She smiled sadly as she watched her friend sleep for a moment. The guarded
look was gone from his face, leaving behind an innocent boy that still
lurked under the shell the auror had built up. It was a pity he had never
truly been allowed a childhood. Sighing, she lifted the enchanted spyglass
to her eye, carefully examining the house they had been watching for the
last several days and nights. After a few moments, she lowered the spyglass
and drew her dark cloak closer around her to ward off the morning chill. A
sound drew her attention back to her companion just as his dark eyes
fluttered open. "Good morning, Alastor."
"Good morning, Min," he replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the guarded look slipped back into place. She wondered if it took him any effort. "Has there been any change?"
She shook her head, ignoring his use of the nickname. "Not yet."
"Would you like to get some sleep?" he asked, sitting up and stretching.
She shook her head again. "No, I'm not tired."
"You will be." He moved to the spot beside her.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but his eyes were focused on the house. "I suppose you're right."
"Of course I am." Exchanging smiles, Alastor made himself comfortable while Minerva settled down to sleep.
As she waited for sleep to come, she watched her friend. He sat utterly still, his eyes focused on the house in the distance. He was one of the few people she knew who could remain still for long periods of time. She supposed it came from spending hours in the same room as his parents without being allowed to move at all. If he did, he was punished for it. Just as she was beginning to drift off, he moved, snatching up the spyglass and focusing it on the house. "Alastor?"
"Shh," he whispered, not removing the spyglass.
She frowned, sitting up. After several tense moments, he lowered the spyglass and, looking at her, nodded. "He's returned?"
"Yes, he has," he confirmed. "Come on."
Gathering up their equipment, they left the nest they had made for themselves in the woods near Anatole Lestrange's home. The only evidence was the small depression that had served as their campsite.
"Good morning, Min," he replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as the guarded look slipped back into place. She wondered if it took him any effort. "Has there been any change?"
She shook her head, ignoring his use of the nickname. "Not yet."
"Would you like to get some sleep?" he asked, sitting up and stretching.
She shook her head again. "No, I'm not tired."
"You will be." He moved to the spot beside her.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but his eyes were focused on the house. "I suppose you're right."
"Of course I am." Exchanging smiles, Alastor made himself comfortable while Minerva settled down to sleep.
As she waited for sleep to come, she watched her friend. He sat utterly still, his eyes focused on the house in the distance. He was one of the few people she knew who could remain still for long periods of time. She supposed it came from spending hours in the same room as his parents without being allowed to move at all. If he did, he was punished for it. Just as she was beginning to drift off, he moved, snatching up the spyglass and focusing it on the house. "Alastor?"
"Shh," he whispered, not removing the spyglass.
She frowned, sitting up. After several tense moments, he lowered the spyglass and, looking at her, nodded. "He's returned?"
"Yes, he has," he confirmed. "Come on."
Gathering up their equipment, they left the nest they had made for themselves in the woods near Anatole Lestrange's home. The only evidence was the small depression that had served as their campsite.
