Chapter Two

Harry patted the wall next to his head absently, his eyes closed as he took in the familiar magic, even though it was a little different, younger, but still ancient and home, still something familiar in a time that wasn't his own.

"You have a connection with Hogwarts?" Albus' voice startled Harry from his thoughts and he opened eyes to see the future headmaster walking into the room.

Somehow he had managed to convince the Headmaster into providing rooms for them all. Harry took it as an example of how much power he already had, he had managed to convince him to room 2 complete strangers, a man who had been expelled from Hogwarts, 2 American witches, and an American Muggle. It was a quite impressive show of influence.

Hermione was already in bed, the exhaustion from the magic they had used pulling her into the warm, comfy bed already. Harry's mind had been spinning too much to sleep though, his magic itching as it flooded back into him.

After they had explained everything to the new group and answered questions, they had been asked to give them a little privacy to go over everything and make a few decisions. The two time travelers could more than understand the need to discuss what they had just thrown at them, and Hermione had practically been dropping where she sat. So, they had not argued when Minerva had escorted them to their rooms.

Harry hadn't expected to see any of them till tomorrow really, and he had been thinking about trying to sleep, the appearance of the young Albus Dumbledore was a little startling.

He shifted on the window seat he had sprawled out on to look over the grounds so that he could see the other man better. He had lost the jacket part of his suit and now stood there looking a little disheveled in his trousers, vest, and shirt.

"The conversation seems to have gone well?" Harry noted, pointedly looking over how ruffled the other was.

"It was...interesting," Albus snorted. "It's a lot to take in,"

"Yes….we get that. How are you taking all of this" Harry asked a little concerned, shifting properly to see Albus.

"Me?" Albus blinked.

"We know everything, your relationship with Grindelwald, everything. It can't be easy to hear….well pretty much everything that we're saying can't be easy at all to hear," Harry took in the stress lines around blue eyes.

"I'm not used to...many people knowing. When you say you know…" Albus took a step closer.

"That you were lovers, yes," Harry said as gently as he could.

"Huh, glad I brought this now," Albus held up the bottle of whiskey he had brought with him. He placed down two glasses on the window seat and started pouring them a drink.

"Sorry, Hermione tells me that I can be a little blunt, too blunt," Albus looked up to see that Harry was looking at him genuinely apologetically. "I shouldn't have dropped it on you like that,"

"No, it is ok, I'm just not used to people knowing," Albus admitted.

"That didn't change in my future," Harry reached for one of the glasses.

"I am...ashamed about what happened," Albus picked up the other glass and knocked half of it back in one incredibly awkward gulp.

"You shouldn't be ashamed," Harry said with a shrug.

"If you know everything that happened then you know that isn't true," Albus snorted.

"Ariana wasn't your fault," Harry leaned back against the wall and looked at Albus with intent green eyes.

"Pardon?" Albus choked out staring at Harry unable to believe that he had said those words.

"You're not a seer Dumbledore, you couldn't have known what would happen. You loved him, and because of that you saw the best in him and hoped that you would be able to keep him from the path he has chosen. You're not responsible for his actions or his choices. One of the things I respect...ed most about you was your ability to see the good in people and to give them the chance to prove it. It didn't always work out, but most of the time it did," Harry wandlessly summoned the whiskey bottle and poured himself another glass before waving it to do the same for Albus' glass.

"I should have known," Albus shook his head.

"How? You loved him, and you must have seen good in him. Love is always worth the chance," Harry smiled raising a toast.

"Something you know about?" Albus raised his eyebrow.

"Actually yes, I decided it would be a good idea to take up with a Death Eater and convert him," Harry smirked.

"What happened to him?" Albus frowned.

"Oh, he and my best friend got killed in an attack, fairly sure it was his dad that did it," Harry shrugged knocking back another drink.

"What?" Albus stared at the younger man completely lost by what he just heard.

"It was about two years ago," Harry sighed.

"Did you love him?" Albus blinked.

"Completely and utterly," Harry smiled, and there was a softness to it that Albus hadn't seen yet.

"But you talk about his death so casually,"

"Everyone has been dying around me for years now. I learned to deal with it and use it to keep fighting, now I am going to use it to make sure that it never happens again. If we do this right I can make sure that he is alive and well and lives to a good old age," Harry shrugged. "Plus I killed all the Death Eaters who were there for the attack and made sure I got everyone that could have been involved in the attack,"

"Huh?" Albus was aware he was just standing there now with his glass in his hand staring at Harry.

