When Eternity Ceases

Chapter Two

Albus looked up at the stars. It was incredible, he thought, that the stars could still be majestic on a night such as this. "Watch over her," he prayed.

It had been hours since the fighting had come to a halt. Aurors and other various wizards had stumbled back for a few hours, some hurt worse than others. Albus was thankful that so many had survived, but he knew this battle was not over. The next week would be the end, one way or another.

Two people's absences were horrifyingly obvious: Alastor Moody's sister, Alastra, and Minerva McGonagall. Albus felt tears coming to his eyes as he thought of her. She had been selected to go fight based on her huge magical and mental aptitude, and Albus had not been able to fight this. As it was said, desperate times call for desperate measures. The wizarding world was desperate enough that a seventeen year-old witch had to risk her life.

Albus closed his eyes. He remembered the look she had in her eyes that very morning. It was one of sadness, one of desperation, one of fear. The fact that she had not been able to hide her emotion terrified Albus. Minerva was frighteningly good at hiding all of her emotions, so when she could not, Albus could not bear to think how troubled she was. Albus had kissed her lovingly and they had parted.

Alastor Moody came up beside Albus and placed his hand on Albus's shoulder. Albus tensed.

"Let's go look for them," Alastor said in his low growl of a voice.

Albus nodded mutely, and they set off to find Alastor's sister and his niece.

They searched for nearly an hour before they found either woman. Alastor saw Alastra laying by a ditch. "Oh no…." He fell to the ground beside her and laid his hand on her face. "She's cold." He felt for a pulse. "Nothing."

Alastor sat back on his heels. "That's both of my sisters, Albus. Aurora, and Alastra. If I lose Aurora's daughter too…I'll be the only one left." He spoke with exhaustion.

"Minerva is alive. I can feel it," Albus replied quietly. His heart was still beating, and he felt sure that if Minerva died, he would die too.

Alastor nodded. He levitated his twin and set off with Albus. They searched for what seemed ages more, but they never saw Minerva. At last Alastor said, "We need to get back, Albus. We can…" his voice cracked, "…keep searching tomorrow."

Albus allowed himself to be turned around by Alastor, although his mind was screaming at him. They walked in complete silence, feeling the warmth of the rising sun on their faces. Suddenly, Albus saw something to his left, nearly covered by the shade of a tree. A hand. He knew that hand. "Minerva!"

He broke away from Alastor and went as fast as he could to the tree. He scooped up the body and brought it into the warmth and light. It was indeed Minerva, but as Albus placed her on the ground, he and Alastor gasped simultaneously.

"Oh, Merlin," whispered Albus. The entire right side of Minerva was covered in blood. Her face, her hair her shoulder…Albus felt he could not breathe.

"Is she…is she…?" Alastor stuttered.

Albus put his ear next to her mouth. He could feel her breathing, but it was hardly more than a whisper. He felt for a pulse. "She's alive."

Alastor steadied himself. "Thank Merlin."

Albus gently examined Minerva, his heart pounding in his ears. She was alive. He noted that the right side of her chest was not its correct shape. "Someone broke her ribs."

"Bastards."

Albus glanced back at his friend. "I don not know what to do for her. I wish Alastra…." He trailed off.

Alastor nodded. "I know." Alastra had been a Healer at St. Mungo's. "Let's get her back to camp. We have a lot more Healers there."

Albus gently lifted Minerva into his arms. He kissed her forehead. "You are safe now," he whispered.

They walked in silence back to the camp. "What are we going to tell William?" Alastor asked.

Albus stopped. He had forgotten. But what was there to say to a man who lost the love of his life? "I have no idea. It would be much easier to tell his wife." William Weasley and his wife Lynne had been married for years, despite William's rather open affair with Alastra.

At long last they reached the camp. They were immediately confronted by nearly every wizard there.

"How are they, Albus?"

Alastor, Albus realized, was the only one left now who knew of his relationship with Minerva. "Minerva is alive. We lost Alastra."

Avoiding more questions, Albus and Alastor went to the hospital tent.