Chapter 15: The Worries of Ailbe MacClement
"I assure you, your niece will be quite safe within the walls of this school. The vision you speak of has already been fulfilled and she survived, she was not the victim." Albus Dumbledore sat in front of the enormous, roaring fireplace of his Hogwarts study, conversing with a wild, yet compassionate looking woman he knew only too well, Ailbe MacClement.
"It's not just a matter of her safety Albus." Ailbe said exasperatedly. "It's more the safety of her fellow students. If she's discovered to be more than a run of the mill witch, students are likely to panic. Taestai aren't exactly accepted by your kind, I don't even think we're believed in anymore. A dangerous fairytale race, if I remember correctly. Creatures of flame and fury, frigidness and evil just because of our ties to death!"
"I can't disagree on that Ailbe." Dumbledore replied, "After Centuries of changes to epic legends, you have become known as bloodthirsty murderers. But I severely doubt any student would put that complicated of a two and two together and come up with that sort of result."
"Albus, I'm just worried." The woman sank into a chair opposite her long-time friend, the light creases in her face seeming to deepen with the fire's flickering shadows. "I've lost so much family because of those stories and so many more to attacks. Most wizards wouldn't understand our ways, and what they don't understand, they destroy.
Three of my own children have been taken from me and countless of nieces and nephews have followed in their paths. You know I regard Alana as my daughter whether I gave birth to her or not." She sighed and buried her face in her hands "I suppose I may be acting overly paranoid but I can't loose anyone else."
Albus sighed and stood up, "Your fears are not unfounded. A century of Death is enough to make anyone paranoid. Coupled with your recent shift to head of your tribe, I'm shocked you aren't ill with the stress. He placed a reassuring palm over Ailbe's slender but age and work worn hand. "I will try my best to keep her identity a secret from even my own staff but I will make no promises I can not keep one hundred percent."
Ailbe offered a grateful smile to her life-long friend and stood up, preparing to leave. As she swung her heavy travelling cloak over her shoulders, she was suddenly very light-headed and quickly snatched Dumbledore's wrist to steady herself. In that single moment, she showed how sick she really was. She had to hide it well, however, because her family had enough problems to deal with without her being out of the picture for a few weeks of recovery time.
"Could you give this to her for me?" she pulled out a large leather bound book covered in symbols even Dumbledore couldn't read and handed it over. "I'm afraid that in all the chaos, we missed her birthday. The poor dear must feel so upset by now." She hugged Dumbledore and gently kissed his cheek before turning into shadow stuff and disappearing entirely.