Sorry for the time it took me to upload. I had other things to write, and then I had an accident (yea, just during the summer break... see how lucky I am??) and was stuck in hospital for a week, in no state to write, I can promise! But now I have to stay at my parents' for a month, and I can't move or walk or do anything else than work or write or read... or play chess, but I'm a beginner chess player!... So I'll have time to go on with this story! Anyway are reviewers all in holiday? I thought I begged you to tell me what you think at the end of the last chapter I posted? Pleaeaease?
7. Gryffindor nerves.
It was Monday evening, in the Gryffindor Common Room. Albus had settled himself in a chair, near the window. He hadn't seen Minerva all day, which wasn't surprising since she had had a very busy day. So he was waiting for her. The light was beginning to fade outside, so they wouldn't have their daily walk that evening, but that didn't forbid them to speak. He observed the flames dancing under the mantelpiece, projecting moving lights in the entire room, changing Gryffindor red in burning orange. Over there was Gladys Potter, a fourth year, playing chess with a classmate. Albus wasn't very familiar with her; he just knew she had a brother named Jack, a very nice little boy. Her classmate was hidden in the shadow, but he still could recognize Mary O'Connon, another fourth year. In another corner was a group of second years. Indeed, the Common Room was unusually quiet for this hour of the evening. Most of the student had been late to dinner, for a reason he ignored, and so were still down there.
Finally, students arrived, by groups of two or three, chatting, through the portrait hole. Albus saw them fill the room, little by little, occupying in priority the places near the fire. Two pupils were apparently flirting there. Albus wasn't cold, though. He was dreaming. More precisely, musing on his future. Carola and Charles had teased him once again because he had never had a girlfriend, and though he usually didn't give a thought to that sort of worry -"It will come when it's time to"- he sometimes, rarely, wondered when that time will be. What if he never, ever found anybody with whom he would like to found a family?... The ceiling definitely didn't want to answer to him, so he stopped staring at it, and let his eyes wander for a minute... until he saw Minerva come in, which shut his thoughts down. He sight, while she headed to him. She looked all right.
"Hi, Minerva, I was beginning to think you'd never come!
-Hi, I was eating.
-Why so late? I saw everybody stayed out longer today..."
She sat.
"Really didn't you hear? She said in an unconvinced tone.
-No, what?"
She eyed him very suspiciously.
"So nobody told you? You didn't see?
-Uh uh...
-There were centaurs on the grounds!
-Centaurs? Aren't they supposed to be very solitary creatures?
-Never mind, they're beautiful! Professor... err... Can't recall her name, but anyway the Divination teacher invited them, I don't know what for about Hufflepuff advanced lessons...
-Oh..."
She did looked very excited.
"Though she did tell us to let them alone, but...
-Yea, you wouldn't stop staring... Anyway, I don't think she actually hoped you would! Bringing centaurs in and asking you not to look at them..." he smiled playfully.
"Oh, you know, they're beautiful! she exclaimed again,
-Amazing creatures, yes, I know" He replied calmly.
"I can't believe you missed it!"
He chuckled: "I'll survive, really"
"But Albus, she pleaded, they are...
-Astounding? Gorgeous? Incredible?
-...
-I did see a centaur in my third year, you know...
-Oooo...
-But I'm sure I'll get by on not having seeing them today"
She rolled her eyes.
"Ok, ok, you're right... But it was worth being late at dinner!
-I suppose it was." He paused. "How was your day, anyway?
-Oh... My day... Well... began... err, specially, but then the remainder was ok...
-And what was the beginning like?"
Albus hadn't had transfiguration yet.
"Like someone who's just lost a child" came the answer.
"True... Sorry, I was prying."
She raised her eyebrows and smiled at him.
"You weren't. It's ok." She took her breath. "Can't we just go somewhere else? I always feel like everybody's listening to us when we're here"
He laughed.
"Didn't know you were that much paranoid. Have you some great secret to reveal?
-Of course not. But I don't like that impression with everybody around. It's nearly creepy.
-Anyway we can't go away, the night has fallen.
-Right... What about the dormitories?
-Minerva McGonagall! He laughed. D'you imagine what everybody would think if I spent my time in the First Year Girl Dormitory??
-Ok, she laughed, ok..." She tried to hide a yawn.
They continued small talk, unless she finally decided to relate him her transfiguration lesson.