"It was petty revenge but it felt good," Harry admitted. "I'm a fighter Dumbledore, I've been a weapon for a long time now,"

"A weapon, no one is a weapon," Albus frowned and stepped closer to him. He was suddenly aware of the hurt and pain that was hiding under the layers of protection he put up around himself.

"Future you didn't agree with that," Harry snorted. "Sorry,"

"I made you into a weapon?" Albus blinked.

"Contributed, about ⅓,"

"And the other ⅔?"

"Myself and necessity," Harry hummed summoning the bottle back to himself. "Don't frown so much, you don't want frown lines when you're older,"

"Do I have bad frown lines when I'm older?" Albus asked absently.

"Little bit yeah, but then you only had one leg too so…"

"I had one leg?!" Albus choked on the sip of whiskey he had just taken.

"Oh yeah, it was bad!" Harry grimaced. "Very bloody and oozy,"

"Yes...let's avoid that," Albus coughed.

"I would if I were you, the peg leg look did not suit you. We had to lift your hemlines a good few inches, you kept tripping over them," Harry snorted.

"Hemlines? What do you mean hemlines….do I switch to robes?" Albus asked with complete horror. Harry stared at him for a second before he burst out laughing at the complete alarm on the other man's face.

"You switch to robes, bright, lured full on robes," Harry chuckled nodding.

"No!" Albus groaned.

"They're truly horrific," Harry nodded.

"How horrific?" Albus grimaced.

"I can show you?" Harry offered holding out his hand. "I will be gentler this time," He smirked when Albus hesitated. The older man let out a huff but placed his hand into Harry's allowing the time traveler to push a few images of some choice robes through his mind.

"Do I go colour blind?!" Albus choked as Harry broke the connection between them.

"It was a genuine question we asked," Harry laughed.

"That...can never happen! Not in this timeline...with the hats as well….maybe I should keep the beard short as well?" Albus said thoughtfully.

"Please tell me I haven't given you an existential crisis," Harry snorted summoning the bottle back to himself. "Hermione will kill me if I broke you over robes,"

"You seem to be the one who leads, but Hermione seems to rule the roost," Albus asked snagging the bottle back and poured himself another glass, perching onto the other end of the window seat.

"Oh Mione totally rules, I would have been dead a long time ago if it wasn't for her and I know it. Plus she is bloody terrifying when she is pissed off, never piss her off," Harry warned tilting his glass at Albus.

"I will remember that," He smiled. The respect and love that Harry had for Hermione was clear.

"So, feeling better?" Harry asked taking another sip.

"What...oh yes," Albus blinked realising that it was true, Harry had managed to distract him.

"Welcome," Harry winked at him making him blink at the younger man. "Want me to tell you about the eccentric old man you become?"

"No! Dear Merlin please no, the robes were enough!" Albus grimaced.

"Ok. So, how are the others feeling about things?" Harry asked.

"Newt takes things pretty much in his stride, he's dealing quite well with it and is ready to adapt to the change, Queenie if pretty much the same. The others needed to go over it a little more, but they're hopeful that this will give us the jump on things that we need,"

"Will they be ready to fight when we ask? Theseus worries me, he doesn't seem like the type that take orders from anyone but the Ministry very well,"

"In a situation like this, he will. Plus Newt will follow me and where Newt goes Theseus will follow," Albus shrugged.

"It seems like where Newt goes a lot of people will follow," Harry noted.

"He doesn't realise though," Albus snorted. "Do him and Tina sort themselves out in the future?"

"Yup, they get married," Harry snickered.

"Oh thank Merlin, they're driving me mad," Albus sighed. "I have to ask…."

"Hmm?" Harry looked up to look at the professor.

"The locket?" Albus motioned to Harry's loose nightshirt where the chain of the locket was visible.

"Oh, yes. Dumbledore gave it to me when we were leaving to help convince you, I guess it worked?" Harry looked at him.

"It really confused us at first, but it helped convince me of the impossible that your memories suggested," Albus agreed.

"Do you want it back?" Harry asked softly.

"No, I think that is something that you need to hold onto right now. I have my….time one," Albus said hesitantly before snorting amused. "This gets confusing,"

"Tell me about it," Harry huffed out.

"Do you know…." Albus asked and then drew off frowning a little.

"That it was Ariana's and it is her hair inside?" Harry said in his blunt way that Albus was coming to realise he didn't mean any harm by.

"I know that….things must have been truly desperate for me to willingly take this off. I have been wearing it for...so long now I can't imagine taking it off,"

"You knew you were going to die. You were the end of the defensive line," Harry nodded.

