"Minerva!"
She had just entered her rooms, and was now sitting in a chair, sobbing as if her hart had just been torn out.
"Albus?"
"Can I come in?"
"Yes… yes, do come in."
With clear worry in his eyes, the Headmaster came into his wife's rooms, and he sat down next to her.
"My dear Tabby, what is wrong? What's in that letter? Where did it come from… and…"
But she interrupted him, with the tears still on her cheeks.
"Albus…" she started slowly. "that letter comes from Scotland."
Albus nodded. This was nothing unusual- after all, Scotland was Minerva's native country.
"And…" he encouraged her.
Suddenly, she looked right into his eyes, and he realized that it had to be really serious. The pain in her eyes was unmistakable. He pulled her a bit closer.
"Minerva…" he then asked softly. "What has happened?"
She bit her lips, tears on her cheeks.
"It's my brother…, it's Alfred- and Katie, Albus. It's Alfred and Katie. They- they are dead, Albus."
"Whát?"
Minerva nodded vehemently.
"Yes. You-" she sobbed softly. "You know they are- were- Aurors. A dangerous profession… and especially now- with Voldemort returning… They've been killed by- dead-eaters Albus."
"Whát?"
"Yes, Albus. Why… why…"
Another fit of weeping came up, and Dumbledore silently embraced his wife.
"Why them, Albus. Why always, always people I love. First my parents- so many years ago. Then all my beloved Gryffindors… James and Lily and Frank and Alice and Sirius, last year… And now my brother and my sister-in-law. God, I hate you-know-wh… I hate VOLDEMORT!"
Despite his sadness- he'd always liked Alfred and his wife, Albus faintly smiled, though tears made his clear blue eyes look more than ever like lakes.
"Finally. You are finally calling him by his real name. Voldemort."
Minerva bowed her head and sobbed.
"Yes. I don't fear him… not anymore. But I hate him… oh, how I hate him."
Albus nodded seriously.
"I know you do. You know I do… But, Minerva, now, with… with Alfred and Katie. What about…"
And together, they continued
"Noctua!"
She had just entered her rooms, and was now sitting in a chair, sobbing as if her hart had just been torn out.
"Albus?"
"Can I come in?"
"Yes… yes, do come in."
With clear worry in his eyes, the Headmaster came into his wife's rooms, and he sat down next to her.
"My dear Tabby, what is wrong? What's in that letter? Where did it come from… and…"
But she interrupted him, with the tears still on her cheeks.
"Albus…" she started slowly. "that letter comes from Scotland."
Albus nodded. This was nothing unusual- after all, Scotland was Minerva's native country.
"And…" he encouraged her.
Suddenly, she looked right into his eyes, and he realized that it had to be really serious. The pain in her eyes was unmistakable. He pulled her a bit closer.
"Minerva…" he then asked softly. "What has happened?"
She bit her lips, tears on her cheeks.
"It's my brother…, it's Alfred- and Katie, Albus. It's Alfred and Katie. They- they are dead, Albus."
"Whát?"
Minerva nodded vehemently.
"Yes. You-" she sobbed softly. "You know they are- were- Aurors. A dangerous profession… and especially now- with Voldemort returning… They've been killed by- dead-eaters Albus."
"Whát?"
"Yes, Albus. Why… why…"
Another fit of weeping came up, and Dumbledore silently embraced his wife.
"Why them, Albus. Why always, always people I love. First my parents- so many years ago. Then all my beloved Gryffindors… James and Lily and Frank and Alice and Sirius, last year… And now my brother and my sister-in-law. God, I hate you-know-wh… I hate VOLDEMORT!"
Despite his sadness- he'd always liked Alfred and his wife, Albus faintly smiled, though tears made his clear blue eyes look more than ever like lakes.
"Finally. You are finally calling him by his real name. Voldemort."
Minerva bowed her head and sobbed.
"Yes. I don't fear him… not anymore. But I hate him… oh, how I hate him."
Albus nodded seriously.
"I know you do. You know I do… But, Minerva, now, with… with Alfred and Katie. What about…"
And together, they continued
"Noctua!"
