Chapter 46
AN: Thank you so much for the support of the last chapter, sorry about the pain, I hope you like this one.
After leaving Regulus in the room of Requirements Mie just starts to walk, for a while she isn't even sure where she is going, she just needs to get away, but eventually, she finds herself on the Astronomy tower. As she sits down on the edge Mie watches as the sun rises over the grounds she knows so well. On a logical level she understands why Regulus wants to do what he wants to do, and she knows that it is a really good idea, but on an emotion level it is harder to accept. As the raise of first light dance over the grounds Mie sees read and gold shimmer in the sky as Fawkes flies to her and lands next to her.
"Guess you realised I need some company," Mie says as she starts to pat the Phoenix. "I know it's the right thing to do for the War, but it hurts me," Mie admits, and Fawkes gives her a look that almost seems like he can understand her, and she isn't sure he can't. "I know the right decision, and I know I'll make it… I just need time," Mie explains to Fawkes, and she continues to pat him as she stares out at the grounds, knowing that she will do what's right… for the greater good, but it's painful for her.
While Mie is with Fawkes on the top of the Astronomy tower Gellert is waking up and as he opens his eyes, he realises that he is alone, that Albus isn't in bed. Feeling confused about where Albus is, as he has gotten very used to waking up with Albus, Gellert gets up and heads out into the living area.
As he walks into the living area Gellert finds Albus sitting at the table, which is covered in in papers and various devices, only some of which Gellert knows the purpose of. Frowning Albus recognizes the signs of Albus going down a rabbit hole.
"Albus?" Gellert asks, slowly walking over to him as he doesn't want to shock him.
"Gel, did I wake you up?" Albus asks as Gellert sits down across from him, Albus clearly looking surprised to see him.
"No, morning did," Gellert responds. "How long have you been out here?" Gellert asks curious as he didn't even realise Albus left.
"I'm not sure," Albus admits. "I'm just trying to find the best path," Albus admits, as he couldn't sleep so he knew he had to figure it out.
"To defeating Voldemort?" Gellert asks, trying to follow Albus's line of thought.
"And changing things to make them better, so that other things that happen in Annemie's time don't happen now," Albus explains to Gellert.
"And you think it's your responsibility," Gellert realises, knowing that.
"I don't think, I know," Albus tells him. "I made a lot of mistakes in Annemie's timeline, and a lot of people got hurt, I am not going to let that happen again," Albus explains.
"You have the weight of the world on your shoulders," Gellert realises, looking at Albus, and Albus doesn't say anything to that. "Well, you don't have to carry that weight alone, I'm going to help you," Gellert promises Albus as he can't help but think of how Mie described Albus in the timeline she is from and he knows that he doesn't want that for Albus. In fact, he will do everything he can to make sure this Albus isn't like the version from Mie's timeline.
After spending a while on the top of the astronomy tower Mie has made her way to the area of the library she studies in and even without her personal notes Mie has started to study for exams by using books. Mie has been in the library for about half an hour when she hears footsteps. Due to being in what she considers to be her private alcove Mie is a little surprised to hear footsteps and so she looks up to see Amelia, carrying two bags.
"I thought I would find you here," Amelia notes as she sits down across from Mie, as she noticed Mie leave and when she didn't come back, she thought she would look for her friend. "Here, I know your main bag is in your family quarters, but this is your second bag," Amelia explains as she hands the book over.
"Thanks," Mie responds, as she takes the bag and starts to unpack it. As Mie unpacks her back Amelia realises something.
"Mie, what's wrong?" Amelia asks concerned, and she can tell that Mie looks hesitant. "You can talk to me; you know that right?" Amelia says to her friend.
"I do," Mie confirms, and after she does Mie pulls out her wand and casts several spells including muffiato, to assure their privacy.
"What's going on?" Amelia asks concerned, recognizing the spells.
"Reg wants to be more of a spy," Mie explains to Amelia. "He wants to purposely get closer to Voldemort so he can give us more information, help us to keep ahead," Mie explains to Amelia, and as she explains what is going on, she sees a look quickly pass over Amelia's face, and Mie isn't sure exactly what the meaning behind the look is. "Amy? What is it?" Mie asks her friend.
"Okay, you may not like me saying this, but are you surprised?" Amelia asks, curious. "Regulus always wants to do more, he joined Voldemort in the first place to protect his siblings," Amelia reminds Mie. "He has the heart of a hero, even though he won't admit it," Amelia tells Mie. "Isn't his heart one of the reasons you fell for him in the first place?" Amelia asks Mie as that's what she thought.
"It is," Mie admits. "So is his bravery, and I know it's the right choice, and if it was me putting myself in his position I would without hesitation, but when it's him…." Mie starts to say, but then trails off as both she and Amelia hear footsteps, so they turn around and see Remus walking towards them, so Mie reverses the spells.
"Private conversation?" Remus asks, having recognized the signs of muffiato.
