Chapter 33
AN: I'm sorry there has been such a delay with this chapter. I have had a lot going on. I'm going to continue to try and get chapters out as often as I can, but it might not be as often as I like. Thank you for all you who have stuck with me.
After spending a lot of time with her uncle explaining why her plan isn't as bad as he thinks it is, Mie is exiting the one eyed with passageway in Hogwarts. Checking her watch Mie realises that due to having a double free period she still has time and so she heads towards her father's office knowing that she has to have the conversation with her father, who is going to be the least likely to accept her plan, which is exactly why she put everything else in place first.
Not long after she exited the one eye witch Mie is knocking on the door to her father's study, while he has told her more than once that she doesn't have to knock Mie prefers to when she is entering his professional environment.
"Enter," Albus says and Mie walks in. "Annemie, you don't have to knock," Albus tells his daughter, looking very glad to see her.
"I know, I just didn't want to intrude if you were having a meeting," Mie admits. "Can we talk? Upstairs?" Mie asks her father as she doesn't want the portraits to overhear as while she knows they are loyal to her father she is concerned about them.
"Of course," Albus responds and the two of them head upstairs, and once they are upstairs they both sit down on the couch, facing each other. "Are you alright?" Albus asks his daughter concerned.
"Yeah" Mie confirms. "I just had something I needed to talk to you about," Mie explains, and Albus gives her a curious look. "Yesterday Peter asked me to have lunch with him in Hogsmeade this weekend, he said it's to clear the air," Mie explains to her father.
"You don't believe that that's his intention," Albus realises, feeing concerned about that as well.
"I think I need to prepare in case it's not," Mie admits. "I've come up with a plan Regulus, Sirius, Remus, Alice, Amelia, Lily and Uncle Ab know it, and all have roles to play," Mie tells her father, who frowns as he comes to a conclusion.
"You're going to put yourself at risk to find out what Mr Pettigrew's true intentions are," Albus realises, having a horrible idea about this plan.
"I have to," Mie responds.
"Annemie, no, you don't," Albus tells his daughter, not liking the idea of this plan.
"Yeah, I do Dad," Mie tells her father. "This could be Peter really making an effort to change, or this could be him making his move; either way I need to know," Mie explains.
"And there's no way for you to do that without risking yourself?" Albus asks his daughter, sounding worried.
"Not that I can think off," Mie explains to her father. "Can I tell you my plan at least?" Mie asks, hoping that she can use that as a way to convince her father of her plan.
"Okay," Albus responds, feeling that the least he can do is hear his daughter out.
"Let me explain before you say anything," Mie requests, and Albus nods. After seeing Albus's nod Mie proceeds to spend the next few minutes explaining her plan and the role everyone who knows what is going on will be playing. "And that's my plan," Mie explains once she finishes explaining every detail.
"Annemie…" Albus starts to say.
"You don't like it," Mie realises, being able to tell that thanks to her father's tone of voice.
"I really don't like it," Albus admits. "There are too many risks, too many opportunities Peter could exploit, especially if he's not working alone," Albus explains to his daughter, assuming that if he is planning something that Peter wouldn't be working alone.
"We can't put too many safety nets in place, Peter may not be the most intelligent person, but even he will be able to see if we're too obvious," Mie tells her father. "And just like you said, if he's not working alone we risk sacrificing this opportunity if our safety measures are too obvious," Mie tells her father.
"And if we don't put safety measures in place we risk sacrificing you," Albus tells his daughter, sounding worried, and not completely sure that Mie has considered that possibility.
"I'll be okay, Dad," Mie tells him in a reassuring look.
"You don't know that Annemie, there are a lot of possible ways your plan could go, and a lot of them are not good," Albus tells his daughter. "A lot of those possibilities will likely end with you hurt or worse,"
"I know," Mie admits. "But I also know that I need to know what Peter is up to, this is the best way I can think off to find out, for once and for all, what side he's on," Mie explains, and Albus frowns at that, as he really, really doesn't like Mie's plan, especially when he knows that he won't be able to be in a position to protect her because it would be too obvious.
A little while after she told her father her plan, a plan which it is perfectly clear he is against, Mie is walking into the room of Requirements where she finds Regulus waiting.
"Everything's in place," Mie tells Regulus, and he frowns.
"And you're really going to do it like this?" Regulus asks. "Pettigrew may be a cowardly idiot, but if he does have help…. It's going to be bad," Regulus says, looking worried about what is going to happen.
"I know," Mie admits. "Reg, this is something I have to know, I need to know if he can be different," Mie admits, as she knows that who's side Peter is on will affect so much and she would rather know as soon as possible.
"There has to be a better way," Regulus says, giving Mie a worried look as it is clear that he is terrified about her safety and because of his position he cannot obviously help Mie.
"I don't think there is," Mie admits, as they both hear the bell ring which tells them that it is lunch time, which means they have to go join their fellow students. "I know what I'm doing," Mie tells him.
"I know you do," Regulus says, as that doesn't mean he likes it, and he walks the few steps that separate them and once they are close enough he kisses Mie and hugs her.
