Chapter 30
AN: Hi All, I hope you like this chapter. I've been struggling writing lately and next week is the tenth anniversary of my Dad's death so I don't know if I'm going to be able to write much. Today's also been a really bad day and I feel like I've been knocked down after finally feeling stable again…. I hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think.
A while after sending his request to Mie through their coins Regulus realised that she isn't coming, that she is ignoring his request, and so, feeling incredibly concerned, Regulus sent messages to the other teens who read the books. After waiting a little while Sirius, Remus, James, Alice, Lily, Amelia, Frank, and Severus all walk into the room of requirements.
"Reg? what's going on?" Sirius asks concerned as he knows it must be a big deal for his brother to ask to meet with him, and he can't help but look his brother up and down, searching for signs of injuries.
"Is Mie, okay?" Regulus asks concerned. "I sent her a message, but then didn't come to meet me nor did she send a message back," Regulus asks concerned and everyone notices James and Sirius exchange looks.
"What is it?" Amelia asks concerned, as it is clear that he pair know something the rest of them don't.
"Mie wasn't with Albus today," Sirius explains, and everyone is shocked by that.
"But she wasn't in class," Lily says, realising that that must mean Mie skipped classes which is both extremely worrying and extremely out of character.
"Which is exactly Minerva, Sirius and I used the map to find her, and Minerva went to talk to her," James explains.
"Where was she?" Regulus asks curious.
"In the library, but a part of the library I've never been. I don't know what Minerva said to her," Sirius explains. "But it must not have had much effect," Sirius says, worried about the person he considers to be his sister.
"Mie really ignored a message from you?" Alice asks and Regulus nods. "And she skipped class," Alice says trying to put the pieces together so that she can figure out what is going on with her friend.
"Oh Merlin," Amelia comments, the pieces falling into place for her.
"Amy what?" Severus asks, turning to look at her.
"Mie blames herself for Albus being hurt, we all know that," Amelia admits.
"Yeah, Dumbledore taking a curse for her isn't something Mie's going to get over any time soon," Regulus comments, knowing what happened because Sirius filled him in, but he hasn't been able to talk to Mie.
"You think it's more than that," Remus comments, starting to put the pieces together.
"I think so," Amelia says, sounding uncertain. "Mie asked, not just us, but people she cares about who don't know the truth to fight, in what she knew was a massacre in her timeline," Mie reminds everyone.
"But none of us were hurt, we saved lives," James points out.
"But it could have easily gone the other way," Lily realises, like Remus and Amelia she is putting the pieces together.
"Last Monday Mie became a leader, a general in a way, she asked people she cared about to fight, to risk our lives, and we did, without hesitation," Remus says. "None of us hurt, but we could have been, and Albus was. She's feeling guilty for putting us in were that position even though we were willing," Remus realises, feeling that that makes sense.
"And because of that she's going to push us away," Amelia realises.
"She thinks she'd be protecting us by doing that," Regulus realises, frowning as he feels extremely concerned for Mie.
"We've got to show her that she doesn't have to do that," Alice realises.
"We really do," Regulus confirms, and the group start to come up with a plan for how they are going to get through to Mie. Something which they know has the added complication of the fact that Mie is avoiding them.
While her friends, the people who care about her, are trying to figure out a way to convince Mie that shed doesn't have to push them away, Mie is having dinner with her father in their quarters.
"So, do you have meetings tomorrow? Or just normal school stuff?" Mie asks her father.
"Normal school business," Albus admits. "Though I would not be surprised if the minster tried to come talk to me," Albus tells Mie.
"Of course," Mie says, rolling her eyes. "He's not very happy with either of us," Mie tells her father.
"No, he is not," Albus confirms. "I know that it can be difficult to know that a person of such authority has such a dangerous point of view and the power to support it," Albus tells his daughter.
"It is, even being used to it," Mie admits. "I guess I had hoped that the Minster in this time would be different from Fudge and Slughorn," Mie admits, realising that that was a naive hope.
"That's understandable," Albus admits as he understands why Mie would have felt like that.
"Dad why do you think the Minsters constantly make the wrong decision?" Mie asks her father, wondering if he has the idea.
Hearing Mie's question Albus looks like he is pondering the question, trying to think of the best way to answer his daughter's question, even though it is something he himself has wondered.
"I believe that once a person has as much power as the Minster does every decision, they make is often motivated by the desire to hold onto that power," Albus explains to Mie, as that is what he has always suspected.
"I never understood that, valuing power over doing the right thing, or knowledge," Mie admits, and Albus smiles proudly.
"That is what makes you a truly good and unique person," Albus tells his daughter.
"Dad…" Mie says, looking embarrassed, like she doesn't feel she deserves her father's compliment.
"Annemie, you volunteered to sacrifice the only life you've ever known to make a better world, there aren't a lot of people who would do that," Albus tells his daughter, knowing that because of her biological family's influence Mie struggles to see how incredible she is sometimes.