The lesson had been very quiet and usual, until a stupid student, or, well, a student Minerva found stupid, namely Phil, turned Earnest grey. In fact, they had been working on colours, and after half an hour of complicated explanations, each had been given a roll of white parchment. The first step was to turn it black, and back to white. Everyone had, more or less easily, and more or less rapidly -according to Minerva, her classmates were mostly slower than slugs- succeeded. Then, they had to make it gradually of all shades of grey, which was much more precise, and consequently much more difficult. And then, out of concentration on the strength of the spell, Phil had forgotten to aim correctly... And turned grey Earnest instead of the parchment. Though the shade was exactly the right one...
"I'd swear Professor Dippet nearly laughed when he saw it, you know!... Nearly... He turned him his original colour gradually! Though I suspect it was just for fun, and he could have spare him that... First he gave him back his skin's colour, and Earnest found himself all like that: hair, clothes and all! Then he received his eyes' shade back, then his hair's, and finally his clothes'... It's really like Pr Diggory to do that, you know, but... He was like... Like not actually amused. At the beginning he was with us, nearly laughing as I said, and then, just after, it was as if... You know, as if he was doing it out of habit, but, not enjoying the fun himself..."
They both sighed at the same time. Their eyes met and they smiled.
"Ok, not a very funny topic, is it ? Albus admitted. I hate seeing people that way...
-So do I, definitely. She yawned.
-...
-We can't do anything, can we?
-Not really, I suppose."
There was a silence.
"You look tired, Albus, you should go to bed, you know...
-I don't feel like sleeping.
-You're not reasonable... she reproached,
-So you finally noticed?"
Even Minerva had to laugh at that.
"Go on, Min', go to bed, you're half-sleeping, I can see that...
-Yea... You should also... Oh never mind, you're a stubborn unreasonable boy... Good Night anyway...
-Good night. Sleep Well.
-I'll try"
And she went to the girl staircase.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gryffindor 7th Years had transfiguration on Tuesday, first period of the afternoon. And that Tuesday, during lunch, you could find Albus Dumbledore and Alastor Moody eating, at the Gryffindor table. Not very unusual. More unusual was their conversation :
"Are you sure? a bewildered Dumbledore was saying.
-Positively, Albus! I tell you I found it in my father's files!
-Oh my god... I never knew spying was a genetic legacy...
-What? Moody tried to reply innocently.
-Well first, I can't see how your father would have allowed you to consult his Ministry's top secret files, and then... How on earth did you go out of Hogwarts those days?
-One thing right out of two. My father is perfectly aware of that... And as for consulting him while being at school... My secret?
-You're truly a spy...
-Isn't that what we need?
-It is. Albus admitted.
-So anyway, do we speak to Pr Diggory?
-If you're sure he has engaged himself in that war...
-He has, I swear. For Goodness Albus, would I be so sure otherwise?
-No, I know you're a Moody...
-True! You must have frequented Charles too much...
-Alastor!
-Ok, ok, no offence meant. Let's get back to our matter. I'm sure Diggory will be able to help us to contact the ministry and offer our help against Grindewald.
-Professor Diggory, Albus corrected automatically
-Whatever. Do we try?"
Albus took a moment of reflection, before deciding:
"Let's do it!
-Good point."
Moody began eating again. Nobody seemed to have noticed anything at the table, and the Great Hal was just like it always had been at this hour, full of relaxed children and teenagers, eating, chatting, sometimes giggling... and yes, often complotting about more or less important matters.
"More salt than usual in those potatoes, isn't it?
-Yea, that's right"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three days later, Albus had a free period at the end of his afternoon, and was daydreaming in the library, looking straight over a heavy leather book about "Advanced grammar of ancient Runes" -which was its subtitle- when Alastor Moody entered, seemingly looking for something... or someone :
"Oh, Hi, Albus, I have to talk to you.
-Now?
-Yea, now..."
Albus sight, and looked tired. He knew it wasn't urgent, and it was just in Alastor's way, to make it look like a matter of life or death.
"Can't it wait, really?
-No it can't -Albus doubted that very much- it's about... you know what...
-Again?
-Yea I crossed... him, three minutes ago.
-Err... who?" Said Albus, sincerely not wanting to pay too much attention, or think too much of anything. His head felt about to explode if he had to analyse any complex matter that afternoon.
