Chapter 29
AN: Thank you so much for the support. I really hope you like this chapter.
After spending several hours, and exchanging several kisses, in Austria Albus inside Nurmengard Castle with Gellert while Mie explored the grounds, the two returned to Hogwarts, though neither attended dinner in the Great Hall, rather they had their diner in their quarters. While Albus told his daughter about some of the many things he and Gellert talked about he didn't tell her about the kisses they exchanged as he isn't sure the right way to do that because of how much it meant to him; though he is reasonably sure that Mie won't judge him.
It's been a few hours since Mie and Albus returned from Austria and Mie is in bed asleep tossing and turning in her bed as she is plagued by nightmares that are different from the nightmares she usually experiences.
"We could have died," A dream projection of Lily tells Mie.
"We went to battle for you, and we will again, but whatever happens to us is because of you," A dream projection of Amelia tells her.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Mie says, becoming upset.
"You're a curse," Ron tells her. "You make the lives of everyone who is around you worse,"
"I took a curse meant for you," a dream projection of Albus says, looking how he looked when he was dying.
"The world needs Albus Dumbledore," A protection of Harry tells Mie. "Everyone needs him, they don't need you, my life is better since you've been gone," Harry tells Mie with a cruelty she has never heard in his voice.
"You're going to get me killed," Regulus tells Mie. "You're going to get us all killed," Regulus tells Mie.
"NO!" Mie yells waking up with a start and knowing she wouldn't have woken up Albus as he had to take a sleeping potion, something which he resisted. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Mie says, tears on her face, guilt rising up inside of her so strong that Grindelwald is feeling it, though he doesn't completely understand it, knowing she will do whatever she has to do to protect everyone she cares about.
Knowing that she cannot sleep anymore Mie throws off her blanket and walks over to her desk. Sitting down Mie starts to work on the one thing that can distract her from the nightmare she just had, her plans to make it so she can send the books to the timeline she just came from, but an earlier point in that timeline.
Hours after Mie woke from her nightmares, which resulted in her getting no sleep and instead she spent all night working on her plans, Mie and Albus are having breakfast together in their quarters, Mie being dressed for the day while Albus is still in his pyjamas. While the day before is exactly what he wanted, what he needed, it was a lot, and he is still pretty exhausted due to his injuries. As neither Mie nor Albus want the other to worry neither are admitting just how exhausted they are.
"Are you sure that you'll be okay while I'm in class?" Mie asks her father concerned. "I can stay," Mie tells her father, and Albus knows that it is a big deal for Mie to offer to skip class.
"I appreciate the offer Annemie," Albus assures his daughter as he really does. "But I will be okay, you should go to class," Albus tells his daughter. "I will be okay," Albus assures his daughter, and Mie isn't sure if she can completely believe him.
"I'll come check on you during break, and lunch," Mie assures her father, "and I can come back here during dinner," Mie tells her father.
"You don't have to do that," Albus tells his daughter, though he is incredibly touched.
"I know, I want to," Mie tells her father.
"I appreciate that," Albus says, feeling touched. "But Annemie if you cannot come visit during break I would understand," Albus says, knowing that is a very short break.
"I'm going to try," Mie assures her father, who nods.
"It's almost time for your first class," Albus says, noticing the clock.
"I know, do you need anything before I go?" Mie asks her father, wanting to do whatever she can to help him.
"No, I am okay," Albus assures his daughter.
"Okay, if you need anything, maybe Fawkes can find me and let me know," Mie says, looking over at the phoenix and for a second Mie thinks she sees a nod.
"I will be alright, Annemie," Albus tells his daughter. "Go to class," Albus tells his daughter.
"Okay, I'll see you later," Mie says before picking up her bag and heading out of the room, feeling worried about her father as she goes, and wondering whether she made the right choice by leaving.
After leaving the quarters she shares with her father Mie heads to the charms corridor, as charms is her first class, not even realising that she is walking slowly. As she walks Mie can't help but think about her nightmare. Since Albus was hurt protecting her Mie has been having a lot of nightmares like the one she just had and with every nightmare she can't help but believe what she is being told in her dreams a little more.
As she approaches the charms corridor Mie hears talking, something which she isn't at all surprised by as the seventh years love to talk. But when she hears what is being talked about, she can't help but freeze, and listen to the words being said.
"What was it like fighting?" A Ravenclaw by the name of Alora Alderton who Mie knows is Edger's girlfriend and in her timeline, wife.
"It was intense," Edger admits. "Every second it felt like we could die," Edger tells his girlfriend, and Mie feels a stab of guilt at that.
"But we knew we were doing the right thing, and that made it all worth it," Amelia reveals, sounding proud of what they did, and others who fought nod in agreement, though Mie doesn't see that.
"So, you'd do it again?" Kathleen asks, sounding curious.
