Disclaimer: See "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"
Disclaimer 2: Wellard and the other Aurors (except Achilles) come from "Hornblower".
To flamers: I don't take kindly to flames so get out of here, if you know what's good for you.
Note 1: This is a sequel to "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"; taken place several months later during Easter holidays, so read that first.
NOTE 2: The next few chapters will be dark
Rated Pg-13 for language, content and characters' death.
Thank you for your reviews!
Chapter 26: Making Up
For the next few days, Minerva lay in her bed, with the sheets covering her entire body, leaving only her head to be visible.
She refused to talk to anyone, not even her husband.
She didn't want to eat or drink anything either.
Sometimes she just stared at the photos of Achilles and Athena that she brought from Athena's bedroom for a while before she broke down and started crying. For the past 20 years, she had lost two beloved children, one dead and one missing.
At night, when she stayed awake, she could see her younger self carrying baby Athena at the corner of the room, singing a lullaby as she rocked Athena to sleep.
Even in her dreams, she dreamt of herself, Athena, Achilles and Dumbledore at the picnic during the A-Maying. She also dreamt of Athena during her time travel in 1950 and 1983.
She dreamt of Athena and Achilles so much that she often found her face full of tears stains when she woke up.
She missed her children.
And she wished Achilles would come home.
***
Minerva missed her children so much that she pined away and finally, she fell ill.
One day, when Dumbledore offered Minerva her medicine, she shook her head.
"Minerva, you have to eat your medicine to get well." said Dumbledore desperately.
Minerva shook her head again. "I won't get well, Albus. No medicine will heal me."
Dumbledore swallowed and put the medicine down at the table beside the bed. He sat down beside the bed and studied Minerva's face carefully. She looked weak and pale. Her hair was untied and spread out all over the pillow. But despite all that, she still looked beautiful.
She asked quietly, "How could this happen, Albus?"
"Huh?"
"How could the Goddess Artemis take away our children? What have we done wrong?"
Dumbledore couldn't say anything. Finally, he said, "Maybe Artemis didn't take Achilles away. I mean, he is missing doesn't mean that he is dead as well."
"But we have never heard of him for 20 years! I even asked young Wellard whether he had heard of Achilles, and he said that he doesn't know!" said Minerva and suddenly, she started coughing violently.
"Minerva, don't get yourself too excited......." said Dumbledore anxiously and quickly.
Minerva continued to cough and she covered her mouth with her white handkerchief.
"I will go and get you a glass of water." said Dumbledore and got up.
With her handkerchief still covering her mouth, Minerva reached out and grasped her husband's hand.
"Don't leave me, Albus," she pleaded, her voice muffled. "I don't want to be alone."
Dumbledore obeyed and sat down. "Are you sure you don't want anything, Minerva?" he asked in concern.
Minerva shook her head and slowly, she removed her handkerchief.
Dumbledore gasped in horror when he saw what was on it.
Blood.
Minerva actually coughed out blood.
"Yes, that is something I want," said Minerva weakly as she wiped away the blood on her lower lip. "I want to see Achilles."
***
"I don't know what to do to help Minerva!" cried Dumbledore sadly in the Woods' at night after he was sure that Minerva was asleep.
He rubbed his temples as if they hurt. Jonathan and Mandy looked at each other. Oliver and Katie were upstairs, getting their babies to bed.
"Look, Albus, why don't you just get Achilles to come home? I mean, he can't be so heartless to left his mother died.' suggested Jonathan.
Dumbledore lifted his face and looked at Jonathan helplessly. "I can't, Minerva needs me now. I feel bad enough just to come here and leave her alone in the house. I can't just go to Plymouth, and I don't even know his exact address."
"Tell you what, Albus, why don't I, Poppy and Georgia go and get him back?" offered Mandy.
"Could you?" asked Dumbledore slowly.
"Of course I could. I am sure that Achilles was ready to come home after Georgia and I told him Poppy's heartbreaking history, just that he, um........."Mandy stopped.
"What?" asked Dumbledore.
"I heard from Poppy that he won't dare to come home." said Mandy quietly.
"Why? This is where he belongs." said Dumbledore in bewilderment.
"He's afraid that Minerva won't forgive him for his stupid actions."
"Minerva sure wants him back now. I am certain that she has forgiven him."
"Well, in that case, Poppy, Georgia and I will set off tomorrow to Plymouth. I think Achilles should be at home, he might have taken some time off to get over," Mandy swallowed. "You-Know-Who's death." she said, realizing that it would be too painful to say the name Athena now.
