Lost in time

Welcome to the Family

As it's been so long since I last updated, you may need to recap on the last chapter....

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"Hermione, where are we going exactly?" Dennis shouted as he ran after the bushy haired witch, dodging past students who gave both him and Hermione strange looks.

"Dumbledore" she answered, as though it gave an insight as to what she knew. Whatever that letter said had better be important for him to be running this fast. His left side ached and all he wanted to do was stop, catch his breath and then crawl back to the common room to bed.

"Why?" Dennis asked, his breaths ragged and his legs aching. Receiving no answer, he shouted again.

"Just come on", Hermione shouted back, her hair flying out behind her, her face stricken with worry, the letter still clutched in her hand. She really hoped that this wasn't about what she thought it was. She'd woken up with a pleasant surprise *cough* Sirius *cough*, and this would severely ruin it if they'd found out.

Reaching the large stone gargoyle, Hermione muttered gobstones under her breath before running up the stairs, Dennis hot on her trail. She threw the door open, making it hit the wall behind it with a large bang, announcing her presence, but she had little care for the destruction of a wall when this could be the end of everything.

"Please tell me this isn't what I think it is Dumbledore." Hermione spoke, her words running into each other as she struggled to catch her breath. The old wizard completely ignored Hermione's question before glancing over her shoulder to see a young boy, no older than 14 catching his breath who he greeted with a large smile.

"And you must be Mr Creevey?" Dumbledore asked, his half-moon spectacles perched on the edge of his nose.

"Erm... y-yes Professor Dumbledore, that's me." Dennis croaked out.

"Hello son." A familiar voice spoke and looking at one of the three occupied chairs in front of the desk, Hermione stifled a gasp as she looked at none other than Aberforth Dumbledore.

"S-son?" Dennis repeated, shock and confusion registering on his face.

"Yes, well, we'll get to that bit later." Dumbledore spoke, frowning at Aberforth. "Never were a man of perfect timings, were you brother?"

"Neither were you if I remember correctly. Scared off poor Madeline Smith before she'd even walked through the doors of Hogwarts when we were nothing more than students ourselves didn't you?" Aberforth countered.

"Entirely true. Don't know why she was so scared of a cockroach anyway. Fascinating creatures they are.... fascinating...." Dumbledore replied, and Hermione smiled at the two brothers.

"Anyway, please sit down, Dumbledore's." Aberforth said and both Hermione and Dennis sat down, unsure of whether it was them who were being addressed.

"Again, with the lack of perfect timings." Dumbledore spoke, mirth clearly seen in his eyes until he looked at Hermione and his smile quickly dropped. "Unfortunately, I've got some bad news, which I'm sure you know about Hermione. The Death Eaters know. They know about you Hermione. Know that you're not actually a Dumbledore...."

"Thought so." Hermione said as she looked down at the feet as her mind wondered to Mary.

"But my brother over here has decided to help you both." Dumbledore said, gesturing to both students in front of him.

"Both?" Dennis echoed.

"Another child turning up out of nowhere will do nothing good and will only arouse suspicion involving the two of you, so Aberforth here has agreed to take it on himself to see that you are members of our family. Or his children."