Chapter Six: One Weekend in Hogsmeade
A/N: Many thanks to bigkihap, Quill of Minerva, mon, Lizella, Beornthryth, and Lady Urquentha for their reviews (esp. the "novel" reviews, which are greatly enjoyed)! I have fixed the schizophrenic!Shacklebolt in the previous chapters, thanks for the heads-up.
Thanks to my friend Geca for quick beta-ing this chapter after my beta told me to fix stuff.
And, of course, a salute to my beta, FlyingAuk, who is thankfully a better writer than I am and will hopefully write a story soon (no pressure...:grins:). She hasn't seen all of this chapter, so any errors are all mine.
Again Minerva woke to darkness and despair. She had failed.
After all these years and despite all her precautions, she had failed. Somehow, somewhere, someone had found out the truth. She had been captured, and she would be used against Albus.
Albus. The thought was bittersweet. Oh, Albus. I'm so sorry. I tried…
flashback
Saturday, September 14
It was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year, and Minerva had flatly forbidden Albus from accompanying her into town. She wanted to get some shopping done and knew that bringing him along was tantamount to disaster. After all, her destination this afternoon was Honeydukes, and Albus Dumbledore in a candy store was worse than a hundred nifflers loose in Gringott's. Besides, there was something special that Minerva wanted to get for Albus, and she could not have him tagging along with her while she bought it.
Minerva smiled slightly and stepped out into the crisp September air, waving goodbye to Rosmerta as she did so. The children had another two hours to run around Hogsmeade, which gave her plenty of time to make a quick run by Honeydukes. Maybe she'd even pick up some candy for Severus; Merlin knew the man needed more sweetness in his life. It's too bad that Honeydukes doesn't sell temperament sweeteners, Minerva thought. He's been in an exceptionally foul mood ever since he realized that Granger, Potter and Weasley were on the roster for his NEWT Potions class. I don't think I've ever seen him that angry with Albus before. Severus had practically been spitting fire at the Headmaster's decision to override his admissions policy. Minerva's suggestion that he separate the "Trio" and continue as usual only calmed him slightly.
"Well, then, I suppose I'll just have to wait for Potter and Weasley to fail out. Those two dunderheads haven't a chance without Granger's perpetual 'assistance,'" Severus sneered. Then, bidding the two of them a curt goodbye, Severus stormed out of Albus's office, muttering angrily. Albus and Minerva had exchanged a long look, and then bent over the professors' yearly budget requests without another word.
It was one of the many idiosyncrasies of their relationship, this communication without words. Strangers had often remarked upon it, only to have one of them—usually Albus—break into laughter. "I think fifty years is long enough to learn what someone likes for breakfast," he told Madame Bones flippantly before proceeding to order for Minerva, who had been chatting with Poppy about the latest developments in medicinal transfigurations. To Minerva, the comfortable, natural silences that arose between them even at the beginning of their relationship had always been strangely significant. It was level of understanding that she had never had with anyone else.
Minerva walked in and out of Honeydukes in thirty minutes. She bought her little gift for Albus with minimal difficulties, as well as another tin of ginger newts for her desk, and after some consideration, a box of dark brandied chocolates for Severus, who complained that the milk chocolate confections favored by the students were "sickeningly sweet indications of poor taste." Inordinately pleased by her choices and musing about next week's lesson plans, Minerva failed to notice the two cloaked men trailing her from behind.
By the time she had returned to the center square, however, something odd and uncomfortable was beginning to prick at the edge of her consciousness. Minerva fingered her wand and surveyed the crowd.
It was the typical Saturday mix of haggard mothers with children clinging at their heels, husbands with their wives, and small groups of friends—women with their girlfriends, men with their boys' clubs—clustered about the square. Minerva smiled softly at the sight of a pair of young lovers strolling through, blissfully lost in their own world. Interspersed between the adults were dozens of Hogwarts children, nibbling happily on Honeydukes treats and chatting animatedly about one subject or another. Minerva smiled and nodded towards the handful of waves and greetings sent her way. The weather was glorious for the first time this month, and Hogsmeade had turned out in force.
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Minerva chastised herself for her skittishness and turned to head back to the Leaky Cauldron. Moments later, all hell broke loose.
Someone with a flair for the dramatic shouted out "Morsmordre!" in a booming voice undoubtedly amplified by another spell. The appearance of the Dark Mark in the sky caused screams of fear to break out all across the square.
Minerva cast her first spell before she had even fully comprehended the situation, and a masked Death Eater went down with a cry. Then the battle began in earnest.
