...
"Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est"
― Martial
...
Liam Granger sighed rather theatrically as he put down his newspaper on the couch next to him. Then he let his emerald eyes wander to his wife; she was sitting on the other end of the living room in a big and rather ancient looking armchair with a book in her hand and a steaming cup of tea on the little table by her side.
"Jean…" the honey brown-haired man complained and looked at his wife of several years.
"Liam…" Jean repeated mockingly and grinned at her husband; her hazel eyes sparkled mischievously.
"Please, don't pretend you don't hear that!"
"Hear what exactly, darling?" The bushy haired woman asked innocently, though she knew very well what her husband was talking about.
"Is this really considered to be normal behavior for such a small owl?" Liam asked and finally pointed straight forward to the animal that was howling loudly and scratching with its small claws against the window frame.
Jeans just shrugged. "Well, you could just open the window and let the poor thing in."
In return, the handsome man rolled his eyes at his wife and mumbled something that sounded like "…animals getting crazier and crazier here in Down Under…"
But naturally, he did as he was told and opened the window. He had expected the little owl to make quite the fuss, but was surprised that it only hopped inside and showed him the little package that was attached to its leg.
Slightly confused, Liam turned to his wife and raised an eyebrow.
Jean's only answer was to look at him with an expression that clearly said "Well, what are you waiting for?"
Considering that the little black owl with the white spots looked really cute, Liam even petted it carefully before he took what the animal had brought and sat down next to his wife, so she could get a better look, too.
Once they had opened the little package, they saw a small letter, a little viol of green liquid and another one with – dirt?
Since Liam Granger wasn't really sure what to do with the latter two items, he decided to take a closer look at the letter.
Jean by his side, the handsome man started to read out aloud; not really able to hide his curiosity any longer. 'Who in his right mind would send a litter via owl after all?'
Furthermore, he had always been under the impression that the mail services here in Australia worked quite splendidly and he had been living her for as long as he could remember…
Nevertheless, he started reading – although he was quite surprised by the neat, but clearly male handwriting he saw…
Dear Jean and Liam,
I can imagine you must be utterly surprised to receive this letter via owl.
(At this point I apologize in advance… our owl Amaunet can be quite persistent, but she's a kind and trustful animal!)
But now back to the important things: Right now, you must be under the impression of having lived here in Australia for your whole life. This, however, is wrong.
At this point, Liam looked at his wife with skeptical emerald eyes. But the bushy haired woman just shrugged and told him to go on. Naturally, the honey-brown haired man did as he was told; it was after all never a good idea to ignore his wife…
"Now where was I… ah, yes:
… is wrong. Your memories has been altered. I know how strange this must sound to you now, but please, continue reading this.
Your daughter – yes, you have a by now 18 year old, beautiful and intelligent daughter – is a witch.
She has given both of you new memories in order to keep you save and out of harms way that the war we were fighting in caused.
She erased herself and the rest of your family and sent you here, to Australia.
"Oh come on Jean! Someone's clearly playing a trick on us! That's ridiculous!"
"Liam…"
He shrugged and brushed one hand through his short honey-brown hair.
"I would remember if I – we – had a daughter!"
Jean was silent for a moment.
"Do you really believe this?" he asked and waved with the letter.
The hazel-eyed woman seemed to hesitate. "Have you never felt like something in our life is missing?"
"Well, yes, but – "
Jean interrupted again. "As peculiar as it sounds, I would like to hear more about it. If it turns out to be complete and utter rubbish… well, then you can still burn the paper in the fireplace, hmm?"
Sighing, he put his glasses back on his nose and continued.
… to Australia. Knowing the two of you, Liam must have just put the letter away and called this whole thing ridiculous –
"How the hell could he have known that?!"
"Liam, please!"
"Alright alright…"
Therefore, thanks Jean, for making sure he continued! Now let me explain a little more:
Jean, your parents never died. Your father, Max, is still very much alive. You also have a two year younger brother, called Aidan – and yes, that's me.
I hope you're doing well, Sis.
Liam, you never ran away from home. You love your mother Tori very much and the other way round!
(even though she sometimes jokes in saying she wished she hadn't adopted you… I don't know why I mentioned that… never mind)
Anyways, your daughter is called Hermione (after your mother's second name).
She is a very talented witch and attended a special magical school called Hogwarts.
Like I already said, the war we were fighting in called for drastic measures.
Luckily I was able to create an antidote for the memory charm. (It's the green liquid!)
Drink it and you will remember!
I know – drinking green stuff from strangers is usually a fairly stupid suggestion, but you can trust me!
Here, let me prove that I'm telling the truth:
Jean, your childhood dream was to become a doctor! And you are a dentist now; what you always wanted!
Oh, and your middle name is Ellen. You hate stupid politicians and you are afraid of thunder storms.
Jean stared at her husband with wide eyes. "Please, Liam, go on!" She urged him, but Liam was so excited himself, that she didn't have to say it twice.