"Wow," Albus took a big drink of his whiskey. "I really really really want to avoid that future, the more you two describe it, the more I am determined to avoid it,"

"Well, here is to changing time!" Harry held out his glass.

"Changing time!" Albus toasted.

"What the hell happened to you?" Hermione asked looking incredulously at Harry as he sat up with a groan in the bed next to hers.

"Whiskey….Dumbledore...bonding so you will stop glaring at me," Harry muttered dropping his head onto his raised knees and groaning again at the movement.

"Hello?" Albus popped his head in as though summoned by his name being mentioned.

"How are you so cheerful….and alive?" Harry groaned peering over his knees at the teacher.

"Are you hungover?" Albus blinked.

"Why did no one tell me how much this hurts?" Harry dropped back and yanked the covers over his face.

"Have you never been hungover before?" Albus asked shocked walking fully in.

"We never really drank enough to get drunk before, wasn't really safe while we were at war," Hermione was watching Harry with interest like he was a bug on a pin.

"This is not fun at all," Harry whined. "Never get drunk Mione,"

"How old are you two?" Albus asked.

"25," Harry rasped.

"Even Minnie has been hungover at least 5 times, though that is because that woman can handle her whiskey!" Albus looked between them. "Erm, sorry anyway, I came in to tell you that breakfast is ready, we're all out here and ready when you are,"

"Oh, we will be right out,"

"Maybe not right!" Harry moaned waving his hand from under his covers. Albus chuckled but retreated back to his rooms, leaving Hermione muttering about summoning a pain potion.

When their time travelers stepped into Albus' living area everyone was indeed there already and seated around the table. They made their way to the empty seats, Harry sitting down a little bit tentatively.

"Are you ok Harry?" Minerva asked concerned.

"I blame him," Harry huffed reaching for the coffee desperately as he nodded to Albus.

"What did you do to him?" Minerva narrowed her eyes on Albus.

"He got me drunk," Harry nodded before practically inhaling his first cup of coffee.

"Albus!" Minerva turned to the Professor shocked who spluttered.

"He poured most of the glasses!"

"I can't remember that," Harry shrugged pouring another cup.

"Albus, he had magical exhaustion, what were you thinking!" Minerva carried on scolding. Albus looked at Harry as Minerva carried on scolding him and narrowed his eyes when Harry smirked and winked at him.

"Did you sleep ok?" Tina asked Hermione a little awkwardly.

"I slept like a log, magical exhaustion," Hermione shrugged as she filled a huge plateful for Harry and then for herself.

"...he needed to sleep, what were you thinking keeping him awake?!" Minerva carried on.

"Minnie he's quite capable…."

"This must all be quite strange for you," Theseus commented from where he was sitting watching them quite intently. Harry looked right back at him over his cup of coffee before smirking.

"Harry!" Hermione said warningly. Theseus has been the most aggressive in his questions of them the day before, and she had seen Harry getting more and more annoyed.

"To be honest not much shakes us up any more," Harry shrugged.

"Oh," The words were dripping with tension.

"I hate to keep bringing it up, but we're from a war zone, shocking kind of went out the window a long time ago," Harry shrugged.

"I…"

"Theseus," Newt muttered softly and Harry watched amused as the auror clenched his mouth shut.

"We're incredibly shook up by this," Hermione said.

"Mione," Harry glared at her but she waved her hand at him, clearly annoyed, leaving him to grumble into his fourth cup of coffee.

"Harry acts unaffected by things, and so do I to be honest, but that is because for years we have been the leaders of a losing war, and have had no option but to put on a strong front despite all of us knowing we were losing. If we had blinked everyone would have lost hope. And we could not afford that to happen. We are far from our own time, and from everyone that we love, and we are never going to see them again, at least not until we're hopefully old people. And we have one chance to actually beat Grindelwald properly after he nearly slaughtered us a few times already,"

"Nearly slaughtered?" Tina frowned.

"We made a few attempts at Grindelwald directly, but by the time we got through everyone else...it never ended particularly well," Harry grumbled, clearly not happy with the way the conversation had gone.

"Oh…" Theseus blinked.

"Yes they really were at war," Queenie responded to the unspoken statement.

"You're rather fascinating," Harry hummed looking at the woman.

"I beg your pardon?" Jacob bristled.

"Your legilemency, it's quite fascinating," Harry frowned confused.

"Oh right, sorry," Jacob coughed sitting back slightly.

"What did you think I meant?" Harry looked to Hermione baffled when Jaco just blushed and Queenie giggled.

"He thought you were coming onto her," Hermione snorted.