The milling chaos of the crowd was a serious disadvantage for the Order members and Aurors in the vicinity. They were forced back as the Death Eaters used their hesitation to risk the lives of the innocents to their advantage. Voldemort's cronies had no such considerations, and Minerva cried out inwardly every time she saw a green light flash at the edge of her vision.
Frustrated beyond belief by her inability to return fire, Minerva suddenly transformed and dashed through the panicked stampede toward the abandoned center of the square. As soon as she thought she had enough room, she transformed again, firing off a stunner just as she reached full height. She realized her mistake almost immediately. There were four Death Eaters standing nearby, and the rest of her support was still trapped by the crowd.
"Stupefy!"
Four stunners arched toward her, angry-red streaks burning into her mind. Minerva was trapped, frozen in terror as she watched them in stupefied horror. She could feel them striking her, burning across her chest and flinging her off the ground…
NO!
The sharp cry cut through her terror like a knife, startling her into action. At the last second, Minerva threw herself to the side with a wrench, barely dodging the blasts in time. Righting herself quickly, she returned the spell. "Stupefy!"
Anger and adrenaline roiled in her stomach; irritation flared when her Death Eater target managed to erect a shield in time to deflect her spell. "Protego!"
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Adrenaline rushing through her veins, Minerva dodged the spells with a grace and ease belying her years. Once upon a time, she had been trained by the best, and it showed. Even Alastor Moody couldn't hold a candle to Albus Dumbledore when it came to dueling. Finally given a fair fight, the old man's prodigy was doing him proud.
"Relashio!" the fourth Death Eater shouted angrily. A sizzling slicing spell shot towards Minerva, but her opponent was so distracted by his anger that it missed badly.
Her ears caught the young, agonized scream that arose from behind her, and Minerva's eyes flashed emerald fury. "Sagitta ignifera!" Minerva roared. A golden arrow of fire shot from her wand to strike the offending Death Eater squarely in the chest. The man screamed in agony as the arrow embedded itself in his chest and then was consumed in flame.
"Sicae glacei!" The next Death Eater, shocked by the fate of his companion, moved too slowly to defend himself. He, too, fell screaming as a half-dozen small daggers of ice pierced his torso.
"Avad—!" one of the two remaining Death Eaters screamed in rage. Minerva threw herself to the ground as soon as she heard the beginning of the incantation, but the Death Eater never finished it.
"Silencio totalus!" the other Death Eater snapped irritably, shocking the witch on the ground as he summarily silenced his partner. "Petrificus totalus!"
Minerva fought the curse valiantly, but succeeded only in struggling to her knees. Her wand hand shook, but did not move. Time slowed, and Minerva watched the events unfold with a strange detachment.
She saw Tonks and Kingsley look up in their duel with another pair of Death Eaters; saw Tonks's eyes widen and her jaw drop and saw Kingsley's fierce, desperate offensive. She watched as Remus Lupin threw all caution to the wind, using his inhuman strength to throw the crowd out of his way in his frenzied attempt to reach her, golden eyes full of horror. Tell Albus I'm sorry, she told Remus silently. The young man continued shoving his way through, ignoring the defeat in her eyes.
Minerva had fought well. She had protected her students. She was prepared to die. It was an eventuality she had always known was a possibility. I'm sorry, Albus. I tried. It was only when she felt the pull of a portkey and heard the simultaneous pops of apparition around her that she realized her second mistake.
Her captors did not speak to her, and that fact alone set off little warning bells in Minerva's head. She was unceremoniously thrown into a cell in some dark, damp, cold dungeon showing the trademark lack of originality of Slytherin house and left alone to ponder her fate.
Imagine that you're having tea with Severus, she thought with a self-deprecating smile, not being held for—
She gasped as realization struck. Merlin! Don't give them anything!
Minerva's mind was working very fast now, and the implications were staggering. Please don't give them anything for me, Albus, please! Nothing. I'm not worth it. A single tear slipped down her cheek. She knew full well how much her husband was willing to sacrifice for her; it was no less that what she was willing to sacrifice for him—and he had far more to lose. Oh, Albus!
Stay away! Stay safe! Don't give them anything!
Minerva wiped away a few stray tears with her torn sleeve, her mind begging him to remain resolute, even as a small part of her heart cried out to him in fear and longing:
Albus! Please come for me, Albus. But oh, stay away!
end flashback
A/N: Hey, if you liked it, please leave a line. If you didn't, let me know what I can fix. Reviews are always appreciated!