Chapter 60
AN: Thank you so much for the support. I hope you like this chapter.
"That's a long story Marlene, and I can't tell you all of it," Mie admits, as she has come to a decision. "But you deserve to know some of it," Mie admits.
"Mie," Sirius says, and Mie turns to look at him. "Are you sure?" Sirius asks surprised that Mie is making this choice.
"No," Mie admits, as she has gone back and forth and is sure that this could backfire spectacularly. "And admitting truth, even some of it, isn't easy for me," Mie admits, as she walks over to the couches. "I need you to know that I do trust you all, things are just very, very complicated and the truth has a lot of consequences, consequences I'm not prepared to put on all of you," Mie says as she looks between her friends.
"What if we're willing to accept them?" Emmaline asks.
"You may be, but I'm not," Mie admits. "There are two options, I can tell you what I'm willing to tell you, it will be enough for you to understand, but won't be everything, or we can forget that this morning never happened, and I'll be more careful in the future to make sure you aren't effected by my nightmares," Mie says, looking between her friends and at Mie's words those who don't know the truth exchange looks and clearly come to a decision.
"We want the truth Mie, whatever you're willing to tell us," Mary tells her.
"Okay," Mie says, and she pulls her wand and casts more spells to assure privacy, doing everything she can think of, everything her father and Gellert suggested. "I won't ask for an unbreakable vowel, but even with what I am willing to share I would like to cast the Fidelius charm to protect the truth," Mie says, looking between her friends who don't know. "Is that something you're wiling to accept?" Mie asks, causing Edgar, Isaac, Mary, Emmaline, Marleen, Dorcus, Alora and Kathleen to exchange looks.
"Yes," Marleen says, and the others nod.
"If you're casting the Fidelius charm anyway, why can't you tell us everything?" Alora asks, trying to be logical.
"Because even with the charm it is too dangerous, for not just us, but the entire world, and I am not exaggerating," Mie explains, and from the look on her face it is clear that she is serious.
"How will the charm work?" Alora asks, asking
"I'll be the secret keeper, the secret will be what I reveal tonight," Mie explains. "James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Amy, Sev, Frank, Alice this won't affect what you know because that magic is very different, not as ancient, but more complicated. If I try to affect that to include you in the charm it will be catastrophic," Mie explains, knowing that that is why it was so important for them to learn Occlumency as they couldn't use the Fidelius charm to protect what they know. "For that reason, I'm gonna need you to go to Uncle Ab's," Mie explains looking between those who know the truth.
"You don't have to do everything alone, Mie," Remus tells her, as those who don't know the truth feel incredibly confused.
"I know, but this I have to," Mie tells her friends. "We'll come join you once everything's done, we're gonna need a drink," Mie comments as she knows that it is going to be necessary.
"Okay," Lily answers. "We'll see you soon," Lily comments. "Just listen to Mie, as incredible as it sounds, just listen," Lily says to her friends, and they nod.
After Lily's comment those who know the truth get up and head out of the room, each of them putting a comforting hand on Mie's shoulder as they go.
"Mie? What's this all about?" Dorcus asks, feeling even more confused with every second.
"That such a loaded question," Mie admits, looking amused. "Um, I guess to start with I technically haven't been born yet," Mie explains as she knows to explain everything else, she is going to explain then that is the best place to start.
"Um, what does that mean? You're sitting before us, and I'm pretty sure you're real," Marlene comments, and for a second she is doubting her reality.
"I am," Mie confirms with an amused look on her face. "But I am also from 1998," Mie explains, and it takes a few seconds for her words to sink in.
"You're not Annemie Dumbledore," Kathleen realises.
"I wasn't born Annemie Dumbledore, but it's who I am now, and I feel more like me as Annemie Dumbledore than I ever felt as who I used to be," Mie explains to her friends.
"Who did you used to be?" Alora asks curious.
"A lonely little girl who grew up in pain, feeling different, like she never fit in, who found the person who became her brother at Hogwarts, who walked side by side with him though war, and isolation, and even more pain," Mie explains, purposely not saying the name she used to have as that's not who she is anymore.
"You're muggle-born," Mary realises, and Mie nods.
"Why? Why are you here? What could be so bad to cause you to time travel and it seems like give up everything you know?" Isaac asks, knowing that the answer must be horrible.
"Voldemort," Mie answers.
"He's still in power twenty years from now?" Dorcus says shocked, not wanting to imagine how bad things get if that is the case.
"He was," Mie answers. "In the timeline I am from Voldemort was in power until 1981, between now and then he, and his followers destroyed a lot of families, killed so many people," Mie says, looking between the people in the room, and thinking about how only three of them survive to the end of the second war, but none of them are unscaved. "In 1981 he lost his power, and most of the world thought he was gone forever, but he wasn't," Mie explains to the others. "In 1995 Voldemort returned to power and the next three years…. Voldemort took over, not just the Ministry, but Hogwarts too, muggleborns were hunted, even more people died, and more families were destroyed," Mie says, with a shiver. "He was ultimately defeated by the person I consider my brother; Harry James Potter," Mie tells the others.
