-more death eaters arrived – and then snape – and snape did it. the avada kedavra"
she heard the words as they stammered from Harry's mouth, and she couldn't take it. tears erupted from her eyes, a sob from her soul as she thought of her friend. of her friends- how on earth would Minerva take this.
"sorry" she mumbled, collecting fragments of breath and steadying herself. she could hear Fawkes crying out, trying to outfly the feelings of grief which no doubt were encompassing him. That poor bird, she mused, he'd been with Albus for so long. longer than anyone, including Minerva. her heart broke for her friend, and her thoughts once again returned to Minerva.
Minerva, was in her office, looking out of the window, looking at the small looking figure who had just fallen from the tower. she cried when she saw the mark, and now seeing her beloved Albus' body fall floods of tears began cascading down her usually composed cheeks. her head rested on the window frame and the cold glass acknowledged her forehead, though the tears did not stop. her hand stuck to the window in protest, as if frozen by the presence of dementors- they might as well be in the castle at the moment, the monument of melancholy which was upon her.
"oh my love" she finally said aloud, whispering to the window, to Albus as he lay so many feet below, and to the cold air of the night. "why did you have to go."
of course she knew the answer. 'for the greater good.' for the sodding greater good. what about what was good for her, for him. no. she had lost count of how many times her happiness had been forsaken for the sodding greater good which he proclaimed was the motive and reasoning for all his most unforgivable decisions.
how many times had they argued over Potter's wellbeing, over Tom, over Snape. Over his reckless inability to do anything but what had to be done, regardless of the consequences.
and now he was, gone. "oh, Albus" she sighed, the final tears- for the moment- falling from her love filled eyes, and she tore herself away from the window as she heard a knock at the door.
steadying her voice she called out to the door
"come in." and Hagrid entered.
"Y'all right Min?" he started, but, then shaking his shaggy hair he backtracked, "course you're not, I mean who would be after seeing that."
Minerva looked up and formed a shaky smile at her biggest friend. he was, hidden and overshadowed by his unkempt nature and size, one of the most, if not the most, compassionate and understanding of her friends. she parted her lips to speak, but a bubble of emotion rose in her throat, so she thought better of it. Albus had ever been the only person to see her cry. she had been taught that it was a weakness, something that would ensure malicious merciless beatings from her father, and then estrangement from her family when she refused to cry at his funeral.
Hagrid merely nodded, and Minerva got the impression that he wanted to say something. he merely sniffed and then glanced through her window to where Albus lay, before walking towards the door
"I'd best move him t'be honest. don't want him taken by them in the castle." he paused to breathe before adding "it's easier for me anyway" he then ducked out of her office, his eyes glazed with tears, but knowing she had her own grief to contend to.
Minerva then stood and closed the door, intending to abandon herself to her grief once more, but sense of duty took over, and she shortly found herself walking down to the hospital wing.
She could hear Poppy sobbing above the low din of the Weasleys as she approached the doors where she knew Bill Weasley would be. she quickly thanked merlin that the most severe injury, bar Albus, was being mauled by Greyback, no minor incident, but she assumed, preferable to death.
Poppy snuffled into her hankerchief, before composing herself.
she again apologised, what would Minerva say if she saw her being so weak. Poppy knew Minerva's view on crying, having been with her through Hogwarts, and being one of the few that knew of Minerva's past. raising her eyes, she scanned the room, where all but the senior weasleys were present, and above the hue of auburn glow of Ginny Weasley's hair. she looked up, examining her friends face from afar.
Minerva caught Poppy's eyes as she marched towards the group huddled by Bill's bed. thankfully no one else was aware of her presence, so would have had the chance to interpret her complex optical conversation with her dear friend. she tried, as plainly and as convincingly as possible to convey that she was ok and that it was, as usual with Hogwarts, and probably in line with Albus' own philosophy- one of the many things they had shared over the years- of duty.