"Thank you, Mandy. Minerva and I are counting on you, Poppy and Georgia." said Dumbledore sincerely and gave a slight smile.
"Hey, that's what friends are for."
"And Mandy, just bring him back as fast as you can no matter what," said Dumbledore, his smile faded. "I don't want Minerva to suffer any longer."
***
Achilles was lying on his bed without his shirt on. The room was dark and quiet, since the curtains were drew tightly together. The atmosphere suited Achilles's mood, he was not happy since Kennedy, Athena and Wellard died and he needed somewhere peaceful........
Knock knock knock
"What the......." started Achilles as he sat up.
He looked at the clock beside his bed. 9.00am.
"Oh please, leave me alone........" he muttered miserably as he lay back on his bed and covered his head with his pillow.
The knocking on his front door went louder. Achilles ignored it. The knocking went on for a minute before it stopped.
"That's it, just leave me alone. I want to have some peace and quiet to get over my sister and my fellow Aurors' deaths........." thought Achilles while he removed his pillow.
"Hey, do you think he is not at home?" asked someone loudly outside his door.
Mandy?
"Can't be." replied another voice.
Poppy?
"Maybe he is out." suggested the third voice.
That's Georgia.
"That git, he actually went out!" growled Mandy.
"I said maybe!" said Georgia quickly.
Achilles got out of his bed and ran to the door.
***
"Well........" began Mandy when Achilles flung open the door.
The Hogwarts Sisters' eyes widened at his appearance.
Mandy whistled, "Nice body."
Achilles decided to ignore that comment. "Want to come in?"
"No." said the Hogwarts Sisters in unison.
"Huh?"
"Okay, we will come straight to the point. Achilles, come home with us." said Mandy seriously.
"Why? Look, I can't go back. I don't think Mom will forgive me for being such a jerk. Besides, A-Athena," Like Mandy, Achilles found it hard to say Athena's name. "She just passed away, Mom would be so upset. She doesn't want to see me to increase her misery."
"On the contrary, she does want to see you." said Poppy.
"Badly." added Georgia.
"How badly?" asked Achilles slowly.
Mandy slapped her forehead, hard. "So bad that she coughs up blood, okay?" she said in frustration.
Achilles's mouth dropped open and he grasped Mandy's shoulder. "Blood? What? What happened to Mom? Tell me, Mandy!"
"She's sick. She misses you and Athena so much......." said Mandy.
"And when your father asks her what she wants, she says that she wants to see you." said Poppy.
"Look, Achilles, if you want your mother to die, go ahead and close the door on us. If you want to see your mother, come with us." said Mandy.
Achilles didn't respond.
***
Ding Dong.
"I will go and open the door, okay?" asked Dumbledore gently.
Minerva nodded weakly and hugged Athena's teddy bear. She didn't want to let the bear go, since it reminded her of her daughter.
Dumbledore got up and rushed downstairs. He opened the front door and found only the Hogwarts Sisters. His expression went blank as he looked around for Achilles.
"I guess he doesn't want to come home." said Dumbledore sadly to the Hogwarts Sisters when he realized that Achilles was not there.
"What makes you say that?" asked Mandy suddenly.
Dumbledore just stared at her.
Mandy grinned. "Albus Dumbledore, meet your son."
Straight after she said that, Achilles came out of the side of the house slowly. Dumbledore turned his head to look at Achilles. He examined him carefully from head to toe, wondering whether he was his son.
"Yes, Albus, this is Achilles Dumbledore." said Mandy, as if she had read his mind.
Achilles shifted uncomfortably under his father's gaze.
After a long while, Dumbledore finally smiled and said, "Give me a hug, my son."
Achilles raised his eyebrows.
"Go on, Achilles!" hissed Poppy.
Achilles grinned slowly and rushed forward to his father's outstretched arms. He hugged Dumbledore as tightly as he could, as if he was trying to make up for the past 20 years.
Mandy sniffed and pretended to blow her nose as she watched the father and son embraced each other silently.
"My, look at you, all grown up." said Dumbledore, smiling, after he had released Achilles.
"Albus, who's at the door?" asked Minerva tiredly from upstairs.
Achilles looked into the house at his mother's voice. "Is that........"
"That's your mother, all right." said Dumbledore gently. "Want to go up?"
***
"What's taking Albus so long?" thought Minerva as she waited for her husband to come back.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she held the bear closer. Then she heard someone opened the door.
"Albus, close the door when you come in, will you?"