…storms. Liam, you always wanted to become an author. You already wrote a couple of things, and by now you should be almost finished with your first novel, right?
Furthermore, you have a tiny little birth mark on your left shoulder that looks like a little paw!
You are an incredible good cook and, believe it or not, you love reading and drawing. (It's a shame you don't remember the painting you created of your daughter…)
Last but not least, you wear a very old-looking ring on your finger with an elegant 'W' as a crest engraved on it.
Here, the emerald eyed man stopped dead in his tracks; completely overwhelmed and staring down at the ancient ring on his finger.
"How can he know all that?" he asked and played nervously with it.
All Jean could do was shrug. "You know, this is far too specific and absurd to be a joke."
Mesmerized, Liam nodded and continued.
Now, I sincerely hope I could convince you that I'm speaking the truth!
Love, Adian
P.s. Drink the potion, afterwards use the floo-powder in the second little bottle to get to Dad's house – you will know what to do.
Oh, and please send a letter back to me, so we'll meet you there!
Putting the letter aside, Liam sighed audibly.
Jean took the green shimmering liquid bottle in her small hands. "Well, let's give this a try, shall we?"
Hesitantly, she opened it. But before she got the chance to take a sip of its content, Liam snatched it out of her hands.
"What are you do – "
"I'll drink it first," he explained and his green eyes gleamed protectively. "Just in case it's not what we think… you'll be alright."
Jean rolled her eyes at her husband's behavior. "You're being completely overprotective."
"That's my duty, love," he smiled at her and then downed half the content in one go.
He shuddered for a moment – this stuff tasted really disgusting.
And at first, he thought nothing would happen at all. Then his eyes glowed for a couple of seconds, widened and he turned to stare at his wife.
"It's true," he whispered in a hoarse voice and handed the green liquid bottle to his wife. "Everything Dan wrote is true. Hermione did erase our memories."
Minerva was staring at the people in front of her and to say she was shocked to see Albus sitting happily amongst them at the 'Round Table' would have been the understatement of the century.
Her arm with the wand in her hand was still outstretched, but shaking terribly.
She tried her best to keep her trembling body under control, but the fact that Harry, Hermione and her daughter still hadn't moved away from whoever impersonated her dead husband scared her more than anything.
She then moved her wide emerald eyes ever so slightly to glance at Dan.
The young surgeon was still standing next to her, and his expression, too, was worried.
"Minerva, calm down."
The voice belonged to Alastor and the transfiguration mistress couldn't believe her ears.
'These medications Dan gives me are driving me completely crazy already…' she thought with a heavy heart.
"Don't you 'calm down' me now, Alastor!" she hissed and not only the elderly wizard with the rotating eye, but Severus, Narcissa, Augusta, Rolanda, Poppy, Xem, Molly and Arthur as well as the other young adults jumped a little at her tone.
"What happened to constant vigilance, Alastor, hmm? For years this was the only thing on your mind and now that you have a damn good reason to be suspicious your're not?"
This statement clearly made the wizard think, and he raised his eyebrows. "Well, Potter and Granger seemed to trust – "
Minerva gave an uncharacteristically dry laugh, but looked at both young adults with an apologetic expression. "Both your hearts are too big for your own good, my dears…"
Then she turned and glared at Alastor once more. "But you didn't find it the least suspicious that a dead man is standing in front of you?"
This time it was Augusta how spoke up, probably in order to give her old school mate a break from the Scottish witch's anger.
"Minerva, I'm honestly convinced that this is Albus. His story was way too absurd to be invented."
Poppy and Rolanda nodded in agreement, so did Xemerius.
Albus was about to get up from his chair, but Minerva took a quick step forward; her wand held high. "Don't even try to move."
"Mum, please!"
The pleading voice came from Arina.
But Minerva didn't move. Well, to be honest, she was completely unable to move. Her muscles felt like they were heavy or frozen and she had to work hard to keep the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes at check.
"Arina, please, step away," Minerva forced herself to say.
She knew that her voice was failing her, but looking at her husband only made it worse… she wanted to believe it was true. She had spent hours crying in her chambers, wishing that was she was seeing right now would happen; that she'd get her husband back. She wanted to throw herself into his strong arms, press her body against his and simply feel the touch of his skin on hers again…
Swallowing hard, she shook her head and tried to get rid of the false images in her head. This wasn't Albus. Albus was dead. He died a year ago. She had attended his funeral. She had –
"Min, why don't you hear him out first," Xemerius got up from his chair and put a calming arm around his best friend. "Don't you want it to be true?"
Turning her head in a neck-breaking speed, the emerald eyed witch looked at her friend with a devastated expression. "You really think I don't want it to be true?" she asked and despite her best efforts she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "Do you really think I wouldn't give anything to have my husband back? To put the pieces of my heart back together again?"
Her voice failed her and she tore her eyes away from her old friend. She didn't want him so see her tears.
But Xem had known her for too long and carefully put one hand around her chin to turn her face back towards him.