"Harry and Ron had responsibilities," Mie says with a shrug. "It just made sense for me to come back," Mie tells her father, trying to dismiss how incredible what she did was.
"It was a sacrifice," Albus tells his daughter, not wanting her to dimmish that. "And since you've been in this time you have constantly chosen to do the right thing, no matter how difficult," Albus tells his daughter, and Mie isn't sure that that is true after she put her friends in danger. "I'm proud of you," Albus tells his daughter.
"Um, I might head to bed, I didn't sleep well last night," Mie says before getting up and heading to her room. As Albus watches his daughter go he can't help but frown as he can't help but think that there is something going on with Mie that she isn't talking about and he worries about what that may be.
After leaving the living area of the Dumbledore quarters Mie was over to her bed and sits down where she starts to read one of the books she got from the library and starts to read. Before long Mie falls asleep while reading, and not long after that Mie's dreams are once again plagued by nightmares.
After another night of very little sleep, and the little sleep did have been full of horrors, Mie has gotten dressed. Walking into the living area of the Dumbledore quarters she sees that her father is clearly ready for a day outside of their quarters.
"Morning Dad, how are you feeling?" Mie asks her father curious, clearly concerned about him.
"Stronger, a lot better," Albus admits, and Mie is very glad to hear that.
"That's really good to hear," Mie tells her father, sounding glad. "Are you going to teach Defence today or is Moody?" Mie asks her father curious.
"I have asked Alastor to take all classes except for your class," Albus tells his daughter, as after the night before he wants to observe Mie around her friends to see how she is really doing as he assumes that how she interacts with them will tell him a lot.
"Are you sure you're up to that?" Mie asks her father concerned.
"Yes, I am," Albus tells his daughter. "How did you sleep?"
"Okay," Mie says, and while Albus is sure that she is lying he isn't going to call her out on it, at least not yet.
"We should go to the Great Hall," Albus informs Mie, and Mie suspects that he doesn't believe her lie, but if he isn't going to say anything then she isn't either.
"Yeah," Mie tells her father, and the two of them head out of their quarters.
As Mie and Albus make their way towards the great hall Mie notices that her father is walking a little slower than normal and so Mie slows down her speed so that she is walking at the same pace.
After a few minutes of walking Mie and Albus walk into the great hall. Just as they walk into the hall several students notice Albus and start applauding and so Mie quickly heads to the end of the Gryffindor table, near some first years and not her friends where there is clearly space for her.
Seeing Mie's action those who were in the Room of Requirement the night before exchange concerned looks while those who care about Mie who were not are just confused.
"What's going on with Mie?" Marlene asks, not being one to be shy about concerns, especially considering she noticed the others actions.
"We're not completely sure," Lily admits, leaning forward so that Marlene, Mary, Dorcus, and Emmaline can hear but no one else. "We suspect that Mie is blaming herself for last week, not just Professor Dumbledore getting hurt, but it seems like she is feeling guilty for asking us to fight," Lily explains, choosing her words carefully.
"But we wanted to fight, it was our choice," Dorcus says.
"We're not sure Mie sees it like that," Remus admits.
"We've got to do something, get her to see that she she has no reason to feel guilty," Mary says.
"We're working on figuring out a way to get her to see that," Sirius admits, knowing that while it could be helpful to have their friends involved if they are involved then Regulus can't be and Regulus being involved is likely to be more effective.
"If there is anything we can do, let us know," Marlene requests, clearly feeling concerned about her friend.
"Will do," Amelia tells her, suspecting that there might be something they can do, but not sure exactly what that something is.
For the rest of the day the seventh year Gryffindor's and their friends from other houses who care about Mie, all notice that Mie is avoiding them. Finally, the last class of the day, double Defence Against the Dark Arts, comes and Mie has no choice but to take her regular seat as she doesn't want her father to be even more suspicious than she knows he already is.
Due to his decreased mobility, though it is getting better the more he moves, Albus walks into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom about a minute after the students took their seats. As Albus walks in the seventh years, led by Sirius, and only a few remaining silent, applauded him.
"Thank you, but it's not necessary," Albus says, raising his hand and silencing the students.
"Sir, how are you feeling?" Kathleen asks, and Albus can't help but feel touched by her concern.
"Much better," Albus assures the students, though he notices that a few of the Slytherin's look disappointed by that. "I was hurt protecting someone else, and to me that makes any injury worth it," Albus says, looking at his daughter and trying to get her to believe his words, but Mie avoids looking at him. "Now," Albus says, sitting down on the table. "I believe we have more questions to answer," Albus says, reaching over to the hat and pulling it over to him.
"Sir, could you tell us about what happened in Godric's Hollow instead?" A Ravenclaw asks, causing Mie to tense.
Looking around the room Albus notices that all the students, including the Slytherin's, who weren't apart of the battle look curious and so he realises that is the best thing to do.
