, and after the students' exchange looks, feeling worried about their friends, they head out of the Hospital Wing.
After the other seventh years leave the room Mie and Aberforth drift into silence, both staring at Albus and hoping that he is going to be okay; though Aberforth would have a harder time admitting that than Mie would.
For a little while after the other seventh years leave Aberforth and Mie watch Albus, both of them watching every single breath almost like they aren't sure that he is going to take the next one.
"This is all my fault," Mie says, her voice barley above a whisper as she stares at her father's face.
"Mie, no, it's not," Aberforth tells hie niece.
"Dad took a curse meant for me, and now he's barley alive," Mie reminds her uncle. "How is it not my fault?" Mie asks her uncle.
"You weren't the one who sent the curse," Aberforth reminds Mie. "And when he's awake your Dad is going to tell you that he had the choice again…." Aberforth starts to say.
"I'd always do the same thing," A voice says and Mie and Aberforth look to see that that Albus is awake.
"Dad!" Mie exclaims. "You're awake! How are you feeling?" Mie asks worried.
"I feel okay," Albus tells his daughter, though he knows he is feeling weak. "Are you okay?" Albus asks concerned, as he needs to know Mie is okay, he needs to know he protected her.
"Yeah, I'm okay thanks to you," Mie tells her father.
"I'll go get Poppy," Aberforth says before getting up and heading to her office, looking glad that his brother is okay, though he would have difficulty actually admitting that.
"How do you feel?" Mie asks her father.
"Weak, but okay," Albus admits, looking for signs that there is something wrong with Mie that she isn't telling him.
"Dad I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Mie tells her father, guilt perfectly clear in her voice.
"Oh Sweetheart, it's not your fault," Albus assures his daughter as he squeezes Hermione's hand which she is using to cling onto his.
"But the curse…" Mie starts to say.
"Wasn't cast by you," Albus reminds his daughter. "The only person to blame is the person who sent the curse at you," Albus tells his daughter, being certain that he knows who cast it but not wanting to voice that if Mie hasn't realised. "I don't want you to blame yourself," Albus tells his daughter. "I am thankful that you are okay," Albus assures his daughter.
"Can I hug you?" Mie asks hesitantly as she doesn't want to hurt her father.
"Of course, you never have to ask," Albus assures his daughter and Mie leans forward and hugs him, being as gentle as possible. As his daughter hugs him Albus feels comfort, safety, and overwhelming love towards his daughter.
After a few moments Mie and Albus break apart, though Mie doesn't let go of her father's hand, and just as they break apart, Poppy and Aberforth walk over, Poppy holding several different potions.
"Albus, I'm glad you're awake," Poppy admits. "You need to drink all of these," Poppy informs Albus.
"Of course," Albus says, and he takes the potions and drinks each of them as Poppy runs a scan over him.
"Considering everything you're healing pretty well," Poppy tells Albus. "You experienced a severed artery, organ damage, and significant blood loss," Poppy tells Albus. "Because of that you're not leaving the hospital wing until at least Wednesday," Poppy tells Albus, and Aberforth gives an amused smirk as he knows how much his brother is going to hate that, which gives him a lot of amusement.
"Are you sure that's needed?" Albus asks, his voice perfectly pleasant, but it is clear that he doesn't want that.
"Yes," Not just Poppy but Mie say together.
"Albus, you're lucky to be alive," Poppy tells Albus, and Mie feels a flash of guilt. "So, you're staying here until I feel comfortable releasing you," Poppy tells Albus it being more than clear that she will not be talked out of this.
"Of course," Albus responds, realising that there is no point arguing, though he will try again at a later point.
"I'll go get you some food," Poppy says, before heading out of the room.
"Out of all the people you've ever stood up to the Hospital Matron is not one of them?" Aberforth ask, looking amused, not being able to resist the urge to tease his brother, especially now he knows that Albus is going to be okay.
"You've obviously never had to stand up to Madam Pomfrey," Mie says, looking amused.
"You actually feeling okay?" Aberforth asks his brother, looking for signs that he is lying.
