How the hell could he know?? I had already checked the mind of the orphanage matron.
I was found floating on the Thames River. I was named Christopher by a church priest, and Maxwell was actually random. There's no way he could've found any leads from there.
"Sir, how could you know anything about this? The orphanage matron told me that I was found floating in a river." I chose to ask directly.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you, my boy. It is Hogwarts's secret." replied Dumbledore with a 'a pity' expression.
'Of course he wouldn't tell me! I already knew th-- Wait a second! He said that it was Hogwarts secrect, didn't he?! He didn't say it like it had anything to do with it personally.'
So...it might be possible that he didn't personally investigate anything about me and simply got the info from some other means...
Come to think of it, the case of him linking Tom Riddle with the gaunt family was also quite the given fact, right? That's why he went directly to the gaunt shack to investigate, didn't he? What if also he got that information from this 'Hogwarts's secret'?
I suddenly remembered something I read on Pottermore--
'The Book of Admittance and The Quill of Acceptance!!!'
I quickly used occlumency to recall more details about this.
'Oh, this old cheater.'
It all made sense now. He knows because the book wrote down my real name.
TheBook of Admittancewas a large, parchmentbook bound in blackdragon hideatHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in which theQuill of Acceptancewrote down everymagical child in the range. It's a powerfulmagicalartefact in its own right, the book servedas a regulatory system, refusing to allow the quill to write in it until sufficient evidence ofmagicalability was displayed, thus guarding againstSquibsbeing incorrectly admitted.
The range is withinGreat Britainand probablyIreland.
These two artefacts are so mysterious, that most of the information about them is 'assumed'.
Anyways, I gotta play along for now..
So I put on a desperate expression and asked,
"Then, can you tell me where can I find my family? What's my real surname?!"
Dumbledore sighed and lightly shook his head."That would not be possible, my boy. If I could tell you your real name, then it would have written in your acceptance letter. But....I can, give you some suggestions which might just help you in finding them. "
Of course, the most important point about the two artifacts: The information about these two artifacts is quite confidential and only restricted to Hogwarts Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress. So, this old man couldn't just write down my real name since if he did, then the foreign ministry would also know about Hogwarts possessing such an artifact. Plus, the ministry and the wizarding families of the Britain would also covet the access to such treasures.
"So, let me get this straight....You are aware of my real family name and where I can find them, but you can only give me some clues... And when I do find them, it would be by coincidence, and not because I was told by someone else who doesn't want to disclose his 'mysterious secret'."
Dumbledore's white eyebrows shot up in surprise, "....you are surprisingly understanding, Christopher." He said while stroking his beard.
'Of course I am, you already know that.' I thought. This is no big deal and this guy was just beating around the bush, not knowing exactly how to tell me. If I didn't already know about the Book of Admitting and the Quill of Acceptance, I'd have been very frustrated. But since I know, I can understand why he can't tell me directly.
"I have no right to show my dissatisfaction, sir. I'm already very grateful that you're telling something related to my parents, since you have no obligations to do so." I said with a 'sincere' expression.
Inwardly in my mind-
'Grateful? My *ss! I can guarantee 100% that he's also getting something out this. This guy wouldn't go so far for a nobody just because of the kindness of his heart.'
Dumbledore smiled his grandfatherly smile, "Of course, my boy. And if you can't explain to your parents how you found them without mentioning about secret, you can just tell them that I told you."
Alriiiight...I'm catching up to what's going on here. Let me test my theory-
"Um..Sir, actually, I have a request, of sorts in Hogwarts....Can I share it with you?" I asked.
"Oh? Please do go on, Chris."
"I err... I've been already taught most of the things that are being taught here by grandma...So.. I don't know what to do with my time anymore...And the classes are very boring most of the times. So..."
I paused a bit. Thinking of how to phrase my words.
"Yes?" Dumbledore leaned forward a bit, promoting me to go on while looking at me through his halfmoon spectacles.
"So, I think you've also been through the same phase, since you must be even more talented....So.. could you please give me some guidance or books on magic? So that I don't feel bored here?"
****
I came out of the office with an incredulous expression on my face and a big bundle of books in my hand.
The guy actually agreed!!!
And...he even gave me the clue about my family.
Dumbledore's clue was just a simple sentence: "Go through the inheritance test in the French Branch of Gringotts."
Yeah...French! Can you believe it? I don't even know the F about french!
I'm slowly getting to understand why he's doing this. Through only that much talk, I've confirmed at least one fact about my family:
"They are big shots."
That explains everything.
Now I can also understand why he would go so far. He must think that he can use me and Harry like he used James and Sirius. He must have already seen my 'light sided' personality that I showed in front of Harry through his memories.
So...if Harry's involved in a war in the future, I'll have my family support him. And Dumbledore would have one more powerful family in his light faction, very grateful to him for reuniting their family.
"Ah, I should be expecting the 'Dumbledore's VIP treatment' in Hogwarts for the rest of this year. Plus, at least one more meeting with Dumbledore."
FYI, Dumbledore's VIP treatment is not a good thing. It can even be life threatening at times. It just ensures me being manipulated according to Dumbledore's wishes. The treatment would also depend on his convenience. Some other people who have had the honor of receiving Dumbledore's treatment are canon Harry, Ron and Hermione, who had to risk their life a number of times for him.
For now, it would be very convenient for Dumbledore if I had the best time of my life in Hogwarts, so that I come back again the next year and also imprint the "Dumbledore's worship (passive)" in my parents like I did in Harry's case.
Really, that old man should be thanking me for making Harry the perfect pawn with an even better method than him. I mean, Ronald Weasley and Hagrid don't quite cut it, if you want to really imprint that skill into him.
But he doesn't really realizes yet, that the loyalty of Harry lies with no one but me. One word from me, and Dumbledore would turn from being a light Lord to a Dark lord in Harry's opinion. James potter would have also always chosen Sirius black over Dumbledore.
But, why would Dumbledore worry about such things? Because Sirius Black would never go against Dumbledore, would he? Similarly why worry? Because why would Christopher Maxwell ever go against Dumbledore? That's what he'd think.
But....my opinion still hasn't changed. The old man is going down the moment I think he's crossing the line.
Anyways, since he wants something from me, then I'm also gonna take all I can out of this. If he was just doing all this out of the kindness of his heart, then he would've rejected my request just now would've politely told me to f*ck off. But since he thinks that I'm already thoroughly on the light side, and his faction, he's gonna provide me with at some good material.
This was just a trial. To see if he's actually gonna entertain this small request of mine. The books aren't actually that special. But...its his attitude towards me that I was checking. And I say with certainty that I'm at least not subjected to the same fate as most of the reincarnators yet. i.e., He doesn't think that I'm a next darklord yet...He isn't going all paranoid on an eleven year old boy yet.
I've suddenly found a gold mine. I'll slowly dig it without damaging it. Soon, the Mine might even yield me advanced magic and alchemy.
'Grandma sure helped me a lot today...' I thought with a smirk, thinking of the fake memories...
'I guess they weren't exactly fake...' Thinking about the Grandma whom I paid to act in a witch movie for some scenes...
Hahahahahahahaha!!!
Oh man, I fooled an 'old-man-moviecharacter-turned-real' into thinking that a 'woman-thinking-she's-playing-a-movie-character' is actually a real life person.
***
A.N.: Ah, this is getting more and more interesting. MC's got a family! So, who are they?->
How did he get separated? The most cliche answer would be termed as the real->
Also, surrender your power stones. This is a day light(or whatever the time in your region) robbery.