Dumbledore didn't answer but the sound of the door being closed was heard. He came to her and asked, "Minerva, if Achilles comes home, what would you do?"
"Hug him, that's the first thing I would do." said Minerva truthfully.
"Would you forgive him for he has done?"
"Of course I would. I don't blame him for running away. I actually thought over it ever since Athena found his photo in the attic and I realized how ridiculous I was," With that, Minerva's eyes began to fill with tears and her voice trembled as she continued. "I-I could have break the stupid oath and tell him. But I didn't........now I lost him as well, Albus, we have lost both of our children! One is dead and one has gone to who-knows-where."
Minerva began to weep and Dumbledore handed her the handkerchief.
"So if Achilles comes home, you would forgive and love him like you always do?" he asked, looking as if he was going to kiss her.
Minerva nodded and Dumbledore dried her tears. "Stop crying now, he won't like it." he said gently.
"Who?"
Dumbledore grinned and called to the door, "You can come in now!"
The door slowly open and Achilles came in, looking rather embarrassed. He walked to his parents but he didn't has his head up.
Minerva's mouth dropped open and she turned her head sharply to Dumbledore. "Is that......."
"Our son? Yes."
"Oh Merlin........" said Minerva, still didn't believe that it was her son who was standing beside her husband.
"Lift your head and let your mother have a good look at you, Achilles." said Dumbledore.
Achilles lifted his head. Then his father quickly stood up and pushed him down onto the chair.
"I will come back later." he said shortly and backed out of the room.
Silence.
"Are you really Achilles?" asked Minerva hopefully.
Achilles nodded. Minerva held out her hand and he grasped it. She stared at his bright green eyes, which looked so much like hers.
Realization dawned to her immediately. She gasped, "Oh my, it IS you!"
Achilles smiled, "Yes, it is me, Mom."
He leaned forward and wiped his mother's tears away with his hand. "Oh, don't cry, Mom."
Minerva responded by crying harder. She caught hold of his arms and pulled him closer to hug him.
"It's okay, Mom. I'm here." said Achilles, patting her back.
"Achilles, don't you ever, ever leave us again." said Minerva softly.
"I won't," said Achilles determinedly. "I promise."
As Minerva wept silently on his shoulder, Achilles had made up his mind.
He was going to quit the Aurors Headquarters.
Disclaimer 2: Wellard and the other Aurors (except Achilles) come from "Hornblower".
To flamers: I don't take kindly to flames so get out of here, if you know what's good for you.
Note 1: This is a sequel to "Stories of the Hogwarts Sisterhood"; taken place several months later during Easter holidays, so read that first.
NOTE 2: The next few chapters will be dark
Rated Pg-13 for language, content and characters' death.
Thank you for your reviews!
Chapter 26: Making Up
For the next few days, Minerva lay in her bed, with the sheets covering her entire body, leaving only her head to be visible.
She refused to talk to anyone, not even her husband.
She didn't want to eat or drink anything either.
Sometimes she just stared at the photos of Achilles and Athena that she brought from Athena's bedroom for a while before she broke down and started crying. For the past 20 years, she had lost two beloved children, one dead and one missing.
At night, when she stayed awake, she could see her younger self carrying baby Athena at the corner of the room, singing a lullaby as she rocked Athena to sleep.
Even in her dreams, she dreamt of herself, Athena, Achilles and Dumbledore at the picnic during the A-Maying. She also dreamt of Athena during her time travel in 1950 and 1983.
She dreamt of Athena and Achilles so much that she often found her face full of tears stains when she woke up.
She missed her children.
And she wished Achilles would come home.
***
Minerva missed her children so much that she pined away and finally, she fell ill.
One day, when Dumbledore offered Minerva her medicine, she shook her head.
"Minerva, you have to eat your medicine to get well." said Dumbledore desperately.
Minerva shook her head again. "I won't get well, Albus. No medicine will heal me."
Dumbledore swallowed and put the medicine down at the table beside the bed. He sat down beside the bed and studied Minerva's face carefully. She looked weak and pale. Her hair was untied and spread out all over the pillow. But despite all that, she still looked beautiful.
She asked quietly, "How could this happen, Albus?"
"Huh?"
"How could the Goddess Artemis take away our children? What have we done wrong?"
Dumbledore couldn't say anything. Finally, he said, "Maybe Artemis didn't take Achilles away. I mean, he is missing doesn't mean that he is dead as well."
"But we have never heard of him for 20 years! I even asked young Wellard whether he had heard of Achilles, and he said that he doesn't know!" said Minerva and suddenly, she started coughing violently.
