Albus Dumbledore sat in his office. He was staring -again- through his large window, wondering how this ever could have happened. For it had. The unspeakable had occurred.
The Siege of Hogwarts by the dark lord and his Death Eaters was a fact.
And how, how, how… Were they really still living in the Middle Ages, then? Or had they been that blind? They hadn't, he knew and though… no, therefore… he was worried.
The armies of Voldemort had grown spectacularly. All of his former followers had openly chosen his side again. All except one.
Severus Snape had remained faithful to Albus- as he had ever excepted it to be otherwise. Severus was bitter, Albus knew, but also, despite everything, a good man. His resolute choice for his Headmaster and mentor made Albus happy, but still… They had a problem. A serious problem, indeed.
Here they were, locked up in a castle like in the good old days of the Founders themselves. Locked up. Besieged. Five hundred frightened students and teachers. For they were all frightened- though some indeed did a very good job hiding it.
And of course there was always Minerva- his dearly, dearly beloved Minerva of whom he was so proud. She had accepted the situation and dealt with it. As she always did. Minerva was truly admirable… and a Gryffindor in the true sense of the word.
Albus smiled as he thought of his beloved Deputy Headmistress. Yet, his smile froze as he looked through the window again. A siege. A siege, for god's sake!
How could Voldemort ever have done such a thing? He had lots of followers, but…
Albus sighed as he looked at the blue sky.
Such a beautiful day. And yet.
Hogwarts was mourning, and not only because of the siege.
Mainly because of the Slytherins, of whom almost all had chosen the side of the Dark Lord… They…
A soft knock on the door interrupted Albus's thoughts.
"Yes?" he said, without looking up. And as he heard the soft footsteps coming closer, he added
"Yes, Minerva?"
As he turned around, he indeed looked straight into the emerald-colored eyes of his Deputy and wife. She didn't smile, though.
"Hello, Albus." she said, in her usual, professional voice, surprising him a little.
"Hello, Minerva." he mimicked, and grinned despite himself as she raised her dark eyebrows in that very typical way of hers.
Yet, a faint smile appeared on her lips when he took her hand and squeezed it.
"It is okay," he then stated calmly. "it is okay to be frightened, Minerva."
And suddenly, Minerva's whole professional attitude disappeared as she fell down on a chair and sighed heavily. She was nodding.
"You're right. I am frightened. But I can't show it, can I? They..."
She pointed vaguely at the door. "They all count on me. I have to be- I have to stay stern old McGonagall. Stern old McGonagall is never frightened."
Albus smiled vaguely, as he pointed out
"Perhaps not, but lovely young Minerva is, isn't she?"
"Yes."
Albus let out a sigh and sat down in the other chair, looking at his clearly very worried Deputy. She really did look worried. She was paler than ever- and especially, where was her usual bun? Her long, ebony hairs were held back in a messy braid. As Minerva saw Albus was staring at him, she smiled.
"Yes Albus, I know I look terrible, but this is a- a rather extraordinary situation."
"Understatement of the year, my dear. By the way, fancy a lemon drop?"
Albus opened a small, brown bag which was filled with his favorite muggle sweets and offered one to her. Minerva looked sternly at her husband. When she spoke, she sounded very much like a parent reprimanding a child.
"Albus, stop being a child. And by the way, you know I don't like them."
Albus's eyes twinkled.
"Still more of a chocolate addict then, my dear?"
He reached out for a silvery colored bag, but Minerva interrupted him angrily.
"My god, Albus, shut up! We are being besieged and you… you…"
As she shook her head, loose strands of hair twirled around her head.
Albus smiled again, and then added thoughtfully.
"You know, my dear, you should wear your hair loose more often…"
"Albus, STOP IT!" Minerva snapped, quickly pulling the loose locks of hair back into her braid. "You are ridiculous! This is dead serious, you know. Can't you take anything serious?"
As in an answer to her question, Albus sighed and sat down. He looked sadly into his wife's eyes.
"Yes," he then began. "yes, I can take things serious, Minerva. Do really think I don't understand this situation? That I don't see how desperate this all is? But I, Minerva, I try to be happy, despite everything. If this are my last days, or our last days, perhaps, I don't want to live them in sadness. I want to lasthurt smile, he stared at his entwined hands.
Minerva stared at her hands as well. It did not occur to her often, but she felt speechless. And utterly ashamed, though she did not know why. Or- yes, she did. She, Minerva McGonagall… Minerva Dumbledore-McGonagall, actually… Albus Dumbledore's wife and best friend, had misjudged him terribly. She had utterly, utterly terribly misjudged him. How could she ever have said- what she had said?
With a soft voice, she muttered, not daring to look into her husband's eyes.
"I am sorry, Albus, for I have misjudged you."
She slowly looked into his sky blue eyes again.
But Albus already smiled again, and with a comforting squeeze of her hand, he said
"Don't be, my dear, I have already forgiven you. Now, do you want a bar of chocolate or not?"
Minerva smiled as well as he offered her one.
