Disclaimer: I do not own anything that deals with Harry Potter, as I hope that you all should know by now. Woot!

A/N: Okay, well, I just want to say thank you to all those of you who have reviewed. I just want to let you know that I am enjoying this story a lot. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter Two: The News…

Minerva opened her eyes slowly the next morning, staring into the worried eyes of Poppy. She looked around and quickly discovered that she was in the hospital wing, in a cot at the very back, right next to the window.

"W-What happened?" Minerva asked. She sat up, despite the clear protest in her friends eyes.

"Minerva, are you feeling alright?" she asked, although Minerva could see something awful in her eyes.

"Yes, I feel fine, Poppy," she replied. "Again, what happened last night?" Poppy shuffled her feet awkwardly and looked at her friend, misty eyed.

"Albus saw you faint just in front of your room last night," she began. "He was so worried about you…"

Flashback…

Albus' heart skipped a beat when he saw the woman he loved fall to the floor. He ran to her side, rolled her onto her back, and looked at her face. Her eyes were rolled back up in her eyes and she was incredibly pale. So, he quickly scooped her in his arms and rushed her to the hospital wing, hoping Poppy hadn't gone to bed yet.

When he arrived just in front of the infirmary door, he saw that Poppy was just coming out. Her sleepy eyes widened when she saw Albus with Minerva lying limp in his arms.

"Good God, Albus, what has happened?" she asked, opening the door back open and allowing Albus to enter.

"I don't know, Poppy," he replied, walking to the first bed he could reach. "All I saw was her fall onto the floor in front of her private quarters and then grow pale." As Albus explained what had happened, Poppy opened Minerva's eyes to check for dilation and then her pulse.

"Let me try a few tests," she replied, pulling her wand out of her apron pocket. "Would you mind waiting for me outside, Albus?" Albus was more than a bit ruffled by this request. Seeing his discomfort, Poppy elaborated. "For a few of these tests, I may have to remove her robes." Albus blushed, nodded, and left. It was hours before Poppy could come to a conclusion, and it was well into the morning hours. When she went to tell Albus what she had found, she found that he was lying on a chair he had conjured somewhere along the way and was sound asleep. Poppy didn't have the heart to wake him up. He would find out soon, anyway.

End Flashback…

"So, he had seen me fall?" Minerva paled as Poppy nodded solemnly. She didn't want Albus to see her do that. It made her appear as vulnerable as she sometimes felt, and no matter how close she was to him, she didn't want him to see her at her weak moments. She stood and grabbed her cloak, prepared to walk out. "I really should go thank him…"

"Minerva-," whispered Poppy, her lips trembling.

"…I'm sure he's really anxious to find out that I am alright…"

"Minerva-," said Poppy, her voice slightly louder. She came around the bed. Minerva made for the door.

"…After all, no one else really wants to deal with that fool, Fudge. So, really, I am the only one he would ask for advice…" She knew Poppy was trying to get her to lay back down on the cot, and quite frankly, she did not want to be bed ridden for the entire day. Especially on the first day of summer holidays, when there was so much to do in preparation for the next year.

"You're dying!" Poppy shouted with a cry clear in her throat. Minerva stopped. The news hit her like a ton of bricks. She turned slowly around and faced her best friend, who was sobbing, her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, Min, I am so sorry. I tried my best to help it, but the cancer… It had just spread too far. I couldn't stop it!"

"…Cancer?" Minerva's voice was barely above a whisper. Tears filled her eyes and began to pour out freely. She sat down on the floor and cried, her face also in her hands. It was then that Poppy looked up, her eyes turning pink, and walked over to her friend, bent down, and hugged her. Minerva grabbed onto her friend and they both just sat there, shaking. They tried to comfort each other, but both knew it wouldn't do much good. After all, it's not easy to accept your own death… or even the death of a close friend.

Albus walked out of his bedroom door. He had woken up earlier that morning and discovered that he had fallen asleep in the chair that he had conjured. He entered the infirmary, in search of Poppy. But she was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed that she had finished her tests and everything was alright. He was sure that if there was anything important, she would have woken him up.

So, he had gone in and stared down at Minerva, her angelic face illuminated by the moon that was coming through the window. He could see that Poppy had moved her to the back bed.

And now, as Albus walked down the halls, he couldn't help but worry. Sure, she looked just fine when he had seen her the night before. Yet, there was something in the pit of his stomach that told him he was wrong. He couldn't exactly place his finger on it, but there had been something about her when he had seen her faint. It told him that there was something seriously wrong with her.

He opened the infirmary door, only to find that no one was in there. He scanned the room quickly and saw that Minerva's bed had been vacated already. He sighed with relief. That meant she must be alright and he had worried over nothing. Yet, he had been wearier of her health and well-being ever since she had been attacked by that horrible toad of a woman, Dolores Umbridge. Four stunners to the chest was indeed a marvelous feat to beat.

He entered the Great Hall to see Poppy, Severus, Xiomara Hooch, and Sylvia Sprout already at the Head Table. Yet, he could see that Minerva had not yet showed up. What was even stranger was that they were all sitting in silence, each pushing their food around with their forks.

"Why so glum?" he asked as he approached the table. They all straightened out and tried to smile, but Albus knew that something had been wrong. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of Minerva.

"Is something wrong?" he asked as he sat in his seat.

"Um, no, Headmaster," said Severus. "I was, just, erm, thinking about seeing Crystal again." Severus hated lying to the Headmaster; especially when it came to Minerva. But he felt that he had no choice. Poppy had told them that Minerva had left them specific information not to say a word about it to Albus until she had had a chance to talk to him. Albus smiled and nodded. That seemed a plausible reason. Also, Severus almost always looked like there was something wrong.

"That's right," replied Poppy. "And after all that had happened last night, I just haven't had much sleep." She smiled innocently. "And, don't worry. Minerva is feeling better today." Well, it wasn't a lie per say. True, Minerva was feeling much better than the previous evening. She was just withholding certain information that he would have wanted to know.

"And Sylvia and I were celebrating last night, for end of term," smiled Xiomara. That was the full truth. They had indeed gone to the Three Broomsticks for a few drinks. But when Poppy had owled them at two in the morning to come quickly back to the school because something had happened to Minerva, they immediately forgot their celebration and went straight back. Albus sighed and decided to fill up his plate.

"Where is Minerva?" he asked.

"Oh, she's in her room, resting," replied Poppy. "She didn't want to, but I made her and told her that if she didn't, I would refuse treatment on her the next time she fainted." Albus nodded. Perhaps he had just overreacted once again. After all, what was there to be worried about?

To Be Continued…

A/N2: So, what do you think of this chapter? Too sad? Well, sorry, but I intended for this to be a sad fic and that is what it is turning out to be. Woot! What do you think Albus would do? Keep reading. Always Hopeful