Chapter Six
A special, extra long and extra quick chapter for Portkey Miss Mione whose review made me feel hell guilty :)! Trouwens, jouw reviews zijn altijd heel leuk om te lezen en sorry dat ik zo traag update!
And that was how Madam Rosmerta found her guest, about ten minutes after the contents of the letter had so shocked the Headmaster. Whistling softly under her breath, she opened the mahogany wooden door. She came to get his empty breakfast plate- she assumed he'd already be up and at Grimmauld Place, as he was every morning.
What she saw as she entered the room was something entirely different, though, than just an empty plate.
Albus Dumbledore was lying sprawled out on top of his bed covers, still wearing his pyjamas, a yellowish piece of parchment clenched tightly in his closed fist. His eyes were closed, and Rosmerta could hardly suppress a fearful shriek as she rushed towards him, now trembling herself. After a vain attempt to wake him, she grabbed the letter. Privacy and things were alright, but she really needed to know what exactly could make the powerful, great Headmaster of the most important wizarding school in the world faint as if he were a little child.
Deep down, she very well knew the answer, though. Everyone knew what- who- was the most precious to Headmaster Dumbledore. It was a public secret.
Minerva.
She was proved right as she started to read.
"Dear Albus," the letter began.
Rosmerta immediately recognized the handwriting of Poppy Pomfrey, the school nurse and an ex-classmate of hers- they were the same age and had both been in Hufflepuff.
"You probably wonder why I write to you- yes, I know you do, although you'd never admit it. You were expecting a letter from Minerva, I know, but that exactly is why I write to you.
Albus, this is so difficult for me. I know how much you love Minerva, and I know that what I will tell you will break your heart…"
Rosmerta felt as if her heartbeat had suddenly stopped. She liked Minerva , liked her very much, to tell the truth, and like all the Professor's ex-students she couldn't possibly believe that there was anything that could ever hurt formidable, great Professor McGonagall.
"…but I cannot possibly keep this from you and I know you wouldn't want it, too. The fact is; Minerva has been too brave for this world, as always, Albus. Dolores Umbridge wanted to sack Hagrid, Minerva defended him and Dolores and her Ministry friends shot four stunners straight into her chest."
On this moment, Madam Rosmerta felt like fainting herself- yet she didn't and read on.
"I am so sorry. They brought her to St. Mungo's, Albus- that's probably where she is now. There is a chance she'll survive- she has always been a strong one, don't give up hoping. I would so like to end here- but there is more. Something which neither you nor Minerva had ever expected to happen, has happened. Oh Albus, I am so sorry for you.
For she was pregnant, Albus, Minerva was two months pregnant. She rushed outside before I could tell her or stop her… when I caught up with her it was too late. Look, Albus, I'll tell you this- I don't want to give you any false hope. The chance that both Minerva and the baby survive is very, very small.
I am more sorry for both of you than words can ever express.
Your,
Poppy Pomfrey"
Rosmerta fell down in a chair- tears in her eyes and on her cheeks as she looked down to the man on the bed. She felt sadness, true, but above all deep, deep pity for both him and his wife. She had known them for very long- she'd seen them get together, watched them slowly, slowly confess the feelings they both had fostered for so many years. Then their marriage had come- she'd been there, ten years earlier. They had been so happy- but naturally, they had both assumed that it was too late for kids, even though Minerva was strictly spoken still rather young for a witch. They'd just never thought of it. They both loved children, though- and this day should have been the happiest in their lives.
But it wasn't, thanks to Dolores Jane Umbridge…She sighed and looked at Albus's motionless face again, as she softly started to shake him.
"Albus?"
He didn't move, and she shook a bit harder.
"Albus, please!"
A stifled moan escaped the man's thin lips, and slowly, his blue eyes fluttered open and met the big, dark, concerned ones of Rosmerta. Albus half sat up and looked around, confused.
"Rosemerta, what is…"
As his eyes fell on the folded letter in her hands, realization dawned- she read it in his eyes and her unconscious smile at his waking slid off her face.
"Minerva!"
Rosmerta was forced to use all strength she possessed to keep him from running off to St. Mungo's at once. She succeeded eventually to lock the door and pushed him down on a chair. He immediately tried to get up again- but dizziness resulting from him previous unconscious state prevented him from pushing her firm arms aside.
"Rosmerta, please!"
The witch felt the blood rush to her cheeks under his sad, begging gaze- and she immediately felt bad. Who was she, after all, to prevent a worried man to go visit his badly injured wife? But instantly she realized she was right in keeping him from going. He was still a wizard on the run, after all.
"Albus, I cannot let you. If you rush to St. Mungo's now, in the state you're in, you'll get arrested before you can pronounce "Minerva". And where are you then?"
He sighed and nodded, yet then shook his head and looked up at her again. His eyes were filled with tears- Rosmerta didn't reckon ever having seen him cry.
"My wife is lying there, Rosmerta- in the hospital. My own, darling Minerva is lying there, with a child under her heart that… that…"
All Rosmerta could do was softly, clumsily pat his back as he cried out loud. She saw, she knew that he realized her arguments were reasonable- he knew he could not go, and at the same time he so very much wanted to.
"A child that- that will never live…"
"Albus, I am so sorry."
"She wanted a child- she never spoke about it, but I know she wanted one. She's spent years raising other people's sons and daughters- why, why for God's sake, couldn't she have one of her own then? But as long as she, as long as my own, sweet, darling, brave Minerva survives, then all is alright for me- but if she doesn't…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but Rosmerta knew what he wanted to say.
