In this story, there's only a two year different between our two main
characters. I have made McGonagall like...63, and Dumbledore obviously 65.
And yes, I am accounting for the wizard long life line, as in how Jk makes
it in her books.
enjoy the story, and PLEASE review.
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chapter four: She needs me
Albus didnt have exactly an easy time reaching Hogwarts, especially with the rather hysterical Minerva to tag along, but they got there. They hadn't said a word the whole time that they walked back, and even if there had been an attempt, they both might have broken into tears, let alone Minerva.
They reached the large entrance doors, and walked through. They were immediately surrounded by students on their way to classes, hardly any of them even noticing the two teachers. Although a few had given them questionable glances, it was obvious that the world was not in-tune with what the Dumbledores had just learned.
Together they walked down the corridor. Minerva's facial expression had at once hardened as the students passed, although it didn't stay there very long. Instead of heading back to Poppy's, Minerva took her leave up the staircase, and to her living quarters. Once she had entered the room, she broke back down into sobs.
Albus followed her the whole way, feeling an immensely heavy load over his heart. He stood at the doorway, staring at his wife, who's head was now buried in a pillow. He wasn't sure what he should do, whether he should go over there and tell her it's alright, let her cry until she was capable of speaking, or just go and pick up what children he had.
After a minute or two of contemplated thinking, he walked over, and sat on the bed next to her. She didnt look up, but cried into the bed- spread. He gently stroked her long ravenous hair, and couldn't help but let some tears leave his pale blue eyes. He didnt move from that spot for nearly 15 minutes.
By that time, Minerva had let out what tears she was supplied with. After all, you can only cry so long before you have to stop. She lay on her back, and stared at Albus, who was stroking her. She placed her hand on his, and looked up at him helplessly.
"This wasnt supposed to happen." she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I wasnt supposed to lose another child."
"It's nothing you could have helped. Sometimes, these things happen, and we can't do anything about them."
"Why me?" Her voice was soft; soft, meek, melancholy, sad. Her voice sounded as if it were begging for something, an explanation. Something no one could offer.
"Sometimes things dont work out the way we plan, you just happen to be one of those people that-" he could see her eyes start to swell up. He couldnt bare to see her acting to upset, especially when she was quite often the one in control. "I dont think we should talk about this right now. I'll go and pick up Elizabeth and William. You stay here, and TRY to stay in control of yourself."
"Dont leave me." she said softly as he released her hand, and sat up from the bed.
"Im not leaving you. I'll come back. Promise." he walked out of the room after he said that, and walked down the flights of stairs to Poppy's office. The walk was a long one, which was now through deserted hallways, only with faint noises from classrooms.
When he came to the hospital wing, Poppy was not in her office, but rather healing one of the patients. He waited patiently in one of the waiting chairs for her to finish with a student with a swelled up knee the size of a baseball. He let a slight smile come on his face as he heard Poppy murmering about 'Hagrid and his dangerous animal antics'. He wondered to himself what animal he was working with this month. And had he not been so distressed, he probably would have had half a heart to ask the boy what had happened.
Poppy bandaged up the knee, and handed the boy a potion to drink. "Here, this will help with the swelling. If it hasnt gone down by the end of this evening, come back, and I'll check on it." The boy gave her a grateful smile, and left the hospital wing. Poppy immediately turned to Dumbledore.
"Where's Minerva? I would think that she would want to come and see her children."
"Im afraid Minerva is in the utmost depression at the moment. She could barely choke out a word by the time we got back."
"What-" Poppy started to say, seeing Albus's eyes not holding the sparkle that they had normally had seemed to speak for itself. "Oh im so sorry." was all she could muster out.
Albus looked at Poppy, suddenly seeming stronger than he actually felt within himself. "It's probably for the best. After all, who wants to have parents as old as Minerva and I are?" he said with an attemptive smile.
"What happened? If- if you dont mind my asking. Surely there must be an explanation over what has happened."
"I'm afraid there isnt a simple answer for it. Although the easiest one that I can say, is more than likely age. Minerva's far to old to be carrying a child, although I had hoped it wouldn't matter. She has apparently been carrying a dead child for a matter of weeks...of course she doesnt know this, I had a few private words with the doctor before we left."
"Where is she now?"
"She's in the room. I told her to rest, and keep in control of herself. Lord knows if she's actually doing it, but Im rather sure she's going to be hysterical by the time I come back...let alone with the kids."
