Aberforth Dumbledore lowered his head in silence, his gaze falling on the bar counter. His breathing gradually grew heavier, his chest heaving violently with each breath.
His eyes flickered as scenes from not long ago surfaced in his mind.
Just as usual, whenever Wizet and Luna came to Hogsmeade, they would visit him at the Hog's Head Inn. This weekend had been no exception.
As he remembered it, both Wizet and Luna had indeed seemed as they always did, without anything unusual about them.
"Even if you don't trust me, and think I might become hopelessly obsessed with the legend of the 'Deathly Hallows,'" Dumbledore sighed, "you should at least trust Wizet, shouldn't you?"
"After we left Limbo last week, Wizet suggested telling you about this."
"But I felt that, when it came to something like this, I should be more proactive no matter what. I should be the one to tell you in person."
"Even if I knew you might not believe me, or might even draw your wand on me like you have now, I should be the one to face it... This is my responsibility!"
"So that means..." Aberforth Dumbledore raised his head. An unprecedented light burst forth from his slightly clouded eyes.
Before Aberforth Dumbledore could finish asking his question, Dumbledore nodded and said with certainty, "Yes. Ariana is in Limbo."
As Dumbledore's words fell, the light in Aberforth Dumbledore's eyes began to flicker, and the Hog's Head Inn sank into deathly silence.
Aberforth Dumbledore lowered his head again without saying a word.
Dumbledore said nothing either, clearly giving Aberforth Dumbledore time to process it.
Aberforth Dumbledore's hands gripped the edge of the bar tightly. His tense shoulders trembled faintly, and an indistinct, choked sound came from his throat.
After a long while, his rigid shoulders