The Hogwarts Paradox // Harry Potter

027- Retracing paths of you

Author's note: A very very long chapter for you all... Happy binge-reading.
And please tell me your thoughts about who you think Y/N's real father could be?
Also I want to know all your thoughts so please spam me with comments, I'll appreciate a lot!

It was almost late evening when I reached Hog's Head inn. The old inn looked so very different in the summer light. During the winters, the inn was covered in such thick snow that I couldn't see the whole.. architecture. But now I could clearly see how much worn out the whole inn was. It looked even older than it actually was. There was faint light coming out of the windows and the sound of clitter clatter from inside.

I had gotten few to almost zero answers from Dumbledore. He had been so adamant about not telling me anything more than the script he had prepared mentally. After keeping me in the dark for so long, he still had the audacity to hide my father's true identity from me. But not all hope was lost, Aberforth could still answer my questions... and I had a heck lot of questions to be answered.

Something warm and bright glowed in my chest as I pushed the door open and went in. As usual, Aberforth was cleaning the glasses which seemed to be getting even more dusty with every swipe. He didn't seem to notice when I walked in. The bar was rather empty, save for two old people in the back drinking.. something.

"Umm, hello? Aberforth?" I cleared my throat, trying to get his attention, as I stood near the door.

"Oh, ah, come in, come in!" He motioned for me to come inside the bar and I did. "I wasn't expecting you to visit but.. I'm glad you did." He smiled while pushing a chair for me to sit on.

"I wasn't planning on it either, but Dumbledore said I should come down here... to you know... know about my mother- Amelia." I almost whispered the last words, don't know why though.

"Oh.."

Aberforth started coughing violently, and I moved fast to his side. "Are you okay? Should I call someone for help?"

*Cough* *Cough*

"Not here..." *Cough* "Go to the upstairs room, I'll meet you there" he said in between coughs.

"Wh-what?" I was so confused (again).

"Upstairs, now!" His voice was gentle yet stern and the look on his face made me obey him without further questioning.

I moved to the stairs, glancing back to see what was happening. The stairs to the upper floor were curved on the end, so as I turned the corner I saw the two old people sitting in the back, go up to Aberforth. The following conversation was muffled by the walls.

The upstairs room was dusty and dim just like the rest of the bar. There was a bed on one corner and a wooden table on the other. A window sat above the desk which looked into the village of Hogsmeade.

As I sat on the bed, I heard a loud thud from below. It seemed something heavy had taken a fall. Followed by a yelp and another falling noise. What the hell was happening downstairs? I shot a quick glance towards the window... it would be a two-story fall if I was to jump. I wouldn't break any bones but probably get a sprain and a few scratches here and there... I was still debating my escape plan when a set of loud stomps sounded approaching up the stairs.

It was Aberforth, finally coming to talk.

"What was all that noise?" I asked when he was inside the room and seated on the chair in front of the bed, opposite to me.

"Just some pests.." he replied, non-chalantly.

"Pests?"

"Yes, pests... rats.. big ones." He waved his hand, indirectly dismissing the issue.