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Magic Returns Pt.2; Albus' Research Begins

Albus sat at his desk going over some paperwork from the term that was overdue for his approval, being that the term was coming to a close quicker that he had expected. He knew he was letting them pile up but never really expected them to take as long as it was. He had already been reading though them for three hours. He removed his half-moon spectacles and pinched the bridge of his nose and began to rub very small circles in hope of relieving some of the strain from his eyes.

"Headmaster are you there? I am sorry to disturb you at such an early hour, but I felt it was important to see you." A familiar voice came from over his right shoulder. It was just barely louder that a whisper.

He turned his chair around so that he was facing a portrait of a sitting with rich looking leather chairs and a small coffee table. He had this portrait painted special for when the occupants of other portraits that were coming to visit him for on reason or another. He felt if was better for them than having to bother another painting's occupant to use theirs. Most occupants were appreciating of it even though there are always a few who thought otherwise just to disagree.

At this moment a woman was pacing the front of the painting. She wore what looked to be a long midnight blue dress robe and her hair was plaited into a braid that hung down her back. He smiled warmly at her. “Ah, good morning my dear Althea. What brings you up to my office this early? Any good news about the love birds?” he asked but already knew his answer when she instantly became crestfallen. “Ah, trouble is afoot in paradise then.” He watched as watched as she felt into an over stuffed black leather chair. “Thea, dear, do tell me what is weigh so heavily on your mind and heart.” He began, seeing the distress in her eyes.

“The worst I fear, Albus. Sabotage, and by her own sister’s hand as well.” She shook her head.

“An Unforgivable was cast this night. I had felt a shift in the air but could not be completely sure. I suspect that it had something to do with this.” Albus’ brown knit together. “Tell me everything you can about what has transpired, Thea.”

“The way the events were described to me, an Unforgivable was my first assumption as well.” She began to retell the events of that night in detail to the headmaster and he took in every word that she had said with deep consideration.

“Even though this news saddens me I am glad that you came to me right away. I am also pleased to know that you were able to help Miss Black awaken, that was very fortunate. I know that I don’t have to tell you dream states such as that are very dangerous to the witch or wizard trapped within them. Some fall into a deep downward spiral and can never return from them. Thank you.” He nodded to her but began to ponder about the nights events.

“Thanks the thing, Albus. I wasn’t able to wake Andromeda but I was able to get Alison awake.” She could se that he was lost at the comment and thought it better just to out right show him. She aimed her wand at a lemon drop that lay on his desk and spoke “Wingardium Leviosa”. She floated the drop up and over to Albus, lowering it and released the incantation to let it fall into his now open hand. She looked to his bright blue eyes that were now sparkling in amazement. “What is happening to me Albus?” she was now letting the worry seep in to her.

“Well this not something you see everyday now.” He said looking back to the lemon drop he was now unwrapping and placed into his mouth. He began to stroke his small bread and pondered. “Hmm, this is an interesting turn of events. From what I can gather, the emotional state you were in may have had something to do with this.” He started. This time Althea was lost. “You have been watching over these girls since they have entered these halls as the house portrait, but you have been watching over them as if they were your own as of late. I believe it is safe to say you have formed a mother/daughter relationship with Miss Black and Miss Redmond.”

She nodded. ‘Of course she has. He knows that. He was the one to have my portrait move to their room to be close to them.’ She thought as to why he was bringing this up.

“When you saw Miss Black in such great pain, the mother within you had reawakened your magic to help her. That was why you were able to cast from your portrait. As you have demonstrated just now, you are able to cast from any portrait and not just your own. I will have to do some research on this but I believe your magic has almost fully returned to you, my dear Thea, even though you are still bound to the trappings of portraits. And if my calculations are correct you should be able to perform almost all wand magic again. I shall have to confer with Mina on this though. I will have a more thorough answer to you as soon as I can. For now keep watch over your girls as you have.” He said as he rose from the desk and strode over to the bookcase on the far wall.

