Thoughts
*...* = Minerva's thoughts. _..._ = Harry's thoughts. {...} = Severus' thoughts.
"NOOOOOOO!" Everyone turned to watch as a witch in emerald robes dashed across the field, black hair streaming out behind her like a comet.
*No, he can't be dead. He just can't be.*
_What's up with McGonagall? She's not usually like this._
{Minerva, now is not the time to lose control.}
The witch dropped to her knees beside a tall, silver-haired wizard slumped on his side. "Please, Albus, don't be dead."
*I couldn't stand it if you died.*
_Oh my God! Dumbledore!_
{Good Heavens! Headmaster!}
As she rolled the wizard onto his back, a young man, barely an adult, and an older wizard, arrived at a run. The oldest of the four gave a harsh cough. "Oh, thank Heavens. Please, Albus, speak to me."
*Please tell me you'll be alright.*
_No, Professor, don't die!_
{Headmaster, too many people are counting on you. You can't afford to die.}
"Minerva?" the wizard's voice was hoarse.
"I'm here, Albus," she replied, grasping one of his hands in both of hers. "Please, don't leave us."
*Please, don't leave ME.*
"Professor, don't go." Harry sounded very young and very desperate as he held the old wizard's other hand in both of his.
_You're the closest thing to a grandfather I have._
"Headmaster, too many depend on you for you to go."
{And I include myself in that number.}
He smiled up at them, his blue eyes twinkling faintly. "I will never truly leave you. I will always remain in your hearts."
Tears were streaming down the witch's face. "Albus, you're taking my heart with you, you know that, don't you?"
*And it's breaking.*
_Wait, is she saying what I think she's saying?_
{Minerva, are you insane?!}
"I know, Minerva," Albus freed his hand from between hers to cup her cheek. "And I leave mine in your keeping."
She covered his hand with hers, uncaring of who saw. "I'll treasure it always."
*As if I haven't been treasuring it all these years anyway, Albus.*
_Are they together or something?_
{Minerva, you're drawing an audience.}
The blue eyes moved to the young man kneeling on the other side of him. "Harry, you are the grandson I never had. I know your parents would be proud of you."
The bright green eyes blinked back tears. "Thank you, Sir."
*Oh, Albus.*
_What else is there for me to say?_
{Potter has proven his worth to himself, Headmaster, as well as the rest of the world.}
"Severus?" the young man leaned forward to take the Headmaster's hand.
"I'm here, Headmaster."
"You are the son I never had and I couldn't be prouder if you were truly my son." He coughed. "Help Minerva? She will need you in the years to come."
Severus nodded. "I will."
*Thank you, Albus. You always knew what I needed, even if I didn't.*
_Hogwarts won't be the same without Dumbledore._
{You didn't even need to ask, Headmaster.}
"Minerva?"
"Here, Albus." She blinked back tears once more.
"I love you, my dear."
"Always, Albus?"
He smiled slightly. "Forever, Minerva."
"I love you, too," she leaned forward and kissed him.
_I know I should be grossed out, but it just seems right._
{I guess it doesn't really matter if anyone's watching after all.}
When Minerva drew away, the Headmaster of Hogwarts was smiling. "Good bye."
He sighed one last time and was still. His hands slipped out of Minerva's and Harry's respective grasps and fell to the ground with soft thumps.
"Albus!" Minerva cried, grabbing his shoulders.
*No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!*
_He's dead. He can't be dead._
{I'm sorry, Minerva.}
Severus gently gripped Minerva's shoulders. She turned and buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Severus closed his eyes and tears slowly slipped down his sallow cheeks. Harry moved around Albus' body and laid his hand on Minerva's shaking, emerald-clad shoulder and Severus' steady, ebony-clad one. He was surprised to find himself drawn into a tight embrace with Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape. The three held onto each other as they mourned the passing of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
*I love you, Albus, and I always will.*
_I'll miss you, Professor, and I always will._
{I have always respected you, Headmaster, and I always will.}
*...* = Minerva's thoughts. _..._ = Harry's thoughts. {...} = Severus' thoughts.