"Min…"
Minerva swallowed hard. "I learned a long time ago that there's no coming back from the dead, Xem," she finally whispered.
Alastor, who had apparently heard her, coughed suspiciously. "Well, what do you think is going on then?"
"Well, I don't want to sound harsh, but from what I've heard… shouldn't you know better than anyone how easy it is to impersonate someone using a little bit of Polyjuice potion?" Arina asked in Minerva's defense and the transfiguration Mistress smiled at her daughter gratefully.
People at the round table started to mumbled agreeing words and the once so certain looks in their eyes got replaced by rather uncertain ones.
"Why don't you just ask him something that only Albus would know?"
All eyes turned around to look at Aberforth.
Minerva had to admit that she had completely ignored that her brother-in-law was still in the same room.
"Yes, there has to be specific things to prove it's him," Hermione and Draco said at the same time enthusiastically and Harry nodded in agreement.
A small smile appeared on Minerva's face when she noticed that Arina whispered something in a blushing Hermione's ear before she once again put both her arms around her niece and godson. 'Let's hope we can make up for all the years poor Harry had to live with Petunia…' the transfiguration mistress thought with a heavy heart as images of a little red haired girl flashed before her eyes. 'I won't let you down again, Lily. I promise.'
Nevertheless, Minerva forced herself to get rid of Lily's picture in her mind and lowered her wand a little, though she still had a bad feeling about this.
She then looked at Albus' sparkling blue eyes and instantly she got lost in them. 'Oh how she missed looking into these wonderful eyes…'
For a moment she didn't say a word, and Albus used that moment to get up from his chair, with both his hands held up in a defensive gesture.
"Tabby, ask me anything you want."
The sound of his voice made her go weak at her knees and Minerva swallowed hard.
She opened her mouth, several times, but no words came out.
"Alright, if no one minds… then I'll make the start," Narcissa said to everyone's surprise.
Minerva turned her head ever so slightly to look at the younger, blonde haired woman. She was glad to see the youngest Black girl so at ease with all the people around her and it warmed her heart so see Draco leaning against his mother. She had always known that Narcissa had potential for so much more… And maybe, just maybe… she will one day realize that there is love in the world, even for her. She only had to notice that Severus' strong arms were wrapped around her waist a little too tightly, even for old friends…
.
Harry was probably as surprised as everyone else at the 'Round Table' when Narcissa looked at the Headmaster with sincere light blue eyes. His eyes wandered quickly from Arina to Professor McGonagall's, then to the Headmaster and back to Draco's mother, who had by now got out of Sn – Severus' arms and sat up straight on her chair.
There was something in her light blue eyes that made Harry remember the previous night, when she lied to the Dark Lord to save his life. He could clearly see that she wanted to get rid of her own past, the life in which she made wrong choices… she wanted to start anew. And Harry was glad that Professor McGonagall had already told Draco that this was exactly the time for second chances.
Speaking of second chances… the 17-year old also hoped that this was indeed Professor Dumbledore who was standing in front of them now.
He had to admit, that he didn't doubt it at all in the beginning, but the transfiguration's words and the way Arina now looked at her father with worried blue eyes made the young wizard think a little more.
Perhaps he had been blinded by happiness… the wonderful feeling to see the grandfather-like Headmaster again and the safety he felt upon seeing him again.
But seeing Professor McGonagall's outstretched wand pointing at the figure of her husband made Harry realize that in the magical word there was nothing as it seemed.
'The seven years he spent at Hogwarts should have been enough proof that magic always caused people to get a surprise in the one or other way', he thought with a small chuckle.
But no matter what, both Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall, were apart from Arina, the Weasley's and his friends the only people he really trusted; and Arina had promised him that they'd become a real family… and Harry really hoped that both his 'Hogwarts-grandparents' would be part of his future life now.
Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts and turned his attention back to the scene that was enfolding in front of him; right in time to hear Narcissa speak.
"A long time ago," Draco's mother started in a rather pained voice, "I betrayed my family and you, Professor Dumbledore, are the only one who knew about it."
Harry's eyes widened and so did Draco's grey ones, but the elderly headmaster only nodded slowly. He held the witch's glance for some time and took a deep breath before he answered.
"Yes, I remember. You offered – anonymously – the last piece of evidence to that was needed to get Cygnus Black imprisoned in Azkaban."
Narcissa sighed and nodded in relief; everyone else, including Draco, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Luna, Hermione and Harry stared at the Lady Malfoy with wide eyes.
Harry noticed that Professor McGonagall was staring at the blonde haired woman with wide, disbelieving emerald eyes. The black haired man couldn't quite decide whether her facial expression looked shocked, horrified, or surprised, but the elderly witch clad in blue robes – that clearly belonged to his godmother – simply stared at Narcissa open mouthed.
"Mother?" Draco finally asked in a weak voice, apparently he couldn't quite believe that his mother would do something like this either. "Cygnus Black, but wasn't that…"
Harry raised an eyebrow; he had no idea who that was and the unfinished sentence made him curious. He glanced at Hermione and Arina, but both of them simply shook their head, telling him to be quiet and listen.