"You know who,
-Oh, Professor Diggory?
-Ssshhhhh...
-It's Ok Alastor, you've the right to speak to a Professor without catching any attention!
-Yea, yea, Ok. But let that book and come with me in a more private place, please"
Albus threw a circular look.
"Why, I can't see any ferocious librarian about to yell at us for chatting in here? he said, smiling.
-Oh for Goodness' sake Albus, it's important.
-... I'm busy? Working?
-No you're not.
-What if I was?
-I'll never understand what you can find in ancient rune! Won't help you to fight!
-Great philosophical opening, Alastor..."
Moody looked at loss for word.
"Uh? And so?
-Never mind." Albus knew he couldn't convince his friend of that.
Alastor sighed.
"So will you come, please? He said
-Ok, to tell you the truth, I won't, because I'm waiting for Minerva, who'll come to see me here as soon as her first flying lesson is over.
-It's today?
-Yes.
-It's late.
-Gryffindor were the last.
-Oh..."
Alastor looked really exasperated.
"Now, actually Alastor, can't it wait? Albus asked, knowing the answer.
-All right, concretely it can...
-I knew it...
-But you also know each information has to be passed as soon as possible.
-Yea, yea... But it's still school Alastor, We're not on the war yet.
-We'll soon be... And it wouldn't be bad to be used to it."
Albus sighed. "Here is Minerva, he said, spotting her, if you'll excuse us, Alastor
-Ok, ok, I'll let you baby-sitting then" Moody spat out.
Albus couldn't help laughing while Moody got away, fuming.
"He does not look happy, does he?" Minerva asked.
"Certainly not, he's jealous of you.
-He what?
-Never mind, only joking, replied a good-naturedly smiling Albus.
-ehem..." She glared at him.
"Ok, apparently your flying lesson wasn't all fun, was it?
-Why, is it written on my face?
-You're virtually sending daggers at me. Albus said calmly.
-Ok, it went all wrong. I'm sure I'll never be able to fly. And I'm going to take a bath. Bye."
And with that she was gone. Albus, seriously doubting her assessment about her capacities, went back to work, as if nothing. People would have to stop quarrelling at a point.
That evening, he ate with a very secretive Alastor Moody, and went back with him to the Common Room, were they began discussing Quidditch with Charles and Carola. Minerva was, anyway, nowhere to be seen. She seemed to have settled in her dormitory and decided to hide there until next day. It would apparently be a long, a lingering evening.
After about a quarter of an hour in the Common Room, Albus knew the time for Dinner was over, and Minerva still hadn't shown up. Sighing, he decided to check if she was ok... Well, let's say... if she wasn't about to throw herself from the astronomy tower...
He asked Joyce and Lilian, who were apparently trying to understand a transfiguration lesson, in a corner of the room, but they hadn't seen Minerva since about an hour, when she had thrown them out of the dormitory, refused to explain to them their transfiguration work, and wrangle over with Milane, who was currently nowhere to be seen, but in their opinion still very upset. So, Albus thought, she had to be in the dormitory, bathing in depression about nothing important. What a nice idea, indeed!
He hesitated a bit, but finally headed toward the girl staircase, and to the First Years' Dormitory. He pushed the door carefully, and here she was... She seemed to have stopped sobbing, but her face was covered in tears, and she was lying in her bed, staring at the dark ceiling above her. She didn't appear to have noticed Albus' presence.
He coughed.
"...
-Err... Min'?
-...
-Minerva?"
Still no answer. She didn't even glared at him... Though that was perhaps a positive sign, thinking of it.
So he drew nearer, and sat beside her.
"Minerva? he repeated.
-What?
-Err... basically nothing, just you seem awfully sad, and since I'm err... supposed to be your friend...
-I'm stupid.
-Well I don't think so, but it has to be a matter of point of view, he said thoughtfully.
-Albus!
-What?"
He took an innocent face, but she didn't even see it.
"I'm a desperate case at flying, you know?
-Is it your opinion or Pr Cora's one?
-She is pitiful, you know.
-Not that much in my memory, she's realistic.
-Well I'm sure she thought I was awful, Minerva affirmed in a definite tone.
-What if I'm sure she didn't?"
Minerva glared at him.
"Anything else went bad today?"
She turned over, as if not wanting to answer.
"Can you never stop to read mind? Ok, everything went bad, it was a horrible day.