"Without hesitation," Remus answers, and Mie isn't at all surprised by that.
Not being able to listen to anymore Mie turns and walks away. Mie is a corridor away from her classmates before she realises what she has done. While she knows she should go back to class, and not too long ago she would never have imagined skipping class, Mie doesn't head back to the charms corridor rather she continues to walk. As she walks Mie doesn't really have a location in mind, she's just walking, but then she knows exactly where she's going.
A few minutes after she left the Charms Corridor Mie walks into the library, but rather than the main entrance she uses an entrance she found during her third year, an entrance that leads to a section of the library that is often deserted, a section full of books of ancient magic that most people would never read, but which she finds fascinating. Feeling pretty confident that she won't be found as she has never known Madam Prince to check this area, Mie sets herself up at the single table and grabs some of the books to read, hoping that some of them can help with her mission to send the books to another timeline as that is something incredibly important to her.
Ever since she sat down in the library Mie has been reading multiple books, making a lot of notes on the problems she is trying to work out. As she works Mie hears the bell ring which tells her charms is over, hearing the bell Mie hesitates for a second, but then decides that she is not ready to go to Defence Against the Dark Arts being taught by Moody, for multiple reasons, so instead she continues to work.
The next time Mie hears the bell ring she does pack up her stuff, planning on heading back to the Dumbledore quarters as she knows that now that it is lunch time, she can check on her father without him questioning why she is not in class as that is something she is not ready to talk about, especially because she doesn't want him to feel guilty.
Being glad that doesn't pass any of the seventh years who questioned where she's been Mie makes it back to the Dumbledore quarters without any trouble. Walking into the quarters Mie finds her father on the couch clearly half asleep as a book is on his chest. For a few seconds Mie watches him, to make sure that he is breathing. After making sure her father is breathing Mie, wanting to check that he is okay, Mie walks over to her father and gently shakes his shoulder,
"Dad," Mie says as she gently tries to wake up her father, and after a few seconds he opens his eyes. "Hi Dad," Mie says as she sits down on the coffee table.
"Annemie," Albus says, looking glad to see her, though clearly a little asleep still. "Is It lunch time already?" Albus asks, clearly confused, as he closes his book.
"Yeah," Mie confirms. "Have you been asleep since I left?" Mie asks her father curious.
"I think so," Albus admits, sounding uncertain. "How were your classes?" Albus asks his daughter.
"Interesting, it was nice to be back," Mie lies to her father. "Are you hungry?" Mie asks her father curious, partly wanting to get the topic of her classes that she didn't actually attend as she feels a little bad lying to her father.
"A little," Albus answers.
"Star," Mie says, and seconds later the house elf appears.
"Miss, what can Star do? What do you need?" Star asks once she appears.
"Can you please bring us some lunch," Mie requests, as while she hates using elves for this kind of thing it is the only option with Albus being so weak.
"Of course," Star says.
"Thank you," Mie says as Start disappears. "How are you feeling?" Mie asks her father concerned.
"Better, I think I might be ready to go to breakfast in the great hall tomorrow," Albus tells his daughter.
"Dad that's great!" Mie says, sounding glad, though she realises that she isn't going to get away with skipping classes again.
"I am starting to feel more like myself," Albus explains.
"I'm really glad to hear that," Mie tells her father, as she is beyond glad that he is feeling better.
"I wanted to thank you Annemie, you have helped me so much," Albus tells his daughter.
"You don't have to thank me," Mie assures her father. "I just wanted to do what I could to help you," Mie assures her father.
"You have, you really have," Albus assures Mie, and as he does the food appears on the table and so Mie and Albus, Albus needing a little bit of help, walk over to the table so that they can eat together.
After lunch together Albus insisted Mie go to class, and while she left their quarters rather than going to class Mie headed back to her place in the library. As Mie's first class after lunch was meant to be Transfiguration Minerva noticed that she wasn't in class and so she has headed to the Dumbledore family quarters so that she can check on both Dumbledore's as she assumes that Albus must be in bad shape for Mie not to be in class as Minerva assumed she would be.
Getting to the entrance of the Dumbledore quarters Minerva knocks on the door and waits, after a little while the door opens to reveal Albus, which is a surprise for Minerva as she would expect Mie to be the one who answered the door.
"Minerva," Albus says, sounding glad to see her. "Come in, come in," Albus says, letting her into the quarters.
"How are you feeling?" Minerva asks, looking around for Mie and realising that she is not there, something which makes her feel incredibly concerned.
"Better," Albus answers. "I am feeling stronger," Albus admits.
"That's good to hear," Minerva says, looking glad.
"Would you like a cup of tea?" Albus asks.
"Sure," Minerva says as she uses magic to bring the kettle over and boil it.