Naturally, he obeyed.
"Yes, my father," Narcissa explained in a hoarse voice and without taking her eyes of the emerald eyed witch. "It was the only right thing to do. He got what he deserved."
This time, Harry couldn't help but speak up, though he was beaten by Ron first.
"Hold on, you brought your own father to Azkaban?"
Professor Snape glared at Ron. "Weasley – "
"It's alright, Severus," Narcissa laid a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "Yes, I am the reason my father got imprisoned. But he was a monster. He – he was one of Lord Grindelwald's most loyal followers and he – he had to be stopped."
.
Minerva stared at Narcissa in shock. The younger woman shivered and when her eyes met Minerva's own, she was sure that Narcissa probably knew a lot more things from her father's past than she should.
The emerald eyed witch knew that her own body was trembling; it happened every single time she recalled memories about Cygnus Black… and what he did to her all those years ago.
It hadn't been easy to get over it; sometimes, Minerva still had nightmares about the time she had been held prisoner at his estate. The desire that always shone in his dark eyes when he looked at his 'newest' possession, his terribly sweaty hands on her soft skin, the way he beat her up until she lay helplessly on the hard ground of her prison cell… and how he had forced himself on her –
"Minerva."
Xemerius comforting hands on her shoulder luckily tore her away from the frightful memories of her past.
She took a couple of deep breaths to get her heavily beating heart back under control. She nodded only, telling Xem that she was alright.
Then she locked her emerald eyes with Narcissa's blue ones.
Minerva had never known who was the important informant that caused Cygnus' imprisonment, so she hoped that her eyes would tell Narcissa how thankful she was for what the younger woman did.
In return, she received a tiny, almost undetectable nod.
However, before Minerva was able to say anything, Ginny spoke up.
"Is this reason enough to believe this is the 'real' Professor?"
"Erm, I'd say that perhaps some more questions would be better," Xem answered for Minerva.
She gave him a small smile; their friendship was indeed something she valued very much and the transfiguration mistress wasn't quite sure what she'd do without him.
"Alright," Dan replied matter-of-factly, though he remained standing by the black-haired witch's side. "Who goes next?"
"Arina, honey, what about you?" Poppy asked and looked at her god-daughter expectantly.
From the way her daughter's blue eyes moved, Minerva could tell that she was indeed thinking about a suitable question.
"Rina?"
"I'm still thinking, Harry, love… Could someone else go first, please?" Arina asked, biting on her lower lip.
Aberforth took a deep breath and all eyes in the by now rather dark hall turned towards the elderly wizard – who so much looked like his older brother.
Albus also gave him a kind smile, encouraging him to speak.
"Ariana's grave…why is neither one of us particularly fond of visiting it?"
Minerva had to admit that this was a question she had always asked herself as well. Especially since the emerald eyed witch always found new energy in visiting her own sister's grave. Albus only ever lit a small candle which he put in front of the little portrait in their house in Godric's Hollow. Minerva had asked him a couple of times whether he wanted to visit Ana's grave – for example on Christmas Eve, Ana's birth or death day, but he simply said he preferred the little candle…
She turned her head and focused her emerald eyes on the person in front of her, who looked so much like her husband.
Pain was clearly visible on his face; it always was when Ariana was mentioned.
"The night Ariana was…" Albus' voice cracked ever so slightly, but he seemed to find new strength upon looking from his brother to Minerva and back to Aberforth. "The night Ana was killed… we started to fight… we rushed through the whole house. Once we calmed down… we walked back outside to – to move her dead body. But – "
Minerva's heart ached upon seeing Albus' suffering. She desperately wanted to reach out and comfort him; tell him that what happened to his sister wasn't his fault… but despite all this, she flinched when she saw Arina softly touching his shoulder. 'She should be careful! This cannot be her father… Albus is dead…'
Taking a deep breath, Albus continued in a less shaky voice. "But when we came back in the court-yard, her body was gone."
Every mouth – including Minerva's own – dropped in astonishment. Whatever the transfiguration mistress thought Albus would say, it wasn't this. 'Ana's body wasn't there anymore? How was this possible…'
But Aberforth nodded in agreement.
"How is that possible?" Augusta asked the question probably everyone else was thinking about.
Albus sighed. "We don't know. All that was left of her was Ariana's phoenix necklace. Maybe it was a spell… maybe it was Gellert who took her body… to this day we never found out what happened to her body."
"We had a spiritual funeral; there's no body in the grave…" Aberforth mumbled without taking his eyes of Albus'.
The wizard however looked straight at Minerva, who's anger slowly turned into hope. Perhaps this was really 'her' Albus…
"This is why I don't visit her grave. I don't see the point in it, my dear."
All Minerva could do was nod several times and take a deep breath to keep her upcoming tears in check.