-Oh... That much?
-I had Herbology in first period, again...
-Yea, well I fear that will be the case each Friday of the year, you know...
-Oh don't be sarcastic, you perfectly know what I mean. Ad then Slytherins were horrible with me. Finally this afternoon my potion went wrong, and then the Flying lesson was a real pity!"
Albus took a breath... So, all right, she had had a horrible time... Couldn't Slytherins sometime let holiday to the remainder of the castle, really?
"That seems to me a bad day, so... tomorrow will be better?
-Oh, just shut up with your old moralistic clichés!"
There was a silence.
"Thanks, Min'...
-Sorry, I'm angry...
-Seems so. I'll be in the Common Room anyway." He said with the most quiet voice he could still master.
And not so sweet and patient Albus got out of the Dormitory, of the Girl staircase, and went to sit with Alastor. This one didn't know where Charles was, or Carola, which was a shame, since Albus would have done with a bit of relaxed friends... Really... They had to be wandering somewhere with the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw twins... Somewhere probably not really allowed or recommended for students after curfew, Albus though, amused. That deserted corridor in the fourth floor occurred to him, but really, he wasn't really in a mood to look for them.
Albus and Alastor were plotting in a shadowing corner when Albus saw Minerva out of the corner of his eye. He tried to make Alastor aware of it, but as Minerva seemed to head toward her First years friends, he changed his mind, and contented with observing her... and in the process not paying much attention to Alastor. She sat ten minutes with her friends, and headed back to the staircase, getting out of Albus' sigh field. Instead of focusing back on Alastor's speech, he just let his mind wander a few instants through the window, in the darkening sky... when suddenly, he became very aware of Alastor having shouted something and not speaking any more :
"Albus? Albus do you listen to me?
-Err... Well... Yes of course I listened, until... err...
-This little girl of yours was listening to me!"
Then he noticed Minerva, behind them, under Alastor's accusatory eyes, and his firm grip, on her arm... She didn't spat out a word.
"It's ok, Alastor, you don't have to held her, she isn't Grindewald's spy...
-Albus:
-What?
-Don't you think she heard enough without you précising about whom... Oh, you're a... a...
-You're a liar, Minerva cried, you didn't even tell me!
-Of course he didn't!" Alastor stated, as if speaking to a three-year-old child.
That was when Albus lost his comprehension of the scene... Alastor was angry, Minerva was angry, and anyway he was tired.
"Will you release her, Alastor", he finally said, noticing he was still holding his little friend.
Everybody stopped speaking at once. Wow, that was a good thing. And so Albus opened his eyes.
"Ok, Alastor, calm down, it's not the end of the world."
Alastor seemed really annoyed but didn't expressed it anyway, which was quite unlike his usual self, but who knows, perhaps he was becoming more human?
"Min'?
-Don't call me that way! I thought we were friends! You were supposed to tell me about your projects!...
-That was a bit... err... secret!
-And so? Am I not able to keep a secret?
-Minerva...
-Oh, stop it Albus, you can't let an 11-year-old know all about important things! Alastor finally spat out as an evidence."
Minerva looked really upset. She glared at them, both of them, sending poisonous daggers straight at Albus and despising ones at Alastor. "So it's that way?" she said crossly, and she left them. She went to the portrait hole, spat out the password, and got out of sight.
"Good point", Alastor said.
"Alastor!" And Albus sighed, again... What had he done so bad to involve himself in that sort of battle...
After that, Albus' evening didn't stand a chance to finish like a decent one. Though, he didn't measure how much like nightmares evenings could turn, until he saw Minerva enter back the Common Room, crying, and running to her bed, without a word. 'What, again?' He thought...
He went to the portrait and asked the Fat Lady :
"Hello Dear!
-Hello, What did she say?
-Who? That crying girl?... Something about a perfect end to a perfect day, I think...
-What happened?
-Now that's an interesting question! Sir Greatpock's portrait told me... You won't believe her lack of luck... She was walking, literally fuming, and...
-And what?"
How annoying a portrait gossiping could be...
"And she bumped just on the Headmaster!
-On whom?
-Headmaster Neminos, Yes! Perfectly!"
It was when Albus decided he had to go to bed, before anything else happened. So he headed to the boy staircase?
"Hey Albus, don't you stay?
-No.
-Why?
