Chapter Thirteen

"Impossible!"

For a few moments she stood there, the all of a sudden coloured vial in her hands, brown eyes big and filled with an almost unearthly surprise. She felt her heart beat rapidly inside of her chest, and somehow, the even, almost enchanting rhythm somehow got her back to her senses, because immediately, careful not to wake the sleeping form of her best friend, Poppy hastened out of the room.

Only ten minutes later, she entered again, still flustered and trembling, careful not to drop the vial on the floor, but with a very broad, happy smile fixed on her face. Softly stroking some dark black locks away from her friend's quiet, sleeping face. She did note- to her great surprise- some tear stains on the pale cheeks, and she gently smiled as she shook her head.

"This was the very first time I doubted you, Min, and again you've proven me wrong."

With this, she took her usual place again, beside her friend, now and then casting an affectionate glance at her sleeping form. She should have known, after all. Minerva McGonagall wasn't the one for self-deceit, and she'd seen enough of her friend's character during the past fifty years to know very well that Minerva could be almost inhumanly harsh towards herself. But she had always had another trait, too.

She valued the truth above everything.

It didn't take Minerva very long to wake up from her short nap again. The first thing her barely awake eyes noticed as they fluttered open, though, were the couple of honestly delighted brown eyes of her best friend, and instinctively, a smile curled Minerva's lips. She knew everything was alright.

"Pops..."

Her voice had, all of a sudden, gone weak again. The loud discussion so early in the morning had obviously fatigued her, but she was smiling, through the still begging look in her eyes.

"Is it really true, Pops? I- I started to... I started to doubt myself. I dreamt- I dreamt that I had gone insane. I-"

Poppy arrived right in time with the bucket, this time, but a smile graced her lips as she held her friend's thick, black hair back as Minerva threw up. She almost cursed herself, though, because she had refused to understand the meaning of Minerva's earlier sickness. The facts once again showed her that even an experienced Mediwitch can still make serious mistakes. And that the feelings of a mother-to-be sometimes proved more reliable than simple, hard knowledge.

And that miracles can happen.

For it was a miracle, that even Poppy had to admit, she looked down on Minerva, who now rested her weary head back against the cushions- sheets and face equally pale. Not the pregnancy itself- oh, no, during her long career, Poppy had seen women much older than Minerva give birth to healthy children. Seventy wasn't as old for a witch as if perhaps appeared to be for a muggle woman. Minerva had- being a muggleborn witch- never believed this herself, but Poppy knew it was true. Minerva had just reached middle age, nothing exceptional there.

It was the fact that the child had survived the unintentional, yet rather fierce attack on his or her young life that astonished Poppy. The only explanation she could think of, was that all four of the Stunners had as if by magic missed Minerva's abdomen- but even that was a strange thing, since then, the hexes would have hit Minerva's heart and even a strong witch like her would never have survived that.

Unless it was true.

Unless a miracle had really happened, and deep in her heart, even rational, clear-headed Poppy wanted to believe that that was true. It would mean that there was still justice in the corrupted world they lived in, and that was, despite everything, a beautiful thing to believe in.

"Minerva, you have been really lucky, you know that?"

Minerva nodded, badly concealed tears in her green eyes but a very happy smile on her face. It was one of her typical attitudes of "strength", but at the same time, it gave away every emotion she felt. Well, every...

All she felt was happiness at the moment, and Poppy knew it, softly squeezing her friend's hand.

"I know, Poppy. I know. Believe me, I do know. I just hope Albus can make it to here soon. I cannot wait to tell him."

Only as Minerva's eyes had contently closed already, Poppy remembered.

Albus.

The letter.