Episode Fifty Eight
"Took you long enough." Graves teased, a light in his dark blue eyes.
"You're back!" She yelled, all but jumping into his arms.
Dumbledore nodded as if something he thought to be true had just been confirmed. He bowed slightly to Gwen, who bowed in return and then he exited.
"I must owl the council." He said. "They should know what you've accomplished before they proceed with the hearing."
She immediately returned her attention to Graves. "You ok?" She asked timidly.
"Yeah, but I'm telling you, don't ever piss off a death eater. That was some trip." He seemed mired in his memory for a moment. There was a distinct feeling of pain, visible in the thin line about his jaw. He sighed. "Are you in any trouble?"
"Up to my neck." She said with a forced smile. The more she made herself smile, the sillier she felt and then the more lighthearted and so on until her troubles didn't seem so pressing.
"What's this hearing about?"
"Well, first off I endangered your life."
"I endangered my own life." He interrupted. "If I had thought them so dangerous I might have tried to talk you out of it. But I didn't, I went on with you because I could and I thought we could handle them."
"Then there's the whole issue of my hasty judgment." She continued, his interruption barely breaking her stride. "Someone with as much power as I have and so little leash could pose a danger to the other students. You don't have to tell me that's what they're all thinking. I know. Hardly anyone will talk to me anymore; I terrify them."
Graves looked at her seriously. "You really think you could pose a threat to them?"
"If I lost my head again. If someone hurt you or Harry."
His lips grew thin at Harry's name.
"I'm sorry." She said. "But the two of you are going to have to learn to share me."
He shook his head. "Do you even know what you're asking?"
"Yes, I do. Listen, I need you to be on my side. This hearing isn't going to be easy and I need all of the friendly support I can get."
He looked at her, shielding his eyes with his lids slightly. He couldn't let her see that the death eaters were nothing compared to the pain she caused him.