-Err... Tired"
Opening the door of his dormitory, he thought... No, really... What a day...
***
Now, I've had an idea for the title and since it's been so long before I entitle the story, I think readers can have their opinion about it.
Further along a Lifetime
Tell me what you think... Yet another good reason to REVIEW !
7. Gryffindor nerves.
It was Monday evening, in the Gryffindor Common Room. Albus had settled himself in a chair, near the window. He hadn't seen Minerva all day, which wasn't surprising since she had had a very busy day. So he was waiting for her. The light was beginning to fade outside, so they wouldn't have their daily walk that evening, but that didn't forbid them to speak. He observed the flames dancing under the mantelpiece, projecting moving lights in the entire room, changing Gryffindor red in burning orange. Over there was Gladys Potter, a fourth year, playing chess with a classmate. Albus wasn't very familiar with her; he just knew she had a brother named Jack, a very nice little boy. Her classmate was hidden in the shadow, but he still could recognize Mary O'Connon, another fourth year. In another corner was a group of second years. Indeed, the Common Room was unusually quiet for this hour of the evening. Most of the student had been late to dinner, for a reason he ignored, and so were still down there.
Finally, students arrived, by groups of two or three, chatting, through the portrait hole. Albus saw them fill the room, little by little, occupying in priority the places near the fire. Two pupils were apparently flirting there. Albus wasn't cold, though. He was dreaming. More precisely, musing on his future. Carola and Charles had teased him once again because he had never had a girlfriend, and though he usually didn't give a thought to that sort of worry -"It will come when it's time to"- he sometimes, rarely, wondered when that time will be. What if he never, ever found anybody with whom he would like to found a family?... The ceiling definitely didn't want to answer to him, so he stopped staring at it, and let his eyes wander for a minute... until he saw Minerva come in, which shut his thoughts down. He sight, while she headed to him. She looked all right.
"Hi, Minerva, I was beginning to think you'd never come!
-Hi, I was eating.
-Why so late? I saw everybody stayed out longer today..."
She sat.
"Really didn't you hear? She said in an unconvinced tone.
-No, what?"
She eyed him very suspiciously.
"So nobody told you? You didn't see?
-Uh uh...
-There were centaurs on the grounds!
-Centaurs? Aren't they supposed to be very solitary creatures?
-Never mind, they're beautiful! Professor... err... Can't recall her name, but anyway the Divination teacher invited them, I don't know what for about Hufflepuff advanced lessons...
-Oh..."
She did looked very excited.
"Though she did tell us to let them alone, but...
-Yea, you wouldn't stop staring... Anyway, I don't think she actually hoped you would! Bringing centaurs in and asking you not to look at them..." he smiled playfully.
"Oh, you know, they're beautiful! she exclaimed again,
-Amazing creatures, yes, I know" He replied calmly.
"I can't believe you missed it!"
He chuckled: "I'll survive, really"
"But Albus, she pleaded, they are...
-Astounding? Gorgeous? Incredible?
-...
-I did see a centaur in my third year, you know...
-Oooo...
-But I'm sure I'll get by on not having seeing them today"
She rolled her eyes.
"Ok, ok, you're right... But it was worth being late at dinner!
-I suppose it was." He paused. "How was your day, anyway?
-Oh... My day... Well... began... err, specially, but then the remainder was ok...
-And what was the beginning like?"
Albus hadn't had transfiguration yet.
"Like someone who's just lost a child" came the answer.
"True... Sorry, I was prying."
She raised her eyebrows and smiled at him.
"You weren't. It's ok." She took her breath. "Can't we just go somewhere else? I always feel like everybody's listening to us when we're here"
He laughed.
"Didn't know you were that much paranoid. Have you some great secret to reveal?
-Of course not. But I don't like that impression with everybody around. It's nearly creepy.
-Anyway we can't go away, the night has fallen.
-Right... What about the dormitories?
-Minerva McGonagall! He laughed. D'you imagine what everybody would think if I spent my time in the First Year Girl Dormitory??
-Ok, she laughed, ok..." She tried to hide a yawn.
They continued small talk, unless she finally decided to relate him her transfiguration lesson.
