MANY YEARS LATER
- Donna Vito Fruttie
MANY YEARS LATER
The room was barely lit. The candle on the table gave a warm glow. Gathered around the table were the members of the Order, Dumbledore among them. A quiet, somewhat cool breeze blew through the cracks under the door, making the candlelight flicker. It cast long shadows on the wall that flickered, as well.
Heavy hearts. Shadowy souls. Darkest of nights.
Silence.
The room was quiet.
There was a heavy silence that could only have been caused by an unbearable loss. The only other sound was the distant thunder.
And the occasional tap of fingers on the table.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It echoed the beats of a racing heart and a quickening pulse. Short and painful.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It went on, oblivious to the mournful silence.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A woman, seated right next to Dumbledore, leaned forward, her arms resting on the table. " There is little that can be done, now."
Molly Weasley, her eyes red, asked, "What about the body. W-was it..."
Dumbledore, who had been looking at his interlocked fingers, turned to her and answered her. "It hasn't been found yet, we will continue looking."
Alastor Moody banged his cane on the floor angrily.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"He didn't deserve this. He was a good man." He placed a comforting arm on Hestia Jones was staring ahead, into the candlelight.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Amelia Bones who was beside him, closed her eyes, and nodded gravely. "Yes, he was a good man," she said. "And a brave man. He was one of us." She turned away.
" It could have been us. It could have been any one of us," James said. His voice was steady but his eyes were cast down. Lily squeezed his hand. "This won't be over until he's stopped,"she said." It could be us, next."
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"What is to be done, now?" Dedalus asked, his voice just above a whisper.
Dumbledore answered him. "We need to inform others of the Order. We need more members and we need more protection."
Amelia nodded in agreement. "I'll see what I can do, Dumbledore. You have my full support. " She turned to the others. "All of you."
Everyone was quiet, again. Molly Weasley stirred. She slowly turned to Alastor.
"Sh-shouldn't we m-make the arrangements? The funeral..."
The tapping stopped.
Hestia slowly raised her head, as if awakening from a daze. " So, he's really gone, then?" she asked. "He's r-really dead? Caradoc?"
Several of them gasped, looking startled. For a long time, nobody answered her.
And then Dumbledore, turned to look at her, his face a mix of several emotions.
Or just one.
"I'm afraid, he is."
Hestia gave a heart rending wail.
James looked away as Alastor and Lily tried to calm her down. Amelia, rose, joining them.
Molly sobbed openly, now.
Dumbledore looked down at his hands, again.
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
A/N -
Guess who was tapping ?
AND DO leave a REVIEW.