Chapter Text
Albus Dumbledore was bitter, he was more than bitter actually, he was furious, furious that he was stuck at home instead of out travelling the world, furious that both his parents were dead making him an orphan, furious at his good for nothing siblings for being incapable of taking care of themselves.
He was wasted here spending all day answering to his sister’s every move. Ariana liked Aberforth better anyway.
Why couldn't he take care of her? HE wasn't like Albus, HE wasn't smarter than any of his teachers, HE wasn't in correspondence with some of the most notable people in the wizarding world.
HE didn't ace every exam. He wasn't brilliant.
“Not brilliant” whispered Albus quietly, opening his eyes against the dark of his room. Albus had always loved his room. The ceiling was painted to look like the night sky, some fifty or so prizes hung from the walls, large old books with silver bindings were stacked on English Oak bookcases, and in the corner sat an antique desk covered in half opened letters.
Albus checked the time on his watch.
It was a rather strange watch, his mother had given it to him for his 17th birthday. It had twelve hands but no numbers, instead little planets were moving around the edge. It made perfect sense to Albus however, who tilted his head to examine it. 11:23 pm he concluded. Good, his siblings were probably already asleep. Quietly, very quietly, Albus got out of bed, grabbed his wand from his nightstand, and tiptoed to his bedroom door, opening it just a few inches to check if the coast was clear before slipping out across the hallway, down the stairs through the living room and out of the house.
All was silent as he turned down the street, walking past moonlit houses, pubs and churches, determination alight on his face. Soon, he arrived at his destination.
It was a large field overlooking the cemetery. Apple trees lined each side and the stars looked so close it seemed as though he could reach out and touch them.
Albus took a deep breath before raising his wand to the sky “Ok” he whispered to himself “You can do this Albus” He took another deep breath, slashing his wand through the air in a spiral pattern
Flames erupted out of the end of it. They were beautiful flames, flashing with every color of the rainbow. Albus stood there in awe. He had done it! He had just finished congratulating himself when a bright blue flame whipped towards him. Caught by surprise, Albus fell to his knees “Agu-Agu-Aguamenti!” He coughed. Nothing happened. Albus began to grow panicked. He began shouting out every spell that he could think of. Still the flames danced brightly, if anything they grew bigger as though taunting him. His wand slipped from his hand, dark smoke began to obscure his senses. The village was too far away, there was no chance of anyone hearing his screams. He thought of Aberforth and Ariana sleeping peacefully in their beds blissfully unaware of the danger their brother was in. No help was coming. No one to save him.
He was going to die.
Albus squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the burning sensation that should signal the end of his life, but it never came. The heat pushing in on him was gone.
Cautiously, very cautiously, he opened his eyes, blinking the smoke out of them. The ground around him was charred, remnants of the fire, but the flames themselves had vanished.
His wand lay a few feet away, the tip of it was a bit blackened though other than that it seemed completely undamaged. Albus reached out and grabbed it, still in a daze. He had been so sure that he was going to die, what had happened? What had the flames disappeared?
He looked up across the field just in time to catch the briefest of glimpses of his savior, a golden haired boy running swiftly towards the line of trees at the edge of the grove, his wand clutched tight in his hand. Albus barely had time to register this before the boy darted behind two thick apple trees and was lost from sight.