A/N: This is for the SU Regrets Challenge. Based on characters created by J K Rowling-Rita
Regrets
His last words were, "Severus, please."
And in that instant as he passed from this world into the next and the last spark of the living faded to dark, his memories passed through his consciousness in slow motion in reverse like his life was being rewound.
The cognitive Albus Dumbledore did not want to see his life pass before him because he was ready to die and he didn't want to face the regrets of his life, but there they were glaring before him and all he could do, like viewing a pensieve, was watch. His mind was playing a game of "regrets".
Faces swirled past him; family, friends, enemies. They rushed to him and he closed his eyes, hoping that his life had no regrets, but they were there and there was no denying them. He prayed that the first one would simply smile at him and fade away, but that was not to be.
Harry Potter's face appeared before him and he looked angry. "Why didn't you tell me anything? How am I supposed to do what you asked me to do if I don't know why or how to do it?"
"If I had only known," Albus said weakly.
"Liar!" he shouted back at him. "How hard would it have been to tell me, 'Look, Harry, this is going to be too hard and you're going to have to pay attention. I have no idea where anything is, and frankly, I'm not sure any of this will work'. That would be helpful. I don't know what I'm going to be faced with or why."
Before Harry's face disappeared in front of him, Albus shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I was too prideful."
He covered his face with his hands and wept bitterly.
"It's much too late for that," he heard a voice say. He reluctantly opened his eyes and he saw his dear mother, Kendra holding his sister, Ariana's hand. "Do not weep, Albus. What is your regret, dear son?"
"I killed my dearest sister," he wept.
Kendra smiled and looked at her daughter. "Yes, you did, Albus."
He cringed when he heard his mother say his name. "I need your forgiveness, Mother, and Ariana's. My heart is breaking."
Ariana smiled at her mother and then at Albus. She waved at him shyly. They started fading away and Albus found himself running toward their vaporous trail.
"Don't go, don't leave me! I'll never see you again," he cried out to them.
"Yes you will," another voice from behind him said.
"Aberforth! Please, bring them back," he begged.
"No, brother. They'll meet you on the other side; this isn't the place."
"Is this my purgatory?"
Aberforth shrugged. "Perhaps," he said. "Who knows? Maybe this isn't real at all."
"But I am dead," Albus said.
"Yes," his brother answered. "You were always the smart one." There was a chuckle in his voice. "What is your biggest regret, Albus?"
"Killing my sister!" he insisted.
"No, it isn't. You know you didn't kill her."
"I don't know that. No, no, no, I did kill her."
Aberforth shook his head. "You don't even think you did; be honest. What is your biggest regret?" Aberforth's voice was shouting at him. "Admit it to yourself so you can move on."
"Harry Potter…"
"No!"
"I don't know! I have so many regrets; I treated Severus abominably."
"Yes, but you didn't regret it; Snape felt he deserved whatever you threw at him. That was one tortured soul. No, think harder." He shook his head sadly.
"I can't think!" Albus covered his ears with his hands and shook his head.
"Say it!" he said louder. "What is your greatest regret? You have to say it, Albus."
"I can't say it to you, Aberforth, I can't."
"You'll have never have peace, then," Aberforth said as he started to swirl past his brother. Again Albus started to run after him, but he couldn't catch his brother. He was faced with an empty road.
"I know what your greatest regret is." A voice taunted him.
"Gellert," Albus whispered. "Yes, you know my inner mind. Do I have to say it out loud?"
"Are you afraid someone will hear you?" Gellert Grindelwald laughed. "You are such a coward."
"I know, I admit it, I am worse than the lowest coward."
"All right, then, let me tell you," Gellert said.
Albus shook his head regretfully. "No, I will say it aloud. Do not think badly of me, Gellert."
"How could I?"
Albus reached out to touch him, but he was too far away. The harder he tried, the further away Gellert stood.
"Say it," Gellert said mockingly.
"My only regret is that I never told you that I loved you."
Gellert cocked his head to the side. "See how easy that was?" He laughed at him. "Now you can move on. In all your life, Albus Dumbledore, you were afraid to show anyone love; you made excuses and now it's too late. Are you asking for absolution? Then you have it. Go in peace."
"I did love you," Albus whispered as he felt himself begin to fade away into a thick mist. "It is finally over."
A/N (again): Well, that certainly was odd. My first ever Dumbledore—and my last. Rita