"I am," Albus confirms. "I appreciate that you're here," Albus tells his brother, as it is a big deal, and not so long ago Albus would be sure that Aberforth wouldn't be by his bedside.
"I wasn't going to leave," Aberforth says with a shrug, clearly not wanting to talk about it, and he and Mie once again sit down either side of Albus. Once Mie and Aberforth are sitting either side of Albus the three Dumbledore's drift into silence, both Mie and Aberforth feeling relieved that Albus is okay while Albus knows he is going to need to talk to his daughter about what happened, though he isn't sure that that that is a conversation that should happen when someone else, even Aberforth, is around.
Twenty-four hours have passed since Albus woke up initially and due to his injuries he has been sleeping on an off while Mie and Aberforth sit either side of his bed, neither wanting to leave him. As it is one of the times where Albus is awake and he and Mie are debating an advanced Ancient Ruins topic while Aberforth, who is bored with the conversation going on between his brother and niece, is reading the paper.
"That is a very interesting point, Annemie," Albus tells his daughter, looking thoughtful, as he ponders the point she just made.
"I don't see why people haven't thought of it before, the connection seems obvious to me," Mie admits.
"Not everyone sees connections in the same way," Albus tells his daughter. "Just because it's obvious to you doesn't mean it is obvious to others," Albus explains, and before Mie can respond Minerva walks in, with a grave look on her face. "Minerva? What is it?" Albus asks concerned.
"The Minster is on his way up," Minerva explains, exchanging looks with Mie, which Albus notices.
"What is it? What happened?" Albus asks, looking between the pair and Minerva gives Mie a look which says it is up to her to explain, and so Mie sighs, feeling worried, and leans forward.
"Um, so when you were unconscious, when Poppy, and Minerva, and Lally and the head healer were trying to heal you, with help from Professor Slughorn's potions, the Minister showed up," Mie explains. "I um, didn't react well," Mie tells her father, trying to think of the best way to describe what happened.
"Annemie? What happened?" Albus asks, no judgement in his voice, but only concern.
"I um, may have threatened to curse him," Mie explains.
"May have?" Aberforth asks his niece, giving her a look.
"Okay, I pulled my wand, pointed at him, and was fully prepared to use it," Mie explains to her father, giving her uncle an annoyed look.
"Oh Annemie," Albus says, reaching out and taking her hand.
"You must be feeling so ashamed of me right now," Mie says to her father, purposely avoiding looking at him.
"Oh Annemie, no," Albus tells his daughter. "I understand what you must have been feeling, it's okay," Albus assures his daughter.
"The Minster doesn't feel the same," Mie admits. "He's not going to be happy," Mie admits.
"We'll deal with him," Albus assures his daughter, and Mie nods.
"He should be here any moment," Minerva explains, and Albus nods, being able to feel Mie tense.
For a couple of minutes Mie, Albus, Aberforth and Minerva wait until the Minster with his entourage walks into the hospital wing, Albus having had his brother help him to the chair so that he is sitting in the chair rather than in bed as he didn't want to show that kind of weakness in front of the minster.
"Dumbledore," Minchum greats, there being an edge to his voice.
"Minster," Albus responds, his voice having the same edge to it as the Minster's.
"I'm glad to see you're doing better," Minchum says, and no one else in the room believes that. "We need to discuss what happened in both Hogsmeade and Godric's Hollow," Minchum explains.
"How many people died?" Mie asks, before she can stop herself, as she needs to believe that choosing to put her friends in danger, asking them to fight, had to do some good.
"There were no casualties in Hogsmeade," The Minster answers, and Mie is glad to know that her intervention didn't change that. "There were seven casualties in Godric's Hollow," The Minster explains, and while Mie feels incredibly guilty for that she knows that that is at least three times less death than what occurred in the timeline she is from.
"Seven deaths that could have been avoided if you just listened," Mie says, before she can stop herself.
"I am not hear to talk to you, Little Girl," Minchum says, an edge to his voice that Albus does not like at all.