"Minerva, don't get yourself too excited......." said Dumbledore anxiously and quickly.
Minerva continued to cough and she covered her mouth with her white handkerchief.
"I will go and get you a glass of water." said Dumbledore and got up.
With her handkerchief still covering her mouth, Minerva reached out and grasped her husband's hand.
"Don't leave me, Albus," she pleaded, her voice muffled. "I don't want to be alone."
Dumbledore obeyed and sat down. "Are you sure you don't want anything, Minerva?" he asked in concern.
Minerva shook her head and slowly, she removed her handkerchief.
Dumbledore gasped in horror when he saw what was on it.
Blood.
Minerva actually coughed out blood.
"Yes, that is something I want," said Minerva weakly as she wiped away the blood on her lower lip. "I want to see Achilles."
***
"I don't know what to do to help Minerva!" cried Dumbledore sadly in the Woods' at night after he was sure that Minerva was asleep.
He rubbed his temples as if they hurt. Jonathan and Mandy looked at each other. Oliver and Katie were upstairs, getting their babies to bed.
"Look, Albus, why don't you just get Achilles to come home? I mean, he can't be so heartless to left his mother died.' suggested Jonathan.
Dumbledore lifted his face and looked at Jonathan helplessly. "I can't, Minerva needs me now. I feel bad enough just to come here and leave her alone in the house. I can't just go to Plymouth, and I don't even know his exact address."
"Tell you what, Albus, why don't I, Poppy and Georgia go and get him back?" offered Mandy.
"Could you?" asked Dumbledore slowly.
"Of course I could. I am sure that Achilles was ready to come home after Georgia and I told him Poppy's heartbreaking history, just that he, um........."Mandy stopped.
"What?" asked Dumbledore.
"I heard from Poppy that he won't dare to come home." said Mandy quietly.
"Why? This is where he belongs." said Dumbledore in bewilderment.
"He's afraid that Minerva won't forgive him for his stupid actions."
"Minerva sure wants him back now. I am certain that she has forgiven him."
"Well, in that case, Poppy, Georgia and I will set off tomorrow to Plymouth. I think Achilles should be at home, he might have taken some time off to get over," Mandy swallowed. "You-Know-Who's death." she said, realizing that it would be too painful to say the name Athena now.
"Thank you, Mandy. Minerva and I are counting on you, Poppy and Georgia." said Dumbledore sincerely and gave a slight smile.
"Hey, that's what friends are for."
"And Mandy, just bring him back as fast as you can no matter what," said Dumbledore, his smile faded. "I don't want Minerva to suffer any longer."
***
Achilles was lying on his bed without his shirt on. The room was dark and quiet, since the curtains were drew tightly together. The atmosphere suited Achilles's mood, he was not happy since Kennedy, Athena and Wellard died and he needed somewhere peaceful........
Knock knock knock
"What the......." started Achilles as he sat up.
He looked at the clock beside his bed. 9.00am.
"Oh please, leave me alone........" he muttered miserably as he lay back on his bed and covered his head with his pillow.
The knocking on his front door went louder. Achilles ignored it. The knocking went on for a minute before it stopped.
"That's it, just leave me alone. I want to have some peace and quiet to get over my sister and my fellow Aurors' deaths........." thought Achilles while he removed his pillow.
"Hey, do you think he is not at home?" asked someone loudly outside his door.
Mandy?
"Can't be." replied another voice.
Poppy?
"Maybe he is out." suggested the third voice.
That's Georgia.
"That git, he actually went out!" growled Mandy.
"I said maybe!" said Georgia quickly.
Achilles got out of his bed and ran to the door.
***
"Well........" began Mandy when Achilles flung open the door.
The Hogwarts Sisters' eyes widened at his appearance.
Mandy whistled, "Nice body."
Achilles decided to ignore that comment. "Want to come in?"
"No." said the Hogwarts Sisters in unison.
"Huh?"
"Okay, we will come straight to the point. Achilles, come home with us." said Mandy seriously.
"Why? Look, I can't go back. I don't think Mom will forgive me for being such a jerk. Besides, A-Athena," Like Mandy, Achilles found it hard to say Athena's name. "She just passed away, Mom would be so upset. She doesn't want to see me to increase her misery."
"On the contrary, she does want to see you." said Poppy.
"Badly." added Georgia.
"How badly?" asked Achilles slowly.
Mandy slapped her forehead, hard. "So bad that she coughs up blood, okay?" she said in frustration.
