HP: The Dropout Who Saved the World

The Hog's Head Inn.

When Jane stepped inside, she found it quite different from Dumbledore's description of "extremely filthy."

Though small and dark with barely any outside light penetrating in, someone had clearly cleaned certain areas before their arrival. An old man with his back to them was laboriously directing a cloth to wipe bottles of butterbeer.

Dumbledore was clearly surprised too, and spoke first:

"Oh—cleaning up... are you closed today?"

Jane heard the man facing away from them give a cold laugh, instantly filling the air with tension:

"Open? You think I'd let a 13-year-old see those filthy customers who won't even show their faces?"

He turned around, and she realized his appearance was very similar to Dumbledore's—thick grey hair and beard gleaming like metal wire, wearing glasses with dirty lenses behind which sharp blue eyes glinted.

He didn't look at Jane, continuing to glare angrily at his brother as he slammed the bottle down on the bar:

"What's this? Getting sentimental in your old age? Suddenly wanting family?"

"You couldn't even bring yourself to tell your own brother you'd adopted a child—"

His eyes swept over Jane briefly before his expression suddenly changed. He dropped his cloth and rushed to her, placing both hands on her shoulders:

"An Obscurial?"

But Dumbledore interrupted: "No, she isn't. She just looks similar."

Aberforth grew more agitated, running his hands through his hair:

"Are you sure it's just looks? Her condition... this expression clearly..."

Dumbledore gave an exasperated smile while twirling his beard:

"She can use magic normally and has received proper guidance at Hogwarts."

"Fine, fine." Aberforth muttered, striding back to the bar. After some clattering, three butterbeers appeared. Dumbledore gave him a disapproving look.

"Don't look at me like that, Albus," he said irritably. "She's 13, what's wrong with some butterbeer? Barely any alcohol in it."

Due to his brother's absurd behavior, he was actually fighting the urge to slam the glass on his head.

Fortunately, his reason reminded him there was a child present, so he forced his most benign smile and pulled out a plate of small cakes from the cupboard, pushing it toward Jane.

What followed was a long chat about family matters, from Jane's academic performance to her social life, to what she ate at school. Aberforth even took her to see his goats...

Several times Dumbledore tried to join their conversation, but Aberforth roughly shut him out each time.

Jane noticed that despite his crude language, he was actually very thoughtful, with all his conversation filled with genuine care—honestly, she felt that compared to Dumbledore, his brother seemed better at relating to young people, more like an experienced parent.

Aberforth arranged a room for her on the second floor.

...

After Jane went upstairs, the brothers immediately erupted into a fierce argument.

Aberforth launched into an aggressive offensive while Albus remained defensive.

"Now I understand why you suddenly adopted a child without even getting her prior consent—who are you missing?" he roared, finally slamming the glass onto his brother's head. "Ariana? Credence?"

"I'm not missing anyone," Dumbledore replied in a deep voice, grabbing the butterbeer-soaked glass and throwing it heavily onto the bar. "They're different people, I know that clearly."

This made Aberforth even angrier, and he began to bellow: "Really? Not missing anyone? Then it's for your ridiculous greater good? Dragging everyone into your grand plans?"

"She doesn't owe you anything!" He looked ready to slam the other glass down too. "What kind of person are you trying to mold her into? Who are you planning to have her fight against? A child?"

Dumbledore fell silent. After a long while, he spoke:

"Why can't it be that I want to make amends?—Fawkes!"

The gold and scarlet phoenix flew in through the window with a cry, circled once above his head, then shot straight upstairs without a backward glance, as if completely unaware Dumbledore was its master.

Aberforth gaped in astonishment.

"I assume she doesn't have our family bloodline...?"

"No," Dumbledore said firmly. "But it consistently offers her help..."

He carefully recounted everything that had happened in the Chamber of Secrets during her second year, briefly described the orphanage where Jane had lived, and the earth-shattering things she had done in her first year...

Aberforth calmed down and pulled up a broken chair to sit.

"I see," he muttered. "You're looking for shadows of many people in her... yourself, them..."

He seemed to think of something revolting and wrinkled his brow in disgust: "Damn, I hope there's none of him in there—"

This peaceful dialogue only lasted a few minutes. At this thought, Aberforth quickly became enraged again:

"A savior complex? Self-righteously trying to guide her? She's a Slytherin... I bet you've been interfering with her friendships, haven't you?"

He was immediately met with his brother's rebuttal:

"As her guardian, I must select suitable friends for her, ensure she stays on the right path."

Aberforth stood up, staring at him in disbelief:

"You're mad! Though I dislike many in Slytherin, she's one of them! She has the right to choose her own friends!"

"Think about yourself when you were young! Your desperate need for friendship! Doge... that damned Grindelwald..."

But Dumbledore remained silent, head bowed. Aberforth couldn't see what his brother was thinking, only heard him say softly:

"Yes, and I paid the price... I don't want her to... she's different, there's still a chance for change."

Aberforth looked at his stubborn brother, feeling only absurdity, as if history was repeating itself with different players.

"You're forcing a bird to swim in the river, a fish to walk on land."

"You'll pay the price again for your extreme need for control, Albus." He concluded, "I don't believe you can raise a child properly, especially since I know you've never been able to handle this type."

...

Several hours later.

Dumbledore realized he might indeed be paying that price.

Because Jane had vanished.

The upstairs bedroom was completely empty, with only a trunk left on the floor.

Jane herself, her eagle owl, and the grass snake were all gone, with only Fawkes fluttering about the room.

Dumbledore's face changed dramatically.

His mind raced through various possibilities.

Had she run away?

Was she kidnapped by dark forces?

Had she secretly left with certain Slytherin students?

The Greengrasses? The Notts? The Malfoys?

Or perhaps older students?

With so many suspects, he felt a pressure building in his chest that made his stomach ache with anger.

"What happened?" Aberforth's voice sounded behind him. "Where is she?"

Now both brothers began to panic.