"And you will not talk Annemie like that," Albus tells the minster, power radiating off him even though he is clearly weakened by his injuries. "Especially not when she is correct," Albus says, forcing himself to stand up, despite the difficulty, and Mie goes to move towards her father, but Aberforth subtly stops her, knowing that his brother is trying to make a point and he needs to do that his way. "You were warned Harold, and you acted in the exact way Voldemort expected you to, that is dangerous," Albus tells the minster. "You cannot continue to do that," Albus informs the minster.
"I don't need you to tell me how to do my job," Minchum comments.
"Sounds like you do," Aberforth says, to Mie's amusement, before he can stop himself. While Albus internally agrees with his brother he knows it will not be good for him to actually admit that.
"Is that why you made your little army? Including school children. Is that's what this school is for you a recruiting ground?" Minchum asks, and Mie feels a rush of guilt at that, as she knows it wasn't him who recruited students it was her, she put her friends in danger and while none of them were seriously hurt they could have been, and just like with her father it would have been her fault.
"I didn't recruit anyone," Albus tells the Minster. "Seventh year students, students who are of age, learnt what was going to happen, because, as you are aware, Voldemort did not hide his plans, and they wanted to join us in Hogsmeade, because unlike you, they knew the right thing to do," Albus tells Minchum.
"I'm watching you Dumbledore, as far as I'm concerned, you're as big of a threat as You-Know-Who," Minchum tells Albus before leaving, and a few seconds after the Minster leads Albus collapses onto his chair.
"Are you okay?" Mie asks her father, hurrying over to him.
"Yes," Albus says, with a nod, though he is looking even more tired than he was.
"You just had to show no weakness," Aberforth tells his brother.
"It was for the best," Albus says, and Aberforth rolls his eyes, and not long after the Minster leaves Albus and Mie help Albus back to the bed and before long he is once more asleep.
The following day Albus, who has received very strict instructions from Madam Pomfrey, is arriving back in the Dumbledore Quarters with Mie, who is helping him.
"Just a few more steps," Mie tells her father.
"Thank you," Albus tells Mie as they get to the couch and Mie helps him sits.
"I'll go make some tea, and get some food, I made some lemon bars for you," Mie tells her father as when she couldn't sleep the night before, her father having insisted that she not spend the night in the hospital wing, she started bake which turned out to be a good distraction from the thoughts of how much of a danger she is to everyone she cares about.
"I look forward to trying them, but not right now, sit down Annemie," Albus tells his daughter, and Mie does just that.
"Are you sure? I've made sure that I have the tea you like, and all your favourite foods," Mie tells her father, and Albus gives her a reassuring look.
"Annemie, I'm okay, I'm healing," Albus tells his daughter. "I know it must have been very distressing to see me hurt like that," Albus says to his daughter, being able to tell that Mie is overcompensating.
"I hated it," Mie admits. "Dad, you were bleeding out, and the Dittany didn't help," Mie admits. "You created the portkey and loss consciousness," Mie tells her father. "Once we got here Madam Pomfrey had me go to Saint Mungoes for help, and Uncle Ab had to carry me out of the hospital wing," Mie says, looking upset. "I know you haven't been my father for long, but it doesn't feel like that," Mie admits, as in her heart of hearts Albus feels like her father and that he has been that for longer than the two months he has been. "And I know I can't lose you," Mie admits.
"And I can't lose you either," Albus tells his daughter. "Annemie, we're fighting a war, that is dangerous, but I want you to know that I will always do whatever I can to protect you, that includes doing what I can to make it, so you won't lose me," Albus tells his daughter.
"I'll do the same," Mie assures her father.
"I know," Albus responds.
"Um, so I have something for you," Mie tells her father, realising that it is time she gives him back something, and reaching into her jacket pocket Mie pulls out the Elder Wand. "I've been keeping this safe for you," Mie tells her father, as she hands him back his wand.
"I knew it would be safe with you," Albus tells his daughter. "Thank you," Albus tells his daughter, accepting the wand, and once he does Albus, with a level of difficulty, puts his arm around his daughter as the two of them drift into silence.
