Sacrifice

Author: Leta McGotor

Sorry, that I needed so long this time. If you killed all my teachers, I would update sooner, really ;-). But because this can't be the case… Nevertheless I try to update as soon as possible. Right? – A big thank-you goes to all my reviewers, of course, they are most important.

Chapter 7: In the Gardens

Only a very light breeze blew around the two figures walking slowly through one of the gardens. There were many gardens. Some of them were huge ones to grow vegetables for the kitchen, others were so tiny that in them only one kind of flower was growing. The two lonely figures were making their way through them. They had left the gardens for growing vegetables behind them – they were not really nice to look at. But Albus knew where to go to find the most beautiful places in the big maze consisting of ways, plants, heches and flowers.

Next to Albus Minerva was slowly walking. She stared at the ground with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She hadn't even looked up when they had crossed the first parts of the gardens. She hadn't noticed anything of the plants around her, because she was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice that Albus once or twise pulled her in the right direction, so that she did not walk straight into the next wall.

Finally they had reached the spot Albus had aimed at. It was the last part of a little garden covered with different kinds of roses. There was an uncountable amount of them and it was hard to differ between the different colours, although it seemed that every colour had its representative in this garden. The whole rainbow seemed to have given its colour to those roses. In the back of this garden there was no wall seperating it from other spots, because there was a high cliff. If you stood at the right spot you could look over a huge valley with all its woods, meadows, fields, lakes and little rivers. At exactly this spot an old oak tree was standing and it held at one of its strongest branches a swing that was made for two persons.

When they entered the garden Minerva didn't look up. She hadn't said a word at all since they had left the room. Albus, too, had stayed silent, partly because he didn't know what to say and partly because he didn't know how to begin. Those revelations had come to him as a shock as well and he was not sure which way they should choose. Only one thing was clear for Albus: At the end of this way had to stand a cure for his beloved Minerva or he wouldn't go it. But right at the moment his intention was to brighten Minerva a bit up for she looked not only deep in thoughts but really depressed.

"Minerva, look at those roses. Aren't they beautiful?"

"Mmm…" Minerva hadn't really looked up. She only nodded and stared into nothingness.

"Do you see those colours and the way they are growing…"

"Mmm…"

"You don't even look at them. Come here." Before Minerva could show any reaction at all, Albus had layed his arm around her shoulders and had pulled her close to him. Then he turned around to show her one of the few trees standing in the garden that was covered all over with roses. This one was a completely white birch and red roses were climbing all over it.

"It looks like in a fairy tale, doesn't it?" Albus asked her without taking his eyes off the tree. But this sudden turn had worked. Minerva looked at it, too, and agreed. The whole garden looked as if it was from another world.

"You're right, Albus. This is indeed beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you are, my dear."

"Albus, I believe you had far too many of those sweets. You cannot think clearly anymore."

"Do you think so?" He asked mockingly and then laughed, Minerva smiled. She felt comfortable with his arm around her shoulders and it seemed that all her dark thoughts had simply vanished.

"There is one other place in this garden that I wanted to show you." He led her to the oak tree with the swing, but before she could see the fantastic view, all went black.

"Albus, what have you done now?" She asked feeling around and hoping to find something that she could identify.

"I've placed a cloth over your eyes, so you can't see it before I tell you. Trust me."

"I always trust you." He led her to the swing and made her sit down. Then he stood behind her and took the cloth away. Minerva blinked but then sat quite still. She hadn't awaited something that beautiful. She could see a huge valley with little rivers and lakes. The clouds were light purple coloured because of the sun and at some places they let the light fall through them and illuminate certain places. It was an amazing sight.

Minerva felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into the smiling face of Albus.

"If there is again a time when you don't know what to do and all looks so dark that it seems that there is no way out, remember that there are still those places, those times, that are as beautiful and unbelievable as this one. They can give you the hope and the strenght to continue. They are always there, but you have to look up and to see them. Sometimes this is not easy, but it is possible, you must only try."

Minerva sighed and then smiled. "You are right, Albus, of course you are. But you know me, I'm no simple person. Sometimes I need somebody who shows me the right way and all those wonderful things. Mostly this person is you, by the way. So don't you dare let me alone sometime."

"Never."

"Well, then you are aloowed to sit down beside me. This swing is big enough for two persons." They both smiled at each other and Albus hurried to sit down. With his arm around her shoulders and her head leaning against his, they sat there for quite a time in a comfortable silence. They didn't need to say anything, because they could understand each other without words and they felt understood as well.

But then the time came when things didn't accept to be pushed aside any longer. So Albus sighed and cleared his throat.

"Minerva?"

"Yes?"

"You know that we have to make a decision any time soon about this whole matter, don't you?"

"Of course, but I'm not at all sure what to do. I don't know wether I can trust him and it is hard to work together with someone you don't trust."

"I know. One can't concentrade on the work but only on those things. It's maddening. On the one hand Carni is the chance for you to find a cure, but on the other hand it is maybe better to look around. Maybe we will find someone else who can help us or we find this cure on our own."

"Don't be naïve, Albus. We two would never find a cure, especially not in time. And what do you think how many peaople are there, who have such a big knowledge about all those things like him?"

"I don't know, but if you feel uncomfortable to work with him…"

"I will not give it up now, I believe. No matter how much I trust him or not. If their aim is to find this cure, because it would mean general success and respect for him, they will work as hard as we do to really find it. It's our garantie. I don't know how you think about it, Albus, but I would rather not give up now. We haven't really started yet and I know we will not have unlimited time."

"Right. It's your decision of course, but if we continue I would be glad about it, really. Not matter what, I will always support you."

"Then we will continue." She answered with finality and determination in her eyes.

"Right.", he answered earnestly. Minerva smiled.

"Do we have time to enjoy this view a bit longer?"

"No."

"No?"

"Of course, we have – I was only joking." He smiled. Minerva shook her head before she leaned against him once more and closed her eyes. Albus pulled her closer and looked at her. She looked beautiful and for him all the wonderfulness around him vanished and only Minerva stayed. He couldn't live without her, he knew that.

Slowly he bent down and kissed her slightly on the cheek, not really realising what he was doing at all. So he was startled when Minerva suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him.

So, finally the next chapter. Please, tell me what you liked or not. I can hardly wait to read what you think about it.