Gifts of the Heart

Albus kept his left hand on the small of Minerva's back. He so wanted to embrace her but they did have an audience. Khalil stood in front of Minerva and Albus. Albus gripped his right shoulder. Mr. Hamdi adjusted his camera lens several times. "Now, a big smile, everyone."

They all smiled. Mr. Hamdi clicked the shutter.

"Mr. Hamdi, could you make a copy for me as well ... to remember the deputy headmaster by," Minerva said.

"Certainly." Mr. Hamdi replied.

Albus squeezed Minerva's hand. "Well, Miss McGonagall, we will await your arrival at Hogwarts and -"

"Og-warts?" Khalil asked.

Albus looked down at the boy. "My school. It's called Hogwarts."

"I've agreed to teach there, Khalil."

"You will be together at the school?"

Minerva smiled. "Yes, we will. As soon as the excavation is over, I will be off to Scotland."

Albus sighed loudly. "I should be off myself. Thank you, especially you, Khalil, for making my time here so enjoyable."

Khalil hugged Albus' middle. "Thank you for letting me read your books. I'll never forget."

Albus returned the hug. "And I won't forget you." Albus shook hands with Mr. Hamdi. "You have a wonderful boy here."

Minerva handed Albus a map. "I've marked the shorter route. The rental manager gave you instructions for the long way. The short way cuts at least a day off."

"Anxious to get rid of me, are you?" Albus teased. The sadness in her eyes sobered him. "I shall see you soon. It's only a few months."

Minerva fidgeted and crossed her arms across her chest. "So much to do 'til then. Take care of yourself."

"I promise. You do the same. I don't want to have a sick teacher on my hands."

Albus mounted his rented camel. He turned and waved behind him. His eyes lingered on Minerva before resolutely turning to the desert before him.

Inpatient fingers tapped against the the surface of the table. A flask hung suspended over a low fire in the center of the table. Its amber contents bubbled softly. The Forgesi Deziro looked rather harmless. Next to the flask lay Minerva's personal objects - some hair, a scarf and a letter made in her hand. Piers stilled his fingers and schooled his features to calmness.

"Explain again why we have to wait until tonight," Piers asked. "Potions was never one of my strong subjects."

Abdul clapped the shoulder of the younger man. "We will begin this morning by placing a few drops of the potion on each on of Minerva's possessions. This will begin the ritual of identity bonding."

"That will brand the potion for Minerva, correct?"

"Yes, in order to be effective, the potion must be unique to the one who will be consuming it." Abdul arranged Minerva's objects in a row on the table. "When one casts an accio spell like accio my wand, your wand is branded with your ownership, so the spell knows what to retrieve for you. The Forgesi Deziro potion has a much more difficult task than mere ownership. It must shape a person's emotions and memories."

"Memories? Wipe them, completely?"

"Not all memories only those which are related to strong feelings like intimacy or love. Such memories will be erased. It will be as if they had never happened." Using a dropper, Abdul placed five drops of the potion on each object. He mouthed an incantation in Arabic. He said Minerva's name twice. After he finished, the objects began to glow in the same amber hues as the potion ultimately would. Wisps of white smoke rose from the flask. "There the ritual bonding has been initiated. When the smoke becomes amber then the ritual is complete."

"The potion will be ready by tonight?"

"Yes. I will teach you the charming spell while we wait. You need to say the charm while Minerva drinks the potion."

"If I don't?"

"Then the potion's effects do not become permanent."

"I see. That's good to know." Piers breathed out, in and out again. "Now, we wait."

Khalil ran across the camp to Minerva's side calling out, "Miss Minerva! Miss! Albus has left his trunk behind. We must follow him."

Minerva's expression was serious but her eyes shone with suppressed merriment. "Did he now?"

Khalil took a few deep breaths. "The bed is empty and the desk too, but his trunk is under the cot."

"Perhaps he meant to leave it." Minerva put her arm around the young boy's shoulder. They began to walk towards Albus' tent. "Before he left this morning, he told me that there were some things that he could not carry back with him. I am assuming that whatever those things were are in the trunk he left behind."

They reached the tent and Minerva opened the trunk. As the air escaped from within, she inhaled deeply. Albus' unique scent lingered in the tent but the trunk had held his personal effects and so his scent was more pronounced. Inside above a layer of books, they found a letter for Minerva and another for Khalil. Sitting on the cot, Minerva put aside her letter and watched as Khalil read his letter.

Khalil read the letter through once and his eyes darted from the letter to the trunk and back to the letter again. "The books ... the books ... he's given them to me. All of them ... to be my treasure like Aladdin!" With some reverence, Khalil lifted a few books and placed them on the cot. "My own atlas. The binding is beautiful. The Adventures of Sinbad! Idylls of the King?"

Minerva fingered the leather bound book fondly. "It's full of heroes and adventures."

"I must tell my father." Khalil stood up and made to leave but he turned back. "Will you watch my books until I come back?"

Minerva chuckled. "I would be honored."

