Seven -

Albus sank back into his seat, his face white and still. Minerva closed her eyes, cursing herself. She shouldn't have got so angry- if only she had been able to control her temper, if only she had walked away, she would never have told him, he would still be ignorant of the things in her past.

But she couldn't change it now. It was there, hanging between them and as much as she wanted to run away, she knew that she couldn't. She knew that she owed him an explanation. She sat back down and sighed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What?" He asked vacantly.

"I'm sorry."

Albus shook his head. "Don't say that, it is me who should be sorry. Was it that night when I found you? Did I come too late?"

"No, no, it was the night that I said... all of those things," she replied quietly.

"I didn't even know- you looked strange but I would never have guessed... oh, how could I not have noticed? It was that very night?"

She nodded. "I came straight to you."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"You would have killed him," she said simply.

"Yes."

"And I couldn't have you do that for me- you would have gone to Azkaban and I would have been on my own."

"I would do anything for you," he said. "But your right, I would have killed him. Slowly. I can't believe I didn't know, I knew I couldn't trust him- I knew it and now with-"

"With what?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "Minerva, I'm sorry I wasn't there, I should have been."

"It's not your fault," she smiled sadly. "Whats done is done. But now you understand why I had to leave you."

"It doesn't, my dear."

"Oh," she said, shocked. "I had to leave you because I had betrayed you. You deserved more than that, you deserved more than me after that happened- I made myself vulnerable, it was my fault- he did things to overpower me that I didn't know what to do but... I should have-"

"Please stop," Albus said, somewhat angrily. "It wasn't your fault. Tom Riddle was a dark boy, full of secrets with powers even I didn't know he had. Please do not blame yourself-"

"And you shouldn't blame yourself, Albus, you could never have known."

"I'll think about it," a warm smile crept over his face until suddenly his face dropped and his skin turned grey.

"What is it, what's wrong?"

"Emelia- is she... is she Tom Riddle's child?" His face twisted with sickness.

"No! Certainly not!" Minerva cried. She hadn't for a moment thought that Albus would come to that conclusion.

"I'm sorry, it's just the age gap- the fact that you won't reveal who her father is-"

Before Minerva could reply, a great red phoenix swept through the window and landed gracefully on the desk. His bowed his head slightly to Albus before dropping a neatly tied scroll from his mouth into Albus's lap.

"That looks important," Minerva said as he began to open it. "I'll speak with you another time," she began to make her way to the door but stopped when Albus cried out.

"No! Minerva, it's for you- it's Emelia, someone tried to take her, your mother wants you-"

She stopped listening as she marched up to him, her heart in her throat. She snatched the parchment from him and scanned it quickly. "Albus, I have to go- get me a broom, anything, I have to get to her now-"

"Calm down, Minerva, we'll-"

"Don't tell me to calm down- you don't understand! This is my daughter, I need to get to her, oh, I should never have left, why would someone want my baby?"

"I don't know," Albus said. "What I do know is I'm coming you. I won't let you go on your own, in case it isn't safe-"

Minerva could only nod, she didn't have time or room to worry about Albus seeing their daughter and realising how alike they were. She could only think about getting to her. She wasn't moving quick enough and nor was Albus- didn't he understand that she needed to get there now? She could have screamed with impatience.

"Minerva, please step into my fire place-"

"But you can't Floo out of this castle," she protested.

"I can- the Headmaster of Hogwarts is able to but nobody knows, it's best that way," he explained as he ushered her into the wide fireplace. Had she had time to notice, Minerva would have realised that he held her hand as he ordered them to her mothers.

Her mother, Thomasine, jumped as her fireplace glowed grin. "Oh, Minerva you got here quicker than I thought," she stopped when she saw Albus. Minerva saw her face flicker with confusion and then realisation and she knew immediately that her mother knew that this was Emelia's father. "I'm sorry, I don't know-"

"I'm Professor Albus Dumbledore, Mrs Mcgonagall," Albus said politely. "I've escorted Minerva for the purpose of saving time."

