Child of Hogwarts: Part I

Chapter Twenty-Four - The Forest Hides Many Secrets

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The Forest Hides Many Secrets

'You're not usually one for last orders, Albus,' Aberforth said gruffly, as Albus slipped into the pub. The front room was empty, the floo cold and barren, and Aberforth was just wiping down the wooden counter.

'Not usually, no,' Albus agreed with a small smile. 'But tonight, in fact, I am looking less for a drink than a room.'

Aberforth stared, narrowing his eyes. 'Last I checked, you got a whole castle full of 'em, don't you?'

'Ah, until tonight, it seems,' said Albus lightly, shrugging out of his travelling cloak.

Aberforth stopped his wipe-down of the bar surface, considering Albus. His eyes fell to the hold-all clutched in his hand. 'School governors have done it then?' he grunted, laying the cloth aside.

'Indeed,' Albus agreed. 'Lucius Malfoy came by earlier this evening with the missive.'

The barkeep snorted. 'Bunch of doddering old fools,' he muttered, picking the cloth up again and flinging it across the countertop. It was caught by the spigot, which quickly laid it neatly over the side of the basin. Aberforth bent below the counter, straightening up with a bottle of aged Firewhisky.

'I suppose we ought to have a nightcap then,' he said, shuffling out from behind the bar. 'Toast to your holiday, and all.'

Albus chuckled. 'Perhaps one,' he agreed. 'Here or upstairs?'

'Up in the back,' Aberforth decided, flicking his wand to send two glasses trailing them. He handed over an old-fashioned key. 'Go ahead and drop your things in Room 7, and meet me in the sitting room.'

Albus deposited his bag in the proffered room, and joined Aberforth a few minutes later in the little sitting area. The weight of their sister's portrait seemed heavy in the air – as it always did when he and his brother were sharing the space. But Aberforth, for once, was ignoring it, already busy with the bottle at the table. He handed Albus a drink as the erstwhile headmaster took a seat on the worn sofa.

'Cheers,' he said, knocking his own glass against Albus's and taking a deep pull. Albus raised his own in acknowledgment, and sipped at the bracing alcohol with slightly more reserve.

'Won't be for long, you know,' Aberforth muttered, giving Albus a sideways glance. 'I expect they'll have you back before the end of the month.'

'Perhaps,' Albus allowed. 'But if I cannot discover how the Chamber of Secrets has been opened, and by whom, I fear that Hogwarts will have to be closed regardless of its leadership. We cannot expose the students to such danger, and living under the tyranny of fear is hardly the environment we need to bestow an education upon our wizarding children.'

Aberforth snorted, taking another swallow of his drink. 'Guess that's a point,' he conceded. 'But hard to see, really, how you can't know after all this time... you, with your schemes and your brilliant mind and everything. I'd have thought you'd have it figured out long before now.'

Albus sighed heavily. 'You give me more credit than I deserve, Aberforth,' he said.

'Do I?' the barkeep challenged, piercing Albus with his own blue eyes. Albus faltered a bit. 'Ah,' said Aberforth, giving a slightly mocking smile. 'I thought not. How long have you known, then?' he asked. His tone was not quite angry, but somewhere between resignation and contempt. 'You always did play your cards far too close to your chest... but so many attacks on your precious pupils... in this deception, you surprise even me.'