The Secret Childhood Of Our Favorite Headmaster

Chapter 1- The Last Tolemac

Dumbledore looked at Harry affectionately, like a father does to his son. It was Harry's graduation day and Dumbledore just wanted to say a few words before Harry would no longer be a student. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment to himself, and decided not to waste any time he had with Harry, for all they had where a few hours till the ceremony.

"Harry, I know you wonder why it is that I take to you so easily, why I worry myself thinking about your safety all the time, and why I want so hard to see you succeed. Well, I think it is time to tell you everything. Now listen carefully, this may go a little fast."

Harry, looked at his headmaster confused, but obeyed, and sat quietly while Dumbledore told his story.

"Aw, do I have to," said little Albus as he looked up at his stepmother.

"Of course you do. Don't be stupid boy. The sooner you are out of my hair the better."

"But Mother Eliza, I'm afraid to go to a wizarding school. I don't know as much as the other children."

"Yes, that is true. You always were a slow learner. But, no matter, you are going and that is final! Get your things. I don't want to be late!" She threw his robes at him and pointed at them for him to put them on. She slammed the door behind her and stormed downstairs.

"Yes Mother Dearest. Anything you say." With that, Albus stuck his tongue out to the shut door.

He knew that he was going to go anyway. He was awaiting it ever since he heard about Hogwarts when he was a child, although he had to make his stepmother think that he was dreading it because he didn't know any magic yet. He wasn't allowed to do magic until his first year at Hogwarts and wasn't allowed to learn any. But he secretly went into her book collection from time to time to read any book on wizardry or witchcraft. He was breaking one of his many house rules. His stepmother loved rules and was always adding more each day.

She was his father's wife by force. When he was young his father's money went fast feeding his addiction to betting on Quidditch and had to marry the awful women to keep food on the table. Albus was only 4 and his mother had died 2 months prior to the engagement. His father went out drinking one night and wasn't seen for weeks until his body was found near Knockturn Alley. Albus was often mad at his father for leaving him at 3 but still loved him. He was more sad than mad because he never knew his mother. He knew that she came from a respectable wizarding family (because he was in contact with his grandmother before she died a year ago) and had a large house for him that he could acquire when he was seventeen.

So till then, he was forced to live with his stepmother, her husband and their twin sons, William and Zachary. All together they were the Cunninghams. William and Zachary well unlike Albus in every way. There were mean spirited, ill-tempered and just plain nasty. They were extremely short for eight and were always troublesome to poor Albus. Their father was a quiet muggle by the name of Charles and was very ordinary and plain. He wasn't exactly kind to Albus but just acknowledged his existence and went on about his business. His wife Eliza was the strict and cruel one. She at the time was a fascist dictator of her household. (This was highly uncommon for women back on those days, but was excused because she had a lot of muggle and wizard money). She resented and in fact loathed Albus because he was born a wizard and her own children where muggles. She was a witch herself but rarely ever practiced magic, so as to single out Albus. He didn't mind it though. He kept to himself most of the time, forced to share a room with the family dog, Caesar, in the cellar.

Albus was a small boy. He had long legs and arms, light blonde hair and an unusual crooked nose, from when the twins tripped him when he was nine. His eyes were a deep blue and always had a twinkle. The rest of his "family" had distinctly different features. Eliza was a tall and skinny woman; with long dark brown hair she always kept pinned up, a long nose and brown squinty eyes. Charles was also skinny, slightly taller than her (but much less intimidating), had light brown hair, a small nose and wide blue-green eyes. The boys, William and Zachary, where short, skinny with dark brown hair like their mother. William had brown eyes and Zachary had blue-green eyes, but both had squinty shaped eyes and long noses.

Albus looked at the few belongings he had in his trunk and shut it. He put on the robes his grandmother bought him before she died, which were already noticeably too small for him.

Her death came as a shock to Albus and he never fully recovered. He was only able to see her every few years, but when he did he had the time of his life. She was the first to tell him about Hogwarts and the first one to teach him Quidditch, a game he grew to love, even though his father had an incurable addiction to it. He was hoping to make the house team sooner or later.

He bent down to pet Caesar before he was off, who had grown to be his best friend, and then made his way up the cellar stairs.

"Took you long enough! Come on, we have to be at Toadstool [their time's Leaky Cauldron] in 30 minutes! Charlie get the boys things and get a taxi!"

"Yes, Darling. All right Al, you behave. You know how upset Eliza will be if she has to take you back."

"Yes, Father Charlie."

"Oh yeah, and make sure you don't hex or kill yourself while you're their, you weirdo," yelled William and Zach as Albus got in the stage coach.