"How is the school? Is there anything I need to know?" Albus asks, as he sits down, and Minerva starts to update Albus about what is going on, as she does Minerva does not mention Mie being missing from class as she doesn't want Albus to worry before it is necessary.
After spending a little bit of time with Albus Minerva knows she has to find out where Mie is and it is incredibly unlike her to skip classes, and it is even more concerning that Albus clearly thinks that she is in class.
Knowing that she needs to find Mie as quickly as possible after leaving the Dumbledore Quarters Minerva heads straight to the empty classroom she knows the seventh years spend their spare time in. Walking into the classroom Minerva finds Mary, James, Sirius, Alice, and Emmaline sitting around and clearly talking while the others are in ancient runes, or they should be.
"Potter, Black, a word," Minerva requests. Exchanging looks James and Sirius get up and head out into the corridor, while no one else is surprised as they figure the two are in trouble again, as this is far from the first time Minerva has come to the classroom looking for them.
"Is something wrong?" Sirius asks concerned.
"Has Mie been in classes today?" Minerva asks, as she needs to get a clear picture of how worrying the situation is.
"No," James answers, feeling confused by the question.
"She's with Albus, isn't she?" Sirius asks, concern in his voice.
"No, she's not, I just left Albus," Minerva explains, looking concerned. "Do you have the map?" Minerva asks.
"Never go anywhere without it," James answers, as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the map. Once the Map is out of his pocket James looks around the corridor, making sure the three of them are alone. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," James says as he taps the map.
"If she's in the room we won't be able to see her," Sirius reminds Minerva.
"I know, but I wanted to make sure she is nowhere else before I tried to check there," Minerva explains, causing James and Sirius to both nod as the three of them start to search the map for Mie.
"Got her," Sirius says after a couple of minutes.
"Is that the library?" James says surprised, as while it looks like it is a part of the library, he is pretty sure she has never been to that section of the library.
"It's a part of the library that not many people go to," Minerva says, knowing that because she has spent time there. "Thank you," Minerva says to James and Sirius.
"Do you want us to come?" James asks concerned.
"No, but thank you," Minerva says, being pretty sure that Mie won't react well if multiple people question her, before walking away.
As Minerva walks away James and Sirius exchange worried looks, both feeling worried about what is going on with Mie.
A few minutes after she left James and Sirius Minerva heads to the part of the library where she finds Mie. Walking into the section of the library where she knows she will find Mie Minerva walks in and she isn't at all surprised to find Mie surrounded by books.
"Mie," Minerva says, when she is several steps away as she does not want to scare Mie, but Mie still jumps hearing the professor's voice.
"Minerva," Mie says, feeling shocked to see her.
"I may be wrong, but I believe you have a class that you should be in," Minerva says as she walks over and sits down across from Mie.
"It's after lunch? I must have lost track of time," Mie lies, the words being out of her mouth before she can think whether or not it's a good idea.
"A perfectly reasonable excuse," Minerva says and for a second Mie thinks she got away with it. "If you did not also miss your morning classes," Minerva tells Mie, who tenses. "James and Sirius informed me that you haven't attended a class all day," Minerva tells her, telling Mie that there is no point lying any further. "Is there something you would like to talk to me about?" Minerva asks.
"No," Mie says, closing the book she is reading.
"Mie…" Minerva starts to say.
"Have you told Dad?" Mie asks concerned, as she knows that she is going to need to deal with that.
"I have not," Minerva confirms, not completely sure that that is the right thing. "I thought it would be best not to worry him," Minerva answers.
"Thank you," Mie says, looking grateful.
"Mie I know the last week has been difficult, and if you're struggling that's okay," Minerva tells her. "But you need to know that you are not alone," Minerva tells her, before glancing around to make sure they are alone. "We may not be in your time, and we may not be the versions of ourselves that you know, but we do care, you can always talk to us," Minerva tells Mie.
"I know," Mie tells Minerva as the bell rings. "I should go check on Dad," Mie tells Minerva.
"I just left him, he's okay," Minerva assures Mie. "But I don't believe you are," Minerva says as Mie packs up her stuff, and uses her wand to send the books she has been reading to the shelves. "Mie….' Minerva starts to say.
"Good evening professor," Mie says before picking up her bag and heading out of the library section.
As she watches her go Minerva can't help but frown, feeling worried about what is going on with the young girl from the future. As she worries about Mie Minerva can't help but wonder I she made a mistake by not telling Albus that Mie has skipped classes.
After leaving the library, and Minerva, Mie heads back to the Dumbledore quarters, as she is walking she feels her messaging coin become hot. Taking the coin out of her pocket Mie has a look and sees that it is a message from Regulus asking her to meet right away. Staring at the message for a few moments Mie debates what to do, but then she remembers her dream and so she puts the coin back in her pocket and heads to the Dumbledore Quarters rather than going to Regulus.