"Yeah, but you should join," Amelia says as Remus sits down, and Mie once again casts the spells to make it so they can have a private conversation as she knows that she doesn't want anyone to understand what they are saying.
"Okay, what's going on?" Remus asks curious, and he notices Mie and Amelia exchange looks.
"Reg wants to spy and get close to Voldemort to help us stay ahead of him, Mie is against him doing that even though she would do the exact same thing if she was his shoes," Amelia explains.
"I never said I was against it," Mie says in her defence.
"Then what are you saying?" Remus asks curious, and Mie sighs.
"I'm being selfish, I know that, neither of you need to tell me," Mie tells them, causing Remus and Amelia to exchange looks "I know what Reg can achieve by spying, that that's better for everyone, but I don't want to lose him," Mie admits.
"That's not selfish," Remus tells her.
"Remus is right, you're a lot of things, selfish isn't one of them," Amelia assures her.
"Mie, you've sacrificed so much. It's okay to not want the person you love to put themselves in so much danger," Remus tells her. "But take it from someone who is also in love with a Black Brother, if he's made up his mind, you're not going to stop him," Remus tells Mie.
"I know," Mie responds as she is sure of that fact.
"Mie, if he's going to do it anything you're support will mean everything to him, not having it won't stop him, but having it would help," Amelia tells Mie.
"I know…. I just need some time," Mie admits, and the three of them drift into silence, and Mie stars to read more of her notes.
"So, change of subject?" Amelia asks, causing Mie to look up from her notes and Remus to look at her. "Mie do you know why I didn't join the order in the timeline you're from?" Amelia asks curious, as she knows her brother was in it and she has been wondering why she didn't join.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Mie admits. "I talked to Susan once in a DA meeting and she was saying how she knows you wouldn't approve if you knew what Fudge and Umbridge were doing, that you always told her that you joined the ministry to make things better for the most amount of people," Mie explains.
"Maybe that's it," Remus says, and Amelia looks at him. "Maybe the version of you in Mie's timeline joined the ministry rather than the order because you thought you could do the most good by doing that," Remus suggests as that sounds like Amelia.
"It would make sense," Amelia admits as she could see her logic. "I think in this time I'm going to do both," Amelia admits, as she has been thinking about it a lot. "I'm going to join the ministry to make things better and join the order," Amelia explains.
"Well, if anyone can do it, it's you," Mie tells her friend, giving her a supportive look and Remus gives also gives her a supportive look.
"Thanks Mie," Amelia responds, and the three friends go back to studying together as they want to get as much NEWT studying done as possible.
While Mie, Amelia and Remus are talking in the library and studying together, Sirius, who is very drunk, along with Alice who is slightly more sober are walking into the Room of Requirements.
"Okay, we're here," Alice says as they walk in.
"We are, but I would much prefer being unconscious in my bed. What's going on?" Sirius asks his brother, and after he speaks, he sees both he and Alice see the look on Regulus's face. "Reg? what is it?" Sirius asks concerned.
"Mie and I had a fight, or maybe it wasn't a fight, all I know is I don't think things are okay," Regulus admits, and it is clear that he is pained by that.
"Okay, talk to us, what is going on?" Alice asks concerned as she and Sirius sit down across from Regulus.
"I got a letter from Voldemort, he wants me to try out what I can about Mie and Grindelwald," Regulus explains to his siblings.
"Okay, I can't say I didn't see that coming," Sirius admits, though it is clear that he is very worried about him.
"Yeah, I figured it was only a matter of time," Regulus explains to his brother. "I want to use this opportunity to put myself in a better position, a position closer to Voldemort so I can spy on him, help us, help the Order," Regulus explains to his brother. "Mie doesn't want me to," Regulus explains.
"Did Mie actually say that she didn't want you to?" Alice asks her brother curious, as she has a suspicion, and Regulus reflects on what Mie said.
"No," Regulus admits. "She said that she doesn't want to lose me, that it will be dangerous, and that she needs some time, but she didn't actually say that she didn't want me to do it," Regulus realise.
"Then I think we've figured out the issue, and honestly I don't blame Mie at all, because I don't want to lose you either," Sirius tells his brother.
"Me either," Alice adds.
"Reg, I know, and Mie certain knows, how skilled you are, how brave you are, if you want to earn even more of Voldemort's trust so that you can spy on him and pass on the information, then you're going to be able to do it; I know that without a doubt," Sirius tells his brother
"But?" Regulus asks his brother being able to tell that that is coming.
"But, it's going to be dangerous, you can't deny that," Alice tells her brother, realising what Sirisu was going to say, and Regulus goes to say something.
"I know, I know, that's who you are," Sirius tells his brother, a proud look on his face. "But what I think you're not seeing is that who Mie is a someone who is perfectly willing to throw herself into danger without hesitation but when it comes to people, she cares about she hates to watch them in danger, it's why she struggles when the rest of us are fighting," Sirius tells his brother.
