Post by KayleeTonksLupin on Sept 15, 2004 13:26:54 GMT -5
A/N: This story is a take on something that MIGHT have happened after Albus Dumbledore was removed from Hogwarts, OotP. It also includes an OC who is not mine, she is Jestana's. Her name is Tracey Cooper, and she is Albus Dumbledore's daughter. For full background on her, go to her profile on ff.net and read "Closer Than You Think". On with the story! And yes, Jestana gave me permission to use her.
"Mother!" Tracey ran to Professor McGonagall's office. "Mother, they took Father away, and..." The girl buried her head in Minerva's lap. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Minerva looked sadly at her stepdaughter.
"Oh, Lass, if only I could take away your pain...if only." Though Tracey was twelve years old, she looked much younger because of her height. Minerva put her arms around Tracey.
"Come, Tracey, we need to speak privately. Anyone could come into my office at any time." Tracey lifted her head up, eyes red from crying. She allowed Minerva to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you, Mother. What will we do about Father?" Minerva shook her head slowly at the mention of Albus. She stood up and walked in the direction of her private quarters. Tracey followed her. Suddenly there was a *pop* and a man's face appeared in the fire. The man had grey hair and a long beard, but he had a grumpy expression. Minerva knelt down by the fire.
"Aberforth! Is Albus..."
"Yes, he's with me. She'll never find him here." Minerva sighed with relief. Aberforth noticed the tiny girl standing by Minerva. "Didn't know you and Albus had a child, Min," he said, almost cracking a smile. Minerva shook her head.
"Not exactly, Aberforth, although I love Tracey as much as if I was her birth mother." Aberforth looked surprised. Then it clicked.
"Sandra." Minerva nodded.
"Yes. She was transported forward in time. But she annulled her marriage to Albus. She thought he was dead, and married a Muggle, and she had Tracey. Albus married me, so I am Tracey's stepmother." Aberforth nodded. "I understand that, Min." Minerva scowled.
"Don't call me Min, Aber."
"Then don't call me Aber. I'm coming over to have a look at my niece. If that's all right with you, Tracey?"
"Sounds awesome!" was Tracey's reply. Minerva explained to Aberforth, "She was brought up in America, Aberforth. We've been trying to have her use other words, but she likes 'awesome' so much..." Minerva shrugged. Aberforth stepped through the fire, and hugged Tracey. "You look like Albus used to, except you're..." "DON'T say it, Aber," Minerva interrupted, knowing how sensitive Tracey was about being called tiny.
"...a girl," finished Aberforth. They laughed together, but soon things got serious. What were they going to do about Albus? It was just pure luck that Umbridge hadn't noticed Aberforth entering from the Hog's Head. Tracey handed her uncle a note she had written.
"This is for Father. Can you make sure he gets it?" Aberforth nodded gravely. Then he disappeared back through the flames.
(At the Hog's Head)
Aberforth ran upstairs. He pushed open the door of his room. "Albus!"
"Yes, Aberforth, what is it? Is Minerva all right? And Tracey?"
"They're both fine so far. But Tracey gave me this note for you."
Albus took it and read it.
*Dear Father,
I wish you were here. That Umbridge has been taking over everything and she's been putting teachers on probation, and been issuing decrees left and right. She's the worst person ever to be in charge. Mother misses you too, I know. And Mom wouldn't be happy if she found out what was going on, but Umbridge is reading all the mail, so I can't tell her.
Love you,
Tracey.*
Albus Dumbledore put his head in his hands. Poor Tracey and Minerva...and the whole school. And Sandra had no way of knowing what was going on...perhaps someone from the Order could contact her, but who? This was hopeless. What could be done?
"Mother!" Tracey ran to Professor McGonagall's office. "Mother, they took Father away, and..." The girl buried her head in Minerva's lap. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Minerva looked sadly at her stepdaughter.
"Oh, Lass, if only I could take away your pain...if only." Though Tracey was twelve years old, she looked much younger because of her height. Minerva put her arms around Tracey.
"Come, Tracey, we need to speak privately. Anyone could come into my office at any time." Tracey lifted her head up, eyes red from crying. She allowed Minerva to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you, Mother. What will we do about Father?" Minerva shook her head slowly at the mention of Albus. She stood up and walked in the direction of her private quarters. Tracey followed her. Suddenly there was a *pop* and a man's face appeared in the fire. The man had grey hair and a long beard, but he had a grumpy expression. Minerva knelt down by the fire.
"Aberforth! Is Albus..."
"Yes, he's with me. She'll never find him here." Minerva sighed with relief. Aberforth noticed the tiny girl standing by Minerva. "Didn't know you and Albus had a child, Min," he said, almost cracking a smile. Minerva shook her head.
"Not exactly, Aberforth, although I love Tracey as much as if I was her birth mother." Aberforth looked surprised. Then it clicked.
"Sandra." Minerva nodded.
"Yes. She was transported forward in time. But she annulled her marriage to Albus. She thought he was dead, and married a Muggle, and she had Tracey. Albus married me, so I am Tracey's stepmother." Aberforth nodded. "I understand that, Min." Minerva scowled.
"Don't call me Min, Aber."
"Then don't call me Aber. I'm coming over to have a look at my niece. If that's all right with you, Tracey?"
"Sounds awesome!" was Tracey's reply. Minerva explained to Aberforth, "She was brought up in America, Aberforth. We've been trying to have her use other words, but she likes 'awesome' so much..." Minerva shrugged. Aberforth stepped through the fire, and hugged Tracey. "You look like Albus used to, except you're..." "DON'T say it, Aber," Minerva interrupted, knowing how sensitive Tracey was about being called tiny.
"...a girl," finished Aberforth. They laughed together, but soon things got serious. What were they going to do about Albus? It was just pure luck that Umbridge hadn't noticed Aberforth entering from the Hog's Head. Tracey handed her uncle a note she had written.
"This is for Father. Can you make sure he gets it?" Aberforth nodded gravely. Then he disappeared back through the flames.
(At the Hog's Head)
Aberforth ran upstairs. He pushed open the door of his room. "Albus!"
"Yes, Aberforth, what is it? Is Minerva all right? And Tracey?"
"They're both fine so far. But Tracey gave me this note for you."
Albus took it and read it.
*Dear Father,
I wish you were here. That Umbridge has been taking over everything and she's been putting teachers on probation, and been issuing decrees left and right. She's the worst person ever to be in charge. Mother misses you too, I know. And Mom wouldn't be happy if she found out what was going on, but Umbridge is reading all the mail, so I can't tell her.
Love you,
Tracey.*
Albus Dumbledore put his head in his hands. Poor Tracey and Minerva...and the whole school. And Sandra had no way of knowing what was going on...perhaps someone from the Order could contact her, but who? This was hopeless. What could be done?
Well, let's see what I can do about that...argh, should really be working on my final project for poetry, not writing fics. *headdesk* *waits for ideas to come* Well...I'll figure something out...