"Potter?" Emmaline asks, clearly realising what Mie is talking about.
"Son of Lily and James Potter, who grew up with his muggle relatives as Lily and James were killed the same night Voldemort lost his powers," Mie explains, and as she does it is clear that everyone is hurt by what she revealed, and those who are close to Lily and know about her family all realise just how much Lily would hate that and how it wouldn't be what she wants.
"And why do I get the feeling that those two events were connected," Edgar comments, as that's what it seems like to him.
"They were, but that's something that it's better I don't explain," Mie admits, causing the others to exchange looks. "I came back here with very, very detailed information about my six years at Hogwarts, and the year that should have been my seventh, that tell how Voldemort can be defeated sooner in this timeline," Mie explains, and as she does everyone wonders why she didn't complete her seventh year at Hogwarts, though from what Mie has said Mary suspects she knows exactly what happened. "To be able to do that I had to make it so I would live, forever, in this timeline, unable to go back to where I came from," Mie explains. "Dad saw how much I was struggling, and he offered to blood adopt me," Mie explains, and the others exchange surprised looks at that. "For the first time in my life I truly know what it is like to have a parent who loves and understands me," Mie says and as a tear comes to her eyes, she quickly wipes it away before anyone else can comment, though every single one of her friends sees her action. "I not going to tell you all the information I brought with me, I'm not going to burden you with that, but if you would like I will tell you what happened to each of you in the timeline I'm from," Mie says, looking between her friends as while she can't tell them everything, she feels like that is fair, so that they know what she is trying to prevent.
"Did you know about our parents what was going to happen to them?" Edgar asks, as he needs to know.
"I knew they didn't survive until the end of the first war, but I didn't know the circumstances," Mie admits. "I am truly sorry," Mie tells him, making it clear that she feels guilt about that.
"We know you are Mie, that's what's been going on with you the last couple of weeks, isn't it? You've been blaming yourself," Isaac realises, not being able to help but wonder just what Mie carries with her.
"Yes," Mie confirms. "I came here to change things, to make it so people don't die, to keep families together, to make it so everything is better…. I feel like I failed," Mie admits.
"You haven't failed," Edgar assures her, even though he is still hurt by his parents' death he knows that's not Mie's fault "What happens to us, Mie?"
"You and Alora get married, you had children," Mie admits, pain in her voice.
"We didn't get a happy ending, did we?" Alora asks, as the pain in Mie's voice tells her that.
"No, you, and your children, were killed in 1981, before the end of the war," Mie tells them, and both Alora and Edgar look both heartbroken and horrified by that.
"We won't let it happen this time," Edgar promises his girlfriend, as that is what he is determined to make sure of.
"What about the rest of us?" Isaac asks, fighting back tears as he thinks about loosing his brother, and he dreads finding out what happened to his sister.
"Mary, you survive both wars," Mie says. "I didn't know until I got here, but we met, the last time I saw you I was helping you, your husband, and your children flee the Muggle-Born Registration commission, from what I was able to learn after the war it seemed like you left the country, but survived," Mie explains.
"Muggle-Born Registration commission?" Mary asks, her voice full of dread, as she feels horrified by what she assumes that means.
"It's as bad as it sounds," Mie confirms, honestly not wanting to go into the details about that, but despite the little she says it is clear that everyone else is horrified.
"Where was Dumbledore! Why didn't he prevent that?" Mary asks, as she though that that would be something Albus would always prevent.
"He died," Mie answers, pain in her voice. "At the end of my sixth year at Hogwarts, that's why Voldemort was able to completely take over," Mie answers, and it is clear that it is painful for her to talk about her father's death, even if he wasn't her father when he died.
"I'm sorry," Isaac says to her, being able to tell Mie is deeply effected by that, and Mie nods. "Do you have any good news for us?" Isaac asks curious.
"Very little," Mie answers, feeling that there is no point in lying. "Isaac, you and Kathleen survive both wars, you have a daughter, who I consider it a privilege to call my friend," Mie explains, and as she does Isaac and Kathleen exchange amazed look, both thinking that it seems like they got the best outcome and neither are sure how to feel about that. "Emmaline, I knew you as an adult, you were a good person, a fighter in the Order, but you were killed before my sixth year at Hogwarts," Mie explains, and a look of shock passes over her face. "Dorcus, Marlene..." Mie starts to say.
"Do we survive?" Dorcus asks, as that's all she wants to know.
"No," Mie answers, as it is clear that Dorcus and Marlene don't want her to beat around the bush so she isn't going to do that.
"First or second war?" Dorcus asks, keeping her voice purposely even.