While Mie is meeting with Regulus Albus is once again meeting with Gellert in their mind palace. Just like the last few times they have been meeting their meeting place looks not like the café they met in so many times but Albus's childhood bedroom, the place that they know so well, and the two of them are sitting on the bed together.
Even though Albus and Gellert have only been in their meeting for a few minutes Gellert can tell that something is bothering him, and this time he doesn't even have the advantage of Mie's emotions telling him something.
"Albus? What's wrong Mein Schatz?" Gellert asks concerned as he runs his hands through Albus's hair even though neither can actually feel it they like to imagine that they can as it was something they did so many times during the summer they spent together.
"It's Annemie," Albus reveals.
"I haven't sensed anything from her," Gellert admits.
"I'm not surprised," Albus admits, with a sigh. "There is a person, in her timeline he betrayed a lot of people, set in motion everything that caused Annemie to travel to this timeline," Albus explains. "But in this timeline, he is still a fellow student, who is friends with all Annemie's friends," Albus explains, and Gellert frowns, suspecting that he isn't going to like where this is going. "On Saturday Annemie is meeting him for lunch in Hogsmeade," Albus explains, and his tone of voice tells Gellert everything he needs to know.
"And you're worried about Annemie being in danger," Gellert reads, sounding concerned.
"I believe if Mr Pettigrew wanted to use this opportunity as a trap he could," Albus says, sounding worried. "Annemie has a plan in place, but I'm worried that it won't be enough, I am worried about her," Albus admits, pain in her voice.
"That's understandable," Gellert admits, as he does his best to try and comfort Albus, something which isn't as effective as he would like because Albus can't actually feel him.
Three days since Mie told her father and Uncle about her plan and finally the day where her plan becomes action has come. It is Saturday morning breakfast and while Mie, Sirius, Remus, Alice, Amelia, Lily, Albus and Regulus are not portraying anything they are all extremely worried about what is going to happen.
"Want to head off?" James, the one Gryffindor who read the books that doesn't know what is going on, says.
"Sure," Alice says, trying to keep her voice calm, and the group gets up and heads out of the castle.
Over the next forty-five minutes the Gryffindor's go through the normal processes that are required to leave the Hogwarts grounds by the official means and make their way to Hogsmeade.
"Okay, we've got stuff to do, we'll see you later," Marlene says as she, Dorcus, Emmaline and Mary head off together.
"So, where to first?" James asks the rest of his friends, not realising that they have their plans.
"Are we still on?" Mie asks Peter, to James's confusion.
"Yeah," Peter confirms, there being a nervousness to his voice.
"Then we'll see you later," Mie says, her eyes locking with Sirius for a second, and she and Peter walk away from the others.
"What's going on?" James asks confused, as it is clear that the others all know what is going on.
"We'll fill you in on the way," Amelia says, and the group of those who know what is going on start hurrying in a different direction than the one Mie and Peter went in so that they can get into position without anyone realising what is going on, as they explain what is going on to James.
In the Hogshead, feeling apprehensive about what is going to happen, Aberforth checks his watch and realising that it's time for him to get into position to protect his niece, but just as he goes to leave the bar through the back door, he hears the sound of glass breaking, swearing and yells. Turning around Aberforth sees several mean fighting while others watch on.
"Bloody hell," Aberforth says annoyed, and rather than leaving through the back of the bar and going to where Mie needs him to be Aberforth walks over to the people who are fighting.
Trying best to make it seem like she is not looking around for any hint that something bad is going to happen Mie is walking through Hogsmeade with Peter, the two of them heading towards the Hogshead, both having ulterior motives.
"So, you still want to have lunch in the Hogshead? The foods not the greatest," Peter points out.
"I don't know, I like it," Mie admits, as if there is one thing, she has learnt it's that her uncles food tastes really good, even though it doesn't always look very appetising. "And it's quite so it will be a good place to talk, just like we want, and l like to see Uncle Ab," Mie admits.
"So, you're close to your uncle?" Peter asks, trying to collect as much information as possible.
"Yeah," Mie confirms.
"That's nice," Peter responds as the two of them continue to walk.
For the next few minutes Mie and Peter continue to walk, getting closer to the Hogshead, Mie feeling apprehensive and knowing that Peter doesn't have many more opportunities to do something her, and she knows that the one vulnerability, the alley behind the Hogshead, is where she planned for her uncle to be.
"Help!" A child's voice says from the other end of the alley next to the Hogshead, and as soon as she hears the voice Mie, forgetting everything she is meant to be suspicious about, goes to follow but Peter reaches out and grabs her arm.
"Mie don't! it's too dangerous!" Peter exclaims, even though Mie investigating the sound is exactly what he wants as he knows that it would be suspicious if he didn't object.
"I'm never going to stand by when someone's in danger," Mie says, pulling her arm out of Peter's grasps and hurrying towards the sound.
"Oh, I know," Peter says, with a smirk, as he follows behind her.