Once inside the taxi, Eliza began to speak to Albus, not looking away from her hands as she put on her gloves.

"Don't expect to make it into a noble house such as Slytherin. I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up in Hufflepuff."

"Actually, I was hoping to be in Gryffindor. That house always did fascinate me"

"Silence. I will hear no talk of it. Even I wouldn't want you to be in that house. A bunch of bloody lunatics they are."

"Oh," was all he could say.

"Maam, this is yer stop," said the driver with a thick Scottish accent. He opened the door and put Albus' trunk on the ground for him to pick up. Albus looked up at the sign, which suddenly appeared and said Toadstool in dull red letters.

"All right, I'm leaving you here now."

"But how do I..." He wasn't able to finish his sentence because she closed the door and told the drive to take off.

"Great. Now how do I get to Diagon Alley? I know Gram said it was around here somewhere. I suppose I should go into Toadstool."

He proceeded to walk into the small place. He was the only child in sight and as soon as he walked in there was total silence.

"Is that him," said an older woman with a tall witch's hat on.

"Yes, I think so. With the crooked nose," said another sitting across from her.

"What deep blue eyes," said the older on again.

"Just like his dear mum." This time it was a young man in his early thirties sitting across from someone who appeared to be his wife.

"Oh, he looks lost. Help him Victor," said his wife.

"Oi, little one. Need to go into Diagon Alley?"

"Victor! Don't shout! You might scare him. Poor thing looks frightened. Come here Albus. We won't hurt you. We knew your mum's family, the Tolemacs. We'll help you to Diagon Alley."

"I'm Al- Wait you already know my name. Sorry, I'm a bit nervous. It is very nice to meet you."

"What a gentleman! I'm Margaret and this is my husband Victor. You have been quite out of contact with our world. But our kind has ways of keeping track of you," she said giving a very attractive grin. She was very kind looking. She was short, and slim with curly blonde hair. She was wearing ivory white robes with light pink trimming, and a matching witch's hat. Her husband Victor had black hair with a small mustache and was very muscular under his deep navy blue robes.

"But why would you want to keep track of..."

"Come now! You must have loads to buy! I remember my first day buying my school supplies. You must stick with us, or else you'll have loads of people bothering you."

"But..."

Victor leaned toward Albus and whispered in his ear.

"Better do what she says. She loves anything to do with shopping. You won't get a word in edgewise." He winked at the last comment and gave Albus a slight nudge toward the back of Toadstool. Margaret grabbed his hand and took him to the backroom and stopped in front of a large wooden door. She tapped the door with her wand three times for the number of people entering and said,

"We've got a day's of shopping to do. Diagon Alley we'd like to get to!" With that the door swung open revealing Diagon Alley to them. "Remember that Al. Tap your wand for how many people are with you, and say: We've got a day's of shopping to do. Diagon Alley we'd like to get to. And if you are alone simply change the "I've" to "We've."

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Albus."

"Victor, Margaret, thank you very much for your help."

"Much obliged Albus. You are a very special boy in fact. Right! Let's get shopping!"

Albus was still very much confused at what she was talking about and made a note of it to ask her when she was out of her shopping mode.

"Margaret dear. Maybe it would be wise to get the boy's money first. Just a suggestion of course."

"Oh! You are absolutely right! Off to Gringotts!" She was far to busy almost skipping with delight to realize Albus needed money.

"The wizard bank, right? My gram told me all about it. I were my key around my neck for safe keeping."

"That's great! I was hoping we wouldn't have to fill out loads of parchment to just verify who you were."

They were still near the entrance way to Diagon Alley, but started off faster now that Margaret was sure were to go to first. Albus couldn't take it all in, in time. It was just like he imagined from all the stories his gram used to tell. They passed places like Quality Cauldrons, Ethel's Owl Emporium and then finally they got to the snowy white building called Gringotts.

"Are we gonna see goblins?"

"Of course Al. How can you have a Gringotts with no goblins?"

"Wicked."

They walked down to the main desk and spoke to the head Goblin. Victor decided to speak up as Margaret was telling Albus about the history of Gringotts.

"Mr. Albus Dumbledore would like to visit his vault. The Tolemac family vault."

"Ah, we have not seen a Tolemac for some many years. Large vault it is. Right this way. I will take you myself." The head goblin eyed Albus and stop to speak with the little boy.

"You must be young master Tolemac, or should I say Dumbledore. You father vault is gone of course, but your mother's is still very much intact. It is an honor to meet you. Your family is a most distinguished client of ours. One of our original clients."