"I do. Thank you."
As she tasted the delicious flavor of the milk chocolate, she laughed.
"My god, that was a long time ago indeed. This really is wonderful chocolate. Where did you get it?"
Albus smiled mysteriously.
"That," he then said. "is my secret, my dear."
Minerva nodded and smiled. But as she remembered the situation they were in, her smile faded again. She sighed and stood up, he braid swinging loosely around her head.
As she stood before the window, she stopped and stared at the now neglected lawns of Hogwarts school. And at Hagrid's deserted little house. And at the Forbidden Forest.
With another sigh, she crossed her arms.
"Albus, I am frightened. Or maybe that isn't the right word. I am ready to die if it is necessary, you know that. But I feel so desperate."
Albus stood up and walked down to the window as well. Leaning his hands on the window-sill, he muttered heartily
"I know how you feel. If I only could…" He turned to her, taking her hands.
"Minerva, if I could, I'd wipe away all of your tears, I'd fight away all of your fears… I'd give you a world without…"
But she softly interrupted him, smiling sadly
"I know that, my love. But right now, the world needs you more than I need you… The students, the children, the young people who have to grow up in such a terrible time… I grew up in Grindelwald's days, Albus, but I have never been through anything like this before."
Albus nodded.
"I know. It is an almost surrealistic thing. But it as, alas, the truth."
Minerva sighed.
"I know. And we will handle it. As Godric Gryffindor would have handled it. But, oh…"
In a sudden, passionate gesture, she stretched out her hands towards the rising sun.
"It's such a beautiful day, Albus, and I just wished we all could be happy. If this was just any ordinary day… Oh Albus, I want to see my students sit on the lawn, I want to reprimand the Gryffindor Trio for sneaking to Hagrid's house between two classes, I want to go to the lake and just sit beside it with my book… I just want to be free, Albus!"
"I know how you feel, my dear." Albus repeated. "I feel exactly the same way."
"But you know, Albus…" Minerva turned to her husband again, looking dead serious and with a brave twinkle in her eyes.
"I sometimes just want to go outside and fight them. Even if I would die… battling is better than this! I don't want to just sit here and wait… If I would go, maybe Voldemort…"
Albus laid his arm around her and shook his head.
"Don't go, Minerva. Maybe the time will be right someday, but it is not now, my dear. Your students need you. They depend on you, and you know it. They do need you, Minerva."
Minerva sighed heavily and stared at the clear, blue sky again.
"I know, Albus."
But after a short silence, she continued
"But they need freedom as well…"
~*~
Illustration for this chapter = http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/4727061/
The Siege of Hogwarts by the dark lord and his Death Eaters was a fact.
And how, how, how… Were they really still living in the Middle Ages, then? Or had they been that blind? They hadn't, he knew and though… no, therefore… he was worried.
The armies of Voldemort had grown spectacularly. All of his former followers had openly chosen his side again. All except one.
Severus Snape had remained faithful to Albus- as he had ever excepted it to be otherwise. Severus was bitter, Albus knew, but also, despite everything, a good man. His resolute choice for his Headmaster and mentor made Albus happy, but still… They had a problem. A serious problem, indeed.
Here they were, locked up in a castle like in the good old days of the Founders themselves. Locked up. Besieged. Five hundred frightened students and teachers. For they were all frightened- though some indeed did a very good job hiding it.
And of course there was always Minerva- his dearly, dearly beloved Minerva of whom he was so proud. She had accepted the situation and dealt with it. As she always did. Minerva was truly admirable… and a Gryffindor in the true sense of the word.
Albus smiled as he thought of his beloved Deputy Headmistress. Yet, his smile froze as he looked through the window again. A siege. A siege, for god's sake!
How could Voldemort ever have done such a thing? He had lots of followers, but…
Albus sighed as he looked at the blue sky.
Such a beautiful day. And yet.
Hogwarts was mourning, and not only because of the siege.
Mainly because of the Slytherins, of whom almost all had chosen the side of the Dark Lord… They…
A soft knock on the door interrupted Albus's thoughts.
"Yes?" he said, without looking up. And as he heard the soft footsteps coming closer, he added
"Yes, Minerva?"
As he turned around, he indeed looked straight into the emerald-colored eyes of his Deputy and wife. She didn't smile, though.
"Hello, Albus." she said, in her usual, professional voice, surprising him a little.
"Hello, Minerva." he mimicked, and grinned despite himself as she raised her dark eyebrows in that very typical way of hers.
Yet, a faint smile appeared on her lips when he took her hand and squeezed it.
"It is okay," he then stated calmly. "it is okay to be frightened, Minerva."
And suddenly, Minerva's whole professional attitude disappeared as she fell down on a chair and sighed heavily. She was nodding.
"You're right. I am frightened. But I can't show it, can I? They..."
She pointed vaguely at the door. "They all count on me. I have to be- I have to stay stern old McGonagall. Stern old McGonagall is never frightened."
Albus smiled vaguely, as he pointed out
"Perhaps not, but lovely young Minerva is, isn't she?"
