About a week before Halloween, at lunch…
"I wonder where Dumbledore is." Said Harry, looking at the Staff Table.
"Yeah, he hasn't been showing up at meals for a week now!" exclaimed Ginny.
"I guess he's gone to the Ministry of Magic again or something.." said Ron, his mouth full of food.
"Wouldn't he have said something?" asked Hermione.
"Maybe he didn't want the whole school to panic, you know, with him not being around while You-Know-Who is back to power." Answered Alex thoughtfully.
"Yeah. Probably. I'm going to ask McGonagal after Tranfiguration." Said Harry, shrugging and standing up.
"We better go now, Ron, stop eating!" ordered Hermione and she too stood up and took her backbag.
"Good-bye, let me know about Dumbledore!" said Ginny, kissing Harry on the cheek and heading off to her Charms class.
In Transfiguration, they had to transfigure a stick into a carrot. At the end of class, Harry and his friends made their way to McGonagal's desk.
"Yes, Potter?" asked Professor McGonagal, grading a paper.
"Well, I was wondering where Professor Dumbledore was." Said Harry hesitantly.
"He has fallen ill. Go on now." Replied McGonagal, putting an A on the paper.
"Can I see him?" asked Harry.
"No."
"Please, Professor." Begged Harry.
Professor McGonagal surveyed him over her glasses.
"Very well, Potter, come with me." Sighed Professor McGonagal finally.
"I suppose you may come too, Weasley, Granger, Lafievre…" she nodded and led them to Dumbledore's office.
"Now, you must not tell anyone about what you are about to see." She said sternly, and she said the password (Tongue Teasing Tootsies) and walked away.
"What do you think happened to him? It sounds really serious …" said Ron when McGonagal was gone.
"I have no idea. Voldemort's probably done something evil again and Dumbledore's sick of it." Answered Harry, stepping out of the staircase.
The others followed the lead.
Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, as usual. But..he looked…terrible.
His eyes were dull, his hair was falling out, his skin was turning ashen…
"Professor Dumbledore!" they gasped.
He sighed wearily.
"I knew you all would demand on seeing me…"
"Sit down, please." He said in a weak voice.
"What happened, Professor?" asked Alex, staring at him.
"I am dying."
All except Harry gave a shuddering gasp.
Harry had sensed something like this was going to happen. Dumbledore had stopped coming to meals, he hadn't seen him for days, the teachers were more serious than ever…
"But…why?" asked Hermione in a choked voice. Ron put his arms around her to comfort her.
"My powers are weakening…and thus, so am I. I think I have another week or so…"
"Why are your powers weakening? You're the most powerful wizard in the world!" Alex burst out.
Dumbledore chuckled.
"I was….Alex, everybody must die eventually, my time has come, I am, after all, 249 years old…"
"But who will be Headmaster?" protested Ron.
"My brother Aberforth said he would be happy to take over the job. I have felt this weakening for a few years now, about 20, and I have taught him all I know about Hogwarts and about common knowledge. He already knows the rest. Harry here also knows everything he needs to know…except…" Dumbledore had fallen asleep.
"Er…what do we do?" asked a very shocked Harry. "He's breathing, I can see it…"
"Don't wake him!" whispered Hermione. "I'll go get Madam Pomfrey."
After about five minutes Hermione came back with Madam Pomfrey, who sighed as soon as she saw Professor Dumbledore.
"I see he's passed out…again. Go one now, I'll take care of him!" she said, and she shooed them out of the office.
"I can't believe he's dying!" Ron burst out when they were on the way to the Gryffindor common room.
"Well, I sort of sensed it…I mean, he's quite old, and he hasn't been coming to meals, …" Harry said sadly.
"What will we ever do without Dumbledore?!" wailed Hermione.
Little did they know that somebody was listening to every word they were saying…the somebody was lurking in the shadows, smiling at the information he had just received…it would be very valuable to his master…
"I wonder what he wanted to tell me…" said Harry as the portrait hole opened.
Ginny immediately came running up to them.
"Hey! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"
"We were in Dumbledore's office." Answered Alex.
"So where is he? How is he? How come you didn't come to get me? I was waiting in the Charms corridor, we usually meet there after classes, and you didn't come, so I came here…Why are you crying Hermione?"
"McGonagal brought us to Dumbledore. Dumbledore is dying, Ginny." Said Harry gravely.
Ginny's eyes widened.
"Dumbledore…dying?" she choked.
"Yes."
She flung her arms around Harry.
"I know..I know…but he's very old, and his time has come…" he said soothingly, rubbing her back.
Neville noticed the two girls crying and the boys looking very sad and serious, so he came over.
"What happened?" he asked.
"He's ..dying!" sobbed Ginny and Hermione.
"Who's dying?" Neville asked the boys.
"Er…" er-ed Ron.
~Don't tell him about Dumbledore!~ Harry thought to them.
"Well…er…you see…it's…" said Alex awkwardly.
"Er…my plant!" Harry blurted out.
"Your plant?" asked Neville, his brow furrowing.
"Yeah…"
To everybody's surprise, Neville began crying, too.
"er…Neville, why are you crying?" asked Ron, staring at Neville as though he were mad.
"Because…I love plants!" Neville howled.
