We're in this Together. ✷ Fred Weasley✷

Ch.11 Dumbledore

I open the door, closing it softly behind me, and turn my attention to Headmaster Dumbledore. Taking in his appearance, he is exactly as I have seen him in the Daily Prophet, slightly taller than I imagined, but with the same long gray beard, and kind eyes were hidden slightly behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Ah...Ms. Asteria Black. I was wondering when you'd come to see me, I received a letter from Mr. Ollivander, informing me of your interest in the materials that make up your wand."

"Yes Sir," I confirm softly with a nod of my head.

"Well then, please sit." He gestures to the chair in front of his desk, "can I interest you in a Lemondrop?" He asks while holding out a small glass bowl, and upon my look of confusion he elaborates further, "They're a type of muggle candy, sweet yet sour. I have grown quite fond of them over the years."

"I have never been allowed muggle candy before..." I trail off, looking at the bowl hesitantly.

"No... I can't say I'm too surprised, I am aware of the values your family holds..." he says thoughtfully, "however, given the house you've been sorted into, I can imagine that you don't hold those same values?" He questions arm still stretched out gently holding the bowl in my direction.

I nod my head timidly in confirmation and reach my hand up to pluck a plastic-wrapped sweet from the bowl. Dumbledore's eyes sparkle and a small smile spread across his lips, as he leans forward as if telling me a secret.

" Go on, I promise I won't tell or be offended if you don't enjoy it."

I unwrap the sweet quickly and place the small yellow treat in my mouth, fingers fiddling with the plastic wrapper. The candy is sweet, of course, but it gradually becomes slightly more sour, almost as if I'm sucking on a lemon coated in sugar. It dissolves quickly and I look back to Dumbledore and offer a soft smile.

"Well?" He asks, "How was it?"

"It was very good..." I state, "Are all muggle sweets like that?"

The headmaster tilts his head in thought, "Well, I haven't met many muggle sweets I don't like." I nod my head in acknowledgment before he clears his throat. "Well, then on to business, your wand. Do you mind if I see it?"

I shake my head softly before fishing it out of my bag and handing it to him. He takes it in his hand, studying it carefully, then looks up at me, doing the same. I shift uncomfortably in my chair, looking down at the cellophane wrapper that's still in my fingers, taking note of the different colors it turns when it's hit by light.

"It is rather interesting don't you think Ms. Black?" He asks.

"What is professor?" I question timidly, lifting my eyes to meet his.

"Well, your wand looks quite different than the rest of your family's wands correct?"

"Yes," I respond.

"That's rather interesting, wouldn't you say?" I nod in agreeance.

"My aunt said something similar..." I begin staring at my wand he still held in his hands, trying to recall the words she told me all those weeks ago, "she said I was always different than the rest of my family... like...like my father, her sister, and..." I trail off unsure whether to share the final person, in fear of the judgments he could pass on me.

"And who? Ms. Black?" He questions softly.

"M-my uncle sir." I stutter softly, returning my gaze to the iridescent wrapper in between my fingers.

"Ah...yes. Sirius Black." He states matter of factly. "I met him when he was around your age. He and his group of friends were a bit of a troublemaker, but in those days he was just as you are now." He stares at me softly. "A student. Eager to learn, eager to prove himself, and set himself apart from the rest of his family. Same as you, I imagine?" I nod, confirming his thoughts. "Now your father...he was different from his older brother, he had no intention when he came to school to break the family tradition, in fact, he was like you, quiet, reserved, an insight into his upbringing. It wasn't until he met your mother did he being to change, even more so when they discovered you were on the way. He made it known that he had sworn off Voldemort, and his family, offering himself to the Order of the Pheonix as a spy, offering all of his information to us. He saved a great deal of lives your father."

I take in his word about my father and uncle, and the similarities he had been able to draw between us, in the short time I had been sitting in front of him.

"I've never heard anyone speak that way about him until very recently professor," I state softly, picking at the dry corners of my nails.

"Your father?" He questions, I nod once looking back up at him. "I can't say I'm surprised my dear, when he left the Death Eaters, he made quite a few enemies. I can't imagine those who raised you would have very positive things to say of him." His lips quirked up slightly as though he were laughing at his own joke, one that I wasn't a part of...

"You are aware that had it not been for the events that transpired with your uncle, he would have raised you, correct?" He questioned. I nod, thinking back to the letter Ollivander had given me.

"Yes Sir. I received a letter from Mr. Ollivander." I inform him.

"Ah yes...I do recall your father telling us he left a letter for you. I had believed it was under Sirius' possession until now, I suppose it makes sense. You would have run into Ollivander eventually." He says thoughtfully.

"He mentioned..." I began drawing his attention back to me, "he mentioned in the letter that you held the key to my vault...?" I question him.

The man nods slowly opening a drawer in his desk and pulling out a thick envelope with my name written across it and handing it over to me.

I glide my fingers across the writing on the envelope, recognizing the same elegant, loopy, handwriting that was in my letter. My father's handwriting. I flip the envelope over carefully sliding my fingers under the wax seal and open the envelope, pulling out a gold key.

"That is the key to your vault in Gringotts. However, I would recommend that I hold onto it until you truly need access to the money. The last thing we want is that key falling into the hands of your uncle."

I nod softly, sliding it back into the envelope, and hand it back to the man across from me. He takes it from my grasp and slides it back into its original drawer.

"Now, shall we get down to business?" He questions.

I nod and reach into my bag to pull out the small slip of paper for the Headmaster to sign, sliding it onto the desk for him. He smiles softly, and tugs it towards him, pulling his quill out of the ink, and scrawling his name across the dotted line. Letting it dry before he hands it back to me, along with my wand, which had been forgotten on his desk, during our conversation. I take the items from him gingerly and tuck them back into the safety of my bag. Smiling in appreciation I stand from my chair, he rises with me.

As we begin our walk to the door, he stops for a moment.

"Ms. Black?" He says softly, pulling my attention to him, "Knowledge is a valuable tool. I encourage you to seek as much of it as possible. Remember that you are only limited to what you yourself believe you are capable of."

I furrow my brows, taking his words in, as I ponder them in confusion. I nod softly, "I understand professor, thank you." He nods softly as he holds his office door open for me.

"Anytime Ms.Black" as he shuts the door, separating the two of us. And I begin my journey down the stairs.

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Hello everyone!! 

It's been a while!! I hope you're all doing well and enjoyed my newest chapter!!! 

This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones, but I didn't think the conversation with Dumbledore would be too long, to begin with, but it was longer than I planned, and I didn't think I could do Asteria researching her wand justice if I tried to fit it into this chapter. so that's coming next!! 

see you next chapter! 

Thank you for reading!!

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M.