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Chapter Two: Beginning to Talk

As it turned out, Albus had to wait so long that he fell asleep. The next morning, he awoke to discover his wife gone. He wished she would stop running. He loved her dearly, and only wished to speak with her for a moment. He had no intention of pushing her to talk.

Minerva was currently walking around the lake. She had been furious this morning to find her husband in her personal quarters. Normally she wouldn't have minded, but given the circumstances, she couldn't believe he had intruded in her own space. Why had he waited there for her, anyway.

"Because he is concerned about you." said a tiny voice in her head.

"Then why hasn't he tried to..."

"He's tried to talk twice. You ignored him in the hospital wing, and left before he awoke this morning."

Where this self-doubt was coming from, Minerva couldn't understand. While she never understood what made Albus fall for her when he could have had any woman he wanted, she had always been confident in his love for her.

She sighed. She couldn't keep running from Albus. Wasn't it best to get it over with, come what may? Slowly she turned and walked back up to the castle.

Once inside the entrance hall, she ran into Nearly Headless Nick.

"Good morning, Professor."

"Morning, Nick."

"How are you this morning?"

"I'm okay, Nick. How are you?"

"Still dead I'm afraid. I don't expect that to change, though."

Minerva was just about to walk on, when Nick spoke again and brought her to a standstill.

"Who do you suppose will be the new head of Gryffindor?"

"WHAT"

"Well, no house can be without a head. I was wondering if you might now who would replace Professor Dumbledore."

"Oh sweet Merlin, he is leaving." thought Minerva. She began to feel her world crashing in on her. She turned away from Nick and began storming through the halls. They had been happy up until two nights ago. Sure, their world had been involved in a gruesome war, but they were together. They had promised each other they would always be together no matter what. So much for her husband being understanding.

When she reached Albus' office, intent on telling him off, she found it half packed already.

"It's true." she whispered. She had hoped Nearly Headless Nick had been misinformed. Upon seeing the office this way, she knew he had not been.

She would have to leave as well. There was no way she could still live and work in the castle with her husband gone. Hogwarts just wouldn't fell like home anymore.

She decided to go pack first. Then she could write her letter of resignation and go see Headmaster Dippet. She didn't know where she would go once she left the castle. She had no other family, and all her friends were either studying at the Ministry, or working apprenticeships at Hogwarts. There was always the Flamels, but they were more Albus' friends than hers. Aberforth might be understanding, but he was her husband's brother. Plus, she hated goats.

She entered her quarters in a huff. She didn't even notice Albus sitting on her couch. She stormed into her bedroom and summoned her luggage from the closet.

Albus had just sat up when his wife came storming into her sitting room. Without acknowledging him at all, she went straight into her bedroom. He got up and followed.

"Are you going somewhere, my dear?" he asked in his kindest voice. While he would never admit it to anyone but his wife, he was a little intimidated by her. It was, in fact, one of the things that had first attracted him to her. He loved the fact that she wasn't afraid to stand up to anyone, even the supposed "great" Albus Dumbledore.

Minerva whirled around, startled to find him there. Then she found her voice. "Don't you 'my dear' me, Albus Dumbledore." she screamed.

She didn't know when she had started to cry, but tears were running freely down her face. Albus desperately wanted to comfort her, but, as he seemed to be the cause of her ire, he stayed where he was.

"How could you? Were you even going to tell me? Were you even going to say good-bye?"

"Are you under the impression I am going somewhere?" Albus asked patiently.

"Don't play your little 'I'm calm and serene all the time' game with me. I know you are." She was still shouting, though her tears had stopped.

"What gave you this idea, love?"

"Stop calling me those silly little endearments when you are leaving me. Nearly Headless Nick asked who I thought would replace you as head of Gryffindor. I went looking for you in your office, and you seem to be in the middle of packing. I can't believe you were going to leave like that."

"Perhaps you should sit down." Albus suggested, realization dawning.

"I'm fine standing, thanks."

"Minerva."

"No, Albus. If you don't want a marriage, then you don't have the right to make suggestions and."

"Will you please listen, Minerva. I am not leaving."

"What?" Minerva was confused. "If you're not leaving than why... What's going on?"

"I"'m afraid Armando was killed fighting Grindelwald."

"What?" she asked again, sitting down. "Armando is dead?".

"Yes. Upon his death, I became the new headmaster. I was indeed packing my office, but only to tranfer my belongs to the headmaster's office. That is also why Gryffindor is in need of a new head. It would not be fair for me to continue to oversee one of the houses, nor will I have the time."

"I see. Well then, I suppose I owe you an apology."

"That is not necessary, my dear. You are understandably upset right now. I do have one question though."

"Yes, Albus?"

"How could you possibly think I would leave you?"

A/N: Please review. I am so very grateful for the two reviews I got for the first chapter! Thanks!