Time seemed to freeze.
Dumbledore's eyes widened as he stared at the ghostly girl behind Tom. His lips trembled, as if he were witnessing a miracle that should've been impossible.
His mind drifted back—
Back to that summer.
The summer Ariana died.
Because of that tragedy, he eventually rose to become one of the greatest wizards of the age…
But for the exact same reason, he had also lost the two most precious people in his life.
He had once told Harry that, in the Mirror of Erised, he saw himself holding a thick pair of wool socks. But that had never really meant "socks." What he longed for… was the family he'd lost.
He longed to go back—
back to when his sister, Aberforth, and their parents were still alive,
back to when their family was whole.
People said he opposed the abuse of power and dark magic.
But was it really the dark arts or power that he hated?
No.
What he hated was himself—
the version of himself who lost control, who chased power, who indirectly caused his sister's death.
He didn't fear magic.
He feared the person he once became.
And now… what was he seeing?
His sister.
Ariana.
The bond he had torn apart with his own hands—standing before him whole and intact.
"...Ariana. It's been a long time."
Dumbledore took a deep breath, forcing down the storm of emotion and keeping his voice steady.
"I didn't think Aberforth would ever agree to let your portrait connect to Hogwarts. What important business did he have that he'd allow that?
And Tom—did the Lovegoods prepare this portrait for you?
If your portrait wanted something from me, could it wait? I'd like to talk to Ariana alone."
Of course it was Dumbledore. Even faced with the person he missed most in the world, he still managed to come up with a "reasonable explanation."
"(´･_･`)???"
Tom slowly raised a question mark.
What on earth was this old man rambling about?
What portrait?
They were very real, thank you—well, one alive and one extremely dead, but definitely not paintings.
Well… Ariana's condition is weird, but Dumbledore's the strongest wizard alive. He can probably handle this 'Obscurial' thing.
Tom didn't know the term "Obscurial," but he knew it wasn't referring to him.
And since Lady Margarétha said one of the two was an Obscurial—and judging by Ariana's behavior—the answer was obvious.
He turned to leave the painting world, but first gave Lady Margarétha a polite nod:
[Thank you for guiding us. Sorry for the trouble.]
Then he pulled Ariana with him and jumped out of the frame.
"Wait— you're not portraits?! Ariana… is that really you? You've come back?!"
Dumbledore's fragile explanation shattered instantly.
Ariana stood there—vivid, colorful, more real than any ghost should be.
"Albus… big brother… long time no see."
For a moment, joy drowned out her fear. She smiled gently, looking at the familiar yet older man before her.
"You've gotten old."
Dumbledore's hand moved on instinct, wanting to touch her cheek—
but his fingers passed right through her.
Her face was right there.
Her colors were bright.
But like a reflection on water, she couldn't be touched.
He inhaled shakily.
"Ariana… my sister… you're still in this world? But how is that possible?"
She had died.
Her soul should have moved on.
There was no reason she should exist here—and yet she stood before him as if she never left.
"It was Tom who brought me!"
Ariana grabbed the big blue cat excitedly.
"He pulled me out of that empty place."
"!"
Dumbledore's sharp gaze pierced Tom through his crescent-moon spectacles.
Especially when he saw Ariana holding Tom—a cat and a ghost interacting physically—his stare grew downright icy.
(°□°)… Oh no. The old man thinks I used dark magic to summon his dead sister!!)
Tom wasn't afraid of Dumbledore.
But he absolutely refused to be blamed for something he didn't do—he was a cat, a noble creature! Wrongful accusations were unacceptable!
He frantically held up his whiteboard:
[Headmaster, calm down! I swear I didn't do anything bad!!]
"That's right, brother!" Ariana floated in front of Tom protectively. "If not for him, I might've waited decades in that empty place before seeing you again!
He's a good cat! Before he left, he even asked if I had messages for you—and he promised he'd visit me again if he could!"
"Wait… you said you were waiting somewhere? You didn't go on to the afterlife?"
Ariana's presence softened Dumbledore's expression, but her words made him grow solemn again.
"What did that place look like?"
[A pure white space. Nothing except a little wooden house Ariana lived in.]
To avoid misunderstanding, Tom even sketched the little cabin.
Dumbledore froze.
"That's…"
"That's our home in Godric's Hollow!"
Ariana stared at the crude drawing, amazed.
"You even draw? And it looks just like our house!"
"Meow~"
Tom flicked his paw proudly—her praise clearly pleased him.
"Limbo… then. Tom, thank you. If you'd been Sorted already, I'd award your House a mountain of points."
Dumbledore's expression softened fully.
He knew himself well—
If he hadn't known Ariana waited for him, he might've stayed in that Limbo world forever… waiting for Grindelwald.
Even in death, the dark wizard tries to keep me from my family?
(Grindelwald: ???)
"Brother, there's something I want to tell you!"
Ariana suddenly floated close, looking determined.
"I don't blame you…"
Those four words hit Dumbledore harder than any spell.
He staggered, nearly fell, and had to grab a table for support. His eyes turned red instantly.
He shut them tight for a long moment before reopening them, relief and release shining in his gaze.
He was about to speak—
But Ariana kept going.
"And I don't blame Grindelwald, either. So… when are you two getting married?"
Dumbledore: ?
Tom: (°□°;) LADY, PLEASE—DON'T KILL THE CAT!!
Professor McGonagall—who had silently entered the office at some point—froze in place:
…Did I just hear the biggest secret of the century? And will I survive knowing it?