Achilles's mouth dropped open and he grasped Mandy's shoulder. "Blood? What? What happened to Mom? Tell me, Mandy!"
"She's sick. She misses you and Athena so much......." said Mandy.
"And when your father asks her what she wants, she says that she wants to see you." said Poppy.
"Look, Achilles, if you want your mother to die, go ahead and close the door on us. If you want to see your mother, come with us." said Mandy.
Achilles didn't respond.
***
Ding Dong.
"I will go and open the door, okay?" asked Dumbledore gently.
Minerva nodded weakly and hugged Athena's teddy bear. She didn't want to let the bear go, since it reminded her of her daughter.
Dumbledore got up and rushed downstairs. He opened the front door and found only the Hogwarts Sisters. His expression went blank as he looked around for Achilles.
"I guess he doesn't want to come home." said Dumbledore sadly to the Hogwarts Sisters when he realized that Achilles was not there.
"What makes you say that?" asked Mandy suddenly.
Dumbledore just stared at her.
Mandy grinned. "Albus Dumbledore, meet your son."
Straight after she said that, Achilles came out of the side of the house slowly. Dumbledore turned his head to look at Achilles. He examined him carefully from head to toe, wondering whether he was his son.
"Yes, Albus, this is Achilles Dumbledore." said Mandy, as if she had read his mind.
Achilles shifted uncomfortably under his father's gaze.
After a long while, Dumbledore finally smiled and said, "Give me a hug, my son."
Achilles raised his eyebrows.
"Go on, Achilles!" hissed Poppy.
Achilles grinned slowly and rushed forward to his father's outstretched arms. He hugged Dumbledore as tightly as he could, as if he was trying to make up for the past 20 years.
Mandy sniffed and pretended to blow her nose as she watched the father and son embraced each other silently.
"My, look at you, all grown up." said Dumbledore, smiling, after he had released Achilles.
"Albus, who's at the door?" asked Minerva tiredly from upstairs.
Achilles looked into the house at his mother's voice. "Is that........"
"That's your mother, all right." said Dumbledore gently. "Want to go up?"
***
"What's taking Albus so long?" thought Minerva as she waited for her husband to come back.
She closed her eyes and sighed as she held the bear closer. Then she heard someone opened the door.
"Albus, close the door when you come in, will you?"
Dumbledore didn't answer but the sound of the door being closed was heard. He came to her and asked, "Minerva, if Achilles comes home, what would you do?"
"Hug him, that's the first thing I would do." said Minerva truthfully.
"Would you forgive him for he has done?"
"Of course I would. I don't blame him for running away. I actually thought over it ever since Athena found his photo in the attic and I realized how ridiculous I was," With that, Minerva's eyes began to fill with tears and her voice trembled as she continued. "I-I could have break the stupid oath and tell him. But I didn't........now I lost him as well, Albus, we have lost both of our children! One is dead and one has gone to who-knows-where."
Minerva began to weep and Dumbledore handed her the handkerchief.
"So if Achilles comes home, you would forgive and love him like you always do?" he asked, looking as if he was going to kiss her.
Minerva nodded and Dumbledore dried her tears. "Stop crying now, he won't like it." he said gently.
"Who?"
Dumbledore grinned and called to the door, "You can come in now!"
The door slowly open and Achilles came in, looking rather embarrassed. He walked to his parents but he didn't has his head up.
Minerva's mouth dropped open and she turned her head sharply to Dumbledore. "Is that......."
"Our son? Yes."
"Oh Merlin........" said Minerva, still didn't believe that it was her son who was standing beside her husband.
"Lift your head and let your mother have a good look at you, Achilles." said Dumbledore.
Achilles lifted his head. Then his father quickly stood up and pushed him down onto the chair.
"I will come back later." he said shortly and backed out of the room.
Silence.
"Are you really Achilles?" asked Minerva hopefully.
Achilles nodded. Minerva held out her hand and he grasped it. She stared at his bright green eyes, which looked so much like hers.
Realization dawned to her immediately. She gasped, "Oh my, it IS you!"
Achilles smiled, "Yes, it is me, Mom."
He leaned forward and wiped his mother's tears away with his hand. "Oh, don't cry, Mom."
Minerva responded by crying harder. She caught hold of his arms and pulled him closer to hug him.
"It's okay, Mom. I'm here." said Achilles, patting her back.
"Achilles, don't you ever, ever leave us again." said Minerva softly.
"I won't," said Achilles determinedly. "I promise."
As Minerva wept silently on his shoulder, Achilles had made up his mind.
He was going to quit the Aurors Headquarters.
