Disclaimer. Don't own them. Only like playing in the same sand box. I do own the characters that I created however.

Echo's in the Moonlight.

Sequel to "Shadows in the Wind"

Chapter Nine

Monday, November 23 1994

22 yr old Charlie Weasley stood at the enclosure where the dragons would be arriving. He saw Hagrid walking about rubbing his hands- joy on his face. Hagrid loved dragons. A soft step behind him, Charlie turned to see Minerva coming down the path.

He gave her a hug, then stepped back to look at her.

"Gosh your still as beautiful as the first time I saw you pick Percy up by one leg to get him out of the pig trough." He said softly as he hugged her again. He saw her flush slightly, then smile. Every pig had parted to let her through and she managed to do it with out getting a speck of dirt on herself. Percy was none the worse for the wear. She remembered seeing the awe on the older children's faces. The pig had bitten the Muggle Postman who after that refused to deliver muggle orders of plugs to Mr. Weasley after that the day before and would have no doubt done serious harm to Percy. She wasn't afraid, but then she didn't know the danger she had been in. "You remembered- after all these years?"

He returned the smile. "Mum said we were not to think you would play favorites just because you were there when we needed you. And you always have been. We would have taken Harry, in, if you and Albus had asked. Mum said she knew you would have taken him in yourself, but- Hagrid told her that Albus has his reasons for having Harry stay… and we were all wondering. , Why didn't you ever marry Albus?"

Minerva was saved from answering when the first of the dragon boxes apparated on the grounds. Charlie gave her cheek a kiss. "Have to go to work, It will be fine Prof. Mum would skin me alive if one of the dragons hurt Harry, and I think I would rather face the angry dragons than mum…" He was off. She turned and walked straight into Albus. The flush rose high on her cheeks.

"Something of interest Minerva?" he asked her softly. She lifted her chin up.

"Charlie wanted to know why I didn't ever marry you…" she said meeting his gaze.

"Did he now?"

Tuesday November 24th.

Minerva shook from head to toe. She found it difficult to keep from screaming, to keep from hiding her face in Albus's shoulder while Harry faced the dragon. She had thought her heart would stop when Cedric was hurt, but when she saw the tail lash out and get Harry's arm she found Albus gripping her arm to stop her from going after the bloody idiot who had thought Nesting Dragons were a safe bet.

She wanted to hug Harry when she saw him, hug him and hold him and not let him go. She couldn't though. Everyone was watching. She couldn't show him any more favor than she would with any of the other students. She over heard Ron saying to Harry that someone was trying get him killed, and Harry's calm answer of "Figured that out have you?" Minerva saw the three friends now reunited again and it eased the feeling of trepidation in her heart.

Charlie Weasley found her after the crowd had dissipated. He had sent an owl off to tell Molly about the event. He pulled a rather large ugly beetle off of her shoulder and handed it off to a student telling them to give it to Hagrid to feed to one of his pets then after the student went he withdrew a small flask out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Here, drink this, you will feel better."

"Mr. Weasley! I am not in the habit of drinking firewiskey…" She saw him shake his head and smile

"Neither am I. It's ok. " He reassured her.

She took a breath and then a sip. It was rich French silk chocolate milk, chilled just to the right temperature. She took another sip, and realized the flask had to be charmed to keep it full. With a third pull on the flask she found her trembling had stopped. She leaned weakly against Charlie. She hadn't realized how nervous she had been until just then and it had sapped all of her energy.

"Come sit here…" he said guiding her to the bleachers. No one was around except the dragon handlers and Hagrid and they were working on calming the dragons.

"You do love him, don't you?" Charlie asked.

" To whom are you referring to Mr. Weasley?"

"Prof. Dumbledore." Minerva took in a breath. Charlie could see the wistful expression in her eyes, a smile on her lips. She said nothing though. Charlie patted her hand.

"We all love him Professor. We would do any thing he asks, with out regard to our own safety. Even if it cost us our freedom, or our lives- even if there wasn't – Voldemort in our lives."

Minerva shot Charlie a look. He took a breath and continued. "I face death every moment I work with the dragons. I've been burnt, clawed, bitten and stepped on. I lost my fear of things after that." He said pragmatically. "Just- don't tell mum, ok? She would worry more than what that clock could tell her. I had to change the charm on it. It kept telling her I was in Mortal danger every day that I was at work." Minerva could see he was trying to ease her mind about the events, to calm her.

"Students have died during the Triwizard event. I – just- have this feeling that we are going to lose one of our students."

"Well, we have one behind us, and two to go. Things will work out." He said standing up in front of her. She tried to give him back the flask. He shook his head. "They are standard issue. I have a feeling that you will be needing it for the rest of the tournament."

