The Diary of a Secret.

"Mrs. Doge, please. If you could just wait for a moment, I'll let you in," Albus slammed the door. He rushed into the kitchen, "Abe, is she alright?" he asked his brother.

Aberforth looked at him with a scowl, "She's fine." Albus paid no mind to his brother's demeaning look.

"Hurry, Abe, get her up into her room while I keep Mrs. Doge occupied. Hurry!" he told his brother. Aberforth picked up his frail sister, and carried her up the stairs. She was no longer crying, but her eyes were wide open, and she was still shaking. He laid her on her bed.

"It's alright, Ariana. You can go to sleep if you'd like. I probably won't be here when you wake up, though. I'm going to school with Albus. I wish you could come, too. Professor Black woudn't allow you, though, I'm sure. He'd have you shipped off to St. Mungo's in a heartbeat, or title you a Squib. I guess that's why Mum wants you here..." he trailed off, looking into her bloodshot eyes. Some would say that her eyes were blank at that moment, thoughtless, meaningless. Aberforth knew better. He looked into her starlit eyes, really looked into them, for the first time, and saw all of her emotions. He saw fear, and anger, and sadness, among many others. But, most of all, he saw lonliness. He saw the need for understanding love.

"Ariana," he began, suppressing tears, "Don't worry about anyone, okay? Don't worry about what they think, or what they say. You just keep to yourself, and try to keep busy while I'm gone. I promise after this year, I'm never leaving you again."

Empty words, she thought. She didn't cry again. Why would she? It was the same as every summer. "I understand you," Aberforth would say. No, you don't, Ariana would think, underlying bitterness in her heart. He said he'd look after her, he'd promise never to leave, and then he'd just... disappear. She was used to it, and she didn't let it get to her anymore. It would only make her endless pain, so deep, so scarring, so memorable, only worse.

"Abe, c'mon, we've got to go! Mrs. Doge wants us to leave in a few, it's already ten, and Elphias is already there with his dad!" they heard Albus shout.

He kissed her forehead, and lingered, muttering "Goodbye, Ariana," and then he simply strode out.

Goodbye... she thought to herself, the silence overcoming her thoughts.

***

Aberforth hurried down the stairs, and into the living room. He peeked into the kitchen, and was surprised at what he saw. Everything was fixed. No broken chairs, dishes put up, candles put out, no scorch marks, and every cabinet put back together.

"Albus, so what you're saying is, is that you just haven't cleaned up in a while? You get broken dishes, chairs, and cabinet doors from lack of cleanliness?" she was asking Albus, skeptically, as Aberforth entered the room.

"Mrs. Doge, I am sorry. It seems that I've failed to explain that mother is quite stressed, so sometimes...well,... she gets a little snappy, and, well, Aberforth doesn't take it well."

Mrs. Doge's eyes widened, "You mean Aberforth did this?" she asked icredulously. Albus simply nodded.

Aberforth only sighed. He wasn't about to interfere with the lie, especially because Mrs. Doge actually believed him. But, then again, who didn't? This was Albus, the perfect prefect, the Head Boy, the one with intelligence and wit. The one whom everyone thought was so trustworthy, so honest, so pure.

Aberforth supressed a snort at this thought. They didn't know Albus. No one did. Not like he did, anyway.

"Aberforth...are you...alright now?" she asked carefully.

He never got the chance to answer her, for Albus had decided that he should speak for his kin.

"Oh, yes, ma'am. He's just fine now. This happened quite a while ago, you understand," Albus lied, "It was nothing on purpose, though. All it was a simple case of emotionally unleashed magic. Alas, as I've told you, we haven't had the time to clean it. We've been very busy taking care of Ariana, for, unfortunately, she has fallen ill."

Aberforth pivited his head around to see Albus, shock and terror filling his gaze. They were to never mention Ariana being ill, not even to their dearest family friends, for fear of anyone finding out that she was permanantly ailed.

"Has she?" Mrs. Doge asked, much more relieved, "Where is she? Upstairs, sleeping? Maybe I can cure her somehow, or, if you'd like, I can take her to St. Mungo's, and they will take care of her. I shall see her now, if you wouldn't mind." She was now walking towards the staircase, ready to climb it.

This was everything that they had feared, and maybe more. Aberforth looked at his brother accusingly.

Albus, you fool! What have you done?