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Here are the responses, I finally got to read my reviews! Yay! I had over 40! So that was very good!j
Alueua: thanks! Yeah, lots of twists and turns!
Sarahamanda: Yep, you were right!
GinnyPotter: Okay, my email is julie_missya@yahoo.com
Aragorn Elessar: Yuppie puppy! Hehe…
ZagZig722: Hehe…sorry no prize! Hehe…yeah, fanfiction had some problems….major problems…it's gone totally insane!
Layne: thanks! Yeah, I like the rings too!
Bob-the-bear: hehe…thanks! I'm flattered! Glad you like my other story..it's a bit random and insane..but hey! Nope, I won't finish the Grandparents one..I just have no clue what to do with it…sorry!!!
Ami-Gryffindor89: Hahahaha!~ thanks!
Caroline E.M.A. Melbourne: thanks! I'm glad you liked it! Yes, school is torture, that's why I collect all flames to burn down my school….MuhahahahA!
HermioneClone: Glad you loved it!!!
Ssonic: thanks! Yes, I removed it…
Stargirl: thanks!
Swimangel183: Yep! Can do, will do!
Blue-Eyed-Baby91090369: Okay! Fanfiction wouldn't let me log in for a while, so this chappie is a little late! Thanks!
Katie ( ): Okay…because you asked so nicely ;)
Dishant: Yep, I will…
Aurora: Thanks! Yeah, I couldn't log in for like two days, so this chappie is kinda late! Sorry!
Sarahamanda: thanks! Yeah, fanfiction is having some serious problems! That's why this chapter is so late!
Silver Stockings: I do? Hermione, isn't that right? I'm really sorry if I spelled it wrong! Must have been typing too fast! Sparkling…eyes can sparkle…
Kimmy: HHAHAHAHAHA! Yep, that was one of my favorite part too! Yep, reviews are doing insane…maybe they've gone mad, just like me! Haha! Thanks!
Raisinnutbread: Thanks for the reviews!
Mary: glad you like my story! Keep reading and you'll know how it ends;)
Maria: thanks! Okidokipoki, I won't cancel, cause now I know that fanfiction went weird and that I did get reviews, and that people love my story;)
Miss Prongs: Oh. Fanfiction was doing really weird too! I don't know when I'll be able to post this chappie cause I can't log in…hopefully soon!
Jn: thanks for reviewing, even though I can't really figure out what 'ui' means!
Elfstone: er…okay! Hehe…I'm scared…
Animagus82: Thanks! I'm glad you like them! Yes, Harry and Ginny are much like James and Lily, so they must have some connection! Or that's how I feel anyways! Thanks again!
Tongalo: Oh? You've been reading my story all along, and you didn't review? …Thanks for reading my story! Please review, cause they make me feel better and they make me write really good chapters…because then I want to impress you all! Even if it's just "You rock" (hehe) I don't care, just review! Thanks for reviewing this time!
Angel: thanks! Yep, I'll update as soon as the insane fanfiction lets me!
Amanda: thanks! Yes, I will! Thank you for making me feel better!
Seipher: Hehe…thank you so much!
Jennykins3: Hey! Thanks, people reviewed but I couldn't read the reviews cause fanfiction went crazy! Okidoki, I look forward to betareading them, glad you're off groundation! I"ll send you an email!
HappySnakesRule: Yes, I think you reviewed one time…Thanks! I'm glad my story makes your lunchtime interesting;)
Crazy steph: thanks!
Jletmil1: You flatter me.
Jedimaster: thanks!
Olivia: I am? Wow, what a compliment! Of course you're a good writer, everybody is! I'm not great, I just write for fun and I try to make it exciting and interesting! Hope you liked this chappie! Yeah, Lily was going to have another baby, but she decided not to because it would be too hard with Voldemort taking over and stuff. Yes, the other baby was gone before Lily and James died.
Bdb869: thanks a bunch!
David: Thanks! No, the next chapter I will definitely explain the whole ring thing…maybe Hermione will find it in her book, or Dumbledore will tell Harry on his deathbed….You'll see, and I will too…haha!
Jen: thanks! It will be explained in a later chapter, don't worry!
Strandy: Yep. It's gone insane.
Nadz: thanks a million!
Froggy1: Well, actually a lot is wrong with me…hehe..just kidding…I just don't feel motivated if I don't get reviews…I had already written the chapter, but I didn't want to post it until I got a review for the chapter before it…One review is enough for me! Okay, I'll try to post even though I get no reviews!
Shadow wings: thanks! Hope you liked this chappie!
Wbp999: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the splitting and the deaths…I had to give those a lot of thought..and now I'm working on the Final Battle…so that's a toughie too! That will be either the next chapter or the chapter after that!
Bec: nope, you never told me, thanks for telling me now! I'm glad you like it!
Gred 'n Forge: Hello there! Thanks!
Thedolphin: You really think so? I'm flattered! Thanks!
XSweetMseryx: thanks so much! Keep reviewing!
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Another special thanks to all who reviewed! And for all the readers who never review, please just put a review to say you're reading my story, it makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside! Hehe…and it motivates me to write better and longer chapter! Your benefit!
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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
I'm sorry this chapter is so late, but I couldn't log in so I couldn't post it! I'm so sorry!