He took a breath, picked up both of her hands in his, and then said very seriously. "I wanted to marry you, when I was little. Mum said it would have been difficult because you have so many other children to take care of. When I came to Hogwarts, I sought out the headmaster and – I asked Prof. Dumbledore if he loved you as much as I did. He said yes… and I realized that mum was right. I could be selfish and marry you- but there were others who needed you to be here, to love them just as much as you showed us love when you came to take care of us, what a wonderful mum you are to every child who comes to Hogwarts. Mum asked me, when I was going to get married, and I told her the girl I love was already spoken for. She never knew, that I was referring to you."

Minerva felt a shy blush come to her cheeks. She realized what he was saying and met his gaze square on. "You realize…" she began gently.

"Aye, I know. I've known it for years. Love is never about age Minerva. Albus loves you, you love him, and the school, and someday I will find a nice girl to settle down with. But she will be hard pressed to compare to you." He pulled her up by the hands. "Come, let me show you my children." He said guiding her to where they were trying to get the dragons ready for loading. One of the dragons reared up, snapping the guideline then snaked its head dangerously close to Minerva. With out a second thought she whipped out her wand and said "Fera Verto!" There was a shimmer then the dragon transformed into a large water goblet.

"Blimey, why didn't we think of that before?"

February 24, 9:30 AM 1995

The second task didn't ease her fears any more than the first one had. She had argued with Albus many hours about how dangerous it was for the students- for Harry. Anything could happen. She remembered Moody-discussing Gillyweed with her in the teachers lounge and that Severus had some in his stores. She eyed him suspiciously, just for a moment. Severus had said that things had gone missing from his cupboard- but he had thought it was one of the students. Her knowledge of potions were O level with her Newts, but, for the life of her, she couldn't think of why the ingredients would go missing again or what they could be combined for. She hadn't the need to do any potions mixing in ages.

Minerva's heart nearly failed her when the others came up from the lake before Harry did. No matter what he had used to breath underwater with, all the spells were temporary and would wear off- even if he were under water. When Harry broke the surface with Ron and Gabriele, she nearly fainted. She felt Albus's hand on the small of her back steadying her as she swayed. She could hear his voice say it was all right, none of the children had been harmed, and then he went to speak with the merman leader. Minerva got up and went to where the students were. Between the tents she unscrewed the cap of the small flask and took a sip. To her surprise, the chocolate was warm, and it warmed her insides as well. Ludo Bagman who eyed the flask bumped her. "It's hot chocolate." She said with a faint scandal in her voice, daring him to inspect the contents. He only nodded then went on his way. She watched the children as they were wrapped in the blankets and given potions to warm them up. Two down, one to go. She thought.

June 24, 1995 at dawn.

The centaurs gathered at the clearing. Through sage burning, and the star constellations they knew it was time. They formed a ring around the Thestrils not allowing them out of the tight circle they had formed.. One of the centaurs looked over the herd of Thestrils and said softly "Blood has raised against blood, and blood shall raise blood before the night falls. Those who were lost will be found to be taken.

Pet shook her mane. "He is here- the guiltless one. Let me pass and bring his time of destiny." She said to the centaurs.

But the centaurs refused to allow her to go.

"It is not time. There are still paths to be followed. It may be his time, but it is not yours. The blood who follows darkness must not have passage. We cannot protect you beyond this clearing. You must stay. The stars will follow their own path.

Dusk fell. The sounds of the four students making their way through the maze and the red sparks reached the clearing of the dark forest.

"It is time" one of the centaurs said. The group broke the circle and on wing the Thestrils turned following the shadow of the port key spell. The group of them landed just in the grave yard and made a circle around it, waiting. They knew the death eaters couldn't see them Those with out remorse could never see what awaited them until death.

They watched as Wormtail pointed the wand at the young boy and saw with horror, his soul being taken into to the wand. Some of the younger Thestrils were about to bolt, but the stamp of a foot from the older Thestrils made them stop where they were.

Blood. The cry of the wounded. Voldemort slowly rose from the cauldron with red snake eyes that pierced the night. If he saw the Thestrils, he never mentioned. They could only watch as the battle began, the wands connect and the young mans wand connect with its twin. This was what they were waiting for. This is what the centaurs had said why they needed to be here. Collect the souls and take them home.

The Thestrils watched as the souls formed a circle around Voldemort, allowing the student to use the port key home, and take the body of the young man with him. The Thestrils walked up to the circle of shadows and touched them. To the living, they simply faded from sight. To those who could see Thestrils, each of the souls mounted the Thestrils, riding them as they took flight over the cemetery with those who bore none keeping honor guard beside them, delivering them to a place of rest.

It was dawn before the Thestrils returned. The guiltless one had left, The centaurs waited for the Thestrils to return to ask them with out speaking . The Thestrils answered with out saying.

The long battle had begun anew…