Arina, who was clutching Arina's necklace into her hands, looked at her father with equally watery eyes. This time it was Harry's turn to tighten his arms around her.
"Professor Dumbledore answered both questions correct," the young black haired wizard stated.
"You should be then one to ask the next one, A," Hermione suggested and leaned back against Ron, who put his arms around her.
Arina nodded hesitantly. Then she looked straight at Minerva; an advanced apology written in her blue eyes that made the emerald eyed witch swallow hard.
She knew exactly what Arina was about to ask, and her heart once again contradicted painfully.
"I'm sorry, mum, but – "
Minerva sighed, but nodded. "It's alright, go ahead, kitten," she told her daughter in a shaking voice.
The blue-eyed witch nodded and took another deep breath before she turned to her father.
"Sometimes, I look in the mirror, but I don't see myself," Arina mumbled and Minerva could see that everyone was raising an eyebrow at hearing the riddle. "I see a face, similar but not the same; I see green eyes instead of blue ones and auburn hair instead of black; I see a part of me that's lost; I see something that never was; a girl that never got the chance to live. Who am I talking about?"
Most of the people at the round table looked utterly confused; even Xem and Poppy who should actually know what Arina was talking about. Minerva on the other hand, looked into Albus eyes and saw that tears were sparkling in them as well.
Albus swallowed hard before he spoke, and his voice sounded hoarse.
"Aurora," he whispered and his blue eyes never left Minerva's, who had a hard time to hold her wand steady. "Aurora Lilyana Pendragon is the girl you are talking about."
Arina nodded happily, though tears were streaming down her cheeks now. The people looked even more confused than before.
"Who's Aurora?" Aberforth, Augusta, Molly and Severus asked at the same time.
Minerva felt as if the time around them had stopped; like there were only Albus and her in the room. She heard her heart beating heavily in her chest and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
"Albus," Rolanda elbowed him in the chest. "Who the hell are you talking about."
The old wizard sighed, but before he had the chance to answer, Arina did.
"Aurora," the blue-eyed witch whispered and put one of her arms back around Harry, "was my older twin-sister."
.
Hermione felt the tears that were welling up in her hazel eyes when she saw Professor McGonagall's shaking form in front of her.
"What – what happened to the kid?" Aberforth asked sympathetically and broke the stunned silence around him.
The young witch saw that her favourite Professor was still trembling slightly as she spoke.
"She – she died," the emerald eyed witch whispered in a cracking voice.
She heard Harry sucking in a sharp breath and Hermione felt exactly the same. One after another, the pieces of the puzzle were creating a picture and Hermione saw all the more reason why the Professors didn't tell anyone about Arina. The loss of a child was something that changed a parent forever… Though she wondered how her aunt must feel right now. She was always under the impression that twins shared a very special connection with each other.
"Oh, Minerva," Augusta and Rolanda squealed at the same time; got up from their seats and hurried toward the ebony haired witch to take her in her arms.
But being the stubborn woman she was, the witch simply wiped the lonely tear off her cheek and put on a brave smile.
"That was a long time ago…"
Rolanda sighed, Augusta was silent. Moody clearly avoided being caught in anything emotional, as did Arthur, Bill and Neville.
'They obviously thought that said nothing than the wrong thing,' Hermione thought with a roll of her eyes. 'Men.'
"Why did she…" Molly asked with loads of tears streaming down her cheeks. The Weasley Matriarch was a little too emotional whenever children were involved; and it didn't matter whether it was about her own or the ones of her friends.
Professor McGonagall sighed and swallowed hard as she glanced at the red-haired elderly woman.
"There – there was a fire in St. Mungos' infant station," Albus answered hoarsely without taking his sad blue eyes off his wife. "Someone set a demon fire; there was nothing left but ashes."
.
One could hear a needle drop to the floor, so quiet was it.
"What?!" Ginny, Luna, Ron, Draco, George and Fleur finally shouted at the same time and stared at the adults – especially at Madam Pomfrey and Dan – with wide eyes.
'How could something like that happen in a hospital?'
Harry was staring at Arina in shock; Hermione next to him was probably wondering the same for her eyes were as wide as his own… how did his godmother survive something like that?
"I wasn't in the same room," Arina mumbled with a guilty voice as if she had read his thoughts. "We were both small, but apparently I had some troubles breathing properly so they worked on me in a different room. Or that's what I've been told…"
She trailed off and by now Harry knew his godmother well enough to know that she still felt guilty about living while her sister died. So he reached out and took her delicate hand in his to squeeze it slightly. Looking at him with sad blue eyes, she gave him a brave smile and returned the gesture.
"And to answer your unspoken question, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey mumbled with a raised eyebrow, "to this day we – the hospital – have no idea who planted the fire."
Xemerius coughed suspiciously and sent the medi-witch an angry look. "Poppy-"
"Yes, it's a dark chapter in the history of the hospital, but there is nothing we can do about it now."
There was something in the medi-witch's expression that caused Xemerius to take a deep breath, but he didn't say anything else.