"If she doesn't, then neither will I…"
A special, extra long and extra quick chapter for Portkey Miss Mione whose review made me feel hell guilty :)! Trouwens, jouw reviews zijn altijd heel leuk om te lezen en sorry dat ik zo traag update!
And that was how Madam Rosmerta found her guest, about ten minutes after the contents of the letter had so shocked the Headmaster. Whistling softly under her breath, she opened the mahogany wooden door. She came to get his empty breakfast plate- she assumed he'd already be up and at Grimmauld Place, as he was every morning.
What she saw as she entered the room was something entirely different, though, than just an empty plate.
Albus Dumbledore was lying sprawled out on top of his bed covers, still wearing his pyjamas, a yellowish piece of parchment clenched tightly in his closed fist. His eyes were closed, and Rosmerta could hardly suppress a fearful shriek as she rushed towards him, now trembling herself. After a vain attempt to wake him, she grabbed the letter. Privacy and things were alright, but she really needed to know what exactly could make the powerful, great Headmaster of the most important wizarding school in the world faint as if he were a little child.
Deep down, she very well knew the answer, though. Everyone knew what- who- was the most precious to Headmaster Dumbledore. It was a public secret.
Minerva.
She was proved right as she started to read.
"Dear Albus," the letter began.
Rosmerta immediately recognized the handwriting of Poppy Pomfrey, the school nurse and an ex-classmate of hers- they were the same age and had both been in Hufflepuff.
"You probably wonder why I write to you- yes, I know you do, although you'd never admit it. You were expecting a letter from Minerva, I know, but that exactly is why I write to you.
Albus, this is so difficult for me. I know how much you love Minerva, and I know that what I will tell you will break your heart…"
Rosmerta felt as if her heartbeat had suddenly stopped. She liked Minerva , liked her very much, to tell the truth, and like all the Professor's ex-students she couldn't possibly believe that there was anything that could ever hurt formidable, great Professor McGonagall.
"…but I cannot possibly keep this from you and I know you wouldn't want it, too. The fact is; Minerva has been too brave for this world, as always, Albus. Dolores Umbridge wanted to sack Hagrid, Minerva defended him and Dolores and her Ministry friends shot four stunners straight into her chest."
On this moment, Madam Rosmerta felt like fainting herself- yet she didn't and read on.
"I am so sorry. They brought her to St. Mungo's, Albus- that's probably where she is now. There is a chance she'll survive- she has always been a strong one, don't give up hoping. I would so like to end here- but there is more. Something which neither you nor Minerva had ever expected to happen, has happened. Oh Albus, I am so sorry for you.
For she was pregnant, Albus, Minerva was two months pregnant. She rushed outside before I could tell her or stop her… when I caught up with her it was too late. Look, Albus, I'll tell you this- I don't want to give you any false hope. The chance that both Minerva and the baby survive is very, very small.
I am more sorry for both of you than words can ever express.
Your,
Poppy Pomfrey"
Rosmerta fell down in a chair- tears in her eyes and on her cheeks as she looked down to the man on the bed. She felt sadness, true, but above all deep, deep pity for both him and his wife. She had known them for very long- she'd seen them get together, watched them slowly, slowly confess the feelings they both had fostered for so many years. Then their marriage had come- she'd been there, ten years earlier. They had been so happy- but naturally, they had both assumed that it was too late for kids, even though Minerva was strictly spoken still rather young for a witch. They'd just never thought of it. They both loved children, though- and this day should have been the happiest in their lives.
But it wasn't, thanks to Dolores Jane Umbridge…She sighed and looked at Albus's motionless face again, as she softly started to shake him.
"Albus?"
He didn't move, and she shook a bit harder.
"Albus, please!"
A stifled moan escaped the man's thin lips, and slowly, his blue eyes fluttered open and met the big, dark, concerned ones of Rosmerta. Albus half sat up and looked around, confused.
"Rosemerta, what is…"
As his eyes fell on the folded letter in her hands, realization dawned- she read it in his eyes and her unconscious smile at his waking slid off her face.
"Minerva!"
Rosmerta was forced to use all strength she possessed to keep him from running off to St. Mungo's at once. She succeeded eventually to lock the door and pushed him down on a chair. He immediately tried to get up again- but dizziness resulting from him previous unconscious state prevented him from pushing her firm arms aside.
"Rosmerta, please!"
The witch felt the blood rush to her cheeks under his sad, begging gaze- and she immediately felt bad. Who was she, after all, to prevent a worried man to go visit his badly injured wife? But instantly she realized she was right in keeping him from going. He was still a wizard on the run, after all.
"Albus, I cannot let you. If you rush to St. Mungo's now, in the state you're in, you'll get arrested before you can pronounce "Minerva". And where are you then?"
He sighed and nodded, yet then shook his head and looked up at her again. His eyes were filled with tears- Rosmerta didn't reckon ever having seen him cry.
"My wife is lying there, Rosmerta- in the hospital. My own, darling Minerva is lying there, with a child under her heart that… that…"
All Rosmerta could do was softly, clumsily pat his back as he cried out loud. She saw, she knew that he realized her arguments were reasonable- he knew he could not go, and at the same time he so very much wanted to.
"A child that- that will never live…"
"Albus, I am so sorry."
"She wanted a child- she never spoke about it, but I know she wanted one. She's spent years raising other people's sons and daughters- why, why for God's sake, couldn't she have one of her own then? But as long as she, as long as my own, sweet, darling, brave Minerva survives, then all is alright for me- but if she doesn't…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but Rosmerta knew what he wanted to say.
"If she doesn't, then neither will I…"