A/N: Chapter 9 is up now. Thank you for the 2 wonderful reviews for the last chapter. They really made my day :-)

CHAPTER 9

During the next weeks, the newspapers were filled with reports of the wizarding world but there were more and more informations about the muggle war, too. The attacks of wizards became even crueler than before and soon nobody doubted anymore that there was a connection between the two wars. Nonetheless the ministry still persisted on not caring about the muggles since they felt only responsible for wizards. Of course the news of thousands of death muggles couldn´t be left unnoticed anymore and the pictures of dead bodies and suffering people were stuck in the heads of every wizard and witch.

Minerva still waited for any indication that Albus and his helpers were alive but no matter how much she searched, there was not a word about him. She always told herself that no news were good news and so she decided to wait for her beloved to come back to her and their family.

People became worried about their lifes more and more each day. The attacks came closer and soon the first victims were found in London and even Hogsmeade. They were all family members of people who were fighting against Grindelwald in this war. Soon going out after darkness was not allowed anymore. Although there were more guards to protect people everywhere, the attacks kept increasing and soon Dippet, the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, decided that the students were allowed to go home to their families or stay in the school. Although Hogwarts was not involved in any crime yet, many parents wouldn´t trust in Armando Dippet anymore. He was known as a powerful wizard decades ago but he was becoming older and weaker and without Dumbledore as his deputy, Hogwarts didn´t seemed like a safe place.

Minerva and Perenelle avoided to leave the Dumbledore mansion as good as possible. Since Nicholas was away most of the time and Minerva as a highly pregnant Auror wasn´t really capable to protect others like she had before her pregnancy, the two women decided that Perenelle would move in with Minerva until the war was over. So the next day she brought her most important things with her along with the house elves.

Every evening the two witches would go out into the garden, strengthening the saving spells around the mansion with strong spells that would support the ones Albus Dumbledore had cast on it before he left.

Afterwards they would close themselves in the big house and while Thomas was sleeping soundly in the room next door, both witches sat down in the living room near the roaring fire and talked through the night.

"How did you met Albus? I bet there´s an interesting story to be told", Minerva asked one evening.

Perenelle smiled and softly began to speak.

"That was a long time ago. Albus wasn´t always the cheerful and wise wizard he is now. His childhood was anything but peaceful and many things went wrong when he grew up but this is a story I am leaving Albus to tell you when he comes back again. He lost himself after he graduated from Hogwarts and he suffered many loses that turned his life upside down.

I still remember that he took a job at a small bookstore near Hogsmeade. Nicholas has been there a lot since he has always been a bookworm and enjoyed the quietness of the little store. He met the young Albus back then. He was about twenty years old and when not having any costumers, he spend his time reading every book he could find. I bet he read every book in the whole store. Soon Nicholas and Albus talked to each other and Nicholas realized very soon that he met a very special person. He became more and more amazed about the other wizard. Albus was back then already extremely gifted and his magic was breathtaking, just as his knowledge about arithmetic. Even that young, he helped my dear husband with difficult questions of his project. It was clear that Albus needed some help to gain control over his life and his strong magic. He wasted away there and so Nicholas asked him to become his student. Since then Albus and Nicholas worked together. My husband became his mentor and they helped each other's. It was wonderful to have him around and he became the son Nicholas and I always dreamed of. We are still very close and I have to admit that he worried me a lot but I couldn´t be more proud of him. He changed a lot during this time and grew from this depressed lost and uncontrolled young man to the wise, calm and lovely genius we all know."

Minerva shuddered while absently stroking her belly, trying to calm down the kicking child inside her. She never asked him about his past and now she would pray to get the chance one day although she was very worried about the knowledge that she would receive then. What did Perenelle mean when she said that his childhood was anything but peaceful? Minerva blamed herself for never asking him personal things like these and showing him that she cared about him and his past. After all they spend much time together in Hogwarts. He was her mentor and showed her to become the youngest animagus ever. He teached her to trust in herself and soon the deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor became a dear friend to the young and talented Head girl of Gryffindor. Even after their training they spend many evenings together, playing chess, talking about transfiguration or just enjoying each other´s company while sipping tea in Albus´ living room.

Of course there had been many rumors about the two unusual friends at the beginning but Dippet trusted Dumbledore and didn´t question him once and everybody knew that Minerva was a genius in transfiguration and so it wasn´t really that unbelievable that she took extra lessons to improve her knowledge even more. Beside this, Minerva was never really a girl that would seem to have any interest in the other gender. She was far too strict and possessed with learning to have enough time for these kind of things. Her few friends knew the other softer side of her but most of the time she kept her strict facade to prevent other students to come too close to her since she has been disappointed more than once in her life and secretly, Dumbledore was proud to be one of the few chosen ones who came close enough to see the real Minerva behind the mask. He knew enough about her past to understand why she seemed so distant and cold. She never experienced the peaceful childhood like most of the other students and he tried to make her life at Hogwarts at least wonderful for her. When the small and skinny girl with the big emeralds eyes and the beautiful curly black hair grew to a beautiful and intelligent woman with shining green eyes and curves in the right places, Albus Dumbledore realized that his feelings towards his star students changed dramatically. There was no fatherly love left anymore but a love and desire he hated himself for. No matter how hard he tried, the feelings wouldn´t go away or change back into something that wouldn´t make him feel like an old pervert anymore.

Deep inside he knew that she felt the same about him because the loving look in her eyes gave it away but he tried hard to ignore all this and concentrated on her mind instead of her body. He succeeded all the time and always kept a professional distance between them, even when she confessed her feelings for him. He hated himself to disappoint her but there was no need to destroy her bright future with an affair that started as a schoolgirl crush on her teacher.

But when he saw her the first time at her graduation ball, Albus Dumbledore knew that he had no chance to avoid her tonight and of course she proved him right.

While both women sat in the large living room, their thoughts full with memories of better times, they almost overheard the soft knock at the window nearby. They jumped at the noise, their wands held up high, ready to face whoever might disturb the silence when they both saw Olwen, the old, black family owl of Perenelle and Nicholas outside the window, begging to be left inside. While Minerva went to the next room to gather some owl treats for the poor and exhausting bird, Perenelle took the small paper that it was holding. Her hand were trembling while she opened the parchment, recognizing the writing of her husband. With the bird sound and safe beside them, they sat down on the couch again, scared of what might come now but finally the older witch took a deep breath and started to read the message.

"Albus has found him. The last battle will start tonight. Let´s hope and pray for the best. Love Nicholas."

Minerva´s body clenched with fear and hot tears were freely streaming down her face. This was it, this was the night that will decide about their all fates. The silence was defeating while the women took each other´s hands, silently praying for Albus and all this supporters.

That´s it for now. There will be a drama and a baby in the next chapter :-)