Can You Love Me Most? | 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘯

91| Charles Dumbledore

"I know, it sounded odd when Charles told me, but I find it quite touching nonetheless." I looked at him lovingly.

After a dozen moments of strolling around the house, we went back to the room where everyone was waiting for us.

I felt a tap on my shoulder once the music started playing again.

"Yes?" I smiled, as Charles just simply looked at me with a small smile

"Would you- er...like to dance? You know, with me?" Charles said awkwardly, rubbing his hands and flashed a bashful glint.

Remus wrapped his hand tighter around my waist in a slightly protective manner before Charles spoke.

"Don't worry sir, I'll bring her back." he joked.

"Alright," he relented, letting go of me and handing me to the young Dumbledore. "Bring her back right after. You two can have some fun after."

Charles took my hand and led me to the dance floor. He danced gracefully, as though he had been absolutely great at waltzing with the ladies before. And the way he twirled me around, the way he was following the music's rythym, made me feel like he was a prince (not in a romantic manner).

I got lost in exploring the calm and greyish shade of his eyes, like there was something that hit through me as I just stared at him while we danced.

Once the music was over, he smirked at me and we ran away from the room and laughed giddily, receiving blank expressions from my friends.

"Hold on, where are we heading to?" I said breathlessly amidst my laughs as we wandered around the rooms of the first floor.

"Umm...exploring," he winked. "Your husband said we can have some fun after our dance."

"Oh I don't like the sound of that." I pretended to gag as he howled in laughter.

He gasped softly at the old fashioned and elegant interior of Grimmauld Place, I could not help but softly giggle at the priceless face of his. And soon enough, we were inside the room where the tapestry was.

"Merlin's beard," he whispered in disbelief and shock, running a hand through his hair which messed it even further, his eyes wandering the ancient material. "So this thing must be so old."

"Yeah it is." I said, stopping in my tracks whilst I gazed at the faces of my first cousins, Sirius', Regulus' and mine. I didn't notice that Charles was now standing beside me.

"Why are the other faces burnt off?" he asked.

"Well, the Blacks believe that we shouldn't meddle with blood traitors, half-bloods or muggleborns. If we did, we'll get disowned from the family." I replied, looking at the burnt faces of my other disowned family members.

"Oh...I forgot that you were related to Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy's wife."

"Yeah, makes me want to gag," I pretended to do so, making him laugh. "Look, their sister Andromeda is not here." I showed him the face between my cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa.

"Because she married a muggleborn." Charles said sadly, I looked at him in surprise.

"Correct."

"Sirius isn't here, and you too. Well, I'm not surprised at all. I guess you got beaten and punished a lot by your parents as a kid."

"How did you know-"

"Well, judging by your beliefs and nice personality, your mum and dad surely got pissed off at you." he gave me a sympathetic look.

"Yeah...but he was always there for me." I said, now gesturing to Regulus' face.

"Y-you have- another brother?" Charles gulped.

"Regulus," I murmured, nodding as my breath slightly got shaky. "When I was small, I always considered him to be my parent rather than my own. I loved him very much and he loved me too."

He bit his lip, looking down on the floor before his eyes met mine again. "H-how did he die?"

"They say he was killed by Lord V- You-Know-Who, or some even say, by his orders. I was only four when it happened."

"You know," Charles said after a while of silence. "You remind me of my younger sister."

My heard swiveled around, his words catching my attention.

"You have a sister?"

He didn't speak for a few seconds and then finally said. "Um you see, I'm actually a muggle-born myself. My parents died in an accident when I was eight so, I was brought to a children's home with my sister," He looked at me with a small, sad smile. "She had the same personality as you, same cheeky smile and same eyes; and she gave me hope everytime I lost it. Sadly a few days before my 11th birthday, she died due to her sickness, the doctors couldn't figure what it was."

"I'm sorry." I sniffed.

"It's ok, and then, Dumbledore came and took me out of there after explaining that I was magical. He also told me that Aberforth wanted company in the Hog's Head, so, here I am, now his son."

"You've been through a lot."

"Since we both lost someone whom we hold very dear, you need to know that they never really leave us and are always here," he pointed his left chest. "And I believe you shouldn't let your guard down by past painful experiences, they make you learn how to be stronger than before. And the bright, glorious tomorrow is always waiting for you."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

I felt a wave of familiarity wash over me at his last sentence.

"Charles, may I ask you something?" I said to him.

"Anything."

I looked at him.

"Have we met before?"