"Yes."
Albus let out a sigh and sat down in the other chair, looking at his clearly very worried Deputy. She really did look worried. She was paler than ever- and especially, where was her usual bun? Her long, ebony hairs were held back in a messy braid. As Minerva saw Albus was staring at him, she smiled.
"Yes Albus, I know I look terrible, but this is a- a rather extraordinary situation."
"Understatement of the year, my dear. By the way, fancy a lemon drop?"
Albus opened a small, brown bag which was filled with his favorite muggle sweets and offered one to her. Minerva looked sternly at her husband. When she spoke, she sounded very much like a parent reprimanding a child.
"Albus, stop being a child. And by the way, you know I don't like them."
Albus's eyes twinkled.
"Still more of a chocolate addict then, my dear?"
He reached out for a silvery colored bag, but Minerva interrupted him angrily.
"My god, Albus, shut up! We are being besieged and you… you…"
As she shook her head, loose strands of hair twirled around her head.
Albus smiled again, and then added thoughtfully.
"You know, my dear, you should wear your hair loose more often…"
"Albus, STOP IT!" Minerva snapped, quickly pulling the loose locks of hair back into her braid. "You are ridiculous! This is dead serious, you know. Can't you take anything serious?"
As in an answer to her question, Albus sighed and sat down. He looked sadly into his wife's eyes.
"Yes," he then began. "yes, I can take things serious, Minerva. Do really think I don't understand this situation? That I don't see how desperate this all is? But I, Minerva, I try to be happy, despite everything. If this are my last days, or our last days, perhaps, I don't want to live them in sadness. I want to lasthurt smile, he stared at his entwined hands.
Minerva stared at her hands as well. It did not occur to her often, but she felt speechless. And utterly ashamed, though she did not know why. Or- yes, she did. She, Minerva McGonagall… Minerva Dumbledore-McGonagall, actually… Albus Dumbledore's wife and best friend, had misjudged him terribly. She had utterly, utterly terribly misjudged him. How could she ever have said- what she had said?
With a soft voice, she muttered, not daring to look into her husband's eyes.
"I am sorry, Albus, for I have misjudged you."
She slowly looked into his sky blue eyes again.
But Albus already smiled again, and with a comforting squeeze of her hand, he said
"Don't be, my dear, I have already forgiven you. Now, do you want a bar of chocolate or not?"
Minerva smiled as well as he offered her one.
"I do. Thank you."
As she tasted the delicious flavor of the milk chocolate, she laughed.
"My god, that was a long time ago indeed. This really is wonderful chocolate. Where did you get it?"
Albus smiled mysteriously.
"That," he then said. "is my secret, my dear."
Minerva nodded and smiled. But as she remembered the situation they were in, her smile faded again. She sighed and stood up, he braid swinging loosely around her head.
As she stood before the window, she stopped and stared at the now neglected lawns of Hogwarts school. And at Hagrid's deserted little house. And at the Forbidden Forest.
With another sigh, she crossed her arms.
"Albus, I am frightened. Or maybe that isn't the right word. I am ready to die if it is necessary, you know that. But I feel so desperate."
Albus stood up and walked down to the window as well. Leaning his hands on the window-sill, he muttered heartily
"I know how you feel. If I only could…" He turned to her, taking her hands.
"Minerva, if I could, I'd wipe away all of your tears, I'd fight away all of your fears… I'd give you a world without…"
But she softly interrupted him, smiling sadly
"I know that, my love. But right now, the world needs you more than I need you… The students, the children, the young people who have to grow up in such a terrible time… I grew up in Grindelwald's days, Albus, but I have never been through anything like this before."
Albus nodded.
"I know. It is an almost surrealistic thing. But it as, alas, the truth."
Minerva sighed.
"I know. And we will handle it. As Godric Gryffindor would have handled it. But, oh…"
In a sudden, passionate gesture, she stretched out her hands towards the rising sun.
"It's such a beautiful day, Albus, and I just wished we all could be happy. If this was just any ordinary day… Oh Albus, I want to see my students sit on the lawn, I want to reprimand the Gryffindor Trio for sneaking to Hagrid's house between two classes, I want to go to the lake and just sit beside it with my book… I just want to be free, Albus!"
"I know how you feel, my dear." Albus repeated. "I feel exactly the same way."
"But you know, Albus…" Minerva turned to her husband again, looking dead serious and with a brave twinkle in her eyes.
"I sometimes just want to go outside and fight them. Even if I would die… battling is better than this! I don't want to just sit here and wait… If I would go, maybe Voldemort…"
Albus laid his arm around her and shook his head.
"Don't go, Minerva. Maybe the time will be right someday, but it is not now, my dear. Your students need you. They depend on you, and you know it. They do need you, Minerva."
Minerva sighed heavily and stared at the clear, blue sky again.
"I know, Albus."
But after a short silence, she continued
"But they need freedom as well…"
~*~
Illustration for this chapter = http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/4727061/