Chapter Six
Melanie followed Minerva as they moved around the empty halls of Nurmengard. Their boots echoed lightly as they walked. Minerva seemed pensive, running her fingertips along the stones in the wall. The stones were cold and gray, no place for anything happy to occur.
Simply being there made Melanie nervous and off put.
"Moody says that the majority of the papers are locked in something called a safe?" she glanced at the raven haired girl for confirmation on the strange word, but Minerva wasn't even looking in her direction.
"Anyways, it's like a huge metal box, and I mean huge, with a lock on it with numbers on it. Professor Dumbledore said we need to know all the numbers in the right order to make the box open. Ironic, huh, that they would use something Muggle, when they're trying to kill them all off?"
If Minerva was even paying attention to her, she didn't react. They continued to walked down the hall, Minerva tip toeing daintily towards the sides of the rooms and around all the people, careful not to make contact with anyone of them.
The Junior Aurors and other officers were putting together any more information on Grindelwald and his supporters through what they left over. Caverly was still roaming the camp, currently helping the younger Aurors go through the paperwork and books left over from the Blackcoats.
He smiled at her from across the room and the facial expression made shiver of dislike go down her spine.
Spell Specialists were working on the safe at the back of the room, dressed in navy robes and carefully planning out each move they were making with their wands.
Handfuls of higher up Aurors were pouring over a map in the center of the room, drawing lines with their wands that glowed for a moment before disappearing.
None of them seemed to notice the two girls except for Dumbledore who looked up as they entered and drew away from the table with a small smile.
He wore lilac robes, which Melanie found hilarious, and his red hair and beard seemed tangle free, much better than the last time she had seen him three days ago after his meeting with Caverly.
"Minerva?" Albus called softly. She turned with a grace Melanie had always envied in her and Albus drew her to the side of the room and out into the mouth of the hallway. The tenderness in his touch made Melanie want to weep.
He reached into his robe pocket and drew out a gold chain. He draped it from his fingers, showing Minerva the beautiful charm on the end.
It was smaller than an inch but was a beautiful stoned Phoenix. The feathers in flight were made of tiny, sparkling rubies and the crown made of light, white diamonds. The bird small eye was a petite mother of pearl.
When the light peeking through the windows it ignited like the bird was on fire and the flames danced.
"One of the Aurors found it," Albus said as an explanation.
A tear leaked down Minerva cheek and Albus smiles gently at the first show of sadness since she had been rescued.
He drew her into his chest, running his fingers down her spine soothingly. His whispered carefully in her ear and the words they shared didn't reach Melanie.
"About time don't you think," Kingsley said drawing Melanie towards the rest of the Aurors in the room shifting through the left over files that hadn't been burned.
"Don't you think we should..."
"Nah, leave them. Both of them deserve some happiness don't you think?" he said smoothly. Melanie only nodded and watched as Albus released her, running his thumb over her cheek.
"Just think of the story," Kingsley said handing her a handful of half burnt files and sitting back down at one of the makeshift tables. "The pureblood Deputy Headmaster and the little Muggleborn prodigy."
Melanie smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't know you were such a romantic, Shacklebolt," she teased. He snorted but didn't respond.
Melanie glanced over to see Minerva and Albus renter the room. Minerva turned to scan the room and the two young Aurors stood warily to their feet. The feeling of something coming overtook the room.
The others must have felt it as well, as the conversation near began to die down and the groups stared at her in angst.
Dumbledore came to stand beside her, hand resting soothingly on the small of her back. This seemed to strengthen her enough for her mouth to part. What came out wasn't anything she could have expected.
"He's Macnair," she said in a prim and clear voice.
Melanie's mouth dropped and she turned to see Caverly freeze like a hippogriff in headlights. The room fell completely.
"Well look at that the little mouse found her voice," he said condescendingly.
*The Great War 1944*
Melanie entered Minerva's tent to find her alone, perched on the bed, brushing her head. Her green eyes glanced up as the tent's flap moved and Melanie gave her a smile as she took her normal seat near the bed and makeshift nightstand.
After two hours of trying of restraining, arresting, helping stun, and incarcerate Caverly until they could investigate, she was exhausted.
Not nearly exhausted as the Fifth Year in front of her looked though.
"That was brave you know," she said gently and Minerva's hand stopped briefly on her locks. "To call Caverly out like in front of everyone."
For a moment Minerva breathed and then she turned to face Melanie.
"Sixteen, forty nine, eighteen," she said suddenly.
"What?"
"Moody…" she seemed to struggle for a moment and Melanie patiently held her tongue. "Moody wanted to know what I know. Sixteen, forty nine, eighteen. That's what I know."
Then she resumed brushing her hair.
It was while before any other movement happened. It was Minerva who moved. Her left hand slid to caress the golden necklace Dumbledore had given back to her.
Her fingers moved over it again and again and it seemed to steel her as she leaned back against the pillows. Finally Melanie spoke something that had been on her mind since the first week of their meeting.
She leaned forward, lowering her voice.
"He loves you, you know. Dumbledore. You don't have to say anything, I don't actually expect you too, but I just thought you should know that I see it. I couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between the two of you, you know before all this mess, or maybe nothing happened yet. I know it's really not my business or anything. I know it wouldn't exactly be proper, but the way he looks at you. Any witch would want a man to look at her like that, I—"
Minerva's eyes flickered up to her face and her fingers dropped the chain gently back onto her shift. She rose up from her bed, cutting off Melanie's ramblings.
Melanie watched as the dark haired girl took her hand. She watched breathlessly as Minerva moved Melanie's hand and place it over her heart, near where the phoenix nestled on its chain.
She gave the Auror a tentative smile.
She didn't need to use any words. The message was received loud and clear.