Behind the church, a cemetery lay shrouded in the pale moonlight. A narrow doorway marked its entrance, beyond which stood row upon row of tombstones, each etched with the names of ancient wizarding families upon a carpet of silver.
Under the cloak of night, a sudden burst of fire illuminated the somber scene, revealing Tom and his two companions standing amidst the graves.
"It has been a long time since I was last here. It appears much the same as it did years ago," Dumbledore remarked, his gaze sweeping over the silent rows of stone.
Aberforth said nothing, his eyes scanning the area as if searching for a familiar landmark.
Creating corpses… a fascinating prospect, Tom mused, considering the potential of such an act.
Perhaps guided by the familiarity born of countless visits, Aberforth soon located his sister's final resting place. He knelt before the tombstone, gently touching it. "Ariana…"
Inscribed upon the stone were the words: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
"This is it, then?" Tom asked.
"Yes, right here…"
Aberforth frowned, annoyance flickering across his face at the interruption. He was about to retort when Tom's sharp command cut through the air: "Out of the way."
Involuntarily, Aberforth rose and retreated to Dumbledore's side, a bewildered expression on his face.
He glared at Tom, watching as Tom Riddle flicked the Elder Wand upwards.
Boom!
The ground before them erupted, revealing Ariana's coffin.
"You…" Aberforth started, but Dumbledore restrained him with a firm hand.
Tom ignored them both, using magic to levitate the coffin lid. Inside lay a young girl, seemingly preserved by enchantment, her body untouched by the passage of time. Tom glanced at her briefly before turning his attention elsewhere.
He raised his left hand, and the ancient, mysterious runes shimmered back into existence…
...
The sun was about to crest the horizon.
Golden light spilled onto Tom, bathing his graceful figure in a halo. The serene emerald eyes, the arcane runes etched upon his palm – together they created an awe-inspiring sight.
Even Merlin himself could not have appeared more majestic.
In an instant, the runic eye on Tom's left palm blazed with blinding golden light. He had invoked an ancient pact, offering ten years of his own lifespan to restore Ariana Dumbledore to life!
"Mmm…"
A soft moan escaped the girl's lips. Tom saw her eyelashes flutter.
The Dumbledore brothers, both powerful wizards, could sense the subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Aberforth, incredulous, stammered, "Ariana… truly… returned from the dead?"
Bang.
Dumbledore cuffed Aberforth on the head. "Can you not speak properly? It is called… resurrection!"
"Oh… oh… yes!"
Overjoyed, Aberforth ignored the blow.
Ah, the simple pleasures, born from years of my foolish brother's coldness, Dumbledore thought with a touch of satisfaction.
Ariana stirred within the coffin, pushing herself upright, her eyes blinking as if she were waking from a long slumber.
"Ariana!" they cried in unison.
The two old men, driven by an urgency that belied their age, rushed to the coffin.
Ariana opened her eyes to see two white-bearded men smiling at her, their eyes brimming with tears.
"It's me… it's me, Ariana," Aberforth repeated, pointing to himself.
"You are… Grandpa?"
Ariana looked at the two men, a flicker of recognition in her confused gaze.
"Hahahaha…"
Dumbledore roared with unrestrained laughter, the first time in years he had succumbed to such unbridled joy.
"I am the brother! I am Aberforth Dumbledore! Your brother!" Aberforth exclaimed. "Do you remember?"
"…"
Ariana only felt as if she was being teased by an old man.
Helpless, Aberforth patiently began to explain, Dumbledore chiming in to fill the gaps in her memory.
Tom, meanwhile, was lost in thought.
My physical condition is unchanged… and my magic as well…
Though he had invoked the ancient runes, he felt no drain on his life force, no alteration to his body.
With a flick of his wrist, the snow on the ground melted, forming water droplets that coalesced into a mirror before him.
To his surprise, his reflection was unchanged.
Then, the System's voice echoed in his mind:
"Of course, there is no change, you silly host. The rune consumes your maximum lifespan, not making you ten years older."
"So, if I achieve immortality before my lifespan runs out, I will pay no price?"
"Theoretically, that is how it is."
Tom paused. "But in reality?"
"How am I supposed to know! I have only ever had one host! I've never seen anything like it!"
Tom shrugged.
By now, Dumbledore and Aberforth had seemingly completed their explanations. Though still struggling to accept that her two brothers had transformed into elderly men, Ariana appeared to acknowledge their identities.
Seeing the three of them united, Tom decided to cut to the chase. "So? Who will take care of your sister?"
"..."
The harmonious atmosphere shattered.
Aberforth glared at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore said, "Ariana's magic will not run rampant any longer. I believe she would make many friends at Hogwarts."
"You would have me entrust Ariana to you? You are dreaming, Albus!" Aberforth snapped, rejecting Dumbledore's suggestion outright.
Tom, watching with detached amusement, interjected, "Why don't we let her choose for herself?"
Ariana looked at Tom gratefully, then turned to Dumbledore with a hesitant expression. "I am sorry, Albus, but I do not think I can go to Hogwarts."
In her youth, she had always preferred Aberforth's company, and because of her experience with Muggles, she avoided other people.
Dumbledore was silent for a long moment, then sighed. "Come and find me anytime you need… you know that."
Tom, sensing that the reunion had run its course, decided to give the three siblings some space, disapparating without a word.