The boy scampered away. Minerva opened her letter.

My heart,

The days shall ebb to night. The sun shall warm my face and the rain shall cool my brow. All this I know shall pass and be. But I watch you sleeping and too soon I miss your smile, your eyes, your touch. What shall I do to temper this longing?

Your sleep is restless. I touch your cheek to soothe you. Your eyes open and I return to lie with you again. I hold you close as you twine your legs with mine. How can I leave my heart behind?

Because of you I dare to dream of things once beyond my reach. It is your unwitting gift, my love. For each day we are parted, your gift shall lend me strength and purpose. When you come to me, I shall show you our new home, our new life. We have been wanderers too long, you and I.

Until that day, know that I leave my heart with you, always. But how do I leave my heart? An object at Hogwarts inspired my gift. Touch your mirror and gaze upon it. There will be my love and my heart for your sight alone.

Hurry to me,

Albus

Minerva wiped a tear away just as Khalil led his father into the tent chattering happily. Minerva looked away for a moment to compose herself. She carefully placed Albus' letter into her pocket.

"Look, papa, look! All mine!" Khalil gestured at the open trunk.

"Is this true, Miss Minerva? Did Albus leave this for my boy?" Mr. Hamdi asked.

Minerva stood up. "Oh, yes, very true. Albus wanted to travel light you see."

Mr. Hamdi studied the books. "The English school has nothing as fine as this. This is too great a gift for one so young."

"But they're mine!" Khalil protested. The thought of losing his gifts was too distressing. "I will take care of them, Papa, I will! I will be so very careful and ... and di-li-gent."

"I know you will and I will help you. This gift came from Albus' generous heart so your gratitude must be of your heart."

"What shall I give in return?" Khalil looked up at his father.

"Perhaps, a large rug or a tapestry or -"

Minerva interrupted what could easily turn into a long conversation. "I need to get something from my tent before I go to site four. I'll leave this in your capable hands."

Minerva restrained her impulse to sprint to her tent. She peered cautiously into her mirror. She saw only her reflection. What was Albus' gift, she wondered. She traced the frame of the mirror. As her fingers made contact she felt a small charge. An image of Albus appeared behind her image. She watched mesmerized as Minerva and Albus embraced, smiled at each other, held hands or kissed gently.

For a time she sat on her bed and just gazed at the mirror. After a half hour, she roused herself. The sooner her work was done, the sooner she could retire. She wanted to fall asleep looking at Albus.

In Cairo, Piers shared last meal with Abdul and Hema. The last time he observed the potion the smoke had gone milky white. It would not be much longer before it was completely amber in color. He estimated a few hours at most. Near the end of their meal, an owl landed on the counter. Hema gave the owl some meat and handed the scroll to her husband.

Abdul began to read. "Hema, you will never guess who this is from."

"Who?"

"Albus."

"Do not tell me he is once more trying to persuade you to become a potions master at that school of his."

Abdul laughed. He looked at his wife fondly. "As much as I would enjoy the salary, the weather is atrocious."

Under the table, Piers drew his wand against his leg. His body tensed in anticipation and dread.

"What does he want then?"

"Let me see. The light is so poor here." Abdul moved to stand by the door where a bright lamp hung. "Abdul, I have found a muggle born emerging wizard. I have seen his powers manifest with my own eyes. He is young about ten but very clever and charming."

"Albus is such a good man." Hema observed.

Abdul continued to read the letter. "I ask that you see to him next year and help him enroll him at the Cairo Institute. I will speak with the Institute headmaster about creating a scholarship to cover tuition, expenses and a stipend. His information is below."

"How many scholarships has he funded by now?"

"Dozens I believe." Abdul shifted the letter to see better. "You must be wondering what I am doing here in Egypt, old friend. I am on yet another recruiting mission for Armando. But this time I am successful. A young, talented witch will be taking a position as Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts later this year. I do not believe you know of her. Her name is Minerva McGonagall ..."

Husband and wife looked at each other horrified. Hema exclaimed. "Oh, Piers, Albus is a man of honor. He would not -"

Hema never finished. A jet of green light shot out from Piers' wand hitting Hema. "Avada Kedavra!"

Abdul bolted out of the kitchen muttering, "Allah, preserve us, I must ... must destroy it."

The potions master turned a corner just as a wall beside him convulsed absorbing the power of the killing curse. Abdul ran harder. His chest heaved and his legs grew heavy. "What have I done?" He could hear the younger man gaining.

Abdul reached his laboratory and slammed the door shut. Without hesitation he threw himself at the objects on the table. He scattered them to the floor breaking the connection to the potion. His eyes looked to the flask. "Allah forgive me!"

He felt the stab of the killing curse. "Amber ... too late, too late -" In the last moments of his life, Abdul nudged the stand that held the potion. The potion slid to the table and began to roll. Its contents dribbled out.

Piers ran to the table to save his potion. He caught the flask before it could roll off completely. It was still half full. "This will be more than enough. You will be mine, Minerva. All mine."