The Hogwarts staff felt the instable stress levels at the first staff meeting.
"Can I make a suggestion?" Xiomara had ventured.
The topic had changed to quidditch and the lack of decent players in each house.
"What?" Albus asked impatiently, very unlike him.
"Why don't we allow first years' to try-out for the quidditch teams? Then they have an extra year of training with them and we can also fish out raw tal-"
"No."
"Albus!" Minerva interjected, shocked that he would not even listen. "She makes a valid point. At least hear her out."
"I have, Minerva. She was finished, weren't you, Madam Hooch?" Albus said, false sincerity laced in his voice.
Xiomara glared and opened her mouth to speak but with one look from Minerva, she closed her mouth and reconsidered her answer. "Yes, Headmaster."
Minerva's blood pounded in her head. The forced politeness was only adding to her already strained friendship with Albus. "Stop it! Both of you, stop! That's enough!"
Both Xiomara and Albus looked at her, shocked.
"I'm tired of both of you!"
The rest of the staff table looked at each other before silently edging themselves out of their seats and inching out the door.
"You both astound me! How immature! I expected more! Of both or you!"
Both lowered their eyes, rather ashamed but neither willing to apologize.
Night after night fell on Hogwarts and the strained relationships did not improve.
Night after night. Albus sat awake in his lonely office for hours asking himself, "Where did my plan go wrong?"
Minerva would lay in Xiomara's arms, awake, asking herself, "What have I done? Is a great romance more important than a great friendship?"
Xiomara asked nothing. She knew she had taken a risk all those years ago that, by furthering her quidditch career, she may be squelching her chance at love. Her heart having soared now that she and Minerva were reunited, never to be separated again, she was happy, though she regretted the choice she had made all those years ago to leave Minerva at all.
So, in the end, who is really to blame?
Haven't we all betrayed someone?
Haven't we all felt the biting sting of betrayal?
These are the choices we live with, the risks we take.
That's what life is, taking risks.
