teenage girl (various! Harry Potter x fem!reader)

◦•●◉✿ chapter five ✿◉●•◦

"who are-! wait a minute... albus dumbledore?"
you asked confused, as you lowered your wand.

you'd recognised the man from a chocolate frog card you'd once gotten, and you had to say, they did not to the old man justice with the white beard. man, it was majestic. you focused again.

dumbledore raised his hands apologetically, (or nervously with how your wand pointed right at his head earlier, although you didn't quite think he saw you as a threat) and spoke.
"i apologise, y/n l/n. i am dumbledore, what gave me away?"

the way he spoke was calm, with a hint of amusement in his voice, 'definitely way too relaxed for someone who just showed up to a dark room at night, only to stumble into a 15-year old with dracula jammies', you thought to yourself.

"the beard, definitely."
you said softly, now putting your wand away.
"you're the professor that sent me that letter."

"that i did."
dumbledore answered calmly.
"i had a feeling, and i thought it to be true."

".. feeling? professor, how did you know i could harness ancient magic? i didn't even know that."
you asked, feeling confused. this question had haunted your mind ever since you'd received the letter.

"i will tell you everything, in it's due time. but i will tell you little of it right now. a lot has led up to the moment you've arrived here, y/n."
dumbledore said calmly.

it was frustrating. all you had were questions, and now this old man had decided he didn't want to tell you.
"but- i've so many questions... i don't even know where to begin."

"then i shall."
dumbledore began his story.

"little over a century ago, the last wielder of ancient magic was perceived. her name was josephine l/n. she was a distant relative of yours. she went through the exact same routine you just went through, the portkey, the ruins, the vault, the dark halls and then this room. just like you, she found out she had to undergo trials."

"yes, professor. i've seen that in the pensieve. but what kind of trials?"
you asked, hopelessly confused.

"trials, for determining whether you're worthy of learning the secrets behind the ancient magic, and the power that comes with those secrets."
he answered, keeping the true meaning vague.
"there are five. all were made by past professors of hogwarts, one of those being josephine l/n."

"and those tests are located at..."
you started, starting to realise some things now.
"hogwarts."

dumbledore nodded gently.
"l/n, i would like to formally ask you, to take these trials. to see if you can complete them, to see if it was meant for you."

you stayed quiet for a bit. adventure had always called to you, but this was something your mother had warned you against for years now.
"professor... i've just one question, that i would like answered now already."

"what is the reason i must only now take there trials?"

dumbledore stood quietly for a bit. he knew you were referring to the 'circumstances' he'd mentioned in his letter. after a while he spoke.
"we have reason to believe, that followers of the dark lord know of ancient magic."

...

"what?"
you ask after a bit, absolutely gosmacked.
"followers of the dark lord? but how-"

"we do not yet know how, unfortunately. but dark figures have been showing up at villages in the vicinity of hogwarts, near the trials, and here, and gringotts' vaults. they know something, and i would hate to think of what would happen should they get their hands on the magic."
dumbledore spoke lowly, concernedly, as if he'd rather keep this all to himself.

"... i see. so it is urgent."
you looked at the marble floor, staying quiet.

dumbledore waited for you to speak, waited for you to make a choice.

"i'll do the trials. i was going to attend hogwarts anyhow, and i wouldn't be able to live with myself if i didn't do everything to make a stop of the dark lords followers and ideas."
you spoke up, determinedly.

dumbledore smiled softly.
"this generation holds so many passionate souls. thank you, l/n. this is a wise, good decision."

you nodded, everything that's happening still keeping your mind busy.

"now, i shall bring you to your house. after all, it's very late already."
dumbledore laughed softly, and held his wand in his hand, the other hand beckoning you to him.

you walked over to him, and stood by the old man as he apparates both of you to your house back in your small town. you both stood by the dresser in your fathers room, the box now lying there empty.

"what of the portkey? gringotts has it now."
you spoke up, eyeing the box.

"gringotts shall hand it back to the ministery i suppose. after all, it's reason for being away from the ministery has been fulfilled now."
he said mysteriously.

you felt yourself raise an eyebrow.
"what does that mea-"
but as you turned around to him you cut yourself off, with a small flick of his wand dumbledore haddisapparated again.

you were left in the dark room alone.

you took a minute to gather your thoughts, then decided it impossible, and walked back to your own room. you laid your wand back on your nightstand, and took off your uggs, thanking merlin that you decided to wear them. if you had to make that journey barefooted, the chance of you jumping off that rocky path would have been a whole lot bigger.

you got back in bed, next to mylo who still lay there passed out. you crawled underneath the blankets, leaning against him for warmth and comfort.

in his sleep, mylo wrapped his arms around you. for now you felt protected. you didn't know if it was for protection against the cold, or all the thoughts swarming your head.