"First," Mie answers.
"What about the others? Do any of them survive the second war?" Marlene asks, looking worried for her friends, and feeling horrified about the future that awaits them.
"Depends on what you mean by survived," Mie admits.
"What does that mean?" Edgar asks, feeling confused, as he would think it was a simple yes or no question.
"Frank and Alice were alive when I left 1998, but in 1981, after Voldemort lost his powers, his followers came after Frank and Alice, they tortured them," Mie says, and she has to fight to stay calm as she explains this, which allows the others to believe that the others do not survive. "They were driven to insanity and their son, Neville, one of my best friends, grew up with his grandmother," Mie explains, and it is clear that the others are deeply effected by Mie's words.
"So, you were very serious about that very little good news," Dorcus comments.
"I was," Mie confirms. "But I also have hope, and knowledge," Mie admits. "Hope that we can make things different, and the knowledge to make things different," Mie explains to the others.
"But you're not sharing the knowledge," Edgar says to Mie.
"I am sharing what I can," Mie tells them. "You've got to understand I come form a broken world, and I am here because I need to make sure that doesn't happen this time. Ever decision I make could either bring us closer to that brokenness or further away, and that's what I have to live with," Mie explains. "I shared everything with those I could, and every day I feel guilty about the burden I've placed on them," Mie admits. "Free Will is important and if too many people know the exact future, then what kind of future do we have?" Mie asks.
"You're not going to tell us everything not just to protect us from danger, but to protect whatever future it is that we want," Mary realises. "You're worried that if we know everything you know, everything the others know, then we'll feel like we're forced to go down one path," Mary realises.
"Everyone deserves the chance to choose their own future," Mie admits, as even with her plan to send the knowledge back to an earlier point in her timeline she is going to give them choices. "I meant it when I said I trust you, and these last few months, your friendship, the time we've had together…. You allowed me to experience things I never had before, and I am incredibly thankful for that," Mie admits. "I may not have known many of you in the timeline I am from, but I do know your good people, true fighters for the light," Mie tells her friend. "I don't want you to have the future I'm from, but I want you to be able to decide what your future looks like for yourselves," Mie says, looking between her friends. "I understand if what I am saying isn't satisfying, but right now it's all I'm prepared to reveal," Mie explains to her friends, not sure if she has made the right decision, but it is what she needs to do.
"I don't completely understand your reasons, but I do trust you," Marlene tells her. "Once Voldemort's defeated, for good, will you tell us more about the timeline you are from?" Marlene asks her friend.
"If I can," Mie answers, meaning that as 'if I'm alive to do it', rather than anything else, but the others do not realise that.
"Good enough for me," Emmaline answers. "Mie, what your nightmares about?" Emmaline asks, clearly concerned about her friend.
"My war, what I've been through," Mie explains, but it is clear she isn't going to explain more than that. "I'll make sure to cast silencing spells in the future," Mie tells her friend as she doesn't want to continue to disturb them.
"You don't have to do that, let us help you, you're not alone anymore," Mary says before moving forward and hugging her friend. For a few minutes Mie and Mary hug, and after a few moments the two of them break apart.
"I've got to cast the spell now, it's the best way to protect you," Mie says, looking between her friends.
"Like Marlene said, we trust you," Kathleen says and Mie nods and prepares to perform the extremely complicated Fidlius Charm.
While Mie is telling her friends who don't know the truth about where she comes from the teenagers who already know the truth, with the exception of Regulus, are at the Hogshead.
"How do you think things are going back there?" Sirius asks the others.
"I think that depends on how much Mie is telling them," James responds.
"Knowing Mie, she's telling them enough, so they understand, but trying to limit information to protect them," Amelia says, taking a drink.
"Sounds about right," Remus confirms, and the group drift into silence, all wondering about what is going on back at their home.
For the next few minutes, the teenagers in the Hogshead sit in comfortable silence, worrying about their friends, until the door opens and Mie, Marlene, Mary, Emmaline, Dorcus, Alora, Edgar, Isaac, and Kathleen walk into the bar, Mie in the front, and they all take seats at the large table.
"Uncle Ab, can we get our favourite drinks?" Mie asks her uncle as she sits down.
"Of course," Aberforth answers, knowing what they all like to drink now.
"How'd it go?" Lily asks curious, looking between her friends.
"As good as it could have been," Mary admits, still trying to comprehend everything.
"Sounds about right," Alice says with an amused look on her face.
"So, we're all in this together now," Amelia says, looking between the people who matter so dearly to her.
"We're all in this together," Sirius confirms.
"I'll drink to that," Marlene says, and that is exactly what they do together as while they all know, at least some, of the horrors that come before them, they all know that they aren't alone, and they will face it all together and they will have to deal with that, but right now they are together and drinking, having a moment of levity in the face of all the horrors they have before them.