Four days have passed since Albus and Mie returned to their quarters and while Albus is still healing, and still needs to take potions, he is doing a lot better than he was. It's an early Sunday morning and Albus and Mie are having breakfast together in their quarters. As they eat Albus takes his potions, and he can't help but pull faces as he drinks them, to Mie's amusement.
"It is one of life's great mysteries," Albus comments.
"Why potions don't taste good?" Mie asks her father, as she assumes that is what he is talking about.
"Yes," Albus confirms. "Horace and I have had many conversations about the matter, he cannot explain it," Albus admits.
"Cannot explain it or will not explain it?" Mie asks curious, as she knows it could be either.
"I am unsure," Albus admits, to Mie's amusement. "It's your last day of Easter Break," Albus tells his daughter. "What are your plans?" Albus asks Mie, wanting to subtly lead the conversation to the goal of Mie spending time with her friends as she has spent all of the last week with him and while she hasn't complained he feels bad about that.
"Whatever you want to do," Mie responds. "What do you want to do Dad?" Mie asks, and as she does a brief look which she recognizes passes over her father's face. "Dad, what is it?" Mie asks, and because it is his daughter he is talking to Albus feels no shame about what he would like to do.
"Now that I am feeling stronger I would like to go see Gellert," Albus admits, as while they have met in their 'mind' palace, it's not the same. "He knows I'm hurt, I would like to go see him and it would be best to go today," Albus admits. "The staff are back but the students are not, the castle is protected," Albus tells his daughter.
"Okay, we can go to Austria," Mie says, without needing to think about it.
"We?" Albus asks his daughter as he wasn't expecting that.
"I'm not letting the trip alone, you're healing but you're still hurt," Mie tells her father. "I'll wait outside, but I'm coming with you for Austria," Mie tells her father, as she knows her father and Gellert deserve to talk in private, her stubbornness being all too clear and Albus is sure that there is no way she will be talked out of it.
"Okay," Albus responds, and the two of them drift into silence as they continue to eat their breakfast.
A few hours later, having once again travelled by Thestral, Mie and Albus have arrived at Nurmengard.
"So, this is Nurmengard," Mie says, looking up at the castle, a place she has read so much about but never been to.
"Yes," Albus confirms. "I don't know how long I will be," Albus tells his daughter.
"It's okay, Dad," Mie assures her father, reaching out and putting her hand on his shoulder. "Take as long as you need," Mie tells her father, who gives her a grateful look before handing his daughter his wand as he would rather her have it than the guards, before heading into the castle.
About ten minutes after he left Mie, having needed to walk slower because of his injuries, Albus walks into the Gellert's cell, trying to make it seem like he is more okay than he is even though he cannot hide from Gellert.
"Hello Gellert," Albus greats, as he walks in.
"Albus," Gellert says, looking glad to see him, but also concerned. "I can feel Annemie's worry, do you really think it was a good idea for you to come?" Gellert asks concerned, looking Albus up and down and realising that he still looks weak even though he is trying to hide that fact.
"Annemie is unnecessarily worried," Albus admits, though he is finding it rather difficult to remain standing after all the stairs he just walked up.
"Doesn't seem like it to me," Gellert says, getting up and walking over to Albus. "You are still incredibly stubborn," Gellert says as he helps Albus over to the bed so that he can sit down, and it says a lot to him that Albus allows him to.
"You once said that was one of your favourite parts of me," Albus tells Gellert.
"It is," Gellert confirms, as he sits down next to Albus. "But it also concerning when I know how hurt you are," Gellert admits, pain in his voice.
"I am alright, Gellert," Albus says in a reassuring voice as he reaches over and takes his former lovers hard.
"But you were so close to not being," Gellert says, pain in his voice, squeezing Albus hands.
After everything that has happened recently Albus has been thinking about what he wants, he wants to protect Mie and assure she has a long full life, he wants to stop Voldemort, his followers, and protect people, and he wants to have a relationship with Gellert again.
While words are normally his strong point Albus knows that in this situation actions will be far more revealing than his words, and so Albus leans forward and kisses Gellert, giving him a gentle kiss that says that this is a new beginning.