"What do I do?" Regulus asks, looking at his brother and hoping he has an answer.
"Give her time," Alice says. "if you try to talk to her before she is ready, she'll shut down," Alice explains to her brother. "Even before she was adopted Mie was a lot like her dad, logically Mie knows that there are things that need to be done, even if they are painful, for the good of the many. So, she won't stop you, she just needs to time to emotionally accept it," Alice explains to her brother, who nods in understanding.
"Are you two okay with me doing this?" Regulus asks his siblings.
"Of course not," Alice says, without hesitation. "But I'm not going to stop you," Alice says and Regulus gives her a grateful look.
"Siri?" Regulus asks his brother.
"Am I okay with my baby brother getting closer to the most dangerous Dark Wizard of all time for the sole purpose of getting information to use against him?" Sirius asks his brother giving him an 'are you seriously asking that?' look.
"Then why aren't you trying to stop me?" Regulus asks his siblings.
"Because we can't," Alice says.
"And it's not our place," Sirius adds. "But we am going to worry about you, and I am going to ask you one thing," Sirius says to him. "And I'm pretty sure you're not going to want to do it," Sirius admits.
"What is it?" Regulus asks his brother, and from the look on Alice's face he realises that Alice is looking just as curious.
"If you're found out. Or if Voldemort puts in a situation with no way out, you call Kreacher," Sirius tells his brother. "Voldemort will never think to protect against Elf magic, we know that, and he will always come if you call, so promise me that you will call if needed," Sirius tells his brother, as he doesn't want his brother to get into a similar situation to the one that caused his death in Mie's original timeline.
"Deal," Regulus promises his siblings.
"Good," Alice responds, and the three of them drift into silence.
In the library it has been a while since Remus and Amelia joined Mie and ever since the three of them have been studying and quizzing each other. As they study together the three of them hear a clock chime and as she hears it Mie quickly looks up from what she is doing.
"It's eleven am?" Mie says shocked.
"Apparently," Amelia says, looking at her watch, and Mie suddenly stands up and starts to hurriedly pack up her bag.
"What's going on?" Remus asks concerned.
"Dad's meeting with the ministry at eleven twenty, Dad wants to talk to Gellert and I before that," Mie explains to her friends. "I've got to go," Mie says as she finishes packing her bag and once it is packed she starts to run.
After leaving the library Mie runs as fast as she can, something she wasn't capable of a few days earlier, and after a few minutes Mie gets back to the Dumbledore Family quarters where she finds her father and Gellert sitting on the table.
"I'm sorry, I lost track of time," Mie says, looking between her father and Gellert.
"Annemie? Is everything okay?" Albus asks concerned, as he notices the look on Mie's face.
"Not really," Mie admits, and she sees the concerned look on both Albus and Gellert's face. "I'm okay," Mie quickly says. "Reg wants to spy on Voldemort to get us information, which I know is something we need, and we had a… disagreement about it," Mie explains, trying to find the right way to explain what happened.
"You want him to be safe," Gellert realises, glancing at Albus out of the corner of his eyes.
"Yeah, I do," Mie confirms. "We can talk about it later, I know you need to go to your meeting," Mie tells her father and in response Albus walks over and hugs her.
"We will," Albus promises his daughter, and Albus kisses her cheek.
"Thanks Dad," Mie says, and the two of them break apart, already feeling a little better. "So, the Minister, any idea what he wants to talk about today?" Mie asks her father, knowing that they need to focus on what is about to happen.
"Not for sure," Albus admits. "I know he would like to interfere more at Hogwarts, that he disagrees with the best way to fight Voldemort, and if Crouch has told him about Gellert I guarantee that he would like to talk about that," Albus explains.
'Sounds about right," Mie says, and she notices all the papers and devices on the table. "Looks like you've been busy," Mie realises.
"We have been," Albus confirms. "I could use your insight if you're willing," Albus says to his daughter.
"Of course," Mie responds.
"Gel, can you fill Annemie in about what we've been doing?" Albus asks.
"Of course," Gellert responds.
"I need to go meet the minister," Albus says, looking between Mie and Gellert, Gellert giving Albus a supportive look.
"Good luck," Mie tells her father and Albus nods and heads out of the room while Mie walks over to Gellert.
"Forgive me if I am overs stepping," Gellert admits, as Mie sits down at the table. "But I would just like to say that the desire to have the person you love be safe is understandable, but the best way to protect them can often be to support them, even if you struggle to understand why they are doing what they're doing," Gellert tells Mie, and she can tell that he is nervous about actually giving her advise rather than just sitting quietly as she and Albus talk.
"Thanks, Gellert," Mie says, giving him a grateful look rather than being annoyed or feeling that he is overstepping. "So, what's going on?" Mie asks and Gellert proceeds to explain what he and Albus have been doing It being clear that both of them are worried about how Albus's meeting with the minister is going.