"Oh, um, right." Albus felt really stupid like Mother Eliza always said he was. He really wanted to know why every one was treating him so special.

"Watch your step, and hold on tight." They got inside the small cart and the head goblin got in the front part to pull the lever and they were off.

Albus couldn't really see what they were passing. Just a big blur. They stopped after very long ride.

"Vault #5. The Tolemacs. Key please." Albus handed him the key. "When is your birthday?"

"Pardon?"

"Your birthday. Just another precaution."

"Oh, right. July, 24^th"

"Figured as much." He stuck the key in the tiny hole and shouted. "Albus Dumbledore! July 24^th!"

The large door swung open and revealed a large room with stacks of gold, silver, bronze and some other treasures. Albus' eyes were wide with amazement. He had never seen so much money in his life. Not even in history books. There was a very old looking chest in particular that caught his attention. It had the initials MT on it.

"What is that," he said pointing to it.

"Come deary. We should go. Lots to buy!" That was the end of the chest. Margaret (who obviously didn't hear him) scooped a lot of the coins into a bag for Albus, grabbed his hand and took him to the cart.

Once they were outside of Gringotts, Margaret decided to take Albus' to get some new robes from Madam Marie's robe shop.

"These robes you have won't do for school. You'll need some nice long black ones and maybe a dress one. You never know what might happen!"

They entered a very nice looking shop with all sorts of robes, in every color, size, and shape and for both genders. Victor took him to the boy's section while Margaret was busy looking at some of the latest fashions from Paris.

"'Ogwarts? We 'ave some oov the school uniforms. Right zis way," said a Madam Marie with a very heavy French accent. She stood Albus on a stool. She looked at him up and down. "Now for yoor dress robes. Your robes now will not do! Tell me, what is yoor favoret colour?"

"Um, purple. Deep purple. I've always like that colour for no apparent reason." He added the last part blushing a little. Purple was usual a girls colour.

"Aah. I think I 'ave just zee thing! A deep purple...hmm, let me see. Oh yes, this one. You mozer [mother] had one just like it. It hade lace of course. This is perfect for you."

She pulled down a very deep purple robe with half-moon buttons and handed him a brown parcel with 5 pairs of school robes.

"That'll be 7 Galleons a piece for the school robes and 10 for the dress robe. Thank you! Bye Albus!"

"Bye. Margaret we're finished."

"Oh, just moment. This turquoise one, please," she said pointing to a dress robe that was hanging in the window. "Isn't it stunning Victor? Only 18 Galleons too."

"Anything for you dear. Here you go Madam Marie. We'll probably see you next week"

"Albus, show me your new dress robe. I over heard you and Victor saying something about purple. I hope it is an all right colour for a boy as your self."

"It's deep purple Margaret. I haven't met a person in my family who didn't like purple. I like it a lot. It even has half-moons. See?"

"Oh yes, that is very nice. We should go and get your school supplies. You have your list?'

"Yes, it's in my pocket. But I was wondering if we could go and visit the Quidditch shop. My gram told me about it, and I've always wanted a broom."

"Oh dear this is a problem. I don't think first years are allowed to have a broom. But I supposed Victor could take you to look at them."

"Of course. We'll only browse," He said with a wink to Albus, who was beginning to look a bit sad. "Come on. It's right over hear. I love Quidditch. I used to play keeper for my house team. I was in Hufflepuff. Some of the best years of my life were in Hogwarts. You'll love it there."

"I hope so." They walked into the shop, only to be surrounded by kids of all ages, wanting to speak with Albus.

"You like Quidditch too," squealed a little girl about nine.

"Of course he does. The name is John. John Crane. I'll be starting school with you."'

"Stop hogging him Johnny! We all want a chance to take to Albus!"

"Mr. Dumbledore sir? Could you sign my broom? My name is Sarah." This girl was about six and holding a small beginners broom.

"All right now. Break it up. Albus just wants to come and look at the new models."

There was a loud mixture of "Aww"s coming from the children as the shopkeeper hurried them out.

"So Albus, any idea on which one you want."

"But Victor, I'm not supposed to have a broom yet."

"Well it won't hurt to have one just in case. You can keep it in your trunk if you like."

"Thanks! I think this one is great. The, uh, Meteor 260."

"Excellent choice! Right in the price range. I'll take one please."

"Oh! No it's all right Victor. I'll buy it myself. Don't trouble yourself! You don't- "

"Nonsense. The least I can do for the Last Tolemac."

"I'm the Last Tolemac? What do you mean??"

"You're the last son of Merlin of course! You mean you didn't know?"