"Oh." Poppy looked over at Elizabeth and William, who were currently playing in a playpen in the center of the hospital wing. "Do you think it wise to- to let..." Albus held up his hand and nodded. "I dont know if we should expose her to them...today anyway. She seemed so melancholy when I left. I dont know if she would stay sane if I brought them back." Albus finished quietly
"Would you like me to watch them overnight? They wouldnt be any trouble. I don't want to see Minerva miserable, she's had so many unhappy points in her life."
"If you feel up to it, I believe it might do her good. I can see her at this very minute holding Elizabeth, and just breaking down into tears. I dont think it would be very fair to be showing her what children she already has, when she just learned about a lost one."
"I'll be happy to watch them. But might I be able to see her?"
"I dont know if she would be willing to speak with anyone. As I said earlier, she certainly seemed discouraged by the time I was even able to leave the room. I dont know how she would take to anyone else." he paused slightly "Regardless of who they are." he added calmly
"I understand. Send her my condolences, tell her I love her like a sister, and tell her I'm sorry for everything."
"Thank you for being so understanding. I think I'll be holding a staff meeting tomorrow, to tell them of the news. I doubt that Minerva would show up, but this is something I should share with the staff."
Poppy nodded, and watched as albus walked over to his children. He picked up William first, and held him tight. "I'm sorry Will, but you're mother isn't going to be around for a while. She seems to have lost your baby brother, and she's rather heartbroken at the moment. But remember that she loves you," he brought Will to him, and pecked him on the head, "And that I love you." He gently placed William down, and picked up Elizabeth. "Yes, you were going to have a baby brother. The doctor told me that today. But he isnt going to be able to come anymore...he's gone. I'm sorry." he whispered softly to his baby girl, and kissed her on the head. "I love you, and so does your mom." He placed Elizabeth back down, and stared at his children. "I'll see you both tomorrow."
He turned back to Poppy, and nodded at her. "That was sweet." Poppy said softly. "I'm sure you'll make a good father."
"Thank you. But at the moment, I think I should play the role of a good husband, my wife needs me."
With those final words, he left the hospital wing. He walked swiftly, and silently as he went down to the dungeons.
******************************
If you thought you felt sorry for Minerva last chapter...it only gets worse, I make it my business to makesure of it.
Oh, and yes, as Poppy states that she's had many "bad points" in her life, you'll soon find out in later chapters as to what that is referring to. I'll just let your mind wonder for a while.
enjoy the story, and PLEASE review.
*****************
chapter four: She needs me
Albus didnt have exactly an easy time reaching Hogwarts, especially with the rather hysterical Minerva to tag along, but they got there. They hadn't said a word the whole time that they walked back, and even if there had been an attempt, they both might have broken into tears, let alone Minerva.
They reached the large entrance doors, and walked through. They were immediately surrounded by students on their way to classes, hardly any of them even noticing the two teachers. Although a few had given them questionable glances, it was obvious that the world was not in-tune with what the Dumbledores had just learned.
Together they walked down the corridor. Minerva's facial expression had at once hardened as the students passed, although it didn't stay there very long. Instead of heading back to Poppy's, Minerva took her leave up the staircase, and to her living quarters. Once she had entered the room, she broke back down into sobs.
Albus followed her the whole way, feeling an immensely heavy load over his heart. He stood at the doorway, staring at his wife, who's head was now buried in a pillow. He wasn't sure what he should do, whether he should go over there and tell her it's alright, let her cry until she was capable of speaking, or just go and pick up what children he had.
After a minute or two of contemplated thinking, he walked over, and sat on the bed next to her. She didnt look up, but cried into the bed- spread. He gently stroked her long ravenous hair, and couldn't help but let some tears leave his pale blue eyes. He didnt move from that spot for nearly 15 minutes.
By that time, Minerva had let out what tears she was supplied with. After all, you can only cry so long before you have to stop. She lay on her back, and stared at Albus, who was stroking her. She placed her hand on his, and looked up at him helplessly.
"This wasnt supposed to happen." she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I wasnt supposed to lose another child."
"It's nothing you could have helped. Sometimes, these things happen, and we can't do anything about them."
"Why me?" Her voice was soft; soft, meek, melancholy, sad. Her voice sounded as if it were begging for something, an explanation. Something no one could offer.
"Sometimes things dont work out the way we plan, you just happen to be one of those people that-" he could see her eyes start to swell up. He couldnt bare to see her acting to upset, especially when she was quite often the one in control. "I dont think we should talk about this right now. I'll go and pick up Elizabeth and William. You stay here, and TRY to stay in control of yourself."