The lesson had been very quiet and usual, until a stupid student, or, well, a student Minerva found stupid, namely Phil, turned Earnest grey. In fact, they had been working on colours, and after half an hour of complicated explanations, each had been given a roll of white parchment. The first step was to turn it black, and back to white. Everyone had, more or less easily, and more or less rapidly -according to Minerva, her classmates were mostly slower than slugs- succeeded. Then, they had to make it gradually of all shades of grey, which was much more precise, and consequently much more difficult. And then, out of concentration on the strength of the spell, Phil had forgotten to aim correctly... And turned grey Earnest instead of the parchment. Though the shade was exactly the right one...
"I'd swear Professor Dippet nearly laughed when he saw it, you know!... Nearly... He turned him his original colour gradually! Though I suspect it was just for fun, and he could have spare him that... First he gave him back his skin's colour, and Earnest found himself all like that: hair, clothes and all! Then he received his eyes' shade back, then his hair's, and finally his clothes'... It's really like Pr Diggory to do that, you know, but... He was like... Like not actually amused. At the beginning he was with us, nearly laughing as I said, and then, just after, it was as if... You know, as if he was doing it out of habit, but, not enjoying the fun himself..."
They both sighed at the same time. Their eyes met and they smiled.
"Ok, not a very funny topic, is it ? Albus admitted. I hate seeing people that way...
-So do I, definitely. She yawned.
-...
-We can't do anything, can we?
-Not really, I suppose."
There was a silence.
"You look tired, Albus, you should go to bed, you know...
-I don't feel like sleeping.
-You're not reasonable... she reproached,
-So you finally noticed?"
Even Minerva had to laugh at that.
"Go on, Min', go to bed, you're half-sleeping, I can see that...
-Yea... You should also... Oh never mind, you're a stubborn unreasonable boy... Good Night anyway...
-Good night. Sleep Well.
-I'll try"
And she went to the girl staircase.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gryffindor 7th Years had transfiguration on Tuesday, first period of the afternoon. And that Tuesday, during lunch, you could find Albus Dumbledore and Alastor Moody eating, at the Gryffindor table. Not very unusual. More unusual was their conversation :
"Are you sure? a bewildered Dumbledore was saying.
-Positively, Albus! I tell you I found it in my father's files!
-Oh my god... I never knew spying was a genetic legacy...
-What? Moody tried to reply innocently.
-Well first, I can't see how your father would have allowed you to consult his Ministry's top secret files, and then... How on earth did you go out of Hogwarts those days?
-One thing right out of two. My father is perfectly aware of that... And as for consulting him while being at school... My secret?
-You're truly a spy...
-Isn't that what we need?
-It is. Albus admitted.
-So anyway, do we speak to Pr Diggory?
-If you're sure he has engaged himself in that war...
-He has, I swear. For Goodness Albus, would I be so sure otherwise?
-No, I know you're a Moody...
-True! You must have frequented Charles too much...
-Alastor!
-Ok, ok, no offence meant. Let's get back to our matter. I'm sure Diggory will be able to help us to contact the ministry and offer our help against Grindewald.
-Professor Diggory, Albus corrected automatically
-Whatever. Do we try?"
Albus took a moment of reflection, before deciding:
"Let's do it!
-Good point."
Moody began eating again. Nobody seemed to have noticed anything at the table, and the Great Hal was just like it always had been at this hour, full of relaxed children and teenagers, eating, chatting, sometimes giggling... and yes, often complotting about more or less important matters.
"More salt than usual in those potatoes, isn't it?
-Yea, that's right"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three days later, Albus had a free period at the end of his afternoon, and was daydreaming in the library, looking straight over a heavy leather book about "Advanced grammar of ancient Runes" -which was its subtitle- when Alastor Moody entered, seemingly looking for something... or someone :
"Oh, Hi, Albus, I have to talk to you.
-Now?
-Yea, now..."
Albus sight, and looked tired. He knew it wasn't urgent, and it was just in Alastor's way, to make it look like a matter of life or death.
"Can't it wait, really?
-No it can't -Albus doubted that very much- it's about... you know what...
-Again?
-Yea I crossed... him, three minutes ago.
-Err... who?" Said Albus, sincerely not wanting to pay too much attention, or think too much of anything. His head felt about to explode if he had to analyse any complex matter that afternoon.
"You know who,
-Oh, Professor Diggory?
-Ssshhhhh...
-It's Ok Alastor, you've the right to speak to a Professor without catching any attention!
-Yea, yea, Ok. But let that book and come with me in a more private place, please"
Albus threw a circular look.
