I'm really sorry for the delay but being stuck with dial-up plus being on holidays doesn't really help. g Hope someone's still reading thestory, and as always, I really appreciate your reviews. Thanks!
Minerva paced through her bedroom deep in thought while Hermione, Ron, Harry, Lupin, Tonks and Mad Eye Moody sat on her bed. The kids felt a bit uncomfortable, being in her teacher's bedroom but said teacher seemed oblivious to it.
After Armando had told her about the horcrux, Minerva had debated with herself whether or not she should tell the other Order members. But then she decided that her sudden disappearance would certainly raise suspicion, so she had contacted Lupin, Tonks and Mad Eye. Ron, Hermione and Harry had been invited too. There was no point in trying to deceive them with some cock-and-bull story about her leaving school at such a time when she was about to be appointed the post of headmistress of Hogwarts. The trio would snoop around anyway and find out eventually. Plus… Harry had seen Albus die, and Minerva guessed that he needed some kind of comfort too.
"Minerva, could you stop pacing for a second? You're driving me nuts." Tonks rolled her eyes at the older witch who seemed to come back to reality now.
"What? Oh, sorry. It helps me think, you know." Minerva sighed deeply and let herself fall in a chair which stood in front of her dressing table. Her gaze trailed over the familiar furnishing. She remembered clearly one occasion when she'd sat here, brushing her hair. It had been in the evening. Albus had presented her with a beautiful diamond bracelet then.
And now he was gone. Or so it seemed at least. Suddenly, Minerva jumped out of the chair.
"Merlin, I'm stupid. Of course!" Running out of the bedroom she startled her companions who seemed to be none the wiser from that sudden outburst. Ron and Harry just looked at each other, shrugging.
Before anyone of them could react, Minerva was back, holding a carpet bag in her hand.
"I'm going to Berlin," the green-eyed witch announced to her companions.
"So you figured out where the horcrux is? That's great." Hermione beamed at her.
"Yes, well, I thought it can only be Berlin because Albus has always had a special liking for the city. Don't ask me why. But we were there too during our…" Minerva's voice trailed off. Nobody knew about her marriage to Albus. Should she tell them? Especially the children?
"During your honeymoon?" Hermione asked quietly. She had figured out long ago that there had to be more to their professors' relationship than just a close friendship.
"How…?" Minerva was quite astounded that the girl knew. Harry and Ron seemed just as surprised; apparently Hermione hadn't shared her knowledge with them.
Then a smile came to Minerva's face. "Well, I guess you're not the smartest witch of your age for nothing." She winked at the girl who blushed deeply.
"So yes, during our honeymoon. Professor Dumbledore and I have been married for nearly 50 years."
Ron and Harry looked positively stunned at that revelation. Of course Hermione had told her about her suspicion but they had never believed her. They had always dismissed it as her just being overly romantic and seeing things that weren't there.
When the two boys looked over to their friend now, they could see that Hermione had a triumphant grin on her face.
"See? I told you."
Tonks allowed herself a grin before she turned to Minerva.
"Well, now that you've shocked these two, would you enlighten us how you come up with Berlin as the solution to the riddle?"
Minerva thought for a minute. It had been quite clear once she'd figured it out. There was no other place where Albus could have hidden something as important and dangerous as a horcrux.
"Well, I just remembered that he had just come back from Germany, when we met for the first time. He told me about the country, and especially about Berlin. There's a school for magic too, only a small one though. But he was also very taken by the city itself. And he promised that he'd take me there one day."
Lupin and Mad Eye nodded. They had known Albus longer than Tonks, so they had known about his liking for Berlin.
"Ok, but what about the rotten tooth? I mean… Albus did have a rather shrewd sense of humour at times but this…" Tonks' voice trailed off. She wasn't familiar with the city, but knowing Albus it was some kind of insider joke. She couldn't really imagine that he would actually hide a rotten tooth somewhere.
"I've been to Berlin with my parents once on holidays. I think I remember that it's some kind of sight." Hermione chimed in.
"They have people looking at rotten teeth? Honestly, these Germans are weird." Ron said with conviction. Hermione just rolled her eyes at him.
"Of course not. It's a nickname for one of the sights of the city. If I could just remember which one." The young Gryffindor girl glanced over to the adults. Tonks, Lupin and Mad Eye seemed all a bit at a loss, but Minerva's face had again taken on a pensive look.
"Yes, I think you're right," Minerva said slowly. "Well, anyway I think I should get started with my packing." She opened the bag and began levitating some articles of clothing into it. When she came to her underwear, Ron and Harry were once more embarrassed and preferred to look the other way.
After a couple of minutes, Minerva seemed to have packed everything she needed for her trip.
"Well, I guess that's it then. I shall leave now. I'll apparate over to Berlin."
Hermione, Ron and Harry jumped to their feet at this.
"Yes, but we'll come with you," they said in unison.