The Older Potter // HP Older Sister

31

C H A P T E R  31

A young girl was playing outside. She spun wildly in numerous circles and fell to the ground giggling, like nothing mattered in the world, like she was just a normal girl. But Ariana Dumbledore was not a normal girl.

"Be careful Ariana, you know the rules about magic," Albus told his younger sister softly.

"I know Albus, I'll be very careful," said the girl. She threw the ball upwards, shouting as it swooped through the air gracefully, as it by magic.

"Protego!"

A window then shattered as a stray spell rebounded off the hastily formed shield. A shard of glass spun through the air and landed upright in the sofa. A soft whimper broke the sudden silence in the Dumbledore household. A wisp of smoke rose lazily from the window frame; sparks jumped throughout the room.

"I- I'm sorry. I'm sorry Albus." Tears streamed down Ariana's face. She didn't know what happened but she did know that strange things have been happening to her. Things she couldn't explain.

Albus lowered his wand and faced his sister. Resignation lined his face. He slowly turned around and without saying anything went back into his workshop. He knew he should tell her what's been going on but it wasn't his place. His was his parents job and Albus didn't want to over step any boundaries.

Albus sighed as he looked around his workroom. A cauldron bubbled as noxious fumes rose out of it. He walked over to his notebook and reread his latest entry:

Dragons are among the most powerful magical creatures in existence. Their abilities of flight, flame, and surprising resistance to spells are all indicative of their innate magical potency. Despite this, up until now attempts to harness any element of dragon magic have failed due to its instability. My current experiments using unicorn hairs as a base are initially promising.

He glanced at the cauldron and started to stir the mixture of dragon's blood with an iron ladle. The potion hissed as Albus dispiritedly lifted the melted remains of the ladle from the cauldron and halfheartedly edited his journal.

Albus Dumbledore was brought out of his memories when Aberforth explained to him what happened over summer with Samantha. The memories of Ariana flooded back to him when he could very much picture Samantha yelling at Aberforth that she was not Ariana and for him to let her have some more freedom. He didn't blame her. She was right.

Thoughts about what they were going to discuss at Christmas Break were already forming in his head but he decided to get back to what was happening now. And right now, it was Samantha's health and future. And what was best for her.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Albus!" Aberforth cried, raising his arms in the air.

He and just gotten a message from Dumbledore explaining what happened to Samantha and he was not pleased that he didn't receive news right away. He had gotten over his anger at her for sneaking out but he still had a lot to say to her. But whatever happened, Aberforth still cared for her as his own.

Aberforth then found that is was the best time to discuss their argument and then the conversation turned to her attack.

"I'm sorry Aberforth. My attention was focused on the Healers. Once they told us she didn't have to go to St. Mungo's I decided to write to you," Dumbledore explained wisely, which was not foreign to him.