"I'm so sorry, Minerva," Molly sobbed from the far end of the Round Table.
Harry turned his head slightly to look at the emerald eyed witch. She was pale, her body was trembling, but the young wizard didn't blame her. On the contrary, he was once more impressed by how she could handle it so well that such private details of her life were discussed so openly. And he was sure it had to be very painful to think of all those memories over and over again.
But she simply blinked a view times in order to prevent the tears from falling from her watery eyes and she even managed to give the Weasley Matriarch a brave smile.
"It – it happened a long time ago, Molly," she whispered softly, glanced at her husband in front of her and lowered to everyone's surprise her wand completely now.
Augusta and Rolanda still had their arms around her. "I – I do have a picture of her with me wherever I go. It's the only one I have, but… I like to remember the adorable little smile she wore on her face when Poppy took the picture and the way her green eyes twinkled and how her tiny hands wrapped around Athena's necklace and – "
"You gave her Athena's necklace?" Augusta asked with tears in her eyes.
The transfiguration Mistress nodded and the sad smile she gave her old friend almost broke Harry's heart. "Yes. We passed Ariana's on to Rina and my sister's to Aurora."
"That's a lovely gesture, Professor," Harry whispered to her.
She smiled a slightly happier smile at him. "I like to think that, too, Harry."
Somehow, that expression triggered something in him. He squeezed his godmother's hand one more time before he got up from his chair, dropped Batty on Hermione's lap, then walked quickly towards the ebony-haired witch, pushed both Mrs. Longbottom and the flying instructor aside and tightly embraced the elderly witch.
To his own surprise, she returned the gesture and softly brushed her slim fingers through his hair. Simultaneously, the young man laid his head down on her shoulder; he enjoyed the feeling of safety that both Arina and her mother evoked in him. Aunt Petunia had never really shown him any kind of affection at all, and he was overwhelmed by how good it felt to have someone to rely on. And at this very moment, Harry realized that in a way, he had had a family at Hogwarts all the time. He just never thought that his Professor could care for him as more than just a student. But seeing her memories, the way she cared for her daughter and his mother Lily… Harry was certain that had he found the courage to talk to her, Professor McGonagall had probably taken him away from the Durselys years ago.
But as always, no one could change history. So Harry was just glad that the emerald eyed witch opened up to him and Hermione so easily now. And one day, yes, one day, he was sure that he had the chance to get a real family.
"You know, I always wondered why she was taken away from me so early…" the elderly witch whispered into his, so no one but Harry could hear her. "And then I met your mother."
Harry moved his head and their eyes met. "Originally, I was supposed to have two daughters. That day… I knew that even if I had failed my own daughter, Aurora would be happy if I took care of Lily instead."
Harry swallowed hard and tightened his arms around the emerald eyed witch's slim waist. "I saw the memories… I'm so very glad she found a real mother in you."
He felt that a soft sob escaped her, but she didn't let go. "I'm glad to hear you think so. Lily managed to at least partly heal the part of my heart that broke when my little girl died."
For a moment, neither of them said a word. Then the elderly witch carefully lifted his chin so he had to look into her teary emerald eyes. "You're not alone, Harry. Arina and I will always be here for you, too."
.
Albus watched the scene with a tiny smile on his face. He had hoped that Minerva would open up to young Harry and was glad to see it with his own eyes. Aurora and Lily's death… it had changed both of them, even though she wouldn't admit it. And she needed Harry's love as much as he needed hers.
Considering her previous anger, he was also quite glad that his wife had lowered her wand. True, Arina had chosen a more than painful question for both of them, but if it helped to convince her it didn't matter.
Letting his eyes wander over her body, he grew more and more concerned with each passing minute.
Albus knew that the last year must have been hard for her; he also knew that his 'death' contributed to that as well.
"Tabby," he pointed out carefully. He didn't want to break her moment with Harry, but Albus needed her to believe that it was really him. "It's your turn to ask now."
She stared at him for a moment, though she didn't let go of Harry. Oh how he had missed those eyes!
However, a sudden wave of guilt hit him. Her beautiful emerald eyes sparkled with unshed tears, hurt and anger. Albus knew that the ice-barrier she had built around her heart was exactly for moments like these. So she wouldn't get lost in dreams only to wake up and find out they weren't true. Yes, he knew very well that he should have told her about his plan in advance; it would have prevented her heart from being broken once more. He had made a mistake and his wife had suffered; another reason why didn't care about what she'd do to him. As long as she'd forgive him one day…
"The first time…" she finally whispered and ignored all the people around her. "The first time you ever said you loved me. When was it?"