"Why, I can't see any ferocious librarian about to yell at us for chatting in here? he said, smiling.
-Oh for Goodness' sake Albus, it's important.
-... I'm busy? Working?
-No you're not.
-What if I was?
-I'll never understand what you can find in ancient rune! Won't help you to fight!
-Great philosophical opening, Alastor..."
Moody looked at loss for word.
"Uh? And so?
-Never mind." Albus knew he couldn't convince his friend of that.
Alastor sighed.
"So will you come, please? He said
-Ok, to tell you the truth, I won't, because I'm waiting for Minerva, who'll come to see me here as soon as her first flying lesson is over.
-It's today?
-Yes.
-It's late.
-Gryffindor were the last.
-Oh..."
Alastor looked really exasperated.
"Now, actually Alastor, can't it wait? Albus asked, knowing the answer.
-All right, concretely it can...
-I knew it...
-But you also know each information has to be passed as soon as possible.
-Yea, yea... But it's still school Alastor, We're not on the war yet.
-We'll soon be... And it wouldn't be bad to be used to it."
Albus sighed. "Here is Minerva, he said, spotting her, if you'll excuse us, Alastor
-Ok, ok, I'll let you baby-sitting then" Moody spat out.
Albus couldn't help laughing while Moody got away, fuming.
"He does not look happy, does he?" Minerva asked.
"Certainly not, he's jealous of you.
-He what?
-Never mind, only joking, replied a good-naturedly smiling Albus.
-ehem..." She glared at him.
"Ok, apparently your flying lesson wasn't all fun, was it?
-Why, is it written on my face?
-You're virtually sending daggers at me. Albus said calmly.
-Ok, it went all wrong. I'm sure I'll never be able to fly. And I'm going to take a bath. Bye."
And with that she was gone. Albus, seriously doubting her assessment about her capacities, went back to work, as if nothing. People would have to stop quarrelling at a point.
That evening, he ate with a very secretive Alastor Moody, and went back with him to the Common Room, were they began discussing Quidditch with Charles and Carola. Minerva was, anyway, nowhere to be seen. She seemed to have settled in her dormitory and decided to hide there until next day. It would apparently be a long, a lingering evening.
After about a quarter of an hour in the Common Room, Albus knew the time for Dinner was over, and Minerva still hadn't shown up. Sighing, he decided to check if she was ok... Well, let's say... if she wasn't about to throw herself from the astronomy tower...
He asked Joyce and Lilian, who were apparently trying to understand a transfiguration lesson, in a corner of the room, but they hadn't seen Minerva since about an hour, when she had thrown them out of the dormitory, refused to explain to them their transfiguration work, and wrangle over with Milane, who was currently nowhere to be seen, but in their opinion still very upset. So, Albus thought, she had to be in the dormitory, bathing in depression about nothing important. What a nice idea, indeed!
He hesitated a bit, but finally headed toward the girl staircase, and to the First Years' Dormitory. He pushed the door carefully, and here she was... She seemed to have stopped sobbing, but her face was covered in tears, and she was lying in her bed, staring at the dark ceiling above her. She didn't appear to have noticed Albus' presence.
He coughed.
"...
-Err... Min'?
-...
-Minerva?"
Still no answer. She didn't even glared at him... Though that was perhaps a positive sign, thinking of it.
So he drew nearer, and sat beside her.
"Minerva? he repeated.
-What?
-Err... basically nothing, just you seem awfully sad, and since I'm err... supposed to be your friend...
-I'm stupid.
-Well I don't think so, but it has to be a matter of point of view, he said thoughtfully.
-Albus!
-What?"
He took an innocent face, but she didn't even see it.
"I'm a desperate case at flying, you know?
-Is it your opinion or Pr Cora's one?
-She is pitiful, you know.
-Not that much in my memory, she's realistic.
-Well I'm sure she thought I was awful, Minerva affirmed in a definite tone.
-What if I'm sure she didn't?"
Minerva glared at him.
"Anything else went bad today?"
She turned over, as if not wanting to answer.
"Can you never stop to read mind? Ok, everything went bad, it was a horrible day.
-Oh... That much?
-I had Herbology in first period, again...
-Yea, well I fear that will be the case each Friday of the year, you know...
-Oh don't be sarcastic, you perfectly know what I mean. Ad then Slytherins were horrible with me. Finally this afternoon my potion went wrong, and then the Flying lesson was a real pity!"