"NOOOOOOO!" Everyone turned to watch as a witch in emerald robes dashed across the field, black hair streaming out behind her like a comet.
*No, he can't be dead. He just can't be.*
_What's up with McGonagall? She's not usually like this._
{Minerva, now is not the time to lose control.}
The witch dropped to her knees beside a tall, silver-haired wizard slumped on his side. "Please, Albus, don't be dead."
*I couldn't stand it if you died.*
_Oh my God! Dumbledore!_
{Good Heavens! Headmaster!}
As she rolled the wizard onto his back, a young man, barely an adult, and an older wizard, arrived at a run. The oldest of the four gave a harsh cough. "Oh, thank Heavens. Please, Albus, speak to me."
*Please tell me you'll be alright.*
_No, Professor, don't die!_
{Headmaster, too many people are counting on you. You can't afford to die.}
"Minerva?" the wizard's voice was hoarse.
"I'm here, Albus," she replied, grasping one of his hands in both of hers. "Please, don't leave us."
*Please, don't leave ME.*
"Professor, don't go." Harry sounded very young and very desperate as he held the old wizard's other hand in both of his.
_You're the closest thing to a grandfather I have._
"Headmaster, too many depend on you for you to go."
{And I include myself in that number.}
He smiled up at them, his blue eyes twinkling faintly. "I will never truly leave you. I will always remain in your hearts."
Tears were streaming down the witch's face. "Albus, you're taking my heart with you, you know that, don't you?"
*And it's breaking.*
_Wait, is she saying what I think she's saying?_
{Minerva, are you insane?!}
"I know, Minerva," Albus freed his hand from between hers to cup her cheek. "And I leave mine in your keeping."
She covered his hand with hers, uncaring of who saw. "I'll treasure it always."
*As if I haven't been treasuring it all these years anyway, Albus.*
_Are they together or something?_
{Minerva, you're drawing an audience.}
The blue eyes moved to the young man kneeling on the other side of him. "Harry, you are the grandson I never had. I know your parents would be proud of you."
The bright green eyes blinked back tears. "Thank you, Sir."
*Oh, Albus.*
_What else is there for me to say?_
{Potter has proven his worth to himself, Headmaster, as well as the rest of the world.}
"Severus?" the young man leaned forward to take the Headmaster's hand.
"I'm here, Headmaster."
"You are the son I never had and I couldn't be prouder if you were truly my son." He coughed. "Help Minerva? She will need you in the years to come."
Severus nodded. "I will."
*Thank you, Albus. You always knew what I needed, even if I didn't.*
_Hogwarts won't be the same without Dumbledore._
{You didn't even need to ask, Headmaster.}
"Minerva?"
"Here, Albus." She blinked back tears once more.
"I love you, my dear."
"Always, Albus?"
He smiled slightly. "Forever, Minerva."
"I love you, too," she leaned forward and kissed him.
_I know I should be grossed out, but it just seems right._
{I guess it doesn't really matter if anyone's watching after all.}
When Minerva drew away, the Headmaster of Hogwarts was smiling. "Good bye."
He sighed one last time and was still. His hands slipped out of Minerva's and Harry's respective grasps and fell to the ground with soft thumps.
"Albus!" Minerva cried, grabbing his shoulders.
*No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!*
_He's dead. He can't be dead._
{I'm sorry, Minerva.}
Severus gently gripped Minerva's shoulders. She turned and buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Severus closed his eyes and tears slowly slipped down his sallow cheeks. Harry moved around Albus' body and laid his hand on Minerva's shaking, emerald-clad shoulder and Severus' steady, ebony-clad one. He was surprised to find himself drawn into a tight embrace with Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape. The three held onto each other as they mourned the passing of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
*I love you, Albus, and I always will.*
_I'll miss you, Professor, and I always will._
{I have always respected you, Headmaster, and I always will.}