Albus heard a couple of 'oohhs' and 'aawws' from the people around them, but he only sighed in relief and sent her a thankful glance. He had expected yet another question that brought up rather painful memories… but this was indeed one of his favourites…
He had waited patiently in the Great Hall and watched as all his classmates entered, one after another… he had already feared that she wouldn't come and then… he turned towards the entrance doors and there she stood… the beautiful emerald eyed witch… her blonde hair was cascading down her bare shoulders… the ball gown she wore matched her eyes and hugged her slim figure perfectly… all eyes in the room were drawn on her… the mysterious beauty that had attended a couple of their classes for a couple of weeks… back then, he had only known her name was Esmeralda… they had a rough start at the beginning… admittedly, Albus had been a self-centric, egoistic student… fascinated by Grindelwald… but her arrival had changed it all…
"Albus!"
"Stop daydreaming and answer the bloody question," Alastor and Aberforth screamed a little annoyed. Poppy elbowed them both in return.
Albus ignored them both and held his wife's glance. "Graduation ball."
Rolanda snorted. "Honestly, knowing you have been the blond man only in disguise, I could have answered that question as well. And probably the rose-bushes as well!"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, a couple of laughter erupted from the people around them – naturally Xemerius was the loudest of them. Narcissa chuckled as well and leaned back against Severus' chest.
'Let's hope these two will get over their stubbornness soon,' Albus thought with the hint of a smile on his face. "Young Draco also deserves a little happiness in his life…"
The elderly wizard turned back to his wife's long-time friend. "Really, Rolanda?"
"I'm not satisfied with that answer either," Minerva gave him a challenging, yet hopeful look.
In return, he gave her a soft smile. "It was my graduation ball. 1936.."
People started talking all at the same time, but Albus didn't care.
"Your Graduation?! How the bloody hell is that even possible?" Augusta, Alastor and Rolanda shouted at the same time, wide eyed and open mouthed.
Again, Albus didn't care. All he could do was look into Minerva's eyes and the way they had lit up at his answer made him happier than anything else at the moment.
He watched as she even gave Harry a little kiss on the cheek before she half-heartedly answered "Time-travel…" before she flung herself into his arms.
.
Albus immediately put his strong arms around her now shaking body and held her as she quietly sobbed against his chest.
He mumbled words of nonsense into her ear until the tears slowly stopped flowing.
The elderly wizard then lifted her chin carefully and looked into her still teary eyes. However, the sadness was soon replaced by anger.
"How could you do this?" She shouted angrily and balled her hands into fists. "How could you do this to me? To Arina? To Harry?"
Albus sighed and guilt boiled up in him again. "I'm so sorry, my love. I'm so sorry."
Tears once again started to flow down her cheeks and she hammered her fists against his chest in a rather desperate gesture.
But he let her. It didn't hurt very much and if it helped her to get her emotions in check he would gladly play her punching-ball.
He was very well aware of the fact that every eye awake in the room was lingering on them.
Aberforth grinned like an idiot; Alastor's eye rotated like crazy; Molly sniffed happily in a tissue; Arthur whispered something to Bill and George; Fleur, Ginny, Luna and Hermione smiled brightly at them. Augusta and Poppy were handing Xemerius a couple of Gallons and Rolanda was still standing there open mouthed; Aidan, Severus and Narcissa chuckled softly and Arina and Harry looked at each other happily.
When Minerva stopped her 'attack', Albus lowered his eyes to look at her lovingly.
"Don't – ever – do this again…" she mumbled and he wiped away the last remains of her tears. "I couldn't take it if – "
Her sentence was left unfinished for Albus had instinctively cupped her face with his hands and softly touched her lips with his own.
At first, she didn't move at all and the only thing he could her were the squealing sounds from the people around them.
But eventually, she pressed her thin body closer against his and returned his kiss fiercely. He immediately tightened his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him.
"I missed you, Tabby," Albus whispered, slightly out of breath, as they broke apart once again. He meant every single word of it; he had been waiting for so long to have her back in his life again and he would make sure to never again let her go again.
She didn't answer immediately, she just gave him this special smile that she always reserved for him.
They continued staring in each other's eyes, until Rolanda made a very disturbing sound.
Albus chuckled slightly when he saw the bright crimson blush that was making its way over his wife's cheeks. Apparently she had just realized that they had kissed in public for the first time.
Rather awkwardly she turned around, though she didn't get rid of his arms around her.
"Once you have finished with sticking your tongues down each other's throats, Min, would you mind giving me a proper answer to how exactly you ended up on Albus' graduation in 1936?" Rolanda asked with a raised eyebrow.
.
Minerva couldn't help but blush furiously again. 'Damn Rolanda and her curiosity.'
She was still incredibly confused that this was really Albus standing in front of her; happy and alive. It was like a dream come true.
But despite her newfound happiness, the fact that she had something to live for again made it even harder to accept the fate that the 'mors ad crutiam' caused her.
She knew very well that she now had to explain it to Albus and Arina and everyone else sooner or later... but she just didn't know how...
Shaking her head, she decided to focus only on Rolanda now; her disease and its affects only on the back of her mind now...
"You know, I'd like to know that, too," Arina mentioned casually as she leaned back against her husband with a smugly smile on her face. "After all, don't you always tell everyone how dangerous it can be to use a time-turner?"