"Of course," Thomasine replied. "Minerva, Emelia's upstairs now but she was calling for you-"

Minerva rushed off before her mother could finish, running up the stairs two at a time. She had to see her daughter safe, she had to hold her. She burst into Emelia's room, making the girl wake sleepily and hold her little arms out to her.

"I'm here, I'm here," Minerva reassured herself as much as her daughter as she fell to the bed and scooped the child into her arms. She kissed her red hair. "I'm sorry anything bad happened to you."

"I want to live with you," the girl said sleepily as she snuggled her head into Minerva's chest. "I miss you."

"You can come and live with me, darling," Minerva said, riddled with guilt. "In the morning, you have to go to sleep first," but as she said it she realised that the child was already asleep. Gently, she lifted the child back into bed, kissed her soft forehead and silently left the room, leaving the door open so she would hear if Emelia were to call her.

Thank God she was okay! Her baby was safe, she was with her- she should never have left her. All because she was worried that Albus might realise- she had put her daughter in jeopardy because of all her lies, she had risked her safety simply because Minerva was scared.

She found Thomasine serving tea when she returned to the sitting room. Albus looked up at her expectantly. "Your mother was just telling me what happened- Minerva, I think it has something to do with Riddle."

"It always has," Minerva said. "Riddle won't touch her, I know that, because he'll be dead before he gets the chance. She is going to come back with me, Mother."

Thomasine nodded. "Thought as much, she should have been there before but I see why she couldn't be now."

"Why was that?" Albus asked innocently.

Thomasine raised her eyebrows. "It's not my place to say," she replied quickly. "I'm off to bed, stay up as long as you like, Minerva, you know where the guest rooms are," and she was gone before Minerva could reply.

The two stayed silent for a moment, Albus blew at his tea to cool it down while Minerva watched the empty fireplace. She knew that she had to tell Albus everything and instead of feeling sick with nerves she was surprisingly calm, as if she had accepted it. The terror at the thought of anything happening to Emelia had made her realise that nothing was as important as her daughter. If Albus hated her for keeping this from him, if he left them, she could live with the knowledge that she had Emelia. Emelia was all that mattered.

"Albus-"

"Your mother doesn't like me," Albus smiled mischievously. "She was cooly polite."

"There's a reason for that," Minerva said. "She was shocked to see you, you see-"

"Is everything okay?" Albus asked. "With Emelia?"

"Yes, thank- you," Minerva said, "She's asleep. Look, Albus-"

"Why would Riddle want her?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why would Riddle want Emelia?" Albus asked. "Look, I know I've already asked, but I need to know, to protect you both, is Emelia Riddle's child? There's no shame in it, I just need to know-"

"No! Albus, I've been trying to tell you. Riddle hasn't anything to do with Emelia," she paused and closed her eyes. "Albus, Emelia... is your daughter."

"You can't be serious!" Albus cried.

"I'm afraid-"

"And you didn't tell me? You made me look a fool? A useless father? Does Poppy know?"

Minerva shook her head.

"But your mother does."

"Only from seeing you tonight, you see, Emelia looks like you-"

"Oh, don't," Albus croaked. "You took my daughter away from me- I could have cared for both of you but you didn't give me the chance-"

"Albus, I-"

"It was not your choice! She is equally ours! How could you do this to me? I never knew that you were so cunning, so secretive! I thought you values honesty but your a liar! You hurt people just to make sure that you are okay-"

"That wasn't my intention! I care nothing for myself-"

"I cannot believe that! You have robbed me of my daughter, you have robbed me of a wife! I loved you and you took that from me! You took any chance I had of happiness, a family- no!" Albus bellowed. "Don't speak. You have nothing to say that I care for. Bring Emelia to Hogwarts, I need to protect her and don't you dare run away- I'll come after you and drag her back, not you. I don't need you, Minerva. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't care to see you again. You've broken everything we could have had. Bring her tomorrow, Good Night."

"Albus- Albus- I love you, please understand-"

"I don't think you understand, my dear. I don't love you. And I don't want you."