"Dont leave me." she said softly as he released her hand, and sat up from the bed.
"Im not leaving you. I'll come back. Promise." he walked out of the room after he said that, and walked down the flights of stairs to Poppy's office. The walk was a long one, which was now through deserted hallways, only with faint noises from classrooms.
When he came to the hospital wing, Poppy was not in her office, but rather healing one of the patients. He waited patiently in one of the waiting chairs for her to finish with a student with a swelled up knee the size of a baseball. He let a slight smile come on his face as he heard Poppy murmering about 'Hagrid and his dangerous animal antics'. He wondered to himself what animal he was working with this month. And had he not been so distressed, he probably would have had half a heart to ask the boy what had happened.
Poppy bandaged up the knee, and handed the boy a potion to drink. "Here, this will help with the swelling. If it hasnt gone down by the end of this evening, come back, and I'll check on it." The boy gave her a grateful smile, and left the hospital wing. Poppy immediately turned to Dumbledore.
"Where's Minerva? I would think that she would want to come and see her children."
"Im afraid Minerva is in the utmost depression at the moment. She could barely choke out a word by the time we got back."
"What-" Poppy started to say, seeing Albus's eyes not holding the sparkle that they had normally had seemed to speak for itself. "Oh im so sorry." was all she could muster out.
Albus looked at Poppy, suddenly seeming stronger than he actually felt within himself. "It's probably for the best. After all, who wants to have parents as old as Minerva and I are?" he said with an attemptive smile.
"What happened? If- if you dont mind my asking. Surely there must be an explanation over what has happened."
"I'm afraid there isnt a simple answer for it. Although the easiest one that I can say, is more than likely age. Minerva's far to old to be carrying a child, although I had hoped it wouldn't matter. She has apparently been carrying a dead child for a matter of weeks...of course she doesnt know this, I had a few private words with the doctor before we left."
"Where is she now?"
"She's in the room. I told her to rest, and keep in control of herself. Lord knows if she's actually doing it, but Im rather sure she's going to be hysterical by the time I come back...let alone with the kids."
"Oh." Poppy looked over at Elizabeth and William, who were currently playing in a playpen in the center of the hospital wing. "Do you think it wise to- to let..." Albus held up his hand and nodded. "I dont know if we should expose her to them...today anyway. She seemed so melancholy when I left. I dont know if she would stay sane if I brought them back." Albus finished quietly
"Would you like me to watch them overnight? They wouldnt be any trouble. I don't want to see Minerva miserable, she's had so many unhappy points in her life."
"If you feel up to it, I believe it might do her good. I can see her at this very minute holding Elizabeth, and just breaking down into tears. I dont think it would be very fair to be showing her what children she already has, when she just learned about a lost one."
"I'll be happy to watch them. But might I be able to see her?"
"I dont know if she would be willing to speak with anyone. As I said earlier, she certainly seemed discouraged by the time I was even able to leave the room. I dont know how she would take to anyone else." he paused slightly "Regardless of who they are." he added calmly
"I understand. Send her my condolences, tell her I love her like a sister, and tell her I'm sorry for everything."
"Thank you for being so understanding. I think I'll be holding a staff meeting tomorrow, to tell them of the news. I doubt that Minerva would show up, but this is something I should share with the staff."
Poppy nodded, and watched as albus walked over to his children. He picked up William first, and held him tight. "I'm sorry Will, but you're mother isn't going to be around for a while. She seems to have lost your baby brother, and she's rather heartbroken at the moment. But remember that she loves you," he brought Will to him, and pecked him on the head, "And that I love you." He gently placed William down, and picked up Elizabeth. "Yes, you were going to have a baby brother. The doctor told me that today. But he isnt going to be able to come anymore...he's gone. I'm sorry." he whispered softly to his baby girl, and kissed her on the head. "I love you, and so does your mom." He placed Elizabeth back down, and stared at his children. "I'll see you both tomorrow."
He turned back to Poppy, and nodded at her. "That was sweet." Poppy said softly. "I'm sure you'll make a good father."
"Thank you. But at the moment, I think I should play the role of a good husband, my wife needs me."
With those final words, he left the hospital wing. He walked swiftly, and silently as he went down to the dungeons.
******************************
If you thought you felt sorry for Minerva last chapter...it only gets worse, I make it my business to makesure of it.
Oh, and yes, as Poppy states that she's had many "bad points" in her life, you'll soon find out in later chapters as to what that is referring to. I'll just let your mind wonder for a while.