June 3.0-Happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light
Title: Happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light
Summary: The Deluminator had to have been invented for a reason, no?
Characters/Pairings: Albus and Ariana Dumbledore
Genre: Drama
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 502
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: No
If yes, your Tumblr username:
Flick-flick.
Flick-flick.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on his sister’s bed, playing with what looked like a silver lighter. It was brand-new, something he’d invented himself and had just finished a few hours ago. He was using it for the first time.
Flick-flick.
The two orbs of light in the bedroom, one on the bedside table, the other on the desk Ariana had never used, flew to the lighter, plunging the room into darkness.
Albus had never cared about Ariana. All that had been important to him were that boy Grindelwald and their delusions of grandeur. At least according to Aberforth. That’s what he had said at the funeral the day before, right before punching Albus in the nose.
The young man gingerly touched his still-swollen, painful face and winced. After his brother had stalked off, he had refused Bathilda Bagshot’s well-intentioned offer of an Episkey. Albus felt he deserved the pain. The constant reminder of what he had done to deserve it that his broken nose would be every time he glanced in a mirror.
He’d never cared about Ariana.
Flick-flick.
The two balls of light flew back to the posts and illuminated the small bedroom once again.
But that wasn’t true, was it? Aberforth was wrong. Albus had cared about their little sister, more than anyone had ever known. He’d created this Deluminator for her, hadn’t he?
Flick-flick.
Flick-flick.
Ariana had had nightmares almost every night. Albus heard her crying in her bed, too afraid to get up and cross the dark room to the light switch, until Aberforth or their mother went to soothe her. Never Albus. Instead, he’s started working on this Deluminator, so she’d be able to have light whenever she needed it, without being afraid, without using her magic. Her dangerous magic. He’s never told anyone what he was creating, not even Gellert. It was meant to be their secret, his and Ariana’s.
And now, he’d never get to share it with her.
Flick-flick.
In the darkness, a light out the window caught Albus’s eye. A lantern, coming up the drive, swaying drunkenly. Aberforth, coming home from the town pub, where he’d spent the last six hours. He’d be at the door in three minutes.
Albus didn’t want another confrontation with his brother; he’d had enough of those in the past few days to last him a lifetime. Aberforth had always said he was the better of the Dumbledore brothers and, for once, Albus agreed with him. He got up, picked up the bag he’d left on the mattress, and swung it over his shoulder. It was time for him to go.
He glanced at the Deluminator in the palm of his hand, twisting it a few times between his fingers. He’d always meant it for Ariana; he could leave it on her bed, let Aberforth make of it what he would.
But in the end, he pocketed it, along with the two lights it still held.
After all, it wasn’t like Ariana would need it now.
Elise/Ravenclaw/17 points
Summary: The Deluminator had to have been invented for a reason, no?
Characters/Pairings: Albus and Ariana Dumbledore
Genre: Drama
Rating/Warnings: G
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 502
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: No
If yes, your Tumblr username:
Flick-flick.
Flick-flick.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on his sister’s bed, playing with what looked like a silver lighter. It was brand-new, something he’d invented himself and had just finished a few hours ago. He was using it for the first time.
Flick-flick.
The two orbs of light in the bedroom, one on the bedside table, the other on the desk Ariana had never used, flew to the lighter, plunging the room into darkness.
Albus had never cared about Ariana. All that had been important to him were that boy Grindelwald and their delusions of grandeur. At least according to Aberforth. That’s what he had said at the funeral the day before, right before punching Albus in the nose.
The young man gingerly touched his still-swollen, painful face and winced. After his brother had stalked off, he had refused Bathilda Bagshot’s well-intentioned offer of an Episkey. Albus felt he deserved the pain. The constant reminder of what he had done to deserve it that his broken nose would be every time he glanced in a mirror.
He’d never cared about Ariana.
Flick-flick.
The two balls of light flew back to the posts and illuminated the small bedroom once again.
But that wasn’t true, was it? Aberforth was wrong. Albus had cared about their little sister, more than anyone had ever known. He’d created this Deluminator for her, hadn’t he?
Flick-flick.
Flick-flick.
Ariana had had nightmares almost every night. Albus heard her crying in her bed, too afraid to get up and cross the dark room to the light switch, until Aberforth or their mother went to soothe her. Never Albus. Instead, he’s started working on this Deluminator, so she’d be able to have light whenever she needed it, without being afraid, without using her magic. Her dangerous magic. He’s never told anyone what he was creating, not even Gellert. It was meant to be their secret, his and Ariana’s.
And now, he’d never get to share it with her.
Flick-flick.
In the darkness, a light out the window caught Albus’s eye. A lantern, coming up the drive, swaying drunkenly. Aberforth, coming home from the town pub, where he’d spent the last six hours. He’d be at the door in three minutes.
Albus didn’t want another confrontation with his brother; he’d had enough of those in the past few days to last him a lifetime. Aberforth had always said he was the better of the Dumbledore brothers and, for once, Albus agreed with him. He got up, picked up the bag he’d left on the mattress, and swung it over his shoulder. It was time for him to go.
He glanced at the Deluminator in the palm of his hand, twisting it a few times between his fingers. He’d always meant it for Ariana; he could leave it on her bed, let Aberforth make of it what he would.
But in the end, he pocketed it, along with the two lights it still held.
After all, it wasn’t like Ariana would need it now.
Elise/Ravenclaw/17 points