"Oh no, don't get me wrong you're really beautiful and lovely and all, but, well you really have the wrong parts for me," Harry coughed, actually looking uncomfortable for the first time since they met him. "I really was referring to your legilemency," He huffed reached for the coffee and pouting when Hermione smacked his hand and poured him a glass of juice.

"I can not read you though," Queenie looked at Harry. "And you are barely there,"

"Harry's occulamency is much much stronger than my own," Hermione admitted with a shrug.

"I don't like people poking around in my head," Harry shrugged.

"Got something to hide?" Theseus asked suspiciously.

"Plenty, ask Dumbledore," Harry smirked.

"I would say that you definitely don't want to see everything that is in his head," Albus grimaced.

"So what exactly is your plans?" Tina asked curiously.

And suddenly the whole table turned to look at Harry and Hermione.

"You're better at this kind of thing," Harry shrugged.

"You're just lazy….and hungover," Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"You're not going to deny it?" Albus asked Harry when he just forked a few mouthfuls of his breakfast into his mouth.

"No point when its the truth. Besides she is strategy, I am more rousing passionate speeches," Harry waved him off.

"Ok, so, to be honest, our plan, as it is, is pretty...well quite basic," Hermione coughed.

"How basic?" Minerva narrowed her eyes.

"Pretty basic," Harry coughed.

"Basically, de-rail his current plans as quickly as possible," Hermione coughed. "And catch you guys up on as much information as quickly as possible,"

"We all agreed that the fate of pretty much everything lay with you guys and...wait...where is he?" Harry frowned looking around.

"Who?" Albus asked.

"Credence, I asked you to summon him too!" Harry looked at the teacher annoyed.

"All we know is that he is in Paris, looking for his family," Albus sighed.

Everyone at the table jumped at the sudden bang that echoed around the room, turning to see that Harry had dropped his glass of juice and Hermione her knife and fork. They watched completely bemused as the two travelers turned to each other with complete looks of horror on their faces.

"Do they not know yet?" Hermione hissed.

"Damn it Dumbledore!" Harry growled.

"What did I do now?!" Albus bristled.

"Not you! Other you! Older, manipulative shi…."

"Harry!" Hermione smacked his arm.

"Ow! Woman, you are all bloody knuckles!" Harry whined.

"Oh suck it up buttercup!"

"It really hurt you bruised me I swear you're…."

"Harry!" Hermione covered her face. "Please, back to the important matter at hand, they don't know, he doesn't know,"

"I am not telling him," Harry shook his head.

"I am not telling him!" Hermione spluttered.

"Well, I am not,"

"One of us has to!"

"It is not going to be me,"

"Well, it is not going to be me!" Hermione glared at Harry, and he glared straight back. Finally, she sighed. "Rock, paper scissors?"

"Rock, paper scissors," Harry nodded placing his fist into his hand and narrowing his green eyes at Hermione.

"I told you that you have a tell," Hermione smirked a minute and a half later.

"I don't!" Harry whined but he turned to look at Albus. "This should be a private conversation, come on,"

"Me?" Albus frowned.

"Yeah, come on," Harry grabbed the shoulder of his jacket and tugged him to his feet, towing him into a room that turned out to be his bedroom. "Ok, this is weird,"

"What is?" Albus asked feeling completely confused now.

"I am in your bedroom," Harry blinked looking around the quite refined rooms. "It's green!"

"Were you expecting it to be pink?" Albus asked dryly.

"Sassy," Harry smirked at him. "I was expecting red,"

"Why?" Albus asked moving to sit on his bed.

"Never mind," Harry shrugged. Albus grew concerned when the younger man's features evened out and he sucked in a deep breath as though preparing himself. "Albus…"

"You haven't called me Albus yet," Albus felt real concern flashing through his mind.

"Yes well, this time felt like the right situation, considering you left me to tell you," Harry rolled his eyes transfiguring a chair to sit on in front of Albus.

"What is going on? What information do you have about Credence's family?" Albus narrowed his eyes at Harry. "And what does it have to do with me,"

"Oh Merlin," Harry groaned dropping his head before straightening and meeting Albus' eyes. "Alright, you clearly already know that I am not the most...gentle with saying things, and I am not sure that there is a gentle way to say this,"

"So, just say it?" Albus frowned deeper at Harry.

"Credence," Harry stopped and licked his lips before meeting Albus' eyes. "Credence is your brother,"

"No," Albus gasped surging back shocked.

"Yes,"

"No,"

"Yes,"

"No….it's not…."