Albus took a breath... So, all right, she had had a horrible time... Couldn't Slytherins sometime let holiday to the remainder of the castle, really?
"That seems to me a bad day, so... tomorrow will be better?
-Oh, just shut up with your old moralistic clichés!"
There was a silence.
"Thanks, Min'...
-Sorry, I'm angry...
-Seems so. I'll be in the Common Room anyway." He said with the most quiet voice he could still master.
And not so sweet and patient Albus got out of the Dormitory, of the Girl staircase, and went to sit with Alastor. This one didn't know where Charles was, or Carola, which was a shame, since Albus would have done with a bit of relaxed friends... Really... They had to be wandering somewhere with the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw twins... Somewhere probably not really allowed or recommended for students after curfew, Albus though, amused. That deserted corridor in the fourth floor occurred to him, but really, he wasn't really in a mood to look for them.
Albus and Alastor were plotting in a shadowing corner when Albus saw Minerva out of the corner of his eye. He tried to make Alastor aware of it, but as Minerva seemed to head toward her First years friends, he changed his mind, and contented with observing her... and in the process not paying much attention to Alastor. She sat ten minutes with her friends, and headed back to the staircase, getting out of Albus' sigh field. Instead of focusing back on Alastor's speech, he just let his mind wander a few instants through the window, in the darkening sky... when suddenly, he became very aware of Alastor having shouted something and not speaking any more :
"Albus? Albus do you listen to me?
-Err... Well... Yes of course I listened, until... err...
-This little girl of yours was listening to me!"
Then he noticed Minerva, behind them, under Alastor's accusatory eyes, and his firm grip, on her arm... She didn't spat out a word.
"It's ok, Alastor, you don't have to held her, she isn't Grindewald's spy...
-Albus:
-What?
-Don't you think she heard enough without you précising about whom... Oh, you're a... a...
-You're a liar, Minerva cried, you didn't even tell me!
-Of course he didn't!" Alastor stated, as if speaking to a three-year-old child.
That was when Albus lost his comprehension of the scene... Alastor was angry, Minerva was angry, and anyway he was tired.
"Will you release her, Alastor", he finally said, noticing he was still holding his little friend.
Everybody stopped speaking at once. Wow, that was a good thing. And so Albus opened his eyes.
"Ok, Alastor, calm down, it's not the end of the world."
Alastor seemed really annoyed but didn't expressed it anyway, which was quite unlike his usual self, but who knows, perhaps he was becoming more human?
"Min'?
-Don't call me that way! I thought we were friends! You were supposed to tell me about your projects!...
-That was a bit... err... secret!
-And so? Am I not able to keep a secret?
-Minerva...
-Oh, stop it Albus, you can't let an 11-year-old know all about important things! Alastor finally spat out as an evidence."
Minerva looked really upset. She glared at them, both of them, sending poisonous daggers straight at Albus and despising ones at Alastor. "So it's that way?" she said crossly, and she left them. She went to the portrait hole, spat out the password, and got out of sight.
"Good point", Alastor said.
"Alastor!" And Albus sighed, again... What had he done so bad to involve himself in that sort of battle...
After that, Albus' evening didn't stand a chance to finish like a decent one. Though, he didn't measure how much like nightmares evenings could turn, until he saw Minerva enter back the Common Room, crying, and running to her bed, without a word. 'What, again?' He thought...
He went to the portrait and asked the Fat Lady :
"Hello Dear!
-Hello, What did she say?
-Who? That crying girl?... Something about a perfect end to a perfect day, I think...
-What happened?
-Now that's an interesting question! Sir Greatpock's portrait told me... You won't believe her lack of luck... She was walking, literally fuming, and...
-And what?"
How annoying a portrait gossiping could be...
"And she bumped just on the Headmaster!
-On whom?
-Headmaster Neminos, Yes! Perfectly!"
It was when Albus decided he had to go to bed, before anything else happened. So he headed to the boy staircase?
"Hey Albus, don't you stay?
-No.
-Why?
-Err... Tired"
Opening the door of his dormitory, he thought... No, really... What a day...
***
Now, I've had an idea for the title and since it's been so long before I entitle the story, I think readers can have their opinion about it.
Further along a Lifetime
Tell me what you think... Yet another good reason to REVIEW !