“Yes, I will. Good Day Headmaster.” She said as she rose and walked out of the portrait. She went back to her own portrait and looked out over her girls who were now both sleeping with no sign of terrors. As she watched them she wondered what they were thinking and if they were peacefully dreaming. That was when Albus’ words really sank in that her magic had returned to her and she was now able to cast most wand magic from her portrait. She gripped her wand, still in her hand; slightly tighter and felt the vibrations of her magic and decide to try. She raised her wand and aimed it at Andromeda and called out quietly, “Legilimens.”

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Althea sat on her chaise with her head on her hands. She had just watched Andromeda’s dreams and could see how the girl was falling into sadness. She watched as Andromeda dreamt of many different flashes of Ted. From the moment they first met to the day that Ted tripped over her school bag, to their first kiss and the future that they were planning for themselves. She could feel her own heart grow heavy as she saw the images flash of the night in the owlery and then to the moment clarity hit of Bella, her own sister, was the actual malice behind the events proceedings. Althea could almost feel Andromeda’s pain as thoughts of a future without Ted in her life play in her head. Andromeda was now only thinking of how they could find their way back to each other.

Althea had pulled out of Andromeda’s mind and saw a smile come across her face as she slept. ‘She must be thinking of reconcile.’ Althea thought. She knew getting the two back together would not be easy as the term was ending for the summer break. She wouldn’t be there for Andromeda to talk to. How could she help if she could not be there? There had to be a way. She gasped slightly as she realized how she could be there for Andromeda and knew she would have to talk Albus about having another portrait of her painted.

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Minerva had walked into the Headmasters office in the earlier morning after receiving a message from one of the house elves. “Albus?” she called when she had seen he wasn’t seated at his desk as usual.

“Ah, Minerva, over here. I was doing some research and am in need of you assistance.” He called from a leather chair in a small study area. The table next to him was laden with many books.

She walked over to see that Albus immersed in a book while looking rather harried. “Albus, have you been up all night? You look as if you could you some pepper-up potion.” She had know the man to become engrossed in some of his work but never seen sleep deprived like this though. She walked over to the fire and tossed in some floo powder and called to the kitchen for some tea and biscuits. She walked back to where her sat and looked over his shoulder at the book in his hand. “My dear man, what could be of such great importance that you have stayed up into the wee hours, pouring over these books for?”

“An Unforgivable was cast in the castle yesterday, Mina.” He started and saw that Minerva’s face had blanched. He reached for her hand behind him and guided her to a leather chair that sat across from him. “I know it was the Imperious Curse and it was cast by a student to control another student.”

“This can not be true Albus. Who would do such and for what possible reason could…” Minerva had started before Albus raised his hand to stop her.

“It was cast by a seventh year Slytherin in an attempt to persuade a sixth year into thinking her way. It almost worked if it was not for the sixth year’s friends but that was only the catalyst in what has happened. The reason I called you here was to ask you if you have ever recalled seeing magic return to someone who had lost it.” Albus asked a very puzzled Minerva.

“I know it to be possible but I have not witnessed it. Albus are you saying that someone within these was have had abilities returned to them? I am not sure I am following your logic though. Almost all of the witches and wizards here have always had their magic.” Minerva knew that Albus was trying to get at something but she couldn’t understand why he always had to dance around the subject before getting down to the topic.

“I was visited earlier this morning by one of our resident portraits who gave me a lemon drop.” Albus smiled as he could see the apparent confusion on Minerva’s face. “She levitated it to me from the bowl on my desk.”

“What do you mean ‘she levitated it’?” Minerva asked, now thoroughly lost.

“I mean precisely that, Mina. She aimed her wand at the lemon drop and produced the ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ charm. She produced it quite well from her portrait I might add.” Albus smile at Minerva.

Minerva now sifted through the books and began looking for something. “How is this possible from a portrait? There must be something in these books.”

The tea arrived and Albus poured them both a cup as he smiled and sat down with Minerva, feeling as if he now had a partner in his quest of scouring the books until they found something.





A/N: I am sorry to the readers that I haven't been able to post in a while. Life had just caught up tp me an I dealt with some stuf and now I am back. I should be posting once a week now so please keep reading and sending reviews.