"Yes, it is,"

"But he…"

"Yes,"

"But he…"

"Yes,"

"But how…"

"Yes….oh sorry that was an actual question," Harry blinked. "Erm, well basically I don't know very much, to be honest, the basic facts, but he's your half-brother obviously,"

"But mother…"

"Not your mother," Harry shook his head grimacing at the completely lost look on Albus' face. He absently wondered how Hermione was doing telling the others.

"Father but...he was in prison…" Albus shook his head. "He's my…."

"Yes. And Grindelwald is going to try and turn him against you, accuse you of wanting to destroy him like nearly everyone else, in our timeline he realised too late that he was being played and...it didn't end very well," Harry grimaced.

"What happened?" Albus asked tightly.

"I don't think you want to…"

"Harry! What happened?!" Albus snapped.

"He sacrificed himself to give you the chance to defeat Grindelwald," Harry grimaced.

"Oh...he's my…."

"Yes," Harry nodded reaching out to pat his hand.

"But how…"

"We're not too sure," Harry sighed.

"But….but….but…"

"I know, was a bit of a shock for us too," Harry nodded.

"But...he's...he...but…"

"I know," Harry patted him on the shoulder. "We need to find Credence and help him before it is too late, that is the main mission here,"

"Oh Merlin," Albus dropped his head between his knees.

"Are you ok? Dumbledore?" Harry asked concerned.

"I feel sick," Albus groaned.

"Oh shit," Harry quickly transfigured a basin for him and shoved it at his feet.

"Newt told me, about his life, about...he...he...oh Merlin, he's suffered so much," Albus said weakly.

"Oh, yes he has," Harry nodded.

"How can you say it like that! How can you say it so…" Albus started angrily but stopped confused when Harry held his hand up for a clear demand of silence.

"I know what it is like to live through abuse, I know what it is like to suffer at the hands of those who should have loved you," Harry shrugged.

"You…"

"But, I also know that more than anything else Credence craves love and understanding, that he wants to know where he comes from, and more than anything else he wants to find a family member who will love him,"

"That is why you came back," Albus breathed out, understanding flashing through his intelligent blue eyes.

"Well, my outstanding magical abilities, leadership qualities, and knowledge base are nothing to be scoffed at," Harry flicked some lint off his robes casually. "But essentially yes, my understanding of Credence is the reason I am here, he is the key to everything,"

"The key?" Albus frowned.

"Yes, he is the chess piece that if moved from one side to the other should be able to change the whole game. He is the lynchpin," Harry nodded.

"He is not a pawn!" Albus snapped.

"Isn't he? He is a valuable piece that we must…."

"He's a boy!"

"Is that why you sent Newt after him because he is just a boy?" Harry tilted his head.

"Yes...no," Albus covered his eyes.

"Because he was powerful, and because you knew he was going to be important," Harry offered.

"Yes," Albus started when Harry's finger pressed against his forehead and pushed him back so he had to meet serious green eyes.

"People are not pawns. They are not something that you can play with or manipulate. You never know who they are, or who they will become, and you never know what your manipulations will do to someone. This time, it nearly cost you your brother," Harry sighed when he noted how ill Albus now looked. "Look, this is a warning, don't become that person, you never know what the consequences will be,"

"I…"

"So, let's go get your brother," Harry poked him firmly in the forehead standing. "Hermione already has a base plan, so let's get going,"

"Right...ok," Albus stood a little shakily, but there was a determination to him as well.

When they stepped back into the living room everyone turned to look at them with varying expressions of shock, confusion, and pity. Albus froze in place looking back at them, his own was still spinning and he was unable to really cope with how the others would be feeling about this revelation of a 4th Dumbledore.

"We're ready to make a plan for us to go to Paris, I've always wanted to go to Paris!" Harry placed his hand on the base of Albus' back and helped get his legs moving again towards the others.

"Me too," Jacob smiled. "How about I make some more tea and coffee and we make a plan?"

"Sounds good to me," Queenie smiled.

"Let's make a plan then," Albus nodded sitting down.

"We have a good idea where to start as well," Harry smirked flopping down into his seat.

"You know where Credence is?" Tina asked eagerly and then winced as she turned to glance at Albus who was still visibly pale.

Albus started when he felt a pressure against his ankle, glancing down he was shocked to realise it was Harry's foot pressing firmly against his ankle.

"We know where he will be," Harry smirked nodding.

"Let's get going then," Newt nodded determinedly before flushing. "Erm, I am banned from international travel though, if Credence is in Paris..."

"I don't think I will be able to get the ban lifted in time," Theseus said concerned.

"Breaking the rules, now that is something we are particularly good at," Harry smirked.

"Oh Merlin," Hermione snorted. "Here we go,"