Nor of anyone else.

"Mr. Dumbledore" said Hermione rather timidly. "Is that your sister? Ariana?

"Yes." said Aberforth tersely. "Been reading Rita Skeeter, have you, missy?"

Even by the rosy light of the fire it was clear that Hermione had turned red.

"Elphias Doge mentioned her to us," said Harry, trying to spare Hermione.

"That old berk," muttered Aberforth, taking another swig of mead. "Thought the

Sun shone out of my

brother's every office, he did. Well, so did plenty of people, you three included, by the

looks of it."

Harry kept quiet. He did not want to express the doubts and uncertainties about

Dumbledore that had

riddled him for months now. He had made his choice while he dug Dobby's grave, he had

Decided to continue

Along the winding, dangerous path indicated for him by Albus Dumbledore, to accept that

He had not been told

Everything that he wanted to know, but simply to trust. He had no desire to doubt again;

He did not want o hear

anything that would deflect him from his purpose. He met Aberforth's gaze, which was so

Strikingly like his

brothers': The bright blue eyes gave the same impression that they were X-raying the

Object of their scrutiny,

And Harry thought that Aberforth knew what he was thinking and despised him for it.

"Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry, very much," said Hermione in a low

Voice.

"Did he now?" said Aberforth. "Funny thing how many of the people my brother

Cared about very much

ended up in a worse state than if he'd left 'em well alone."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione breathlessly.

"Never you mind," said Aberforth.

"But that's a really serious thing to say!" said Hermione. "Are you - are you

talking about your sister?"

Aberforth glared at her: His lips moved as if he were chewing the words he was

Holding back. Then he burst

Into speech.

"When my sister was six years old, she was attacked, by three Muggle boys.

They'd seen her doing magic,

spying through the back garden hedge: She was a kid, she couldn't control it, no witch or

Wizard can at that age.

What they saw, scared them, I expect. They forced their way through the hedge, and

when she couldn't show them

the trick, they got a bit carried away trying to stop the little freak doing it."

Hermione's eyes were huge in the firelight; Ron looked slightly sick. Aberforth

Stood up, tall as Albus, and

Suddenly terrible in his anger and the intensity of his pain.

"It destroyed her, what they did: She was never right again. She wouldn't use

magic, but she couldn't get rid

of it; it turned inward and drove her mad, it exploded out of her when she couldn't control

It, and at times she was

Strange and dangerous. But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless.

"And my father went after the bastards that did it," said Aberforth, "and attacked

Them. And they locked him

up in Azkaban for it. He never said why he'd done it, because the Ministry had known

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 620