She was thought to be dead by her father and the whole world. They were all wrong. She wakes up from her slumber of fifty years and finds that everything has changed. She's the only one who hasn't. Deanna Dumbledore is back for a new journey with ne...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
"Neville – what the – how – ?"
Neville yelled in delight, cutting off Harry's words and pulled the four of them into a hug. They were horrified though as they saw Neville's face. One of his eyes was swollen, there were gouge marks and bruises on his face, but despite how battered he looked, his happiness was shining through. "I knew you'd come! I told Seamus it was only a matter of time!"
"Neville, what's happened to you?"
"What? This?" Neville dismissed his injuries with a shake of the head. "This is nothing, Jemina is worse. You'll see."
"Jemina?" Deanna's eyes widened as she turned to her uncle who nodded in response. She frowned at that, knowing that Jemina must have gone through a lot. Neville already looked bad, how much worse would Jemina look? Hermione noticed how Deanna tensed up and immediately rubbed the Hufflepuff's back to calm her down. She knew that Jemina Nightingale was like a little sister to Deanna.
"Shall we get going then? Oh," Neville turned to Aberforth, "Ab, there might be a couple more people on the way."
"Couple more?" repeated Aberforth ominously. "What d'you mean, a couple more, Longbottom? There's a curfew and a Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!"
"I know, that's why they'll be Apparating directly into the bar," said Neville. "Just send them down the passage when they get here, will you? Thanks a lot."
Neville helped Hermione and Ron climb up onto the mantelpiece and into the tunnel before he went in with them.
Harry addressed Aberforth. "I don't know how to thank you. You've saved our lives twice."
"Look after 'em, then," said Aberforth gruffly. "I might not be able to save 'em a third time."
As Harry climbed up and went into the tunnel, Deanna gave her uncle who gazed at her softly a tight hug. "Uncle Ab... I love you."
The old man teared up at those words, not knowing if he'll be able to see her again after this. "I love you too, Deanna."
Deanna smiled at him and blinked back her tears before turning to Ariana. "Take care of Uncle Ab, Aunt Ari. I love you."
"Oh, Dee. I love you too." The woman in the portrait smiled at her sadly. Maybe, this was the last time, but at least, Deanna was going with the knowledge that many people loved her.
And so, Deanna too got up onto the mantelpiece and went through the hole behind Ariana's portrait. There were smooth stone steps inside the tunnel, and Deanna could smile as she recognized this passageway. They had been working on this back in 1942, but because she was put to sleep, they never finished it. It was a good thing Jemina found a way to connect it to Hogwarts.