Running as fast as she can down the alley Mie sees what looks like a little girl, who looks to be no older than about ten, being harassed by two, what looks to be Slytherin students who can't be older than fifth year, while she notices that her uncle isn't exactly where they agreed he would be, Mie knows that she doesn't have time to dwell on it or the implications of that fact.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mie says and she sends no verbal stunners at both them, causing them to both to become unconscious before they can realise what is going on. Once the, what seems like to Mie, attackers are unconscious and no longer a danger to anyone, Mie walks over to who she thinks is the little girl. "Hey Sweetheart, are you okay?" Mie asks, putting on a gentle voice, crouching down in front of her, concerned and the girl smirks and honestly it is a look that looks very wrong on the little girls face, but it chills Mie's to the bones as she finds it strangely familiar. "What's…." Mie starts to say, starting to stand up and tightening her hold of her wand, but before she can even ask a spell hits her from behind, causing her to fall forward, and Mie is stunned.
"I'm perfect," The little girl says pulling a wand and removing the stunners on the two men. "Well done, Pettigrew, I didn't think you had it in you," The little girl says to Peter, who is stunned Mie from behind.
"I told the Dark Lord I could get him Annemie Dumbledore and I meant it," Peter says, looking between the three other people in the alley who were clearly using Polyjuice potion which is wearing of and reveals Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange.
"Let's get out of her before someone sees," Bellatrix says and Rodolphus picks up Mie, as Bellatrix picks up Mie's wand, turns it in her hands, then drops it back on the ground, before the group, Peter included, Apparate out of the alley.
Inside the Hogshead, having no idea that his niece has been taken, Aberforth has just managed to break up the fight, and has kicked the people who were fighting out of the bar.
"And stay out!" Aberforth says annoyed to the retreating figures as Sirius, Remus, James, Lily, Amelia, Alice, Frank, and Severus walk into the bar, all looking concerned, and the second he seems them Aberforth's heart drops.
"Mie's not here?" Amelia asks, looking around the bar.
"No," Aberforth realises, feeling worried. "I was held, up…. I wasn't where I was supposed to be," Aberforth says, guilt in his voice, fearing that that is not a coincidence as he was supposed to be in the alley behind the bar so that he could protect Mie as that was considered a vulnerability point.
"Let's split up, search everywhere," Lily says, and the others nod.
"Meet back here in twenty," James says as everyone hurries out of the bar and heads in different directions.
Twenty minutes later Aberforth, feeling incredible guilt rise up inside of him, is in the back room of his pup, with Regulus who entered through the back, as Severus was able to tell him that things went south as no one was around.
"And you didn't see anything?" Regulus asks worried.
"I was distracted by the fight," Aberforth admits. "Isn't It your job to know things like this!" Aberforth exclaims, lashing out due to the pain and guilt he is feeling.
"Usually," Regulus says, guilt in his voice as he can't help but fear the worse, as the fact that he doesn't know anything adds to his concern as he doesn't like not having all the facts.
As Regulus speaks the door opens and Sirius, Remus, James, Lily, Amelia, Alice, Frank, and Severus all walk ingo the bar.
"Nothing?" Aberforth asks, looking around at them.
"Nothing," Remus says, shaking his head. "We looked everywhere, there's no sign of Mie or Peter," Remus reveals, feeling terrified about the possibilities about what could have happened.
"We even ran into the others and they haven't seen Mie or Peter," Alice explains, knowing that they were heading back to Hogsmeade and were going to send a message if they saw either Mie or Peter.
"We found this though," Severus says, showing Regulus and Aberforth Mie's wand.
"What do we do now?" Alice asks, as Aberforth takes Mie's wand, feeling incredibly worried about her friend as she suspects that exactly what they were worried about has occurred.
"I need to tell my brother I didn't do what I was asked and his daughter's missing," Aberforth says, guilt in his voice, as he looks down at Mie's wand. "Expecto Patronum," Aberforth says, using his own wand, and once the goat appears Aberforth gives the patronus the message he needs to give to his brother.
In his office at Hogwarts Albus is packing back and forth, holding Mie's beaded bag which she didn't want on her in case the worse happened, feeling worried. While he knows that not hearing anything is likely good news Albus can't but be worried about his daughters' plan. As he paces Albus sees the shiver of Silver that makes his heart sink. Turning to face the Patronus the mouth of the goat's voice opens and his brother's voice comes out.
"Albus, something's happened to Mie. I don't know what I wasn't….. we've searched Hogsmeade we cannot find any sign of her or Pettigrew anywhere, but we've found Mie's wand. I'm sorry," Aberforth voice says.
For a few moments Albus stares in horror at the Patronus, feeling terrified for his daughter, but knowing he doesn't have time to dwell on it Albus turns away from the disappeared Patornus, puts Mie's bag in a pocket of his robes, and hurries upstairs. Once in the quarters Albus shares with his daughter he heads straight to his room.
Walking into his room Albus walks straight to his closest where he opens the wardrobe and on the top shelf, he finds exactly what he is looking for, a wand box. Opening the box Albus sees a wand that is not his, but as familiar and connected to him as if it was, closing the lid of the box Albus puts it it in his pocket and knowing that there is only one person he can count on to help his daughter Albus heads out of his quarters, needing to stop buy the Hogshead to find out exactly how the plan the failed before doing exactly what he has to do.