"I can do that," Albus admits, making himself comfortable. "But I believe that it would be best if you hear not just my point of view but the point of view of the others in this room who took part, if they are willing of course," Albus says, looking between the students who fought knowing that it is no secret that students were involved as it was in the Prophet, and he sees them nod, which he is glad about as he is sure that it will help the students to hear from their peers. "I'll start," Albus says, and he starts to talk about what happened, those who fought in the battle adding in their perspectives of what it was like. As the others talk Albus notices that every seventh year who talks, talks about how important it was that they fought and how glad they are that the did, which tells Albus that they have also realised that Mie feels guilty for asking them to fight.
After three hours of talking about the battle in Godric's Hollow, Albus noticing that Mie talked as little as possible, class has come to an end.
"I want essays on Monday about what you will take away from all you've heard today," Albus says, not giving a length as he knows that will be different for each student, as the students start to pack up. "Annemie, a word," Albus requests, and while the rest of the class head out of the classroom.
Being pretty sure that she can suspect at least some of what her father wants to talk about Mie waits with apprehension as the rest of the seventh years leave. Once the last student, other than Mie, leaves Albus uses his wand and closes the door as he wants their conversation to happen in private.
"That was a really good lesson, Dad," Mie tells her father, knowing that she didn't feel like that but the rest of the students did.
"Thank you for saying that," Albus tells his daughter. "Annemie, are you alright? I couldn't help but notice that you were rather quiet during class," Albus says to her, clearly concerned for his daughter.
"I thought the others deserved to share their experiences," Mie explains to her father.
"Your experience is valid too," Albus tells his daughter.
"I know," Mie says with a nod.
"I don't know about you, but I couldn't help but notice that everyone who spoke today mentioned how glad they were that they fought," Albus tells his daughter.
"I did notice that," Mie says, not sure how she feels about that. "Do you mind if I go to dinner? I'm a little hungry," Mie lies, as the truth is she plans to go hide in the library.
"Of course," Albus tells his daughter, frowning as the conversation didn't go as well as he would like.
"Thanks, night Dad, I'll see you later," Mie tells her father before heading out of the room.
Walking out of the Defence the Dark Arts Classroom Mie finds Amelia waiting on the other hand with a worried look on her face.
"Mie," Amelia says, putting as much worry in her voice as possible.
"Amy?" Mie asks, feeling incredibly confused.
"We need to talk, lives are at risk," Amelia tells Mie, feeling a little bad about lying, but she also feels that if Mie keeps pushing people away then Mie's live is at stake.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" Mie asks worried.
"Not here," Amelia tells Mie before grabbing Mie's hand and starting to run, down the corridor, Mie realising that she has no choice but to keep up with Amelia's speed.
After leaving the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom Albus, still moving a little slower than he would like, makes his way to the Dumbledore Quarters rather than the Great Hall. Once he is in the Quarters, he shares with his daughter Albus walks over to the couch and sits down.
Sitting on the couch Albus can't help but think about the way Mie has been acting, and the fact that he knows for a fact that she is lying to him. As he sits and thinks about his daughter Albus can't he cant help btu feel incredibly concerned for her and wishes that he could find out what is going on with her.
Realising that he needs advice and there is one person who has been the best person to get advice from since they met Albus closes his eyes and starts to meditate, focusing on something very specific.
After a few minutes of meditating, getting to the state he needs to get in, Albus opens his eyes and rather than seeing the Quarters he shares with his daughter Albus finds himself in a very familiar diner. After waiting for a little while Albus sees a flash of light and finds himself once again sitting across from Gellert Grindelwald, and as he sees his love, even with how worried he is feeling for his daughter, Albus can't help but smile.
After running away from the Defence Classroom Mie and Amelia have continued to run through the halls of Hogwarts together, Amelia holding Mie's hand so that her friend doesn't try to get away as she is sure that if given the chance Mie will.
"Amy? Where are we going?" Mie asks confused, trying to make sense of where they could be going.
"Not here," Amelia responds. "Where almost there," Amelia tells Mie.
"Where?" Mie asks confused as they are moving so class that Mie hasn't realised where they are in the castle she knows so well, and before Amelia answers they run through an open door.
As they stop running Mie looks around and she realises that not only are in they in the Room of Requirements, but Regulus, James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Severus, Alice, and Frank are all clearly waiting for her.
"What's going on?" Mie asks looking around at everyone.
"We need to talk," Remus informs her, everyone knowing that there is the real chance that Mie won't react well to this, but they still have to try as they are so worried.
"You said lives are at risk," Mie says to Amelia her tone of voice accusatory as she cannot believe that her friend would lie.
"Lives are at risk," Regulus's voice says and Mie turns to look at him. "Your live is at risk," Regulus says, taking a step towards Mie. "Because no one can face what we're facing alone, and yet you seem determined to push us all away," Regulus says to Mie, pain in his voice, as he hates that Mie is clearly feeling so much guilt.