The old man's eyes traveled to the painting of the girl over the mantelpiece。 It was； now Harry looked around
properly； the only picture in the room。 There was no photograph of Albus Dumbledore； nor of anyone else。
〃Mr。 Dumbledore〃 said Hermione rather timidly。 〃Is that your sister？ Ariana？
〃Yes。〃 said Aberforth tersely。 〃Been reading Rita Skeeter； have you； missy？〃
Even by the rosy light of the fire it was clear that Hermione had turned red。
〃Elphias Doge mentioned her to us；〃 said Harry； trying to spare Hermione。
〃That old berk；〃 muttered Aberforth； taking another swig of mead。 〃Thought the sun shone out of my
brother's every office； he did。 Well； so did plenty of people； you three included； by the looks of it。〃
Harry kept quiet。 He did not want to express the doubts and uncertainties about Dumbledore that had
riddled him for months now。 He had made his choice while he dug Dobby's grave； he had decided to continue
along the winding； dangerous path indicated for him by Albus Dumbledore； to accept that he had not been told
everything that he wanted to know； but simply to trust。 He had no desire to doubt again； he did not want o hear
anything that would deflect him from his purpose。 He met Aberforth's gaze； which was so strikingly like his
brothers'： The bright blue eyes gave the same impression that they were X…raying the object of their scrutiny；
and Harry thought that Aberforth knew what he was thinking and despised him for it。
〃Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry； very much；〃 said Hermione in a low voice。
〃Did he now？〃 said Aberforth。 〃Funny thing how many of the people my brother cared about very much
ended up in a worse state than if he'd left 'em well alone。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked Hermione breathlessly。
〃Never you mind；〃 said Aberforth。
〃But that's a really serious thing to say！〃 said Hermione。 〃Are you … are you talking about your sister？〃
Aberforth glared at her： His lips moved as if he were chewing the words he was holding back。 Then he burst
into speech。
〃When my sister was six years old； she was attacked； by three Muggle boys。 They'd seen her doing magic；
spying through the back garden hedge： She was a kid； she couldn't control it； no witch or wizard can at that age。
What they saw； scared them； I expect。 They forced their way through the hedge； and when she couldn't show them
the trick； they got a bit carried away trying to stop the little freak doing it。〃
Hermione's eyes were huge in the firelight； Ron looked slightly sick。 Aberforth stood up； tall as Albus； and
suddenly terrible in his anger and the intensity of his pain。
〃It destroyed her； what they did： She was never right again。 She wouldn't use magic； but she couldn't get rid
of it； it turned inward and drove her mad； it exploded out of her when she couldn't control it； and at times she was
strange and dangerous。 But mostly she was sweet and scared and harmless。
〃And my father went after the bastards that did it；〃 said Aberforth； 〃and attacked them。 And they locked him
up in Azkaban for it。 He never said why he'd done it； because the Ministry had known what Ariana had bee；
she'd have been locked up in St。 Mungo's for good。 They'd have seen her as a serious threat to the International
Statute of Secrecy； unbalanced like she was； with magic exploding out of her at moments when she couldn't keep it
in any longer。
〃We had to keep her safe and quiet。 We moved house； put it about she was ill； and my mother looked after
her； and tried to keep her calm and happy。
〃iIi was her favourite；〃 he said； and as he said it； a grubby schoolboy seemed to look out through Aberforth's
wrinkles and wrangled beard。 〃Not Albus； he was always up in his bedroom when he was home； reading his books
and counting his prizes； keeping up with his correspondence with 〃the most notable magical names of the day；〃
Aberforth succored。 〃iHei didn't want to be bothered with her。 She liked me best。 I could get her to eat when she wouldn't
do it for my mother； I could calm her down； when she was in one of her rages； and when she was quiet； she used to
help me feed the goats。
〃Then； when she was fourteen。。。 See； I wasn't there。〃 said Aberforth。 〃If I'd been there； I could have calmed
her down。 She had one of her rages； and my mother wasn't as young as she was； and 。 。 。 it was an accident。 Ariana
couldn't control it。 But my mother was killed。〃
Harry felt a horrible mixture of pity and repulsion； he did not want to hear any more； but Aberforth kept talking；
and Harry wondered how long it had been since he had spoken about this； whether； in fact； he had ever spoken about it。
〃So that put paid to Albus's trip round the world with little Doge。 The pair of 'em came home for my mother's
funeral and then Doge went off on his own； and Albus settled down as head of the family。 Ha！〃
Aberforth spat into the fire。
〃I'd have looked after her； I told him so； I didn't care about school； I'd have stayed home and done it。
He told me I had to finish my education and ihe'di take over from my mother。 Bit of a edown for Mr。 Brilliant；
there's no prizes for looking after your half…mad sister； stopping her blowing up the house every other day。 But he
did all right for a few weeks 。 。 。 till he came。〃
And now a positively dangerous look crept over Aberforth's face。
〃Grindelwald。 And at last； my brother had an iequali to talk to someone just as bright and talented ihei was。 And
looking after Ariana took a backseat then； while they were hatching all their plans for a new Wizarding order and looking
for Hallows； and whatever else it was they were so interested in。 Grand plans for the benefit of all Wizardkind； and if one
young girl neglected； what did that matter； when Albus was working for ithe greater goodi？
〃But after a few weeks of it； I'd had enough； I had。 It was nearly time for me to go hack to Hogwarts； so I told 'em；
both of 'em； face…to…face； like I am to you； now；〃 and Aberforth looked downward Harry； and it took a little imagination to
see him as a teenager； wiry and angry； confronting his elder brother。 〃I told him； you'd better give it up now。 You can't move her；
she's in no fit state； you can't take her with you； wherever it is you're planning to go； when you're making your clever speeches；
trying to whip yourselves up a following。 He didn't like that。〃 said Aberforth； and his eyes were briefly occluded by the fireflight on
the lenses of his glasses： They turned white and blind again。 〃Grindelwald didn't like that at all。 He got angry。 He told me what a
stupid little boy I was； trying to stand in the way of him and my brilliant brother 。 。 。 Didn't I iunderstandi； my poor sister wouldn't
ihavei to be hidden once they'd changed the world； and led the wizards out of hiding； and taught the Muggles their place？
〃And there was an argument 。 。 。 and I pulled my wand； and he pulled out his； and I had the Cruciatus Curse used on
me by my brother's best friend … and Albus was trying to stop him； and then all three of us were dueling； and the flashing lights
and the bangs set her off； she couldn't stand it … 〃
The color was draining from Aberforth's face as though he had suffered a mortal wound。
〃 … and I think she wanted to help；