Disclaimer: Please see chapter 1/n

Dedicated: To you Lydia, I hope you are dreaming of lovely things right now. When you wake up, we will go for a walk my darling. Je t'aime ma belle femme.

Chapter 6

"Make yourself comfortable."

Albus offered chair and sofa for his friends to sit down. A rich breakfast was servedon a large, round table in the middle of the room from which Moody hungrily helped himself to some bacon and eggs, toast and cheese and other victuals, while Minerva took only a cup of tea, asking

"Now, Albus, what requires our immediate attention so early in the morning."

A yawn escaped her and Albus raised his brow, looking astonished

"Early in the morning," Moody giggled knowingly.

"Minerva didn't get much sleep last night, Albus."

The transfiguration teacher gave him a warning glance.

"Oh, I am sorry my dear, I hope you are not feeling unwell?"

Hastely she replied

"Oh yes, yes, I am feeling..."

"Wonderful! She is feeling just Wonderful!" This came from Moody, with a grin of course and a giggle when he added

"Just marvellous, she feels."

A confused headmaster shrugged his shoulders and gave up

"Well, whatever it is that kept you from sleeping you obviously don't want to share this precious knowledge and to be honest I have other business to discuss with you two at the moment."

The harsh tone made Minerva listen up.

"Min, I take it I can speak openly in front of Alastair?"

Minerva nodded, not knowing what was to come but rolling her eyes when Albus started with

"We received a letter Alastair, that clearly tells Minerva is in danger and I want you to tell me what you think about it..."

"Oh no, please Albus." Minerva was in no mood to put up with this silly story as she called it inwardly. Not today, when she knew Hermione was still under the shower probably...

But Albus didn't even bother with arguing.

"No, Min! I can't leave it just like that and if you don't want to help then I ask you at least not to interfere while Moody and I do our best to catch this madman."

Minerva gave up with a sigh, there were mixed feelings inside her and she struggled in which she would finally give in. On the one hand Albus wasn't a fool and his worrying alone should have been enough to alarm her - on the other side... well, life was treating her well at the moment and she simply wanted it to continue.

She saw Albus take the letter out of his sleeve and hand it over to Moody, who looked at them both now with a strange expression on his face.

However he didn't take the letter Albus was offering him and after a moment he explained

"I don't have to read this Albus, I know the content."

Now it was Albus and Minerva who looked puzzled.

"What do you mean by that?" Albus asked.

"I wrote this letter and it was me who sent it to you."

After a moment, Minerva suddenly laughed out loud: "Alastair... How could you? Albus really thought heaven knows what would be going on here.."

But Moody didn't remained serious.

"Minerva I am afraid... this letter was real, it tells the truth and it is the reason why I have come back here - we really need to protect you, my dear."

Silence covered the great round room, only the crackling of the fire could be heard and a loud gasp from one of the portraits on the wall.

"But why didnt you simply tell me Alastair?"

Albus was not half as surprised as Minerva it seemed but now he needed to hear all the facts.

"And what else do you know about this planned attack - do you know who stands behind it?"

Moody shook is head, slowly and sadly and as if he had asked himself exactly the same question over and over again.

"No, Albus, I have no idea who but concerning the letter... I couldnt reveal my identity to you until we would both be here and Minerva safe."

Albus nodded. "But what I know is that I had dreamed about this attack three nights in a row and it was very clear that Minerva was supposed to be the victim of it."

The "victim" had become very silent and pale by now.

"Dont be scared, Min," Moody tried to comfort her. "We are both here to find this evil bug and... erase it." He laughed but Minerva didn't join.

She simply nodded and Albus laid her his hand on her shoulder.

"Min, I think it would be better for you not to attend to any feast right now. It would be so easy to get lost in a crowd for someone who wanted to be unseen after or before an attack."

The transformation teacher nodded again.

"And..." Albus continued to speak

"You don't talk to anyone about this."

A nod again.

"Not even to Hermione." This was Alastair and Albus started to understand why his old friend and been so ambiguous in his talking earlier and why his other friend was so absent minded and yet so beautiful looking this morning.

He reached down to take Minerva's hands in her his'.

"So I was right? - She has been waiting for you indeed last night?"

Minerva looked up. "Well, yes.. we both have been waiting for some time I guess."

Albus understood and it cost him quite an effort when he said.

"I don't know how to say this Min, but... I think you shouldn't see her alone at the moment."

Minerva stared back at him, shock flooded her face.

"Albus..." She gasped. "How... can you even... think..."

Dumbledore exchanged a glance with Moody who said

"I think this is not necessary, Albus."

Minerva was just about to agree when it knocked. Before anyone could answer, the door opened and a smiling Hermione came in.

"Good morning Albus, may I pick my Minerva up for a walk?"

She walked over to her woman, shyly kissing her cheeks in front of the two men, whispering

"Hello my love, I've missed you."

No one said a word and Hermione quickly felt uncomfortable

"Am I disturbing anything?"

After a second Minerva took her arm and replied

"Not at all dearest, we just finished. Now, let's get some fresh air - Albus, we see us at noon."

With that she went and left behind Moody who was once more amazed by her stubbornness and Albus who thought wether Minerva was just about to make the mistake of her life.

to be continued