The emerald eyed witch loved her daughter dearly, she really did. But in moments like these she inwardly cursed her for putting her on the spot in such a away; and the fact that she had to justify herself in front of a lot of her former students only made matters worse.
"It was an accident, Kitten…"
Augusta started laughing. "You accidently used a time-turner?"
"No. I used it to be able to attend more Hogwarts classes, Auggie."
"The same way I did?" Hermione asked curiously.
Minerva nodded with a small smile on her face. "Yes, I just accidently dropped it and it broke. I thought it wasn't a big deal… but well, it kind of transported me back a lot further than I thought and it took some time to repair the bloody thing again."
Rolanda shook her head. "And you fell in love with a boy from the past?"
"Believe it or not, Rolanda, this wasn't the plan."
Alastor looked at Albus and cackled a little. "So she had you wrapped around her little fingers from the start, hmm?"
Albus luckily just chuckled and put his arms around her shoulders. "I really wish it was that easy. She told me her name was Esmeralda and despite a rather …"
"Rocky."
"Yes, rocky start… I completely fell for her. But after the Grad-Ball… I never saw her again," Albus was a little lost in thoughts now. "And I spent years searching for her because I realized that life is more than merely staying alive… You can imagine how surprised was when I found out that the girl I fell in love with all those years ago was actually Minerva. "
.
Narcissa stared happily at the happy couple in front of them. She had always suspected that there was more going on between them than they let on, and she was delighted to see that – even after so many years – they were obviously still very much in love with each other.
The way the elderly wizard had his strong arms wrapped lovingly around the emerald eyed witch's body was truly a cute sight.
But even though she tried, the youngest Black sister couldn't quite suppress the feeling of jealously that crept up inside of her. For years, she had lived under Lucius' abusive roof and she just hoped that things would work out for her in the future.
She wanted Draco to be happy again, she wanted him to make friends; better ones than he had so far…
"Would you mind coming with me for a moment?" Severus suddenly whispered into her ear. "I'd like to take a walk in the silent night. I haven't done it in a long time."
Feeling like a girl with a silly crush again, Narcissa managed to keep her cheeks from blushing and nodded simply.
"Don't stay out too late; the grounds still aren't save," Minerva reminded them, using her overprotective motherly voice.
"Let's make a deal," Severus mused as he turned around once more to face the elderly witch. "We'll be careful and you all get some sleep. We've got quite a lot of work to do tomorrow, haven't we?"
For a moment, Narcissa thought the emerald witch would argue. But she only exchanged a look with Aidan and nodded.
However, before she could say anything else, the little mirror in Arina's hands started to glow again and she watched fascinated as young Potter and Hermione were once more sucked into the mirror.
"They'll be fine," Draco told her reassuringly and a gesture of his hands signaled her that he was alright with her going outside.
"Catch some sleep as well, will you, Draco?"
"I will, mother."
Giving him a small smile, she quietly excited the Great Hall, leaving the people who surprisingly gave her a new chance at life behind. All she heard were a couple of voices speaking spells to create more beds in the Hall.
Careful not to cause another ceiling to fall down, they quickly walked through the entrance doors into the quiet night.
Sitting down on the steps, they were quiet for a moment.
"What happened to Lucius?" Severus finally asked the question she had dreaded the whole time.
"Why would you ask that, Sev?"
He took her small hand in his, but didn't look at her. "Because I know him. And he would never let you go. Not without a fight."
Narcissa took a deep breath to steady herself. "I fear that if I tell you… you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore."
Finally, he looked her in the eyes; his black ones full with hope. "That will never happen."
Nodding, she leaned her head on his shoulder and grabbed his hand harder. Looking at the stars that shone at the dark sky, she decided to tell him the truth.
"He attacked me. Threatened me to hurt Draco," she whispered hoarsely. "He was about to come here and punish him for his failure. And I couldn't let that happen."
She felt that he sucked in a deep breath. "What did you do?"
"Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est…" Narcissa mumbled half-heartedly.
"What?"
"Life is more than merely staying alive," the blonde witch replied and leaned her slightly freezing body closer against his. "I stopped him from hurting my son… I used the 'Sectum Sempra' against him."
Hello lovelies!
I'm so incredibly sorry for the late update! But the last couple of weeks were packed with Uni-Exams I had to study for... It really sucks not to have any time left to write something...
Therefore, thanks again to everyone who fav/followed the story! And that you haven't given up on this story!
Thanks Mawenn, Amiliana, Paige, RamboL, Ramona, TealBlueEyes, Ketki, Maddie and all the guests for the lovely and encouraging reviews! This makes me incredibly happy!
I hope you like the next chapter; it includes a cute little Minerva/Harry bonding moment amongst other things!
To be honest, I didn't plan that my story telling streches the scenes so much... but as much as I tried it happened again in this chappie... despite my best efforts XD But I had to write about a couple of things that are essential for the future story line... but you'll see soon :)
Als always, I really hope you like it and let me know what you think!
