Chapter 636 - New Associates Ⅲ (2/2)

”How did it go?” Ariana asked.

Aberforth sniffs and says, ”Finally, Albus found a secure headquarters for his Order and will finally be out from under my feet!”

”That's good,” Ariana muttered. ”You would have been in danger before long had the Order kept using the pub as its headquarters.”

”As if Albus ever cared about our wellbeing,” Aberforth snapped.

Ariana makes a hurt expression causing Aberforth to immediately feel guilty. ”I'm sorry, Ariana,” Aberforth paused and took a deep breath. ”I know that Albus did what he could. But I cannot bring myself to even attempt to breach the divide between us. There is too much hurt, anger, and unspoken words in the gulf that separates us both.”

Ariana looks remorsefully at Aberforth. ”None of this would have ever happened if not for me, Aberforth,” Ariana quietly said. ”I am the linchpin that broke our family apart with each day of my existence.”

”No, no, Ariana,” Aberforth protested. ”We've spoken about this before, none of it was your fault.”

”Was it truly not?” Ariana woefully said. ”Then what of mama? Did she not die at my hands?”

”It was not your fault,” Aberforth whispered.

”It was,” Ariana quietly stated. ”We both know it was.”

Aberforth is silent for a moment gathering his wits about him. ”You were ill, Ariana, and it was no more your fault than a sickly person, who coughed. That is the truth of that day and I have never blamed you for it.”

Ariana makes a bittersweet smile and softly says, ”Then it is time to forgive, Albus, Aberforth. That day was no more his fault than mine was on that day.”

”He brought Grindelwald into our home!” Aberforth roared.

”He was lonely,” Ariana whispered. ”Albus was so desperate to believe in a future beyond the four walls of our home and then he met another misunderstood boy. A boy who saw as his whole world and his.”

”Pretty words,” Aberforth chocked. ”The arrogant pair of twits wanted to find the Deathly Hallows and lead a revolution to rule over the muggle world! Tell me how any of those ideas weren't just vile and pure madness?!”

”They were,” Ariana sighed. ”But Aberforth, he was just a boy too. Albus suddenly had to take care of me with mama gone. Had mama still been alive Albus would have surely gone into the Ministry and maybe even have been Minister of Magic one day!”

”I would have taken care of you!” Aberforth protested. ”I wanted to leave Hogwarts to take care of you, but Albus would not have it! Albus said, how would it have looked if a Dumbledore did not graduate from Hogwarts?!”

”I know,” Ariana flashed Aberforth a pity filled smile. ”But he was lonely, Aberforth. And he was in love. Should he be condemned for the rest of his life for that single mistake in his youth? If the blame is to lay on anyone's shoulders, Abeforth, it is squarely on my own. For it was I, who commenced the derailment of our family.”

Aberforth makes a face at the statement, but before he can reply Ariana pointedly interjects, ”And love always makes a fool out of the best of us. Albus was no exception, neither were you, Aberforth. No one ever is exempt.”

Aberforth is very still as he turns to look away from Ariana's portrait. ”We swore never to speak of her again, Ariana.”

”And I have not mentioned her again by name,” Ariana argued. ”But surely, Aberforth, you can no more condemn Albus for loving Gellert than you did her.”

”I've always blamed myself,” Aberforth whispered.

The logs in the fireplace crackle in silence until Ariana says, ”Will you at least think on my words, Aberforth?”

”I will,” Aberforth finally promised, before closing the door shut behind him making his way back to the bar down below.

Ariana sadly stares at the closed door. She had, had so many dreams as a child, but they had all crumbled away at the mere age of six years old. She had never gotten a wand at the age of eleven or attended Hogwarts nor was ever even sorted. But more importantly, she never met a boy, who made her heart sing like her mama used to tell her about her papa.

So many things had been lost that day and all because she wanted to make wildflowers bloom in the field when she had been specifically told not to. A child's folly that had cost her and the rest of her family everything including their futures, and possibly even their very souls.